During the coronavirus pandemic, the number of people working from home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, tripled to 17.9%. Despite many people returning to their previous offices and workplaces, others discovered that working from home provided many benefits. As an insurance agent, selling insurance from home allows you to sell the policies your customers need while retaining the benefits and independence working from home gives you. But how can you work from home selling life insurance? Can you sell auto insurance from home? Here we take a closer look at selling life insurance from home and what it means for you.
What kind of insurance can you sell from home?
When it comes to the type of insurance you can sell from home, there is really no difference between working from home and working through an agency. In order to sell insurance from home, you will need the same license you would need to sell insurance through an agency. Common categories for agents working from home can include:
- Business Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Health insurance
- Auto insurance
- Homeowners/Renters Insurance
- Life insurance
- Annuities
What you need to be successful from home
If you are considering selling insurance from home, there are a few things to consider. Do you have what it takes to be an independent agent working from home? What will you need to sell insurance from home? What are your expectations?
Skill set
While the only qualification to sell insurance from home is a state-issued insurance license, working independently requires certain skill sets in order to be successful. As an independent agent working from home, you need to be comfortable with all aspects of the insurance industry, including inbound sales, outbound leads, upselling, and rejection. Experience with sales, in general, will give you an advantage as you begin your new business.
Equipment and tools
While the insurance industry is becoming more and more digital technology-based, your initial investment for a home business does not need to be large. In fact, most insurance agents start out with a dedicated phone line, a new computer, and a strong internet connection. Being digitally-based, it is often recommended that you invest in a dual monitor computer setup in order to better serve your clients. In addition, you should consider investing in cloud storage, videoconferencing apps, to-do apps, and a quality insurance CRM platform.
Expectations
While working from home does offer independence and the ability to work full or part-time, you must keep in mind that your clients will expect you to be available during standard business hours in order to deal with sales, questions, or complaints. However, with digital technology and a quality CRM system, you can manage and automate many aspects of your business while still reducing your physical working hours.
The do’s and don’ts of selling insurance from home
When starting an at-home insurance business, there are some key do’s and don’ts when it comes to being successful. Here we take a closer look at other things to consider when starting out from home.
Do’s
- Organization is essential: Keeping everything from your schedule to your contacts organized and regulation-compliant is essential when working from home as an insurance agent. A quality customer relationship management (CRM) platform will keep your information organized.
- Simplify: Working from home allows you to make your own hours, however, you still must be available during business hours. CRM software allows you to automate many aspects of your business, allowing your availability with fewer physical hours worked.
- A strong online presence: In today’s technology-based world, you must create a strong online presence, both through a website and via social media. These online platforms will help generate leads, allow you to share vital information, and provide a method of communication with your clients.
- Create partnerships: As an independent agent working from home, it is important to create unique marketing opportunities and get your name out into your community. Creating partnerships with complimentary businesses is a great way to do this. For example, if you sell health insurance, partnering with a local medical center provides you the opportunity to host events together with the medical center.
- Establish a dedicated workspace: Maintaining a work-life balance can often become difficult when working from home. Creating a dedicated workspace, or office, allows you to maintain a regular work routine while still allowing you to “leave work” at the end of the day and maintain a home life.
Don’ts
- Avoid isolation: Working from home can often lead to isolation which can be detrimental to your success. Take the time to get involved with industry events, networking groups, and other professional organizations.
- Becoming too comfortable: When working from home, it is very easy to become comfortable and let professionalism slide, leading potential clients to question your abilities. When working from home, it is important to maintain professionalism when communicating with leads and clients.
- Don’t just wing it: If you want to find success as an insurance agent working from home, it is essential to establish a system that allows you to track your progress and measure productivity to ensure you are meeting your business goals.
Become a successful insurance agent from home
Working as an insurance agent from home is a great way to create personal independence and, with the right tools in place, create a successful business that allows you to create your own hours. However, it is important to create a work-life balance and maintain professionalism to succeed. Putting the right tools in place, such as a quality CRM & AMS, will help you achieve that balance through organization and automation while it also helps to reduce the number of actual work hours you have.
At Better Agency, our insurance software tools are made with the independent agent in mind. Created by former insurance agents, our CRM/AMS platform offers all the tools you need for business success. To learn more about how Better Agency can help you establish your home insurance agency, schedule a Discovery Call today.
