Careers · Explore one path
Insurance Sales Agents
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.
Other titles employers use
Insurance Agent · Insurance Broker · Insurance Sales Agent · Sales Agent · Sales Associate · Sales Representative · Underwriting Sales Representative · Health Insurance Sales Agent
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Persuasion
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Law and Government
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.4 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 1.9 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 39%
- A certificate or some college 23%
- A two-year degree 16%
- High school or less 15%
- A master's degree 7%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Video creation and editing software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Video conferencing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Operating system software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 74,130
- Job openings each year
- 6,490
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 16.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 74,130 | 6,490 | 16.7% |
| Florida | 63,860 | 5,570 | 15.8% |
| California | 45,700 | 3,700 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 42,320 | 3,380 | 1.6% |
| Ohio | 36,570 | 2,970 | 4.0% |
| New York | 24,760 | 130 | 5.5% |
| North Carolina | 21,310 | 1,850 | 14.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 20,020 | 1,650 | 6.2% |
| Georgia | 19,210 | 1,630 | 11.3% |
| Colorado | 18,140 | 1,470 | 4.0% |
| Washington | 15,060 | 1,390 | 9.1% |
| Missouri | 14,470 | 1,220 | 9.4% |
| Michigan | 13,970 | 1,160 | 7.6% |
| Minnesota | 13,940 | 1,160 | 7.5% |
| Virginia | 13,690 | 1,130 | 5.8% |
| Indiana | 13,560 | 1,140 | 8.8% |
| New Jersey | 13,190 | 1,050 | 1.5% |
| Tennessee | 13,050 | 1,200 | 26.9% |
| Arizona | 12,730 | 1,090 | 12.6% |
| Wisconsin | 10,310 | 890 | 13.5% |
| Arkansas | 10,160 | 900 | 18.3% |
| South Carolina | 9,920 | 890 | 21.3% |
| Alabama | 9,320 | 780 | 7.7% |
| Nebraska | 8,350 | 690 | 7.3% |
| Oklahoma | 7,920 | 660 | 8.0% |
| Iowa | 7,860 | 660 | 9.0% |
| Kansas | 7,770 | 640 | 5.4% |
| Kentucky | 7,050 | 580 | 6.7% |
| Oregon | 6,650 | 520 | — |
| Connecticut | 6,460 | 550 | 12.2% |
| Maryland | 6,420 | 510 | 1.3% |
| Utah | 6,210 | 550 | 19.4% |
| Louisiana | 6,050 | 490 | 4.1% |
| Maine | 5,440 | 420 | −2.9% |
| Nevada | 5,390 | 470 | 14.0% |
| Massachusetts | 3,790 | 310 | 2.4% |
| Mississippi | 3,420 | 290 | 12.1% |
| Puerto Rico | 3,310 | 300 | 26.3% |
| New Hampshire | 3,190 | 270 | 10.4% |
| Idaho | 3,180 | 280 | 16.5% |
| South Dakota | 3,040 | 260 | 10.9% |
| Montana | 2,890 | 250 | 15.1% |
| New Mexico | 2,520 | 220 | 16.1% |
| West Virginia | 2,350 | 190 | 5.9% |
| Rhode Island | 2,200 | 190 | 9.5% |
| North Dakota | 1,920 | 150 | 1.1% |
| Delaware | 1,700 | 140 | 7.6% |
| Vermont | 1,400 | 120 | 5.3% |
| Wyoming | 920 | 80 | 8.2% |
| District of Columbia | 580 | 50 | 1.8% |
| Alaska | 350 | 30 | −5.4% |
| Guam | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Virgin Islands | 70 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of Georgia
- Degrees each year
- 252
- Admit rate
- 37%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college SCUniversity of South Carolina-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 109
- Admit rate
- 61%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college FLFlorida State University
- Degrees each year
- 97
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college WIUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
- Degrees each year
- 94
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Program entryFirst-year program admission
Open college PASaint Joseph's University
- Degrees each year
- 47
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $24,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college NCAppalachian State University
- Degrees each year
- 44
- Admit rate
- 89%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college NYSt. John's University-New York
- Degrees each year
- 42
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $29,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college OHUniversity of Cincinnati-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 41
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $22,000
Program entryFirst-year program admission
Open college