Chapter 11 Flashcards
what is a distribution system?
the method a company uses to make its products available for sale to the public.
What are the 3 types of major distribution systems used by insurance companies?
- personal selling
- third-party-institution distributon systems
- direct response distribution systems.
what are distribution channels?
specific people, institutions, or communication methods that companies use to connect with their customers.
which distribution system accounts for the majority of life insurance and annuity sales and why?
personal selling distribution system
-product with personal knowledge
what term is used to refer to any individual licensed to sell insurance products, solicit sales or negotiate insurance contracts?
producer
what term is commonly used to describe an insurance company’s sales personnel ?
agent. An independent sales representative or company employee who is authorized to act on behalf of an insurance company in selling insurance products.
what is an agency contract
a written agreement that outlines the agent’s role and responsibilities and the agents compensations.
Does the insurer consider the agent to be an Employee?>
the contract will state wheter the agent is an employee or not.
what is an independent contractor?
a person who contracts to do a specific task according to his own methods and who generally is not subject to the employer’s control except as to the end product or final results of the work.
what do you call an independent contractor who works for an insurance company?
independent agents.
What does a typical agency contract contain? (material wise)
- statement of existing contract
- employee status
- description of authority of agent
- description of limitations placed on agent
- listing of insurance agents performance requirements.
- termination provision
- commission schedule, and bonuses
- vesting provisions,
- conditions to revise a commision schedule
- expense provisions
- conditions underwhich agent can submit life insurance applications to another insurance company
what is the term given to retention of business that occurs when an insurnace policy remains in force, as a results of the continued payment of the policies renewal premium?
persistency
What is stated in a termination provision?
- justifiable causew for terminating an agency contract
- length of time required for notice of termination
- obligations of each party after contract termination
which types of agents are sometimes but not always considered employees of an insurer
- career agents
- multiple-line agents
- home service agents
define a career agent
under full-time contract with one insurance company and sell primarily that companys life products
define multiple-line agents
sells life insurance, health insurance, annuities and property-casualty products for one insurance company, with the preponderance of sales being property-casualty products.
define a home service agent
provides policy owner service within a specified geographical area, and often as authorized to collect renewal premiums from customers.
- supervised by district manager
what types of agents are considered affiliated agents and why?
career and multiple-line agents. They sell primarily the procuts of single insurance company
what do you call an insuere’s affiliated agents, as a collective and the offices in which they work out of?
field force in field offices.
what do you call an agent that establishes and finances a field office?
general agent , and the office is then called a general agency.
most life insurance commissions schedules include a first-year and renewal commission. What is first-year commisions?
commision paid to a producer who sells a life insurance policy that is equal to a stated percentage of the amount of premium the insurer receives during the first policy year
most life insurance commissions schedules include a first-year and renewal commission. What is is a renewal commission?
commission paid on polciies every year for a certain number of years after the first policy year. paid to the producer that sold the policy.
what is a service feel, sometimes paid by an insurer?
a small percentage of premiums payable after renewal commissions have ceased.
who typically has a higher commission rate? agents who are not affiliated with one insurance company or affiliated agents?
ones who are not affiliated.
usually because affiliated agents receive some finanical benefits that are not provided to other agents. (benefits, trips, merchandise etc…)
who are required to statisfy minimum sales production and sometimes minimum persistency requirements in order to continue their agency relationship with a particular insurance company?
career agents, multiple-line agents, and some independent agents.
define an agent that is known as a personal producing general agent (PPGA)
an independent agent who receives special consideration for satisfying minimum sales production requirements.
what kind of additional commissions do PPGA receive on the new or renewable business that they sell?
overriding commissions.
What is a broker?
an independent agent who does not have an exclusive contract with any single insurer or specific obligations to sell a single insueres product.
what a producer groups?
organizations of producers that negotiate compensation, products and service affreements with insurance companies.
- serve as intermediaries for independent agents, brokers, PPGAs and insruance companies.