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Snapshot: Insurance Sales Agents
Careervoyages.gov
Tasks
• Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries.
• Calculate premiums and establish payment method.
• Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
• Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance or specialized policies such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
• Interview prospective clients to obtain data about their financial resources and needs, the physical condition of the person or property to be insured, and to discuss any existing coverage.
• Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
• Explain features, advantages and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
Knowledge
• Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Sales and Marketing – Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics – Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Persuasion – Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Abilities
• Oral Expression – The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension – The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension – The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning – The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Speech Clarity – The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Interests
• Enterprising – Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Social – Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Styles
• Integrity – Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Dependability – Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Self Control – Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Initiative – Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Tools and Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
• Desktop computers – Desktop computers
• Digital cameras - Digital cameras
• Laser printers – Laser printers
• Notebook computers – Notebook computers
• Personal computers – Personal computers
Technology used in this occupation:
• Customer relationship management CRM software – Allied Financial Software Act4Advisors; Benefits Technology Group SalesLogix; CPU Tracker Software CPU Tracker; E-Z Data SmartOffice; Fiserv FSC Manager
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software – AMS Services AMS 360; Advantage Information Systems The Agency Advantage; Agency Master; Agency Software AgencyPro; Agency management software
• Financial analysis software – Cygnus Software IncomeMax; Insurance analysis software; Insurance rating software; Underwriting software
• Spreadsheet software – Microsoft Excel; Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software – Microsoft Word; Word processing software
Also on SalesHQ:
• Salary & Commission Guide for Sales Careers
• Get The Degree You Need for Insurance Sales
• Search Our Scholarships and Pay for School.
