Sep
17
How do I get started in the commercial insurance industry? (sales)?
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I am looking to start a career in the Insurance industry, specifically the commercial insurance industry, which I have heard can be extremely lucrative. I do not have any insurance experience, but have outside and inside sales experience in the mortgage and auto industry. I would be willing to start at the bottom, go through training, etc, to secure a position. I am not sure where to start or which companies to look at, does anyone have any suggestions.
Repossession
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5 Comments
June 1st, 2009 at 3:30 am
Go to a local, independent agency, tell them you want to sell insurance. They’ll provide good support staff, and contacts for study materials.
I personally have BEEN support staff to many, many excellent (licensed) salespersons who had NO idea about insurance, but could sell ice cubes to eskimos. If you have good support staff, it’s not hard to pull off. You just bring a technical person with you to the closing of the sale.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:26 pm
GO TO WORK FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY IN THE CAPACITY AS A COMMERCIAL UNDERWRITER. THEY WILL HAVE YOU TAKE A UNDERWRITING PROGRAM WHICH YOU WILL LEARN ALL THE COVERAGES OF EACH LINE OF INSURANCE. PICK A COMPANY THAT HAS INDEPENDENT AGENTS WORKING UNDER CONTRACT WITH THEM NOT A COMPANY WITH DIRECT WRITERS. AS A COMMERCIAL UNDERWRITER YOU WILL BE WORKING WITH THE INDEPENDENT AGENTS AND MAY DEVELOP A GOOD RAPOR WITH THEM THAT MAY HELP GOING TO WORK WITH ONE OF THESE PROFESSIONAL AGENCIES IN THE FUTURE. FROM THERE YOU MAY DECIDE TO BREAK AWAY AND BECOME YOUR OWN INDEPENDENT AGENT AND HAVE YOUR OWN AGENCY. I SPENT 10 YEARS AS A SENIOR COMMERCIAL UNDERWRITER. DURING THE OIL CRUNCH ALOT OF EMPLOYEES LOST THERE JOBS MOST OF THE UNDERWRITERS I WORKED WITH WENT TO WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL AGENCIES. I BECAME A CERTIFIED ARBORIST INSURANCE WASN’T FOR ME BUT I HAD THE TECHNICAL BACKGROUND TO GET MY LICSENSE AND SELL. APPLY WITH COMPANIES LIKE U.S.F.&G., THE HARTFORD, THE HOME, AMERICAN GENERAL. OR YOU MIGHT CALL ONE OF THESE COMPANIES AND ASK THEM WHO ARE THEIR PROFESSIONAL AGENCIES. THEN GO TO THEM AND SEE IF THEY WILL TAKE YOU ON AS A TRAINEE OR WHAT THEY RECCOMMEND. ITT’S HARD TO BREAK IN THE BUSINESS MOST PEOPLE GET THEIR BY ONE STEP AT A TIME. GOOD LUCK
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 am
The first thing you need to do is get some experience and about the only way to do that is in a trainee job. (I personally started out as a claims adjuster). You have to learn the insurance business. Most states require insurance agents to be licensed. It’s a bit difficult to pass the license exam if you don’t know anything about insurance.
There are also property casualty courses that you can take at most colleges. A Tech College or Junior college might be your best bet to start looking at that. It would give you the basics of what insurance is. There are so many different types of policies, especially in the commercial end of the business, you definitely need some background to get into this. Otherwise, you’ll wind up getting sued for errors and omissions for not providing your client with the proper coverage.
Start with any of the major insurance companies or a broker. Most of them are always looking for trainees that want to get a start in the business.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:40 pm
That is a good goal — you will always have a job as brokers and carriers are always looking for intelligent, hardworking, experienced insurance people. Personally, I think sales is the best way to go (as a producer in a brokerage). No disrespect to “mbrcatz17,” but NOT ALL producers are idiots that NEED the “smart account manager” to do all the work for them as she implies (oy!). Anyway, you could try for an entry level position at a brokerage, get licensed, become an assist. account manager, then an account manager, and then try to move into sales. Courses you can take can be found through CPCU or SCIC (www.cpcu.org or). Get educated in insurance and then provide excellent service to your customers.
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 am
I suggest you get a job at an independent agency as a producer. Start studying the state exam manual so you can get your license right away. There are also classes that can help prepare you for this. It is overwhelming at first, but you will learn something every day. If you truly care about your clients, they will reward you by telling all their friends about you. Good luck!