Start a Life Insurance Agency: Contracting for New Agencies

Starting a life insurance agency? Tell us your plan.

Our job is to beat your current commission level, and our mission is to make sure new agencies scale with every life insurance product: final expense, term, IUL, UL and whole life. Your agency gets up to 160% across 14 carriers, earns overrides on its downline and owns its book.

New agents who do not meet our 6-month minimum can apply on their own through our Just Licensed Agent application, or your agency can recruit them, and they get back office support (a guided contracting roadmap, a members portal, a carrier resource directory and help with carrier appointments, transfers and contracting questions; sales training, telesales scripts, objection handling, closing strategies, personal coaching and ongoing professional development; an agent management system with production, commission and book-of-business reporting; the CallWave inbound call platform with lead strategy and ROI guidance; and recruiting, training and retention resources for agency growth).

Share your agency plan below and we will follow up with you directly.

Agency Contracting: What New Agencies Get

BetterLifeQuotes.com is an NGA / IMO Hybrid & Distribution Partner that will beat your current commission levels and scale your current practice across final expense, term, IUL, UL and whole life.

Our job is to beat the current commission level of solo agents, new agencies, established agencies and healthcare agencies, and our mission is to make sure they scale with every life insurance product: final expense, term, IUL, UL and whole life.

If you are building a new life insurance agency, use the form on this page to tell us your plan: your agency name, NPN, resident state, current and expected downline, expected starting monthly production and where you expect to be in 12 months.

What does a new agency get with BetterLifeQuotes.com?

Starting commission: the 100% starting commission applies to individual agents, and the guarantee above 100% to solo agents who meet our minimum requirements, not to agencies.
Up to 160%: commission up to 160% across our carrier lineup.
14 carriers, with Fidelity & Guaranty (F&G), InstaBrain, National Life Group and Symetra on the way. See the carrier list.
Downline overrides: your agency earns override compensation on the production of the agents it recruits and contracts.
Your book: your agency owns its book of business.
No production minimums.
Independent, non-captive contracting: agents, new agencies, established agencies and healthcare agencies own their book of business, renewals and hierarchy, even upon release, and releases are granted. Release requests are never held for payment.
Back office support: a guided contracting roadmap, a members portal, a carrier resource directory and help with carrier appointments, transfers and contracting questions; sales training, telesales scripts, objection handling, closing strategies, personal coaching and ongoing professional development; an agent management system with production, commission and book-of-business reporting; the CallWave inbound call platform with lead strategy and ROI guidance; and recruiting, training and retention resources for agency growth.

How to Start a Life Insurance Agency in 6 Steps

Starting a life insurance agency comes down to licensing, contracting and a plan to recruit and keep productive agents. Here is the order most new agency owners follow.

Get licensed. Hold an active life insurance license in your resident state and a non-resident license in every state where you or your agents will sell.
Set up the agency entity. Form your business, get an agency (entity) producer license in each state you sell in, and name a designated responsible licensed producer.
Cover compliance. Carry E&O coverage and keep your AML certification current.
Choose the right upline. Look for strong contract levels, override compensation on your downline and ownership of your book, renewals and hierarchy. BetterLifeQuotes.com gives new agencies up to 160% across 14 carriers.
Get contracted and appointed. Contract your agency, appoint each writing agent with every carrier they sell, and choose a licensed-only agent (LOA) or direct-to-carrier payout model.
Recruit, train and retain. Build your downline, train new agents, and track production, commission and persistency.

Ready to build? Share your agency plan using the form on this page and we will follow up with you directly.

All the support your agency gets

Everything below comes with your contract on every product we contract: final expense, term, IUL, UL and whole life. Training is limited to agents who meet our minimum requirements and the new agents recruited by them or by a new, established or healthcare agency.

Carrier access and streamlined contracting

Simplified onboarding: register and get immediate access to a guided contracting roadmap that walks you through the onboarding process.
Dedicated members portal: once contracting is complete, you unlock the full members portal, with centralized access to the tools, training and resources you need to succeed.
Carrier resource directory: carrier-specific training materials, contact information, department emails and phone numbers for service and support needs.
Contracting support: help with carrier appointments, transfers and contracting questions.

Agent training and development

Comprehensive sales training on every product for qualifying agents and the new agents recruited under them.
Proven telesales scripts, objection-handling techniques and closing strategies.
Personalized coaching and ongoing professional development.

Agent management system

Simple and easy to use: a straightforward system focused on the essential tools agents and agencies need to manage their book of business, without unnecessary bells and whistles.
Production and agent management: agency management tools to monitor production, track performance and manage agent relationships.
Commission and book-of-business reporting: commission reporting and book-of-business management.

CallWave inbound call platform

Comprehensive inbound calls: adjust inbound call specifications to suit your preferences and business needs.
Inbound final expense calls from $25.00: inbound final expense calls are available starting at $25.00 per inbound call. It is an option on the table for you, and there is no requirement to buy them.
Lead strategy and ROI: guidance on lead strategies, conversion optimization and maximizing return on investment.

Support for agency growth

Recruiting, training and retention resources to help agencies build productive, sustainable teams.

Leads are not included. Agents bring their own lead source, and inbound final expense calls are available starting at $25.00 per inbound call. It is an option on the table for you, and there is no requirement to buy them.

New Agency Questions

How do I start a life insurance agency?

Get licensed in your resident state and every state you will sell in, form your business and get an agency (entity) license with a designated responsible licensed producer, carry E&O coverage, then contract with an upline that pays strong levels and overrides on your downline. With BetterLifeQuotes.com, new agencies get up to 160% across 14 carriers and own their book of business. Share your agency plan using the form on this page.

What does it cost to start a life insurance agency?

It depends on your state and business model, so there is no single number. Budget for licensing fees for you and the agency in each state, business formation and registered agent fees, E&O insurance, AML training, CRM, dialer and quoting software, your lead and marketing budget, and enough working capital to cover the time before commissions are paid. If you take advances, hold back a chargeback reserve, because advanced commission is charged back when a policy lapses early.

How do new life insurance agencies get leads?

Most new agencies combine several sources: their own marketing, such as referrals, social media and a website; purchased leads or live inbound calls; and recruiting agents who already run their own lead sources. The new agency application asks for your lead sources and marketing plan. BetterLifeQuotes.com offers optional inbound final expense calls starting at $25.00 per call, and there is no requirement to buy.

Can a new agency recruit new agents?

Yes. New agents who do not meet our 6-month minimum apply through our Just Licensed Agent application and start at a 100% commission, or they can be recruited by an agent who meets our minimum requirements, a new agency, an established agency or a healthcare agency. New agents recruited by your agency have access to life insurance sales training, telesales scripts and coaching.

What are the minimum requirements for agents?

Every solo agent who applies directly needs an active life license in good standing, at least 6 months of continuous life insurance sales, their own lead source, and their own E&O and AML certification.

What back office support does a new agency get?

Contracting and onboarding support with a guided contracting roadmap, a members portal, a carrier resource directory and help with carrier appointments, transfers and contracting questions; sales training, telesales scripts, objection handling, closing strategies, personal coaching and ongoing professional development; an agent management system with production, commission and book-of-business reporting; the CallWave inbound call platform with lead strategy and ROI guidance; and recruiting, training and retention resources for agency growth.

What should I include in my new agency plan?

Your agency name, NPN and resident state, the states you are licensed in, how long you have been selling life insurance, your current and expected downline, your expected starting monthly production and 12-month production goal, your lead sources and marketing plan, how you will recruit and train agents, and where you expect your agency to be in 12 months.

How do commission levels and overrides work for a new agency?

Each carrier pays commission as a percentage of first-year annualized premium. Your agency gets up to 160% and earns override compensation on the production of the agents it recruits and contracts. Levels vary by carrier, product and state and are subject to carrier approval.

Can my agency leave BetterLifeQuotes.com?

Yes. Contracting is independent and non-captive: agents, new agencies, established agencies and healthcare agencies own their book of business, renewals and hierarchy, even upon release. Release requests are never held for payment, and releases are granted as long as there is no outstanding debt to the carrier.

Does BetterLifeQuotes.com work with recruiters?

No. Applications are accepted only from agency owners applying directly through this website, not through third-party recruiters. We follow up with you directly.