On one hand, it feels slightly good that stuff I was writing about 3,4,5,6, 7 years ago is still valid. On the other, it hurts because that means things haven’t improved much.  Like this call for an honest explanation to rate increases

But what if you could fix one thing?  What if there really was a mission or directive that came down from all the lobbying groups that double as professional associations.  And that directive was, we want to see a massive increase in our market share versus that of captive companies. Well, first let us take a side turn, captive agents are dwindling and their market share will as well.

FACT; Many of the largest advertisers are “direct” by label only.  Their agents are allowed to broker business.  But, first, off they have a captive as their backing so they get the label.

So the one thing, and of course, writing this post doesn’t matter either.  I also have a severe distaste for use of absolute type words and phrases like “best.”  Since many times it cannot be accurately measured and proven.  But, for the sake of clearing my brain, it is rate increases.  Period.  All of them.  And not to be a conspiracy theorist, but we could make a case that companies use rate increases to limit the growth of their agents.  How?

The typical household that everyone wants; two adults, long time home ownership, no claims, degree, no dogs, above average credit.  Sees a $264 increase on his package.  No increase in value, no prime music or video, no free shipping, just an increase.  **Skipping several paragraphs over some proprietary stuff***

While I am trying to explain this and keep someone happy I AM NOT BRINGING IN A NEW CUSTOMER.  That’s it, that simple.  You are forcing me into a service that provides only imaginary value since it is simply making a wrong, slightly less wrong.  Maybe the math justifies it, you keep a customer at a higher rate and that new profit line is equivalent to what you would have made on a new customer?  But I lose in that scenario and SO DO YOU.

This goes nowhere, rant done, momentarily defeated.