How much do insurance agents make?
Insurance careers offer excellent opportunities for job seekers seeking a lucrative, flexible, and ever-changing career path. To make the most of your job search in this competitive industry, it’s important to have thorough knowledge of each sector’s unique benefits and requirements.
In this article, we’ll cover salary statistics for property and casualty insurance agents, professionals in life and health insurance roles, and highlight the top companies for building rewarding insurance careers in each specialized field. You’ll learn the basics of the most common forms of insurance and how much insurance agents make in each field.
Property insurance
Property insurance protects against the loss of physical assets, including cars, homes, jewelry, electronics, and other valuable items. It covers losses and damages caused by theft, vandalism, natural disasters, and other similar events. Examples of property insurance include homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, and commercial property insurance.
Salary
As of June 2025, the average annual salary for property insurance agents was $75,643, according to data from ZipRecruiter. This can vary depending on your location, with California generally paying property insurance agents the most. Top earners can expect an annual salary of around $103,000, with the 75th percentile earning $91,000 per year. Overall, the compensation of insurance agents is influenced by their area of expertise and the location where they practice.
The biggest property insurance companies
The top property and casualty insurance companies in the U.S. include State Farm, Berkshire Hathaway, and Progressive. These industry leaders are recognized as some of the top property and casualty insurance companies in the nation, with their property insurance divisions ranking among the largest in the country. While these major insurers offer a range of services, their commercial and residential property branches contribute significantly to their reputation and overall size in the insurance sector. Top property and casualty insurance companies implement a commission structure for their agents, which includes a base salary, typically around $45,000, supplemented by commissions that depend on the volume of policies sold.
Casualty insurance
Casualty insurance is a broad category within the insurance property and casualty jobs sector, offering protection to individuals and businesses against legal liability. This essential form of liability insurance protects policyholders in situations where they may be held financially liable for accidents, injuries, or damages. As alluded to above, casualty insurance is often paired with property insurance as a single plan (property and casualty or P&C). Insurance property and casualty jobs frequently involve managing policies such as car insurance, workers’ compensation, and product liability insurance, all of which fall under the umbrella of casualty insurance.
Salary
As of June 2025, the average salary for a casualty insurance agent was $82,072 per year, according to Glassdoor. Again, this varies depending on your location, with the pay being higher in states with a high cost of living. The median annual salary is approximately $123,000, with top earners earning around $160,000 per year.
The biggest casualty insurance companies
Once again, State Farm, Berkshire Hathaway, and Progressive are at the top of the list. Berkshire Hathaway’s ownership of Geico emphasizes its substantial presence in the P&C sector as well as other insurance markets. These industry leaders consistently dominate the market, providing extensive policy offerings and demonstrating strong financial performance. Allstate, well-known for its auto insurance products, is also recognized as a top company for property and casualty insurance. Many P&C firms, such as State Farm, also have significant stakes in the life and health insurance markets.
Life insurance
Life insurance is structured as a contract in which the policyholder pays a premium to the insurance company to fund future payments. When the policyholder dies, the money is paid to the policy’s beneficiaries. The money is generally allocated towards funeral expenses, debts, lost income, and other related costs.
Salary
According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for a life insurance agent as of June 2025 was $88,968. Top earners earned $139,000 per year, while the 75th percentile reported an annual income of $122,000.
The biggest life insurance companies
Northwestern Mutual, New York Life, and MassMutual are the top life and health insurance companies in terms of market share. These leading organizations dominate the life insurance sector, serving distinct customer needs in this specialized field.
Health insurance
Individuals pay health insurance premiums to an insurance company in exchange for protection against the costs of healthcare services, such as doctor’s visits, emergency room visits, prescription medications, and so on.
Salary
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for a health insurance agent was $85,888 per year as of June 2025. Top earners made $132,500 annually, while the 75th percentile made around $100,000 per year. Again, salaries will vary based on local costs of living.
The biggest health insurance companies
The largest life and health insurance companies by market share are UnitedHealth Group, Elevance Health, and Centene Corporation. UnitedHealth Group is the parent organization of UnitedHealthcare and offers a wide range of health and life insurance products. Elevance Health, formerly known as Anthem, ranks among the top health insurance companies in the U.S. These companies offer a range of services, including individual and group health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid plans, as well as specialty health benefits.
Conclusion
Pursuing a career in the insurance industry can offer a financially rewarding experience, especially when you explore various insurance careers. Before beginning your journey, it’s recommended that you familiarize yourself with the different opportunities available and consider which roles align with your skills and goals. With this article as a starting point, you’re on the right track to gaining valuable insights into the insurance agent career path and the wide range of insurance jobs. Your research and due diligence now will have a big impact on navigating your future career in insurance.
