Home-Based dental plan agent for individuals and families

The insurance carriers pay you commission. Clients usually pay nothing extra to use an agent. Typical clients are families, self-employed people, retirees and anyone without dental cover through work.

Commission from carriers when a policy is placed, often with smaller renewal commissions while the client keeps the policy. Income grows as your book of clients builds up.

• Explaining insurance in plain language
• Sales and follow-up
• Careful record keeping
• Patience and trustworthiness

• State insurance producer license is required to sell; rules, fees and continuing education differ by state, so check your state department of insurance
• Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, which carriers or marketing organizations often expect
• Commission can be slow to start and may be charged back if a client cancels early; check each carrier's terms
• Marketing rules, call and text consent rules and privacy duties for client data; check what applies to you
• Selling Medicare-related dental plans usually needs extra carrier certification; check requirements first

Startup costs are typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on your setup and what carriers or marketing organizations expect. Treat this as an estimate. Costs like E&O insurance, which carriers often expect, and state license fees, which differ by state, are worth pricing first.

Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on how many clients you enroll. Commission can be slow to start and may be charged back if a client cancels early, so check each carrier's terms before planning your income.

A state insurance producer license is required to sell, and rules, fees and continuing education differ by state, so check your state department of insurance. Also check E&O insurance expectations, marketing and consent rules, and extra certification for Medicare-related dental plans.