SalesHQ

Career Paths >> Browse Articles >> Sales Career Profiles

Snapshot: Insurance Sales Agents

Tasks

• 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.

Knowledge

• Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge 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 Marketing – Knowledge 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 Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• Computers and Electronics – Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills

• Active Listening – Giving 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.

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

• Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

• Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Persuasion – Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Continued…

---