Property and Casualty Insurance Agents and Brokers

Employers

Approximately 547,600 insurance sales agents, including property and casualty insurance agents and brokers, are employed in the United States. Insurance companies are the principal employers; however, about 11 percent of agents and brokers are self-employed. Some agents also work for banks and securities brokerages, due to increased integration of the finance and insurance industries.

Starting Out

College graduates are frequently hired through campus interviews for salaried sales positions with major companies. Other graduates secure positions directly with local agencies or brokerages through placement services, employment offices, or classified advertisements in newspapers. Many high school and college graduates apply directly to insurance companies. Sometimes individuals employed in other fields take evening or home-study courses in insurance to prepare for employment in this field.

Once hired, the new agent or broker uses training materials prepared by the company or by industry trade groups. In smaller agencies, newcomers may be expected to assume most of the responsibility for their own training by using the agency's written resources and working directly with experienced agents. In larger organizations, initial training may include formal classroom instruction and enrollment in education programs such as those offered by the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters. Sometimes insurance societies sponsor courses designed to help the beginning agent. Almost all agents receive direct, on-the-job sales supervision.