If you’re considering whether insurance is the right move for you, you probably have a lot of questions you’d like answered before you make the switch. We’re here to help. Here are answers to the top ten questions about becoming a Farm Bureau agent.
1. Does Farm Bureau Provide Training for New Agents?
Because we understand that jumping into a new business opportunity can be daunting, Farm Bureau has built an award-winning training program that can help you every step of the way. In terms of insurance agent paid training, we cover the costs of courses and materials that help you become an agent.
If you’re considering joining the insurance industry, you can go through our Developing Agent Program. With this program, not only do you get an insider’s peek at a day in the life of an insurance agent, but you can also begin developing the skills you need to build an insurance business without leaving your current job.
During the three months when you’re getting started as a Farm Bureau agent, you begin building relationships with potential client/members and selling auto, home and life insurance by arranging sales appointments around your current schedule. This training program helps you understand what it takes to be a Farm Bureau agent first-hand — and it gives you the comfort of testing this new path before you leave the security of your current job.
2. Do I Need to Have Insurance Licenses to Become an Agent at Farm Bureau?
Yes. To be a Farm Bureau Financial Services agent, you must be licensed. Getting your state insurance license is a required step to becoming an insurance agent. You will be responsible for covering your own licensing fees, which vary by state and typically range from $40–$150. We help with the cost of study materials if you get your license before you join the Developing Agent Program.
3. Will I Be on My Own as a Farm Bureau Insurance Agent?
At Farm Bureau, you never have to go at it alone. You’ll have access to a full support team that is designed to ensure your success. Here’s a snapshot of the people behind you:
District Managers
When you start as a new agent, you’ll work with a District Manager that will provide you with additional guidance. Your District Manager can teach you everything you need to know about becoming a successful insurance agent. They will be the person you turn to if you have any questions.
Think of your District Manager as your built-in mentor. When you need someone who will share industry trends and tips, provide advice on how to grow your business and more, that’s where you’ll turn.
Just-In-Time Team
If you’re feeling stuck and can’t find the best insurance plan for a client/member, the Just-In-Time team will have the solution you’re looking for. Their goal is to shorten the learning curve of our new agents.
This team is made up of people with insurance industry experience. They help you by knowing the ins and outs of the different coverages we offer. When you call the Just-In-Time team, they can talk through a situation and advise you on the best ways to move forward with solutions that are best for your client/member.
Marketing Coaches and Marketing Underwriters
Once you’ve hit the ground running, you can join the marketing coaching program. Based on your skills and areas where you could improve, your marketing coach will set up a customizable plan to help you build your business and become a better salesperson.
A marketing coach can help you:
- Manage your social media profiles
- Provide branded marketing materials and recommendations
- Train on our Customer Relations Management (CRM) system
- Learn best practices to connect with customers
Our marketing underwriters are there to help you when you have complicated agricultural or commercial business cases, so you can give your client/members the kind of service they count on.
Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Consultants
As a Farm Bureau agent, you have a unique opportunity to grow your business by working with local Farm Bureau financial advisors. By partnering with this extension of our Farm Bureau team, you can offer your client/members financial planning services as well as insurance coverage.
Combining these services makes finding quality financial advice much more straightforward for our client/members. When you’re able to help them find solutions for their future financial needs, it builds their trust in you.
Plus, our wealth management consultants can enhance the experience even further by helping your client/members with their needs for more advanced life insurance and financial services.
Ag Marketing Underwriters
Farm Bureau’s history is rooted in agriculture, but we understand that not all insurance agents come from an ag background or are familiar with this industry. One of our ag marketing underwriters can accompany you to sales meetings with your farm and ranch clientele.
This team specializes in knowing what our agriculture client/members’ needs are and how we can help cover their assets. When you’re putting together the best coverage for your farmers and ranchers, our marketing underwriter will be by your side to help answer any unique ag question.
4. What Kind of Ongoing Training and Support Does Farm Bureau Offer?
To stay on top of industry trends and changing technology and remain competitive, we offer continuing training and education to our insurance agents. This support can include:
- Online learning
- Classroom training
- Mentoring
- Field training
- Training academies
5. How Are Farm Bureau Agents Paid?
As a Farm Bureau agent, you are a small business owner who can earn commissions and residuals from the products and services you sell. If you work hard, you have the potential for nearly unlimited earnings.
6. What Types of Products Do Farm Bureau Agents Sell?
Farm Bureau offers a comprehensive suite of insurance products to meet a wide range of our client/members’ needs. Insurance products include:
- Auto, motorcycle, RV and farm vehicles
- Homeowners, renters, mobile homes and other property
- Umbrella coverage
- Whole and term life
- Farm and ranch
We also have different investment services and wealth management services:
- Annuities
- Mutual funds
- College funding
- Retirement funding
- Estate planning
7. Are There Additional Incentives Besides Commission for Sales?
Each year, we offer agents multiple opportunities to qualify for monetary bonuses and incentive travel as a way to thank them for their hard work. Agents who have earned the travel incentive have experienced destinations like Spain, England, Italy, Europe, Australia, Mexico and more.
8. What Kind of Financing Can New Agents Receive?
It’s not easy joining a new industry, and we want our agents to succeed. Because of this, we offer additional compensation during an agent’s early years with Farm Bureau.
9. Where Are Farm Bureau Agents Located?
Our products and services are built for people in all life stages, in rural, suburban and metro communities. Today, we do business in these eight Midwestern and Western states:
- Arizona
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
- South Dakota
- Utah
10. How Does Being a Farm Bureau Agent Compare to Other Insurance Companies?
Farm Bureau was founded over 85 years ago to serve the needs of farmers and Farm Bureau client/members. As times have changed, we’ve expanded our coverage to protect people from all walks of life, but we’ve never lost sight of the value of our connections to our client/members and their families.
Our agents aren’t just salespeople. They are actively involved in their communities and neighborhoods. Because of this, they understand that their client/members are more than just policies. They’re friends and neighbors with families who need protection.
Join the Farm Bureau Team Today
Don’t be afraid to take the leap toward a new and exciting opportunity with a team that will support you every step of the way. If becoming a Farm Bureau agent sounds like the right move for you, reach out to learn more.