Home-Based life and health insurance advisor

The insurers pay you commission. Clients are families, new parents, self-employed people, newcomers to Canada and small business owners.

Commission on each policy sold, often higher in year one and smaller on renewals. Some products also pay trailing commission, so income builds slowly as your client base grows.

• Explaining complex products in plain language
• Sales and relationship building
• Organised follow-up and record keeping
• Honest, careful advice

• Licensing is provincial, and Quebec has its own rules, so check your provincial regulator before you sell anything
• Errors and omissions insurance is often required, so check what your agency or regulator expects
• Income can be very uneven in the first year, so plan for a gap before commissions arrive
• Rules on advice, privacy, record keeping and advertising apply, and you may need continuing education each licence period
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence

Estimates put startup costs at typically around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on your licensing, insurance and home office setup. Check what your agency or regulator expects so you can budget for your own situation.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many clients you place. Income can be very uneven in the first year, so plan for a gap before commissions arrive.

Check licensing with your provincial regulator, since it is provincial and Quebec has its own rules. Also check errors and omissions insurance, rules on advice, privacy, record keeping and advertising, continuing education, and any home-based business licence.