Combined Insurance Company Of America (CICA) lie, liars, misleading, twisting, conning, scamming Salem Oregon

I am/was a combined insurance employee, I say am/was because as I am writing this I am preparing to resign from the company tomorrow morning. When I was contacted by Combined from my resume on monster.com I was offered an amazing career with benefits and income beyond what I had ever imagined I could do. I had my first interview, then my demo (second interview where you job shadow), then they gave me a third interview to interview my wife... not for a job, just to interview her to make sure we both understood what they were offering.

Before I continue let me state everything I am writting is factual events and not opinions, I do not wish to be sued or attacked in return for defamating a company. Lord knows I cant afford the attorneys on a combined insurance agent's income.

They promised me a 1 week license training, then later a 2 week sales training. Full medical, 401k, etc but I wouldnt get dental for a year, keep in mind my wife was there for this 3rd interview so it wasnt me misunderstanding what I was being offered. I was offered an income of an average of $2,000 to $4,000 a month, vacation bonuses to tropical places, awards, etc etc (looking back on it I now feel as if I was being sold a car from a used car lot). The training wasnt 1 week then later 2 more weeks it was 4 weeks straight where I was 100% requred to stay at the hotel every night. I had to commute from the hotel to the training center since the hotel for the training center wasnt even in the same city as the training center...

This is my 7th week with the company (4 training 3 in field) the medical coverage I just found out last week was a lie, that doesnt start till after a year... I was promised $400 take home income my first week, my paycheck was $280 apparently I "misunderstood" the income to be before taxes which they taxed 30%. I was taught in training that they take out too much tax (30% on purpose so cover taxes and what ever difference the taxes really were would be refunded on the next week's paycheck). I found out last week that this wasnt true, they take out 30% but they dont give it back that soon, it goes into an account and sits there till it has added to $300 then they start to pay you the differences (or thats what I am being told now anyways)

My first 2 weeks in the field was with my District Manager, we averaged 10-12 hours every day 5 days a week and even with him being a seasoned agent since the 80's could barely make $400 for the first week and just under $400 the second week. I did the math and before subtracting expenses (namely gas) we averaged $7.00 to $8.00 an hour (minimum wage btw is $9 something) after just gas expenses it was around $5.50 an hour.

Now keep in mind this wasnt a brand new agent working alone for the first time and failing, this was a many year vetran district manager training me. Whom was so unbarable to work with between his berating fat jokes against me (I am a bit over weight due to recovering from a deadly injury that nearly took my life while serving my country in the US Air Force and since my accident I havent been able to get the weight off) and his constant sexually derogitory jokes and comments about women he saw, from things they'd say he'd contrew to his harrasement one liner "what her-a*s-ment to me" He was amazingly rude, unmotivated and for the most part only buried my self esteem deeper by the day.

By the end of the 2nd in field training week I couldnt stand him anymore, during that week we were part of an Ardmore (a multi district gathering where we attempt to blitz sell in a competition) everyone was partnered up with someone else and amungst all other agents and managers, my manager and I came in an astonishing last place with the ultimate lowest income and units (unit is a point system you get per new customer application). At the end of that second week I convinced him we should work seperately that day to make up for our losing streak, in truth I just couldnt take his assinine comments anymore. Oh did I mention we drove 30 miles to a city for the ardmore meetings then back 30 miles to our home town then anouther 25 miles the opposite direction to another town to sell insurance there so we would not have any competition during the ardmore....so 30 to the morning meeting 30 back, 25 to the city we were working in then 25 back, then 30 to the evening meeting then 30 back.. anyone got a calculator lol.. 150 miles per day just do get to where we needed to be in order to work, not counting miles in town driving which he prefered to do vs actually getting out and selling the policy. Apparently his deviously ingenious idea to beat out the competition wasnt necissarily the brightest "idears" he had.

This week I have been on my own and my amazing inspirational and enthusiastic attitued thats been beaten down like a dead horse hasnt helped me much. I take personal responsibility of my attitued reguardless how I was treated by my DM (District Manager) but the first day this week I made an amazing $8 within the first 6 hours of work... I went home early, something about making slightly more then a dollar an hour kinda got to me (I think my great grand father made that much per hour back when he was a kid) but thats before we figure in expenses, I think I almost broke even. The rest of this week I have decided to spent a little more productively by finding a new job.....

In closing I am not saying Comined is a bad company, reguardless of their misleading, misrepresentating, twisting, lies about what they told me. My experience was bad due to my DM, and I think out of 8 members on our team the fact that 4 of them are missing and no one will talk about why they havent been to the meetings every morning, which by the way our meeting office where we hold our pep talks and training is at the local mall in the food court sandwiched between the morning senior citizen mall walkers and the stores not quite yet opened, I am beginning to think 50% of my fellow co-workers have jumped ship.. I wonder if their life raft has any room for me.

Fair warning for those that are currently working and for those considering working for this company, go into it knowing anything your being told could possibly be misrepresented to make it sound better then it is. Get it in writing or simply read the rest of this site and dont lose your life savings, utilities, house by not letting this company suck you in like a used car salesmen.

PS. Thank you to the friend I made in sales school for telling me about this site and talking to me tonight, I really felt alone until you told me your situation. I know for sure one very good thing came from this horrific experience and that was you.

Jacob
Salem, Oregon
U.S.A.

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