• November 13, 2009

Insurance agents hold differing preferences based on their experience in the industry and whether they're captive or independent, according to a Mintel Comperemedia survey.

The survey of 275 insurance producers in the U.S. during September 2009 shows that independent agents rank marketing support higher than captive agents when selecting which products to sell (76% versus 68%). This is likely because independents don't benefit from national advertising campaigns. Captive producers, however, are more concerned with their company's brand recognition (92% versus 78%).

Although referrals reign as producers' top preferred method for promoting an agency (89% of all agents surveyed), agents with less experience report higher preference for Web sites, insurance company leads and networking events than do their more experienced colleagues.--Tanya Irwin