There are many reasons a commercial or residential property can become vacant for a significant period of time. When an owner dies, it can take months to get financial affairs in order while a home stands vacant; it can likewise take a long time to find a new tenant on a rental property when the previous one leaves. Investors buying a property for the sole purpose of “flipping” it may take longer than planned to make repairs and sell the house. These are just a few of the most common scenarios.

Most people think earthquake insurance should be an easy sell in California. But a lot of agents and brokers in the state know that this isn’t always the case. It might surprise some people to learn that, even though California has a 99% chance of experiencing a 6.7-magnitude earthquake or larger within the next three decades according to the US Geological Society, only about 12% of homeowners in the state have earthquake insurance.

So why don’t more people buy earthquake insurance? Here are a few reasons—and some strategies to counter these objectives in a sales situation.

The insurance industry has yet to catch up with the “sharing economy.” In particular, Airbnb has made the home and rental insurance picture more complicated for both insureds and insurers. There is a definite need for agents and brokers to ask whether an insured intends to use a property for Airbnb rentals.

Many people don’t believe they need more than the usual coverage for homeowners, health, auto, and other types of insurance—until suddenly they get into a situation where their current policy doesn’t provide enough coverage. These situations can be surprisingly common—and many insureds are surprised to find they’re underinsured. Here are a few situations where an insured might need an umbrella policy.

So you’ve got a promising prospect who tells you they’re interested in the insurance you sell—and asks you to keep in touch. Or maybe you’ve got a list of leads that you’re trying to build into an effective business. There are plenty of ways to nurture those leads toward a sale, but it helps to have a specific system. Here are a few tips.

Customer service is more than crucial to an insurance agent’s business. It’s also an important sales and customer retention strategy. Here are a few ways to manage your relationships with customers better—and give back in a way that keeps them around, even if they get a lower quote elsewhere.

Even if a prospect needs the type of insurance you sell—even if you can score them better coverage at a better price—that doesn’t mean they’ll be an easy sell. People have all kinds of reasons why they don’t want to buy insurance. Some of those reasons are due to misconceptions, but some are quite valid—and both need to be addressed. Here are just a few common objections you might face.

No matter how much work you do on social media or how well-developed your website is, networking can still be of value to you—especially if you sell commercial lines of insurance, where your prospects are used to attending networking events and meeting the people they do business with in these venues. Still, networking isn’t a skill that comes easily to everyone—even seasoned insurance salespeople. Here are a few tips for those who want to get the most out of these events.

It can be tough to say no to potential business—especially when you’re just getting your insurance practice off the ground. And it’s easy to get into a mindset where you believe saying no is a privilege reserved for the successful, or at least those with a stable business. But no matter whether you’re experienced in the industry or just starting out, it’s essential to know which are your ideal prospects—and which you should pass on. Here’s a list of who to say no to.