There are a lot of insurance agents working today; in fact, there are over 628,000 property and casualty insurance agents in the United States alone.1 With so many insurance agents competing for homeowners’ business, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd.
The key to successfully selling home insurance is in focusing on the right variables—the client and their needs—and providing personalized solutions. By doing so, you can build stronger relationships with clients, increase sales, and stay competitive in the ever-changing insurance industry.
In this article, we’ll explore strategies that independent agents can implement to sell home insurance policies and grow their business, such as:
- Prioritizing client needs allows for tailored solutions and creates trust in your expertise as an insurance professional.
- Building relationships with industry professionals can expand your reach.
- Keeping up with industry trends and regulations positions you to better understand carrier nuances and provide appropriate coverage solutions.
How to sell home insurance
By nature of being an independent agent (rather than a captive one), you can meet the needs of your clients closely and are not limited by an individual suite of products from one carrier. In many ways, this makes selling homeowners insurance easier; in other ways, more difficult.
Whether your client has basic needs, but prefers the comfort of a comprehensive insurance policy, or is worried about securing enough coverage for their personal property, selling home insurance is made easier when you position yourself as the insurance expert. This means knowing insurance products and coverages, inside and out.
Help with the home-buying process
One way to sell homeowners insurance policies and to build client relationships as early as possible is to be involved in the home-buying process. Doing so not only enables you to establish a relationship with potential clients, but it also positions you as a trusted advisor. You can assist home buyers by helping navigate the complicated process of buying a home by providing valuable information such as:
- The appropriate homeowners insurance policies for the prospective property
- Elaborate on the risks associated with properties and how to mitigate them (and potentially lower insurance premiums)
- Walking them through home insurance inspections and explaining how they impact insurance costs
This all sounds great, but now you might be asking: how do I get involved with the home buying process if the home buyer is not a current client? Let’s dive into how to do that.
Build partnerships with other agents
Building partnerships with other industry professionals, including other insurance agents, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and home inspectors, can gain you referral business and get you involved in the homebuying process. Doing so increases opportunities for collaboration and expands your reach, with the added bonuses of sharing best practices and learning new sales strategies.
Be sure that these are reciprocal relationships, as well, to strengthen your partnerships. When a client has a need you’re unable to meet, you can refer them to another agent that you trust. This not only helps the client get the insurance coverage they need, but it also builds goodwill with the other agent who may in turn refer clients to you in the future.
Keep up with trends and regulations
The insurance industry is constantly evolving. As an independent agent, it’s essential to keep up with the latest trends and regulations in order to stay competitive. This includes staying up-to-date on changes to local building codes and zoning regulations, as well as emerging risks such as climate change and cybersecurity threats.
The benefit of staying informed is two-fold.
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You will be better positioned to meet client’s needs as they change with the market by offering tailored insurance solutions.
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Clients will gain confidence in your expertise which could keep them doing business with your insurance agency for the foreseeable future.
Enhance customer service
Customer service is critical to any business—and independent agents are no exception. Providing exceptional customer service helps build relationships with clients, which improves client retention rates.
As an independent agent, you can improve your customer service by:
- Promptly responding to a client’s inquiry
- Going the extra mile to address clients’ concerns and questions
- Providing resources to help clients understand the ins-and-outs of homeowners insurance
- Offering personalized advice and recommendations
- Being available for insurance claims support and guidance
Customer relationship management
A customer relationship management system, or CRM, can set your insurance agency up for success by tracking client needs, preferences, and communication history, allowing you to provide personalized service and ensure that no client falls through the cracks.
If you already have a CRM, be sure to evaluate your current system set up and ensure that it is adequately meeting (and hopefully exceeding) your business goals.
Provide educational resources
Another way to enhance customer service is by providing educational resources to your clients. This can come in many forms: a blog your agency writes that provides information on insurance; a newsletter with helpful tips or important considerations for insurance coverages; or sharing educational materials provided by partners, like Openly’s Consumer Resources.
Discuss premium coverage options
Independent insurance agents should try to exceed the expectations of clients by discussing the best coverages available.
For example, replacement cost coverage. Many homeowners believe that a standard homeowners insurance policy will cover the full cost of rebuilding their home in the event of a disaster, but this is often not the case. It’s important to educate clients on the differences between standard homeowner insurance policies and those that offer replacement cost coverage.
By highlighting the benefits of premium coverage options, you are helping clients understand the options available to them and ensure they are adequately covered. After all, happy clients remain clients.
Selling insurance means knowing your clients
Selling home insurance requires an approach that combines expertise, customer service, and relationship-building. Some clients may be looking for basic coverage at a lower cost, while others may be willing to pay more for additional coverage and protection. This means, asking the right questions, actively listening to your clients’ concerns, and tailoring your insurance solutions accordingly.
By providing valuable information and educational resources, keeping up with industry trends and regulations, and enhancing the customer experience, agents become trusted advisors—and not just salespeople.
* We provide this information to help you understand insurance. Any coverage is subject to the terms of your policy. Please refer to your policy and declaration page for complete coverage details.
1 Agent Methods. “2023 Insurance Agent Trends and Statistics.” Accessed 30 March 2023. https://www.agentmethods.com/insurance-agent-trends-and-statistics
