Sample Job Descriptions
Insurance Agent - General
The insurance industry is one of the largest and most profitable industries in the nation. Virtually every household requires insurance protection. Most families cannot afford to risk such unpredictable expenses as catastrophic medical conditions, major home damage or loss, major vehicle collision repair and replacement or expensive legal suits from liability issues; insurance and America go hand-in-hand.
Insurance sales agents are many times referred to as producers. These individuals will typically specialize in a specific type of insurance which requires a specialized license from a state licensing authority for the type of insurance sold. Typically, property and casualty are licensed separately; health, life disability and long-term care require another license.
Insurance agents find prospective clients from a wide range of sources including presentations to group meetings, website opt-in lists, purchased marketing lists, client referrals and cold calling. Insurance agents can many-times set their own hours, typically working from a wide range of locations such as a small local or large corporate office, insurance company training center, or even from a local coffee shop or home office. Agents will typically spend a significant amount of time in the field traveling to client's homes and their businesses in order to meet with prospective and existing clients, close deals and even investigate insurance claims. Many times, agents need to schedule appointments with prospective clients at their convenience during evening hours and weekend days.
Important Skills for Insurance Agents:
Excellent people skills are essential for this position as the agent will be meeting with and convincing individuals to purchase policies or other services.
Superior verbal and written communication skills are an important aspect of this position. The exchange of accurate and reliable information is critical for insurance agents as the client must know exactly what they are getting.
Computer and electronic communication using email, messaging services and social networks are important in today's interconnected world. In addition, agents should possess an ability to quickly learn and adapt to complex online and local programs/applications for looking up data on existing clients and rates for new prospective clients. Insurance agents should have a good command of these computer skills and methods of modern communication. Also, an accurate proficient typing ability is required in order to facilitate these duties.
Duties of an Insurance Agent:
Compile lists of leads or potential clients from various sources such as website opt-in forms, email contact lists, purchased lead sheets, client referrals, sales meetings, sales parties, and group civic and business events.
Develop content for and hold community meetings to expose offered services in an educational environment that offers value-added learning and business development experience. Some subjects may include: "financial planning through insurance products and services," "protecting your assets" and so on.
Call, approach and develop relationships with individuals from these compiled lead lists in order to present insurance products for consideration.
Stay current on new laws and regulations in relation to the specific insurance industry of choice. Continued education is required in order to retake state insurance exams.
Analyze and determine client's specific needs as applies to the specific insurance company products being sold; specifically as to the client's individual situation such as home value, car type, coverage amounts, assets, age, physical condition, whether they smoke or drink, budget and living situation. Comprehensive and in-person client appointments or meetings may be required in order to obtain all the pertinent facts and needs of a client.
Ability to compile and research client's data to determine their current coverage, ascertain financial and insurance protection goals in order to develop and supply detailed quotes for insurance products, financial instruments and policies to satisfy the client's needs.
Deliver a high degree of customer service in processing changes to their clients living situations, medical conditions, and number of vehicles and/or drivers in the household, beneficiaries. Instrumental in obtaining changing client information that leads to the issuance of new proof of insurance cards, loan payments, or other client-related documents, billings and payments.
Training, Education and Licensing Requirements for Insurance Agents:
Most insurance agents will need to possess comprehensive skill-sets and understand the business world, its tools, methods and operational modes.
A college degree of at least an Associate level or above is usually required for these positions.
Extensive training, usually in the form of self-study, college or a comprehensive insurance industry course and mentoring program are typical educational requirements for these positions.
The need to pass state exams for the specific insurance industry desired.
Attend company-sponsored, ongoing education classes and seminars in person and in the form of computer-learning in order to maintain an ongoing working knowledge of new and varied company products and services, procedures and customer variables.
Must continue to grow and obtain knowledge by reading trade journals, books and professional insurance industry material.
Insurance Agent Job Descriptions - Coming Soon
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