Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Understanding customer needs and providing helpful, professional service.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become an Insurance Sales Agent Agents must be licensed in the states where they plan to work. Insurance sales agents typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation. However, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree. Agents must be licensed in the states where they work.
Education
A high school diploma is typically required for insurance sales agents. However, some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in a field such as business.
Training
Insurance sales agents learn many of their duties on the job, such as by shadowing an experienced agent. New agents learn about insurance products, the sales process, and how to interact with clients. Employers often expect agents to stay abreast of changes in tax laws, government benefits programs, and other state and federal regulations that may affect clients’ insurance needs and the way in which agents conduct business. Agents may take continuing education to meet employer expectations.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Insurance sales agents must have a license in the states where they work. Separate licenses are required for agents to sell life and health insurance and property and casualty insurance. In most states, licenses are issued only to applicants who complete specified courses and who pass state exams covering insurance fundamentals and state insurance laws. Most state licensing authorities also require agents to take continuing education courses focusing on topics such as insurance laws, consumer protection, ethics, and the technical details of various insurance policies. Some insurance sales agents also sell securities and other financial products. To do so, they must become licensed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). FINRA's Series 6 exam is for agents who want to sell financial products, such as municipal fund securities, mutual funds, and variable annuities. Its Series 7 exam is the main FINRA series license, which qualifies agents as general securities sales representatives. A number of organizations offer certifications that show an agent’s expertise in insurance specialties. These certifications are not required for employment, but they may give job candidates an advantage over other applicants.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of insurance sales agents is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 43,100 openings for insurance sales agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Because the profitability of insurance companies depends on a steady stream of new customers, the demand for insurance sales agents is expected to continue. Employment growth will likely be strongest for self-employed sales agents compared to their wage and salary counterparts. Many clients do their own research and purchase insurance online, which reduces demand for an insurance sales agent’s services. However, agents will still be needed to help clients understand their options and choose a policy that is right for them. Many customers lack the time or expertise to study the different types of insurance to decide what they need and will continue to rely on advice from insurance sales agents. Insurance Sales Agents Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Insurance sales agents 3% Sales representatives, services 2% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Insurance Sales Agents Do
Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance. These agents explain various insurance policies and help clients choose the plans that suit them.
Duties
Insurance sales agents typically do the following:
- Contact potential clients to expand their own customer base
- Interview prospective clients to get information about their financial situation and discuss existing coverage
- Explain the features of various insurance policies
- Analyze clients’ current policies and suggest additions or other changes
- Customize insurance programs to suit individual clients
- Handle policy sales and renewals
- Assist clients with the insurance claims process
- Maintain client records
Insurance sales agents commonly sell one or more types of insurance, such as property and casualty, life, health, and long-term care.
Property and casualty insurance agents sell policies that protect people and businesses from financial loss resulting from automobile accidents or from fire, theft, and other events that damage property. For businesses, property and casualty insurance also covers claims related to workers’ compensation, product liability, and medical malpractice.
Life insurance agents specialize in selling policies that pay beneficiaries when a policyholder dies. Life insurance agents also sell annuities, which require the policyholder to make a single deposit or a series of payments in exchange for regular disbursements over time.
Health and long-term care insurance agents sell policies that cover some or all of the costs of medical care and of assisted-living services for older adults. They also may sell insurance for dental care and for short- and long-term disability.
Agents may specialize in selling any one of these products or function as generalists providing multiple products.
In addition to offering insurance, these agents may become licensed to sell mutual funds, variable annuities, and other securities. This practice is most common with life insurance agents who already sell annuities, but many property and casualty agents also sell financial products.
Many agents market their services to create or expand their own client base. For example, they may make sales calls to people who are not current clients, often through referrals from current clients.
Insurance agents may work for either a single company or several companies.
Captive agents are insurance sales agents who work exclusively for one company. They sell policies provided only by the company that employs them.
Independent insurance agents may sell the policies of several companies to match their clients' needs with the company that offers the best rate and coverage.
Insurance brokers work for insurance brokerage firms. They represent their clients, rather than insurers, and may offer advice about competing companies' rates, coverage, and reputation. Like agents, brokers may be either captive or independent; however, because independent brokers are not associated with insurance companies, they must involve an insurer or insurance agent to complete a sale.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Insurance sales agents held about 572,600 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of insurance sales agents were as follows:
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 63% |
| Self-employed workers | 12 |
| Direct insurance (except life, health, and medical) carriers | 8 |
| Direct health and medical insurance carriers | 5 |
Most insurance sales agents work in office settings, although they may spend time traveling to meet with clients.
Work Schedules
Most insurance sales agents work full time.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Analytical skills. Insurance sales agents must evaluate the needs of each client to determine the appropriate insurance policy. Communication skills. Insurance sales agents must listen to clients and be able to clearly explain suitable policies. Initiative. Insurance sales agents need to actively seek out new clients in order to increase business. Interpersonal skills. Insurance sales agents must be able to establish trust in networking for prospective clients and in interactions with existing clients, including to handle claims. Self-confidence. Insurance sales agents should be confident when contacting prospective clients. They must be persuasive and able to maintain composure if rejected.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about insurance sales agents by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.