Fourth, how easy is it in reality to actually start an agency and make enough to pay the bills? I see and hear about all of these large numbers (e.g. "make 50K+ your first year"), but then I hear that a lot of agents "survived on bread and water" their first five years. I'm also paying off student debt. So... what is the reality when it comes to starting a career in insurance?
There are many successful agents on this forum. That being said, about more than half made very little money starting our careers:
http://www.insurance-forums.net/for...onths-your-were-selling-insurance-t52688.html
If you are looking for a career and need a need to make big money right away, there is that potential in the insurance industry, but it is more than likely that you will struggle and live on very little income over the first couple years.