Outsider looking Insurance as a career

[T A]

Hi I am new and would like to introduce myself, I am seriously considering changing my career and going into insurance sales. My question for everyone here is why am I reading the majority of people selling Life and Health and very few property and casualty or is that just the threads that are mainly discussed? I have read many interesting post but this question always pops up in my head, and since I am going into the field I want to make sure it's the right one. Thanks to you all, so many intelligent people on here and I respect everyone's input.

BTW: My background is retail sales (cell phones, had up to 5 locations at 1 point.(I thought it was sucessful but time to move on)


T A

 

[Chkndinner14]

I have been a P & C agent for 13 years and it is a great business. One of the big difference is in contracting. If you want to be an independent agent, it is relatively easy to get contracted with quality companies in the L & H biz. Not so in the P & C business. If you have no book of business, you are more than likely going to have to start with a captive, Nationwide, Farmers, Allstate, State Farm, etc.

The other option is to work for a large independent agency which will give you leads & training, but you won't own your book. Overall, the P & C market is soft right now. This could be different on your area. If you end up pursuing a captive, the first place I would go is the existing agents offices. Talk to them to see what is going on at the company.

If you want to PM me, I can give you more information. Thanks

 

[somarco]

Insurance is not like anything else. You are asking people to part with a portion of their money today in exchange for a promise to pay in the future.

A promise that may never come to pass.

Many forms of insurance can be customer driven. Examples include home & auto which are usually required by lenders or government authorities. Health insurance is also consumer driven, but most folks are not required by law to have health insurance.

When consumers look for health insurance they almost always buy more coverage than they need, and in turn pay more than necessary. Of course many choose to bypass health insurance unless they have something expensive to treat . . . then they start looking and complain when they can't find coverage.

Life insurance is a created sale more than any other form. Most of the P&C lines and health lines satisfy an obvious need and are a much easier sale. The only issues to the consumer is "how much will it cost"? A good agent will take the opportunity to illustrate actual need vs. perceived need and differentiate themselves on something other than price.

A poor agent will simply sell on price.

Life insurance is, to me at least, a much more complicated process with a longer gestation period from start to finish. Unless you do it like I do. Wait until someone asks them quote them a price.

I am a very good health agent and a poor life agent.

 

[T A]

Thank you for your knowledge I read your posts word for word and am grateful for the people here willing to share the experiences and knowledge for myself and others wanting to join the ranks but have no clue. As of right now I am only getting an idea of what is required to know for the test via exam prep books but will soon take a course to get the required hours in. (California test) currently living in Colorado but planning on relocating to California once I pass the exam.
Many thanks for the replies.

 

[HomeService]

Are you moving to cali for a P&C position? Or NAA or something like that?

 

[GreenSky]

I just received an email from the California DOI stating that we already have enough agents.

Rick

 

[somarco]

I just received an email from the California DOI stating that we already have enough agents

Check the date Rick. I believe your mail server got clogged up. It was probably sent on 4/1/2007 . . .

 

[T A]

Are you moving to cali for a P&C position? Or NAA or something like that?

Considering the first question.

 

[T A]

I just received an email from the California DOI stating that we already have enough agents.

Rick

So what does that mean to me, the state is not allowing new agents? I'm confused.

 

[somarco]

T A, Rick is jerking your chain.

Of course they allow new agents.

Of course you must first subject yourself to a background check (credit, employment, sex offender list, full body cavity search) and pass the written exam . . . in Spanish of course.