Retaining Life Agents in Asia: Lessons for Sustainable Growth

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Author

Alison Salka, Ph.D.
Principal Consultant
LIMRA and LOMA

November 2025

For insurers across Asia, the agency channel remains the cornerstone of distribution. In most markets, more than half of life insurance sales are still generated by agents, making agency forces not just relevant but indispensable. This matters because Asia is both the largest and fastest-growing life insurance region in the world. Premium volumes across Asia-Pacific already exceed 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars annually. Mature markets like Japan and China dominate in absolute size, while Southeast Asia — Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam — offers double-digit growth potential as insurance penetration expands.

Agency leaders in Asia consistently emphasize one truth: Recruiting agents is hard, but retaining them is harder. High turnover erodes productivity, raises training costs, and undermines customer relationships. In an environment where digital disruption, demographic change, and evolving workforce expectations converge, insurers must think differently about retention.

Why Retention Matters

Retention is not just about keeping headcount steady; it’s about safeguarding the investment insurers make in recruitment and training. LIMRA research shows that the first 12–24 months are critical. Many recruits leave before reaching productivity, often discouraged by income volatility, weak onboarding, or social isolation. Agencies that shorten time-to-competence, build early confidence, and foster belonging achieve significantly higher retention and profitability.

Lessons From Across Asia

LIMRA conducted interviews with agency leaders in five major markets. We found some common themes as well as country-specific insights.

Malaysia: Early Wins and Visible Pathways

Malaysian agency leaders highlight the importance of early success. Agents who experience wins — closing cases, building client lists, earning recognition — within the first 90 days are far more likely to stay. Structured career pathways, such as AIA’s Elite Academy, also matter. When recruits see a clear progression from agent to manager, tied to financial incentives and training opportunities, they are more likely to envision a future in the profession.

Thailand: Culture and Community

In Thailand, retention thrives in agencies that feel more like families than sales teams. Weekly check-ins, buddy systems, and group events create belonging and accountability. Recognition programs extend beyond top performers to celebrate effort, consistency, and teamwork. Leaders also stress empathetic coaching — agents who feel guided rather than managed are more loyal.

Philippines: Purpose and “Hugot”

Filipino agency leaders often point to hugot, a deep emotional driver rooted in family or personal struggle, as a predictor of resilience. Retention strategies that tap into this sense of purpose, coupled with strong peer culture, pay dividends. Agencies that celebrate small wins, reinforce values, and provide family-like support structures see higher engagement. In addition, managers are trained to monitor early warning signs (missed training, drop-off in activity) and intervene quickly.

Indonesia: Training, Technology, and Flexibility

In Indonesia, retention is linked to structured training and community culture. Joint fieldwork, mentoring, and ongoing coaching help new agents bridge the gap between theory and practice. Agencies also increasingly use digital tools — customer relationship management (CRM) systems, activity trackers, gamification platforms — to keep agents engaged and identify struggling recruits early. Flexibility matters too: Enabling agents to use remote platforms and hybrid work models helps balance career and family demands.

Japan: Structure, Supervision, and Psychological Safety

Japan’s agency system is highly structured, with rigorous onboarding and close mentoring. But even here, attrition within two years is a persistent challenge. Leaders stress the importance of psychological safety: Agents must feel supported, not isolated. Weekly one-on-ones, milestone recognition, and peer mentoring help reduce early exits. Agencies that reposition the career around purpose, autonomy, and community service — rather than just income — are more successful in attracting and retaining younger recruits

Common Threads and Strategic Imperatives

Across markets, several themes consistently emerge:

The first 90 days define the Journey. Early wins are essential. Agencies must design structured onboarding roadmaps that quickly build both competence and confidence.

Culture is the glue. Whether it’s Thailand’s family feel or the Philippines’ values-driven teams, agents stay where they feel connected and supported.

Career vision matters. Clear progression — from new agent to manager to leader — keeps agents motivated. Recognition programs should celebrate both milestones and effort.

Purpose retains talent. Emotional drivers (hugot in the Philippines, social mission in Japan) are more powerful than commission alone. Positioning the agent role as meaningful, community-serving work attracts and sustains engagement.

Technology is an asset. While many markets still rely on face-to-face supervision, digital tools can monitor activity, personalize training, and flag disengagement early. Insurers that integrate these solutions without losing the human touch will have an edge.

Flexibility is a growing expectation. Particularly among younger recruits, hybrid models and lifestyle-aligned incentives are becoming competitive differentiators.

What Insurers Should Do

For insurers seeking to build strong and deep distribution systems, three priorities stand out:

Provide structured onboarding, shared commissions, and fast-track recognition to ensure new recruits experience momentum in their first months.

Invest in leaders. Managers are the linchpins of retention. Equip them with coaching skills, emotional intelligence, and digital tools to spot disengagement and intervene early.

Modernize the value proposition. Move beyond transactional incentives. Frame agency careers around flexibility, purpose, and community impact. In markets where insurance still carries a stigma, reposition agents as financial educators and life planners.

Retaining life insurance agents in Asia is not about a single program or perk. It is about designing ecosystems — where the right people are recruited, equipped with tools and training, supported by culture and leadership, and inspired by purpose. Insurers that get this right won’t just reduce attrition; they will unlock the productivity, professionalism, and customer trust that turn agency forces into sustainable engines of growth.

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