Hiring insurance producers can be challenging. Training them well can be even more challenging. Independent agencies have a unique challenge compared to captive agencies: they don’t have the massive corporate training infrastructure of a captive carrier, but still need producers who can sell, retain, and build long-term relationships across multiple carriers, lines of business, and client profiles. The good news is that great producers aren’t born; they’re trained. Agencies that invest in the right kind of training can build teams of people who outperform, stay longer, and grow faster. Here’s how to train good insurance producers without creating overwhelm.
1. Start With The Right Mindset: Producers Are Built, Not Discovered
One of the biggest mistakes agencies make is assuming producers should “just know how to sell.” While sales skills are important in the insurance business, the process matters more than personality. Great producers are developed when agencies focus on the following:
- Teaching how to sell insurance, not just what to sell
- Reinforcing consistent habits, not one-off wins
- Coaching behavior, not just results
Training should focus on repeatable actions—the kind that lead to predictable pipelines and steady closes. Before you build a training plan, focus on this true statement: “Your job isn’t to find unicorn producers. It’s to build them.”
2. Structure Your Onboarding Like a Ramp, Not a Firehose
Independent agencies often overwhelm new producers with too much information: too many carriers, too many products, too much compliance, and too many systems. Instead, onboarding should follow a ramp model: gradual, focused, and confidence-building. A strong producer onboarding timeline might look like this:
Weeks 1-2: Foundations
- Agency values and expectations
- Who your ideal clients are (and who they are not)
- Basic insurance concepts (risk, coverage, deductibles, exclusions)
- CRM and quoting workflow
Weeks 3-6: One Line of Business
- Focus on one primary product (e.g., personal lines, small commercial)
- Teach coverage storytelling—not carrier trivia
- Role-play real conversations daily
Weeks 7-12: Supervised Selling
- Live quoting with oversight
- Joint calls or reviewed recordings
- Objection handling practices
- Pipeline management basics
Depth beats breadth early on. Producers who feel competent sell more confidently—and stay there longer.
3. Train Producers to Sell Value, Not Price
Independent agents win on advice, not discounts. But that only works if producers know how to communicate value clearly. Your training should emphasize the following:
- Asking better discovery questions
- Translating coverage into real-world protection
- Explaining trade-offs without fear
- Positioning insurance as risk management, not a commodity
Teach all producers to answer these questions:
- “What happens if this goes wrong?”
- “What would surprise this client in a claim?”
- “Where is this client most exposed?”
Role-playing here is critical. Don’t just explain value—practice saying it out loud until it becomes second nature.
3. Build a Repeatable Sales Process, Then Enforce It
Top producers aren’t winging it. They’re following a process, even if it feels conversational. Your agency should define:
- Lead intake standards
- Discovery call structure
- Quoting workflow
- Follow-up cadence
- Close and onboarding steps
Then train producers to follow the pre-defined process every single time. Consistency improves close rates, makes coaching easier, protects your brand, and prevents compliance issues. A documented process also makes your agency scalable, so be sure to have everything written down.
5. Coach Activities First, Numbers Second
Most agencies manage producers by revenue alone. That’s a mistake, especially early on. New producers need coaching on making calls, sending quotes, completing follow-ups, requesting referrals, and booking appointments.
Revenue is the result of activity, not the starting point. That said, weekly check-ins should include:
- Which actions are working
- Where producers are getting stuck
- Which conversations feel hardest
- What skills need reinforcement
Coaching activities first builds confidence, accountability, and momentum without fear-based pressure.
6. Teach Carrier Strategy, Not Carrier Loyalty
Independent producers don’t need to memorize every underwriting guideline on day one. They do need to understand which carriers fit which client profiles, when to lead with broad coverage vs. competitive pricing, and how to position carrier differences without bias.
Training should focus on carrier “sweet spots,” common decline reasons, and how to pivot when quotes fall apart. Producers who understand why they place business where they do become trusted advisors rather than simply order-takers.
7. Normalize Rejection and Train Recovery Skills
Sales is emotional. Insurance sales even more so. Producers need training that addresses all of the following:
- Hearing “no” without spiraling
- Handling ghosting professionally
- Following up without sounding desperate
- Separating self-worth from outcomes
Normalize rejection early. Share real stories. Show them that consistency, not perfection, is what ultimately wins. Agencies that ignore the emotional side of sales often lose good producers simply because no one taught them how to recover.
8. Invest in Ongoing Training (Not One-Time Events)
Training isn’t something you “finish.” It’s something you reinforce. High-performing independent insurance agencies build:
- Monthly skills training
- Quarterly role-play sessions
- Carrier updates with practical application
- Peer learning and best-practice sharing
Even experienced producers benefit from objection refreshers, cross-selling strategies, advanced coverage conversations, and leadership training. Ongoing training signals something powerful: “We’re invested in your success here.” That’s how you retain talent.
9. Pair New Producers With the Right Mentors
Shadowing works, but only if it’s intentional. Choose mentors who:
- Follow agency processes
- Explain their thinking out loud
- Model ethical, client-first selling
- Want to teach (not just perform)
Set expectations for both sides, including: 1) What the producer should observe, 2) What questions they should ask, and 3) Which skills they should practice next. Mentorship without structure turns into passive observation. Mentorship with intention accelerates growth.
10. Train Producers for Long-Term Careers, Not Just Quotas
The best producers don’t just sell. They also build referral networks, retain clients year over year, identify coverage gaps, and represent your agency brand. Your training should include:
- Relationship management skills
- Renewal conversations
- Account rounding
- Ethical decision-making
- Professional development paths
When producers see insurance as a career, not just a sales job, performance and loyalty skyrocket.
Final Thoughts
If you want better producers, you don’t need more pressure, more products, or more micromanagement. You need clear expectations, structured onboarding, skill-based coaching, and consistent reinforcement. Independent agencies that train intentionally don’t just create good producers—they create sustainable growth. And in an industry built on trust, that’s your real competitive advantage. A new year is a great time to implement new onboarding and create new growth plans. Get started now for an incredible 2026!