Insurance Sales Agents

What the job really is

Sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance. May refer clients to independent brokers, work as an independent broker, or be employed by an insurance company.

At a glance

• Sector: Sales
• O*NET-SOC code: 41-3021
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
• Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance, or specialized policies, such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
• Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
• Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
• Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
• Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries.
• Confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy.
• Interview prospective clients to obtain data about their financial resources and needs, the physical condition of the person or property to be insured, and to discuss any existing coverage.
• Contact underwriter and submit forms to obtain binder coverage.
• Select company that offers type of coverage requested by client to underwrite policy.
• Ensure that policy requirements are fulfilled, including any necessary medical examinations and the completion of appropriate forms.
• Develop marketing strategies to compete with other individuals or companies who sell insurance.

Tools and technology

Adobe After Effects, Facebook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Zoom, AMS Services AMS 360, AMS Services AMS Sagitta, Advantage Information Systems The Agency Advantage

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
• Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
• Customer Service Representatives
• Personal Financial Advisors
• Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
• Insurance Underwriters
• Loan Officers
• Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Insurance Sales Agents — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.