Can you make a living selling life insurance?

Asked by: Helene Jakubowski  |  Last update: February 11, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (30 votes)

The Bottom Line Life insurance agents make a living selling insurance policies, either to individuals or businesses. They are generally paid in commissions and must find customer leads on their own. Being successful in this type of career takes time and perseverance.

Is selling life insurance a good income?

As of Jan 18, 2025, the average annual pay for a Life Insurance Sales Agent in California is $113,805 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $54.71 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,188/week or $9,483/month.

Can you make a living as a life insurance agent?

Successful life insurance agents can make very high incomes. It's not unusual for the successful ones to make $1000000 or more per year.

Why do most life insurance agents quit?

Research shows (opens in a new window) that 80% of finance and insurance agents feel they aren't valued at work; they feel they are “only evaluated on what went wrong or could have been done better.” This is a major issue for finding and retaining top talent, which is more important than ever (opens in a new window).

Can selling life insurance be a side hustle?

Earn Supplemental Income

Looking to make some extra cash on the side? Now's the perfect time to start selling insurance! While we would never recommend going into any profession solely for the money, some people do enjoy earning something a little extra on top of their primary income.

The Easiest Way To Sell Life Insurance

27 related questions found

How hard is it to start selling life insurance?

There are many challenges facing new life insurance agents. The pay is usually straight commission. Finding qualified customers yourself is notoriously difficult, and the few leads that your company may give you have usually been contacted by dozens of agents already.

What is the most lucrative insurance to sell?

Life insurance is the most profitable—and the hardest—type of insurance to sell. With the highest premiums and the longest-running contract, it brings in cash over a long period of time. In the first year, agents make the largest annual sum on a policy, bringing in anywhere from 40–120% of the policy premium.

How many people fail at selling life insurance?

A more accurate statement is that 93% of agents choose to leave within three years.

Why are insurance agents so rich?

One of the primary reasons insurance agents can accumulate wealth is their commission-based income structure. Unlike salaried employees, agents earn a percentage of the premiums they sell to clients. As they build a client base and generate more sales, their income potential increases.

What are the cons of being an insurance agent?

Cons of a career selling insurance
  • Unpredictable income. Working in a commission-based role has its drawbacks. ...
  • High-pressure work environment. Selling insurance can be stressful. ...
  • Finding new leads can be challenging. ...
  • Limited paid time off. ...
  • Experiencing a lot of rejection.

Can you become a millionaire being a life insurance agent?

Some agents, advisors, and multi-line agents made a million dollars in the first year they worked with us selling life insurance! While most of the others it took 2, 3, or more years to make a million dollars per year selling life insurance.

What is the failure rate for life insurance agents?

More than 90% of new agents quit the business within the first year. The rate increases to greater than 95% when extended to five years.

How many policies does an insurance agent sell per month?

How many policies does an insurance agent sell? According to the financial reports, the Official Number is 2.5 policies per month. However, many people just do it part-time.

Can you make 6 figures selling life insurance?

A life insurance agent's income potential is uncapped. Some of the highest earners make well over six figures each year, while others choose to work as part-time insurance agents to earn some extra cash.

How fast can you make money selling life insurance?

Most businesses don't make any profit in their first year of operating. It could take anywhere from 18 to 24 months for your insurance sales to actually provide profit. Don't feel discouraged. Every small business owner has to clear this hurdle.

Do you have to be good at math to sell life insurance?

Agents work with complicated policies, and they need to make sure that the policies are a good fit for their customers. This requires considering multiple factors. Additionally, insurance agents may perform math calculations and need to take detailed notes when meeting with clients.

What kind of insurance agent gets paid the most?

While there are many kinds of insurance (ranging from auto insurance to health insurance), the most lucrative career in the insurance field is for those selling life insurance.

Is it stressful to be an insurance agent?

Insurance agents often face pressure to achieve their goals while simultaneously providing exceptional customer service, meeting sales quotas, and staying abreast of industry regulations. This, combined with the responsibility of safeguarding clients' financial well-being, can make for a stressful work environment.

Who is the richest insurance agents?

Insurance Billionaires
  • Berkshire Hathaway's, Warren Buffet. ...
  • Patrick Ryan of the Ryan Specialty Group. ...
  • Erie Indemnity Chairman, Thomas Hagen. ...
  • W.R. Berkley's William R. ...
  • Mark and Robyn Jones of Goosehead Insurance. ...
  • Brown & Brown's, J. ...
  • Mercury General's, George Joseph. ...
  • Henry Engelhardt of the Admiral Group.

Is selling life insurance a good hustle?

In our opinion, it doesn't hurt that insurance is a lucrative business. You can gain commissions on the plans that you sell, so it's entirely up to you how much you want to hustle. You can also make more money with consistent renewals, so it pays in the long run to have loyal clients.

Why is selling life insurance so hard?

Why Is Life Insurance So Hard To Sell? It's hard to sell because it deals with the topic of death. That's something many people find difficult to consider or discuss. Furthermore, it's hard to keep trying to sell because agents find that they can't make enough money to support themselves.

Can selling insurance make you a millionaire?

It isn't the most glamorous profession, and it often gets associated with pushy salespeople that force their products down your throat. But here is the reality: there is a lot of money in the money business! The financial services industry has created more millionaires than any other industry.

What is the commission for life insurance?

Commission structures vary by policy and company. But typically, life insurance agents receive as commission 60% to 80% of the premiums you pay in the first year. They collect smaller commissions in subsequent years. Added up, 5% to 10% of all the premiums you pay over the life of the policy could go to commissions.

Which insurance is most profitable?

An analysis of financial statements of insurance companies shows that LIC India, SBI Life and HDFC Life are the most profitable life insurance companies in FY 2024.