Complaint Review: Mega Life $health Insurance NASE UGA Associated Field Services HealthMarkets Chris Pennington

I just started with the company several weeks ago. First off, before I even made one sale, they invited me to a get together at an upscale country club, with the bill being flipped by the divisional manager, not UGA or MEGA. Obviously the whole name of the game for this company is sell, sell, sell and award those that do good.
I have seen the success stories and talked with guys working for the company and can definitely tell the ones who do poorly are the ones I asked how they like it. Most of their responses are, "Its ok, but not what I thought it would be. Talking more with them, they say they only make about 100 phone calls a week, setup one to two appointments a day and just drop business cards on tables.

I talked to the guys that are making several thousand dollars a week in volume and their stories are how hard they are pushing to find new leads, whether buying them off of lead generating websites, or advertising at trade shows, etc. And their booking 5-6 or more appointments a day, even if they only get 1-2 of the signed, they are still making big bucks.
I didnt believe the hype when I first signed on, but decided to give it a chance and im happy I stuck to it.

UGA and MEGA have alot more to offer than some companies. The Association membership is great for people who get denied insurance (cancer, diabetes, low income). They still have an option to pay less for insurance, where most insurance companies wouldnt even bother

I just started with the company several weeks ago. First off, before I even made one sale, they invited me to a get together at an upscale country club, with the bill being flipped by the divisional manager, not UGA or MEGA. Obviously the whole name of the game for this company is sell, sell, sell and award those that do good.
I have seen the success stories and talked with guys working for the company and can definitely tell the ones who do poorly are the ones I asked how they like it. Most of their responses are, "Its ok, but not what I thought it would be. Talking more with them, they say they only make about 100 phone calls a week, setup one to two appointments a day and just drop business cards on tables.

I talked to the guys that are making several thousand dollars a week in volume and their stories are how hard they are pushing to find new leads, whether buying them off of lead generating websites, or advertising at trade shows, etc. And their booking 5-6 or more appointments a day, even if they only get 1-2 of the signed, they are still making big bucks.
I didnt believe the hype when I first signed on, but decided to give it a chance and im happy I stuck to it.

UGA and MEGA have alot more to offer than some companies. The Association membership is great for people who get denied insurance (cancer, diabetes, low income). They still have an option to pay less for insurance, where most insurance companies wouldnt even bother

I just started with the company several weeks ago. First off, before I even made one sale, they invited me to a get together at an upscale country club, with the bill being flipped by the divisional manager, not UGA or MEGA. Obviously the whole name of the game for this company is sell, sell, sell and award those that do good.
I have seen the success stories and talked with guys working for the company and can definitely tell the ones who do poorly are the ones I asked how they like it. Most of their responses are, "Its ok, but not what I thought it would be. Talking more with them, they say they only make about 100 phone calls a week, setup one to two appointments a day and just drop business cards on tables.

I talked to the guys that are making several thousand dollars a week in volume and their stories are how hard they are pushing to find new leads, whether buying them off of lead generating websites, or advertising at trade shows, etc. And their booking 5-6 or more appointments a day, even if they only get 1-2 of the signed, they are still making big bucks.
I didnt believe the hype when I first signed on, but decided to give it a chance and im happy I stuck to it.

UGA and MEGA have alot more to offer than some companies. The Association membership is great for people who get denied insurance (cancer, diabetes, low income). They still have an option to pay less for insurance, where most insurance companies wouldnt even bother

Lee,

I disagree with you on the reason that MEGA requires their agents to be exclusive.

A true 'independant' agent should be able to offer plans from other insurance companies.

As far as a 'greedy agent' putting people with one company then switching them to another... sure that is a possiblity, but you will get charged back from the first insurance carrier (yes, mega does put it on your debt account)....

Can it happen, yes... has it happened, I'm sure it has. Customer's wouldn't stay with you long if you were switching them from carrier to carrier every other month.

I think the true reason MEGA doesn't want you selling other policies... if you truly put the plans side by side and compare prices... you would be surprised. In the end you would probabally put people with other carriers if you had the option to.

I'm glad to see you are making decent cash, I couldn't write any more policies after I saw the loopholes in the policy.. I hope you've read every page of the policy you are selling, not just the brochure.

I would also recommend that you watch Michael Moore's movie 'Sicko', that started me down the road away from MEGA.

Sam,

I am an agent and do extremely well, and not only do I make in excess of $100k, I actually make more than twice that (Net income). When I started, I was told similar things and was trained in a similar manner. I struggled for months until I figured out how to make it work. The fact is, it is all up to you. If the business was easy, everyone would do it. I do not have easy days, only hard ones. I work 50 hours a week, which is not that bad, but there is a lot of pressure when you are dealing with a 100% commission job.

The simple fact is that if you were to stick with it instead of giving up so easily, things would be different for you. Good luck with your new job.

With regards to John's comment - there are more definitions than that... There is also "not relying on another or others for aid or support." We are "independent" agents that are 1099 contractors. Therefore we are "independent" in that it is up to us to drum up business and get it through. We are "independent" in that we do not have to go to an office to work. We are "independent" in that if we don't work, we don't get paid.

And to answer your question directly as to why we sell only Mega's product? One word. GREED. Agents that have done that in the past, will sell a plan from one company, then cancel that for a customer and put them with another company and make 2 commissions. People that do that are unethical.

This is in response to RCF in Washington.

You mentioned you are self employeed independent agent, then why are you not able to sell other products for other companies.

The definition of independent is:
not dependent on or conditioned by or relative to anything else
not controlled by outside forces;

But Mega does control what you do and does not allow you to be contracted with other insurance entities. They only want you to sell there product.

Why is that. How are you Independent?

Sam, Sorry to hear your comments. This company requires there agents to run the business as if it were your business. You were an independent contractor/ self employed. The division manager was factual. You were supplied leads and guidence on how to conduct yourself and your business. It sounds like you did not give yourself a chance to succeed. I'm sure no person told you coming out of the shoot that it was going to be easy. It takes a strong will, discipline, a good attitude, and just plain hard work. I'm sure no one promised you 100K without doing what I just said. If you did not use the resources that were available, meaning your division, district, and fellow agen

ts that are doing the deal, that falls on you. If you know anything about sports, an individual by the name Tiger Woods, probably the best that will ever be in the game, had a father that trained him, prepared him, and didn't promise him that the ball would go straight. He told him that this is an individual game, your on your own, and if you want to be successful and the best, your going to have to accept the responsibility that comes with that territory, do not accept mediocrity, work harder than any of your competitors. Look what that advice has done for him. The same philosophy applies, in any self employed work force. I personally work for this company. I have been with them for 5 years. I have been Nationally recognized on 3 out of the 5 years, and make a good living. I am respected by management and fellow agents, but most importantly, respected by my clients.

My first application that I wrote 5 years ago is still with me, and the company. I would like to offer you my help on becoming successful with this company because we have something in common, I was trained by Chris Pennington also. I am in another State but would like you to call Chris, he then will call me, and we can have a conversation on how I became successful, what work ethic you need, and prove to you that this is not being written by one of his relatives. Would be more than happy to help you!

I used to work for healthmarkets. This is junk insurance. If you have this insurance, read your policy and then call and cancel right away. You will pay more in premiums than they will ever pay in claims. This company does not even care about it's employees so what makes you think they care about the customers.

When a paper or media writes an article on us, we are "coached" on what to say and they make us believe it is all false. They make us work through lunch, take hundreds of calls everyday and they care about quanity more than quality. They more calls we take and crap we deal with, the bigger the checks are. All the managers and supervisors go drinking and smoke pot with the other "small" employees. This company is a joke and if you think you are covered, you obviously have no idea what you are paying for. I can tell you what your premiums pay for...My flat screen tv and everyone else's that works there.