How stressful is it to be an insurance agent?

Asked by: Ebony Streich  |  Last update: September 6, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (25 votes)

High-stress levels The insurance industry can be a demanding and highly competitive field. Insurance agents often face pressure to achieve their goals while simultaneously providing exceptional customer service, meeting sales quotas, and staying abreast of industry regulations.

How stressful is being an insurance agent?

High-pressure work environment

Selling insurance can be stressful. It requires long work hours. You can also experience constant pressure to meet different quotas and targets.

How difficult is an insurance agent?

Being an insurance agent isn't the easiest job in the world—stress and rejection come with the territory—but if you thrive in high-octane environments and enjoy working with people, you just might love it.

What is the hardest part of being an insurance agent?

What is the hardest part of being an insurance agent? The hardest part of being an insurance agent often revolves around the constant need for lead generation and sales. Many agents struggle with the cold calling aspect, where rejection is frequent, and maintaining a steady stream of new clients can be challenging.

Is insurance a high-stress job?

In the fast-paced world of insurance, claims adjusters often find themselves working in high-stress environments. The demands of handling numerous claims, dealing with complex cases, and interacting with distressed policyholders take a toll on any insurance employee.

PROS & CONS OF BEING AN INSURANCE AGENT

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What job pays well and is not stressful?

You might work in academia, national security, robotics, and other sectors. A career as a mathematician is low-stress because you work alone, mainly in an office setting, on your schedule until you solve the problem. While this might sometimes involve long hours, the pressure is typically low.

Is the insurance industry a stable career?

Insurance is widely considered an “evergreen career,” one which typically offers excellent job security. Bureau of Labor Statistics research predicts that positions for insurance professionals will likely grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031, with approximately 32,900 new jobs per year.

Why do most life insurance agents fail?

The most commonly cited reason insurance agents fail is that they fail to listen to their customers and take the time to find the best product to suit their needs. Agents who bring the right solutions to customers build trust, and that helps them build a book of loyal customers.

Do insurance agents get paid a lot?

Insurance agents earn a mean annual salary of $79,650 or an hourly rate of $37, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While starting wages can be significantly lower than this number, industry veterans with an established client network can easily earn a six-figure salary.

Which insurance license is hardest to get?

Each insurance licensing exam presents its own challenge. Between Life and Health, students say that the Health insurance exam is the more difficult. Health insurance policies are simply more complicated than life insurance policies. The Property insurance exam is easier than the Casualty insurance exam.

How many insurance agents quit?

You Don't Get Fired As A Life Insurance Agent... You Quit. We often hear about the statistic that 93% of agents leave this business within the first three years, but one thing that struck me during the live session is that agents don't actually fail out of this business.

Why is insurance so hard to learn?

Unfortunately, insurance companies are notorious for using complicated verbiage that is nearly impossible for policyholders to understand what is covered and excluded. Insurance companies are aware that policyholders don't understand the complex and lengthy legal text packed into policy pages.

What are the cons of being an insurance agent?

Cons of working in insurance sales

For some people, the thought of earning commissions is appealing. For others, it can cause stress and worry about their future financial situation. New insurance agents often work long hours to build and strengthen relationships and get their names out in the industry.

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.

How many hours do insurance 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.

Why is selling insurance so hard?

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.

Can you make a living as an insurance agent?

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

What is the biggest insurance company to fail?

Executive Life Insurance Company is regarded to be the biggest bankruptcy of an insurance company in the United States in the course of recent years. Based in California, the life company had to file for bankruptcy in 1991 following disastrous investments in junk bonds.

What degree do most insurance agents have?

Although college training is not a prerequisite for insurance work, those who have a college degree in economics, finance, or business will probably have an advantage starting out in this field. Many colleges and universities offer courses in insurance, and a number of schools offer a bachelors degree in insurance.

What is the best insurance job to have?

Best jobs in insurance
  • Loan processor. ...
  • Insurance adjuster. ...
  • Insurance agent. ...
  • I nsurance broker. ...
  • Loss control consultant. ...
  • Underwriter. ...
  • Actuary. ...
  • Risk manager. National average salary: $105,930 per year Primary duties: A risk manager performs extensive research to determine how liable an organization is for certain financial risks.

Which industry is most stable?

The industries known to fare better during recessions are generally those that supply the population with essentials we can't live without. They include utilities, healthcare, consumer staples, and, in some pundits' opinions, maybe even technology.