Breaking into insurance: Your first 90 days as a licensed agent

Your first 90 days as an insurance agent involve developing deep product knowledge, reaching out to new clients, and refining your strategy. Even though you’re just getting started, these first three months are some of the most pivotal in your career. Done right, they set the foundation for long-term success as you build your book of business and establish lasting relationships with clients. Done poorly, they can set you back for much longer. With dedication, a drive to support clients, and a fresh insurance license in your pocket, you can forge a strong path as you begin in the industry.

The first step: Getting a job in insurance

There are two options for newly licensed agents: becoming a captive or independent agent.

A captive agent works directly with an insurance company (think Allstate, Farmers, Geico, or a smaller, regional firm) to sell firm-specific products. Captive agents can work in life, health, property, personal lines, or any number of insurance lines, with many agents holding licenses in several areas to diversify their product availability.

An independent agent is not employed directly by a firm and instead enters into contracts and agreements with several companies to sell a variety of products. They can offer a wider selection of policies by not being tied to a single company’s product lines, and they are paid entirely on commission rather than by a salary. However, this path also requires considerable effort and entrepreneurial skill, as you won’t have the support of a large company behind you. Many agents begin with large firms to gain experience and later transition to an independent model to be their own boss.

For agents new to the field, it’s highly recommended that you begin as a captive agent, develop your skills, and take advantage of training and career-building opportunities your firm provides. Getting a job is a fairly standard process and often requires:

• Job searching for relevant roles
• Polishing resumes and other materials
• Networking and setting up informational interviews with people in the business
• Landing and acing interviews

Having an internship in finance or insurance can give you a leg up, especially for highly competitive roles. The benefit of entering the field as an independent agent is that you can basically get started right away, setting up appointments (legal agreements to sell products) with carriers. However, the start may be slower as you build your product portfolio and develop your client list. For either role, you need to be fully licensed to legally sell insurance plans in your state.

How to get your insurance license

Starting your journey to become an insurance agent may take time, but the process is straightforward. Here are the essential steps:

1. Check your state’s licensing requirements: Typically, you must be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, and complete a pre-licensing course, usually 20 to 40 hours, which can be taken online or in person, to qualify for the insurance license exam.
2. Choose your line of authority: Determine the type of insurance you want to sell, and direct your study efforts toward preparing for that particular insurance license exam.
3. Pass the licensing exam: Each state administers its own insurance licensing exam. A strong study plan increases your chances, as roughly 60% of applicants pass on their first try.
4. Apply for your state license by submitting your exam results, fingerprints, and licensing fee. Generally, it takes a few weeks for your application to be approved and for you to become an insurance agent.
5. Start your insurance career: Join a captive agency or launch your independent practice. If you’re going solo, save enough to cover 6-12 months of living expenses, and keep in mind any additional costs of opening your own business.
6. Maintain your license: Keep up with renewal and continuing education requirements in your state.

Regarding education requirements, a high school diploma or equivalent is commonly required for entry-level insurance roles. A four-year college degree is not always necessary, though it can help open the door to certain specialized, management, and higher-level positions down the line.

College-level coursework in insurance, business, finance, or accounting can also provide useful grounding, but many insurance professionals build the skills they need through licensing education, employer training, and on-the-job experience.

Following these steps will prepare you thoroughly for the insurance license exam and clarify the process of becoming an insurance agent.

What’s the best insurance license to start with?

Choosing between insurance licenses depends on your target market and income goals. Property and casualty insurance has significant potential and stability, since most people need it for something they own or rent, such as a car or a home. However, life and health insurance generally provides higher commissions per policy and more substantial renewal income.

Remember that you can always pursue more licenses down the road, and that honing a specialty within a line, like auto insurance or Medicare, is as valuable as the choice of line.

Insurance agent salary insights

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), direct health and medical insurance producers earned a median annual salary of $73,440 in 2025. Agents who worked at non-life, health, or medical carriers made a median of $63,810, while those working at insurance agencies and brokerages made around $61,550. For comparison, the median salary for all insurance sales agents is around $62,300 per year, as reported by the BLS.

Keep in mind that these figures account for commission and bonuses and are calculated using data from both new and experienced agents. Agents can expect their income to increase over time, with the top 10% earning more than $138,000 annually.

How to prepare for your first day

Let’s say you just got an offer at your dream firm, or you’re ready to start a business. First off, congratulations! Secondly, the work begins as soon as you sign your offer letter or make your first call.

If you’re working at a company, make sure you get all the onboarding logistics and paperwork for new hires out of the way so you can quickly focus on your professional responsibilities. Then, review your company’s specific products, services, and policies, and discuss any questions you might have with your supervisor ahead of time. Similarly, those beginning independent insurance practices should review any state-specific requirements for operating as a producer, especially if you decide to start your own agency. Make sure you have a quiet place you can regularly take phone/video calls and meet with clients face-to-face, such as a clean, professional home office.

It’s also important to be mentally ready for what’s ahead. Many new agents earn little to no commission in their first month, so you should expect your pay to be closer to your base salary if you're captive (if you’re independent, be prepared for a slower first month). Second, expect a 5-15% close rate as a beginner on quoted prospects. You very likely won’t make all of your sales the first time, and that’s okay: you’re focusing on building relationships and sharpening skills, and every meeting you hold or follow-up you send is building toward your book of business. The hard, foundational work begins now, and it will reap rewards later.

Month #1: Setting the foundation

The first 30 days are all about laying the groundwork: think about what “future you” in four to six months will need when you’re having regular conversations and making sales. Take this time to learn, stay organized, and maintain a steady pace as you make progress.

Here are the goals you should try to accomplish:

• Set up your customer relationship management (CRM) system (HubSpot, Salesforce, AgencyBloc, etc.)
• Know rate sheets, the “skeleton keys” that tell you how much premiums and other fees cost based on factors like age, health, and lifestyle, like the back of your hand
• Begin pursuing leads from your company’s client list, or build a “warm” contact list of at least 200 people if starting independently
• Write your elevator sales pitch and rehearse it regularly
• Schedule your first conversations with prospects
• Send follow-ups and keep in constant communication with clients
• Shadow experienced agents at client meetings
• Attend trainings and gain real-world guidance
• Get acquainted with new tools that help speed up routine insurance tasks, like AI CRM features or generative writing support for client communications
• Build confidence by regularly calling and speaking to clients: even if it’s a “no,” you’re still gaining valuable experience through one-on-one interactions

Your day-to-day will involve product study, carrier training, outreach, CRM data entry and organization, and prospecting research through referrals, LinkedIn, or other client sources. Save at least a few hours a week for personal debriefs on your calls and continuing to practice your scripts: insurance sales and communication are skills built over time, not learned overnight.

Don’t overlook the importance of data entry in tracking leads: staying organized now pays dividends later. Enter warm leads (people you know personally), referrals, cold prospects, those who’ve received quotes or proposals, and active clients (clients who’ve closed) in separate categories. Keep dates and pipelines accurate and up to date.

Now is also the time to decide which areas you want to specialize in. Depending on your line, you’ll want to build a working knowledge of:

• Deductible structures, endorsements, liability limits, bundling discounts, and coverage options for property, casualty, home, and auto insurance
• Term, whole, and universal life insurance, needs-analysis basics, underwriting basics, and claims processes
• Large group and individual policies, ACA plans, supplemental coverage, Medicare basics for older clients, and coverage limitations for health insurance
• General liability, BOP policies, workers’ compensation fundamentals, and other available protections for various businesses in commercial lines

Gauge your success: By the end of the first 30 days, aim for over 200 contacts in your CRM, 5-10 outreach conversations per day, 10-20 appointments scheduled and held, and completed training for your specific products and carrier portals.

This is the time to get comfortable speaking with clients and developing your unique sales pitch and style, which are very important in the world of insurance.

Month #2: Building your client base

With the ball rolling, days 30 to 60 are when momentum really builds. As your volume increases, remember to maintain your follow-ups, keep your CRM updated, and lean on the advice of experienced agents to stay afloat:

• Aim for 50+ prospect conversations
• Quote at least a quarter of all new prospects
• Close your first policies, and politely ask for referrals
• Attend networking events in your area, especially those focused on your specialty
• Start building your online presence on LinkedIn or other social media sites
• If you’re independent, begin drafting a low-budget marketing plan (social media, website, flyers, etc.)

This will likely be the time when you make your first major sale. Closing a policy is a huge accomplishment, but it also requires some follow-up:

• Thoroughly document what happened and review your notes. Consider any issues or objections that came up and how you handled them, as well as what you can learn for next time.
• Set up a follow-up in 30 days to check whether they’ve received policy documents or have any questions.
• Always ask for a referral. You’ve earned their trust, and referrals close at much higher rates than cold calling.

Your daily activities should include (listed in order of importance and time): prospecting, client appointments, follow-ups, networking, product study, and CRM maintenance. Remember that prospecting must be a daily practice. A day that feels like you’re hitting a wall means you’re clearing your client list and making space for new leads.

Start with people you know first (family friends, former colleagues, etc.), then move on to referral requests, and finally to cold outreach. Committing to a minimum number of outreach attempts every day (between five and 10) will help you stay accountable and manage your time. Don’t forget to tap into your local community (chamber of commerce, Business Network International, or BNI group, insurance meet-ups, etc.) and your digital network by regularly connecting with other professionals and posting helpful updates.

Month #3: Scaling up

At this point, you’ll have a reliable CRM pipeline, sales practices built up, and a growing client list. You’ll have a better sense of what’s worked and what hasn’t in your client meetings, especially after landing your first sales. This third month is all about continuing the momentum that will carry you into your first six months and eventually your first year on the job.

Here’s what you can expect in days 60 to 90:

• Establishing a repeatable and sustainable weekly schedule
• Generating even more leads from referrals
• Closing more policies (aim for a total book of 15 to 25)
• Identifying profitable product lines and pursuing those

You’re still early in your career, but you’ve begun establishing strong relationships, product expertise, and solid habits. This is when you can begin considering new lines of authority or additional licenses, such as the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation, though you’ll need to factor in the time required for additional training and exams.

Your daily activities will be more refined versions of month two: prospecting, client appointments, quoting and closing, follow-ups and referral requests, and client service and policy reviews. Around now is when you should also be investing time in professional development, such as reviewing continuing education requirements (typically completed every two years for license renewal, though the exact rule varies by state and license type), which can add valuable skills to your toolbelt.

Independent agents will want to become more aggressive in their marketing and content-creation efforts to advertise their services and demonstrate their positive track record.

You’ll also have more information on what products are in demand and where your sales have been most successful. Especially for independent agents, a clear marketing target makes prospecting and marketing more effective. Many agents build up specific niches, such as selling policies to young professionals looking for new homes, to companies purchasing health insurance plans, or to families planning for their financial futures.

If you’re working at a company, you may find that certain members of your client base (retirees, members of certain industries, etc.) have become regular customers, and you can try building a specialty that way.

At this time, you should also be approaching referrals systematically. Referral asks may seem uncomfortable at first, but they’re a key part of growing your business. Make sure you’re asking for referrals at regular intervals (on the day of close, at 30-day check-ins, and at quarterly and annual policy and renewal reviews), not just once during the process.

General career tips

Once you’re in, here are additional ways to get the most out of being an insurance agent:

• Begin locally: If you’re training as an insurance agent, start by selling policies to friends, family, or neighbors to build your skills and gain experience.
• Build connections: Successful insurance agents thrive through networking. Engage with other insurance professionals online or attend local meetings to gain insider tips and boost your leads as you progress.
• Utilize tools like insurance websites and social media marketing to broaden your reach while developing your insurance agent career.
• Advance into commercial lines: After gaining confidence in handling personal policies, think about shifting to commercial insurance. This step marks an important milestone in your journey to becoming an insurance agent with a broader skill set, as it involves serving businesses and handling larger policies and higher commissions.

Start with personal-line training and, if necessary, add the licenses required for commercial coverage, which is a logical next step for expanding your insurance business. The good news is that many states do not have separate or dedicated commercial licenses, so your existing property and casualty, life and health, or other license will be all you need to expand your coverage options. Training, therefore, comes from on-the-job experiences or specific continuing education courses. For the best results, try specializing in a specific area before branching out.

The most common mistakes new agents make

Many agents hit the ground running but quickly stall or burn out. For professionals in their first three years, turnover in the insurance industry is high due to stress from lead generation, commission pressures, and other challenges. Developing a plan that leverages your successes and provides support during tough times is key to career longevity. Recognizing and avoiding pitfalls that many agents encounter will prevent further setbacks.

Here are common mistakes to watch out for in your first 90 days:

• Not dedicating time to product study: Reading through policy documents can be dry at times, but it’s absolutely necessary to answer coverage questions and build credibility.
• Prioritizing quantity over quality: Cold outreach is part of the job, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you do. Genuine conversations with warm leads or referrals matter more than volume.
• Not following up: You can have lots of great calls, but leads and sales get lost if you don’t follow up regularly. A “maybe” can become a “yes” with the right approach. Always follow up within 24-48 hours, then throughout the next two weeks.
• Not taking advantage of all communication channels: Email and social media have made it easier than ever to send quick messages to prospects, but nothing replaces the impact of phone calls and face-to-face meetings.
• Ignoring existing clients: Your closed clients are the bread and butter of your business, so service them well and keep track of policy updates.
• Failing to update the CRM: Not keeping your CRM active hurts your ability to move clients through the pipeline and will cause huge headaches later. Get comfortable with your system and implement automations to speed up the process.
• Comparing performance with longtime agents: Insurance producers with years of experience will have a totally different client list and workflow. Instead of comparing yourself, see what they do well and learn from them.
• Overworking: Insurance, especially at the start, takes a lot of work. You can expect to put in a 50- to 60-hour workweek while balancing new responsibilities. It’s imperative that you give yourself breaks, prioritize sleep, and manage stress.

Think of the time and effort you’re putting in now as paying into your future: after a few years or even sooner, successful agents can enjoy consistent business and more regular hours. While the role will always consist of hosting many client meetings, cold-calling, and keeping your policy expertise fresh, having a plan is what sets thriving agents apart.

Keep your expectations reasonable, but set high standards for yourself as you enter this competitive but dynamic field.

Key takeaways: Your career starts now

In a fast-paced and high-potential field like insurance, establishing a solid foundation early on can greatly boost your confidence and help you build a long-lasting career. By setting ambitious yet achievable goals for client outreach and closings, you can make strides in the field while learning from your mistakes. Keeping detailed documentation and regularly checking in will allow you to better assess your performance and maintain your pipeline.

Your first 90 days as a captive or independent insurance producer set the stage for your future quarterly, semi-annual, and annual plans, as you’ll have a better sense of what you’ve accomplished and where you can improve. Remember to stay organized and focused, and act in the best interests of your clients and their needs to build retention. Don’t view the first 90 days solely as training and orientation; prepare yourself for a long, sustainable trajectory by filling them with meaningful, base-building work. In the process, you’ll be helping your clients protect what means most to them and secure their financial futures.