Insurance agent job description template: captive or independent, lines of authority, pay and the license
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"Insurance agent: sell insurance products and build client relationships" could be a captive agent selling one carrier's auto and home policies from a storefront, a commercial lines producer at an independent agency writing contractors and restaurants, a licensed inside sales representative answering quote requests, a life and health agent meeting families at their kitchen tables, or an account manager servicing a book of renewals. The license, the pay structure and the overtime status can differ across those seats. A useful insurance agent job description says whether the agency is captive or independent, which lines of authority the job needs, whether the employer sponsors licensing, how leads come in, whether the seat is new business or servicing, and how pay works. Below are the seat types, the licensing and classification lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the first call, use the insurance agent screening questions.
Name the seat first
| Seat | What the work looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Captive agent or agency staff (one carrier) | Quotes and sales of one company's products, cross-selling, walk-ins and inbound leads, service | Comfortable selling one company's products and following its sales process |
| Commercial lines producer (independent agency) | Prospecting businesses, gathering exposures, marketing to several carriers, renewals and coverage reviews | Has written commercial accounts and can explain a coverage gap to a business owner |
| Personal lines inside sales agent | Phone and online quote requests, comparing carriers, binding policies, high volume | Licensed or ready to license quickly; can run a disciplined quoting process |
| Life and health agent | Needs analysis, appointments with households or employers, applications and underwriting follow-up | Has sold life or health products and handled a declined or rated application |
| Licensed account manager or customer service representative | Servicing an existing book: endorsements, renewals, certificates, claims questions | Licensed for the lines serviced; accurate under volume |
Then settle the facts: captive or independent, lines of authority, new business or servicing, lead sources, carriers represented, states where clients live, the agency management system, the pay model, and who the agent reports to. BLS notes that captive agents work exclusively for one company while independent agents sell policies from several insurers (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026).
Licensing, background and classification lines, with sources
Not legal advice. The points below were checked against the NAIC, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, federal law and Department of Labor fact sheets as of October 2026. Producer licensing is set by each state's insurance department; confirm the rules for your states and lines.
Producer license. The NAIC says people who wish to sell, solicit or negotiate insurance in the United States must be licensed as a producer, and that state insurance regulators license producers and set continuing education rules (NAIC producer licensing). Its model act says a person shall not sell, solicit or negotiate insurance for any class of insurance unless licensed for that line of authority, lists lines including life, accident and health or sickness, property, casualty, variable life and variable annuity, and personal lines, and makes insurer appointment an optional provision (NAIC Producer Licensing Model Act). BLS adds that agents must be licensed in the states where they work and need separate licenses for life and health and for property and casualty (BLS profile above). Name the lines, say whether nonresident licenses will be needed, and say whether you sponsor prelicensing and exam costs.
Criminal history. Federal law bars a person convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust from willfully engaging in the business of insurance affecting interstate commerce without the written consent of an insurance regulatory official (18 U.S.C. 1033(e)). Do not turn that into a blanket "no criminal record" line; follow your state's background check and fair chance rules and assess each case.
Exempt or nonexempt. The outside sales exemption requires a primary duty of making sales and being customarily and regularly away from the employer's places of business; it has no salary requirement, but sales by mail, telephone or the internet do not count unless they supplement personal calls, and a home office counts as an employer place of business (DOL Fact Sheet 17F). Inside agents and service representatives need their own review; other exemptions require a salary of at least the standard level, which the Department of Labor lists as $684 a week, plus a duties test. If agents are paid commission only, have counsel confirm minimum wage and overtime treatment and any state written-plan rules.
The insurance agent job description template
[Licensed] Insurance Agent, [Personal Lines / Commercial Lines /
Life and Health / Account Manager] — [Captive (carrier) /
Independent agency]
[Company], [city, state] — [In office / Hybrid: days / Field:
territory], serving clients in [states]
Pay: [base $N–$N per year / hourly $N–$N] plus [commission or
bonus: how it is calculated], [paid (frequency)].
[Benefits summary, if required.] [Exempt or non-exempt, after review.]
SUMMARY
You will [sell new policies / service an existing book] in
[lines] for [client type], with leads from [inbound calls,
referrals, carrier leads, your own prospecting]. We are a
[captive agency for (carrier) / independent agency representing
about N carriers]. You will report to [title].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Quote, explain and bind [lines] policies for [client type].
- Review coverage with clients at renewal and after life or
business changes.
- [Market accounts to carriers and present options.]
- Keep accurate records in [agency management system].
- Meet continuing education requirements for your license.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [Active (state) producer license with (lines) authority / or
willingness to obtain it within (N) days, with our support.]
- [N] years of [sales / service] experience, insurance or other.
- Clear explanations of coverage in plain language.
- [Field: valid driver's license and willingness to travel in
(territory).]
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [carriers / system], [industry designation].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
FIXED CONDITIONS
- Licensing and appointment checks as required by [state] law.
- Commission terms follow the written plan you will receive before
you accept.
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; conversation with (agency owner / sales
manager); a role-play explaining a coverage option to a client;
meeting the service team.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
Need an adjustment to apply or interview? Contact [address].Pay and EEO
State the base or hourly range and how commission is calculated (new business versus renewal, any draw), and check pay transparency laws by state. BLS publishes pay data for insurance sales agents in the Handbook profile linked above; this page does not quote figures. Close with a short EEO statement and an accommodation contact.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| License | "Which lines of authority do you hold, in which states, and when do they renew?" | Not scored: verified | Lines and states match the job, checked in the state or NIPR lookup |
| Coverage explanation | "Explain to me, as if I were a client, why I might need [coverage] and what it does not cover." | Client communication | Plain language, honest exclusions, no pressure |
| Sales activity | "Walk me through a typical week: how many quotes, how many closed, where the leads came from." | Sales discipline | Knows their numbers and their follow-up routine |
| Retention | "Tell me about a client who wanted to leave at renewal. What did you do?" | Client retention | Re-shopped or reviewed coverage, kept the client or let them go honestly |
| Accuracy | "Describe a mistake on an application or policy that you caught or that reached the client." | Attention to detail | Owns it, fixes it with the carrier, changes their process |
The later rounds are in the interview guide for insurance roles, and the first months in the 30-60-90 day plan for insurance agents. For a sales-first seat, compare with the sales representative job description template.
Common mistakes in insurance agent job descriptions
"Unlimited income" instead of a pay plan
State the base, the commission mechanics and how renewals pay. Experienced agents skip vague postings.
No lines of authority
A personal lines agent and a life agent hold different licenses. Name the lines.
Hiding that it is a servicing role
If most of the week is endorsements and certificates, say so. Hunters and servicers want different jobs.
Blanket record bans
Follow federal and state rules case by case rather than excluding everyone with a record.
Licensing support left unsaid
If you pay for prelicensing and exams, it widens the pool. Say so, with the deadline.
Before you publish
- Captive or independent, lines, states and new business versus servicing are in the summary.
- The license line states whether it is required at hire or sponsored, with a deadline.
- Base, commission mechanics and renewal pay are stated.
- Classification has been reviewed, especially for inside and commission-only seats.
- The EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Does an insurance agent need a license before applying?
Not always before applying, but before selling. The NAIC Producer Licensing Model Act says a person shall not sell, solicit or negotiate insurance unless licensed for that line of authority, and BLS says agents must be licensed in the states where they work. Many employers hire unlicensed candidates and sponsor them through prelicensing and the exam; say whether you do and by when the license is required.
What are lines of authority?
They are the kinds of insurance a producer is licensed to sell. The NAIC model act lists life, accident and health or sickness, property, casualty, variable life and variable annuity, personal lines and credit, plus others a state permits. Name the lines the job needs in the posting.
Can we hire someone with a criminal record as an insurance agent?
It depends on the conviction. Federal law at 18 U.S.C. 1033 bars a person convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust from engaging in the business of insurance without the written consent of an insurance regulator, and state licensing rules also apply. Ask about records only at the point and in the way your state allows, and consider each case individually.
Is an insurance agent exempt from overtime?
It depends on where and how they sell. An agent whose primary duty is making sales away from the employer's places of business may fit the outside sales exemption, which has no salary requirement. An agent who sells by phone from an office or a home office does not fit that exemption and is often nonexempt unless another test is met. Review each seat and check state law.