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How to hire a licensed insurance agent

Licensed insurance agent hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring licensed insurance agents in the United States:

  • There are currently 174,691 licensed insurance agents in the US, as well as 78,016 job openings.
  • Licensed insurance agents are in the highest demand in Phoenix, AZ, with 23 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a licensed insurance agent is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new licensed insurance agent to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a licensed insurance agent, step by step

To hire a licensed insurance agent, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a licensed insurance agent:

Here's a step-by-step licensed insurance agent hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a licensed insurance agent job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed insurance agent
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a licensed insurance agent do?

A licensed insurance agent is primarily responsible for finding and utilizing opportunities to secure insurance sales. Moreover, a licensed insurance agent must reach out to potential clients, discuss and negotiate terms, respond to inquiries, and perform various assessments to determine their ability to uphold financial obligations. Besides building a client base, they also need to handle current policies, process renewals, monitor claims, maintain an accurate record of transactions, prepare progress reports and strategies, and distribute policy proceeds according to the company rules and regulations.

Learn more about the specifics of what a licensed insurance agent does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the licensed insurance agent you need to hire. Certain licensed insurance agent roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect licensed insurance agent also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list shows salaries for various types of licensed insurance agents.

    Type of Licensed Insurance AgentDescriptionHourly rate
    Licensed Insurance AgentInsurance sales agents help insurance companies generate new business by contacting potential customers and selling one or more types of insurance. Insurance sales agents explain various insurance policies and help clients choose plans that suit them.$15-42
    Sales ProducerA sales producer is responsible for performing sales calls and administering all leads. You will be responsible for preparing the policies aimed at sales procedures and developing the necessary sales documents... Show more$11-51
    AgentAgents are individuals who are employed by their clients to represent them in various dealings. Agents are usually employed by people in the show business industry, such as actors, writers, or directors... Show more$9-34
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Excellent Time Management
    • Work Ethic
    • Strong Customer Service
    • Customer Service
    • Insurance Sales
    • Financial Resources
    • Insurance Products
    • Inbound Calls
    • Health Insurance
    • Lead Generation
    • Annuities
    • Casualty Insurance
    • Medicare Advantage
    • Life Insurance Policies
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Explain and advice the customers about the insurance needs, handle objections and sale the Allstate company advantage.
    • Work with people in retirement helping manage their health and life insurance, also help structure their 401k's into annuities.
    • Used consultative upselling techniques to provide leads
    • Quote and sell home, mobile home, renters, auto, and motorcycle policies.
    • Process application on auto, homes, workers comp, trailer, motorcycle, commercial policies.
    • Provide financial services through life insurance, disability insurance and annuities.
    More licensed insurance agent duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your licensed insurance agent job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A licensed insurance agent can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, licensed insurance agents' average salary in alaska is 42% less than in district of columbia.
    • Seniority. Entry-level licensed insurance agents 64% less than senior-level licensed insurance agents.
    • Certifications. A licensed insurance agent with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a licensed insurance agent's salary.

    Average licensed insurance agent salary

    $54,118yearly

    $26.02 hourly rate

    Entry-level licensed insurance agent salary
    $32,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 31, 2026

    Average licensed insurance agent salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1District of Columbia$74,273$36
    2Alabama$72,190$35
    3California$66,126$32
    4Massachusetts$66,004$32
    5Arizona$65,044$31
    6New Hampshire$64,613$31
    7New York$63,591$31
    8Texas$61,510$30
    9Louisiana$60,386$29
    10Maine$60,332$29
    11Minnesota$59,616$29
    12Oregon$59,235$28
    13Washington$58,931$28
    14Missouri$58,278$28
    15Florida$58,261$28
    16Colorado$58,081$28
    17Pennsylvania$57,858$28
    18Vermont$57,387$28
    19North Carolina$56,732$27
    20South Carolina$56,270$27

    Average licensed insurance agent salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Globe Life$76,791$36.9224
    2Wipro Limited$71,017$34.148
    3Family First Life$69,129$33.24
    4Elevance Health$63,252$30.41
    5Carlson Capital$62,596$30.09
    6Infinium$58,669$28.21
    7Symmetry Financial Group$58,163$27.9619
    8National Agents Alliance$57,536$27.66
    9HealthMarkets$56,262$27.052
    10Brown & Brown$56,100$26.9711
    11Healthcare Solutions Team$55,781$26.82
    12Asurea$55,671$26.761
    13Teletech Services Corporation$55,182$26.532
    14SelectQuote Insurance Services$54,890$26.39
    15Assurance$54,858$26.37
    16Chalmers Insurance Group$54,827$26.36
    17DialAmerica$53,982$25.951
    18Palmetto$52,537$25.262
    19The American Insurance Company Corp$52,415$25.203
    20Bankers Life Insurance Company$49,918$24.006
  4. Writing a licensed insurance agent job description

    A licensed insurance agent job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a licensed insurance agent job description:

    Licensed insurance agent job description example

    Let us show you the path to making over $150,000 a year by your 5th year!

    At Trailstone, we offer the opportunity to create your own book of business within our agency. You participate in commissions AND renewals AND profit sharing.

    We are founded on the philosophy of treating others and each other the way we would want to be treated. We have spent several years building a technology forward platform, now all we need is more agents like you to come and help us grow.

    WHY JOIN TRAILSTONE

    Trailstone Insurance Group is not your traditional agency

    Better Leads:

    Dave Ramsey Endorsed Provider leads Private label lead vendors - Exclusive to Trailstone Daily leads from social media and our 500+ positive Google reviews ie. No cold calls, no call nights, etc. Unparalleled technology and automation provide:

    Better client experience (Check our comments on Google Reviews) Better close rates Automation will leave voicemails, send texts and emails for you Better quotes Offer the BEST coverage for clients Quote over 25 insurance carriers from one platform Not just what Allstate, State Farm, American Family and Farmers have to offer Better client retention Ability to work remotely Ability to have virtual support staff without having to hire staff Our philosophy:

    We live by – “Treat others the way you would want to be treated.” Pay others the way you would want to be paid with 80% new business/ 60% renewal business commission split We will show you real examples! No hard selling, we sell with the Heart of a Teacher – “Dave Ramsey” Casual atmosphere – we like shorts!

    ABOUT US:

    Trailstone is the fastest growing insurance agency in Colorado for a reason.

    We represent more than 40 insurance companies, allowing us to sell with the ''Heart of a Teacher'' providing the best coverage at the best price, every time.

    The ideal candidate would be:

    Enjoy serving people- we treat others the way we want to be treated. Please do not apply if you do not understand this. A fan of Dave Ramsey - we are a Dave Ramsey Endorsed Provider and receive hundreds of referrals from Dave each month. Looking for an independent contractor relationship with Trailstone Insurance Group with 100% commission, so there is no ceiling on income. Also, that means no salary but we will help you build an income fast. Looking for a commission schedule of 80% of new business / 60% of renewal business (yes, 60% of the renewal commissions, most agencies do not share the renewal commissions, we do).

    This is a remote position Responsibilities edit Assist customers with purchasing insurance with the ''Heart of a Teacher'' Advise clients through email, phone, text and chat messaging as needed. Prepare quotes for new and existing customers. Document customer interactions in agency management software. (Ezlynx & Infusionsoft) Requirements edit Endorse technology over “old school” models Property and casualty insurance license is required. What if you don't an insurance license? An insurance license can usually be attained within 30 days… ask us, we can advise on the best way to become licensed. Working knowledge of computer software: Microsoft Office products, DropBox, Customer Management Software. Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listening. Self-motivated, does not need to a have a “boss” to be successful. Willingness to learn and be coached. Benefits edit Work remotely, not just during the pandemic… we can work anywhere high speed internet is available. $1,000 Fast Start Bonus Casual business attire Laid back office environment

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find licensed insurance agents for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    To find licensed insurance agent candidates, you can consider the following options:
    • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
    • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
    • Post your job on free job posting websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting licensed insurance agents requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed insurance agent

    Once you've found the licensed insurance agent candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new licensed insurance agent. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a licensed insurance agent?

Before you start to hire licensed insurance agents, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire licensed insurance agents pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for licensed insurance agents is $54,118 in the US. However, the cost of licensed insurance agent hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a licensed insurance agent for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $15 and $42 an hour.

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