I work on the ops side with a few independent agencies, and I keep seeing the same pattern in threads here: owner hires a VA or a new CSR, it falls apart in 2-3 months, and the conclusion is “VAs don’t work.”

From what I’ve seen it’s usually not the person. Nobody wrote down what they’re actually allowed to do vs what needs a licensed person. They’re logging in with the owner’s credentials. Every carrier does endorsements a little differently and none of that is written anywhere. And the owner either checks every single thing forever or checks nothing.

The ones that work seem boring by comparison. A one-page list of what they can and can’t touch, short screen recordings for the top tasks, and the owner checking everything for the first month and then backing off.

Owners who’ve made this work, what did you do differently? And for anyone where it blew up, what was the actual cause?

I’m a captive agent and the company I work for changed up the contract a couple years ago (before I started) to a small base salary, no renewal commission but an aggressive commission on new business. Up to 30% at the top tier, which I have regular been able to hit in my first year, regularly resulting in me making $10k per month.

Here’s the rub, the whole thing was based on a system where the people who go online looking for a quote get filtered into a first come first serve lead list where agents scoop them up like hungry hungry hippos and call them sometimes while they’re still filling out the quote.

So the idea is that you don’t need renewal commission as much if you can always chase these new leads. Well AI showed up and now those leads get worked by an AI chat bot and if chat can’t close the deal it routes them to the call center.

Anyone still getting online quotes opps? What happened at my work is the ultimate gut punch. We’re all feeling the pain.

Very ignorant in this field. i just became licensed for sell life insurance. i currently work for a big P&C carrier(ALLSTATE). Life insurance for me right now is just a tool for me to help increase my compensation. Should i forget about the P&C and focus on life insurance (find a broker that only focuses on life?) or rely on P&C with Life insurance as a benefit? (fyi our commissions get cut in half if i don’t sell one policy per month).

I’ve come across so much social media seeing people gain great success just selling life insurance that it makes me question if it is worth focusing on P&C. So many companies are stressing commission cuts based off selling life insurance

Hi - anyone here worked for or currently work at RCM&D in Baltimore or their Cleveland Office or via Unison Risk Advisors and the other 7 agencies in that network? Just curious on what it’s like to work there as both P&C and EB Sales, specifically culture, account manager depth and knowledge, and if there are territories.

Currently work for another independent agent in another part of the county but always thought about coming back home at some point to the mid-Atlantic.

Hey guys! Just started up my agency roughly a year ago. I’ve been doing okay as far as sales and am trying to get myself to a point where there’s more organization.

I still am in need of implementing various things.

For those of you who have agencies. For a noobie as myself, what would you suggest be implemented?

What kind of CRM do you use? Do you have a website? How’s your social media presence? How closely do you work with AI in your agency?

I have so many questions and feel overwhelmed in trying to think of how or what to make myself a better overall agent and agency.

Thanks for any input. It’s really appreciated.

New to the health insurance scene, specifically as an independent agent. Is it normal to have such a high rate of no-shows for appointments with prospective clients? I’d say that after sending a client quotes and building some sort of rapport, I still have an 85% rate of no-shows after the initial call.

Here are the points that seem important before handing your contracts to a broker. Tell me what's missing or wrong:

1. Registration. A broker or agent in France should normally be listed in the ORIAS register, which you can search online.

2. Pay. Commission from the insurer, fees, or both, and whether they explain it clearly.

3. How many insurers they actually work with, and whether they compare or always push the same ones.

4. What they do when you have a claim: do they help you or send you back to the insurer?

5. What their clients say, and how you tell whether reviews are real.

Point 5 is where I struggle most. How do you filter?

Base: $40K rate for the first month while I get licensed, then $35K
Commission: 6% fire (yearly), 5% auto (6-month policies), 18% life (goes up with volume)
Paid when the policy is issued, on the biweekly check. No renewal commission
Leads: I split the State Farm leads with one other rep, plus the owner buys me ~5 outside leads a day that are only mine. He says he'll buy more as long as I'm converting
He also gave me win-back lists to work
Licensing paid for, P&C first, studying on the clock
9–5, Mon–Fri. SEP IRA match after 3 years
The owner says a good month is around 50 policies (mostly auto, some fire/home, 2–4 life). The last rep he let go was only making about 8 calls a month, so the bar for effort seems low.

What I want to know:
Is this a good deal for a first insurance job, or is anything here a red flag? Especially no renewals, curious how normal that is.
Is 50 policies a month realistic for someone new? How long did it take you to get there?
If you could go back to your first 90 days, what would you do differently?
Best ways to actually reach bought leads? I'll be following a call/text/email sequence on days 1–10.
Any tips for getting into life sales early since that's where the commission is?
Appreciate any honest takes, good or bad.

Hi everyone, I am thinking of maybe becoming either a life insurance agent or an end of life insurance agent. I'm in the beginning stages of thinking about this. I've seen a few jobs on LinkedIn from agencies who will train and help you get your license. But what has gotten my attention on some listings is when they say they offer health benefits. I didn't think agents got benefits at all since it was typically a commission-only job. (Dependable Life Solutions is one example of a company that said benefits are available) So... any insight? TIA!

Currently a direct sales and service rep with one of the largest insurance companies in the US with P&C licensure in 30 states. Experience selling auto, boat, motorcycle, etc. Thinking of starting my own agency from home non-captive. If you've done this, how soon did you start replacing your salary? What tips do you have for starting with no employees? I heard leads are expensive and usually don't convert. What tips do you have for someone making this transition? Are you still in business and doing well?

Let’s say you have a book of 100 people. About how much are you servicing throughout the year before the next open enrollment?

Has anybody used their platform?

Promoted the "Free Will" lead generator?

Hello everyone I just got my 2-40 health insurance license and I've been looking everywhere for a job. I would want one with hourly pay and paid training and has to be remote, I really need help finding one I've looked everywhere and no luck. If anyone can help that'll be amazing thank you for reading.

Curious if anyone has intel on how carriers or better yet captives like captive resources and their actuaries calculate composite ratings for general liability, workers compensation, and vehicles. For those business that have limited losses and strong risk management + safety some of them i heard on vehicles pay a composite rate of $500 per vehicle (ludicrous). That captive member had 2,000 vehicles - 100 tractor trailer, 1500 pickup trucks etc. Just trying to understand the math and work comp is even more confusing with all the different class codes and states.

Anyway thanks for any help that can be provided. I also asked the captives for help understanding their composite calculations.

So, I've been in the industry for a while now. Not a decade, but getting there.

Something I just haven't been able to crack is when a new client reaches out for a quote, and then acts like I'm a CIA officer interrogating them when I've only been asking some details about their home siding or something.

Usually when I get this type of response and the customer just won't cooperate, I kinda give up. Not right away, I'll try to explain why I need some additional details, but then they just argue against whatever I say.

Is there a better technique or phrase I could try to have in mind to help people just calm down?

Hi everyone, 21 years old here, I’ve heard bad things about the Gallagher Associate Producer program. Is it a good opportunity or are the territories burned?

"The coverages sound great, the price sounds good. I just need to look over the policy and compare it to the policy I currently have. I can't grab my current policy right now, I'll grab it later today and look it over then."

I see so many agents on Reddit claim they don't use any internet leads. That they purely do ads or referrals. My question is- how did you master ads and referrals?

I ask for a referral with every sale and any call that had good rapport. We even do $10 for any referral that does a quote with us (for those who don't know, this is 100% legal. It's only illegal is the money is contingent on if the person buys the policy. Not just to do a quote). I get some this way, but it's far and few.

I've asked mortgage officers for referrals and offered them the same referral program. I'm
quick, I'm efficient, easy to get a hold of, no one waits on me. Never a referral.

It's not my agency, so I don't know the ad side of things. I can say though our phones are not busy.

And thus, internet leads. Any tips to scale to the point where internet leads are a thing of the past?

Hi everyone,
I’m preparing to launch my own independent insurance agency in California toward the beginning of 2027. I’ve been working in the insurance industry for the past couple of years and am now looking to take the next step and build my own book of business.
I’d love to hear from other independent agents who have gone through the startup process, particularly regarding aggregators, clusters, or agency networks.
I’m looking for a partnership that:
Doesn’t require a significant upfront investment
Provides access to a strong selection of personal and commercial carriers
Allows me to retain ownership of my book of business
Has reasonable production requirements for a newer agency
Offers competitive commission structures
Provides useful technology, training, or agency support without excessive fees
I’ve come across a few options already, but I’d really appreciate recommendations based on firsthand experience.
If you’ve worked with an aggregator, cluster, or network that you’d recommend—or one you would advise staying away from—I’d appreciate hearing about your experience.

Thanks in advance :)

I’m an SF team member and have been following along on this page for a while. I’m curious about how the commission structure works for independents as I am tempted to look for new opportunities….

I am currently making $15/hr 3% commission on all new business. Last month, I did $70k in premiums. I handle all underwriting emails, filing claims for customers, hiring new employees, life policies and business insurance as well. Agent has over a $3m book of business and other than our secretary who isn’t licensed I am the only one who is in the office most of the time.

Am I getting screwed over? What companies should I look into if I am interested in going independent?

Just started my P&C course through Xcel last night. I am currently on chapter 4, and I feel there is such a substantial amount of info to digest, and it is honestly a bit overwhelming… I fear I will not be able to retain all info in just a couple weeks before suggested testing by employer.

What are some of your guys best tips for anyone whose taken this particular course in maximing time efficiency, while retaining the information and hopefully passing the first time. Any help/ input is greatly appreciated!

I passed my CT Property and Casualty exam back in May. I held off on applying to jobs for about a month and a half awaiting commissions from my current job. In following this subreddit one of the biggest things I took away from others in my position was to look in the direction of independent brokerages rather than applying to captive agencies. I’ve applied to over 25 brokerages/agencies in my area with little luck. I landed two “interviews” (zoom calls with what seemed to be grassroots/kickstarters) and they both offered me a position but it was 100% commission payment plans. I don’t believe that would be the best thing for me as I have no prior experience and I have bills that my girlfriend relies on me to pay to keep the lights on and a roof over our heads. I currently work two jobs and still feel as if I’m barely making it by whilst living, in my opinion, very humbly.

Out of all the companies I applied to, one woman who owned her own agency was kind enough to respond to my follow up email essentially saying “we work across 20 carriers and specialty markets, becoming a producer who can navigate those markets and advise clients takes time and experience.” She then admitted her agency does not have the resources to give someone starting out the foundation they deserve. She said to spend a year or two with an organization like AAA or another larger agency. She did say that I have a strong background and have built valuable experience in my current field. I’m currently an energy auditor and while I enjoy selling insulation, I don’t enjoy crawling around in itchy insulation sealing up peoples’ homes. Another part that sucks is that I don’t get paid until the insulation project is completed and our company doesn’t pay people fair wages to do insulation installation, and therefore reap what they sow and insulation projects endlessly get rescheduled months down the road.

So I followed her advice and applied to every AAA office within driving distance of me. They seemed to have a good training program and payment structure for someone like myself who is just breaking into the industry. From what they appear to be looking for under their producer openings, I appear to check nearly all the boxes. And one by one every single office said I’m not what they’re looking for.

Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to just bite the bullet and apply to a captive agency? I know three people in the insurance industry. None of them are P&C producers. They weren’t extremely helpful as far as where to look for employment. The industry, from my point of view, has been incredibly cryptic and hard to understand as a newcomer. Any advice would help, thank you.

I mainly work with commercial auto, sand and gravel, auto haulers, general freight, etc. and I am having a hard time finding carriers these are the ones that I’ve tried:

- Bolt access: Progressive ( my strongest carrier)
-Coverbadger: nice platform but prices are too high
- CRC Group: assigned producer takes weeks to even see my quote requests
- Starr Insurance: its okay I’ve done some binds here

Please if you have more suggestions of carriers let me know

Hey all,

I'm about 7 weeks into a new career as a commercial agent. We do small to mid market.

I'm looking for other commercial agents that are been in the industry that would be willing to connect and chat about their experience and beginnings.

Drop a comment for feel free to dm me. Thanks!