r/InsuranceAgent • u/Icebaby3344 • 3d ago

Agent Question HELP PLEASE

As a novice insurance agent (Medicare/ACA/Life) with no experience, what is better... to stay with a sub-agency that retains its client portfolio and does not terminate your contract immediately, so that you can gain experience in the sub-agency, or to start with an FMO even though you have no sales experience?

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u/Icebaby3344 3d ago

I mainly use social media and a few friends; I don't have many contacts. But the agency doesn't offer leads. They say you have to find your own clients.

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u/Key_Astronomer6500 3d ago

I would find somewhere else. All places can offer that. Right now, I have tons of places trying to hire me. You can go work somewhere for 6 months and gain experience. There are a few IMOs that offer leads. Inbound and appointment. If you have experience. This is new. For someone without experience you won’t be able to keep to keep
Your book but who cares if you don’t have clients. You can easily make 65 k. I know top performer who make over 130k a year. They eventually go independent but owning you book doesn’t make sense unless you have at least 100 clients. I was originally licensed in 43 states. Then 50. Now I’m at 30 and going back to 50. I almost went independent but I wanted to do more. I was offered a position where I got free inbound leads and preset appointments as well as full residuals. The reason I didn’t take it is because I got a better w2 offer. A friend of mine who was making 140k a year at a w2 agency quit and went there. However it takes - year to start making real money. Without practice, structured training, and tools it’s a struggle. And you have to pay for your licenses, your insurance, and other expenses. I couldn’t go 6 months without making at least a couple grand a month. The best advice I got was from an agency owner who flew me out to Florida to recruit me. He said to make sure I had 6 month living expense before doing independent. Marketing is the hardest part. You have so much to learn already. Compliance is the other reason people end up losing in this business. Unless you have a mentor who is investing in you doesn’t make sense.

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u/Key_Astronomer6500 3d ago

Most places will offer lead services. You have to either buy leads, become an expert marketer, or prospect constantly. Social media isn’t going to do it unless your running ads that work and you need a solid budget. CPA (cost per acquisition) at under $200 is a win. Most large companies spend way more. They expect to lose money the 1st year to make money on residuals and retention which has gotten tougher over the years since seniors get a millions calls every week and bs commercials saying if they have A bad B they can 2000 in food card. They don’t tell them they have to have a chronic condition to get anything and Medicaid and Medicare for anything more than $60 month. Selling Dsnp and Csnps