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If you've been thinking about working from home selling insurance, you're probably already drawn to the many benefits associated with running a business from home. Aside from the tax deduction, you'll be in charge of your environment, and you won't have a boss looking over your shoulder.
Insurance agents that work from home can make a great living, but like any company, it may take a lot of work to get your home-based insurance business off the ground. Fortunately, under the right circumstances, you may be making a good living in just a few short months while enjoying all of the perks of working from home. Here's how to do it.
Yes, you can sell insurance from home, so long as you are licensed to sell insurance according to your state's laws. Depending on client preferences and your comfort level, you may not even need to invite customers into your home. Many insurance agents run their business without meeting with clients face to face, or they simply meet with them in other settings.
You'll need access to video conferencing software, a phone, and a reliable high-speed internet connection to get started. E-applications and other company-specific software can help you conduct business securely.
Like any other career, selling insurance from home has a few distinct pros and cons.
Depending on where you live, you may need to get a special type of license to conduct business from home. You may also need special permits if you plan to invite customers to your home.
This basic license may be required by your state, county, or local municipality. Double-check to make sure your insurance business is also in compliance with local zoning rules. Consult your homeowner's association before you start your business, as well. You may need to apply for a variance or exception.
Some home-based businesses need a professional license to operate out of a home. Your state business office can help you understand whether your insurance business must file paperwork to get this license.
While you may or may not need a specific type of license to sell from home, you must get your insurance license as mandated by the state where you live before you start conducting business.
In most states, you can choose from two licenses:
Your state may require you to complete a pre-license education course that includes practice exams, study guides, and access to instructors. Many pre-license courses are 20 to 40 hours.
Your state is in charge of the licensing exam, which may include questions about contract law, policy provisions, state-specific insurance rules, and the duties and responsibilities of an insurance agent. You can submit a license application through your state's department of insurance, state corporation commission, or department of financial services. You may also be required to complete a background check and get fingerprinted.
After you have completed all of the steps to get your insurance license, the state will review your application. As soon as you receive your official insurance license, you can start selling insurance.
When you start selling insurance from home, it's essential to get into the mindset that you can (and will) be successful. Having the right mindset will help you take action when it's time to work for that success. Here are a few important tips for how to be successful when selling insurance from home:
When you choose to become an insurance specialist, you have the opportunity to set yourself apart from the competition as the go-to insurance professional in your area. It's crucial to have in-depth knowledge of the type of insurance you sell so you can answer your clients' questions and help educate them about the importance of this crucial financial product.
Selling insurance is like any other profession in that you must develop the skills necessary to do the job well. Commit to a certain number of hours each week during which you will devote your attention to mastering your sales skills and staying on top of the latest news in your industry. Webinars, conferences, and formal continuing education classes can provide valuable knowledge.
Paper applications are a thing of the past for many insurance companies. Your clients may find face-to-face meetings to be too time-consuming, and with e-applications, you can sell an insurance policy 100% remotely. If your clientele is older or not comfortable working inside an e-application, you can complete the entire document online on their behalf with them on the phone.
When you sell insurance from home, you are accessible to your family, neighbors, and friends 24/7. They know you are home and may not understand how important it is for you to keep good boundaries about your working hours. Look at a typical day and figure out the best time to work uninterrupted. Choose a block of time during business hours that's normally quiet so you can consistently cold call, search for leads, and develop your book of business.
Once you figure out your schedule, let people close to you know about your official office hours, and provide gentle reminders about how important it is for you to stay on task.
Using your knowledge about your strengths and weaknesses, formulate a plan to generate a steady stream of warm leads. Without leads, it's impossible to build your insurance business, no matter where you are based. Traditional marketing methods may help you gain name recognition, but they can be expensive. Digital marketing strategies help you make connections with people who may eventually need your services. Investing your time into building a following on social media by posting relevant (and free) information about insurance is worthwhile.
As you work to build a reputation as an expert in the insurance industry, consider purchasing high-quality insurance leads. Real-time lead and live-call lead sources can connect you with people in your area who are actively looking for insurance coverage.
As an agent who sells from home, you'll need access to high-quality and dependable equipment. A good computer with multiple large monitors, a cell phone with excellent reception, a laptop computer that you can take with you on the go, an ergonomic chair and workstation, a good headset for clear and hands-free phone conversations, good lighting, a quiet environment, and a reliable connection to the internet are all crucial.
While you can sell insurance without some of these things, their absence can make your life more difficult and uncomfortable.
It doesn't matter whether you start selling insurance from home part time or dive into your new career full time. Working out the details of your day-to-day routine, educating yourself so you can provide high-quality services to your clients, and establishing an environment at home that's conducive to productivity will set the stage for your success.
When you get your home business up and running, Nectar can help you connect with high-quality leads so you can start building your business right away and successfully sell insurance from home. With Nectar, you'll get access to real-time insurance leads provided by Assurance IQ's proprietary technology. Sign up to get started today.
This article reflects the features of Nectar as of the date of publication. Features are subject to change at any time. This article is meant for informational purposes only, it is not a guarantee that using Nectar will help you achieve specific business or financial results and is not intended to serve as the sole recommendation for any business financial decisions.