The Top 10 CRMs for Insurance Agents: Proven Agency Growth Solutions

Insurance is a critical component of modern life. Consumers need to protect their homes and their cars, their RVs, their vacation properties, and so much more. They also want to ensure that there’s money to leave their heirs. The answer to all of these challenges is the same – insurance. However, finding the right insurer and creating a customized policy can be incredibly challenging.

That’s where you come in. As an insurance agent, you are intimately familiar not just with insurers out there, but their offerings and how they might fit your clients’ lives and needs. Of course, you’re still faced with the challenge of finding ways to get that message to potential clients – converting prospects into leads, and then moving those leads down the sales funnel to become loyal, satisfied clients.

A customer relationship management platform, or CRM if you prefer, is a crucial piece of the puzzle. It provides a central hub for managing all of your lead generation and conversion-related actions and, depending on the platform you choose, can also integrate with other parts of your marketing strategy, retention plan, and more. 

It’s not just fixing fragmented sales processes, though. A CRM can speak to the core challenges insurance agents face in today’s world, from inefficient workflows hampering revenue generation to the ability to compete against other agents and brokerages, struggling to manage policies, and challenges in managing client claims. The challenge for insurance agents is that there are just so many CRMs out there from which to choose. (Of course, you also need to be there when your clients need you, and the superior 24/7 answering service from Smith.ai can ensure that happens).

To be sure, all CRMs offer some pretty similar functions. However, that does not mean that they are all the same. Some options might provide basic functionality only, while others are geared for serving the needs of large brokerages. Making an informed decision can be complicated and time-consuming, but we’ve found a solution. Below, you’ll find the top 10 CRMs for insurance agents, along with a quick overview of what each offers to help you conduct a head-to-head comparison.

However, don’t neglect the other side of the coin. While CRMs can offer automation and a lot of utility, make sure that your clients still experience the human touch. At Smith.ai, we deliver just that with live receptionist services, as well as advanced digital communications through SMS messaging and even Facebook Messenger so that your clients and potential clients can speak to a real person at any time, and however they feel like connecting with your agency.

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1. Insure.io

Insure.io is a purpose-built CRM for the insurance industry. It promises to help you “unleash the power of automation to streamline insurance marketing and lead management,” and it does so with powerful tools and capabilities. You’ll find that Insure.io helps you track leads, policies, claims, events, and more, as well as forecast productivity and sales. The automation tools help you streamline workflows and cut out activities that don’t generate revenue, allowing you to automate things like policy delivery, approval, and more. 

This CRM offers the ability to quote from over 40 carriers offering a host of different products, from permanent life and disability insurance to annuities to help build your clients’ net worth. It also provides pre-built email templates, a marketing campaign builder, and case management capabilities that you’ll need. Some of the most important considerations with this CRM include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial
• Price: $25 per month
• E-application and drop-ticket capabilities
• In-depth reporting
• Customizable analytics
• Lead posting and opportunity tracking
• Detailed case notes and policy management capabilities
• At-a-glance client policy history

2. Salesforce

Salesforce is one of the most ubiquitous CRMs today, and for good reason. It manages to offer something for just about everyone. For insurance agents, Salesforce Sales Cloud is the choice du jour, which provides some pretty compelling capabilities and benefits. You might also want to consider Salesforce Financial Cloud, which adds more functionality specific to your needs.

With Salesforce, you get the ability to create pricing options for insurance products and services, as well as custom dashboards and reporting. You can easily manage customer data, gain access to policyholder insights, manage client life events, and deal with client claims. Key considerations with Salesforce include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a 30-day free trial
• Price: $25 per user per month
• Account, contact, lead, and opportunity management tools
• Integrates with both Outlook and Gmail
• Mobile apps
• Automate approval
• Automate workflows
• Lead registration
• Web-to-lead Capture

3. AgencyBloc

Another purpose-built CRM, AgencyBloc promises to help you “manage your insurance agency from anywhere”. From industry-specific features like tracking prospects to the ability to process commissions and business automation, this CRM delivers the features and functions you’ll need to run a successful insurance agency.

Note that AgencyBloc is primarily used in the life insurance and health insurance sectors, but it can be used in others. It also integrates directly with most of the top insurers today, including Aetna, United, Prudential, Humana, and more. It helps you stay in constant contact with leads throughout the sales funnel, as well as after conversion, so you can deliver a great client experience. Some of the top features to consider with AgencyBloc include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial
• Price: $65 per month
• Assign multiple payees
• Track by revenue type
• Import commission statements
• Detailed lead forms
• Compare actual vs. expected
• Access detailed analytics
• HIPAA-grade encryption

4. Zoho

Zoho is another well-known name in the CRM industry. It’s used by Fortune 500 companies, as well as by SMBs, and its pricing structure means that even solo agents can find an affordable yet highly-functional solution to managing their client relationships. Zoho also offers plenty of features and capabilities.

You will find that this CRM provides order management capabilities, opportunity management, web-to-lead capture, task management, email tracking, contact management, and a great deal more. Insurance agents will particularly enjoy the lead management capabilities that allow them to generate, organize, and manage leads seamlessly, although there’s plenty more to love about this CRM. Some of the top features for your consideration include:

• Free option? Yes
• Price: $12 per user per month
• Automate workflows
• Create custom dashboards
• Manage leads, contacts, and accounts
• Sales forecasting tools

5. Zendesk Sell

If you’re looking for a web-based CRM for your insurance agency, there’s a lot to recommend Zendesk for Sales (formerly Base). It offers uncompromising performance, accessibility from anywhere via any Internet-connected device, and a lot more. It’s also a widely used platform.

With Zendesk, you get a standalone sales automation module that integrates self-service capabilities, as well as channel management options. You can track and manage leads and sales, and engage clients through different channels from any location. The sales reporting feature also gives you a deep look into your sales pipeline.

Some of the stand-out capabilities available with Zendesk Sell include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial
• Price: $19 per user per month
• Email integration
• Custom sales pipeline(s)
• Mobile CRM functionality
• Customizable email templates
• Advanced analytics
• Sales goals and forecasting
• Task automation
• Lead and deal scoring
  

6. NoCRM.io

Want the benefits of a CRM without a full-blown CRM? Then NoCRM.io might be the tool for you. Designed for salespeople by salespeople, this software option promises to “help sales teams track and close deals without spending hours filling out forms”. And, when you get right down to it, salesperson is one of the two hats that insurance agents must wear (the other being customer service specialist). 

This anti-CRM offers a lot of CRM-like functionality, though. That includes lead capture through multiple channels, such as web forms, emails, and more. It also helps you plan calls, meetings, and other touchpoints to maximize value. You can customize your sales pipeline, and it integrates with most email platforms. Some of the features that make NoCRM.io a contender for your attention include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial
• Price: $12 per user per month
• Email to lead solutions
• Contact form integration
• Export in Excel or CSV
• Sales activity management
• Multiple sales pipelines (visualized)
• Connects with Google Workspace, QuickBooks, Dropbox, and more
  

7. Keap

Formerly Infusionsoft, Keap is a flexible, customizable CRM that can work very well for insurance agents, agencies, and brokerages. It’s purpose-designed for smaller businesses, which means it offers plenty of valuable capabilities without the functions you’ll never use (saving you money and hassle). It also offers both Android and iOS mobile apps for ease of use.

Keap makes it simple to segment your contacts and track client interactions throughout the sales funnel and even after leads convert into paying clients. You can personalize communications based on a variety of triggers (such as email opens), and also delve into granular analytics to measure success. Some of the features of note with Keap include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial.
• Price: $56 per month for a single user
• Helps improve organization
• Increases productivity and efficiency
• Connects with Gmail and Outlook
• Automatic messaging for new leads
• Prewritten emails
• Full lead information cards
• In-depth client history at a glance

8. FreeAgent CRM

Looking for something streamlined, agile, and designed from the ground up for solopreneurs and sole agents? FreeAgent CRM could be just the ticket. It helps you optimize sales, boost marketing performance, and ensure client satisfaction (all while converting more leads). You’ll also appreciate the process optimization capabilities on offer here.

One interesting feature about FreeAgent is that it offers something called “solutions”, which are modular capabilities that help you customize the software to meet your needs. Choose from management, sales, marketing, customer service, and operations, or integrate them all. Some of the features and capabilities to know about FreeAgent CRM include:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial
• Price: $25 per user per month
• Lead, contact, and account management tools
• Integrates with Gmail and Outlook
• Powerful mobile app (both iOS and Android)
• Lead capture
• Rules-based lead scoring
• Process and workflow automation
• Client details at a glance
• Track digital client interactions

9. Oracle NetSuite

Oracle should be a pretty familiar name, and the software giant’s NetSuite CRM is definitely worth your consideration. Cloud-based and flexible, it offers features that can work just as well for solo agents as for large agencies/brokerages. It offers powerful automation capabilities, integrates e-commerce tools you’ll love, and has an iOS mobile app, as well.

With NetSuite, you can gain a full 360-degree view of your clients, their journey through the sales funnel, interactions at each touchpoint, and more. It also helps you deliver quotes, handle orders, track and distribute commissions, forecast sales, and handle upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Features of note here include:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial
• Price: Custom
• Powerful client relationship management capabilities
• Marketing automation tools
• Partner management capabilities
• Sales automation
• iOS mobile app
• At-a-glance access to client information and history
• Upsell and cross-sell management
  

10. HubSpot

One of the most popular CRM options in the world, HubSpot has a lot to offer any business owner, including insurance agents. Flexible, modular, and customizable, you can create a solution tailored to your unique needs and goals without much in the way of hassle. It’s also nice that the basic option is free of charge (forever). 

With the free HubSpot CRM, you get access to a detailed, customizable reporting dashboard, as well as deep insights into client history and actions. You can track deals, and manage the entire pipeline from one point. Moving to the paid version gets you access to upgraded features, including sales quotes, in-depth analytics, sales engagement tools, and more.

Features of note with HubSpot include the following:

• Free option? Yes
• Price: $45 per month
• Ad management
• Custom landing pages
• Custom forms
• Email marketing
• Follow-up emails
• List segmentation
  

Do more with Smith.ai

Whether you specialize in life or health insurance or help your clients find the right form of protection for all their needs, you’ll find an ideal CRM for your agency. However, don’t neglect the fact that your clients need to speak with a live human being, and that can be challenging in a thriving, busy agency. 

At Smith.ai, our live, professional receptionists ensure that your clients always benefit from genuine human contact. We also integrate directly with many of the CRMs listed above, helping you do more with less hassle. If you’re ready to accelerate your agency’s growth, get in touch to talk about our Live Receptionist Services, or to learn how high-quality, 24/7 answering services can benefit your small business. Feel free to reach out via email at hello@smith.ai, or drop us a line at (650) 727-6484.