Home >> How do I become an insurance agent under another company in my very small town?
How do I become an insurance agent under another company in my very small town?
Right now I have been doing medical billing at my local healthcare facility for 4 years. I would like to become and agent under an insurance company (like state farm, american family, etc) I am not sure how to do this. We have a state farm, american family, and an american insurance agent in town. I live in a small town, but there is always a demand for insurance. How do I get started with one of these companies? I know I need to talk an insurance agent test (so please don't give me that answer and no other help!). Do the companies pay you well? Do they pay for the office space, equipment, etc? I would like to learn more about doing this but I cannot find anything helpful. Thank you!
I believe that a company like State Farm has agent training program. They teach you how to sell and be successful. You can find more out at their website. Check out the careers section. You will probably have to set-up your own office space with supplies, staff, etc. But with a company with a great reputation like, State Farm, you would probably do very well.
Here are my keys to being a good insurance agent:
1. Learn everything you can about the products you are selling. Education is the key.
2. Listen to what your clients want. Communication is vitally important.
3. Be prepared to fight. This business is tough and the competition is fierce.
4. Customer Service. The team behind you, servicing your accounts needs to be responsive and organized.
5. Enjoy yourself. A positive attitude will open most doors.
Good Luck!
It's straight commission, and you'd give the office you're working for, half the commission, to cover office space, equipment, insurance, etc.
So, they don't pay AT ALL. If you don't sell, you don't eat.
You might want to break your goal down into two stages.
I would suggest you look into a customer service representative (CSR) position at one of the agencies in your area. Agents are often looking for qualified staff to help with serving the public and working with the insurance carriers.
This position would be a salaried position so you would have steady income while you are gaining knowledge and experience. After a while you could get a feel for what is required of an insurance agent and what they do to secure new sales.
You then would be in a position to decide if you want to pursue your own agency or you might have an opportunity to move into sales with the agency your with.
When you are interviewing you should tell them that your ultimate goal is to go into sales so that you can evaluate if there is a realistic opportunity to accomplish that goal with that agency.