Hello charles5434-ga:
I'm quite sure you meant American Family Life Insurance, so I
proceeded to research your question.
You asked:
"Is there an organization or group of agents that are unhappy with
AFLIC?
Are there any pending lawsuits brought on by agents against the AFLIC?
Primarily looking for other agents that feel they have been unjustly
treated
by AFLIC."
Yes. Some Minnesota insurance agents recently expressed displeasure
with
American Family Life Insurance Company (AFLIC), and made their
displeasure
public knowledge. There have also been a few lawsuits filed against
American
Family by insurance agents.
See the January 30, 2003 item about AFLIC at the National Association
of
American Family Agents Inc. (NAAFA) site:
http://www.insurance-portal.com/080803.htm
That page features a letter, "Red Hot Expectation---NOT!!," written by
an
unidentified Minnesota agent, who complained about a memo he and other
colleagues received regarding "non-AFLIC qualifiers."
The letter reads, in part: "The Minnesota Sales Director, whoever
he/she may
be, should be acutely aware of the 'quota bill' in Minnesota,
Minnesota
statute 60A.178. This bill specifically safeguards agents from being
forced
to sell life insurance products . . . No insurer may terminate an
agent's
contract or reduce or restrict an agent's underwriting authority on
property
and casualty insurance policies based upon the sale of life or health
insurance'. I will immediately contact the Minnesota Commerce
Department and
file a complaint regarding violation of the 'Quota Bill'. I urge my
fellow
American Family colleagues to follow my lead. Help put an end to this
abuse
of our contract . . . ."
The February 20, 2003 issue of NAAFA has two letters from insurance
agents
regarding AFLIC:
http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:TdvZoZTagdYJ:www.naafa.com/NaafaNews/ne
wsPDFs/Newsletter2-20-03.pdf+AFLIC+based&hl=en&ie=UTF-8:
(Scroll down to "Two Separate AmFam Agents Write.")
The February 27, 2003, issue of NAAFA includes a response from
insurance
agents in AFLIC's defense:
http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cache:MgGBJi_8o48J:www.naafa.com/NaafaNews/ne
wsPDFs/Newsletter2-27-03.pdf+California+AFLIC+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
(See heading "Disagreement is often healthy."
You can read a memo NAAFA published, "Minnesota Agents Hung Out to Dry
on
Suitability" (You'll have to scroll down in the box it read all of
it), at:
http://www.naafa.com/nonmembercont.cfm?ContentID=102
Also see this memo published by NAAFA, "A Wave of Threats and
Terminations"
at:
http://www.naafa.com/nonmembercont.cfm?ContentID=97
In 2000, an independent Wisconsin agent filed suit against several
insurance
companies, including American Family Life Insurance, regarding their
modification of compensation schedules. This "action was commenced as
a
class action [although I can't find any other agents' names] on his
behalf
and other American Family agents similarly situated." The plaintiff
lost
this case and the appeal was dismissed.
See WisBar's August 23, 2000 publication of the decision at:
http://www.wisbar.org/WisCtApp2/3q00/99-2522.htm
The court noted: "Our reference to 'American Family' encompasses
American
Family Mutual Insurance Company, American Family Life Insurance
Company and
American Standard Insurance Company of Wisconsin. For ease of
reference we
will refer to the collective defendants as 'American Family.'"
South Dakota agent Lori McNeese brought suit "against American Family
Mutual
Insurance Company, American Family Life Insurance Company, and
American
Standard Insurance Company of Wisconsin, hereinafter 'American
Family,'" in
2000, arguing she had been unlawfully fired because of her gender and
disability.
See "McNeese v. 'American Family Ins.' at:
http://www.sdbar.org/opinions/DSD/2000/2000dsd032.htm
(The court determined McNeese was an independent contractor, not an
employee.)
Search Strings Used:
"AFLIC agents"
"AFLIC lawsuit"
"agents protest AFLIC"
"agents sue AFLIC"
"agents dispute 'American Family Life Insurance'"
"agents sue 'American Family Life Insurance'"
I hope my research has helped you. Before you rate this answer, please
post
a request for clarification if you have any problems or questions, and
I'll be glad to
help you.
Regards,
nancylynn-ga |
