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State Farm Quote System
Deception
I recently stumbled on to something with the State Farm
quote system that is very disturbing. I was online when
a State Farm ad to obtain a quote popped up. I thought
that I would request a quote to just see what their
system currently looked like.
Here is what I found:
After I entered a name, birth date, and address, the
site took me to the next screen where it brought up an
agent in my marketing area. It also gave me the option
to change to another agent. I did so to have the quote
sent to me as the agent. I found that I was not listed
as an agent for the quote. It then gave me the option to
request an agent by name. I entered my last name and it
came back with a message that it could not find an agent
with that last name. I then entered the name of another
agent and got the same message. No agent with that last
name could be found.
I did this for several agents and received the same
message. All of these agents were not “Select Agents.”
It appears that State Farm has blocked non-Select Agents
from receiving quote requests generated by any State
Farm ads offering a quote.
Next I went directly to my web site where there is an
option to request a quote. I started the quote process
just as I did from the State Farm ads. It took me to the
next screen where it had my photo and option to learn
more about me, the agent. Then, right below my agent
information and photo was the other agent in my town
with photo and agent information. Also, there was a
statement saying, “this agent shown deals with people in
their household.” This is a very misleading statement.
It leads the prospect to believe this agent already
works with the prospect’s household; and may lead the
prospect to decide to not work with the agent they
requested. It is a false and misleading statement.
I then went to the other agent’s web site to see if it
followed the same procedure when I requested a quote
from that site. That agent’s site only listed that
agent’s information. There was no statement directing
prospects to another agent as was on my site. I would
guess if I went to other agents who are not Select
Agents, I would find the same thing.
All the other non-Select Agents must be made aware of
this new scheme to deny business. It is one thing to
give extra benefits to Select Agents, but to take away
and block all non-Select Agents from receiving quote
requests is going too far. This has to stop.
What Can You Do?
The foregoing conduct, reported by NASFA President Chuck
Winderl, is a clear fraudulent misrepresentation and a
tortuous interference with a business relationship.
Agents need to tell State Farm that this interference
will not be tolerated and must stop immediately.
Click here for a letter
to send to State Farm. When you send it, please send
a copy to NASFA either at
nasfa@managementalliance.com or by fax to
443-507-6519. We
have insisted in writing to Bloomington that this
practice stop. Help us convince State Farm the severity
of the problem.
Simply stated, we believe it
to be fraud. But, to get results, we need action. Action
requires contributions to the NASFA Legal Fund.
Click here to contribute. |
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