For anyone new to selling insurance, get ready to hear no a lot. Don't take it personally. When I was doing SaaS, I'd listen to my call recordings and pinpoint the exact moment a customer checked out. It was painful, but it worked. Spend an hour each week reviewing your conversations and your whole approach will start to change.
Working in a recruitment agency that hires within the insurance sector, I'd say that my best advice for new insurance salespeople is to be a sponge from day one, shadowing experienced colleagues and learning from them. The most successful candidates we see are those who get involved as much as possible, sitting in on client meetings, spending time in the office and getting confident on the phone. If given the opportunity, I'd also strongly recommend completing your CERT CII to gain credibility and emphasise your commitment to the role. From then on, define a niche client base and gain exposure to different lines of business. There are ample opportunities within insurance and the people who get stuck in, stay curious and take initiative will progress and succeed the fastest.
Focus first on learning the product deeply so you can explain it confidently. Spend more time listening than talking because trust drives insurance sales more than persuasion. Follow up consistently since most sales come after multiple touches, not the first call. Track your activity daily so you know what actually moves deals forward. Be patient because momentum builds slowly at first,t but compounds fast once referrals start coming in.
For new insurance salespeople, my biggest advice is to stop thinking like a salesperson and start thinking like a trusted voice. Be active on LinkedIn, not to pitch, but to share what you're learning, what you're seeing in the market, and the questions your clients are asking you every day. You don't need to be the loudest person in the room; you need to be the most helpful. Build a personal brand around insight and credibility, and over time, opportunities come to you because people already trust you before the first conversation even happens.
Only work with best in class high integrity people and companies. You only have one reputation! Unless you are starting your own agency, go with a company that can assure your success. Talk with people as a consultant looking to SOLVE their problems, not to solve your sales quota problem. Always be professional and polite, but don't waste time on people who are not prepared to buy, or just shopping price.
Starting out in insurance sales, new hires make smarter sales when they stop trying to sell the policy, and instead, start trying to to solve the problem. The most successful novice sales reps across the board ask the best questions. 'What keeps you up at night?' is noticeably more successful than any sales pitch. I learned trust gets deals done, not wordy descriptions, jargon, or sales talk. People buy insurance when they feel pressure to do so, and not when they feel understood. In sales, consistency is more important than talent. Set aside time everyday to make follow-up calls. This is a must. Time and time again, 80% of the deals I was ultimately successful in closing only came after multiple follow-up calls. New reps quit far too often. The money is in the ability to be active when others are not. Focus on one specific industry, one specific persona, and one specific pain point. Specialists are the ones who gain their referrals more quickly and ultimately endure less price resistance. Depth will always exceed volume.
Specifics about a policy can be easily lost in the details, but a well-told story tends to be remembered. New salespeople often get stuck describing specific components, such as coinsurance penalties or liability limits. This bogs down the conversation and can confuse and overwhelm a prospect. A better approach is to focus on turning abstract concepts into real-world scenarios. For example, instead of saying "You need Employment Practices Liability Insurance," you may present a case of a wrongful termination issue from a local business. By detailing the disruption to business operations, the legal costs, and the damage to the business's image, it becomes clear why insurance coverage is necessary. When business owners are provided with relevant claims scenarios, it aids them in conceptualizing the risk and the value of the insurance policy as a solution. For instance, explaining the impact of a client-loss data breach endorsement on managing legal and recovery costs post-ransomware attack is much more meaningful than describing the coverage attributes. This is contextual selling, and it helps the clients grasp why the coverage is vital to them or their business.
New salespeople in the insurance industry need skills in developing leads. Most prospects don't convert on the first call or email, not because they are not interested, but because they already have the service or want to compare options. Treat every lead like a long-term engagement rather than a one-time transaction. Even if you make contact today, you may be developing a lead that will close the following year. After a successful sale, stay in touch with your clients. Provide guidance and send reminders when their policies are about to end. That is how you turn buyers into repeat business. Finally, know where each lead is in the pipeline, when the last contact was, and what issues they raised. That way, your outreach becomes planned, consistent, relevant, and more effective.
Akin to real estate agents' mantra "Location, location, location," my top tip for new insurance salespeople is to act on the mantra "Network, network, network." In addition to creating a clear, attention-getting brand on social media, you'll want to stay on top of attending industry and other networking events, as well as engaging with your community by volunteering and joining local organizations. As a member of a chamber of commerce networking group and a volunteer at a local non-profit, I've made several connections that have led to business successes. You'll want to network strategically so you don't waste your resources. And, in line with another one of my best tips, have patience. Insurance is a very competitive business, and it can take some time for the connections you develop to pay off.
Focus on Trust Before Selling The best piece of advice for new insurance salespeople is to earn a client's trust before trying to sell them an insurance product. Take the time to learn about your clients' situations by asking questions, listening to their responses and providing value through education. Learning the fundamentals of insurance very well will help you have confidence in yourself and your ability to communicate with your customers. When you provide clear information and descriptions regarding what you do and how it works, you can avoid confusing your customers and create a more enjoyable conversation experience. Finally, developing consistency and patience as an insurance salesperson is essential because selling insurance products often takes longer than expected, and follow-up communications may be required. By organising your communication efforts, establishing a reputation of reliability and consistently communicating with your customers, you can establish long-term relationships that produce consistent results.
The best piece of advice that I give new insurance sales reps is that instead of selling insurance, sell clarity. Most people do not avoid insurance products because they do not need them. People avoid insurance products because insurance products are not only complicated, but also uncomfortable. When you speed into selling products, riders, or "deals," you create that discomfort. If you explain insurance clearly, you can reduce that discomfort. What worked for me is to talk about insurance as a decision-making tool, not a purchase. So, you know, you walk your clients through what really messes up their financial world if something goes wrong, and then you walk them through how insurance works in the background and basically soaks up this hit. No scare tactics, no insurance jargon. People understand what's really at stake, and then the policy basically sells itself. New salespeople learn faster if they strive to become the most understandable person in the room, rather than striving to become the most persuasive. Trust is created faster than pressure, and trust is the product in insurance even before there is a policy.
When I started in insurance, I used a basic CRM just to track who I called and when. We set up automated reminders so nobody went a week without a follow-up. Sending a quick email after calls with the main points got way more responses. It took some getting used to, but having a system means I don't drop the ball. Clients notice when you remember the details.
Here's what I tell new insurance salespeople. Forget about building trust, just earn it. Ask them why they bought their last policy and what they liked or didn't like. Then shut up and listen. When you understand their story, the sale takes care of itself and the conversation feels more like helping a friend than closing a deal.
First, stop thinking of insurance as a product and start thinking of it as risk management. Most people don't buy insurance because they want a policy—they buy it because they want peace of mind. The most effective salespeople don't lead with features like "coverage limits" or "deductibles." They lead with scenarios that relate to real life: what happens if a customer's income stops, if a property is damaged, or if a medical emergency occurs. When you frame the conversation around protecting what matters, the sale becomes a natural outcome of responsible planning rather than a transactional pitch. Second, build your expertise through genuine education, not scripts. People can smell a canned pitch from a mile away, especially when the product is as personal as insurance. The top producers I've seen are the ones who can explain complex policies in simple terms and help clients understand trade-offs. You don't need to be the smartest person in the room; you need to be the clearest. That means mastering the language of insurance and being able to translate it into everyday meaning. Your credibility will grow faster than your pipeline when clients trust that you're helping them, not just selling to them. Third, focus on long-term relationships rather than immediate commissions. Insurance is a business of trust, and the customers who stay with you for years are the ones who refer others. Make it a habit to follow up regularly—not just when renewal time comes. Check in after major life events like marriage, having a child, buying a home, or changing jobs. These moments are when people genuinely need guidance, and you become the person they think of first because you've already built a relationship. The best insurance salespeople don't chase leads; they build ecosystems of clients who rely on them. Finally, develop a strong system for prospecting and follow-up. Many new salespeople underestimate the importance of consistent outreach. It's not enough to be good in conversations; you must also be disciplined in building your pipeline. Create a routine that includes networking, referrals, community events, and digital outreach, and track it like a business. The most successful insurance agents I know treat their book of business like a portfolio—they nurture it, diversify it, and keep it active. If you do that, the results come naturally.
Listening discipline is better than product knowledge on the first year. Slow-paced new sales people who paraphrase what they hear close better than feature-oriented salesmen. Insurance choices depend on risk tolerance and time, and not passion. Recording notes in the presence of the client and recaching their priorities instills confidence due to its precision. Precision decreases indecisiveness. Deals are transacted when prospects feel empathized with, rather than being persuaded. The second compounding habit is follow through reliability. A clear follow up in less than 24 hours with a recap of what has been discussed, setting the next instigation and adhering to the mentioned timelines sets the significance of being a professional and not a talker. Confidence is lost within seconds in insurance on small misses. Maintaining promises reinstates it. Referral rates are altered more by tracking response times in minutes instead of days changes. This is why it is important as demonstrated by healthcare-related discussions at Davila Clinic. Customers and patients appreciate the transparency of the coverage information and expenses since unexpected changes have implications. When salespeople clearly explain the exclusions and also have the decisions recorded, future frictions and cancellations are minimized. The last tip will be the focus on pipeline hygiene. Small lists that are loosely managed are worse than fewer qualified prospects that are dealt with well. Always listening, following up and documentation converts initial wins into renewals and referrals. That beat creates a long-lasting book.
For new insurance salespeople, my advice is simple. You're going to be bad at first, and that's okay. The key is to figure out why. Ride along with a senior rep for a day and listen to their calls. After a call, just ask them what you could have done better. The faster you ditch what isn't working, the more clients will trust you as a person, not just a script.
Start with thorough research on every prospect so your outreach speaks directly to their business challenges. Tailor the message to what matters to them and keep your cool, because an early no often turns into a later yes when needs change. That blend of preparation and patience builds trust and keeps your pipeline moving.
Knowing how individuals make decisions is more successful in sales of insurance than memorizing the product. When new salespeople focus on ascertaining the reason why a prospect is purchasing at that time, they will gain traction at a greater pace. Policy details matter later. The initial priority is the risk trigger listening, i.e., listening to a life change, the expansion of a business, or a recent loss. Close rates have been increasing with PCS where new recruits slow down the conversation and reflect the concern of the client using plain language before talking about the coverage. The other realistic point is that it should be consistent rather than intense. Regular follow-ups, which have a manageable pipeline, are more effective than spurts of action and silence. Following the discussions, objections, and actions creates trust and forecast. When the clients are remembered and understood, trust is built. The sales ability builds up whereby habits remain in line and repeatable since the first month onwards.
New salespeople in insurance tend to rush toward persuasion without mastering the structure of what they are offering. That is backwards. At my practice, nothing moves forward until diagnostic accuracy is established down to the micrometer. If you are selling insurance and do not understand every single line item in your coverage terms (cost ceilings, exclusions, retroactive clauses), you are guessing. Clients notice. The ability to close depends less on charisma and more on your ability to be exact under pressure. To that end, I would recommend every new salesperson start with real-world hypotheticals and build policies backward. Make yourself justify why a $250 deductible matters more than a $150 monthly premium in a specific case, or how a claim limit of $100,000 breaks down across 3 separate events. Force the math. In surgical terms, this is the same as explaining to a patient highly technical aspects of medicine. It is technical, but the trust comes from clarity.
I'm a marketing manager in multifamily housing, not insurance--but I've negotiated dozens of vendor contracts and built partnerships worth millions, so I understand what makes sales relationships stick long-term. Stop pitching features and start showing ROI with real numbers. When I renegotiated our marketing vendor contracts, I didn't just talk about what we wanted--I brought historical performance data and specific metrics from past campaigns. That approach secured us cost reductions AND additional services like annual media refreshes. New salespeople should do the same: show prospects exactly how much money they'll save or make, with actual dollar figures. Follow up with performance updates after the sale. I implemented UTM tracking that improved our lead generation by 25%, but the real win was sharing those results monthly with stakeholders. One of our best vendor relationships exists because their rep sends us quarterly performance reports unprompted, showing exactly what our investment delivered. That's how you turn one sale into a decade-long partnership. Use data to solve problems people don't even know they have yet. We analyzed resident feedback through Livly and finded complaints about oven operation after move-ins. Created simple FAQ videos, reduced dissatisfaction by 30%. The best salespeople I've worked with identify issues in our operations before we do, then present solutions with measurable outcomes already mapped out.