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6 Replies Last post: Aug 28, 2008 10:31 AM by HealthLifeAGT

Insurance Sales

Oct 11, 2007 9:08 PM

Click to view bearsfan's profile Professional bearsfan 15 posts since
Oct 11, 2007
Is insurance sales a viable business to get into?
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Click to view akgold's profile Founders akgold 51 posts since
Jul 19, 2007
1. Re: Insurance Sales Oct 11, 2007 9:34 PM
I am sure like every other business, there are ways to be profitable and ways to be unprofitable. It probably makes sense to talk with some folks in the industry about their experiences. My mother sold insurance for a while but then exited the industry. I am not sure if it was for financial reasons or the impact on her schedule.

Hopefully someone in the Community can give you some pointers from personal experience. Good luck!
Click to view Lighthouse24's profile Mogul Lighthouse24 2,396 posts since
Oct 10, 2007
2. Re: Insurance Sales Oct 17, 2007 2:18 PM

It's certainly a "viable" business, and it may be one of the best opportunities out there right now if you are well-organized, reasonably self-disciplined, and have the kind of "people skills" that allow you to meet new folks on a daily basis, immediately gain their trust, and build rapport. The agents with whom I have my policies sure seem to be living well, and they appear very happy with their careers.

Major providers are apparently looking for agents and offering training right now (they seem to contact almost anyone who posts a resume on Monster or CareerBuilder). If you e-mailed any of the firms that advertise on those sites, you'd probably be contacted by "regional managers" who are trying to build a network of downline sales agents -- and you'd have a chance to talk with someone who could definitely tell you about all the benefits (and answer your questions about the challenges involved).

Best wishes!
Click to view LUCKIEST's profile SCORE LUCKIEST 7,935 posts since
Aug 6, 2007
3. Re: Insurance Sales Oct 18, 2007 1:10 PM
SCORE helps people going into business. SCORE has a Virtual Learning Center
at www.score.org. SCORE has 26 online courses that can help you.
Also write a BUSINESS PLAN.
Good luck, LUCKIEST
Click to view mainstreetifs's profile Mogul mainstreetifs 34 posts since
Dec 20, 2007
4. Re: Insurance Sales Mar 1, 2008 3:18 PM
This was posted a while back but I figured I would chime in. Insurance sales is a great career if you have the tools to be successful. For commercial lines producers (B2B sales) and life insurance agents, the average agent makes as much as the average doctor and the above average agent makes as much as an above average MD. The beauty of selling insurance is that policies renew every year so you continue to get paid on business you originally sold decades ago. However, you must consistently perform at a high level and do everything you say you will do to maintain the relationship. It is easier to maintain a relationship than create a new one but it does take some effort. If your a good people person and you follow through, the insurance business is a gold mine. For whatever reason, the failure rate of new agents high because very few people can handle rejection and follow through on everything they say they are going to do.

Starting out, I would suggest looking into a good direct writer like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate (I don't recommend Farmers) because they have great training programs and will pay you a salary as you learn the business. You will eventually want to move to an independent agency where the financial upside is better but they don't provide the training and hand holding that national direct writers do. Northwestern Mutual is a great option if you want to sell life insurance.
Click to view bearsfan's profile Professional bearsfan 15 posts since
Oct 11, 2007
5. Re: Insurance Sales Mar 3, 2008 10:51 PM
in response to: mainstreetifs

What about AFLAC. I have been workking at it for 4 month and am just starting to have some success. Was this a worthwhile decision?
Click to view HealthLifeAGT's profile Mogul HealthLifeAGT 22 posts since
Aug 23, 2008
6. Re: Insurance Sales Aug 28, 2008 10:31 AM
in response to: bearsfan
Hey Bearsfan check out my profile , if you like what you read we can talk!