Frequently Asked Questions

1. Award eligibility

Who is eligible to apply?

2024 MDRT Culture of Excellence Award applicants must be 2023 Global Services members (joining no later than April 1, 2023) and must also be 2024 Global Services members.

Can a direct manager and an upline manager both qualify for an award?

Yes, the direct manager could qualify based on the data from all the agents they supervise directly. The upline manager could qualify based on the data from all the teams that report to them (i.e., the agents they directly supervise and all the direct managers that report to them).

2. Who should be counted/included in an applicant’s agency?

An applicant’s agency should include all teams who report to the applicant.

3. What is the application fee?

The award application fee for the 2024 MDRT Culture of Excellence Awards is USD 200. This fee includes the cost of the physical award (award plaque) for verified award applications. The application fee is non-refundable.

4. What are the three award levels?

Members will be awarded based on the following:

  • Gold Agency: three out of six criteria met

  • Platinum Agency: four out of six criteria met

  • Diamond Agency: five out of six criteria met

5. Production Criteria

What revenue counts toward the production criteria?

  • Production numbers must come from MDRT-eligible production paid to the agency. It can include commission, premium or Gross Dealer Concession.

  • Agency production must be reported in the same form. For example, when comparing 2022 production to 2023, production for both years must be expressed as either commission, premium or Gross Dealer Concession but cannot be a combination of any two.

What is the MDRT Conversion Factor?

The MDRT Conversion Factor is a calculation used to standardize numbers during MDRT processing. It is calculated and updated annually. The MDRT Conversion Factor has no relationship to currency exchange rates.

What timeframes do the production numbers cover?

January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023 numbers should be compared to the January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022 timeframe. There must be a 25% increase year over year.

6. Retention Criteria

I have the same number of agents that I started with, but they’re not the same people. Does that still qualify?

No, this does not qualify for the award. At least 75% of the agents in your agency must be the same agents you started the year with.

I’ve lost some of my agents because of spin-offs. Can they still be included in my retention numbers?

Yes, any agents who are still with the company but moved into another agency due to spin-off may be counted toward a leader’s retention rate.

7. Recruitment Criteria

What timeframe does the recruitment criteria cover?

The award criteria look at end-of-calendar year numbers for the recruitment data. For this year’s awards, please take the number of total agents at the end of 2022 and compare them with the number of total agents at the end of 2023. If you have a 20% increase, you meet this requirement.

I’m in a country/market where recruitment and/or the size of the agency is limited. Can you waive this criterion for my agency?

Global Services recognizes not all agencies want to or are able to recruit a 20% increase in agents. Therefore, you can still receive a top award by achieving five out of the six award criteria.

8. Persistency Criteria

Our company uses a timeframe different than the 13th month. Can we use our company's calculation?

No, for consistency of our award qualifications and qualifiers, we follow the 13th month timeframe.

9. Company Verification Form

Where do I find the company verification form?

You can access the verification form here. (Please note this is the 2023 company verification form for reference only. The 2024 form will be available in 2023 Q4).

What does my certifying officer need to verify?

Your company official needs to confirm the production, recruitment, retention and persistency numbers included on your application.

Is this form required?

Yes, to successfully complete an award application, you must have a company official verify you have met the production, recruitment, retention or persistency criteria stated in your application.

  • To apply for an award, you must meet a minimum of three of the award criteria. This requires applicants to qualify for at least one of these criteria (production, recruitment, retention or persistency) which is why this form must be completed with every application.

10. Whole Person Criteria

How many Global Services webcasts took place in 2023?

There will be seven webcasts in 2023:

  1. How to convert advisors to MDRT

  2. When things go wrong: How to fix leadership mistakes

  3. Snowflakes and Fingerprints: How to attract top talent in the future of work

  4. The Single Parent’s Secret to Achieving Work-Life balance as an Agency Leader and Producer

  5. Crack the code: How assessments can help you recruit, build and lead a high -performance team

  6. How to build an MDRT agency

  7. The will and the skill: Giving strong foundations to strong recruits

What are the assigned 2023 Harvard ManageMentor modules?

"Attracting and Cultivating Talent" and "Developing Employees" will be open in 2023.

For the service project, I volunteered on my own. It wasn’t a team activity. Does that meet this requirement?

No, to meet the Whole Person criteria, the volunteer activity must be an agencywide effort to support your local community.

For the service project, does my volunteer work with MDRT count toward this criteria?

No, volunteering with MDRT (I.e., MCC, PGA, etc.) does not meet this requirement.

I marked that I attended the MDRT Annual Meeting or Global Conference in the current year in my awards application. Is Global Services able to verify this?

Yes, Global Services will review all applications to verify the requirement has been met.

11. Membership Criteria

In what countries/markets is the MDRT Academy currently available?

United States; Canada; Hong Kong, China; Malaysia; Singapore; India; Philippines; United Kingdom; Australia; New Zealand; Jamaica, Vietnam; and Indonesia.

I live in one of the 13 countries/markets where the MDRT Academy is available. Do I satisfy the criteria if 75% of my agents are either 2023 MDRT Academy or 2023 MDRT Members?

Yes, that satisfies the requirement.

An agency manager leading a team of 10 agents in a country where the Academy is available would need to have 8 agents who were either 2023 MDRT, or 2023 MDRT Academy members in order to qualify.

I do not live in one of the 13 countries/markets where the MDRT Academy is available. Do I satisfy the criteria if 75% of my agents who met the 2023 MDRT production requirements are 2023 MDRT members?

Yes, that satisfies the requirement.

If an agency manager in a market where the MDRT Academy is not available has 4 agents who qualified for MDRT and 3 of them were 2023 MDRT members, then they would qualify, as 75% of the agents who qualified for MDRT were 2023 MDRT members.

12. What happens after submitting my application?

  • You will see a confirmation screen and will receive a confirmation email. All applications will undergo a thorough review and verification process. Every applicant will be informed by April 30, 2024, whether or not they have earned an award.

  • 2024 award winners will receive an award plaque and digital badge to recognize their achievements.

  • Award winners will be honored at an award ceremony at the 2024 MDRT Annual Meeting or the 2024 MDRT Global Conference.

14. I am a company contact and would like to submit an award application(s) on behalf of my leader(s). Is this possible?

Yes, please reach out to us at info@mdrtgs.org, so we can set you up with the proper access and provide information on next steps.