Understand the business
The general agent is mandated exclusively by an insurance company to sell the insurance products of the company he represents to his customers. He is an entrepreneur, a salesperson, and an advisor.
Business manager, he is responsible for his agency, directs it, and develops it. He surrounds himself with collaborators to manage the commercial part and the administrative part of his agency. He recruits, trains, and encourages his team. He organizes the activity of his collaborators in line with the objectives he has set for his agency.
Commercial, to make his agency prosper and satisfy the insurance company he represents, he must approach new clients and enrich his portfolio. Prospecting new markets is an integral part of the general agent’s job. It sets up loyalty actions.
Advising, the general agent studies the protection needs of his clients and offers them the most suitable solutions. He monitors his clientele and ensures that reimbursements in the event of damage are paid regularly. It collects contributions from policyholders, registers their declarations of claims, appoints an expert if necessary, and pays compensation.
What would my work environment be like?
The general insurance agent is not an employee but an agent of an insurance company. He, therefore, receives commissions on the sale and management of contracts and an incentive-based on the results and the quality of the work of his agency. He signed a commercial agent contract with one of the insurance companies present on the French market: Groupama, MAAF, AXA, GMF, Swiss Life France, etc.
The working relationships of the general insurance agent are varied. The general agent maintains permanent links with the managers of the insurance company he represents. He supervises a team within his agency, he works with producers, hospitality managers, and possibly commercial executives and management executives. Finally, he establishes contact with his customers.
The labor market is fairly stable for general insurance agents. Between 500 and 600 new professionals enter the market each year, and many are taken out by insurance companies and mutuals. These are mostly replacements and not job creations because half of the general agents are over 50 years old and there are many retirements.
Do I have the necessary skills?
The profession of the general agent is reserved for professionals who have a taste for entrepreneurship and the desire to take up challenges.
Commercial qualities are essential to practice this profession. People who have experience in sales, commerce, and management are welcomed by insurance companies and mutuals. Oration, persuasion, and diplomacy are very useful qualities.
As a business leader, you will need to be a rigorous manager and an encouraging manager.
How to get into this job?
To obtain a professional card from the prefecture and to be able to sign a mandate contract with the insurance company, the general agent must undergo training lasting at least 600 times. This continuing education is provided by an approved organization or the insurance company.
Initial training at the Bac+2 level is the minimum background. Several diplomas open this path: BTS insurance, BTS Bank, DEUST Bank, financial and provident organizations, DUT legal careers, DUT marketing techniques, BTS management of commercial units, BTS negotiation, and customer relations.
Several Bac+5 level diplomas pave the way for this profession: diplomas from business schools, the diploma from the National Insurance School (ENASS), the DU from the Insurance Institute.
Some experience is welcome before signing a mandate contract. Insurance companies appreciate entrusting their representation to seasoned professionals, personalities from sales, banking, insurance, or even services.
The future general insurance agent must be aware of the economic and financial situation of the agency he intends to take over. It is important that he is interested in the history of the agency, the composition of the portfolio, the net income of recent years, the level of collections and commission, the terms of sale and takeover of the agency.
How to evolve from this job?
The evolution of the general insurance agent follows the evolution of his agency. He can enrich the range of insurance products he sells, he can expand his team.
What nearby trades are accessible?
Insurance Underwriter, Insurance Broker
Which organizations should I contact to find out more?
Meeting information. AGEA regularly organizes information meetings on the profession of a general agent, on the possibilities of entering the profession.
