FAQs
We’re excited to answer each and every one of your questions in person, on the phone, or through video chat. However, we know you are motivated to learn more about Comma Insurance and what a partnership would look like for you.
Scroll through the list below to find answers to the most frequently asked questions we hear. If you don’t find the answer to your question, press the button below to set up a time to chat with one of our Comma Insurance specialists!
Do I have to be a licensed agent?
While insurance licensing requirements vary by state, owners/shareholders of an agency generally aren’t required to carry an individual insurance license. However, your agency will hold its own license—we facilitate this process for you.
We utilize our recruiting team to find the right producer candidate for your new agency. Some Comma producers have prior insurance experience and others are new to the industry. Either way, we have the resources to train and support them, so they learn best practices and embrace Comma’s processes and commitment to an outstanding client experience.
What is the investment in time?
The owner’s level of involvement from agency to agency varies widely. Our most successful Comma agency owners are more hands-on than others, spending time getting to know their producer and comarketing loans and insurance together at realtor events. Some agency owners take a passive role letting the Comma team handle all the day-to-day details for them.
Whichever side of the spectrum you find yourself on, Comma is equipped to provide the ongoing sales support, training for your producer, technology, and back-office infrastructure, and most of the other assistance your producer will need to be at the top of his or her game.
We find that our highest performing agencies are those where the agency owners are invested in the success of their producer by committing to make high-quality referrals, helping the producer get to know their loan production teams, and periodically grabbing lunch or coffee with their producer. After all, you’re a Comma owner because you’re a true professional in your industry, and your agency's producer will be able to learn from and emulate your success.
Can I have other investors or partners in my ownership group when I license a Comma agency?
Absolutely. You get to choose who is part of your agency ownership group and how much of the agency they own.
Remember, you want to ensure that your partners are as dedicated to referring business to your agency as you are each month.
We have agency's in the Comma network with owners who have as small as a 5-6% stake in the agency, and we have owners who don’t have any partners and own the agency outright. Bring this up on your first call with us—we've seen how it works best, and occasionally, how ownership groups have had to update their structure.
Do I have to interview/hire my own insurance agent?
Although we have had some agency owners ask us to extend an offer to a producer candidate we found for their agency without meeting or speaking to the candidate, we generally have the best success when one (or more) of the agency owners interviews the candidate before the offer is made.
While our recruiting team works hard to source candidates who fit Comma’s target culture, experience, and background profile and who demonstrate characteristics similar to our top producers, the candidate may be a perfect match on paper but that isn’t a guarantee they will be right for your agency. You will be the best judge of some of the intangibles such as, “How will he/she interact with my loan team members?” or “Will my clients relate well with this person when we make the referral?”.
What does the timeline look like for owning your own agency?
Our target is to have your office’s grand opening within 90 days of when you give us the thumbs up that owning a Comma agency is right for you.
While we are occasionally able to beat that timeline, there are a lot of things that must occur sequentially to meet that target, so our team works hard to keep the project on schedule.
We are here to walk you through the entire process step-by-step without dominating your day-to-day bandwidth. Our onboarding team’s goal is to put you in the executive chair by doing the lion’s share of the legwork and leaving you to sign off on the decisions that only an executive or owner can make.
How much impact can I have on the success of my agency?
Our most successful agency owners share three traits:
- They commit to making quality referrals. Offering a blind quote by saying, “Want me to get you some home insurance options?” is not as good as making an introduction such as, “After this meeting, I’m going to introduce you to Jo, a licensed agent at our affiliated Comma agency and my personal insurance agent. She is going to connect you with the right insurance for your new home and make sure your auto and umbrella policies are priced right and giving you the protection you need as a homeowner.”
- They make referring a part of their daily loan process. They don’t only refer to their affiliated agency when the client asks; they always offer a complimentary, professional insurance review to their loan clients. They believe all loan clients also deserve a great insurance experience.
- They take time to connect periodically with their agency’s producer outside of work. Business is personal, and while we make every effort to help your agency’s producer feel like family with the rest of the Comma team, for your producer to know that you support them and believe in them will earn the extra-mile effort that every business owner wants out of his or her team.
What kind of support will I get from Comma’s corporate headquarters?
We believe the best partnerships happen when all interests are aligned. We have built this concept into the core of our business model so that we succeed only when our agency owners succeed.
Our team is equipped to handle the backend, day-to-day processes for your agency – from accounting to computers and technology, and from payroll systems and compensation plans to benefits like 401k and health insurance, our systems and processes are fine-tuned to fit your agency’s needs and exceed your clients’ expectations.
