I've been a Farmers agent 20+ years. - The first 10 years I felt I was being terrorized at times, really.  Then I got to a point where I said damnit I'm going to do what is right for me, my health and my family. After 9/11 my attitude changed about allot of things.  Because the pressure had become so great, I had to be taken from the office by ambulance to the hospital as my blood pressure was so high, can't remember now but I know the top number was 179 when I was normally at 120. I was passing out.  That was when I had to start taking meds and that's another story.  Anyway my point being I had to decide...my health and sanity or continue to let myself be intimidated. 

So I said no more, I will not be intimidated.  "I will not cower before any threat, nor bend to any tyrant" (one of my credos)  

Each time I was called in I defended myself vehemently on each point with true, valid, points generally relating to human nature and why people don't buy what they wanted me to sell.  I had no more to lose.  I was at the point that I didn't/couldn't care if the contract was terminated or not. They yelled, I yelled back.  It was amazing to me after a few meetings like that they started leaving me alone,  I thought for sure I was gone after some of the things I had to say to the powers that be.  That was about three years ago now and I still don't hear much from them save the annual "review". I take the input they have to give me, if there is a marketing idea that does really sound logical I might use it, but I am not afraid to say "no, that's not they way I want to do business"  In trying to get me to solicit all over town I said "no, I like doing business here in my neighborhood".  I don't see anything wrong with speaking up instead of being bullied into driving 50 miles one way to write business. I was already there and "done that". 

I am going to now start reaping the fruits of my 20+years of very, very, hard work and long hours.  Shit even the really good D.M. told me I probably would be able to do so in five years.  I don't write a ton of business, (I used to until they put a new Farmers agents on every corner around me and would not back me up on the fact that was unduly interfering with my business) At that point I decided I was outta here, so I started my "exit strategy" as some put it. I have a large book and manage to make average 40-60 sales count per month.  I write very little life, up until recently I had not written a life policy in years.  I refused to have to do what the other agents had to do and write every single family member and their friends they could think of, I DO NOT HAVE A QUOTA.  I conduct ALL business in an above board way at ALL times.  I put a lot of trust in the Big Guy upstairs because I know I am doing the right thing for the right reasons. 

Through the years I have put away as much $ as I possibly could knowing my contract could be terminated at any time. I have given up a lot for future security (that was my first priority) now it seems I may have enough that I only have to deal with this another 2 years.  My point; I feel if you don't let them intimidate you, they will move on to someone they can (unfortunately for that someone).  I don't know maybe I got lucky and my D.M. is leaving me alone because deep down he wants to do business the same way, on an level playing field, honestly and openly.  I have had three D.M.'s in the past 22 years, the first was great...he would tell me on the side what I really needed to know, the second one wasn't bad and the one I have now is really a pretty good guy, but he knows what he has to do to keep his contract. 

My clients are great although I have lost 500 policies in the prior seven years and continue to lose (at a very slow rate thank goodness.)  I attribute that to remembering what someone told me...it is easier to keep the one you have than to go get a new one. So allot of effort is made in keeping our folks. I can say I really have never had a claim handled by the company that I was ashamed of the outcome for the policy holder, I sure have had to get involved at times to get the ball rolling and make sure everyone was on the same page.  Now that the 1-800 claims number came out (the first yr or two were chaos) I have not seen policyholder being mistreated or shorted. If that were the case I could not stay and watch people being mistreated, I would leave in a N.Y. minute. Right now I'm just biding my time.  This is at least PART my story.