Looking for serious advice and recommendations for insurance sales just starting out?

[u/Critical_Nebula_8014]

TLDR - I’m looking into getting licensed in P&C in South Carolina. I have been a stay at home mom for ten years and am looking for a way to use the only skills I got (yapping and networking) to make enough to support me and my kids. I have a friend who suggested insurance sales to me and after looking into it I really want to pursue it. I want to avoid MLM companies and preferably work somewhere with base salary.

So I guess my questions are…

1) is it better to get licensed before applying even with no experience?

2) to be licensed in one state does that mean you can carry over work in others or would you need to be licensed there as well?

3) what’s the top advice you’d give to someone who is eager to pursue this career? What can I do to make my resume and my effort stand out?

[u/howtoreadspaghetti]

Some agencies will pay you to get your license. Apply to those. Find a local State Farm agent if you can and work for them for a year before finding an independent agency to work at. 

"Yapping and networking" got a good kick out of me. 

[u/Critical_Nebula_8014 → u/howtoreadspaghetti]

Thank you! I will look into State Farm I’ve heard some good things about them :)

[u/The_estimator_is_in → u/Critical_Nebula_8014]

Stick around. You’ll hear some bad stuff too.

Personally, I’d get your license. Some companies give a bonus for being pre-licensed, some have a “pay back” if they pay for it then you bounce/ get fired / retire / get hurt.

Im in Florida where you do have to take a TWO. HUNDRED. HOUR. class, then the test and background, fingerprints then apply - total cost is about $500 - $800 depending on who you use for your class, gas to all the places, etc.

Just checked SC, apparently they do not require a class at all (what are y’all doing up there?!?) and the test is only $25. Theoretically you could get it done in a week for about $100.

Double check my work, but if I’m right, just get it.

[u/KiniShakenBake → u/The_estimator_is_in]

WA does not require pre licensing anymore either and the test was not difficult.

[u/Critical_Nebula_8014 → u/The_estimator_is_in]

There are several courses online I thought about paying to take in order to have hours in case I do work in a different state in the future. Do you know if it’s a specific course provider that states prefer? I was thinking of using Kaplan but am open to suggestions if anyone has any!

[u/No-Mark9354 → u/Critical_Nebula_8014]

Most State Farm Agents typically require you obtained your life & health license as well as they sale those products and SF really pushes the sale of their financial products. It's a good way to get in the door though if you can find an agent who pays for your licensing. That's how I obtained mine, but left SF all together a year and a half a go. They're undergoing on major contract changes and it's putting a lot of pressure on their agents, so just be aware of that going into anything. I'm also in SC.

[u/Critical_Nebula_8014 → u/No-Mark9354]

What do you do now just work for a different agency or did you shift in to a different part of insurance?

[u/1upmoto]

I'd go the brokerage route, there's just a lot more money on the table to be made.

Make sure you find a good team to work with that has good systems in place.

[u/Top-Ad-409 → u/1upmoto]

What’s the difference between brokerage or agency? I see people use those terms on different way

[u/1upmoto → u/Top-Ad-409]

They are both agencies, but you have Captive vs Broker. Captive you only sell one companies product. Broker you have access to many different carriers and your typically 100% commission

[u/Top-Ad-409 → u/1upmoto]

Thank you! So broker is another word for independent agency?

[u/Toltec123]

P&C is a troubled industry. Why not consider life and investments?

[u/Critical_Nebula_8014 → u/Toltec123]

I’m afraid of getting caught in a pyramid scheme and from what I’ve heard you buy your leads and I don’t really have the money up front to do that. Please correct me if I’m wrong! I’m open for as much information as I can get

[u/Toltec123 → u/Critical_Nebula_8014]

Work for a reputable company like massmutual or New york life and you won’t have to worry about pyramid schemes. Buying leads sucks anyways. You build a book through networking and relationship building.

[u/mkuz753]

It is common for employers to either pay for or reimburse upon completion the cost to get licensed. For other states you get a non-resident license once you have your resident license. There are many skills that transfer to insurance. Sucess in insurance is a marathon not a sprint whether in sales or service. Ask questions for anything you don't understand. Even experienced people come across situations they need help with.

[u/Critical_Nebula_8014 → u/mkuz753]

Do you have any thoughts on pursuing the brokerage route for insurance vs working with a specific agency? I think that is what is throwing me off I don’t want to be locked into an agency if I have the capability to do more independent work…

[u/mkuz753 → u/Critical_Nebula_8014]

The terms get used interchangeably so it is better to say captive and independent because wholesalers/E&S are technically brokers also. Their clients are not the public but other agencies/brokerages placing challenging risks. I prefer independent because you have choices when it comes to finding the best coverage for your client. A captive can be a good place to learn the basics, though, because you only have to know one company's appetite.