Insurance Agent job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

13

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$62,280

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Insurance Sales Agents (O*NET-SOC 41-3021.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks. importance 4.4 of 5
2. Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans. importance 4.2 of 5
3. Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals. importance 4.2 of 5
4. Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients. importance 4.1 of 5
5. Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries. importance 4.1 of 5
6. Confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy. importance 4.1 of 5
7. 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. importance 4.1 of 5
8. Contact underwriter and submit forms to obtain binder coverage. importance 4.0 of 5
9. Select company that offers type of coverage requested by client to underwrite policy. importance 4.0 of 5
10. Ensure that policy requirements are fulfilled, including any necessary medical examinations and the completion of appropriate forms. importance 4.0 of 5
11. Develop marketing strategies to compete with other individuals or companies who sell insurance. importance 3.9 of 5
12. Calculate premiums and establish payment method. importance 3.9 of 5
13. Attend meetings, seminars, and programs to learn about new products and services, learn new skills, and receive technical assistance in developing new accounts. importance 3.6 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Getting Information, Selling or Influencing Others, Working with Computers and Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Monitor insurance claims to ensure they are settled equitably for both the client and the insurer.
• Plan and oversee incorporation of insurance program into bookkeeping system of company.
• Inspect property, examining its general condition, type of construction, age, and other characteristics, to decide if it is a good insurance risk.
• Install bookkeeping systems and resolve system problems.
• Explain necessary bookkeeping requirements for customer to implement and provide group insurance program.

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, English Language, Mathematics and Law and Government.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Adobe After Effects, Facebook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become an insurance agent.

Job title: Insurance Agent
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Insurance Agent to sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
- Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
- Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
- Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
- Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries.
- Confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy.
- 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.
- Contact underwriter and submit forms to obtain binder coverage.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in reading comprehension, active listening and speaking
- Working knowledge of Customer and Personal Service and Sales and Marketing
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Office software or Microsoft Outlook]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $62,280 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $29.94. BLS estimates about 479,100 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of insurance agents to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 43,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full insurance agent salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real insurance agent posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only insurance agent work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (reading comprehension and active listening); insurance agent interview questions turns them into practice questions.