The honest, complete breakdown of how life insurance agents get paid — commission rates, chargebacks, overrides, and what your first year actually looks like at Forge.
Life insurance agents at Forge earn 80–150% of the annual premium on every policy they write. On a typical $1,900 annual premium policy, that's $1,520–$2,850 per sale. Commissions are paid within 24–72 hours of policy issuance. Agents who build teams also earn override income on their team's production.
Life insurance commissions are calculated as a percentage of the annual premium — the total amount the client pays per year for their policy. Forge agents earn some of the highest commission rates in the industry.
| Annual Premium | 80% Commission | 100% Commission | 120% Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,200 | $960 | $1,200 | $1,440 |
| $1,900 | $1,520 | $1,900 | $2,280 |
| $2,500 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| $3,600 | $2,880 | $3,600 | $4,320 |
| $5,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | $6,000 |
Commission rates vary by carrier and product. Rates shown are illustrative examples based on typical Forge agent contracts.
A chargeback happens when a client cancels their policy within the first 9–12 months (the "chargeback period" varies by carrier). The insurance company takes back the commission it paid you on that policy. This is the biggest financial risk new agents face.
Forge trains agents to only write policies for clients who genuinely need and can afford the coverage. A sale that cancels in 3 months is worse than no sale at all.
Our training teaches you to match the right product to the right client. Clients who understand what they bought are far less likely to cancel.
Forge provides a follow-up process to check in with clients after the sale, answer questions, and reinforce the value of their coverage.
We work with carriers that have strong persistency rates and client-friendly billing processes, which reduces lapse rates across the board.
Override commissions are the key to building real wealth in insurance. When you recruit and train agents, you earn a percentage of every policy they write — on top of your own production. This is not a pyramid scheme. It is a standard industry structure used by every major IMO.
Override percentages vary based on your contract level. Forge helps agents advance their contract level as their team grows.