What Do Insurance and Financial Services Agents Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for insurance and financial services agents?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what insurance and financial services agents do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Insurance and Financial Services Agents Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about insurance and financial services agents by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Insurance and Financial Services Agents buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. May advise customers about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, and market conditions.
Popular Job Titles For Insurance and Financial Services Agents
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Relationship Bankers
- Universal Bankers
- Financial Services Representatives
- Client Relationship Consultants
- Branch Relationship Bankers
- Business Banking Relationship Managers
- Associate Private Bankers
- Private Client Bankers
- Financial Representatives
- Retail Bankers/Tellers
- Business Bankers
- Banker Associates
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for insurance and financial services agents can be found.
Best Industries for Insurance and Financial Services Agents
Insurance and Financial Services Agents Jobs By Industry
- Depository Credit Intermediation: 42.4%
- Other Financial Investment Activities: 19.4%
- Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage: 15.7%
- Activities Related to Credit Intermediation: 6.9%
- Nondepository Credit Intermediation: 5%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 3.2%
- Other: 7.4%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of insurance and financial services agents can be found working in the Depository Credit Intermediation sector. In 2023, about 42.4% of all jobs for insurance and financial services agents were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Other Financial Investment Activities (19.4%), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (15.7%), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (6.9%), Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (3.2%).
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Degree Options for Insurance and Financial Services Agents
Develop the foundational financial skills needed to keep business running successfully, including financial reporting and analysis, managerial accounting, and federal taxes, so you can start your career as an accounting technician, tax preparer, payroll assistant and more.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Turn a head for numbers into a career as a financial associate or analyst, and help businesses turn financial data into actionable insights that can maximize investments, improve cash flow, and impact decisionmaking.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Master finance principles and develop all-inclusive corporate finance strategies for business firms and financial institutions.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Leverage customized solutions to help families and individuals organize life priorities and plan for their financial futures.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Distinguish yourself as a knowledgeable accounting professional with advanced technical, research, and communication skills.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 17
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Insurance and Financial Services Agents Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what insurance and financial services agents do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work insurance and financial services agents do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that insurance and financial services agents tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for insurance and financial services agents, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Insurance and Financial Services Agents
Based on 110,671 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Insurance and Financial Services Agents
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 43,761 | 40% |
| Loans | 39,369 | 36% |
| Sales Prospecting | 24,267 | 22% |
| Mortgage Loans | 23,879 | 22% |
| Cash Handling | 20,599 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Insurance and Financial Services Agents
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 66,846 | 60% |
| Sales | 59,757 | 54% |
| Communication | 47,944 | 43% |
| Problem Solving | 28,168 | 25% |
| Management | 26,302 | 24% |
Based on 110,671 job postings related to insurance and financial services agents, financial services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 40% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for loans, sales prospecting, mortgage loans, cash handling and commercial banking were also highly sought.
As for common skills, customer service was the most desired skill found in job postings for insurance and financial services agents, followed by sales, communication, problem solving, management and interpersonal communications.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 43,761 | 40% |
| Loans | 39,369 | 36% |
| Sales Prospecting | 24,267 | 22% |
| Mortgage Loans | 23,879 | 22% |
| Cash Handling | 20,599 | 19% |
| Commercial Banking | 20,562 | 19% |
| Self Service Technologies | 20,431 | 18% |
| Marketing | 16,479 | 15% |
| Product Knowledge | 15,311 | 14% |
| Automated Teller Machine | 15,110 | 14% |
| Cross-Selling | 14,445 | 13% |
| Truth In Lending Act | 14,425 | 13% |
| Banking | 14,120 | 13% |
| Retail Banking | 13,958 | 13% |
| Finance | 13,893 | 13% |
| Investments | 13,158 | 12% |
| Risk Management | 12,264 | 11% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 11,323 | 10% |
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authorities | 11,257 | 10% |
| Consumer Lending | 11,041 | 10% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 66,846 | 60% |
| Sales | 59,757 | 54% |
| Communication | 47,944 | 43% |
| Problem Solving | 28,168 | 25% |
| Management | 26,302 | 24% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 23,297 | 21% |
| Operations | 21,601 | 20% |
| Detail Oriented | 18,670 | 17% |
| Influencing Skills | 16,392 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 16,177 | 15% |
| Writing | 15,933 | 14% |
| Time Management | 14,011 | 13% |
| Leadership | 13,470 | 12% |
| Relationship Building | 12,797 | 12% |
| Professionalism | 12,464 | 11% |
| Microsoft Office | 11,610 | 10% |
| Multitasking | 11,452 | 10% |
| Microsoft Excel | 10,593 | 10% |
| Coaching | 9,967 | 9% |
| Presentations | 9,404 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Insurance and Financial Services Agents
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship Bankers | 48,699 | 24.3% |
| Universal Bankers | 24,874 | 12.4% |
| Financial Services Representatives | 28,478 | 14.2% |
| Client Relationship Consultants | 10,808 | 5.4% |
| Branch Relationship Bankers | 12,810 | 6.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was relationship bankers, with 16,459 unique job postings. Universal bankers were second, with 6,061 postings, followed by financial services representatives, client relationship consultants and branch relationship bankers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to insurance and financial services agents.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship Bankers | 48,699 | 24.3% |
| Universal Bankers | 24,874 | 12.4% |
| Financial Services Representatives | 28,478 | 14.2% |
| Client Relationship Consultants | 10,808 | 5.4% |
| Branch Relationship Bankers | 12,810 | 6.4% |
| Business Banking Relationship Managers | 7,791 | 3.9% |
| Associate Private Bankers | 10,889 | 5.4% |
| Private Client Bankers | 6,982 | 3.5% |
| Financial Representatives | 8,439 | 4.2% |
| Retail Bankers/Tellers | 10,642 | 5.3% |
| Business Bankers | 4,288 | 2.1% |
| Banker Associates | 6,523 | 3.2% |
| Customer Experience Managers | 3,119 | 1.6% |
| Premier Bankers | 2,959 | 1.5% |
| Patient Financial Services Representatives | 3,467 | 1.7% |
| Bankers | 2,559 | 1.3% |
| Commercial Bankers | 1,571 | 0.8% |
| Small Business Bankers | 2,187 | 1.1% |
| Retail Relationship Bankers | 2,108 | 1.1% |
| Retail Bankers | 1,527 | 0.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for insurance and financial services agents? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for insurance and financial services agents.
How much do insurance and financial services agents make?
Insurance and Financial Services Agents: How do you become one?
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