There are many advantages to working as an independent health insurance broker or agent. However, it’s important to note that being “independent” doesn’t have to mean working alone. In fact, you can partner with a General Agency or General Agent (both referred to as a “GA”) to help you write more business, process it more effectively, and earn more income.
A GA is a wonderful resource to help you open the door to new sales opportunities, while also helping you offload some of your back office, administrative activities.
Brokers today – more than at any time previously – face challenges. Among them are staying on top of changing rules and regulations at the state and federal levels, earning your required Continuing Education (CE) Credits to maintain your license(s), learning and implementing new technology, and offering an increasingly wide range of products and services to address the needs of your clients.
Contrary to what you may have heard or read elsewhere, working with a GA does not cost you anything. You earn the same commission (and bonuses) as you would independently. Your GA’s compensation is not taken from your earnings. The carrier or administrator pays the GA directly. You won’t earn less, and, in fact, you could earn more because of your relationship with a GA. That’s because a GA can take on many administrative activities like quoting, so you can focus on money-making activities like sales.
Regardless of whether you’re new to the insurance industry, or you’ve been selling Group Health for years, you can benefit by working with a GA.
Word & Brown Advantages
Consider all the advantages available to you when you work with the Word & Brown General Agency:
Help from Start to Finish
Word & Brown delivers a wide range of services to help you drive more sales, build your business, and increase client satisfaction. We’ll be with you from quote to close to renewal – and every step along the way.
Unparalleled Sales Assistance
We are here for you whenever and however you need us – wherever you are. Our team offers support in-person, on the phone, and online. We’re committed to making your job easier. We’ll answer all of your and your clients’ questions about products, underwriting, sales, enrollment, medical provider networks, service, claims, billing, and more.
Full Market Portfolio
We offer Major Medical, Ancillary (Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, etc.), and Voluntary coverage from leading insurers and administrators for Small Group and Large Group. If your clients are looking for EAP or other services, we can help you there, too.
Powerful, Accurate Quoting
Our proprietary quoting technology offers you side-by-side plan comparisons with highlighted plan differences, built-in safeguards to ensure rate accuracy, customizable quote output, a single-page executive highlights, multilingual translations, integrated provider search, automated deductible and Rx updates (so you know when they apply before benefits kick it), and more – including the ability to quote Medical and Ancillary on a single platform and generate quotes in 30+ layout options.
Presentation Assistance
We offer tailored presentation-ready proposals for client meetings. We’ll do the research and deliver a custom report to ensure your clients and their employees get the doctors, medical groups, and prescription medications they want and need in the plans they’re considering. In California, we have bilingual enrollers and presenters, too – to assist with your presentation and enrollment meetings.
Underwriting Experts
Our Underwriting team members work directly with Small Group and Large Group carriers to streamline approvals. We’ll scrub your quotes, and track and follow-up to ensure proposals (or declines) are returned by your requested date. We will also generate a strategic market analysis and provide benchmarking. The bottom line is a cleaner, complete submissions for you and your clients.
Training and Education
Stay up to date on the industry with in-person and online training, including Continuing Education (CE) Credits. Get product, service, and carrier updates via email, our monthly newsletter, social media, and in our Newsroom. Take advantage of sales tips in our monthly broker blog posts. Stay on top of health care and related news by subscribing to our J&R Report.
In-house Compliance Expertise
Our WBCompliance team is here to simplify compliance – for you and your clients. We keep you up to speed on the latest issues concerning employer reporting, changing employee benefits regulations, and laws that could affect your clients’ businesses. We’ll help you protect your clients from liability and hefty financial penalties in connection with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Value-Added Extras
We deliver a range of value-added services to help you and your clients. Ask us about HR and benefits administration services, COBRA, ERISA, and POP – all of which can help you build a stronger connection with your clients.
A GA Can Help You in Many Ways
If you want to grow your business, partnering with a General Agency can help you in a variety of ways. Word & Brown has been working with brokers since 1985 and we are committed to providing you with “Service of Unequalled Excellence.”
Call (800) 869-6989, visit us online, or fill out our “Get Started” form to learn more.
