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Insurance Sales Agents Occupation Detailed Description

Insurance Sales Agents career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Insurance Sales Agents

The main tasks and work activities of Insurance Sales Agents are to customize financial products or services to meet customer needs, explain financial information to customers, calculate costs of goods or services, process sales or other transactions. In general, for the Insurance Sales Agents, reading Comprehension, speaking, active Listening, critical Thinking and other 11 skills are required.
Insurance Sales Agents Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Insurance Sales Agents jobs. 14.79% of Insurance Sales Agents have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 14.50% of Insurance Sales Agents have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
14.79%
Post-Secondary Certificate
14.50%
Some College Courses
8.05%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
15.76%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
46.90%

Tasks and Work Activities of Insurance Sales Agents

  • Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries.
  • Calculate premiums and establish payment method.
  • Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
  • Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance, or specialized policies, such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
  • Interview prospective clients to obtain data about their financial resources and needs, the physical condition of the person or property to be insured, and to discuss any existing coverage.
  • Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
  • Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
  • Contact underwriter and submit forms to obtain binder coverage.
  • Ensure that policy requirements are fulfilled, including any necessary medical examinations and the completion of appropriate forms.
  • Confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy.
  • Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
  • Select company that offers type of coverage requested by client to underwrite policy.
  • Monitor insurance claims to ensure they are settled equitably for both the client and the insurer.
  • Develop marketing strategies to compete with other individuals or companies who sell insurance.
  • Attend meetings, seminars, and programs to learn about new products and services, learn new skills, and receive technical assistance in developing new accounts.
  • Inspect property, examining its general condition, type of construction, age, and other characteristics, to decide if it is a good insurance risk.
  • Install bookkeeping systems and resolve system problems.
  • Plan and oversee incorporation of insurance program into bookkeeping system of company.
  • Explain necessary bookkeeping requirements for customer to implement and provide group insurance program.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Selling or Influencing OthersConvincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Developing Objectives and StrategiesEstablishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
  • Customize financial products or services to meet customer needs.
  • Explain financial information to customers.
  • Calculate costs of goods or services.
  • Process sales or other transactions.
  • Sell products or services.
  • Gather customer or product information to determine customer needs.
  • Develop professional relationships or networks.
  • Identify potential customers.
  • Prepare sales or other contracts.
  • Take product orders from customers.
  • Maintain records of sales or other business transactions.
  • Review accuracy of sales or other transactions.
  • Develop marketing plans or strategies.
  • Study product information to acquire professional knowledge.
  • Attend events to develop professional knowledge.
  • Examine condition of property or products.

Skills and Abilities for Insurance Sales Agents

  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital camerase.g. Digital cameras
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Laser printerse.g. Laser printers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Wearable computing devicese.g. Pen-based computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Franking or postage machinese.g. Postage meters
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.