Is selling life insurance a good hustle?

Asked by: Reymundo Gutkowski  |  Last update: September 14, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (56 votes)

Is Selling Life Insurance a Good Way to Make Money? You can make a good living selling life insurance, especially if you continue to earn commissions on policies you have already sold. However, it is not an easy career, as it requires constantly working to find leads, build relationships, and make sales.

How profitable is 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."

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).

Is selling insurance a side hustle?

Selling insurance as a side hustle offers a flexible and potentially lucrative opportunity to earn extra income. Whether you're a stay-at-home parent, a college student, or a full-time employee looking to boost your earnings, becoming an insurance agent can provide a rewarding way to achieve your financial goals.

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.

Is Selling Life Insurance a Good Side Hustle?

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Is it hard selling life insurance?

Life insurance is a very difficult product to sell. Simply getting your prospect to acknowledge and discuss the fact they are going to die is a hard first step. When and if you clear that hurdle, your next task is creating urgency so they buy right away.

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.

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 best side hustle income?

Some of the most profitable side hustle ideas to make extra money include:
  • Starting a dropshipping business.
  • Selling your own handcrafted products.
  • Creating and selling your own designs.
  • Selling digital marketing services through freelance work.
  • Teaching an online course.
  • Starting an affiliate marketing business.

How long does it take to 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.

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.

Which life insurance agents make the most money?

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

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 much commission do you make selling life insurance?

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 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.

How can I make $2000 a month on the side?

7 methods to make an extra $2k per month
  1. Deliver food or groceries. ...
  2. Rent out extra space in your home. ...
  3. Become an online tutor. ...
  4. Set up a profitable blog or YouTube channel. ...
  5. Rent out your car. ...
  6. Sell handmade items. ...
  7. Become a virtual assistant.

How to make $1,000 a month extra?

10 Ways To Make An Extra $1,000 A Month
  1. Offer Career Coaching. ...
  2. Offer Resume And LinkedIn Profile Services. ...
  3. Create Online Courses. ...
  4. Write eBooks Or Guides. ...
  5. Freelance As A Consultant. ...
  6. Create A Subscription-Based Community. ...
  7. Host Webinars. ...
  8. Start A YouTube Channel.

How to make $500 a week on the side?

How to make 500 dollars fast
  1. Housekeeping. Housekeeping is something you can do independently or under an agency. ...
  2. Virtual Assistant. Becoming a virtual assistant is a newer phenomenon that many find lucrative. ...
  3. Work in a Restaurant. ...
  4. Emergency Call Operator. ...
  5. Lyft Driver. ...
  6. DoorDash. ...
  7. Instacart. ...
  8. Website Tester.

How to make money selling life insurance?

As a life insurance agent or broker, the most common way for you to earn an income is through commissions. Generally, you can receive front-loaded commissions of 40% to up to 115% of the policy's first-year premiums. The rates for renewals, however, fall steeply to about 1% or 2%.

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.

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.

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 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.

Can you make a million dollars a year selling life insurance?

The top agents and advisors we train and coach earn over a million dollars annually selling life insurance, annuities, investments, and their services. While thousands of agents and advisors who earned $30,000 – $50,000 per year, within a year now earn $100,000 – $200,000!