There are multiple ways that agents can get paid<\/a> and make money. Depending on where you work, you might receive a salary, straight commissions on the policies you sell, or a mix of both income sources \u2014 all of which impact your overall income. If you receive commissions, you\u2019ll also be paid every time your customers renew their coverage or buy additional policies from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might also receive bonuses or incentives. For instance, your company might challenge you to hit a sales target and pay you bonuses when you succeed. There may be additional incentives for retaining policyholders or achieving other goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to discuss your income structure before joining a company or buying a franchise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earnings can vary significantly based on your situation. Here are the key factors to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, your earnings will correlate to your experience. With experience, education, and certification, you can often negotiate for a higher base salary. Plus, you\u2019ll have more experience selling and closing accounts, which can increase your chance of earning a high commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The type of coverage you sell can impact your income. More expensive policies will net you a higher commission, so specialties like life and commercial property can have a higher earning potential. However, the volume of policies you sell also matters, so it\u2019s important to consider both policy prices and demand when picking a field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The balance of salary and commission will affect your earnings. Roles with a high commission percentage can be risky if you aren\u2019t a seasoned salesperson, but they also offer more earning potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where you live can have a significant impact on your earnings. Policy premiums vary by location, which can have a direct impact on your commission. You\u2019ll typically be able to earn more in more expensive areas, but keep in mind that your living expenses will probably also be higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agents are often paid through a blend of salary and commission, although there are salary-only and commission-only opportunities as well. With a salary, you earn a flat amount, regardless of how many policies you sell. With commission, your earnings depend on the income you bring into the business, so your pay can fluctuate based on the policies you sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salary offers more consistency, while commission can have higher earning potential for motivated salespeople. It\u2019s important to consider what you value when exploring different structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, the market for insurers is growing, which means plenty of opportunities for agents. Rapid tech development is making it easier to automate claims and policy management, so agents can focus more on the sales side of their role, which could increase earning potential. The industry does have high turnover, so reliable agents with specialized skills can expect their salaries to steadily increase to encourage retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For insurers, average pay doesn\u2019t necessarily reflect what the average agent makes. There are many very successful, high-earning agents and many new, lower-income agents that can skew the average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, insurance industry compensation averages will refer to a combination of base pay and commission. That doesn\u2019t guarantee you will make that much in your first year; on the other side of the coin, you could also make much more. To get an accurate understanding of your income, it\u2019s important to research salary averages for both new and established agents at the specific company you\u2019re considering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because salary information can vary, there are plenty of myths about how much agents make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These misconceptions go in both directions. For example, you may have heard that agents can\u2019t make a stable income. You may have also heard that insurance agents make tons of money off of commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In reality, the pay typically falls somewhere in the middle. There are stable, salary-based positions along with commission-based positions; you can look for opportunities that fit with your preferences and financial needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re wondering \u201cHow much do insurance agents make?\u201d, read on to learn a bit more about insurance agent income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because there are so many shifting factors affecting insurance agent pay structure, there is no standard figure for salary averages. Your pay range will depend on whether you\u2019re on a salary, earning a commission, or a blend of both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insurance agents are often paid a mix of salary and commission. However, there are roles that only pay one of the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, agent income will vary by state, with higher cost-of-living areas paying more and vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes! It\u2019s common for agents to earn more and more as they increase their book of business, start accruing renewals, and hone their sales skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding how agent salary structures work is essential if you\u2019re considering a career change. Because there are so many different options for salary, commission, or mixed compensation, it\u2019s important to do careful research into potential employers. There are plenty of ways to make money selling coverage, but it\u2019s ultimately up to you to put in the effort and choose opportunities that fit in with your financial goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Freeway, we help motivated entrepreneurs achieve their financial goals not just as insurance agents, but as franchise owners. Owning a Freeway Franchise gives you the perfect combination of control over your income and support from industry experts. Call our Freeway Insurance franchise representatives today at (877) 822-3024. Or give us your contact information online<\/a>, and we\u2019ll reach out to you to get the conversation started.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is the average insurance agent salary? If you\u2019re curious about a career path in insurance, you probably want to know how much you can make. A lot of factors influence the typical agent\u2019s income, including, of course, your own hard work and commitment. There\u2019s a general base range you can expect, but ultimately, your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2136"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2136"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2545,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2136\/revisions\/2545"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Factors That Influence Insurance Agent Salary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Experience and Professional Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Type of Policies Sold<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Employment Structure<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Geographic Location<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Salary vs. Commission-Based Compensation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Insurance](\"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/iStock-1343372840-1024x684.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nInsurance Agent Salary Trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What \u201cAverage Salary\u201d Really Means<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Common Misconceptions About Insurance Agent Income<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions About Insurance Agent Salary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Much Do Insurance Agents Typically Make?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Are Insurance Agents Paid Salary or Commission?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Does Insurance Agent Income Vary by State?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can Insurance Agents Increase Their Income Over Time?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Interpreting Salary Information Responsibly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n