How to hire a Life Insurance Agent

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

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a life 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 life insurance agent to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a life insurance agent, step by step

To hire a life 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 life insurance agent:

Here's a step-by-step life 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 life insurance agent job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new life insurance agent
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Life Insurance Agent do?

A life insurance agent is responsible for offering life insurance services for clients according to their needs and qualifications. Life insurance agents handle insurance claims of the beneficiaries, ensuring the accuracy of documents and account statements for verification. They also discuss possible options and alternatives, as well as considering the clients' long-term financial goals and objectives. A life insurance agent must be well-knowledgeable of the insurance services offered by the company, discussing policies and coverage to suit the clients' best interests.

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

    First, determine the employments status of the life insurance agent you need to hire. Certain life 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 life 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.

    The following list breaks down different types of life insurance agents and their corresponding salaries.

    Type Of Life Insurance AgentDescriptionHourly Rate
    ascdesc
    Life 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.$18-47
    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:
    • Health Insurance
    • Life Insurance License
    • Life Insurance Sales
    • Work Ethic
    • Lead Generation
    • Develop Leads
    • Life Insurance Products
    • Annuity
    • Financial Services
    • Annuities
    • Life Insurance Policies
    • Term Care
    • Customer Service
    • Disability Insurance
    Check All Skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Used consultative upselling techniques to provide leads
    • License in state of VA to sell life insurance, annuities, disability income, Medicare supplements, and LTC.
    • Use of a variety of tools to help employers compile the best possible life insurance or annuity packages to retain employees.
    • Market life insurance and annuity products
    • Maintain knowledge of states insurance laws and HIPPA compliance.
    • Examine doors, windows and gates to ensure that they are secure.
    More Life Insurance Agent duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your life insurance agent job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A life insurance agent salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, life insurance agents' average salary in west virginia is 51% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level life insurance agents earn 61% less than senior-level life insurance agents.
    • Certifications. A life insurance agent with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a life insurance agent's salary.

    Average life insurance agent salary

    $62,552yearly

    $30.07 hourly rate

    Entry-level life insurance agent salary
    $39,000 yearly salary
    Updated March 28, 2025

    Average life insurance agent salary by state

    Rank
    ascdesc
    State
    ascdesc
    Avg. Salary
    ascdesc
    Hourly Rate
    ascdesc
    1Alaska$125,234$60
    2District of Columbia$87,954$42
    3Oregon$86,625$42
    4Massachusetts$85,161$41
    5Wisconsin$84,606$41
    6South Dakota$84,397$41
    7Rhode Island$82,716$40
    8Nebraska$82,217$40
    9New York$81,907$39
    10Minnesota$81,360$39
    11Alabama$79,914$38
    12Maine$77,411$37
    13Ohio$77,245$37
    14Colorado$77,135$37
    15Vermont$75,697$36
    16Indiana$74,239$36
    17Iowa$74,057$36
    18Kansas$73,989$36
    19Arizona$73,764$35
    20Illinois$73,667$35

    Average life insurance agent salary by company

    Rank
    ascdesc
    Company
    ascdesc
    Average Salary
    ascdesc
    Hourly Rate
    ascdesc
    Job Openings
    ascdesc
    1AIG$105,529$50.74
    2Family First Life$80,185$38.55
    3The Insurance House$71,228$34.24
    4Brown & Brown$68,743$33.0513
    5New York Life Insurance$68,675$33.0220
    6Assurance$66,838$32.13
    7Prominence Advisors$65,018$31.26
    8Prudential Bank$64,648$31.08
    9Symmetry Financial Group$64,327$30.9365
    10The Assurance Group$63,709$30.63
    11Asurea$63,494$30.53100
    12National Agents Alliance$63,431$30.50
    13Lincoln Heritage$62,543$30.07
    14Rockstar Games$61,553$29.59
    15Northwestern Mutual$61,414$29.532
    16Cornerstone Services$60,436$29.06
    17Creative Financial Staffing$57,570$27.68
    18AAA FACILITY SERVICES$56,750$27.2840
    19Alliance Co$56,477$27.15
    20Senior plc$56,412$27.12
  4. Writing a Life Insurance Agent Job Description

    A good life insurance agent job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a life insurance agent job description:

    Life Insurance Agent job description example

    · $25K base salary plus the ability to earn unlimited commission

    · Medical, dental, and vision benefits

    · 401(k) plan with company matching and Retirement Saving Plan – WE help you save for your future!!!

    · Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay

    · Referral based LEADS, LEADS, LEADS – generated through the partnership with AAA P&C Agents

    AAA is one of the most recognizable brands in the country and we are looking to expand. We are searching for Life & Annuity Agents who are looking for MORE out of their career. A sales career with AAA is much more than just selling products, it is the chance to do more by helping people protect what is important to them.

    As a Life & Annuity Agent with AAA, you can expect more by:

    · Prepare proposals, and conduct closing interviews for Life and Health Insurance sales.

    · Work collaboratively with others in the Branch to reach business goals, maximize leads, sales opportunities and take advantage of cross-sell opportunities.

    · Develop leads and prospects for the purpose of conducting fact finding interviews to determine needs for coverage.

    · Respond to customer inquiries and problems and ensure sound-sales practices are used.

    What we are looking for:

    · Track record of success with meeting and/or exceeding sales goals

    · Effective communication and strong relationship-building skills

    · Ability to provide a high level of member-focused service

    · Prospecting and developing new sales opportunities to meet production goals

    · Work independently with minimal supervision

    · Knowledge of Life & Annuity products and services

    Licensing/Certification Requirements:

    · Must possess a valid State Life Sales license and Health Sales license

    · Must possess a valid State driver’s license

    Important Note: The above statements describe the principal and essential functions, but not all functions that may be inherent in the job. This job requires the ability to perform duties contained in the job description for this position, including, but not limited to, the above requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants, as needed, to enable them to fulfill these requirements.

    The Auto Club Group, and all of its affiliated companies, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

    Company DescriptionThe Auto Club Group has established four long-term enterprise goals:
    Long-term, sustainable, profitable growth
    AAA Membership growth and renewal
    Operational excellence
    Become the “flagship club” of the AAA Federation
  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right life insurance agent for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your life insurance agent job on Zippia to find and recruit life insurance agent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting life 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.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    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 life insurance agent

    Once you've found the life 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.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new life 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.)
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How much does it cost to hire a life insurance agent?

Hiring a life insurance agent comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting life insurance agents involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of life insurance agent recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for life insurance agents is $62,552 in the US. However, the cost of life insurance agent hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a life insurance agent for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $18 and $47 an hour.

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