Hiring a new CSR or producer is expensive. Losing one in the first 90 days because they never got up to speed is worse. This insurance agency onboarding checklist walks you through everything a new hire needs, from licensing to their first solo renewal, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Most independent agencies onboard from memory. The owner or office manager knows what needs to happen, but it lives in their head, in old emails and in a sticky note on someone’s monitor. The result is a new hire who spends week one waiting for logins and week two asking the same questions over and over.

“With 13 years in this industry, I’ve been onboarded at large agencies and small ones. The steps are mostly the same. But only once or twice did I walk in on day one to an inbox already full of tasks to get me moving. That momentum matters.”

Adam Morris, Founder of Wayset

A written checklist fixes that. Here’s ours, organized by phase.

Before day one: paperwork, licensing and access

Start onboarding the day the offer is accepted, not the day they walk in.

• Collect signed offer letter, employment paperwork and any producer or non-solicitation agreement
• Confirm license status in your state, or enroll them in pre-licensing and schedule the exam
• Order their E&O coverage update if your policy requires listing new staff
• Create their email account, phone extension and agency management system user
• Make a list of every carrier portal and comparative rater they will need
• Order equipment and set up their workstation

Licensing is the step that most often delays productivity. An unlicensed CSR can still do a lot, but they can’t quote, bind or give advice on coverage in most states. Start that clock early

Week one: systems, carriers and how your agency works

The first week is about orientation. Your new hire should leave it knowing who your carriers are, where everything lives and how work moves through the office.

• ☐ Walk through your agency management system: clients, policies, activities and documents
• ☐ Review your carrier list: which carriers you write with, for which lines, and who the underwriters and marketing reps are
• ☐ Share agency codes and portal access only for the carriers they will use
• ☐ Review your core SOPs: new business intake, endorsements, renewals, claims and cancellations
• ☐ Introduce them to the team and explain who handles what
• ☐ Assign a go-to person for questions

The carrier review is where most agencies lose time. If your carrier information is spread across spreadsheets, binders and someone’s inbox, your new hire will spend days hunting for it. A single carrier directory with contacts, codes, appetite notes and portal links shortens that to an afternoon.

Weeks two to four: shadowing and supervised work

Now they learn by doing, with a safety net.

• ☐ Shadow experienced CSRs or producers on calls and service requests
• ☐ Process endorsements and certificates with review before sending
• ☐ Run practice quotes in your raters for your most common risks
• ☐ Learn your follow-up and diary process so nothing gets dropped
• ☐ Complete carrier-specific training where your carriers offer it

Days 30 to 90: independence and check-ins

By the end of 90 days, a well-onboarded CSR should handle routine service on their own.

• ☐ Handle renewals and service requests independently, with spot checks
• ☐ Hold 30-, 60- and 90-day check-ins covering what’s working and what’s confusing
• ☐ Set goals for retention, cross-selling or new business, depending on the role
• ☐ Ask them what was missing from onboarding, and add it to this checklist

That last step matters. Your newest hire is the best person to spot gaps in your process, because they just experienced it. Keeping up with the check-ins will not only show them their efforts are valued, but you will learn where the invisible cracks have been forming in your processes and the scope of the issue.

Make onboarding repeatable

A checklist only works if it’s easy to find, easy to follow and kept up to date. That’s why we built Wayset. It keeps your onboarding checklists, carrier directory, agency documents and team information in one place built for independent insurance agencies. Every new hire follows the same path, and you stop rebuilding it from memory each time.

“With 13 years in the industry, I’ve had my share of onboarding at large and small agencies. The steps are similar, but there are only one or two times where on my first day I walked into an inbox filled with tasks to get me started with momentum. That momentum matters.“

FAQ

How long does it take to onboard a new insurance CSR? Most agencies aim for a new CSR to handle routine service independently within 60 to 90 days. Licensing timelines and the complexity of your book can make it longer.

What should be on an insurance agency onboarding checklist? Cover paperwork and licensing, system and carrier access, your core procedures, supervised practice and scheduled check-ins.

Can an unlicensed CSR work at an insurance agency? Yes, in a limited role. Rules vary by state, but unlicensed staff generally can’t quote, bind or advise on coverage. Check with your state’s insurance department.