How to Become an Insurance Salesperson
A career in insurance sales can be can rewarding and lucrative. Successful insurance agents can sometimes make up to six figures after gaining just a few years of experience. However, while there are many agents that have long, successful careers, still others get frustrated with the regular sales pressure associated with the job and end up pursuing other opportunities. A career as an insurance salesperson is a perfect choice for someone who is outgoing, professional and intelligent when it comes to matters of finances and long-term planning.
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Instructions
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Obtain the proper license. All forms of insurance (home, auto, life, health) require a state issued insurance license in order to sell policies to customers. There are both self-study and classroom courses available from companies like Kaplan and Hondros to prepare for the state exam. Most states require a passing grade of 70 percent to be granted an insurance license. If you fail, you typically have to wait 30 days to retake the test. The whole licensing process is typically $200-300 and property and casualty licensing is typically done separately from life and health licensing.
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Contract with an established insurance company. Once you're licensed, pursue a contract with an established insurance company. Once an agreement has been worked out, bring yourself up to speed on all of the various products offered by the company. The contract should stipulate commission terms, training and any marketing campaigns you will responsible for implementing. Read through the contract carefully and ask as many questions as you need to in order to have a full understanding of the agreement you are making with the insurance company. To find local carriers that are hiring, check job boards such as monster.com, careerbuilder.com or craigslist.com. Also, try checking your local classifieds section.
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Start prospecting. No insurance agent can be successful without prospecting as this is the best way to get clients. Prospecting is the process of seeking out new clients. Most successful agents call 30-50 prospects a day to schedule appointments. If you don't prospect for new clients, then you can't set appointments and generate new income. In addition to cold-calling, insurance agents set up shop at industry trade shows, community events and anywhere else where they have an opportunity to reach potential clients.
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Tips & Warnings
Most insurance companies will hire you with out prior experience or formal training! Some prefer a college degree, but few require it.
