In this analysis of the insurance market, there are 10 states classified as non-critical for recruiting agents. However, these states should be repeat winners every time you use a top-tier insurance mailing list to communicate with key insurance product marketing brokers. The fusion of insurance marketing skills, with a quality mailing list, puts these states within the budget of many regional and national brokerage firms, along with the large wholesale fmo’s and insurance companies. Read each different insurance marketing analysis.

In these 10 states, trim the unnecessary fat and you’ll have a great brokerage mailing list. This means no mass mailings, mass emails, or faxes. Mass marketing to insurance agents is not only very silly, but also costly in the end. How many agents respond to the lowest cost is very insignificant in an insurance recruiting campaign. What is important is the quality of the responding agent and in turn if this agent really becomes a proven producer. Do not measure by “leaders” but by the production of contracted insurance brokers.

NEW MEXICORating = 21In the last 5 years, this state has really changed directions for recruiting. Before this, the state had too many insurance agents, with little experience. The turnover rate was ridiculous. They all had a cousin new to the business and another cousin on leave who was quickly falling by the wayside. This has changed. The big Northeast/New England career recruiting stores finally took notice and went out of business. As a result, there are more semi-independent-minded agents moving up the ladder of success. The number of people willing to give brokerage products a good look is increasing. As more competitive recruiters are taking notice of our tips, get your piece of the action before it’s overkill. The downside is that the highly migrant median household income in this state is $20,000 lower than many states where the large life-racing companies are based. All factors considered the future is now two thumbs up.

WEST VIRGINIARating = 22From how little recruiting attention this state receives, you’d think it’s hidden on the map. West Virginia averages only 1/4 to 1/3 the population of the states of Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, and the agent receives at least 90% fewer calls, emails, or mail. The problem for annuity recruiters is that West Virginia ranks dead last of all states when looking at median household income. The decent elderly population makes it a respectable area for the sale of senior living and long-term care products.

NORTH DAKOTARating = 23North Dakota, being such a cold state, has one of the highest percentages of seniors in the nation. This small state of agent population makes finding senior market agents a great find. Combine that with the warm reception of many fraternal life insurance agents. Here’s the opening for marketing to agents for your health insurance plans. However, when searching for annuity sales representatives, median household income should be recognized. In this sales area, due to the overall below-average income status, North Dakota would score lower for annuity marketing organizations and wholesalers.

SOUTH CAROLINARating = 24Agent reception in South Carolina sure lags behind its sister state, North Carolina. Two factors reduce the recruitment range of this state. First, it is a state with a lower level of family income. Second, it is also a state with higher agent turnover. If you target the right agents with the right products at the right time, you’ll find that South Carolina falls right in the middle. Part of this is the fact that South Carolina doesn’t get enough attention in recruiting.

MAINERating = 25“Small” is the word that prevents this status from being ranked much higher. There are not enough agents to give a seminar, and almost too few to mail out. Maine agents, unlike those in most Northeastern states, are receptive to both local and regional marketing firms, as well as far-flung national insurance carriers and marketers. Like North Dakota, the overall income level is low, but the number of seniors willing to brave the winter chill is high. An overlooked state road. This is especially true when recruiting companies are looking for agents to sell ltc, life, and annuities to seniors and near-seniors.

LOUISIANA, Score = 26The hurricane disaster sent this state quickly rolling down 6 points on our list of recommendations. Since then, it has moved up two positions again. Many agents have transitioned to drier states with better economies. It was already one of the poorest states, and at this time, many low-income people stayed. In New Orleans, many with money transfer or job opportunities have moved. The surviving agents, with more than 5 years of experience, still have a stable customer base or work in parts of the state that were not affected by the disaster. The good news is that your competition has pretty much given up status. Some tailored insurance brokerage operations tell us that their current Louisiana postal shipments are getting the best results ever. The main reason is that the less knowledgeable recruiting competition has retired.

PENNSYLVANIARating = 27We believe that the state of Pennsylvania maintains the worst insurance records for licensed agents. Are there really about 100,000 life and health agents? Absolutely not. Also, what about the addresses of the agents? Using the addresses provided by the insurance department would result in more than 30% of your mail being undeliverable. This may sound shocking. However, many other state insurance department agent address records range from 20-35% undeliverable. Do not trust anyone who claims to have a large and accurate list of Pennsylvania agents. Innuendo: In Pennsylvania, get a small, refined list or none at all. This is definitely not the state to engage in mass mailing, mass emailing, or using telephone telemarketing. In general, the agents that can be determined as intermediaries (who place business with an external company) are first-tier producers. Only the best will work, especially for target marketing to agents with a touch of annuity and finance related products.

MOUNTAINRating = 28The Montana agent base is small, but the geographic area they must cover is vast. The number of small, multi-line, life-health-car=home independent agents is beyond normal proportions. However, this is a positive factor. Most of these small operations are independent and represent multiple carriers. They place their life and health products with different insurance companies that receive their auto, home, and business insurance premiums.

IOWARating = 29Iowa is home to many life and health insurance companies, and most insurers like to have a strong presence in their home states. Therefore, while the direct contracting pressure from the insurance company is high, the pressure exerted by the brokerage and marketing firms is average. It is a difficult city to recruit to give a seminar. Only Des Moines has enough quality agents to invite. This means that areas like Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Sioux City are often overlooked. The demand for hiring agents in general is slightly below what it should be.

IDAHORating = 30There are a large number of potato farmers spread over a large amount of land for professional agents to keep track of. Unfortunately, the number of independent agents and agencies in this state is below what it should be. Although there are quite a few agents who will occasionally place insurance, life or health cases outside of their parent company. Many should be called semi-captive and semi-receptive, rather than independently receptive. The amount of business each broker produces is limited, making it difficult for the insurance marketing firm to earn a good return on investment.

ILLINOISRating = 31Illinois is a state with a very large population, with a 60/40 split. This means that 60% of agents are overcrowded in the Chicago metropolitan area alone. Chicagos share many of the characteristics of the New England state. Similar features are a higher-than-average rate of agent turnover, a large presence of large career training companies, and the ninth-highest median household income in the United States. The other 40% of the state follows its Midwestern state counterparts. It has more independent brokers, less recruiting competition, and producers receptive to annuity, life and health offers. Stay away from Chicago and you’ll find a good in-between state to market your products to agents.

Here, in case you’re printing the ranks, are the top 20 states in order. They are Florida, California, Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Oregon, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Utah that rank 20th.