Farmers Group Reviews

Pros

goog training and good claims that take some pressure off agents
you will learn alot about different products

Cons

dont expect a family life if you want to be successful
better have a good deal of cash on hand to make it work

Pros

Great Internal Training
Excellent Benefits
Good work life balance.

Cons

Legacy mentality
Slow to change
Antiquated IT Department

Pros

decent benefits/mid wilshire office /some nice people still working here

Cons

While with this organization's corporate headquarters office in Los Angeles, CA - I actually had 4 different bosses, physically relocated 5 times and encountered significant stress, challenges and observed the most incredibly low levels of morale and employee satisfaction I have ever seen in my 20 years of working for a variety of organizations (Including corporate offices such as: American Honda, Toyota and Kenwood). The level of infighting, back-stabbing, gossip and political smoke and mirrors was horendous and again I have never seen it to the degree I did here. Whether it was the economy, the corporate merger with Zurich or much too much favoritism - bad manners, bad management, bad attitudes and bad days were a norm here. However, it was my understanding that it was not always as such, many a long-time employee raved about the days when Farmers was a family; and I believe some of those favored family members are still around - provided they could endure the game-playing, the changing of the guard and keep a smile on their faces regardless of the thunderstorms they encountered.

Pros

pay is competitive, your opinions and suggestions are valued, clear expectations, multiple career paths

Cons

work/ life balance can be difficult during couple of years, constant change, grinding at times

Advice to Senior Management

expectations are unrealistic, ease up on the expectations for the first 18 months so that a newbie can get acclimated to the job instead of "trial by fire" approach

Pros

Flexibility in schedule
Company Car
Work Life balance

Cons

High turnover
Audits
Volume of work
Understaffed
Outdated software

Advice to Senior Management

Get better software
Don't be understaffed ever
Find a better way to keep employees

Pros

flexible schedule and awesome income ability

Cons

company goals and expectations in rural markets

Advice to Senior Management

Possible different numbers for bonuses and such for agents not in the metro areas. Its hard to compete and held to the same standards.

Pros

Flexible schedule, decent sales training

Cons

Horrible management, bad agency help, needs more business support

Advice to Senior Management

Stay out of the way and let the producers produce!

Pros

Great benefits and pay for an entry-level position. The work week is 40 hours for most office claims adjusters. When the amount of claims increases employees can request overtime hours. Farmers offers tuition assistance to employees after six months for "related courses." The hours are fairly flexible. OCRs work core hours (six designated hours each day) and then build up the 40 hours/week around that.

Cons

Insurance is a tough business. Most customers will feel "wronged" by the company even if it is the correct liability decision or fair value for their vehicle. There is not a lot of clear communication between agents, field adjusters, and office adjusters. A lot of times it feels like good cop, bad cop between the agents and claims adjusters. Claims adjusters are often micromanaged by supervisors and Quality Assurance.

Advice to Senior Management

I would advise opening the lines of communication between the different positions within the company that have to work together.

Pros

The only reason for working at Farmers, is the existing employees that have worked for the company. A family like atmosphere in the offices. Still great friends, even though I have a problem with the company.

Cons

Downside with Farmers is they play mental games with the employees, objectives that are almost impossible to meet. Employees are always working under the threat of losing their job. In the office where I worked, all employees including supervisors were under an action plan because of not meeting objectives. Upper management does not care about employees, middle management will do whatever it takes to get a promotion. It is a very stressful environment to work in. Those that stay, do so because they have so many years in with the company, but probably should leave for their health. The company wanted to downsize in 2010, to do this, they fired employees throughout the company to avoid unemployment and severance pay.

Advice to Senior Management

Set realistic objectives for the employees. Remove supervision and management that are not able to relate with employees. Oversight over regional managers handling of employees by HR.

Pros

Pay and benefits are comparable to other companies.
FIG pays overtime
Opportunity to go on CAT duty sometimes if you want
Company car
Work from your house

Cons

Quality assurance runs the company. Every decision made while at a claim is prefaced by the thought, how can I justify this to get a good QA score?
You can't set your own schedule; appointments are made for you. When you have a large territory this means a lot of driving; last month I drove over 4,000 miles.
It's a large company and you don't feel valued as an employee. You're given the impression that anyone can do your job and you are expendable.
If you don't meet your QA and customer service scores you are put 'on par' which means if you don't get it together you'll be fired.
You have to regurgitate info in a claim and write a novel about why you did something. The file can't stand on it's own because QA will second guess you.
You can get OT but you have to plan ahead and ask for it ahead of time. As if you can see the future and know when you will need to work late.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat your employees like they have a brain. This position requires a bachelor's degree for a reason. It's not all about the money. If employees aren't happy they're going to leave but I don't think management cares.