You Are Your Own Boss

One great part of being an independent insurance agent is that you are your own boss. You don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself. You can set your work hours, schedule, and appointments. If you want to take a day off for personal reasons you can do so without a company or insurance company interfering.  Many agents enjoy the independence to plan their day exactly how they want.

Opportunity to Meet People

If you love networking being an independent insurance agent is the perfect job for you. Referrals don’t just come from your existing clients. Your fellow business and sales peers can be a great source of referrals. You don’t have to stay cooped up in a cubicle you can be out attending events and actually getting face-to-face time.

Better Advice For Clients

Since you aren’t tied to one company you can give your clients unbiased advice about what plan makes the most sense for them. Unlike captive agents who have a required allegiance to their company, you can contract with multiple carriers for different products. Instead of pushing one company’s policy that may not be a beneficiaries’ best option you have a wider variety plans that cater to their needs.

There are many niche markets, including senior life and health insurance where the products you provide are crucial to someone’s financial future. Knowing that you are selling a product that benefits their health and financial future makes your job a lot easier.

Salary and Compensation

Have you ever wondered, “What’s the average salary of an insurance agent?” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the average insurance agent salary was $63,610 in 2013. The top 10 percent earned more than $117,830. Most agent pay and compensation is through commissions. Although the amount of commission depends on the type of insurance sold and often time if it is a new policy or a renewal. Bottom line is you can make a good living being an independent insurance agent.