Insurance Broker Resume Examples by Level (2026)

Insurance Broker Resume Examples by Level (2026)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 47,000 annual openings for insurance sales agents and brokers through 2034, yet the profession's 4% growth rate means competition for the best positions at top brokerages like Marsh McLennan, Aon, and Arthur J. Gallagher remains intense. Your resume is the document that determines whether you land interviews at firms managing billions in premium volume — or get filtered out before a human ever reads it. Insurance brokers occupy a unique space in financial services: part risk consultant, part relationship manager, part salesman. The median annual wage sits at $60,370 according to BLS May 2024 data, but that figure obscures the real story. The bottom 10% earn under $36,390, while the top 10% surpass $135,660 — and top producers at major brokerages routinely clear $200,000 or more with commissions and bonuses. The difference between the low and high ends often comes down to who gets hired at the right firm, which starts with the right resume. This guide provides three complete, ready-to-adapt resume examples for insurance brokers at every career stage, plus the ATS keywords, professional summary templates, and formatting strategies that get resumes past automated screening systems and onto hiring managers' desks.

Table of Contents

1. Why Your Insurance Broker Resume Matters
2. Entry-Level Insurance Broker Resume Example
3. Mid-Career Insurance Broker Resume Example
4. Senior Insurance Broker / Managing Director Resume Example
5. Key Skills and ATS Keywords
6. Professional Summary Examples
7. Common Mistakes on Insurance Broker Resumes
8. ATS Optimization Tips
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Citations

Why Your Insurance Broker Resume Matters

Insurance brokerage has become a consolidation-driven industry. Hub International closed hundreds of acquisitions in recent years. Arthur J. Gallagher grew revenue to $11.1 billion through aggressive M&A activity. When these firms absorb smaller agencies, they inherit portfolios but scrutinize every producer. Whether you are applying externally or surviving an internal evaluation post-acquisition, your resume is the document that justifies your seat. Three factors make insurance broker resumes distinct from other sales roles: **Licensing and designations carry real weight.** A state Property & Casualty license is table stakes. But the CPCU designation from The Institutes — requiring 9 courses and 8 exams — signals depth that hiring managers at firms like Marsh and Aon actively seek. The CIC from The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, requiring 5 intensive courses with essay exams, demonstrates broad commercial lines mastery. These credentials are not decorative. They are filters. **Revenue metrics define your candidacy.** Unlike many sales roles where quota attainment tells the whole story, insurance brokers must demonstrate book of business size, premium volume placed, client retention rates, new business production, and cross-selling effectiveness. A resume that says "managed client relationships" without quantifying the book is a resume that gets rejected. **Technology proficiency matters more than brokers realize.** Agency management systems like Applied Epic, Vertafore AMS360, Sagitta, and BenefitPoint are the operational backbone of every brokerage. Proposal tools like Zywave, rating platforms, and CRM systems like Salesforce are daily-use technologies. Hiring managers at mid-market and large brokerages expect fluency with these platforms, and ATS systems are programmed to scan for them.

1. Entry-Level Insurance Broker Resume Example

**Best for:** Recent graduates, career changers, and professionals with 0-2 years in insurance seeking their first commercial lines brokerage role.

**SARAH J. MARTINEZ** Chicago, IL 60601 | (312) 555-0147 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/sarahjmartinez

**PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY** Licensed Property & Casualty insurance professional with 18 months of commercial lines experience at a top-20 U.S. brokerage. Assisted senior brokers in managing a $14M premium book across middle-market manufacturing and distribution accounts. Completed the CISR designation within first year. Proficient in Applied Epic and Zywave proposal generation.

**LICENSES & DESIGNATIONS** - Illinois Property & Casualty License, Illinois Department of Insurance (Active) - Illinois Life & Health License, Illinois Department of Insurance (Active) - Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR), The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, 2024 - Associate in Risk Management (ARM) — In Progress, The Institutes

**PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE** **Commercial Lines Broker Associate** | USI Insurance Services | Chicago, IL | June 2023 – Present - Support a 3-person team managing 87 middle-market accounts with combined annual premium of $14.2M across commercial property, general liability, auto, and umbrella lines - Prepare renewal presentations and stewardship reports for accounts ranging from $45K to $380K in annual premium, achieving 94% client retention rate in supported book - Process an average of 12 submissions per week to carrier partners including Hartford, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, and Chubb, maintaining detailed records in Applied Epic - Conduct exposure analysis and loss run reviews for new business prospects, contributing to $1.8M in new premium written in first 12 months - Build and deliver Zywave-generated proposals and coverage comparisons for senior brokers, reducing proposal turnaround time from 5 days to 3 days - Coordinate certificate of insurance issuance and endorsement processing for 87 accounts, maintaining 99.2% accuracy rate on certificate requests **Insurance Customer Service Representative** | State Farm — Michael Torres Agency | Naperville, IL | August 2021 – May 2023 - Serviced a 1,200-policy personal lines book across auto, homeowners, renters, and umbrella coverage, handling 40+ daily client interactions - Processed policy changes, billing inquiries, and claims intake, maintaining 4.8/5.0 customer satisfaction score - Quoted and bound $620K in new personal lines premium over 20 months, converting 34% of inbound quote requests - Earned CISR designation during tenure, completing all 5 required courses while maintaining full-time caseload

**EDUCATION** Bachelor of Science in Finance | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 2021 - Gamma Iota Sigma (Insurance Fraternity) Member - Dean's List (4 semesters)

**TECHNICAL SKILLS** Applied Epic | Zywave | Vertafore AMS360 | Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables) | Salesforce CRM | Carrier Rating Portals (Travelers MyTravelers, Hartford agent portal) | DocuSign

What Makes This Resume Effective

This entry-level resume works because it quantifies everything a junior broker can control: submission volume, retention rates on the supported book, premium contribution, and operational accuracy. The CISR designation earned within the first year signals initiative and commitment to the profession. Listing specific carrier names and technology platforms gives ATS systems the exact keywords hiring managers have entered as search criteria. The progression from personal lines service to commercial brokerage demonstrates a deliberate career trajectory rather than random job-hopping.

2. Mid-Career Insurance Broker Resume Example

**Best for:** Brokers with 3-7 years of experience who have built their own book of business and are ready for a senior producer or team lead role at a larger brokerage.

**JAMES R. THORNTON, CIC** Atlanta, GA 30309 | (404) 555-0283 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/jamesthornton-cic

**PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY** Certified Insurance Counselor and commercial P&C broker with 6 years of production experience and a $4.8M revenue book of business. Specialize in middle-market and upper-middle-market accounts across construction, real estate, and hospitality verticals. Consistently exceeded new business targets by 20%+ at both regional and national brokerages. Deep carrier relationships across standard and E&S markets including Zurich, AIG, Berkley, and Lexington.

**LICENSES & DESIGNATIONS** - Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, 2022 - Georgia Property & Casualty License (Active) | Surplus Lines License (Active) - Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama Non-Resident P&C Licenses (Active) - Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) — 6 of 8 exams completed, The Institutes

**PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE** **Vice President, Commercial Insurance** | Gallagher | Atlanta, GA | March 2022 – Present - Manage and grow a $4.8M revenue book of business (approximately $38M in placed premium) across 134 commercial accounts in construction, real estate, and hospitality - Generated $1.4M in new business revenue in 2024, representing 127% of $1.1M new business target and ranking #3 among 28 producers in the Southeast region - Achieved 96.2% client retention rate on renewal book, exceeding regional benchmark of 92% through proactive stewardship and mid-term policy reviews - Negotiate placements across standard admitted and E&S markets, including structured programs for wrap-up (OCIP/CCIP) insurance on construction projects valued at $50M–$250M - Led cross-sell initiative introducing employee benefits to 18 P&C clients, generating $340K in incremental benefits commission revenue - Mentor 2 associate brokers, establishing a structured 90-day onboarding program that reduced time-to-first-placement from 6 months to 4 months **Senior Account Executive** | NFP | Atlanta, GA | January 2020 – February 2022 - Built book from $1.2M to $2.9M revenue over 2 years through a combination of organic growth ($800K) and new business production ($900K) - Specialized in real estate investors and hospitality groups with portfolios of 10-50 properties, placing property programs with total insured values of $100M–$500M - Marketed and placed 45+ new accounts annually across Travelers, Zurich, AIG, Great American, and surplus lines carriers including Lexington and Scottsdale - Implemented Zywave analytics benchmarking tool for client presentations, increasing new business close rate from 28% to 37% - Won NFP Southeast Region "Rising Star" award (2021) for exceeding $1M in first-year new business revenue **Commercial Lines Broker** | Assured Partners | Jacksonville, FL | June 2018 – December 2019 - Managed 65-account book of $1.8M revenue across light manufacturing, distribution, and retail verticals - Produced $480K in new business revenue annually against $400K target (120% attainment) - Placed complex programs including products liability, inland marine, and commercial auto fleet coverage for accounts with 50-200 vehicles - Maintained carrier relationships and submission quality standards that resulted in 85%+ quote-back ratio from targeted markets

**EDUCATION** Bachelor of Business Administration, Risk Management & Insurance | University of Georgia | 2018 - Gamma Iota Sigma, VP of Professional Development

**TECHNICAL SKILLS** Applied Epic | Sagitta | Zywave Analytics | BenefitPoint | Salesforce CRM | Origami Risk | Microsoft Power BI | Carrier Portals (Zurich Edge, AIG FastLane, Travelers MyTravelers) | DocuSign | RiskMeter

What Makes This Resume Effective

This mid-career resume demonstrates clear upward trajectory: revenue book growth from $1.8M to $4.8M across three firms, each a larger brokerage than the last. The CIC designation plus near-completion of the CPCU tells hiring managers this candidate invests in professional development — critical at firms like Gallagher where designations factor into compensation and advancement. Specific carrier names, E&S market expertise, and construction wrap-up experience signal specialized knowledge that commands higher compensation. The cross-sell metric ($340K in benefits revenue) shows this broker thinks about total client value, not just P&C placement.

3. Senior Insurance Broker / Managing Director Resume Example

**Best for:** Experienced brokers with 8+ years managing large books, leading teams, and driving practice group or office-level P&L responsibility.

**KATHERINE A. DEMAREST, CPCU, CIC, ARM** New York, NY 10017 | (212) 555-0391 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/katherinedemarest

**PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY** CPCU, CIC, and ARM-designated insurance brokerage executive with 14 years of experience and a $12.6M personal revenue book of business. Lead a 9-person commercial P&C production team generating $31M in combined revenue across financial institutions, professional services, and technology verticals. Track record of building and retaining large, complex accounts including Fortune 500 relationships with total insured programs exceeding $2B. Proven ability to structure multi-line, multi-carrier placements across domestic admitted, surplus lines, and London markets.

**LICENSES & DESIGNATIONS** - Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), The Institutes, 2016 - Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, 2014 - Associate in Risk Management (ARM), The Institutes, 2013 - New York Property & Casualty License (Active) | Surplus Lines License (Active) - Non-Resident Licenses: NJ, CT, PA, MA, CA, TX, FL, IL (Active)

**PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE** **Managing Director, Financial & Professional Services Practice** | Marsh McLennan | New York, NY | April 2019 – Present - Lead a 9-person production team (4 producers, 3 account executives, 2 analysts) generating $31M in annual commission and fee revenue, representing 18% year-over-year growth since assuming leadership in 2019 - Personally manage a $12.6M revenue book of business comprising 42 large and complex accounts, including 6 Fortune 500 financial institutions with total insured programs exceeding $2B in limits - Achieved 98.1% client retention rate on personal book over trailing 3 years, losing only 2 accounts (both due to M&A activity, not competitive displacement) - Structured a $500M professional liability tower placement for a top-20 U.S. bank, coordinating 8 carriers across 4 layers with manuscript policy forms, generating $2.1M in brokerage revenue on a single account - Drove team new business production from $4.2M to $7.8M annually by implementing a disciplined pipeline management process in Salesforce with weekly activity metrics and monthly production reviews - Negotiated and implemented fee-based compensation arrangements on 14 large accounts, increasing transparency and total revenue by 12% versus prior commission-only structures - Serve on Marsh's National Financial Institutions Steering Committee, contributing to product development for cyber liability, D&O Side A DIC, and fidelity/crime coverage **Senior Vice President, Commercial Insurance** | Aon | New York, NY | August 2015 – March 2019 - Built and managed a $7.4M revenue book of business focused on technology companies and professional services firms with $100M-$2B in annual revenue - Personally produced $2.8M in average annual new business revenue across property, casualty, management liability (D&O/EPL/fiduciary), and cyber risk lines - Designed and placed Aon's first parametric weather insurance product for a major outdoor entertainment company, generating $680K in annual premium and national recognition from Aon's Innovation Council - Led a team of 4, including 2 brokers and 2 account managers, achieving combined team revenue of $14.2M with 95% retention - Developed and delivered Aon's "Cyber Risk Roadmap" client advisory presentation, deployed to 60+ clients and adopted as a national practice group resource - Placed programs in London and Bermuda markets for technology E&O and cyber liability, managing relationships with Lloyd's syndicates and Bermuda carriers **Vice President, Broker** | Willis Towers Watson | New York, NY | June 2011 – July 2015 - Progressed from Associate Broker to VP within 4 years based on consistent overperformance against production targets (average 135% of new business goal) - Grew personal book from $800K to $3.6M revenue through combination of organic growth and new account acquisition in the financial institutions practice - Managed complex D&O and professional liability placements for private equity firms, hedge funds, and investment advisors, including Side A DIC and ABC coverage structures - Collaborated with Willis's Facultative Reinsurance team on large property placements requiring treaty and facultative capacity above $250M - Earned CPCU designation while maintaining full production responsibilities, completing all 8 exams in 2.5 years

**EDUCATION** Master of Business Administration (Finance) | Columbia Business School | 2011 Bachelor of Arts in Economics | Boston College | 2008

**INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP & AFFILIATIONS** - CPCU Society — New York Chapter Board Member (2020–Present) - Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) — Member - PLUS (Professional Liability Underwriting Society) — Speaker, 2023 Annual Conference - The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research — CIC Faculty Member (Guest Lecturer) - Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) — Member

**TECHNICAL SKILLS** Applied Epic | Sagitta | Salesforce CRM | Origami Risk | Zywave | Power BI | Tableau | BenefitPoint | Carrier Platforms (Marsh Global Broking, Aon Broking, Lloyd's Placing Platform) | DocuSign | PlacementLink

What Makes This Resume Effective

This senior-level resume leads with the triple designation (CPCU, CIC, ARM) — the gold standard combination in commercial brokerage. The $12.6M personal book and $31M team revenue immediately establish this candidate as a high-impact producer. Specific placement structures (the $500M professional liability tower, the parametric product, London market placements) demonstrate technical sophistication that justifies the Managing Director title. The 98.1% retention rate across 3 years with only M&A-driven losses is a powerful data point. Industry leadership through CPCU Society board membership, PLUS conference speaking, and CIC guest lecturing demonstrates thought leadership that large brokerages value for client development and brand building.

Key Skills & ATS Keywords for Insurance Broker Resumes

Applicant tracking systems used by large brokerages scan for specific terminology. The following keywords appear most frequently in insurance broker job postings and should be incorporated naturally throughout your resume.

Core Brokerage Skills

• Commercial Property & Casualty
• New Business Production / Development
• Client Retention & Stewardship
• Book of Business Management
• Policy Placement & Marketing
• Surplus Lines / E&S Markets
• Coverage Analysis & Gap Identification
• Loss Run Analysis
• Exposure Analysis
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation

Specialized Knowledge Areas

• Management Liability (D&O / EPL / Fiduciary)
• Cyber Risk & Privacy Liability
• Professional Liability / E&O
• Workers' Compensation
• Commercial Auto / Fleet
• Wrap-Up Programs (OCIP / CCIP)
• Umbrella / Excess Liability
• Employee Benefits Brokerage
• Surety Bonds
• International Placements / Global Programs

Technology & Tools

• Applied Epic
• Vertafore AMS360
• Sagitta
• BenefitPoint
• Zywave
• Salesforce CRM
• Origami Risk
• Carrier Rating Portals
• DocuSign
• Microsoft Power BI / Tableau

Business & Leadership Skills

• Revenue Growth & P&L Management
• Pipeline Management
• Cross-Selling / Account Rounding
• Carrier Relationship Management
• Team Leadership & Mentoring
• Fee-Based Compensation Structuring
• Request for Proposal (RFP) Response
• Stewardship Reporting
• Claims Advocacy

Professional Summary Examples

Entry-Level Insurance Broker

Licensed Property & Casualty professional with 1.5 years of commercial lines brokerage experience at a national firm. Contributed to $1.8M in new business production while supporting a senior team managing 87 middle-market accounts. CISR-designated with proficiency in Applied Epic and Zywave. Seeking a commercial lines broker role where strong analytical skills and carrier market knowledge can drive production results.

Mid-Career Insurance Broker

CIC-designated commercial insurance broker with 6 years of experience and a $4.8M personal revenue book concentrated in construction, real estate, and hospitality. Consistent 120%+ new business attainment across three brokerages. Deep expertise in standard and E&S markets with strong carrier relationships at Zurich, AIG, Travelers, and Lloyd's syndicates. Proven ability to structure complex placements including wrap-up programs, layered property towers, and manuscript policy forms.

Senior Broker / Practice Leader

> CPCU, CIC, and ARM-designated brokerage executive with 14 years of production experience and a $12.6M personal revenue book across financial institutions, technology, and professional services. Lead a 9-person team generating $31M in annual revenue with 98% client retention. Experienced in structuring Fortune 500-level placements across domestic admitted, surplus lines, London, and Bermuda markets. Track record of growing team revenue through disciplined pipeline management, carrier innovation, and consultative risk advisory.

Common Mistakes on Insurance Broker Resumes

1. Failing to Quantify Your Book of Business

The single most common and most damaging mistake. Writing "managed a large book of commercial insurance clients" tells a hiring manager nothing. Every brokerage hiring manager wants to know: How large is your book in revenue? How many accounts? What is your retention rate? What did you produce in new business? If you cannot quantify these metrics, your resume will be passed over in favor of someone who can.

2. Omitting Carrier Names and Market Relationships

Insurance brokerage is a relationship business, and carrier access matters. A resume that says "placed coverage with multiple carriers" misses the opportunity to demonstrate market depth. Naming specific carriers — Hartford, Travelers, Zurich, AIG, Chubb, Berkley, Great American, Lexington, Scottsdale — signals to hiring managers which markets you can access and which relationships will transfer with you.

3. Listing Designations Without the Issuing Organization

Writing "CPCU" or "CIC" without noting that the CPCU is conferred by The Institutes and the CIC by The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research is a missed ATS opportunity and suggests the candidate may not fully understand the credential's significance. Always include the full designation name, the issuing body, and the year earned.

4. Ignoring Technology Proficiency

Many experienced brokers assume their production numbers speak for themselves and skip the technology section. This is a mistake. Brokerages investing in Applied Epic or AMS360 migrations want producers who will adopt the platform, not resist it. Zywave, BenefitPoint, and CRM proficiency are increasingly listed as requirements, not preferences, in job postings.

5. Using Generic Sales Language Instead of Insurance Terminology

Resumes that read like general B2B sales resumes — "drove revenue growth," "built relationships," "exceeded targets" — miss the industry-specific language that ATS systems and hiring managers expect. Use insurance terminology: "placed programs," "marketed submissions," "bound coverage," "negotiated terms and conditions," "structured layered towers," "managed renewal stewardship."

6. Not Specifying Lines of Business and Industry Verticals

A broker who writes "commercial insurance" without specifying whether that means property, casualty, management liability, cyber, professional liability, or employee benefits forces the reader to guess. Similarly, omitting industry verticals (construction, healthcare, technology, financial institutions) hides the specialized knowledge that commands premium compensation. Specificity demonstrates expertise.

7. Burying Licenses in a Footer

State licenses — especially surplus lines licenses and multi-state non-resident licenses — are legal requirements for brokerage. They should appear prominently, not buried at the bottom of page two. Hiring managers at national brokerages specifically look for multi-state licensing because it indicates readiness to service accounts across jurisdictions.

ATS Optimization Tips for Insurance Broker Resumes

1. Mirror the Exact Language from the Job Posting

If the posting says "Commercial Lines Producer," use that exact phrase in your resume — not "Commercial Insurance Broker" or "P&C Sales Professional." ATS systems at firms like Marsh, Aon, and Gallagher often use exact-match keyword filters in early screening. Review the specific posting and adjust your professional summary and skills section accordingly.

2. Spell Out Designations and Include Abbreviations

Write "Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)" the first time, then use "CPCU" throughout. This captures both the ATS query for the abbreviation and the full-text search for the spelled-out version. Apply the same approach to CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor), ARM (Associate in Risk Management), and CISR (Certified Insurance Service Representative).

3. Include Agency Management System Names as Standalone Keywords

Do not just mention "agency management systems" generically. Name the specific platforms: Applied Epic, AMS360, Sagitta, BenefitPoint, Zywave. These are common ATS search filters because brokerages want producers who already know their operational platform and will not require months of training.

4. Use Standard Section Headers

ATS systems parse resumes by recognizing section headers. Use conventional labels: "Professional Experience," "Education," "Licenses & Designations," "Technical Skills," and "Professional Summary." Creative headers like "My Journey" or "What I Bring" confuse parsers and can cause your content to be miscategorized or ignored entirely.

5. Submit in .docx Format Unless the Application Specifies Otherwise

Most enterprise ATS platforms (Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, Taleo) parse .docx files more reliably than PDFs. Unless the application specifically requests PDF, submit in Word format. Avoid graphics, tables with merged cells, text boxes, and headers/footers — ATS parsers frequently misread or skip content placed in these elements.

6. Quantify Every Achievement with Numbers and Dollar Signs

ATS systems increasingly use AI-assisted ranking that weights quantified achievements higher than unquantified claims. "$4.8M book of business," "127% of new business target," "96% retention rate," and "134 accounts" are all parseable, indexable data points that help your resume rank higher in candidate scoring algorithms.

7. Place Your Most Important Keywords in the Top Third

ATS ranking algorithms and human reviewers both give disproportionate weight to content that appears early in the document. Your professional summary should contain your highest-value keywords: the designation abbreviations, your book size, your primary specialization, and your most impressive production metric.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I put on my resume if I am switching from captive agent to independent broker?

Emphasize transferable metrics: premium written, policy count, retention rate, and client satisfaction scores. Highlight any commercial lines experience, even if your primary book was personal lines. Most importantly, demonstrate that you understand the independent brokerage model — mention carrier relationships, comparative quoting experience, and any exposure to agency management systems like Applied Epic or AMS360. The transition from captive to independent is common and understood by hiring managers, but you need to show that you have already started building the skills and knowledge the independent side requires.

How important are designations like CPCU and CIC for getting hired?

At large national brokerages (Marsh, Aon, Gallagher, WTW, Hub International), designations are significant differentiators but rarely hard requirements for junior roles. For senior and leadership positions, CPCU and CIC are increasingly expected. The CPCU designation requires completing 9 courses and 8 exams through The Institutes, so it signals serious commitment. The CIC requires 5 intensive courses through The National Alliance. If you are actively pursuing either, list it as "In Progress" with the number of exams completed — hiring managers view active pursuit favorably and many firms offer financial support and study time for candidates working toward these credentials.

Should I include my book of business size on my resume?

Yes, absolutely. Book of business size is the single most important metric on an insurance broker resume. It tells the hiring manager exactly what you bring to the table on day one. Include your total book revenue, approximate premium volume, number of accounts, retention rate, and annual new business production. If you are concerned about confidentiality, you can use approximate ranges (e.g., "$4M-5M revenue book") rather than exact figures, but omitting the number entirely puts you at a severe disadvantage against candidates who include it.

How do I handle gaps between brokerage positions on my resume?

Insurance is an industry where job transitions are common due to M&A activity — when Gallagher acquires a regional firm or Hub International absorbs a local brokerage, producers often move. Frame transitions honestly: if you left because your firm was acquired and your book was reassigned, say so. If you took time to obtain licensing in new states or complete a designation, note that. Hiring managers in insurance understand the dynamics of the industry. What they distrust is unexplained gaps combined with lack of quantified results, which suggests a producer who was let go for underperformance.

What resume format works best for insurance brokers?

Use a reverse-chronological format with a professional summary at the top. This is the standard expected by insurance brokerage hiring managers and the format best parsed by ATS systems. Place your licenses and designations section immediately after the summary — in insurance, credentials matter more than education in most hiring decisions. Keep the resume to two pages for brokers with 5+ years of experience; one page is acceptable for entry-level candidates. Avoid functional or skills-based formats, which are viewed with suspicion in an industry where production track record is the primary hiring criterion.

Citations

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Insurance Sales Agents: Occupational Outlook Handbook." U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/insurance-sales-agents.htm
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Insurance Sales Agents (41-3021)." May 2024. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes413021.htm
3. The Institutes. "Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Designation." https://www.theinstitutes.org/program/chartered-property-casualty-underwriter-cpcu
4. The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. "Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Program." https://www.scic.com/designations/cic/
5. The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. "Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) Program." https://www.scic.com/designations/cisr/
6. Business Insurance. "2024 Broker Profiles: World's 10 Largest Insurance Brokers." https://www.businessinsurance.com/2024-brokers-profiles-worlds-10-largest-insurance-brokers/
7. AM Best. "Best's Review: Global Brokers Ranking and Brokers Listing." July 2025. https://bestsreview.ambest.com/edition/2025/July/Global-Brokers-Ranking-and-Brokers-Listing.html
8. Beinsure. "Top 20 Global Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers in 2026." https://beinsure.com/ranking/top-global-re-insurance-brokers/
9. Insurance Business Magazine. "The 7 Best Insurance Certifications to Advance Your Career." https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/guides/the-7-best-insurance-certifications-to-advance-your-career-523888.aspx
10. Resume Worded. "Resume Skills for Insurance Broker (+ Templates)." https://resumeworded.com/skills-and-keywords/insurance-broker-skills