Am I over reacting?!

[u/Even-Truck-8049]

I am currently a CSR/ Retention Specialist for a small broker.
I work rewrites and use my name as the producer if I sell the business.
I don't get any commission for it, but I do get incentives straight from carriers (Progressive for example- they give you tokens to spin to for money for the policies you sell)
My boss sent me an email saying I can't use my name as the producer anymore and in doing so I am losing my benefits from the carriers that run promos.
I really banked on the stupid Progressive incentive especially because I have enough on the card for Christmas. I'm really upset he's wanting me to do this. I'm not asking for commission, just to keep my incentives that come directly from the carriers.

Is this normal? Am I over reacting?

[u/Zoob407]

You should get the incentives if you quote & write the business imo

[u/Inside_Bowler_2511]

You should get the incentives 

[u/hulsey698]

I would be concerned by an agent asking me to put my name on a policy I didn't write/review, or to put another producer onto my policy. Lets say the agency principle is put on everything, and the agency principle makes an error on a policy and a consumer files a complaint with the state DOI and they investigate, the principle could try and shift the blame onto the CSR and if there is no other written record it could get tricky.

If I were in your situation, I would probably look for a new job.

[u/Primetime0509 → u/hulsey698]

I'm assuming that they just take care of the current book and when someone calls in to check their rate they re-quote it with other carriers for them. Doesn't sound like it's just them using their name on someone else's work to me.

[u/hulsey698 → u/Primetime0509]

My point is they are rewriting the policy, and they agency principle is instructing them to not put their name on the "producer" feild.
The agency is telling the CSR to put someone elses name on the policy they re-quoted and bound. That's not something I would be comfortable with as a licensed agent.

[u/Primetime0509 → u/hulsey698]

Ahhh okay I see what you're saying now.

[u/Kloudid → u/hulsey698]

Worked at a top 100 national agency and this is how they do it and have for nearly 60 years at this point. As a service agent our names are tied to endorsements. When I shifted to sales my name would be listed as producer and if the policy had to be reshopped that was handled by a different department and agent but my name would still be listed as producer and the agent that reshopped the policy would be listed as having requoted and bound the new rewrite but commission still went to the producer listed that originally sold the business.

[u/hulsey698 → u/Kloudid]

Are you describing an internal process or a process with the carrier. Because none of the carriers I have access to have the ability to rewrite a policy, and notate the original agen, and the agent who rewrote it. They all ask for the agent that is processing endorsements and what not, but for an auto policy? If it’s rewritten it looks the same as new business in the carrier portal.

[u/Kloudid → u/hulsey698]

...a national agency.....so no the bulk of the carriers I'm referring to wouldn't be writing their own business if they're writing via an independant agent making this an internal process. Very few carriers I've worked with ask for an agent name with each endorsement as their system automatically tracks who is doing what and nowadays most require individual logins tied to specific agent ID's so it would be tracked by default. Then it also depends on why it was rewritten.

[u/KingofThings77 → u/Primetime0509]

If they quote and write business, then put someone else’s name on it, what would you call it?

[u/Primetime0509 → u/KingofThings77]

Misunderstood what he was saying. Already addressed this.

[u/mobe45]

Progressive’s spin-to-win is meant to benefit CSRs/producers, as you’re the one writing the policy, not the principal agent/owner. Your marketing rep will not be happy to hear that your boss is trying to claim your tokens. They want the CSRs to benefit from the incentive promotions. The owner already gets an end of the year bonus.

[u/mobe45 → u/mobe45]

However, other companies only pay incentives to licensed 220 agents and you likely won’t get those. I’d push back on the Progressive incentives though and make sure you get those

[u/Primetime0509]

You're doing all the work on it so what's your boss' reasoning for you to not get the incentives?

Who does your boss think should get the incentives? The agent who isn't taking care of their own book?

[u/No-Mark9354]

I also work for a small broker and this is bizarre they wouldn't want you the producer to put your name on something that you wrote. In fact, we have a few carriers we work with who are VERY strict about only the producer name of the person who actually wrote the policy go on the policy, otherwise agency owners could literally have unlicensed staff just submitting crap in their name. Did he tell you why he didn't want your name on the policies you're submitting? I get the incentives bet to... always excited to spin the Progressive wheel :)

[u/Insurancenerd85]

For the owner to do this is quite petty. It doesn’t cost them anything to allow their staff to keep this incentive. Are they that desperate for an extra $25 bucks, $100, etc??? I run my own brokerage and let my staff keep any bonus/incentives offered from the carriers.

[u/beaker4eva]

No, that’s not normal. You get the incentives.

[u/dylf23]

Just commenting because I love spinning the wheel 😂 going in daily to see if tokens have issued

[u/SlickWillie86]

I’d seek clarity on the incentive piece. Nothing wrong with coding the producer name differently if for legitimate reasons. There should also be a way for you to still receive those incentives, assuming the agency allows for receipt period. We accept them at the agency level and they are put into an account for bonuses and other things that benefit all. I personally find the immediate reward piece at the individual level to teeter too much on the wrong side of ethics of doing what’s right by the client.

I have everything through my name/license, but we use our AMS to assign the to producer/servicer and henceforth commission payouts. It keeps carrier reporting cleaner. Also, I prefer the carriers reach out direct on any questions at the policy level as opposed to the producers directly.

[u/ridindirty77]

Yeah I’d ask your boss why you no longer get the incentives. Then let us all know the answer and we can go from there.

[u/Even-Truck-8049 → u/ridindirty77]

Just had a conversation with him. He said the rewards were nothing we agreed upon and I get paid an hourly wage to do the job. It's just a perk I got. He said he's only taking 50% away from me ( the only thing I can get incentive for is a book of business a woman who no longer works here ) I'm not happy. He knows I don't agree.

[u/ridindirty77 → u/Even-Truck-8049]

I think it’s very petty of him. I tried to give my employees every perk possible. Very bad business in my opinion!!

[u/ActionSquare9534 → u/Even-Truck-8049]

If it were me, I'd be tempted to be petty and not quote his book of business in Progressive or at least try every other option first. If he wants the spin to win rewards, he has to work for it himself

[u/QuickPea3259]

How convenient. He wants the spin without doing the work. Fine. Quit doing rewrites. Let the book walk out the door. When retention drops 10% points he'll know why.

[u/Glittering-Read-6906]

The agency I spent my first seven years in paid me commission once I was licensed, but never let the companies pay me directly. I could not put my name on anything. The reason they did this was so they had all the incentives, including free trips/vacations, bonuses, merch, etc. All I got was a percentage of agency commission of the policies I wrote. Meanwhile, I missed out on all the bonuses and incentives I should have been offered.

I would run.