Tyler Insurance GroupStart with the only question that really matters
Before comp, before tools, before the pitch, answer one thing: if you leave, do your clients and renewals come with you? That single answer separates building a business from renting one. It comes down to how your contract is written, not how friendly the recruiter was. We break it down in who owns your book of business.
The six things to actually evaluate
Every FMO will tell you they have great support and top contracts. Ignore the adjectives and check these six, and ask for each in writing.
Good looks like You are paid directly by the carrier at the full CMS street level, and they can show you the grid.
Red flag Vague answers, "assigned" commissions, or a split they will not put in numbers.
Good looks like Your book is yours. If you leave, your renewals follow you. It is in writing.
Red flag The agency holds the contract, or nobody will say plainly what happens to your renewals if you go.
Good looks like A written release policy, stated up front, that does not trap you for months.
Red flag Release terms buried, delayed, or "we will figure it out later." That is the whole ballgame.
Good looks like Top contracts with the carriers you actually need for your market, and fast appointments.
Red flag A thin lineup, or pressure to write only the carriers that pay them the most.
Good looks like Real quoting and enrollment (SunFire, Connecture) and a CRM built for Medicare, included at no cost.
Red flag A "portal" that is really just a login, or tools you have to pay for and stitch together yourself.
Good looks like A named person who answers the phone, live coaching, and in-appointment help. Substance, not a video dump.
Red flag A help desk that does not know your name, and "training" that ends at AHIP.
The money, in plain terms
Do not get sold on "highest commissions." At street level, the commission is a CMS maximum that a good FMO pays you in full, directly from the carrier. The FMO earns a separate override that is roughly the same everywhere, paid by the carrier on top of your check. The real question is what they do with that override. See how FMO commissions actually work, and for the current numbers, Medicare agent commissions in Kentucky for 2026 and 2027.
Six questions to ask before you sign
Ask these out loud, and get the answers in writing. How they respond tells you more than any brochure.
- Am I paid directly by the carrier at the full CMS street level, or by you?
- If I leave, do my clients and renewals come with me? Show me where that is written.
- What exactly is your release policy, and how long does it take?
- Which carriers will I have, and how fast are appointments?
- What tools do I get, and what do they cost me?
- When I have a problem in the field, who picks up, and how fast?
If a recruiter will not put the answers in writing, that is your answer.
And how to leave one
Choosing well is half of it. Knowing you can leave is the other half, and it takes most of the fear out of the decision. Three things worth knowing:
- Request a release in writing from a principal officer. Fair FMOs state the policy up front.
- Most carriers let you change your hierarchy once a year around your contract anniversary, with no release needed at all.
- Many uplines pause releases during AEP (September 1 to December 31). If an upline refuses outright, carriers generally allow a self-release after a waiting period, often six months.
The trap to avoid is any FMO that will not put release terms in writing. If a company needs to hold you hostage to keep you, that tells you what they think their value is.
Common questions
Whether you own your book of business. If you are paid directly by the carrier at the full CMS commission and your renewals follow you when you leave, you own it. If your commissions are assigned to the agency, they own it. Everything else is secondary to that.
At street level, effectively yes. CMS sets a maximum commission each year, and a good FMO pays you that full amount directly from the carrier. The FMO earns a separate override from the carrier on top of your check, and that override is roughly the same everywhere. So "we pay the most" is usually a myth. Judge FMOs on what they do with the override, not on the number itself.
Request the release in writing from a principal officer of the agency. Fair FMOs state their release policy up front. Note two things: many uplines pause releases during AEP (September 1 to December 31), and for most carriers you can change your hierarchy once a year around your contract anniversary without any release at all. If an upline refuses to release you, carriers generally allow a self-release after a waiting period, commonly six months.
Direct pay means the carrier pays you the full commission and you own the book. LOA, or licensed-only-agent, means the carrier pays the agency and the agency pays you a share, usually while keeping ownership of the book. Some agents take an LOA deal early for leads or salary. Just know the trade you are making.