Before signing with an insurance staffing agency, ask about their fee structure and guarantee period, how they source candidates (cold outreach vs. job boards), how many candidates they typically present and how fast, whether they specialize in insurance specifically, and how they handle your current employees. A good agency will answer these directly — vague answers about “extensive networks” without specifics are a red flag.
If this is the first time your company has looked at outside recruiting help, that's normal — most hiring managers don't fully know what a strong answer sounds like until they've heard a weak one next to it, especially with the hiring challenges in the insurance industry showing no sign of easing. Below are the questions to ask a staffing agency before you sign anything, organized by the four areas that matter most: sourcing, fees, specialization, and how they'll treat your current team.
Questions About Sourcing & Process
This is where you find out whether an agency does real recruiting or just reposts your job to a board and waits for applications to arrive.
Do you cold-call passive candidates, or mostly work from inbound applicants?
What a strong answer sounds like: the recruiter describes actively reaching people who aren't job hunting — direct outreach on LinkedIn, phone calls, and contact-data tools such as ZoomInfo or SignalHire to find and reach the right person — rather than “we have a large database” or “we post to all the major boards.” Passive outreach is what surfaces candidates your competitors aren't seeing.
What does your candidate vetting process actually involve?
What a strong answer sounds like: a specific sequence — an initial screening call, verification of insurance-specific licenses or credentials, and a background check step — not a general “we vet everyone thoroughly.” For the legal framework agencies and employers are both operating under here, see this federal guidance on background checks, which explains what employers and screening processes are and aren't allowed to do.
How many candidates do you typically present per role, and over what timeframe?
What a strong answer sounds like: a specific number and window — for example, “three to five qualified candidates within the first two weeks” — tied to the type of role. An agency with real insurance-specific reach can quantify this. One that can't is likely pulling from the same public job-board pool anyone could access directly.
Questions About Fees & Guarantees
Fees and guarantees are where vague answers cost you the most. For a full breakdown of typical markups, fee structures, and how conversion fees get calculated, see how much does an insurance staffing agency cost.
What's your fee structure, and when is it due?
What a strong answer sounds like: a specific percentage or flat fee, tied to a clear trigger — signed offer, start date, or end of a conversion period — explained without hedging on the number.
What does your guarantee policy cover, and for how long?
What a strong answer sounds like: as covered in staffing agency guarantee and backfill policy, a mature firm names a specific window — commonly 90 days — and describes it as prorated: the closer a departure is to the end of that window, the smaller the refund or credit. “We'll take care of you” with no time period attached usually means the policy is inconsistent, or doesn't formally exist.
What happens if a placed candidate leaves right after the guarantee period ends?
What a strong answer sounds like: an honest agency says plainly that formal coverage ends there, and separately describes whatever informal support they still offer — rather than implying the guarantee quietly extends forever.
Questions About Specialization & Track Record
Do you work exclusively in insurance, or is this one of several industries you staff for?
What a strong answer sounds like: a direct answer either way, followed by specifics — years focused on insurance, the lines of business they cover (commercial, personal, claims, benefits), and roughly what share of their placements are insurance roles.
Can you explain the difference between a CSR and an account executive without looking it up?
This one is less a question than a live test. An insurance-only recruiter answers immediately and precisely. A generalist firm hesitates, guesses, or answers in a way that reveals they're translating from a different industry's vocabulary.
What carriers, agencies, MGAs, or TPAs have you placed candidates with recently?
What a strong answer sounds like: specific, recent, named examples — not “we've worked with companies of all sizes across the industry.” For a broader look at how specialization should shape the rest of your evaluation, see Insurance Staffing: Choosing the Right Recruiting Firm, and note that this baseline of professional conduct — treating specialization and client information seriously — is also spelled out in the industry's own code of ethics.
Questions About Confidentiality & Your Current Team
What happens if my own employees apply to roles you're filling for other clients?
What a strong answer sounds like: a direct, specific policy — not a deflection. A reputable firm has thought about this scenario before you asked and can describe exactly how they handle it. See will a staffing agency poach your employees for the full policy question and what to look for in the answer.
Do you have a written confidentiality or non-solicitation policy covering our current staff?
What a strong answer sounds like: yes, in writing, and they can produce it on request — not “of course, we'd never do that” with nothing to back it up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What questions should I ask a staffing agency before signing an agreement?
Ask about their fee structure and guarantee period, how they source candidates, how many candidates they typically present and how quickly, whether they specialize in your industry, and how they handle situations where your own employees apply to roles they're filling for other clients.
How do I know if an agency actually specializes in insurance?
Ask what share of their placements are insurance roles, whether their recruiters can explain the difference between roles like a CSR and an account executive without hesitation, and which carriers, agencies, MGAs, or TPAs they've placed candidates with recently.
What does a “good” guarantee policy look like?
A strong guarantee is specific and written down — commonly a 90-day prorated replacement or refund period — with a clear trigger and a clear proration formula. A vague promise to “make it right,” with no time period attached, usually means the policy is inconsistent or doesn't exist.
How can I tell if an agency does real outreach versus just posting jobs?
Ask directly whether they cold-call passive candidates or mostly work from inbound applicants, what tools or methods they use to reach people who aren't actively job hunting, and how many candidates they typically present per role and in what timeframe. Vague answers about an “extensive network,” without specifics, are a red flag.
What should I ask about how the agency handles my current employees?
Ask what happens if your own employees apply to roles the agency is filling for other clients, whether they'll notify you before contacting or presenting anyone from your team, and whether they have a written confidentiality or non-solicitation policy covering your current staff.
Ready to see how we answer these ourselves?
None of this needs to be complicated, and you shouldn't have to dig for straight answers. If you're evaluating insurance staffing partners, read Why Jonus to see where we stand on these exact questions, browse our services to see how we work with agencies, carriers, and TPAs, orget startedwith a conversation about the role you're trying to fill.
