Joining an insurance cluster is a great way to kickstart a promising career as an independent insurance agent – you’ll have the support and resources you would get in a large company while having the freedom to work at your own pace. But to maximize this career path, you must choose the best insurance clusters to join, like Insurance Pro Agencies. In this article, we’ll walk you through what you need to know about choosing the right insurance clusters for you.
What Are Insurance Clusters?
An insurance cluster is a group of agents, brokers, or agencies that have joined together to provide member access to support and resources, among other benefits. As an association, clusters can divide expenses, expand insurance product offers, share profits, and explore new ways to innovate.
Insurance clusters are open to new and experienced insurance agents alike, but are particularly ideal for those who are looking to transition into becoming independent insurance agents. Normally, this kind of move will have you working double time to keep up with the demands of the industry; you’d have to manage partnerships, chase down leads, and stay up-to-date with trends, all while looking after day-to-day business operations. But with an insurance cluster, you don’t have to start from scratch, and you can get help from other members–which makes the job much easier and more convenient.
Why Join Insurance Clusters
Insurance clusters offer a multitude of benefits to their members. Here are some reasons why you should join an insurance cluster like Insurance Pro Agencies:
Access to More Insurance Carriers
Insurance clusters share a pool of resources from insurance carriers, which allows their independent agents to offer more products to their clients. This can significantly improve your business, helping you collect better profits. Plus, cluster members often enjoy better commission rates from the association’s profit carriers.
Profit-Sharing Programs
Some insurance clusters have profit-sharing programs, which open you up to more ways to earn. These are great ways to incentivize associated members to increase overall revenue that they wouldn’t be able to leverage otherwise on their own.
Cost Savings
When handling your own agency, you have to shoulder all expenses–but as part of an insurance cluster, you may be able to save on costs as the group tends to pool marketing, consulting, and technology-related expenses.
Networking Opportunities
By being part of an insurance cluster, you can collaborate with other agency owners and independent agents. You can ask for advice to improve your business, and even get access to their resources.
Flexible Work Arrangements
Working as part of an insurance cluster gives you more freedom to conduct your business the way you want to; you don’t have to work tooth and nail every day. Instead, you can choose your hours and office, should you prefer to work remotely, and you don’t have to worry about the common limitations associated with being a captive agent or an agency owner, such as quotas or business management.
Choosing an Insurance Cluster to Join
Choosing the best insurance clusters to join will have a great impact on how you go about your daily work and earn revenue. Here are some things you should consider when picking the group you’d like to be associated with:
Structure
Check how the insurance cluster is structured. Is it loose, or is there a more formal system in place (particularly concerning sharing of costs)? You’ll also want to find out if there’s a hierarchy among members, and if you get the same benefits from the get-go as long-standing members or if you’ll have to work yourself up to certain perks.
Management
Be sure to ask, “How much control does management have over the cluster members?” Remember that you became independent for a reason; having higher-ups have to sign off on your every move is counterintuitive.
Fees
Joining an insurance cluster will incur fees, and it’s important to be aware of what you’re paying for when signing on. Common ones include initiation fees, monthly fees, maintenance fees, and exit fees.
Support
Learn about what kind and how much support you can receive with your insurance cluster. For example, will you need to obtain your own Errors and Omissions (E&O) policy, or is one provided to all members?
Membership
Find out the membership rules of the insurance cluster. How do you join? What happens if you decide to remove yourself from the program?
Insurance Pro Agencies: The Best Insurance Cluster to Join
Thanks to our extensive reach, robust support, and beneficial programs, Insurance Pro Agencies is one of the best insurance clusters that you could join. Take the survey to check if you qualify!
