Life Insurance Agents and Brokers
Overview
Introduction
Life insurance agents and brokers sell policies that provide life insurance, retirement income, and various other types of insurance to new clients or to established policy-holders. Some agents are referred to as life underwriters, since they may be required to estimate insurance risks on some policies. Captive agents are those who work exclusively for one insurance company and sell only its policies to customers. Independent insurance agents are employed by insurance brokerages, and sell the policies of a...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
In May 2018 the median yearly income of insurance agents and brokers was $50,600, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The department also reported that the lowest paid 10 percent of these workers, which typically includes those just beginning in the field, made less than $27,500. The highest paid 10 percent earned $125,610 or more. Many offices also pay bonuses to agents who sell a prede...
Work Environment
The job of the life insurance agent is marked by extensive contact with others. Most agents actively participate in groups such as churches, synagogues, community groups, and service clubs, through which they can meet prospective clients. Life insurance agents also have to stay in touch with other individuals to keep their prospective sales list growing.
Because they are essentially self...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for insurance agents and brokers will grow faster than the average for all careers through 2028. The percentage of citizens older than 65 is growing at a much faster rate than that of the general population. Agents will be needed to meet the special needs of this group, converting some insurance policies from a death benefit to retirement in...
