Bono,

Is innovation good for a life insurance company? 

What does it mean to be "at the top of the List?"

    Thanks Anon ~     I think Innovation is Monster ,...IMHO   I don't love or hate Wal- Mart ,...but they Won and now Dominate, why  ?   innovation     Look at how they ( JH ) have grown since the Merger -     #1 in Life Sales , #1 in LTC  , Ind. & Group ( I believe )  ???   Triple A across the board  =   ( Top of the List )
    * Yes they Did had to raise their  inforce LTC Prem. - i heard ( just being responsible )       95-98 %  Brand recognition ? - ( like Nike )     and a Brand new kickin' Website  - Pretty Looking  ~  ( and you can actually read the text now )  -  Finally  !!!  ;)     JH SalesNet - &  JH weekly radio clips       Could a new Adviser possibly do any better than joining the JHFN ?           Yours  ~          

This post isn’t designed to be anti-John Hancock, but someone is giving you a line.

  There are 4 companies that I tell everyone to explore who is looking for a life insurance company:   Northwestern Mutual Guardian MassMutual NewYork Life   3 of these companies have higher ratings than Hancock. 2 of these companies sold more life insurance than Hancock in 2007. (Hancock was #10) 3 of them have better DI insurance 4 of them are mutual.  I think that this is a huge selling point.    Hancock may be the best for you.  Don't take a job with them without looking at least at these other four.    I use Hancock on occasion for LTCi.  I've never had a situation where they would be the best for one of my clients with any other product.   Name recognition without having a clue as to what the company does is meaningless.  Go ask 100 people what John Hancock does.  95 of them will not be able to tell you what they do.  Even if the name recognition was legit, it doesn't have much meaning.   The merger is not a good thing for future policyholders.  Their responsibility is to do the best for their stockholders and not their policy owners.    I am not saying that they are a bad company.  They are a good company, but I certainly wouldn't be putting them at the top of the heap.

  Anon - your post is Much Appreciated ~ I am just going by their website  as far as their Production rankings   If I may become a  little more specific with the past few weeks  ?  (  my personal situation )   It would help me benefit the most from this dilogue we are having ~ Forgive me Everybody , I don't mean to bore you *     I have  Interviewed with Guardian, NY Life, Principal , EDJ ,, and  will interview with JHK tomorrow     To paint a more Complete picture , I am spanking new to the Area I have just relocated to,.... and have also  just received a 40% split on a Very Large Prem Financed JHK UL policy last week- as a Broker.     Guardian & Principal said to come back in 2 years -once I have built up a Network to prospect within - they forgot to ask if I had any Production this year.     NYLife - was Smart enough to ask about Production, and were happy to have me come on board - even though they said  it would take much effort to generate newbusiness ( outside of the Big case )     Having a % of ownership in  a P&C Agency is the other factor - in the past NWM has said  - ' No '  to having an outside affiliation with a P&C  Agency - as did EDJ     I have always liked Mass Mutual , Absolutely ....they are flexible towards the P&C affiliation ,....and are also Top of the Line - IMHO .     But I thought that my best Advantages & leverage would be realized with the Company that I just placed the Large case with  - as I do need Training as a New Producer.   From your comments however,....I would still want  the Best Products  possible for all of my future Clients - which will tend to lean more towards Businesses I believe.     Do MM & NYLife  have a better Product line that JHK ?? -     Also , you mentioned in some previous Threads  that your Office houses some Million $ Producers  - are they Ind. Brokers  ,....or are the Career with a Specific Company ?       Your Thoughts & Comments are Greatly Apprecited !

    Just when I thought I had it all figured out  ???     http://www.prudential.com/media/managed/83279_E_Print.pdf?seg=10&name=mostadmired

On Calls-

Hi Prospect, this is U2Finder7 from John Hancock and I (click) called to introduce my self- hello? Hello?   Repeat 100 times per day.   No one wants to talk to a life insurance salesman.   Probably good place to get your feet wet with some training, but why would you want to limit yourself these days by joining a captive insurance company? You'll never attract serious money, but if all you want to do is insurance, they would be a good fit.

      Not to get off Track ~     But does anyone know why NY Life has Double the next Company in MDRT/ Court & TOP ???       Are they THAT GOOD at it ...... ???       In my Research of the best Companies out there - nothing seems to disturb me more than this  fact  ~   53 years in a row  ???           Thanks

You’re asking some good questions.  However, I feel you are getting confused by all the information available.  You’re suffering from “paralysis by analysis”.  Let me make one thing clear:  the namebrand/national presence/“innovation”/etc. means nothing unless you have a strong local presence.  Even if NYL has 2x as many MDRT/COT/TOT producers than any other firm, I would not consider them unless the local office was good.  By this, I mean mentoring programs, top-notch training and a track record of success as an office and individually.

  Personally, I would first look at the mutual life insurance companies (Anonymous mentioned NYL, Northwestern, Mass, and Guardian).  Find out where the strongest local culture lies.  Because frankly, at all but Northwestern, you'll be able to sell the JH UL or whatever "innovative" products you want.  Moreover, these firms offer some of the strongest products and stability in the industry.   To reiterate, however:  go to the firm that you feel is best set up to ensure your success.  Period.

Guardian & Principal said to come back in 2 years -once I have built up a Network to prospect within - they forgot to ask if I had any Production this year.

  Were you smart enough to offer this information?   The fact that you can close a big case (even if you did nothing) goes a long way.   Just when I thought I had it all figured out  ???  http://www.prudential.com/media/managed/83279_ ...   Means absolutely nothing.  I'm surprised that Northwestern Mutual finally got unseated.   Having a % of ownership in  a P&C Agency is the other factor - in the past NWM has said  - ' No '  to having an outside affiliation with a P&C  Agency - as did EDJ   This can be a huge advantage to having you go to one of the specific companies that I mentioned, but it's not something that should be discussed on thread like this.   But I thought that my best Advantages & leverage would be realized with the Company that I just placed the Large case with  - as I do need Training as a New Producer.   All that this means is that you know that they will hire you.  That's always a plus, but other places will hire you also, so you have to find the best fit.   From your comments however,....I would still want  the Best Products  possible for all of my future Clients - which will tend to lean more towards Businesses I believe.   You simply won't find this with John Hancock.  They won't be the best for cheap term insurance.   They won't be the best for convertible* term insurance.  They won't be the best for whole life insurance.  They won't be the best for disability insurance.  They will sometimes be the best for LTCi and they may sometimes be the best for the type of UL policy like you sold.  Regardless of your current views, you will learn that WL insurance is very valuable and you're going to want to sell a lot.  UL is rarely what is best, but sometimes, especially at older ages, it can be.   I sell John Hancock products when they are the best for my client.  Otherwise I don't.  The problem is that you don't want to be with a primary company that forces you to sell their products, or isn't the best often enough to allow you to validate your contract.    (My definition of convertible is convertible into a product that one would actually want to own!)   Do MM & NYLife  have a better Product line that JHK ?? -   MM has better converible term, better WL, and better DI.  With LTCi it depends on the specific of the case.  NYL has better WL.  I don't know much about their term.  They don't have DI.  I don't know too much about their LTCi.  Last that I checked, it was overpriced, but they do pay dividends.   Ignore Lakers post.  If you want me to let you know why it is rubbish, I'll go ahead and address it.   Not to get off Track ~     But does anyone know why NY Life has Double the next Company in MDRT/ Court & TOP ???...   They are a very good company which is a huge part of the reason.  Also, there focus very much a New York Life insurance focus and everyone who qualifies joins.  With other firms, I know lots of MDRT qualifiers who didn't bother joining MDRT.   Personally, I would first look at the mutual life insurance companies (Anonymous mentioned NYL, Northwestern, Mass, and Guardian).  Find out where the strongest local culture lies.  Because frankly, at all but Northwestern, you'll be able to sell the JH UL or whatever "innovative" products you want.  Moreover, these firms offer some of the strongest products and stability in the industry.   To reiterate, however:  go to the firm that you feel is best set up to ensure your success.  Period.   Listen to Deekay.  His post needs one clarification.  You should be able to sell a John Hancock product at Northwestern Mutual.  However,  it's not definite.  The same can be said for NYL.  You'll get the most pressure at these two places to sell their own products.   NYL and Northwestern Mutual come with two major disadvantages.  For the most part, they don't accept brokered business.  This means that you get screwed when you leave.  Ex. You leave Northwestern with $100,000,000 of term insurance on the books.  This is $100,000,000 of easy, very lucrative term conversions that you can't convert and it's not in your client's best interest to make a change.  With MM or Guardian, if you leave, you can have a broker's contract, so you can keep the clients and convert these policies.   If all is equal, I think that Hancock is your 5th best choice at best.  I'd put MM and Guardian at the top of the heap, but all is never equal.  The best firm is the one that will give you the best chance to succeed.

Awesome response Anon !  Thank you for your post as well deekay ! I ' hear ' all that you have said here , and Appreciate the advice  - Greatly *   I don't know why I didn't reveal the case to Guardian ,....I guess the Office didn't feel like it was the One for me .   Yes,....I do tend to research the various options that are before me ' to death  ' - but I have realized good results from this Process as well - it can be exhausting however -but well worth it in the end.   Taking in all that you have said -  I have lined up Career App. interviews with 3 offices this Thursday:   1. Mass Mutual  - I have been a broker for 3 years , but have always wanted to take the Plunge 2.NYLife - second round,...( losing steam ) 3.Prudential -  They just seem like some kind of Flying Circus/ Power- House ( am I wrong here  ) ? Just have their hands in so many cookie jars - but just get stronger & stronger because of it  ??   4.Did JHK on Monday - wasn't Blown Away     I think it will come down to MM vs Pru -       But the key factor to this Entire thread it seems- is :        - which Office best matches my  particular Gameplan ?       I thank you gentlemen so much for all of your time & input  ~ you have helped me to better assess my objectives.                            

[quote=iceco1d]

Not to be a d|ck, but…

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Guys - you are going to kill me,....and you are Completely Right in doing So

but i am Interested in Raymond James now ~

I have always wanted to get on Board with the Firm- but never had the Volume to Start - Up   I will make the necessary Inquiries and Report back to you All if they are Interested  *   I like the Fact that with RJ - You can Truly do it All for the Client ,...and  as JD Power says   ' with the Highest Satisfaction '        Kill me Now !!!    

    Oh and ,....Thank You for the warm Welcome Ice ,....   Yes,....we Can't take Life & Career Too Seriously !         Best of Success 2U

I can’t imagine that any of these firms would even consider you given:

  1)  Your obvious ADD 2)  Your lack of spelling, grammar, and cognitive skills   But good luck in whatever you decide.

      Yes,..and those are my Attributes ! - lol   I always make a complete assessment of All available options when I focus in on a desicion deekay ~   I simply refuse to leave any  stone unturned   Please forgive me for over cooking my personal process via this thread  - if I have done so -   My Sincere Apologies *   Best of Successs to you a s well