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Mid-West National Health And Life Insurance, Alliance For Affordable Services, HealthMarkets Sent me a collection letter for the advances paid to me while working for the company for 8 months. Hurst Texas
I worked for Mid-West National Health and Life Insurance for 8 months. 4 months in San Diego, CA and 4 months in Upland, CA as it was my first opportunity after being out of the Navy and job searching for 3 months.
Unfortunately, all the "we support our troops" jargon is just that, jargon. So, in order to try to make some money, I paid to get a job. After approximately $865 (from my unemployment check) which was for classes, licensing, and a fee to the company, I was "hired" as a 1099 contractor by the company. Straight commission, based on advances. I made the top 100 (out of approximately 1500 nationwide) sales list at least 3 times while with the company. I wrote nothing but good business and am sure all the business I wrote is still on the books. I wrote at least $100,000 in yearly business (annualized volume)and was paid approximately $10,000 in advances which leaves the company a $90,000 net income.
In San Diego, the "provided leads" were "B leads" which means these were old contacts which had been in their database for up to 5 years, sometimes longer. Pretty much cold-calling and not making any money. In Upland, it was better seeing that internet leads were provided, which were much better. After seeing the success of the internet leads, I also purchased some on my own. After about 3 outstanding weeks I "blanked" 2 weeks, which means I didn't have a single dollar of income. I was working just as hard as any other day all 5 weeks. Then I realised that I would not be able to pay my bills and eat if this happened again. So I moved on.
HERE IS THE KICKER! I just received a letter stating that I owe the company $2032.16 based on their calculation of debits (commission advances) and credits (sales volume), remember-$90,000 company net income. Yes, I did sign a contract agreeing to this but who goes into a job expecting to fail, especially after being promised leads and the ability to make large amounts of cash after being in the job pool for 3 months. Go to monster.com and look at a "job posting". Just wanted to put it out there so that other jobseekers would have more realistic info about the possiblities and realities of working for this company.
Sam
alta loma, California
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Alan Macquinn
Sw Harbor,Maine,
U.S.A.
Your Information Doesn't Add Up
#2UPDATE Employee
Wed, November 15, 2006
First, on behalf of myself and all AMericans, I thank you for your service and sacrifice to our country.
I have been a senior agent and subcontractor for this company for nine years.
Of course you are liable for commissioned advances... that's why they are clled "advances". If you write a small amount of business, are with the company for a short time, or write bad business, your back-end commission (which is what pays off your advances) will not grow. The reason ANY commissioned sales company does things this way is to keep people from coming in and screwing the consumer, getting huge advances, and then leaving the company to clean up the mess. Which leads me to my next point...
If you were writing $100,000/year in annualized volume, you would be in the BOTTOM 100 producers in the country. For 2006, the Top 100 List cut off at $697,000 AV.
Also, the company doesn't make a profit on the average insurance plan for nearly two years, which is why they bend over backwards to 1)keep agents from writing bad business, which drops off the company's books, and; 2)retain agents through their bonus and stock programs, as well as offering great products.