Can you sell life insurance?

Asked by: Dr. Stacey Bailey PhD  |  Last update: January 4, 2026
Score: 5/5 (51 votes)

Can I Sell My Life Insurance Policy? Yes, you can sell your life insurance policy through a life settlement—your life insurance policy is your property, which entitles you to sell if you choose to do so. The average payout of a life insurance sale is 4-6 times the policy's cash surrender value.

How much do you get paid for selling a life insurance policy?

While the amount you will receive from selling your life insurance will vary depending on a few factors, including your specific policy and its amount, a general rule of thumb is that most people receive 40-70% of the policy's face value through their viatical settlement.

How much can you sell a $100,000 life insurance policy for?

Just like any other insurance policy, a life settlement payout for a $100,000 whole life policy would depend on your age, health condition, and policy premiums. A typical life settlement is worth around 20% of your policy value, but can range from 10-25%.

Can I make money selling life insurance?

The commission you earn on a life insurance policy sale is not limited to the first year. Rather, you keep getting paid as long as the policy is in force. Your commission percentage on a policy drops after the first year, but you keep earning 5% to 10% as long as the policyholder pays their monthly premium.

Is it legal to sell your life insurance policy?

Life settlement:

Term policies can sometimes be sold, especially if they're convertible to permanent coverage or if the insured is terminally ill. However, offers may be lower. In a life settlement, you usually receive more than the policy's cash surrender value but less than its full death benefit.

The Easiest Way To Sell Life Insurance

22 related questions found

Can I sell my $50,000 life insurance policy?

Did you know you can sell all or a portion of a life insurance policy, even term insurance? Selling an unwanted life insurance policy is no different than selling your car, home, or any other valuable asset that will create immediate cash.

Can you sell a $10,000 life insurance policy?

You can cash out a life insurance policy. How much money you get for it will depend on the amount of cash value held in it. If you have, say $10,000 of accumulated cash value, you would be entitled to withdraw up to all of that amount (less any surrender fees). At that point, however, your policy would be terminated.

What is the most profitable 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.

What is the commission for selling life insurance?

Typically, a life insurance agent receives anywhere from 30% to 90% of the amount paid for a policy (also known as the premium) by the client in the first year. In later years, the agent may receive anywhere from 3% to 10% of each year's premium, also known as "renewals" or "trailing commissions."

Can you sell insurance as a side hustle?

By selling insurance part time, you can learn which carriers and products you prefer to sell and begin developing lasting relationships with clients. If you have friends or family members who need Medicare plans, helping them get coverage would be a great place to start.

Can I become a millionaire selling insurance?

If you have a great work ethic and are willing to place yourself out there to establish relationships with clients, you will get more opportunities to earn a higher income. Selling insurance may even make you a millionaire.

Why do people sell their life insurance policy?

Selling an insurance policy through a viatical settlement is one option that may be used to provide cash to help with current medical and living expenses. Like life settlements, viatical settlements involve the sale of a life insurance policy to a third party.

Is selling life insurance stressful?

Insurance sales jobs are highly stressful with little pay guarantee and is an industry with a high quit rate. To be successful in the industry, new agents should understand the skills and attributes that are common among top producers.

How much can you sell a 1 million dollar life insurance policy for?

This means that an average life settlement offer on a $100,000 policy may be around $20,000 and an average offer on a $1,000,000 policy may be around $200,000. There are a number of factors that affect the amount that a policyholder could be offered, including: Age of the Insured. Health of the Insured.

How to sell life insurance from home?

Yes, you can sell life insurance from home. You'll need a state license to sell life insurance, and you may need a business license from your state or municipality as well. 51 A computer, high-speed internet connection, printer, and phone will allow you to work productively and meet virtually with clients.

Is selling life insurance taxable?

The portion of the sale amount you receive that is equal to what you've paid in premiums (your “cost basis”) will not be taxed. The portion that exceeds your cost basis, but is less than the cash value of the policy, is subject to income tax. Lastly, any amount above the cash value is subject to capital tax gains.

Why do insurance agents earn so much?

Most professionals who sell insurance are paid largely on a commission basis. In fact, most agents aren't even employees of the carrier. More often than not, they're independent contractors who are compensated based on how much they sell, with higher commissions for certain types of products.

Which insurance company pays the highest commissions?

Some of the companies that offer high commission rates to their agents are HDFC Life, Max Life, ICICI Prudential, and Kotak Mahindra. These companies also have attractive incentive schemes and bonus programs for their top-performing agents.

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.

How do life insurance agents get paid?

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.

How fast can I make money selling 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 people who sell life insurance make a lot of money?

According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median income for insurance sales agents (all types) in the US is $49,840 per year, or $23.96 per hour. This is 37% more than the national median income ($31,133) for workers in all other industries.

How much is a 100000 life insurance policy worth to sell?

The death benefit value typically varies between 10 and 25 percent. This means a $100,000 policy will provide you with up to $25,000. Factors affecting how much you will get for selling your life insurance policy include life expectancy, its cash value, and the premium amount.