How many sales calls does your phone take in a given month? In insurance, any one of them can be the start of a client relationship that lasts years. Even with email, chat, and social selling everywhere, the phone still earns its place in an agent’s toolkit.
The results back this up. Cognism’s 2025 State of Cold Calling Report, which analyzed more than 204,000 cold calls and 27,000 conversations, put the average cold call success rate at 2.3%. Its 2026 follow-up shows the figure recovering to 2.7% as teams sharpen their targeting and timing.
Those numbers look small until you weigh them against what a single insurance policy is worth over its lifetime.
A well-run call does more than pitch a product. It explains coverage in plain language, answers a worried question on the spot, and helps a prospect picture how a policy fits their life. This guide covers what insurance cold calling looks like in 2026, the rules that now govern it, ten scripts you can adapt, and where AI genuinely moves the needle.
What is cold calling for insurance?
Cold calling in insurance is the practice of phoning prospective clients who have not asked to be contacted, in order to introduce, explain, and sell coverage. It is one of the oldest forms of outbound sales, and its goal is straightforward: grow the book of business, build relationships, and match people or companies with policies that fit their circumstances.
Agents use cold calls across the full range of insurance products, each with its own sensitivities:
- Life insurance protects a person’s dependents financially after they die. Because the subject is personal, a calm human conversation tends to land better than a form or an ad.
- Auto insurance is required for drivers in most states and covers liability and damage after an accident. A live call is a good setting to walk through coverage limits and options.
- Health insurance helps cover medical costs across a range of plans. These calls call for a clear grasp of the prospect’s health needs and budget.
- Home insurance protects a house and its contents against events such as theft, fire, and storms. The policies can be intricate, and talking them through helps.
- Commercial insurance protects a business’s assets, staff, and operations. Cold calls here require real familiarity with the risks a given industry faces.
Handled well, a cold call lets an agent explain the value of a policy, answer questions in real time, and raise the odds of a signed application.
What changed for insurance cold calling in 2025 and 2026
Two forces reshaped insurance cold calling over the past two years: tighter attention to telemarketing consent, and the arrival of AI in day-to-day outbound work.
On the compliance side, the industry watched a single case closely. In its December 2023 order, the FCC introduced a “one-to-one consent” rule that would have required a consumer to consent to each seller before receiving marketing robocalls or robotexts, closing what regulators called the lead-generator loophole.
The rule was set to take effect on January 27, 2025. Three days earlier, on January 24, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit vacated it in Insurance Marketing Coalition v. FCC, finding the agency had exceeded its authority under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. On August 29, 2025, the FCC issued a final rule formally eliminating the one-to-one requirement.
The reprieve does not mean the rules are gone. The TCPA still requires prior express written consent for autodialed or prerecorded marketing calls, and that consent must be in writing, carry the consumer’s signature, and include clear disclosures. Federal and state Do Not Call rules still apply.
And for anyone adding automation, the FCC confirmed in early 2024 that calls using AI-generated voices count as “artificial” voice calls under the TCPA, so they need the same consent. Insurance agents should treat consent management and Do Not Call scrubbing as part of the call workflow, and check the rules in each state where they sell.
On the technology side, adoption moved fast. Full AI adoption among insurers jumped from 8% to 34% between 2024 and 2025, and 90% of insurance executives named AI a top strategic initiative for the year. Consumer sentiment is more cautious.
An Insurity survey found that only 20% of Americans viewed AI in property and casualty insurance positively in 2025, down from 29% a year earlier. The practical takeaway for cold callers: use AI to prepare and personalize, but keep a person on the line for the parts of an insurance conversation that call for judgment and trust.
Challenges in insurance cold calling
Cold calling carries real friction. These are the obstacles agents run into most often.
Reaching the right person
The first hurdle is connection itself. Connect rates for cold calls in the U.S. sit between 3 and 10%, and Cognism’s data shows it takes about three attempts on average to reach a given prospect. Calling the wrong list burns through those attempts.
Call reluctance from prospects
Many people screen unknown numbers or hang up within seconds. Carrier spam labeling has made this harder, so agents often have only a moment to earn a conversation.
The complexity of insurance products
Policies come loaded with terms, limits, and exclusions that are hard to convey by phone. A rushed explanation can leave a prospect confused or wary.
Building trust quickly
Insurance touches money and personal risk, so trust is central. Earning it during a short, unexpected call is difficult, especially on sensitive lines like life or health coverage.
Staying compliant
Between the TCPA, state telemarketing laws, and Do Not Call registries, agents have to keep each call inside a shifting set of rules without turning the conversation into a legal disclosure.
Emotional sensitivity
Insurance conversations often touch on death, illness, or accidents. Handling those topics with care while staying professional takes practice.
How to write a strong cold calling script
A good script gives an agent structure without turning the call into a recital. It keeps the conversation professional and compliant while leaving room to adapt.
These are the elements worth building in.
- Opening. Introduce yourself and your company clearly, and state why you are calling within the first few seconds. Cognism found the average cold call in 2025 ran 93 seconds, up from 83 the year before, so the opening has to work quickly.
- Value proposition. Explain what the policy does for this prospect, tied to a problem they are likely to have.
- Discovery questions. Ask questions that invite the prospect to talk. This turns a pitch into a conversation and surfaces what they actually need.
- Objection handling. Prepare responses to the usual pushback about price, timing, and relevance.
- Clear next step. Close with a specific ask: a quote, a follow-up meeting, or a signed application.
- Compliance language. Include any disclosures your state and product require.
Tailoring the script to each line of insurance
- Life insurance. Lead with the peace of mind of protecting family, and speak with empathy about a private subject.
- Auto insurance. Emphasize claims handling, roadside support, and value.
- Health insurance. Focus on access to care and the range of coverage options, and ask about specific health priorities.
- Home insurance. Talk through protection against theft, fire, and storms, using scenarios a homeowner recognizes.
- Commercial insurance. Show that you understand the risks specific to their industry and the cost of business interruption.
10 AI-powered insurance cold calling scripts
The scripts below cover the five core lines of insurance plus five common calling scenarios. Treat them as starting points.
Replace the bracketed fields, and adjust the tone to match your prospect and your state’s disclosure rules.
1. Life insurance
Agent: Hi, is this [prospect name]? This is [agent name] with [company]. Did I catch you at an okay time?
Prospect: I have a minute.
Agent: I appreciate it. I work with families in [city] on life insurance, and I called because we recently added a few flexible options worth a quick look. If something happened to you tomorrow, would your family be able to cover the mortgage and everyday bills?
Prospect: I’ve wondered about that, honestly.
Agent: That’s the question most people put off. Can I ask two quick things about your situation and then tell you whether it even makes sense to keep talking?
2. Auto insurance
Agent: Hi [prospect name], this is [agent name] at [company]. Do you have a moment?
Prospect: What is this about?
Agent: I’ll be quick. We just updated our auto rates, and clients switching to us are seeing real savings along with accident forgiveness and free roadside assistance. When did you last compare your car insurance?
Prospect: Not for a couple of years.
Agent: That’s usually where the savings hide. If you can tell me your vehicle and rough driving history, I’ll put together a side-by-side quote so you can see the difference yourself. Fair enough?
3. Health insurance
Agent: Good [morning/afternoon], is this [prospect name]?
Prospect: Speaking.
Agent: Hi, this is [agent name] with [company]. I’m calling to offer a free review of your health coverage. A lot of people pay for benefits they don’t use and miss ones they need. Is there anything about your current plan that frustrates you?
Prospect: Specialist visits cost me a fortune.
Agent: That comes up a lot. We have plans with lower specialist co-pays that might fit. Can I email you two or three options matched to what you just described?
4. Home insurance
Agent: Hi, may I speak with [prospect name]?
Prospect: This is [prospect name].
Agent: Hi [prospect name], I’m [agent name] with [company]. I’m calling because a lot of homeowners in [area] are underinsured for storm and water damage without realizing it. When did you last review your policy?
Prospect: Not recently.
Agent: Worth a look, especially with what rebuilding costs now. Our policies include natural-disaster protection and adjustable deductibles. Can I walk you through where your current coverage might have gaps?
5. Commercial insurance
Agent: Is this [prospect name]?
Prospect: Yes, who’s this?
Agent: Hi [prospect name], this is [agent name] with [company]. I understand you run [type of business]. I called because businesses like yours face risks that older policies don’t cover well. What keeps you up at night on the risk side?
Prospect: Honestly, a cyberattack.
Agent: You’re far from alone there. Our commercial packages now include cyber coverage for data breaches and downtime. Could we set up 15 minutes to map your coverage against the risks specific to [industry]?
6. Getting past the gatekeeper
Agent: Hi, this is [agent name] with [company]. I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction. Who handles the business insurance decisions there?
Gatekeeper: What is this regarding?
Agent: Fair question. We help [type of business] lower their premiums while closing coverage gaps, and I’d like to see if that’s relevant here. Is that [decision-maker], or should I be speaking with someone else?
Gatekeeper: That would be [name].
Agent: Perfect, thank you. Is [name] the best person to reach directly, or does scheduling go through you?
7. Leaving a voicemail
Agent: Hi [prospect name], this is [agent name] with [company], calling on [date]. I work with [homeowners / drivers / business owners] in [area] on cutting insurance costs without cutting coverage, and I found a couple of things worth showing you. You can reach me at [phone number]. I’ll also send a short email so you have this in writing. Thanks, and I’ll try you again [day].
Keep voicemails under about 20 seconds. Cognism’s 2025 data shows callbacks convert at roughly 27 percent, so the follow-up email plus a second attempt is what makes voicemail worthwhile.
8. Handling “I’m not interested”
Prospect: I’m not interested.
Agent: Understood, and I won’t keep you. Can I ask, is it that you’re happy with your current coverage, or just that the timing is bad?
Prospect: I think I’m covered fine.
Agent: Good to hear. Most people who tell me that are mostly right, and surprised by one or two gaps. Would you be open to a two-minute check that either confirms you’re set or flags something? No cost either way.
9. Policy review or renewal
Agent: Hi [prospect name], this is [agent name] with [company]. Your policy renews in [timeframe], and I wanted to reach you before it auto-renews at the new rate. Have you had any changes this year, a new car, a renovation, a new driver in the house?
Prospect: We did add a teen driver.
Agent: Good thing we’re talking, then, because that changes your rate and your options. Let me pull a few scenarios so you’re not overpaying. Do you have ten minutes this week?
10. Referral or mutual connection
Agent: Hi [prospect name], this is [agent name] with [company]. [Referrer name] suggested I reach out. They’ve been a client of mine for [time]. Did they mention I might call?
Prospect: They said something, yes.
Agent: Great. [Referrer name] and I recently found some savings on their [policy type], and they thought your situation was similar. Can I ask a couple of quick questions to see if the same applies to you?
10 tips for insurance cold calling with AI
AI has moved from novelty to standard equipment in outbound sales. More than 80% of sales organizations have started using it, though only about 5% say they are getting full value, which leaves plenty of room to use it well.
Here is where it helps most on insurance calls.
1. Personalize before you dial
AI can pull together a prospect’s public details, prior interactions, and likely life stage so you open with something relevant instead of a generic pitch. A recent move, such as buying a home or adding a family member, is a natural reason for a life or home insurance conversation.
Gartner research shows B2B buyers now spend only about 17% of their buying time with any supplier, so the little time you get has to be tailored.
2. Prioritize leads with predictive scoring
Rather than working a list top to bottom, AI ranks prospects by their likelihood to convert using demographic, behavioral, and intent signals. Agents then spend their hours on the names most likely to pick up and buy.
3. Rehearse objections with AI simulations
AI role-play tools let agents practice against the objections that come up on real insurance calls, drawing on patterns from thousands of past conversations. Reps walk in ready for the price, timing, and “I’m already covered” pushback.
4. Keep product knowledge current
Insurance products and regulations change often. AI-driven learning tools can brief agents on new plans, rate changes, and compliance updates so they answer accurately in the moment.
5. Review calls with speech analytics
AI can analyze tone, pace, talk-to-listen ratio, and prospect engagement across recorded calls, then surface what the best conversations have in common. Managers coach from data instead of hunches.
6. Adjust scripts in real time
Dynamic scripting suggests the next talking point based on how the conversation is going, so an agent can follow the prospect’s lead while still covering the essentials.
7. Read sentiment as you go
Sentiment analysis flags hesitation or discomfort during a call and prompts the agent to slow down, reassure, or address a concern directly. This matters on emotional lines like life and health.
8. Automate follow-up timing
AI schedules the next touch at the moment a prospect is most likely to respond, based on past behavior.
Given that callbacks convert at roughly 27% and most conversations happen within three attempts, disciplined follow-up is where many deals are won.
9. Qualify leads continuously
As new information arrives, AI updates lead scores so agents always know who is worth another call. Cold contacts that went quiet can resurface later as warm ones.
10. Get coaching mid-call
Some AI tools offer live prompts during a call, suggesting a phrase or a next question based on what is being said. Newer reps tend to close more confidently with that support.
Cold calling statistics for insurance in 2026
The figures below reflect the current state of cold calling and buyer behavior. They come from independent 2025 and 2026 research.
Success rates. Cognism’s 2025 State of Cold Calling Report put the average cold call success rate at 2.3%, down from 4.82% in 2024, as call volume rose and spam screening tightened.
Its 2026 report shows a recovery to 2.7%, with well-targeted teams reaching far higher; Cognism’s own reps reported an 11.3 percent rate.
Connect rates and attempts. U.S. connect rates run between 3 and 10%. It takes about three attempts on average to reach a prospect, and 93% of conversations happen by the third call, with 98% by the fifth. Dialing well past that point yields little.
Conversation quality. Once an agent reaches a prospect, there is roughly a 66% chance of a live conversation, and the average call now lasts 93 seconds. Callbacks succeed about 27% of the time.
Best times to call. Cognism’s data points to Tuesday as the strongest day, with 10 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. the best windows in the prospect’s own time zone. Early mornings, the lunch hour, and end of day perform worst.
Buyer behavior. Buyers do most of their research alone. Gartner found B2B buyers spend only 17% of their time meeting suppliers, up from 57% self-directed in 2015, so agents should use calls to fill gaps in a prospect’s understanding.
For insurance specifically, personalized products were projected to make up more than 40% of new policy sales in 2025.
How AI improves insurance cold calls
AI helps at every stage of the call, from the list to the follow-up. Before the call, it assembles a prospect’s background and history so the agent opens with context instead of a cold script. It predicts the best time to dial based on past patterns, which lifts the odds of a live connection.
During the call, AI gives agents fast access to policy details and prospect history, so answers stay accurate and the conversation keeps moving.
Sentiment analysis reads the emotional tone in real time and prompts the agent to adjust when a prospect sounds hesitant. Lead-scoring models keep ranking prospects so effort goes where it pays off.
After the call, AI schedules follow-ups at the right moment and drafts the next message, so no promising lead slips through. Live coaching and post-call analytics give agents a steady way to improve. The result is a calling operation that reaches the right prospects more often and stays easier to keep compliant, which is what a cautious insurance buyer responds to.
What agents gain from AI on calls
- Sharper personalization.
- Better-qualified leads.
- Smarter call timing.
- Real-time sentiment cues.
- Faster access to policy information.
- More consistent compliance.
- Automated, well-timed follow-up.
Bringing AnyBiz into insurance lead generation
A single cold call rarely stands on its own anymore. Reaching insurance prospects across the channels they actually use, from phone and email to LinkedIn, is what turns scattered outreach into a pipeline.
AnyBiz is built for that kind of multi-channel outbound, with AI sales agents that personalize each touch and keep the cadence consistent.
For insurance teams, a few capabilities stand out:
- Personalization at scale. AnyBiz tailors messaging to each prospect’s profile and history, which matters on a product as personal as insurance.
- Around-the-clock operation. Its AI agents work across time zones and respond promptly, so a prospect’s interest is met while it is fresh.
- Focused targeting. The platform prioritizes the prospects most likely to convert, so agents spend time where it counts.
- Multi-channel reach. Outreach runs across email, LinkedIn, and other channels without adding to the team’s manual workload.
- CRM integration. AnyBiz connects with systems such as HubSpot, giving a single view of every prospect interaction.
Used alongside a strong calling program, this kind of platform helps an agency reach more of the right prospects with the right message at the right time.
Conclusion
Cold calling still works in insurance, but the bar is higher than it was two years ago. Success rates dipped to 2.3 percent in 2025 before recovering; buyers now arrive with their own research, and the compliance picture keeps shifting.
Agents who pair a well-built script with AI for targeting, personalization, and follow-up are converting more of those calls into signed policies.
AI can handle the research and the repetitive follow-up work, which gives agents more time for the conversations that build trust and close insurance sales.
FAQ
How can AI improve traditional insurance cold calling?
AI personalizes each call using data on the prospect, predicts the best time to dial, and offers real-time guidance to the agent. That makes calls more relevant and better timed, and it frees the agent to focus on the conversation itself rather than research and note-taking.
Is cold calling still worth it for insurance in 2026?
Yes, when it is done with clean data and disciplined follow-up. The industry average success rate recovered to 2.7 percent in 2026 after a dip in 2025, and well-targeted teams do several times better than that. Given the lifetime value of a policy, even a modest success rate can produce strong returns.
What are the compliance rules for insurance cold calling in the U.S.?
The TCPA governs telemarketing calls. It requires prior express written consent for autodialed or prerecorded marketing calls, and federal and state Do Not Call rules apply. The FCC’s proposed one-to-one consent rule was vacated in early 2025 and formally eliminated later that year, but the underlying consent and Do Not Call obligations remain. Calls using AI-generated voices are treated as artificial-voice calls and need the same consent. Always confirm the rules in each state where you sell.
Can AI handle objections during a cold call?
AI cannot replace an agent’s judgment, but it can prepare one. Role-play tools rehearse agents against common objections, and live prompts can suggest a response in the moment based on what the prospect just said. The agent still delivers it and reads the room.
When is the best time to make insurance cold calls?
Cognism’s 2025 research points to Tuesday as the strongest day, with 10 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. the best windows in the prospect’s own time zone. Early mornings, lunchtime, and the end of the day tend to underperform.
How many times should an agent follow up?
On average it takes about three attempts to reach a prospect, and 93 percent of conversations happen by the third call. Callbacks convert at roughly 27 percent, so a planned second and third attempt is worthwhile, while dialing far past the fifth call rarely pays off.
