Getting Started

While deciding what kind of insurance agent you want to be, it is important to understand the basic requirements:

• You need to be at least 18 years old to become an insurance agent.
• You need to complete prelicensing education for your line of authority, which is determined by each state. The number of hours you’ll have to complete and the cost also varies by state.
• You need to pass the state insurance licensing exam for your line or lines of authority.
• You need to pass a background check. The process varies by state and, in some cases, includes fingerprinting.
• You need continuing education to keep or renew your license.

At Grapevine Insurance Group, we advise individuals interested in becoming insurance agents to decide which type of insurance they would like to specialize in, which are referred to as “lines of authority.” These include life insurance, health insurance, property insurance, casualty insurance, variable products insurance, and personal lines insurance.

• Life Insurance: Selling policies and annuities related to providing for a beneficiary upon the death of the insured.
• Health insurance: Selling medical, disability, Medicare supplement, and long-term care policies.
• Property insurance: Selling homeowner, commercial property, and inland marine policies.
• Casualty insurance: Selling auto, workers compensation, crime coverage, and professional liability policies.
• Variable products insurance: Selling insurance products with an investment element. To sell this kind of insurance, you need certain securities licenses.
• Personal lines insurance: Selling products like auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, and policies for boats, motorcycles, and snowmobiles to individual consumers only.

It is also possible to combine certain lines of authority, such as property and casualty insurance. Another option is to become an adjuster, which involves investigating and adjusting claims on an insurance policy. 

At Grapevine Insurance Group, we recommend that aspiring insurance agents first determine which type of license they need to obtain based on the type(s) of insurance they plan to sell. Different licenses are required for different types of insurance.

Some agents may need to obtain multiple licenses to achieve their goals. Once an agent has determined the necessary license, they must take an exam, which can often be supplemented with online or in-person classes. With an average of 35-40 hours of studying, most people can pass the exam with a minimum score of 70%. You got this!

Steps to getting registered:
1. Go to: www.xecelsolutions.com
2. Select: Enroll Now
3. Select: Insurance Pre-licensing
4. Select State: (Your state) Insurance
5. Select a Course Bundle: Consult Your Grapevine Team
6. Select: Proceed to Cart
7: Apply Code: UBI39
8. Final Price: $39.99

Note: You need to take individual exams for each line of authority you want to be licensed in. With dedication and preparation, obtaining an insurance license is an achievable goal.

Your next step after thorough research is getting appointed. You need to be appointed by an insurance company in order to sell their products. This means completing an application and being granted the authority to sell by the company. This step is as important as obtaining a license.

Furthermore, you need to protect your business with insurance. Just as you “need money to make money,” as the old saying goes, you also need to be insured in order to sell insurance.

Errors and omissions: Also called E&O insurance, almost all insurance companies require this type of coverage. It protects your clients from human errors and accidents. Common examples of this include typos and accidental deletions.

There are tons of different ways to generate leads as an agent. Having strong digital visibility is one of the most cost-efficient ways to do the job. Making a website and also being active on various social media platforms can help you immensely.

According to Investopedia, LinkedIn is particularly efficient for this purpose. A robust and active profile on LinkedIn can make a difference in the quantity and quality of clients that you attract. Facebook and Instagram are also great places to form new connections, especially within your local community.

Signing up for online directories also helps increase your online visibility as an agent. We have a quick and free directory that you can add your listing to today, if you’re interested.