All of the negative reviews about this agency are absolutely true.
Pros
I met some fantastic people when I worked there, but that does not include the owners or anyone in management. The location was pretty good as it wasn't terribly far from my home. It was the first insurance agency I ever worked at that taught and stressed the utmost importance of the benefits to customers of carrying high auto liability limits, and umbrella policies for homeowners. I also learned why selling only state mandated limits on auto coverage wasn't a good idea. Learning that, and getting to attend some excellent Nationwide workshops where I learned a lot more were the best things that I took away from working at this agency.
Cons
Overall, I would have to call this place "Dysfunction Junction". The only thing these agency owners seemed to care about was their public image and getting awards for allegedly being "a great place to work". They cannot stand it if the truth about their agency comes out and will do anything to polish a tarnished image, (even if that means they that must write their own good reviews on this site, posing as "anonymous employees"). They would paint a picture in media and employee interviews that they were so good to their employees and everything was rosy, but this was all just for show. Management and ownership always sets the tone in an office and I noticed that most of the employees always seemed to be very tense and watchful. There wasn't a lot of smiling or happy faces there. It was an unhealthy atmosphere because of the free floating tension and negativity that was always present. The agency owner is a hothead and has no impulse control; therefore, he has a tendency to "verbally vomit" on people by screaming at, and insulting them. This unfortunate and unprofessional behavior happens a lot at this place. His wife is a co-owner, and she is an uptight arrogant cheapskate. Don't count on getting a raise at this agency, but if one is offered, you can bet it will be so small it won't make much of a difference in a paycheck. As I already mentioned, it is obvious that the owners are the ones who have written some of the positive reviews on this site, as that was the same nonsense that was told to me on interviews. The only "reward" you are ever going to get for working hard at this place is a cheap ice cream bar or popsicle from the local convenience store. Apparently they also consider their working weekend annual awards dinner and boring Christmas parties and summer company picnics to be "rewards", but don't be surprised if you are told to bring food items to the parties and picnics that you must pay for out of your own pocket. When I read the review entitled "Work Hard and You will be Rewarded" I laughed out loud, because I knew the owner wrote that. If this place was so great, why did that "anonymous employee" who had been there for "five years" leave? Why weren't they promoted?
