A new agent walks into a Harare office on Monday with a branded shirt, a fresh notebook and enough confidence to insure the whole of Borrowdale.
By Friday, the notebook is still fresh.
They have spent four days learning product names, posting one flyer on WhatsApp and waiting for relatives to call. Nobody calls.
That is where insurance agent onboarding usually breaks. We confuse induction with selling. We give people a product manual, a commission structure and a motivational speech. Then we release them into the streets alone.
New agents need insurance sales training that turns daily activity into clean, suitable policies. Not noise. Not pressure. Real work.
Their first 10 policies are not an IPEC licence requirement. They are an internal coaching target. Used properly, that milestone helps a new agent learn how to understand customer needs, present appropriate cover and complete the documentation that supports a lasting policy.
Start With Permission Before Prospecting
Before you give anybody a prospect list, confirm that they are allowed to sell.
In Zimbabwe, the Insurance and Pensions Commission, IPEC, regulates insurance agents. An agent acts for a registered insurer. A broker acts for the customer.
That difference matters.
A tied agent cannot tell a prospect, “I shop the whole market for you,” when they represent one insurer. That statement may sound harmless in a sales conversation. It is not harmless. It creates the wrong expectation before the customer has even seen a quote.
Check these items on day one:
• Confirm the agent has valid IPEC registration or licence and is authorised for the class of business they will sell. An expired licence or the wrong class can turn a good sale into a serious problem.
• Confirm which registered insurer they represent. The agent must name the insurer clearly because customers deserve to know who stands behind the policy.
• Confirm the qualification route is in order. Individual agents require either a Diploma in Insurance Practice, or an A-Level pass plus the relevant Certificate of Proficiency. Short-term and long-term business require the matching certificate.
• Give the agent only insurer-approved brochures, scripts and WhatsApp material. A homemade flyer promising “full cover” can create a claim dispute later.
As of October 2026, IPEC publishes individual-agent registration requirements and licensing guidance. Confirm the current class of authority, qualifications, forms and procedures directly through IPEC before onboarding or permitting an agent to solicit business. Do not assume that a licensing checklist intended for an insurer or broker applies unchanged to an individual agent.
Do not recruit first and ask questions later.
Your brand is on every conversation they have.
Build a First 10 Policies Plan
Ten policies sounds small until you ask a new agent for the names behind them.
That is why I do not start with, “Go and sell.” I start with a written 30-day plan to work toward the first 10 suitable policies. The target is an internal sales and coaching benchmark, not a regulatory requirement. Adjust the timetable to the product, the market and the insurer’s approval process. Never put target pressure ahead of customer suitability.
For a new agent in Harare selling motor cover, funeral cover or small-business cover, the plan should show daily activity. Not vague ambition.
Give Them a Named Prospect List
On the first morning, ask the agent to write a practical list of named prospects. Real people with a reason to talk, not vague categories such as “church people” or “my contacts.” Set a prospecting target that the agent can contact lawfully and follow up consistently.
They can begin with people they know through work, church, school, sport, housing estates, commuter routes and local business circles. A person who runs a tuckshop in Kuwadzana has different risks from a logistics owner in Southerton. The agent must learn to see the customer’s daily exposure, not push the same product at every human being with a phone.
Organise the prospect list into three groups:
• People who know and trust the agent.
• People connected to those people.
• Business owners or professionals with a clear reason to discuss cover.
The first group gives the agent practice. The second group expands the network. The third group teaches proper needs conversations.
Do not let them start with strangers only because they are embarrassed to ask their own people. Your network is not a begging list. It is your first market.
Run a Daily Scorecard
A new agent should report activity every day. I would track named prospects, contacts made, appointments booked, approved quotes, follow-ups, policies issued, referrals and compliance corrections.
Why so much detail? Because “I was busy” is not a sales number. A scorecard tells you whether the problem is prospecting, appointments, closing or paperwork.
A simple daily rhythm can look like this:
• Contact named prospects early, before the day gets swallowed by meetings and WhatsApp status updates.
• Book conversations, not just send brochures. A brochure cannot ask follow-up questions.
• Hold needs-based meetings and record what the customer says.
• Send an approved quote or proposal quickly, with the benefits and exclusions explained.
• Follow up at an agreed time.
• Ask for a referral after a useful conversation when appropriate, while respecting the customer’s contact and marketing preferences.
The agent should know their numbers by close of business. Daily. Consistent.
Teach the Conversation, Not Just the Product
A product presentation is easy. Anybody can read a brochure.
The hard part is explaining cover in plain language when the customer asks, “So what happens if my vehicle is written off?” or “What exactly will my family receive?”
Sales coaching must cover the insurer’s identity, the agent’s licence scope, commissions or other interests, benefits, exclusions, cancellation rights, claims steps and the customer’s duty to disclose material facts. That is not paperwork for compliance people. That is the sale.
A customer who understands the policy is less likely to cancel, complain or feel cheated when a claim is assessed.
Use a Plain-Language Meeting Script
I would train a new agent to open with questions, not claims.
They can ask:
• What are you trying to protect right now?
• What would hurt the business or family most if it happened this month?
• What cover do you already have?
• Is there anything material about the risk that the insurer should know before giving terms?
Then the agent explains the product without hiding the difficult parts. If theft is excluded in a certain circumstance, say it. If there is an excess, say it. If a claim needs documents, say which documents and what the first claims step is.
Do not say “full cover” when you mean “a policy with conditions.”
That shortcut may create a quick sale, but it can damage trust and cause problems when a claim is assessed.
Practice the Objections in the Office
A new agent will hear, “I cannot afford it,” “I need to ask my spouse,” and “Send me the details.” If you have not practised those moments, the agent will panic and start discounting their confidence.
Coach them to ask one more useful question.
When a prospect says they cannot afford it, the agent can ask what budget they had in mind and whether a different approved option fits. When a prospect needs to speak to a spouse, the agent can offer a short joint call. When they ask for details, the agent should agree a specific follow-up time instead of disappearing into the WhatsApp graveyard.
No chasing without a next step.
Two Zimbabwean Examples From the Streets
Take a new agent assigned to motor insurance in Harare. She sends a generic WhatsApp flyer to a broad list of contacts, promising “full cover today.” A few recipients react, but the outreach produces no meaningful applications because it says little about the insurer, policy conditions or information required to obtain a quotation.
A better plan is to identify motorists and small-fleet owners who may genuinely benefit from a conversation. She asks how the vehicle is used, what cover is already in place and which risks matter most. She shares only approved material, explains the claims process and agrees on follow-up. Properly assessed applications are more valuable than a long list of vague expressions of interest.
Take a Bulawayo hardware shop whose owner wants “insurance for the business” but has never separated stock risk, premises risk and employee-related concerns. A new agent who jumps straight to premium discussions may lose the conversation or recommend a policy that does not fit the enterprise.
The better agent first asks what stock is held, where it is stored, what losses have happened before and who has authority to decide. They then explain only the approved options available through their insurer, including exclusions and claims steps. The owner may not sign that afternoon. But the agent has earned a proper appointment with the decision-maker and avoided selling a story that cannot survive a claim.
Slow at the beginning can be faster in the end.
Coach the First 10 Policies Hard
Do not wait for month-end to discover that the agent has no pipeline.
Run short coaching sessions every week. Review actual calls, actual messages and actual application forms. The step most managers skip is looking at the paperwork before it becomes a problem.
Ask these questions in the review:
• Did the agent identify the insurer and their role correctly?
• Did they explain exclusions, cancellation rights and claims steps?
• Did they capture material facts instead of guessing?
• Did they use approved marketing material?
• Did they set a real next action with each prospect?
• Did the policy suit the customer’s stated need?
If an agent is getting appointments but no applications, improve the meeting. If they are getting applications with repeated corrections, slow them down and fix the form discipline. If they have no appointments, go back to the prospect list.
Do not motivate a broken process.
Fix it.
For a new agent with too few named prospects to support consistent appointments, do not spend the week teaching advanced closing lines. The immediate need is a better prospecting process, not a more aggressive sales pitch.
For an agent with plenty of meetings but frequent cancellations or complaints, do not reward raw policy count. Check suitability, explanations and paperwork quality first. The first 10 policies should teach the right habits, not create future refunds.
Why Structured Agent Onboarding Benefits Insurers and Sales Teams
A repeatable onboarding process helps new agents reach productive customer conversations sooner without compromising policy suitability. Consistent training also helps managers identify whether an agent needs prospecting support, product knowledge or coaching on disclosures, rather than relying on motivation alone.
For insurers and intermediaries, the long-term value is better-qualified prospects, clearer expectations, fewer preventable paperwork corrections and stronger customer relationships. An agent who understands the customer, explains the policy and keeps dependable records is better equipped to earn referrals and build a sustainable portfolio.
Protect the Customer and the Business
Insurance is a promise for a bad day. That is why careless selling is expensive.
Insurance intermediaries should maintain the records and complaints procedures required by applicable IPEC rules and their insurer’s policies. Confirm the current retention period and prescribed records before setting internal policy. Customers should know how to raise complaints with the insurer and, where appropriate, IPEC.
Tell the customer this before there is a fight.
A clean complaints process does not weaken your sales team. It forces your team to be precise. Keep notes of what was discussed, what documents were given, what disclosures the customer made and what follow-up was agreed.
The agent who says, “I told them,” is not helping you. Records help you.
This is where sales management becomes governance. The daily scorecard gets the agent moving. The coaching check protects the customer. The records protect the business when memory suddenly becomes selective.
Memory is a terrible sales system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 10 policies an IPEC requirement for new insurance agents?
No. The first 10 policies target is an internal onboarding and coaching target, not an IPEC licensing threshold. Use it to build activity and check quality, not to rush people into unsuitable sales.
Can an insurance agent call themselves a broker in Zimbabwe?
No, not if they are acting as an agent for a registered insurer. A broker acts for the customer. The distinction must be clear in sales conversations because it affects what the customer believes the agent can offer.
What should a new insurance agent disclose to a customer?
The agent should explain the insurer’s identity, their authorised scope, commission or other interests, benefits, exclusions, cancellation rights, claims steps and the customer’s duty to disclose material facts. Use plain language and insurer-approved material.
How long should insurance records be kept in Zimbabwe?
Keep application forms, meeting notes, approved marketing material, customer disclosures and complaint records for the period required by applicable law and insurer policy. Check the current retention rules with IPEC; a policy dispute may arise long after the initial sale.
Your new agents do not need another motivational poster. They need names, a daily scorecard, hard coaching and the discipline to sell the truth.
If you want new agents to prospect with confidence, explain cover clearly and build policies that customers understand, request a tailored insurance sales training or consulting proposal from The Chartered Vendor. We can help your team structure onboarding, coaching and performance reviews around suitable policies, sound records and lasting customer relationships.
