Complaint Review: Mega Life & Health NASE AFS UGA

You have the responsibility of diligence to understand your product. All I had to do
Was send a schedule for my chemo treatment and the policy covered the rest. ( cancer treatment schedule is what all doctors do)
Yes i had $6500 out of my pocket this year but they covered everything that my agent told me they would. Sorry you have other problems and $8500 dollars
is going to make you go broke. But if it wasn't for my agent i would have been stuck in a small network HMO to decide my treatment. I clearly understood what i wanted in my policy i bought 5 years ago and if it wasn't for the cancer rider policy i bought through them i would have lost everything with my kids still in high school.
My agent i consider a good friend now. I wish everyone could let go and trust that their are still people trying to do the write thing out there. Understand there is not
one perfect policy out there or ONE perfect JOB or ONE perfect choice.

Being self employed I do have an opening while I'm dealing with chemo. Its a counter position dealing with the public pays $9.50 an hour no medical and you have to answer the phone all day dealing with unrealistic people. SALES just isn't every ones cup of tea. I can terminate employees if they don't produce 85000 in 2 months or i find them stealing. If your still employed there take some advice and get to work. I sell car parts and if you think there's no overhead for my salesmen your in la la land. They take more abuse than i could possible handle but they keep hammering along day after day. Be a good boss to yourself and find out what works for YOU and aply yourself.

I'm in full agreement and also don't understand that post. Is that post supposed to say that Mega Life would pay for diabetes classes? Ummmm, I'd check on that. I don't know of a single individual carrier that would pay for classes relating to diabetes management and certainly Mega would not.

And in fact let's discuss diabetes and the fact that Mega's drug plan only offers a 25% discount off name brand with a $1,500 cap. I'm not sure how much insulin costs but I'm pretty sure it's more than $1,500 a year.

I am not defending any insurance company, as I have left the insurance industry all together.
you are talking about a 'class' not an hospitilization, or a test or some type of treatment..

I don't see how that has any relevance here.

TA, if you have any questions for me, feel free to contact me directly via e-mail, since you copied me on 10/30.
as an attorney, I'm sure you know there are several sides to every story.

I received this e-mail (word for word, except the "XXX") two days ago from one of my Company personnel who is on our group plan:

"I think I tore a rotator. I will need to get it checked soon, this week, to take advantage of the $2000 I paid out of pocket so far this year.

Also XXX, I checked with United twice on my Diabetes class before I signed up for it. Both times I was told it would be covered because SCH is a provider in the system and my Dr is sending me. I checked twice because the teacher told me she had some students in the past who had United turn them down due to the specific plan they were under. Twice I checked and twice I was told it was covered. The 2nd time I was told "We told you once already".

Now, I get a bill from SCH because wonderful United is paying $2.00 (yup, there is a decimal point in there), $2.00 toward the class! This is unbelievable! They suck so bad!"

Note that this person is dealing directly with United, not the Broker who sold me the plan. The Employees don't even know the Broker's name.....

I think most are missing my original point / issue.

We were mis-trained. I don't think it was intentional, but we know now that the way the 'new plan' Care-One Plus and the preventive Plus rider application were explained improperly.

this caused us as agents to explain the product wrong to our customers.

We figured out we were wrong when a customer called my mentor and explained how a claim was decliened (applied towards deductable, rather than being paid)

The remedy was to bring in national trainers and re-train us....

Again, what about all the other people we explained the plan wrong to?

The company is standing behind the 10day free look.

I do have integrity, and I did explain the plan as I thought it worked.
now the way the plan actually works rather than the way it was originally explained to me vary. Therefore I cannot sell this product any longer.

Calling it limited is an understatement.

as far as complaining about the company, sure I do have my complaints.. but as you can see from my original post, I was asking for help on the 'debt' account, that I was told not to worry about because my back end would clear it out.

I think most are missing my original point / issue.

We were mis-trained. I don't think it was intentional, but we know now that the way the 'new plan' Care-One Plus and the preventive Plus rider application were explained improperly.

this caused us as agents to explain the product wrong to our customers.

We figured out we were wrong when a customer called my mentor and explained how a claim was decliened (applied towards deductable, rather than being paid)

The remedy was to bring in national trainers and re-train us....

Again, what about all the other people we explained the plan wrong to?

The company is standing behind the 10day free look.

I do have integrity, and I did explain the plan as I thought it worked.
now the way the plan actually works rather than the way it was originally explained to me vary. Therefore I cannot sell this product any longer.

Calling it limited is an understatement.

as far as complaining about the company, sure I do have my complaints.. but as you can see from my original post, I was asking for help on the 'debt' account, that I was told not to worry about because my back end would clear it out.

I think most are missing my original point / issue.

We were mis-trained. I don't think it was intentional, but we know now that the way the 'new plan' Care-One Plus and the preventive Plus rider application were explained improperly.

this caused us as agents to explain the product wrong to our customers.

We figured out we were wrong when a customer called my mentor and explained how a claim was decliened (applied towards deductable, rather than being paid)

The remedy was to bring in national trainers and re-train us....

Again, what about all the other people we explained the plan wrong to?

The company is standing behind the 10day free look.

I do have integrity, and I did explain the plan as I thought it worked.
now the way the plan actually works rather than the way it was originally explained to me vary. Therefore I cannot sell this product any longer.

Calling it limited is an understatement.

as far as complaining about the company, sure I do have my complaints.. but as you can see from my original post, I was asking for help on the 'debt' account, that I was told not to worry about because my back end would clear it out.

I think most are missing my original point / issue.

We were mis-trained. I don't think it was intentional, but we know now that the way the 'new plan' Care-One Plus and the preventive Plus rider application were explained improperly.

this caused us as agents to explain the product wrong to our customers.

We figured out we were wrong when a customer called my mentor and explained how a claim was decliened (applied towards deductable, rather than being paid)

The remedy was to bring in national trainers and re-train us....

Again, what about all the other people we explained the plan wrong to?

The company is standing behind the 10day free look.

I do have integrity, and I did explain the plan as I thought it worked.
now the way the plan actually works rather than the way it was originally explained to me vary. Therefore I cannot sell this product any longer.

Calling it limited is an understatement.

as far as complaining about the company, sure I do have my complaints.. but as you can see from my original post, I was asking for help on the 'debt' account, that I was told not to worry about because my back end would clear it out.

To sell any product you have to have confidence and belief in the product.

If you are not comfortable marketing a limited medical insurance plan which covers the basics plus optional additional...you will not be able successfully sell.

I personally am still learning about the products and their limitations. This would be the same with any company. DIfference is non-captive agents can let people pick and choose from a wider variety of plans. Looking on consumer complaint sites -- all companies have stories from unhappy customers. EG My3cents.com...

As with any insurance --the agent must clearly explain to clients what they have and do not have...

The people I have had contact with to date in this company appear to be very ethical and I am watching very closely. I am sure there are some agents and/or leaders who care only about personal production. I'm sure every company has such people -- after all there is a reason that the public does not have a high regard for insurance sales people in general.

I am giving myself a certain period of time to further assess my success potential--
start up funds are necessary in any business and if I decide this career is not going to work for me I would not complain about the company.

well Thoroughly Impressed, a couple of things,

first of all, I'm not trying to bring down those that did help me.

my two managers were there for me when ever I asked for help, no doubt about that.
The people I worked with were great, and I know I wrote plenty of good business that is still on the books and should continue to stay on the books (since it's such a great product)

Yes, everything is there in 'black and white' for me to read and sign.
I'm also sure you weren't there when I simply asked what the deal is with the 'debt account' and I was told "don't worry about it"

Also when mgmt. learned that we mis-understood the plan to consumers(this past summer) we were re-trained, but the company did not notify the insured that they may have had their purchased product explained incorrectly to them by their agent. Yes, we can hide behind the fact that the customer has the documentation in front of them in 'black and white' and they have 10 days to review and cancel with no penalty.

I was never informed about E&O coverage and I do not see it mentioned anywhere in the contract I signed.
If I was an attorney or was close to an attorney, I'm sure I would have purchased the E&O coverage.

If I was making several hundred thousand a year, I might even be blinded by certian things, or be able to look 'the other way'.. but, I cannot...
I couldn't sleep any more knowing that I my customers were expecting things to be covered that would not be covered when those customers went to submit a claim.

I have read countless horror stories that I do not want to contribute to.

I think back to my initial training and several things in class were prefaced with the right hand in the air and the words "I promise", several of those things are not true.

Actually, I am not an employee of the Company in question. However, my significant other is a Mega Agent, and through this person, I have been more than welcomed into a circle of amazing, hard-working, successful, professional people who are doing this Country, it's Health Care Industry, and many of the 47,000,000 uninsured people that politicians just talk about and the well-known Health Insurer's ignore, a great service. I have been observing the MEGA operation for about five years.

I am also very familiar with Scared's situation.

Myself I have an engineering degree and a JD. I have had my own business for 25 years. I have made millions of dollars and lost millions of dollars. At times, I have been scared to death, and at times, I have been invincible. I think I have seen it all, but every day, I see something else, so let's just say I have seen a lot. Currently, I employ about 60 people in a heavy industrial type businessthe type of work not many people want to do any more. I WISH I could offer my employees the opportunity for advancement and financial success that I see available at MEGA and it's group of companies. And from a Health Insurance perspective, I can say that I provide group insurance for my employee's, and EVERY YEAR, if I want to stay with the same plan, the cost goes up 15 to 20 per cent, so I usually wind up down-grading the plan, going with a higher deductible, more co-pay, less benefits to try and keep the bill AFFORDABLE.

When this person I care so much about first entered this business, I was extremely skeptical. I did not believe the promises of riches, and I thought, yeah, sure. just another insurance company ripping people off. "Don't do it", I said.

Here is what I have observed:

As far as the Insurance: I really get it. A lot of people still don't. The days of flashing an insurance card and having everything covered are GONE! At least, for the majority of us. Sure, there are still blue chip plans out there. And the elites can still afford them. And if you are destitute, or are of low enough character that you can allow yourself to pretend to be, there are plans funded by our tax dollars for you. But for all of us in betwixt and between, we need to either get a job that provides health benefits, or buy our own.

And here is where Mega provides a great service. An ala carte plan that the smart, well-educated consumer can use to protect herself and her family, within the confines of her budget. Is there fine print in the policy? Of course there is. In these days, it is impossible to operate otherwise, and EVERY insurance company has fine print and stipulations. It's up to the Agent to help the customer understand the ins and outs of the policy they are buying. Are there unscrupulous Agents out there scamming some people? Unfortunately, yes. This happens everywhere, in every business. But I can honestly say that the good Agents and Managers, the successful Agents and Mangers at Mega, won't have it. Because it hurts them and their business. Additionally, Mega monitors the quality of their Agent's sales with a calculation called Taken Rate, which is the ratio of the number of policies that stay on the books over the total policies submitted by the Agent. This ratio effects the Agent's advances and some bonuses.

Are there misinterpretations of some policy provisions by the Agents? I've seen it, but rarely, and never, to my knowledge, intentionally.

Are there unhappy customers complaining to the State Department of Business Regulation? Yes, the same as with every other insurance company. I haven't seen a perfect one yet.

In summation, in my opinion, Mega plans are a smart choice for a smart consumer, and, in my experience, they can offer as much protection as any of the big name group plans I deal with in my business on a yearly basis, but are much more innovative, and, if built properly, can be much more cost effective.

As far as being an Agent: This business is definitely not for everyone. It is brutally honest. Especially for the first few years. Every day, you have to wake up, find the people who need your services, meet with them, sell them, then take care of them if issues arise. Every time you make a sale, 7 days later, you get some money. If you don't make a sale, you don't get any money. Like I said, brutally honest. No hiding behind a salary or stretching the time clock. You do it or you don't.

But here's where the American Dream comes in. If you work hard, and do this for a few years, all of a sudden something called the Back End starts kicking in. Commissions on all those policies you have sold (that have stayed on the books indicating happy customers) start to build up, and you start getting a check every month that's not contingent on your daily sales. Bonuses start kicking in, usually something every month, and they are significant! And you start vesting in the stock plan, that Mega forces you to participate in, and that they match for you.

All of a sudden, you are seeing 10's of thousands of dollars in addition to the sum of your weekly check. As you develop, you can become a Manager of a District, a Division or a Region. The opportunities are real and unlimited, and they can come fast. Your potential is limited only by how hard you work. Not necessarily true elsewhere. I have a number of good employees who work extremely hard for me, but I can't come close to offering them these types of opportunities.

But, like I said, it's not for everyone. I've seen many people come, and many people go. The successful ones take charge and develop their own marketing plans that go well beyond trying to make it on company and internet leads. They are self-starters, extroverts. They care about people, and like to have fun. From what I have seen, they work hard, and play hard.

As far as I was told I was told. I was told. every Agent signs a contract. The terms of the arrangement, including the debit account, are there in black and white. The policies and plans are written in black and white. Every Agent has to get licensed by the State they are in, and must attend classes to obtain the license. E&O insurance is discussed. Agents are independent. This means they are businessmen, responsible for their own business. When I started my business 25 years ago, I did not even know how to withhold and report employee taxes. I did not know what type of insurance I needed. I had to learn real fast. Whenever I make a wrong choice, it costs me. Whenever one of my employees makes a mistake, it costs me. There are a lot of pot holes and pitfalls if you are running your own show. They change every day, and the buck stops with you. No I was told. Too bad.

From my observation, Scared was in one of the Best Regions in Mega, working for one of the Best Division Mangers and two of the Best District Managers, who all went way out of their way to help him succeed. It's too bad he quit, but I think it's a travesty, and certainly not the act of a person of integrity, for him to try to take all of the rest of these good people down with him.

Since this Co. (MEGA,UGA,NASE, Chesapeake Life) was purchased by the Blackstone Group it has been on a downhill slide, Blackstone has taken control and is squeezing it for all the cash it can get. DSLs are not being paid properly, for leads, recruiting, bonuses etc, one guy sold more AV (annual volume) than he did last year but made less money, go figure. A leads are not being provided because DLS are not being reimbursed for them, and supposed internet leads are being generated which are not really and A lead 1 out of 100 may be qualified and interested. TM leads we used in the hey day of the company but are few and far between from outside vendors, only the top guys get those. I talk to reps and DSLS every week that are thinking about leaving, the only problem is they have gotten in debt, and have to make this work, but it is not. The upper level management Troy M, Tony G, (if you are with the company you know who they are) and the Blackstone group have the RSLS brainwashed thinking the reps and DSLs arent working, this medicare deal was supposed to be a life saver but seems like it is falling on its butt.
Truth known Blackstone is going to suck the company dry then sell it, and everyones stock is going to be worth a lot less.
I am an ex agent than went inside to get the truth. I have investigated it from all levels, from underwritting, training, accounting, admin, leads, everything, i have contact from the top to the bottom, old ex DSLs, RSLs, presidents, national directors, retired, fired, and people that have just went away. The plans are not the worst in the world, the companies are just being mis-managed and are probobly past the point of no return. Troy M and Tony G are childhood friends who have found their pot of gold, and actually when blackstone sells UICI you see they will go with Blackstone to take over another Insurance co.
1 DSL in GA stepped down this week, 1 in IL last week, 1 in CA is retireing, is is becoming a weekly occurance, after next week, the end of the year we will be seeing much more.

Since this Co. (MEGA,UGA,NASE, Chesapeake Life) was purchased by the Blackstone Group it has been on a downhill slide, Blackstone has taken control and is squeezing it for all the cash it can get. DSLs are not being paid properly, for leads, recruiting, bonuses etc, one guy sold more AV (annual volume) than he did last year but made less money, go figure. A leads are not being provided because DLS are not being reimbursed for them, and supposed internet leads are being generated which are not really and A lead 1 out of 100 may be qualified and interested. TM leads we used in the hey day of the company but are few and far between from outside vendors, only the top guys get those. I talk to reps and DSLS every week that are thinking about leaving, the only problem is they have gotten in debt, and have to make this work, but it is not. The upper level management Troy M, Tony G, (if you are with the company you know who they are) and the Blackstone group have the RSLS brainwashed thinking the reps and DSLs arent working, this medicare deal was supposed to be a life saver but seems like it is falling on its butt.
Truth known Blackstone is going to suck the company dry then sell it, and everyones stock is going to be worth a lot less.
I am an ex agent than went inside to get the truth. I have investigated it from all levels, from underwritting, training, accounting, admin, leads, everything, i have contact from the top to the bottom, old ex DSLs, RSLs, presidents, national directors, retired, fired, and people that have just went away. The plans are not the worst in the world, the companies are just being mis-managed and are probobly past the point of no return. Troy M and Tony G are childhood friends who have found their pot of gold, and actually when blackstone sells UICI you see they will go with Blackstone to take over another Insurance co.
1 DSL in GA stepped down this week, 1 in IL last week, 1 in CA is retireing, is is becoming a weekly occurance, after next week, the end of the year we will be seeing much more.

Since this Co. (MEGA,UGA,NASE, Chesapeake Life) was purchased by the Blackstone Group it has been on a downhill slide, Blackstone has taken control and is squeezing it for all the cash it can get. DSLs are not being paid properly, for leads, recruiting, bonuses etc, one guy sold more AV (annual volume) than he did last year but made less money, go figure. A leads are not being provided because DLS are not being reimbursed for them, and supposed internet leads are being generated which are not really and A lead 1 out of 100 may be qualified and interested. TM leads we used in the hey day of the company but are few and far between from outside vendors, only the top guys get those. I talk to reps and DSLS every week that are thinking about leaving, the only problem is they have gotten in debt, and have to make this work, but it is not. The upper level management Troy M, Tony G, (if you are with the company you know who they are) and the Blackstone group have the RSLS brainwashed thinking the reps and DSLs arent working, this medicare deal was supposed to be a life saver but seems like it is falling on its butt.
Truth known Blackstone is going to suck the company dry then sell it, and everyones stock is going to be worth a lot less.
I am an ex agent than went inside to get the truth. I have investigated it from all levels, from underwritting, training, accounting, admin, leads, everything, i have contact from the top to the bottom, old ex DSLs, RSLs, presidents, national directors, retired, fired, and people that have just went away. The plans are not the worst in the world, the companies are just being mis-managed and are probobly past the point of no return. Troy M and Tony G are childhood friends who have found their pot of gold, and actually when blackstone sells UICI you see they will go with Blackstone to take over another Insurance co.
1 DSL in GA stepped down this week, 1 in IL last week, 1 in CA is retireing, is is becoming a weekly occurance, after next week, the end of the year we will be seeing much more.

Since this Co. (MEGA,UGA,NASE, Chesapeake Life) was purchased by the Blackstone Group it has been on a downhill slide, Blackstone has taken control and is squeezing it for all the cash it can get. DSLs are not being paid properly, for leads, recruiting, bonuses etc, one guy sold more AV (annual volume) than he did last year but made less money, go figure. A leads are not being provided because DLS are not being reimbursed for them, and supposed internet leads are being generated which are not really and A lead 1 out of 100 may be qualified and interested. TM leads we used in the hey day of the company but are few and far between from outside vendors, only the top guys get those. I talk to reps and DSLS every week that are thinking about leaving, the only problem is they have gotten in debt, and have to make this work, but it is not. The upper level management Troy M, Tony G, (if you are with the company you know who they are) and the Blackstone group have the RSLS brainwashed thinking the reps and DSLs arent working, this medicare deal was supposed to be a life saver but seems like it is falling on its butt.
Truth known Blackstone is going to suck the company dry then sell it, and everyones stock is going to be worth a lot less.
I am an ex agent than went inside to get the truth. I have investigated it from all levels, from underwritting, training, accounting, admin, leads, everything, i have contact from the top to the bottom, old ex DSLs, RSLs, presidents, national directors, retired, fired, and people that have just went away. The plans are not the worst in the world, the companies are just being mis-managed and are probobly past the point of no return. Troy M and Tony G are childhood friends who have found their pot of gold, and actually when blackstone sells UICI you see they will go with Blackstone to take over another Insurance co.
1 DSL in GA stepped down this week, 1 in IL last week, 1 in CA is retireing, is is becoming a weekly occurance, after next week, the end of the year we will be seeing much more.

Congrats on leaving. What UGA managers kinda forget to leave out of the interview is the amount of money is costs to generate leads. Yes, they give you B leads for free. Some managers are upfront with new hires and tell them they are old leads that have already been called. However, some of the unethical managers fail to go over what B leads truly are during the interview phase.

I was flat out lied to and told at the interview I'd get at least 10 fresh exclusive leads per day. Only after training did I find out I'd have to "graduate" from my Quick Start class before I got those leads. Highly unethical. Even after quick start I was lucky got get 10 fresh leads per week, never mind per day. Is was only then I was told "I need to invest in my business." Funny, I never heard anything about investing in my business at the interview.

Managers are more than happy to point out the few (very few) agents in their division who actually make six figures. What most managers leave out is they are spending a great deal of money on leads, ads, signs, etc...Anyone in this biz can make fantastic money if they have the cash to invest in leads or ads.

Newbies deserve to know that unless you have between $300 to $500 a week to spend on generating or buying leads you will be stuck home cold-calling all day for at least 2 or 3 days to generate appointments. People who have the ability to cold-call for endless hours will indeed be successful however a lot of agents would never have taken the job in the 1st place if they knew it took money to generate leads or they'd be cold-calling.

I just called my RSL and advised him that I am no longer selling products for this company.

I listed many of the reasons why I was leaving, he clamed that he never said all the things I told him I was taught in training.

But what he was most concerned about,
The Leads! Yes,,, when did I stop calling on leads, becuase he wanted to re-assign those to somebody else.


I told him that the company should be sending out a letter to all the insured's advising them that they may have been misinformed by the agent.. because the agent was NOT TRAINED PROPERLY.

NOPE. not going to do that!

I left an office for AAS a while ago. Shortly after I found out that most all of the prominent agents had quit and gotten together and are suing all of the team leaders and the company. I went through the whole terrible leads I spent way more in gas and time going to appointments 2 hours away. They just use people to burn through stacks of old used up leads knowing none of them will last. While they take the company bought leads and sell policies. Now I got a letter saying I owe them money and to refer to my contract. Well guess what just like alot of others there that quit, they never gave me a copy of it. One guy was so insistent on getting his they tried locating it and could not find one. Don't worry, get a lawyer there are law offices open dedicated soley to suing these people.

Scared in Providence,

You are not alone if that helps. So many of us went to work for UGA thinking that we had made the right decision and were going to improve our lives plus help others. So many of us ended up just like you, financially ruined.

I too went to work for UGA earlier this year. I wanted the chance to be there for my family and still make good money PLUS help others obtain good health insurance. After the group interview, I was told that out of 9 people, I was the only one they wanted. Truth is, I was the only idiot in the group who believed what they said. "We give you 17 free leads per week...they are free and never given to anyone else". Not true. The leads were not free, at least the A leads weren't. They started to give me A leads and then after a week, I was given a bill for almost $100 that I had to pay to my District Manager. I paid it, and then a week later this person tried to collect the same $100 from me again saying the he never received the payment from the week before. When I showed him the cancelled check, he backed off. The B leads were trash, pure and simple. But then again, most B leads are. I too tried to buy leads and put them on credit cards because I wanted so badly to succeed and be the best. I too ended up in debt up to my eyeballs.

I was then told that I had to get my license and I had to pay close to $400 for the license fee, and other fees in order to get started. I didn't question them. I was completely new to the insurance business and didn't know any better. I later found out that other "new" agents did not have to pay any fees at all.

The training was a joke. Three days of nothing actually. We had three different instructors who all told us that the other person's way of doing things was wrong.
They didn't go over the product in detail and expected you to get out there selling immediately. Thank God there was one good person in this group who actually helped me and we are still good friends today.

What about our leadership? I really don't know where to start on that one. When I started to have questions about the products, I was told to keep my mouth shut and just sell. I was told the BCBS was trash and that they put people into these little groups so that they can raise rates on the one little group and get away with it. Well, Mega does the same thing. I had people call me 6 months after getting a policy with me screaming that their rates just went up 20%!

Long story short, UGA is a joke. They take advantage of newbies to the business. It's very sad when honest, hard working people just want to make better lives for themselves and their families and they end up bankrupt instead. I worked 60-80 hours each week going from appointment to appointment. Several people told me that another Mega agent had just left their house and they bought through them. Or...they did research on Mega and saw that they had lawsuits against them and to forget it. Or...we were too expensive, not enough coverage, etc.... Or...their neighbor was an ex Mega agent and they didn't want anything to do with a fraudulent company. I got it all. It got to the point where I had sunk into a depression that was absolutely overwhelming because I didn't know what I was going to do. I ended up quitting owing over $5000 on my account. They said they had taken into account the business I had on the books, but because I wasn't in good standing, that didn't help me much. They turned me into a credit collection agency which I am currently working with to get this straightened out. I also had to run up credit cards just to live off of because I couldn't make money with Mega. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would get in this position in my life.

There's so much more that went on, but I do not feel needs to be mentioned here. To anyone trying to make a better life for themselves, do not do it with UGA or Mega. Run far, far away from them!

There will always be agents who love UGA or Mega and I say more power to you. If you can make good money with them and feel good about yourself when you look into the mirror each day, hey...go for it. It'll catch up with you, trust me. You must also have not seen in USA Today where Mega is being sued in 36 different states for fraud. 36 States!! If that doesn't scare you, you don't have a conscience.

So, Scared in Providence, I can't help you with your financial problems. Wish I could, believe me. However, we can help others by stopping them from making the same mistake.

The insurance industry is not a bad business to be in, but the truth is that it takes at least 3-5 years to build a solid business. If you are a good agent and you are honest with your clients, then you'll be ok if you have done your homework. To prepare, save up at least 12 months worth of salary to keep you afloat while you start out. No one ever told me that, so I'm saying it now. If you notice that you just aren't making it, look for a regular job before you get financially strapped and resort to making stupid financial decisions like alot of us had to do.

Find the right company and get the proper training. Not all insurance companies are bad and there are many good, experienced agents out there willing to help you. It was too late for me and after what I went through, decided that I couldn't stay in that business. Too traumatic!

Take care Scared in Providence. I know this was long, but I have kept this to myself and have been waiting for the chance to share it. Glad I found this website!

I wish everyone well!

I understand your response, and I used to think the same thing.

I don't care about elective stuff at all.

Have you ever read an entire policy, there are exclusions everywhere.

what about the Anestesiologist only getting 20% of the surgeon's covered expenses (the rest does not count towards co max and the insured has to pay it)

the assistant surgeon getting no more than 50% of the surgeon's covered expenses ( what if you need two good surgeon's?, not just a lackee )

I know that most people won't chew thru all the benefits I am talking about somebody that does truly get sick or hurt while on the plan.. Sure there are some clients that can afford major out-of-pocket, but a majority of the clients I met can hardly afford the premiums.

Do you have E & O Coverage? I don't and I should, I was mis-informed when I was trained, and when I brought it to my RSL he said to just change my pitch going forward.... what about all the people I have mis-informed? Can I call them and tell them? I was told not to do that!

I shop the competition before each appointment. You have to understand these plans are designed to help "most people" by allowing them to shift their exposure and save money. This plan is to help manage risk, not cover a bunch of elective things. You will not be able to help people who want a plan that pays everything but do not want to pay what it costs.

Most people do not chew through $1500 in Rx in a year. If someone is taking that many meds then chances are they would not qualify in the first place. The asthma patients that get accepted might hit that max but I always set them up with the Rx savings plan just in case.

Most people will never face that hospital deductible and even if they do, the plan will keep them in a manageable position. The per occurrence max is preferable to me because they don't reset because its a new year.

Most people will not require that much in chemo but I know a few people who have gone over it in a day and the case manager has gotten that cap waived.

The only thing I don't like about the Mega Premier is that it doesn't address the outpatient surgeries very well. I would add a rider that creates a benefit of up to 20000 for the more minor but medically necessary procedures. I would prefer no caps in the hospital plan but I'm sure the effect on the premiums would make it out of reach for a lot of people.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. This can be a very tough endeavor and I think you may not believe in the plans which only makes it harder for you. They are designed to cover most of what people are likely to use and then pay the big bills in a way that keeps the insured from getting buried. We have plans that pay almost all of everything but they cost more than most people can afford.

Best of luck to you.