There are two types of agents: captive life insurance agents and independent life insurance agents. Here are the key differences between captive and independent agents: Captive agents: Employed directly by the company for whom they offer insurance, these tend to be local agents who usually don’t sell for any other providers, though they can with special arrangements. Independent agents: Not employed directly with any one company, these brokers “shop your rate” and should be well-versed in various products and their underwriting guidelines.