Glossary
Captive agent
An insurance agent who sells mainly or only one company's policies, usually with training and support from that company in return.
Also called: career agent, exclusive agent
A captive agent is a licensed insurance agent under contract to sell primarily one insurer's products. Agents of companies such as State Farm, Northwestern Mutual and New York Life commonly work this way, often with titles like career agent or financial representative. The insurer typically provides training, leads, office support and sometimes benefits, and in return the agent places most or all business with it.
A captive agent can usually go to another company only when their own does not offer a product or declines the applicant, and some contracts forbid even that. Hypothetical example: a captive agent at a mutual company can show you its participating whole life and its term policies, but cannot quote a competitor's lower term price for the same coverage.
The model has trade-offs. Captive agents often know their company's products and service processes in depth, and the relationship can last for years. But comparison shopping means getting other quotes yourself or working with an independent agent or insurance broker. The insurer pays the commission either way, so ask how the agent is paid and whether sales quotas apply. See captive vs independent life insurance agents and how life insurance agents are paid.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026