An insurance advisor or agent is a licensed professional responsible for selling insurance policies. They are trained to understand the customers’ needs, educated about the policies, and empowered to sell policies directly to customers.
Insurance has become a lucrative field for thousands of individuals in recent years. Due to this recent boom in interest, numerous questions about the industry have been plaguing aspirants’ minds. This article aims to explain the “secret sauce”, the qualities you need to be successful in the industry.
What does a licensed insurance agent do?
An insurance advisor plays an instrumental role in selling insurance policies to customers. While agents originally started in a sales function but now fulfill an advisory role. They are responsible for generating new business for their affiliated insurance companies by procuring new leads, following up on those leads, showcasing policies, understanding the needs of the customer, recommending the best policy based on these needs, offering financial advice, demystifying fine print, help with the purchase process and later with the claims process.
What are the essential qualities that make a good insurance agent?
As an intermediary between an insurance company and customers and a guide responsible for helping customers get the best policy for their needs, several qualities are sought from agents.
Here are a few of the essential qualities that make an excellent and successful agent:
1. Communication skills
As primarily a sales function, all agents must develop communication skills to do their jobs properly. Agents must convince potential customers, listen to their needs, convey the benefits and differences between insurance products, and more. Thus, communication skills are an essential quality sought after in agents.
2. Analytical ability
After understanding a customer’s needs, an agent must utilise their analytical skills, experience, and expertise to discern and offer the best solution. Analytical ability is another highly sought-after quality required in an agent.
3. In-depth knowledge of the policies
An agent is required to know the intricacies of the policies they sell. This is essential in protecting consumers and also offering accurate and actionable information. This is especially true for health insurance and life insurance agents.
4. Understand finances
In certain situations, an insurance agent also acts as a financial advisor. They are responsible for helping customers fit a policy within their budget or planning for it.
5. Empathy
Insurance advisors must also have empathy for their customers. Agents must provide accurate advice and recommendations, not considering their bottom line.
6. Persistence
Agents face constant rejection, leading to high burnout and resulting in their leaving the industry. Agents need to be persistent to be able to be rejected the previous day but get up today and sell multiple policies.
7. Honesty
Agents need to be honest and provide accurate advice. This is because agents should build lasting customer relationships and not just try to make a quick buck by selling an irrelevant product.
What are the benefits of being a successful insurance agent?
There are numerous benefits to becoming a successful agent in insurance. These benefits can be both financial and non-financial.
1. Low barrier to entry
Becoming an insurance agent in India is very simple, allowing anyone to do so with zero monetary investment.
2. Financial independence
Due to its low barrier to entry, people as young as 18 can become agents, thus allowing them to earn and become financially independent.
3. Unlimited potential to earn
As agents primarily earn through commissions, there is no upper limit on how much an agent can earn. This allows agents to earn based on the number of policies they sell.
4. A secondary source of income
Most agents in insurance join the industry looking for a secondary source of income. So whether you are a teacher, banker, or student, you can start earning on the side.
5. Unmatched flexibility
Agents are granted unmatched flexibility regarding work when and wherever they want.
6. Constant training and upskilling
An agent is also given constant training and upskilling opportunities, enabling them to succeed.
Conclusion
Insurance is a lucrative field witnessing a boom in aspirants looking to join it. Amid this boom, thousands of aspiring agents want to enter and succeed in this fruitful and beneficial industry. This article showcased some of the essential qualities sought by the customer and the insurer and is necessary to thrive in this industry. You, too, can consider these criteria to start your insurance career on the right foot and earn money while helping dozens of families each year.
