An insurance advisor/agent gives probable customers knowledge
about an Insurance Plan and sell Insurance Policies.
There are three types of insurance agents :
1. Life Insurance Agent.
2. General Insurance(Non-Life) Agent.
3. Composite Insurance Agent(i.e. both life and non life
agent).
An insurance broker can also be an insurance advisor.
Difference between an insurance agent and an insurance broker
are:
1. An insurance agent is employed by only one general insurance
company or one life insurance company or both(depending on the type
of Agent) but an insurance broker can work with any insurance
company(Life or General).
2. An insurance agent is accountable to Insurer(insurance
company) but an insurance broker is accountable to customers, i.e.
an insurance broker works on behalf of customers to seek a better
insurance plan.
3. Both agents and brokers are reimbursed by insurance
company.
4. There is no capital requirement for Insurance Agents but
Insurance brokers must have capital of Rs. 50 lakhs for direct
broker, Rs. 1 crore for reinsurance broker and Rs. 2.5 crore for
composite broker.
Generally Insurance brokers works with big businesses whereas
agents work with all type of businesses.