When a policy lapses within the chargeback window (usually 9–12 months), the carrier claws back your commission. Industry average: ~13% chargeback rate. Final expense runs 15–25%. See Chargeback Shield for carrier risk data.

Advance: full annual commission paid upfront at policy issue. If it lapses, you owe the balance back immediately. As-earned: paid monthly as the client pays. Lower cash flow, zero debt risk. Advances are tempting — understand the risk first.

An intermediary between carriers and independent agents. They negotiate bulk contract tiers with carriers and pass a portion to you — keeping 5–20% override. Key questions: their street-level commission rate, which carriers they contract with, and their release policy.

Yes — especially with independent IMOs. Production history, existing carrier relationships, and the ability to bring a team all give you leverage. Use Market Rate Radar to know what rates are normal before negotiating.

Varies by state. California largely doesn’t enforce them. Clauses restricting carrier access are more dangerous than client restriction clauses. Have an attorney review any non-compete before signing if you have an existing book of business.

Direct mail — $35–$55/lead, 10–20% close rate
Live transfers — $55–$120/lead, 20–35% close rate
Exclusive digital — $40–$80/lead, 8–15% close rate
Shared internet — $5–$20/lead, 2–6% close rate
Aged leads — $1–$8/lead, 1–4% close rate

$400–$1,200/month is typical for an active independent agent. Model your break-even first: if leads cost $40 and your commission per policy is $800, you need a 5% close rate just to cover lead spend. Use the Deal Analyzer to run the numbers.

Exclusive leads go to one agent only — higher cost, higher close rate. Shared leads go to 3–5 agents simultaneously — cheap, but you’re racing competitors for the same prospect. Many “exclusive” lead programs are actually shared. Verify in writing before committing.

E&O insurance — $50–$150/month (required)
CRM / dialer — $50–$200/month
State license fees — $50–$200 one-time per state
Continuing education — ~$75/year per state
Total fixed overhead: $200–$500/month before leads.

All listings must disclose: base and max commission rate, lead source and cost per lead, chargeback policy, vesting schedule, Day-1 agent costs, and open release policy. Listings that omit required fields are not published.

Your score (0–100) is auto-calculated from 12 metrics. Higher scores rank higher in search — spending more cannot improve your rank. Elite agencies (85+) see 3× more qualified applicants. See the full rubric on Agency Vetting.

First listing is free, forever. Pro ($297/month) — 5 listings, Verified badge, analytics. Enterprise ($797/month) — unlimited listings, full candidate database. Featured add-on: $97/month per job. Full details on Pricing.

Our team reviews your business registration, carrier contracts, and agent review history. Available on Pro and above. Verified agencies display the badge on all listings — it signals independent vetting, not just self-reporting.

Agents who apply knowing the full terms self-select for your model — reducing early churn. Accurate expectations = longer retention. And transparent listings rank higher. It pays to be upfront.

Built by Kandelaki Solutions after watching agents repeatedly walk into jobs with no real information about lead costs, chargebacks, or vesting — and washing out in Year 1. The mission: fix the information gap between agencies and agents. More on the About page.

BLS OEWS 2024, LIMRA 2025 Agent Compensation Study, NAIFA member surveys, and InsuranceNewsNet independent agent surveys. All sources are cited on the page. Updated annually.

Yes — fully mobile responsive. All tools including Deal Analyzer and Compare Offers work on any device. A dedicated mobile app is on the roadmap.

Use the Contact page with the listing URL and the specific issue. We investigate within 2 business days. Materially misleading listings are removed and the agency’s score is penalized.

Use the Contact page. We respond within 1 business day for all inquiries — agency questions, listing issues, data corrections, or partnerships.

Many agencies will hire you pre-license and sponsor your exam. Some require a license already. Each listing specifies. Filter by “Entry Level” when browsing. See the full licensing walkthrough on our New Agent Guide.

2–6 weeks from start to license in hand. Pre-license course: 1–2 weeks. Exam scheduling + result: a few days. Background check + fingerprinting: 1–3 weeks. Application processing: 5–10 business days.

Total cost for your first resident license: $100–$500 depending on state. This includes pre-license course ($50–$200), state exam ($35–$65), fingerprinting ($22–$55 where required), and license application fee ($10–$188). See the full state-by-state fee table on our New Agent Guide.

About 35 states require fingerprinting for an FBI background check. Most use Live Scan (digital, done at an IdentoGO location). A few still use ink cards. Cost: $22–$55 plus state fees. States like Michigan, Washington, and Virginia do not require fingerprinting.

Yes. After you have your resident license, you can apply for non-resident licenses in other states — no additional exam required in most cases (reciprocity). Most non-resident applications are submitted online via NIPR.com for $20–$80 per state. Remote agents typically hold 10–25 state licenses.

Yes. New York requires all non-residents to pass the NY state exam separately — reciprocity does not apply. California requires the CA exam if your home state isn’t a CA reciprocity partner. Both states are worth the extra effort given their population size.

It depends. Financial crimes and felony fraud are usually disqualifying under federal law. Other felonies and most misdemeanors are reviewed case-by-case — time since the offense and rehabilitation evidence matter. You can request an advance determination from your state DOI before investing in pre-licensing. See the full breakdown on the New Agent Guide.

Year 1 median: ~$42,000. Top 25% of new agents earn $60K–$80K. The gap is activity-based, not talent-based — agents who hit consistent lead volume and stay through the first 6 months almost always reach profitability. Use the Deal Analyzer to model any specific offer before you start.

Best options: Kaplan Financial ($99–$189, most comprehensive), ExamFX ($75–$149, pass guarantee), A.D. Banker ($50–$99, budget option), CompuCram ($49–$99, practice-heavy). All are state-specific. Allocate 40–50 hours of study. Pass rate on first attempt averages 55–70%.