How much do life insurance salesman make per sale?

Asked by: Rosie Nader  |  Last update: April 21, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (12 votes)

Most of a life insurance agent's earnings will come from commissions. For every policy sold, the insurance agent earns a large upfront commission. This rate can range from 40% to 100% of the first-year premium, the amount the policyholder pays for the policy.

How much do life insurance agents make per sale?

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.

What is the commission on 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."

How profitable is selling life insurance?

Whether you are selling them to employers or individuals, these policies tend to be large, with significant annual premiums. In the first year, a life insurance agent can earn anywhere from 30% to 90% of this premium, along with 5% to 10% of premiums paid in later years.

How much do you make when you sell a life insurance policy?

At the low end of a life settlement, you can expect to receive around 10% of the policy's face value. That means for the $150,000 average policy we mentioned earlier, you would receive around $15,000 in a lump sum of cash after a life settlement.

My First 90 Days To Six Figures As An Insurance Agent

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

A typical life settlement is worth around 20% of your policy value, but can range from 10-25%. So for a 100,000 dollar policy, you would be looking at anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 dollars.

Is it hard selling life insurance?

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 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 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.

Why did I quit being an insurance agent?

There's two big reasons why insurance agents quit: they don't feel valued, and they aren't given the technology they need to do their jobs well. In addition, managing commissions while hitting performance goals is a stressful part of the job for many insurance agents.

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.

What is the commission on selling insurance?

The average insurance commission is about 10%, but it can vary depending on the type of insurance and the company that you work for.

How do life insurance agents get clients?

How Do Insurance Agents Get Clients? 6 Strategies You Can Use
  1. Blog posts.
  2. Webinars.
  3. Professional partnerships.
  4. Client referrals.
  5. Google My Business.
  6. Paid ads.

What is the commission rate for life insurance?

Renewal commissions typically range from 2% to 5%, although some policies, like term insurance, may not pay renewals at all. It's important to review your commission schedule to know your renewal rates. Many life insurance renewals decrease over 10 years, sometimes to as low as 1% or even 0%.

Which life insurance company pays agents the most?

Top paying companies in Insurance for Life Insurance Agent are National Agents Alliance, New York Life, and National Income Life.

Is insurance sales agent a hard job?

It's competitive, requires long hours, and takes hard work to succeed. The payoff, however, can be significant. After all, everyone from renters to homeowners to business owners to drivers needs insurance.

What is the turnover rate for insurance sales agents?

The burnout rate for life insurance sales agents is high. 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 insurance agents fail in the first year?

In fact, many agents new to insurance are fearful, knowing they face a high risk of failure. How many agents quit selling insurance? There isn't an exact number. But we figure somewhere between 90% and 95% of agents quit in their first 12 months of receiving their license.

How many hours do insurance sales agents work?

Insurance Agents generally work between 40 to 50 hours per week, but this can fluctuate depending on client needs, policy renewals, and sales goals. Many agents have the flexibility to set their own schedules, which can lead to working evenings or weekends to accommodate clients.

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.

Can you become a millionaire being a life insurance agent?

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.

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.

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 life insurance agents get paid hourly?

Since the agent has no allegiance to the carrier(s) they represent, they are not paid an hourly wage to market and sell the insurance products they carry contracts for. However, when the agent does make a sale, the commissions can be much more lucrative than salary alone.

Is it worth it to be a life insurance agent?

Another factor that makes life insurance a good career path is the opportunity to earn a high salary with strong growth potential. Life insurance agents and brokers, in particular, generate commission-based incomes that are among the highest in the entire insurance industry.