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Agency Manager interview questions and how to answer them

An agency owner hiring a manager is really asking whether they can hand you the keys. Expect questions about the producers you've coached, the renewals you've saved and the mess you'd clean up first. Bring specific stories from your own office, because owners can tell a rehearsed answer from someone who's actually sat in the chair.

11 questions6 minute read

Part 1

1.Walk me through how you'd spend your first month running this agency.

Why they ask

Owners want to know you'll learn before you change things, and that you know where problems hide in an insurance office.

How to answer

  • Meet each staff member and ask what slows them down in the management system
  • Pull the renewal list and retention report to see which accounts are at risk
  • Sit in on service calls and a sales meeting before proposing changes
  • Review carrier appointments and production against each carrier's expectations
  • Bring the owner a short list of fixes ranked by how much premium they protect

2.Tell me about a producer who wasn't hitting goals. What did you do?

Why they ask

Coaching producers is the core of the job, and many managers either avoid the talk or fire too fast.

How to answer

  • Describe the producer's pipeline and where it was breaking, such as quoting volume or closing
  • Explain the specific change you made, like ride-alongs, call reviews or a weekly activity check
  • Say how long you gave it and how you tracked progress
  • Share the honest outcome, including if you had to let them go

3.A long-time commercial client just got a big renewal increase and is threatening to leave. How do you handle it?

Why they ask

Hard markets are where agencies lose books. They want to see you protect retention without promising what carriers won't give.

How to answer

  • Call the client yourself before they shop, and explain what drove the increase in plain words
  • Remarket the account with other carriers you're appointed with if it makes sense
  • Look at coverage options, deductibles or payment plans before cutting coverage
  • Document every option offered and what the client chose
4.How do you reduce errors and omissions exposure in an office?

Why they ask

An E&O claim can hurt the agency badly. Owners want a manager who builds habits that prevent them.

How to answer

  • Use documented coverage offers and signed rejections for things like umbrella or flood
  • Set up checklists in the management system for new business and endorsements
  • Audit a sample of files regularly and coach from what you find
  • Make sure activity notes are written the same day
5.Which agency management system have you used, and what did you change in how your office used it?

Why they ask

Tools like Applied Epic, HawkSoft and EZLynx are only as good as the workflows around them. They want someone who can clean one up.

How to answer

  • Name the system and the modules you used every day
  • Give a specific workflow you built or fixed, like renewal tasks or suspense lists
  • Explain the problem it solved for service reps or producers
  • Mention how you trained the team so the change stuck

Part 2

6.How do you split your own time between selling and managing?

Why they ask

Many agency managers keep a book of their own. The owner wants to know you won't neglect the team to chase your commissions.

How to answer

  • Be honest about how you've balanced it before
  • Explain which accounts you'd keep and which you'd hand to producers
  • Describe how you protect coaching and service time on your calendar
  • Ask how the owner sees the balance for this role
7.How have you worked with carrier underwriters or territory managers?

Why they ask

Carrier relationships decide what the agency can place and whether its appointments stay in good standing.

How to answer

  • Describe a regular carrier review meeting you ran or attended
  • Give an example of getting an underwriter to reconsider a tough account
  • Explain how you kept loss ratios and production in front of the team
  • Show that you're honest with carriers when a risk isn't a fit
8.How would you recruit and onboard a new licensed service rep?

Why they ask

Staff turnover is expensive in an agency, and finding licensed people is hard.

How to answer

  • Name where you've found good candidates, including hiring unlicensed people and sponsoring their exam
  • Describe a structured first few weeks with shadowing and a checklist
  • Explain how you'd check their work before they handle accounts alone
  • Mention how you'd keep them past their first renewal season
9.Tell me about a time two people on your team were at odds.

Why they ask

Small offices are close quarters. A feud between a producer and a service rep can stall the whole book.

How to answer

  • Set up the conflict briefly and fairly for both sides
  • Explain how you talked to each person separately first
  • Describe the working agreement you reached, such as clearer handoffs
  • Say what changed afterward in how work moved between them
10.What reports would you want on your desk every Monday?

Why they ask

Owners want a manager who runs the agency from numbers, not from gut feel alone.

How to answer

  • New business written and quoted by producer
  • Retention and upcoming renewals flagged for risk
  • Open service tasks and how old they are
  • Cross-sell opportunities in the existing book

Part 3

11.Why do you want to manage instead of staying a top producer?

Why they ask

Great producers don't always make good managers. They want to hear that you understand the trade.

How to answer

  • Point to moments you've already enjoyed coaching or fixing processes
  • Admit what you'll miss about producing
  • Explain what you want the office to look like because of you

Questions to ask them

Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.

  • How is the manager's pay tied to agency production, and do I keep commissions on any accounts?
  • Which carriers matter most to this agency right now, and how are those relationships?
  • What's the one part of the office you'd most want me to fix?
  • How much authority would I have to hire, let go or change workflows without checking with you first?
  • Are there any open E&O claims or compliance issues I should know about?

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