How to get first job selling p&c insurance?

[Arch]

I am a 27-year-old with 2 years of telemarketing & phone sales experience, looking to pursue a career selling p&c insurance.

I am unlicensed and live on one of the lower population islands in Hawaii (roughly 70,00+ population). There are about 10 insurance companies on the island, and I've applied to 2 of them so far with no luck (they were the only 2 companies with public online job listings).

I just purchased a pre-licensing course with the hopes of getting licensed on my own to make myself more of an attractive candidate. And once getting licensed, I plan on cold emailing the local companies with the intention of meeting in person.

Is this a good plan? How would you go about getting hired given the circumstance of living on a small island in Hawaii and no insurance experience?

I'm also considering applying for remote work once getting licensed (and if I am unable to get hired). But, I am a bit reluctant to pursue any remote positions because I have no prior insurance industry experience and also because of the time zone difference.

Would working remote be a viable option for someone with no p&c insurance experience? If so, what would be the best way to go about finding a remote entry level p&c insurance sales position?

TL;DR What would you recommend to someone with no insurance experience, in regards to getting hired in a small town? And would you recommend working remotely to someone with no insurance experience?

 

[adjusterjack]

My first piece of advice is don't give up your day job.

I just purchased a pre-licensing course with the hopes of getting licensed on my own to make myself more of an attractive candidate.

That's a good first step. Passing the licensing exam means you have at least some knowledge of what you are going to sell.

And once getting licensed, I plan on cold emailing the local companies with the intention of meeting in person.

I wouldn't email. Exhibits a lack of initiative. Find out who the main man/woman is at the agency and either call him/her up or walk in the door and make your pitch. I'd be more impressed with a personal contact rather than having you fall into my spam folder, which is where you are almost guaranteed to end up.

If you can't walk into an insurance agency and chat up the boss, you're not going to have much success chatting up the insurance consumer.

I'm also considering applying for remote work once getting licensed

Forget it. If you get the job at all it will be under the employer's terms which would more than likely involve you reporting to the office every day 9-5 and being supervised while you learn the ropes.

Bring in $100,000 in commission income a year (about $500,000 to $750,000 premium - maybe 1000 policies) to the agency and your cut will be maybe $30,000 or $40,000 a year. Do that consistently for a few years and you might be allowed to work remote, or not. No guarantees.

Anybody here (including me) will tell you that becoming a P&C agent takes years of hard work to become established to the point where you can make a living.

 

[Arch]

Thank you for your insights. It is greatly appreciated.

If you can't walk into an insurance agency and chat up the boss, you're not going to have much success chatting up the insurance consumer.

Can you elaborate on the kind of qualities an agency owner would need to see in order to hire someone with no experience in the insurance industry?

Anybody here (including me) will tell you that becoming a P&C agent takes years of hard work to become established to the point where you can make a living.

What would the consistent daily actions of achieving $100,000 in commission look like?

 

[adjusterjack]

Can you elaborate on the kind of qualities an agency owner would need to see in order to hire someone with no experience in the insurance industry?

I don't know. How did you get your telemarketing job before you had experience?

What would the consistent daily actions of achieving $100,000 in commission look like?

You'll probably be on the phone all day just like your telemarketing job. The active agents on this forum may have more to say about that.

 

[Al3x Lee]

I am unlicensed and live on one of the lower population islands in Hawaii (roughly 70,00+ population). There are about 10 insurance companies on the island, and I've applied to 2 of them so far with no luck (they were the only 2 companies with public online job listings).

Would working remote be a viable option for someone with no p&c insurance experience? If so, what would be the best way to go about finding a remote entry level p&c insurance sales position?

I presume you mean insurance agencies or are you working directly for a carrier? I can tell you that with that many companies or agencies, your local market is completely oversaturated. Your best bet is absolutely to work a remote position. You may want to see if you can get a CSR or assistant account manager position. That would give you a salary and you can learn a lot while you do it. You're also more likely to get a remote entry-level position doing that. You can then leverage that experience to move into a producer position later on.

Be aware that your remote position may require you to pay for licenses in other states if you're also selling to the main land US.

What P&C products are you planning on selling?