Direct sales representative vs insurance sales representative

The differences between direct sales representatives and insurance sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an insurance sales representative has an average salary of $61,386, which is higher than the $43,527 average annual salary of a direct sales representative.

The top three skills for a direct sales representative include customer service, direct sales and TV. The most important skills for an insurance sales representative are customer service, excellent time management, and work ethic.

Direct sales representative vs insurance sales representative overview

	Direct Sales Representative	Insurance Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$43,527	$61,386
Hourly rate	$20.93	$29.51
Growth rate	4%	6%
Number of jobs	159,668	201,879
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	47	46
Years of experience	4	-

What does a direct sales representative do?

As a direct sales representative, you are responsible for creating customer awareness of a company's products and services and closing sales. You will perform varied tasks that include assisting in developing and executing marketing and sales plans, conducting research on competing products, and identifying opportunities to improve sales. Additionally, you are expected to answer inquiries about product features, availability, benefits, and pricing. Other tasks that you are likely to perform include attending trade shows, preparing sales proposals for prospective buyers, and preparing sales reports.

What does an insurance sales representative do?

An insurance sales representative is primarily responsible for securing insurance sales by reaching out to clients through calls, correspondence, and even appointments. They are also responsible for gathering client information, discussing and recommending suitable terms, and even providing advice to meet their needs, all while building rapport to ensure customer satisfaction. There are also instances where they have to adjust existing terms, assist in filling out applications, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, it is essential to devise strategies to find new sales opportunities, as most insurance sales representatives must reach a particular sales target.

Direct sales representative vs insurance sales representative salary

Direct sales representatives and insurance sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Direct Sales Representative	Insurance Sales Representative
Average salary	$43,527	$61,386
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $69,000	Between $38,000 And $97,000
Highest paying City	Salem, OR	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Maine	New York
Best paying company	Google	FFL Partners
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between direct sales representative and insurance sales representative education

There are a few differences between a direct sales representative and an insurance sales representative in terms of educational background:

	Direct Sales Representative	Insurance Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	University of Pennsylvania

Direct sales representative vs insurance sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between direct sales representatives' and insurance sales representatives' demographics:

	Direct Sales Representative	Insurance Sales Representative
Average age	47	46
Gender ratio	Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6%	Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between direct sales representative and insurance sales representative duties and responsibilities

Direct sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage accounts and create invoices via QuickBooks.
Achieve and maintain high-volume sales output, for cell phones and broadband products to stay employ with company.
Contact medicare eligible recipients to sell medicare advantage plans through in-home meetings, community seminars and direct telesales.
Canvass assigned sales territory and solicit orders for new or upgrade cable, broadband and digital phone services.
Generate revenue by selling and upselling services while developing client base throughout territory.
Prospect and generate sales revenue by adding new program residential customers and cross selling and upselling current residential customers.

Insurance sales representative example responsibilities.

Used consultative upselling techniques to provide leads
Translate and assign diagnosis and medical procedures into CPT, ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes.
Lead rep for major payer.
Monitor the performance of each account rep.
Educate physicians and clinic staff on current ICD 9 and CPT coding regulations.
Comply with company policy, procedures, and pertinent laws and regulation such a HIPAA.

Direct sales representative vs insurance sales representative skills

Common direct sales representative skills

Customer Service, 33%
Direct Sales, 20%
TV, 15%
Work Ethic, 4%
Technical Troubleshooting, 3%
Door-To-Door Sales, 3%

Common insurance sales representative skills

Customer Service, 17%
Excellent Time Management, 16%
Work Ethic, 12%
Strong Customer Service, 11%
Strong Work Ethic, 11%
Lead Generation, 4%

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Direct Sales Representative
Direct Sales Representative vs Insurance Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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