Selling insurance from home can be a rewarding venture as it provides you an opportunity to create a flexible work-life balance while earning a substantial income.
With technology providing seamless connectivity, more insurance agents are trading office desks for home offices. As the work-from-home setup continues to flourish, it’s crucial to understand how to navigate and succeed in this type of work environment.
In this guide, we cover the marketing strategies as well as the necessary steps and requirements on how to sell insurance from home.
What Kind of Insurance Will You Sell From Home?
The type of insurance you sell from home will largely depend on your interest, expertise, and the licenses you hold.
- Life Insurance: This covers the financial loss suffered by dependents when an insured person dies. This insurance type can be specialized into term life, whole life, or indexed universal life insurance. If you’re selling life insurance, you would require a life insurance license. If you’re planning to provide comprehensive financial planning services, you may also require a FINRA securities license along with your life license
- Health Insurance: This covers medical expenses for illnesses or injuries. You may specialize in individual Medicare insurance plans, group health plans, or specific plans such as dental or vision insurance. Life and health licenses sometimes go hand-in-hand
- Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance: This includes insurance for homes, cars, and businesses. Selling homeowners insurance, auto insurance, and commercial property insurance fall under this category. Selling P&C insurance requires a P&C license
Note: For more information on the types of insurance licenses you can sell, have a look at our How to Sell Insurance overview.
Become a Licensed Insurance Agent
In order to sell insurance from home, you will need to obtain an insurance license.
Becoming an insurance agent involves a few key steps, which can vary depending on the specific insurance field you’re interested in (like property and casualty, life, health, etc.) and the regulations in your state.
Below is a list of common steps to become a licensed insurance agent.
- Pre-licensing education: Most states require you to complete a specific number of hours of pre-licensing education before you can take the state’s licensing exam. This is usually done through an approved provider, and there may be online or on-site options
- Pass the insurance licensing exam: After completing the pre-licensing education, you’ll need to pass the state’s insurance licensing exam. This exam will test your knowledge of insurance principles, regulations, and products
- Complete fingerprint-based background check: Many states require fingerprinting and a background check as part of the application process
- Apply for your license: After passing the exam, you can apply for your insurance license through your state’s insurance department
- Application review: Once your application review is complete, the state will email you with its decision or ask you to provide more information on your licensing status
- Continuing education (CE): Once you are licensed, you will need to maintain your license by completing CE hours on a periodic basis, usually every two years
Recommended Course
For all of your insurance pre-license education courses and exam prep, StateRequirement recommends:
Work With Insurance Companies
To sell insurance from home, you would need to be contracted with or employed by an insurance company that allows for independent or remote work.
Here are some ways to help you find a company to work with:
Research Companies
First, you should identify insurance companies that offer the type of insurance you’re interested in selling. Once you have a list of potential companies, research each one to understand their business model, corporate culture, and reputation in the insurance industry.
You can do this by performing an online search or looking at lists of top insurance companies. Look for information about how they work with independent insurance agents or remote workers.
Look for Job Postings
Many insurance companies will post job opportunities on their website or on job search platforms. Look for positions that specify they are for remote work or independent agents.
Usually, independent insurance agents are direct salespeople, but they don’t always work directly under an agency or office. Most of the time they are contracted directly to the insurance company and work from home.
Leverage Professional Networking
Utilize professional social networks, such as LinkedIn, to connect with people who are already working as insurance agents from home. They can provide insights and possibly direct you to opportunities.
You can also attend meetups, seminars, workshops, or conferences. Building relationships with industry professionals can lead to many opportunities.
Set Up a Home Office
Setting up a dedicated workspace is the next step. This way you can enhance your professional mindset, setting you up for success.
It can also serve as a space for continuous learning and development, helping you stay at the top of your insurance sales game.
Choose the Right Equipment
A home office allows for a dedicated space for your technology needs, including a reliable internet connection, computer setup, telephone, printer, and other necessary devices. This enables seamless communication with clients and insurance companies.
Organize Your Workspace
An office space provides the room you need to keep documents, files, and equipment organized and within easy reach. This can improve your efficiency and prevent misplacing or losing essential documents.
A tidy and functional home office can also ensure that you are comfortable throughout your workday. Proper seating, appropriate lighting, and ergonomically-designed furniture can prevent potential health issues related to posture and eye strain.
Develop a Marketing and Sales Strategy
Developing a solid insurance agent marketing plan is essential when selling insurance from home. It can help you reach your target audience, create offers, and turn leads into customers.
Whether you want to sell insurance part-time or full-time, learn how to create your marketing and sales strategy while working at home.
Social Media
Social media is a great way to promote your business remotely. This offers you the opportunity to reach and engage with a broader audience, build relationships, and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field.
To leverage social media for your insurance business, here’s how to get started.
- Choose the right platforms: Not all social media platforms will be suitable for your insurance business. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn might be best for reaching professionals and other businesses
- Create a professional profile: Set up business accounts separate from your personal account. Make sure your profiles are complete, including a professional photo, professional bio, and contact information
- Share content: Create and post content that is helpful and relevant to your audience. This could include blog posts about insurance topics, tips on choosing the right policy, success stories from your clients, or updates on industry trends
- Engage with your audience: Respond to comments on your posts, participate in relevant discussions, answer questions, and show appreciation for positive feedback
- Use paid ads: Most social media platforms offer targeted advertising options that can help you reach a wider or more specific audience. You can target ads based on location, demographics, interests, and more
- Use social media for customer service: Social media can also be a platform for addressing customer inquiries or concerns. Quick and responsive customer service can enhance your reputation
- Track and adjust your strategy: Use the analytics tools provided by social media platforms to track your performance. Monitor your engagement rates, follower growth, and conversion rates to understand what’s working and what needs adjustment
Note: Compared to traditional forms of advertising, social media can be a cost-effective way to market your services. Even with a small budget, you can reach a significant number of potential clients.
Recommended Service:
As an independent insurance agent, we recommend working with Arrow; Arrow uses AI in order to offer up to five personalized posts a week, online traffic boosts, and weekly reporting. Get Arrow Now ($49 per month).
Content Marketing
Content marketing plays a crucial role in selling insurance from home due to its ability to inform, educate, and engage prospective and existing clients.
Here’s how to use content marketing to sell insurance from home.
- Know your audience: Understand who your target customers are, their needs, their challenges, and their interests. This will guide you in creating content that relates to them
- Plan a content strategy: Your content strategy should outline what type of content you will create, how often you will publish, and where you will distribute it. You should aim to create a variety of content types, such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and webinars
- Promote your content: Once you’ve created your content, promote it through various channels. Share it on your social media platforms, send it to your email subscribers, and consider using search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve its visibility on search engines
- Use a call to action: Every piece of content should include a clear call to action (CTA) guiding your audience on what to do next. This could be to request a quote, schedule a consultation, or download a resource
- Use content to nurture leads: Content can be a great way to generate leads through the sales funnel. You could create a series of emails with relevant content that are sent out over time, gradually guiding leads toward making a purchase
- Measure and refine your strategy: Using analytics tools can help you to measure the success of your content strategy. Look at website traffic, social media engagement, and conversion rates to understand what’s working and what’s not
Insurance can be a complex topic for many people. Content marketing allows you to explain different types of insurance, terms, conditions, and benefits in an understandable way, helping potential clients make informed decisions.
Recommended: If you are interested in boost-starting your content marketing campaign, have a look at Sitetrail’s premium press release services.
Email Marketing
The goal of email marketing is not just to sell, but to build relationships with your subscribers. Providing consistent value can help establish trust and make your audience more likely to choose your services when they need insurance.
Below are some of the ways you can use email marketing to sell insurance from home.
- Build an email list: Start by creating an email list of potential clients. You can collect email addresses through a sign-up form on your website or during customer interactions
- Develop a content plan: The content of your emails could include tips on choosing insurance, updates on policy changes, answers to frequently asked questions, or helpful resources related to insurance
- Use a CTA: Each email should have a strong CTA that guides the recipient on what to do next. This could be requesting a quote, reading a blog post, or contacting you for more information
- Optimize for mobile: Many people check their emails on their mobile devices, so make sure your emails look good and are easy to read on them
- Nurture your leads: Use a series of automated emails to guide potential clients through the sales process. This could start with a welcome email when they first sign up, followed by emails that provide valuable content, introduce your insurance products, and eventually lead to a sales pitch
- Follow data privacy rules: Make sure you have consent before you start emailing potential clients, to comply with data protection regulations. Also, maintain regular contact with your subscribers, but avoid spamming them
Note: Personalization can significantly improve engagement with your emails. This could be as simple as addressing the recipient by their name or as sophisticated as tailoring the content based on their specific needs and interests.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a type of online advertising where you pay each time a user clicks on one of your ads. This drives immediate traffic and results.
Below are common methods on how you can use PPC to drive traffic to your insurance business.
- Define your target audience: First, you must understand who your audience is, then consider their demographics, interests, and behaviors to create more effective ads
- Set up your campaign: Create your PPC campaign on your chosen platform. This will involve setting a budget, choosing your keywords, and defining your target audience
- Create ad copy: Your ads should be compelling and clearly communicate what you’re offering. Use strong headlines, include a CTA, and highlight the unique benefits of your insurance services
- Design a landing page: The landing page is where users end up after clicking your ad. It should be relevant to your ad copy and make it easy for the visitor to take the desired action, whether that’s filling out a form, requesting a quote, or making a purchase
- Monitor and optimize your campaign: Use the analytics provided by the PPC platform to track clicks and conversions. Adjust your keywords, ad copy, or landing page as needed
Note: PPC can quickly become expensive if not managed properly. It’s important to continuously monitor and fine-tune your campaigns to ensure they’re providing a good return on investment.
Build a Website
In today’s digital age, having a professional online presence is crucial. This includes a professional website where you can include information you can share useful information on insurance topics.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to building a website for your insurance business.
- Choose a domain name: Your domain name should be easy to remember, relevant to your business, and as short as possible
- Build your website: Before you start building, plan out what you want your website to include. This may include information about your services, a blog, and a contact form. Make sure your website is designed to be user-friendly, responsive (for both desktop and mobile devices), and easy to navigate
- Optimize for SEO: SEO helps your website rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential customers to find you. Use relevant keywords in your content, optimize your images, and include meta tags and descriptions
- Add lead magnet forms: These are the valuable offerings you’ll give to your website visitors in exchange for their contact information. For an insurance website, this could include a free guide on choosing insurance, an insurance checklist, a free consultation, or even a discount on their first policy
- Use analytics tools: These tools provide valuable data on aspects like how users interact with your site, which pages they visit, and what marketing channels are driving the most traffic. This information will help you to make decisions to improve your online insurance sales strategies
Once your website is live, promote it through your social media channels, email marketing, and any other marketing methods you’re using.
Recommended Software
We recommend the GoDaddy Website Builder as a small insurance agent company. GoDaddy meets most small business needs while providing an extremely straightforward user experience.
How to Sell Insurance From Home FAQ
What type of insurance can I sell from home?
You can sell almost any type of insurance from home. For example, you can sell life insurance, health insurance, business insurance, and pet insurance. Keep in mind that the type of insurance you can sell will ultimately depend on the licenses you hold (e.g., health insurance license, etc.).
How do I get licensed to sell insurance?
To sell insurance, you need to get a license from the state you live in or plan to operate. The requirements vary by state but typically include completing pre-licensing education, passing a state exam, and submitting an application. Learn the step-by-step licensing process in your state by visiting our How to Get Your Insurance License page.
What are the benefits of selling insurance from home?
Selling insurance remotely allows you the flexibility to set your own hours, save on commuting time, and potentially increase your income since you’re not limited by a typical 9-5 work schedule. You’re able to balance work with personal life more effectively and have the potential for high earnings if you’re motivated and skilled at selling.
How do I find clients even if I’m working from home?
Finding clients involves using insurance marketing strategies. This can include setting up a professional website, engaging in social media marketing, paid advertising, or even word-of-mouth referrals. It’s important to define your target audience and tailor your marketing strategy to reach them.
What are the challenges of selling insurance from home?
Challenges include staying motivated, time management, and the lack of a traditional support structure found in an office setting. There might also be upfront costs, like investing in a home office and doing the marketing yourself. For more information, read our guide on How to Sell Insurance effectively, whether at home or in an office setting.