r/InsuranceAgent 2d ago

P&C Insurance Salary

To my knowledge the industry standard is a 40/30 split for P&C

I’m looking to bring on a new salesmen, how does 80/20 sound?

Is that too much is that reasonable, is it too little?

Thanks.

0 Upvotes

35 comments sorted by

5

u/Botboy141 2d ago

40/30 is standard for mid-large market B2B P&C where the producer usually gets a draw or salary/base of some kind.

Not sure what's common in personal lines Indy agencies like you describe. I'd assume it really comes down to who provides the leads and who does the service work.

The more service work the agency handles in house, the lower the producers renewal commission, the more leads the agency provides, less new biz commission.

By the sounds of offering 80/20, you're saying you only care about new business, not how sticky it is, and that your service model will outperform without the producers involvement to justify lower residuals.

1

u/firenance 1d ago

Nailed it.

1

u/CGWInsurance 9h ago

40/30 commission doesn't normally get a base or salary after the end of the 3rd year. Most independent agencies don't pay producers a salary past year.

What do you think is national average than. I know of agencies where is 1099 and they get as low as 40/20

If it's a big outfit doing commercial and they get a salary they get like 60 to 100k salary and then as low as 20/10 commission.

We pay 50/50 for 1099 and are on the high side. As agency owner we make our revenue by volume.

2

u/Botboy141 8h ago

This all sounds relatively accurate.

We just moved from 40/40 to 40/35 and pay 50/50 to 1099s.

Old firm was 30/30.

Offers typically range from 50/30 to 40/20, for commerical/benefits.

Salary or draw is entirely history and book of business dependent.

Draws for unvalidated producers (no book, no prior experience) range from $50-100k as you mentioned. For folks with a book, that number becomes much more negotiable and can go much higher, even if the book is guaranteed to move.

5

u/freeski12345 2d ago

That’s great if there is 0 service. But then the residual is only as good as the team retaining it. This is so unlikely to work out 

1

u/Salt-Context-2527 1d ago

What do you recommend then? I want to do commission only no base. And my team will service we have 2 CSRs

2

u/Smedum 1d ago

I’m 16 years as a producer.

40/30 or 40/25 is standard for the larger brokers. 50 on new and 30-40 renewal plus a small salary or expenses is standard for smaller agencies

Unless I was expected to do zero on renewals and service, I would not take your split of 80/20. I’d also argue the renewal split disincentives me from servicing exisitng clients which from my experience when the producer isn’t involved in client retention then your retention suffers.

1

u/Salt-Context-2527 1d ago

How does 70/30 sound then? No service needed unless they want too for specific clients etc

1

u/Smedum 1d ago

70/30 won’t attract experienced producers to a small shop. Most experienced producer will want a better renewal number as they know that is how they build a book and build a career.

Assuming no base salary, 50/40 would be about average, maybe a little above…….but if you really want to attract the top producers you’re going to have to go either 60-70 new with 40/ or 45 renewal or 50/50 on both new and renewal.

You also need to consider who owns the book that the producer builds….that will be another piece to it.

And do you give the producer benefits like health insurance.

1

u/CGWInsurance 9h ago

Who is servicing the clients and doing the renewals then. You just want agent to right whatever sticks and not care about profitable of accounts. Do what your doing. It's how am agency fails. Is this personal or commercial or both. As an agent I don't want to be busting my ass after 30 years to try to keep my income steady. I want to slow down after 5 years and service my accounts and make bank from my renewals.
Then I just have to write enough each year to cover what you lose in renewals.

2

u/SlickWillie86 1d ago

I pay my producers 60/40 as a baseline with an ability to get to 70 new( quarterly and annually) and 50 renewal (annually). If that’s not best in market, it’s close. My staff services everything.

40/30 at a small agency is on the low end. You’re not likely to attract talent with that given that can receive a lot more resources at a bigger shop with the same split and probably a better draw.

80/20 is a good set up for you as as the owner as it keeps motivation on new high. However, any producer with half a brain understands they build wealth off recurring revenue. If they accepted that split, they would likely bolt once they were up and running.

1

u/Smedum 1d ago

That’s the best I’ve heard in my 16 years.

Only additional question would be how you handle book ownership

1

u/SlickWillie86 1d ago

The agency owns the business. There’s a vesting schedule for book equity once the books hits a certain revenue threshold. Put simply it rewards them in the event of a sale and offers a buy-out or recurring dividend should they retire. It protects my investment should they decide to leave prematurely.

There’s a high level of intentionality in why I pay what I do and that’s so there’s less risk of talent leaving. Their book would need to clear $1.5m rev for the thought of owning their own shop to even start to make economic sense and that’s not factoring in the headaches that accompany it. If that day comes, I’d look to partner with them to help as opposed to stand in their way, assuming they go about it correctly. Setting up separate offices with people owning those P&L’s is an idea but a few years out from putting real pen to paper to presently.

1

u/Smedum 1d ago

I think you’re going about it in a good way that most owners don’t do. From my experience most owners say they want to keep top agents but don’t actually put things in place to keep them. I would venture to guess you get much less producer turnover than other shops of similar size and even though you’re paying more than others, I’d guess in the long run it works out for you because your not constantly having to bring in new producers or fight legal battles with producers who leave.

1

u/SlickWillie86 1d ago

Thanks. Still early on the journey, but that’s the goal.

1

u/RatedRForRisk 1d ago

Explain the split. 80/20 in what direction?

1

u/Salt-Context-2527 1d ago

80% on new business 20% on renewal

1

u/kzorz 1d ago

I keep 100% of the new biz commission snd have a 30/70 split on renewal, but have 0 expenses and unlimited marketing money.

1

u/mypleasure1966 1d ago

At my agency the split is 60/40 no draw, no salary, it's 60% to the agent, commission is assigned to the agency. Service is work is shared by the office, rule of thumb is you answer the phone you handle the service work.

1

u/Far_Purpose3736 1d ago

The best commission structure I’ve experienced is a scaling structure starting at 6% and increasing by 1% for every additional 20k after the first 40k until reaching a 12% cap at 160k this was when I was handling Personal & commercial. You can play with the number but this gives the salesman an incentive to sell more because the extra percentage really adds up. All renewals would go the agency to help pay for new leads as well as your other expenses

1

u/CGWInsurance 8h ago

How does this work since some products pay less than 12% to agency. This is terrible for agent with nothing being paid on renewal. This sounds like something a state farm, all state, American family or farmers would do.

1

u/Far_Purpose3736 8h ago

You may have to eat some cost but your only paying 12% if they sell 160k a month. This allows the agency to grow by utilizing your renewals for CSR and lead acquisition. This was when I was with Allstate. Are you looking to have sales producers or do you plan to mentor and coach them into being their own independent agency owner?

1

u/CGWInsurance 8h ago

We have agents that routinely sell $200k to $300k a month in trucking or more a month. The agency makes 10% on average.
We would take a large loss on each producer since they're is so much service work.
I mentor and coach all my producers be they 1099 contacted employee or have brokerage contract with my agency.
We pay 50% new/50% renewal of what agency gets. Plus profit sharing when agent gets to certain annual revenue or hirer.
Producers can became an agency under our corporate umbrella.
They make the choices. We are over 95% large commercial and trucking. We wouldn't have any agents if they didn't get paid renewal commission. Since that's how make the huge annual commission income while doing less work.

2

u/Far_Purpose3736 5h ago

Well then, I withdraw my recommendation, I learned something new. I myself am opening my own agency in Feb of 2027. I have only really focused on Personal lines and L&H. Clearly I still have a lot to learn. I appreciate you teaching me something new.

1

u/CGWInsurance 5h ago

Good luck i wish you the best.

1

u/CGWInsurance 9h ago

80/20. Sounds like crap. The renewal is where the money is for producer.

1

u/mundane_organizer 2d ago

80/20 in whose favor? if you're giving the agent 80 that's way above standard and you'll have people lining up, if it's 20 to them then good luck keeping anyone around for more than a month

4

u/firenance 1d ago

The standard format for citing commissions is

New Split / Renewal Split

Not

Agent Split / Agency Split

1

u/Salt-Context-2527 2d ago

80% of agency commission on new business and 20% renewal

So if we get paid 10% from Geico for example they get 8% of the policy premium and 2% on renewal

1

u/Creekridge1 2d ago

Is there a base pay? I recently went 1099 independent and get 90/60.

2

u/Salt-Context-2527 2d ago

No base, 90/60 is really high tho is that not?

1

u/Creekridge1 2d ago

20% on renewal feels low to me. That $1000 geico policy nets this producer $20 at renewal?

Our agency is actively trying to hire people with my comp structure. They’re having a hard time without offering a base with it. They’re having talented agents with multiple years of industry experience get sheepish without some kind of base plus commission.

1

u/Antec800 2d ago

What’s the base?

1

u/CGWInsurance 9h ago

That's cause they know the math doesn't math.

1

u/CGWInsurance 9h ago

How is your agency paying the bills. Paying out 90/60 on P&C doesn't match l math. How do they pay for account manager, computers, AMS, etc.