Western Marketing review for agents: contracting, pay, release terms and leads

At Western Marketing, decide early between the direct path and a downline agency with free leads at a lower level, and ask for the Advanced or As Earned terms before you choose one.

Western Marketing runs open contracting with Western Marketing Associates Corporation. You can contract directly at the higher commission level, or through a downline agency that may give free leads at a lower level. Agents who use an agency's private-label link are tied to that agency's hierarchy.

The chain is agent, then any downline agency, then Western Marketing, then Integrity, then the carrier.

Carriers pay you directly and issue your 1099, and Western Marketing earns an override on your sales.

For Double Down, Western treats its direct Agent Level as street level but gives no carrier rate.

Direct Agent Level agents can recover documented lead and marketing costs through Double Down: up to $250 for 5 to 9 qualifying issued Medicare policies in a month, $500 for 10 to 19, $1,000 for 20 to 29 and $2,000 for 30 or more. The amounts differ by how many qualifying policies you issue that month.

Bonus programs and incentive trips are advertised without published criteria.

Agents and agencies contracting directly own their book 100% from day one with no vesting schedule.

The contract request form asks you to choose Advanced or As Earned commissions. Advance rates are shared during contracting, and chargeback windows are not published.

The setup packet authorizes debit-balance screening for advance eligibility and reporting any unpaid balance after you leave.

Lines include Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Part D, ACA, dental and vision, final expense, life and annuities, plus group benefits, hospital indemnity and long-term care. Property and casualty is not offered.

Western Marketing says it works with over 150 insurance companies. Carriers named for the annual enrollment period (AEP) include Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare, Anthem, Cigna HealthSpring, Molina Healthcare and Devoted.

Direct agents generate or buy their own leads. Integrity LeadCENTER uses a buy per lead model for Medicare, final expense, mortgage protection, life, ACA and live-transfer leads. Western Marketing describes the leads as inexpensive, but publishes no dollar prices.

Western's Double Down lead promotion requires no outstanding debit balance.

Western Marketing says IntegrityCONNECT, CSG Senior Market Tools, iPipeline, FireLight, Annuity Rate Watch and SureLC come at no direct fee with qualifying contracting. Integrity also runs PlanEnroll, a consumer platform that connects shoppers with participating agents.

Agents get a training content library, the Agent Playbook, webinars, AEP readiness materials, one-on-one coaching and dedicated contracting and new-business teams. No contracting fee is published.

Agents pay for their own E&O and leads.

Contract online through SureLC, which imports your licensing data from the national producer database (NIPR), or send paper setup by email or fax. You need a life or health license, current E&O documentation, current AML training and background disclosures. Discounted E&O is available through CalSurance, but its group policy price or discount amount is not published.

Medicare agents use the linked AHIP training site, and AHIP reimbursement and contracting speed are not published.

Integrity Marketing Group acquired Western Marketing on March 22, 2022. Integrity's PlanEnroll connects consumers with participating agents.

The yearly CMS limits (opens in a new tab) are the most a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan can pay you, and the carrier contract decides what you actually get.

What level will I start at?

Direct contracts sit at the higher level and downline agencies offering free leads sit lower. Western Marketing publishes no schedule, so ask which carrier grid each level is measured against.

Is my book mine at Western Marketing?

Direct-contract agents own their book 100% from day one. Client data and tool access after leaving are not published.

Can I take advances?

The request form offers Advanced or As Earned. Advance terms are shared during contracting, and unpaid balances can be reported after you leave.

Where do Western Marketing agents get leads?

Direct agents generate or buy their own. Double Down can reimburse lead costs after qualifying Medicare production.

Vendors change their pricing all the time and they don't email us when they do. So if you see a price on here that's gone up, a plan Western Marketing quit selling or a contract term that reads different now, let us know and send the link to the page where Western Marketing has it. Somebody here pulls up that page and checks it before we change anything on ours.