Becoming an insurance agent
Overview: Though there is a general feeling in the society that the job of an insurance agent doesn't belong to the list of most preferred jobs', the fact of the matter is that if you have the will to work hard are determined to get the job done, there can be fewer jobs which can earn you bigger in the starting year itself. Also, considering the fact that becoming an insurance agent doesn't require you to be highly educated and possess professional degrees, adds to the appeal of the job.
General view of the insurance field There are insurance policies available for various types of needs, for e.g., auto insurance, life insurance, property insurance etc. however, high gains are for those who sell life insurance which is the most sought after policy. This policy compensates the dependents of the insured should he/she dies. The insurance agents who sell this type of coverage are called captive agents, if they sell the policy of only a single company and non-captive, if they sell policies from different companies. The job of the agent is to present the facts about the policy to the customer in a clear and positive way and to make them believe that the policy is the right one for him/her and thereby making the sale. There are insurance companies which offer as much as 90% of the initial premium of the insurance as commission to the agent followed by as much as 10% of the premium amount for the following years. It is noted that an agent who manages to sell about one or two decent' policies per week earns an income amounting anywhere in between $50,000 and $100,000.
Basic requirements though top insurance companies prefer graduates in maths, economics, finance etc, if you can convince the company that you could do the job of selling their policies efficiently, you are on. The most important factor that determines your credential to be a good insurance agent is how much you can take' to achieve your goal. That is an insurance agent is likely to hear a no' many times before he hears even a hesitant yes'. Added to this, he might also have to face harsh or humiliating behaviors from certain customers who may feel you are simply wasting their time. To be a successful agent, you should take all these in your stride and keep pushing on till you finally make you product sell. Therefore more than anything else, patience and perseverance are the most important qualities for an insurance agent. Be precise and clear when you describe the facts to the customer and try to highlight those points which you feel may appeal a particular customer depending on his background, age etc.
These days, to sell insurance in a particular state, you should have the license issued by the state administration to do so. This may require you to get through a licensing exam conducted by the state and also you may have to attend a licensing class of 25 to 50 hours in length.
How to get started?
Once you have convinced that you have the qualities in you to make a mark as an insurance agent, you should first prepare a resume which highlights your abilities, in whichever level, in taking up a task and accomplishing it successfully. As the job of an insurance agent requires the aspirant to be self-reliant and self-starting, you should include details which denote these qualities in you. Once you are through with this, you should do a little survey of the insurance companies that are doing business in your area. This is very important as getting into a wrong company can not only waste your time and effort but also can be counter productive and harm your career.
Once you get into working for a company that suits you the best, be prepared for a long grind rather than lose patience due to low returns in the initial months. As mentioned earlier, perseverance is paramount in this job and you should take every no' as a step towards yes' rather than a setback. At the same time you should be honest in your job and be sure that you aren't giving any false promises to your customers in order to sell your product come what may.
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