A Day in the Life of the Successful Insurance Agent

As multi-talented individuals with a bend toward sales and marketing, winning insurance agents wear many different hats. Besides being consummate salespersons, successful producers diligently seek out and serve customers with loving attention and an eye for detail.

Setting the Stage

With more than 2 million workers in the insurance industry, the successful agent in this competitive market must work hard and remain diligent and committed.

The best insurance agents are achievement-oriented, independent, focused and self-motivated. In fact, one in four successful agents chooses self-employment because of the freedom to come and go, work self-sufficiently, and creatively market and sell policies and products.

Plying the Trade

While most insurance providers consider a small office of some sort home base, many spend much of their time traveling locally to meet with potential or existing clients, closing sales, and doing reviews.

Agents generally determine their own working hours, but often are constrained by the schedules of prospective clients. The typical full-time insurance agent’s works 40-60 hours per week, and often participate in community activities.

Getting "A-Head"

It is the job of insurance providers to help individuals, families and businesses select insurance policies that provide the best protection for their lives, health and property.

On a typical day an agent might:

• Spend time networking and prospecting new customers
• Meet with or call potential clients to review or advise them on coverage
• Offer clients comprehensive financial planning services
• Quote new policies and service existing policies
• Prepare reports and maintain sales records

Because most agents work on commission, networking and pursuing new customers takes up the majority of their time. However, the typical agent's day also involves many, much more detailed tasks.

As experts in one of three major areas: life, health, or property and casualty insurance, most producers attend to the fine points daily by:

• Selling various types of insurance policies
• Interviewing prospective clients about their financial needs and resources; the physical condition of the person or property to be insured, and any existing coverage
• Explaining features, advantages and disadvantages of various policies
• Customizing policies to suit customers
• Delivering policies and answering questions; suggesting additions or changes, or changing beneficiaries
• Calculating premiums and establishing payment methods
• Making sure policy requirements are fulfilled, including necessary forms completed.
• Contacting underwriters and submitting forms for binder coverage
• Conferring with clients to obtain information in the event of a claim

Picturing Success

The roles of a successful insurance agent are numerous. In order to build a reliable client base and gain financial success and independence, agents must focus on the details, listen to client concerns, and serve customer needs effectively.

Using adeptness in sales, marketing, customer service and time-management, skillful salespeople can successfully wear the many hats of a dedicated insurance agent. All it takes is a little flexibility, enthusiasm, confidence, discipline—and hard work!