For most insurance agents, trust is their most valuable asset. After all, insurance isn’t typically a purchase people get excited about - it’s just another bill to pay. But a great customer experience? That’s something insurance agents and brokers can build a business around.
That’s why many insurance companies are turning to CRM software. Data shows that 73% of businesses would be using CRM software in 2024. Perhaps you’re considering doing the same.
What you’ll quickly realize is that there are hundreds - if not thousands - of CRM options available. So, how do you know which one is right for your insurance business? At Softailed, our mission is to help businesses like yours find the perfect tools to grow and thrive.
Here, we take a closer look at the very best CRM platforms for insurance companies.
Let's dive in!
What Is CRM Software and How Can It Help Insurance Companies?
A CRM is where all your customer interactions, policy details, and important documents live under one roof. It's like a smart assistant that helps you manage relationships, track communications, and spot opportunities to better serve your clients. (You can learn more in our piece about the basics of CRM software.)
Here are some of the key things it can do for your business:
Increase Retention Rates
Building trust and offering personalized service is vital in the insurance business - especially when market dynamics are causing customers to reconsider their options. In fact, soaring prices and market variability led a record 42% of car insurance customers to explore switching carriers in 2023/2024. A similar trend has been seen in the search for homeowners' insurance.
That's where CRM software shines. It stores detailed customer information - from basic demographics to communication history and personal preferences. This helps agents provide more personalized service that makes clients feel valued and understood. It also ensures that no client communication ever slips through the cracks.
Happy clients are more likely to stick around for the long haul. Even better, happy clients may also bring in new customers through word-of-mouth.
Boost Operational Efficiency
A McKinsey report revealed that insurance carriers could cut operational expenses by up to 40% over the next decade while improving customer satisfaction.
"Insurance carriers will need to look less like the traditional insurers of the past and more like modern tech companies," the report says.
Achieving this requires embracing modern tools like CRMs, which automate routine tasks, streamline workflows, and integrate essential tools for seamless operations. CRMs also provide analytics to optimize processes, freeing up agents to focus on strategic goals and customer engagement.
Improve Customer Experience
Customer experience makes or breaks insurance companies. In fact, 46% of people say it's a top factor when choosing an insurance provider. CRMs help boost customer experience in several ways. They let agents personalize every interaction, keep track of past conversations, and provide quick, efficient service. CRMs can also enhance customer problem resolution.
Solidify Teamwork
According to a 2024 report by Vertafore, more than half of insurance agencies have between 25 and 75 employees. Another 25% are even larger than that. That's a lot of people who need to work together smoothly.
Each employee within a company needs accurate information about client files and communications to play their part well. CRMs provide one central place for all this information, keeping everyone on the same page and working toward the same goals.
What Makes the Best Insurance CRM Software?
When searching for CRM software, it’s important to focus on a few key factors. If you’re in the insurance industry, these are the factors you should prioritize.
Security/Privacy
Security is vital when you're handling sensitive customer information. Look for two key features in a CRM: data encryption and security protocols. Strong encryption safeguards sensitive data, while strict access controls ensure that only authorized users can view or modify information. Additionally, the CRM should maintain detailed records of all user activity within the system.
See our top overall picks for best CRM software for security to learn more.
Integrations
Insurance agents juggle different tools throughout their day. Your CRM should be compatible with the most important ones. Good integrations let your CRM connect directly with other business apps, including e-signing tools for policy documents, compliance tracking software, email encryption, mobile apps, and text messaging platforms.
Check out our top overall picks for the best CRM software for integrations.
Automated Record Keeping
With automated record keeping, your CRM captures information from various sources and organizes it automatically. Automation saves time, money, and headaches. It also helps avoid human errors that can cause big problems down the road.
The best part is that you can set this up without any coding knowledge. Plus, it helps keep you compliant by maintaining accurate, complete records of everything.
Lead Management
Good lead management helps you track and handle leads from everywhere - your website, social media, email campaigns, you name it. It can even score leads based on how likely they are to become customers, helping your team focus on the most promising opportunities.
With lead management, everyone on your team sees the complete picture of each lead as they move toward becoming a customer. This smooth process increases your chances of making the sale. It also helps ensure that no leads slip through the cracks.
Analytics and Reporting
Analytics and reporting features can turn your customer data into valuable insights about policies, claims, sales performance, and more.
Look for customizable dashboards and reports. This lets you focus on the numbers that matter most to your business.
Scalability
You want software that grows with your success. A good CRM handles more users, contacts, and data as your business expands - without slowing down or compromising security. Choosing a scalable solution means you won't have to switch systems just because your company is doing well.
Customer Support
Good CRMs come with dedicated support teams ready to solve problems quickly. Some even offer training and resources to help you get the most from their software. This support gives you peace of mind, letting you focus on serving your clients instead of fighting with technology.
The 4 Best CRM Software for Insurance Agents
Now that you understand why CRM software is so essential and have some insight on how to choose one, let's take a look at some of the top choices for insurance agents and brokers.
This list is based on our extensive research of more than 35 of the best CRM software providers on the market. We broke down what we learned and combined it with the specific needs of the insurance industry. You can learn more about our process here.
Let's explore our top picks!
HubSpot CRM – Best Overall
HubSpot is a household name in marketing and sales software. The dizzying number of tools they offer includes a free CRM that's not to be underestimated.
HubSpot's CRM helps you nurture leads, track communications, and optimize marketing efforts all in one place. The Lead Prioritization features help you focus on the most promising opportunities.
Automation is a standout feature, handling everything from workflow creation to record keeping. The system automatically captures and organizes customer interactions, policy details, and important documents so that nothing falls through the cracks. It’s the most customizable platform on our list. You can easily tailor it to fit your specific needs and sales pipelines.
Security is robust as HubSpot employs a defense-in-depth approach that follows SOC2 and SOC3 standards. This multi-layered security protocol protects your data. GDPR deletion capabilities and account-specific features like roles and permissions, two-factor authentication, and Single Sign-On (SSO) add extra layers of protection.
Support varies by plan level. Free users and guests have access to community support, including the knowledge base and forums. The Starter Plan adds email and live chat support and higher tiers unlock phone support.
One thing that makes HubSpot stand out is its massive App Marketplace with over 1,000 integrations. Whatever tools you're using, chances are HubSpot can connect with them. When it comes to reporting features, HubSpot is the most robust option out there, and its detailed analytics and easy report generation make tracking your success simple.
HubSpot offers a free CRM with essential features suitable for small teams. Its paid plans - Starter, Professional, and Enterprise - provide advanced functionalities across various hubs (Sales, Marketing, Service, CMS, Operations) with pricing that scales based on the number of users and your specific needs.
Comprehensive free plan
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Advanced automations
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Rich security features, including SSO, 2FA, and password-protected pages
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Access to the complete HubSpot ecosystem
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Easily scalable
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Excellent customer support for premium plans
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Pros
Expensive paid version
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Limited free version
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Steep learning curve for advanced features
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Cons
Zoho CRM – Best for Affordability
Like HubSpot, Zoho CRM provides a versatile toolkit of business software, including its impressive CRM. Automated workflows are visible to everyone on your team, which makes coordination and progress tracking seamless. Need to automatically assign claims to the right employee? Done. Want to capture leads and send them directly to your sales team? No problem.
The analytics capabilities come into their own at the Professional level and above, where you get unlimited custom reports and dashboards to slice and dice your data however you need. These higher tiers also introduce advanced charts and KPI tracking, giving you deeper insights into your business performance.
Zoho also has an AI-based sales assistant that helps score leads, predict outcomes, and even tell you the best time to contact potential clients.
Communication is seamless with their omnichannel features. Whether you're reaching out by email, phone, live chat, or social media, all conversations are automatically logged for future reference.
While not quite as extensive as HubSpot, the Zoho Marketplace features more than 900 extensions specifically designed for Zoho CRM, enabling seamless integration with various business tools across different stages of the sales process. Additionally, Zoho's open REST APIs allow for custom integrations, providing the flexibility to connect Zoho CRM with a wide range of third-party applications tailored to specific business needs. For the security-conscious, Zoho is both GDPR and HIPAA-compliant.
Zoho's flexible pricing structure starts with a generous free plan supporting up to three users, with essential features like lead management, automation, and document storage. The Standard plan ($14/user/month) expands email marketing capabilities from 10 to 100 templates and unlocks the CRM Marketplace for third-party extensions. With five distinct tiers - Free, Standard, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate - there's a perfect fit for every stage of business growth.
Affordable plans
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Extensive customization
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900+ integrations
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User-friendly
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Mobile app
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Real-time notifications
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Robust built-in analytics
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Pros
Many features are hidden behind paywalls
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Limited custom fields
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Customer support challenges
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Cons
Freshsales – Best for AI Enthusiasts
Freshsales leads the pack in AI features. Its AI-powered chat can engage with customers in real time, giving them quick answers when they need them.
“Freddy AI,” your digital assistant at work, can interpret customer actions, suggest the best responses, schedule meetings, and even handle data entry. The AI features don't end there. AI helps with lead scoring as well, giving each contact a dynamic score and suggesting what to do next. This enables you to focus on the most promising opportunities first.
The visual pipeline management feature lets you create and customize multiple pipelines to track different insurance products or sales processes. The real-time deal status views and "deal rotting" alerts help you spot opportunities that need attention before they slip away.
When it comes to automation, Freshsales integrates seamlessly with essential insurance tools through Zapier. This allows you to build custom workflow automation with ease. The Leads Inbox centralizes lead management, giving you a single place to respond to and qualify potential clients. Its built-in dashboard provides visual charts and reports, which makes KPI and performance tracking simple. Freddy AI takes it a step further by summarizing your data and highlighting key patterns you might otherwise miss.
The platform also offers robust security features, including granular permission settings, two-factor authentication, and a security dashboard that monitors login activity. You'll get security assessments and alerts to keep your business protected, plus GDPR compliance for handling sensitive client data.
While it may not match HubSpot's integration count, Freshsales offers plenty of valuable connections to other tools.
For support, you can reach their team via live chat, though phone support is reserved for Power and Enterprise plan subscribers. Their customer support is solid, but note that it’s only available on weekdays.
AI insights, chatbot, and suggestions
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Secure hosting on AWS
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Generous 21-day free trial
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Affordable pricing
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Visual pipeline management
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Automation capabilities
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Mobile app
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Pros
No AI tools on a basic Growth plan
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Limited integrations
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Steeper learning curve
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Cons
Pipedrive – Best for Ease of Use
Pipedrive is one of the most user-friendly CRMs out there. Its visual pipeline management lets you create and customize multiple pipelines to track different insurance products or sales processes. The real-time deal status views and "deal rotting" alerts help you spot opportunities that need attention before they slip away.
Its simple, intuitive interface comes with all the essential features. You can set up automatic follow-ups for policy renewals, assign cases to agents, and communicate with customers efficiently. The reporting analytics provides the data you need. Plus, with over 500 integrations, you can connect tools for document sending, SMS updates, and Slack notifications.
When it comes to automation, Pipedrive integrates seamlessly with essential insurance business tools through Zapier so that you can build custom workflow automation. The Leads Inbox centralizes lead management, giving you one place to respond to and qualify potential clients.
The platform offers robust security features, including granular permission settings, two-factor authentication, and a security dashboard that monitors login activity. You'll get security assessments and alerts to keep your business protected, plus GDPR compliance for handling sensitive client data.
For support, you can reach their team via live chat, though phone support is reserved for Power and Enterprise plan subscribers.
If you're already using HubSpot, Zoho, or Freshsales for other business needs, it makes sense to stick with their CRMs for better integration. But if you just need a straightforward CRM to track leads and deals, Pipedrive is perfect.
Intuitive interface
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Great automation
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Solid telephony features
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Customizable workflows
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Pros
Basic AI features
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Less robust platform
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Higher tiers are relatively expensive
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Cons
Honorable Mentions
While the following options are worth mentioning, they haven’t kept pace with modern needs. Their interfaces are outdated, and their features are limited compared to our top picks. However, if you’re looking for something basic, they might still do the job just fine.
- Insureio: Great at capturing and storing leads, but that's about it. If basic lead management is all you need, it works well.
- AgencyBloc: Offers specific features for agent commissions and claims quotes, which makes these tasks easier.
- Financial Services Cloud: A Salesforce module with insurance-specific features like claims tracking and self-service portals.
- NexJ Systems: Used by big names like Wells Fargo and HSBC, it's robust but complex to use.
Choosing the Right Insurance CRM Software
Now that we have explored all the best options, which one is right for you? Unfortunately, we can't make that decision for you. Every insurance business is unique, and the industry has too many nuances for a one-size-fits-all solution.
For example, a medical insurance company might benefit most from Zoho CRM's robust security features. A large firm with tens of thousands of customers might need HubSpot's scalability.
Meanwhile, the best CRM for a small business will differ. A small, independent agency or agent might find Pipedrive's simplicity perfect for their needs. On the other hand, a growing company might love Freshsales' AI features that help them scale without hiring tons of new staff.
Compare Your Options
Picking the right CRM software for insurance is somewhat complex, but finding the perfect match is worth the effort.
To make things easier, try our Comparison tool to compare CRM software side by side. It lets you directly compare features, pricing, and integrations for all these CRMs and more.
For a broader view, check out our Best Picks list. It looks at our top picks for the best CRM software beyond just insurance-specific needs.
Remember, the right CRM has the power to transform your business. Take the time to explore your options and find the perfect fit.
FAQs About Insurance CRM Software
What does insurance CRM software cost?
CRM pricing varies widely depending on your choice. HubSpot offers a free CRM, but the paid version costs between $15 and $3600 per month. Zoho starts at $14/month yearly, rising to $52 monthly, with a limited free version.
Freshsales begins at $9/month per user (billed yearly) and offers a 21-day free trial. Pipedrive provides a 30-day free trial, then ranges from $14 to $99 monthly with annual billing.
What does CRM software track?
CRM software tracks every customer interaction, from phone calls to policy changes. It records:
- Communication Details: Call length, conversation notes
- Client Data: Contact details, policy information, family members, important dates
- All Communication History: Emails, calls, texts, meetings, and notes
- Sales Pipeline: Leads, opportunities, quotes, and conversion status
- Claims and Service Requests: Status updates, resolution times, follow-ups
- Business Performance: Metrics such as retention rates, revenue, customer satisfaction
- Document Management: Policies, certificates, signed agreements, claim forms
- Compliance Requirements: Licenses, certifications, required disclosures
- Marketing Campaigns: Email campaigns, referral sources, response rates
Sales is what I did, CRMs are what I chose to master. I enjoy testing out scenarios and new approaches to maximize efficiency. In my free time, I play chess and go on hiking adventures with my family.