Allstate to Open 140 New Locations in Texas

Allstate is aiming to break recruiting records in Texas this year by opening at least 140 agencies across the Lone Star State.

That’s a lot of “Good Hands,” 280 to be exact.

Where are they going to put all those agents?

Allstate isn’t flying off half-cocked and recruiting agents anywhere they can get ‘em.

They have specific target goals for adding agents based on geographic locations within Texas.

Here’s a look at Allstate’s goals by area:

Dallas: 40 new agents
Central Texas (San Antonio & Austin): 30 new agents
Houston: 25 new agents
East: 15 new agents
West: 15 new agents
South: 10 new agents

Allstate brass said the move to add agents is a direct result of Texas’ population increases in recent years.

Texas’s population has reportedly surged more than 20% in the past decade, which is twice as fast as the nation on a whole, per fresh 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data.

But industry insiders have a different guess as to why Allstate is making a record setting bid to add new agents in Texas.

While official numbers haven’t been obtained, it appears that many Allstate agents have been/are making the move to the independent agency side of insurance sales.

Many insurance agents start out as “captive agents,” meaning they can sell insurance for only one company such as Allstate, Farmers, or State Farm, before eventually transitioning to independent agents. It rarely works the opposite way.

Insurance is a tough business and there is a lot to learn prior to becoming an independent insurance agent, one who represents several insurance companies.

“Captive” insurers will, in many cases, bring on candidates with absolutely no insurance experience, offering them a few weeks of training, while relying on their advertising dollars to convince the general public their agents are “insurance experts.”

But once they actually become experts, many make the move to the independent side, where insurers demand industry experience, knowledge, and a proven track record before allowing them to sell their products.