What Do I Need to Sell Auto Insurance?
To protect people from irresponsible motorists who lack the financial ability to pay for accidents for which they are at fault, 49 states in the U.S. require vehicle owners to have auto liability insurance. Since auto liability coverage is such a necessity, selling auto insurance can be a lucrative occupation. However, you do need a few things in order to become an auto insurance agent.
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Formal Education
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Though formal education is not necessarily a requirement for becoming an auto insurance agent, auto insurance companies do tend to favor people who are educated. After graduating from high school, an aspiring auto insurance agent should try to get at least an associate or bachelor's degree from an accredited university. According to the Insure Me website, applicable fields of study include finance, marketing, economics, accounting, business administration and liberal arts.
Licensure Exam
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As with other types of insurance agents, auto insurance agents must pass the licensure exam for their respective states. Passing the exam may require you to pay for study materials, study for the test for two weeks or more and pay testing fees. If you begin this process through a specific insurance company, though, it might help you with tutoring, materials and exam costs.
The licensure that you gain through this examination is for property and casualty insurance. If you would like to sell other types of insurance -- such as health insurance -- you may need to take another examination.
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Legal Status
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In addition to passing the licensure exam, most states also require you to prove that you are a state resident. In addition to this, due to the fact that insurance agents frequently deal with sensitive financial information, many states also require you to go through a criminal background check.
Marketing Plan
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You cannot sell auto insurance if you have no one to sell it to. To get started as an auto insurance agent, you will need a marketing plan that you will use to contact with prospective insurance buyers. If you are working through a specific insurance company -- rather than as an independent agent -- your company may provide you with materials and resources to help you find contacts. Whether this is the case or not, a number of third-party companies sell leads (names of potential customers) to auto insurance agents. You may try buying leads from various companies and continue buying from whichever company gives you the best leads.
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