How Much Does an Insurance Recruiter Cost?
Two of the 16 recruiting firms here put prices in dollars on their sites. 14 price by quote only.
Most recruiters set their fee in a proposal. Every price is dated October 2026.
Pricing models
Contingency firms charge only when you hire someone they sent. Each firm's agreement says exactly when the fee is due.
Retained and engaged searches take part of the fee when the search starts and the rest later. In return the firm commits to your search, often as your only recruiter for that job.
Subscription firms charge a set amount each week or month while they recruit for you, and some add a smaller fee for each hire. A few firms charge one flat fee per hire instead of a percent of pay.
Staffing firms bill temps by the hour. If you hire the temp, a conversion fee may apply unless the temp has worked a set number of hours.
Published prices by vendor
The default order goes by trust factors. It is not our pick of the best.
| Vendor | Plan or item | Price | Unit | Billing | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EZ Recruiting & Consulting | Flat fee per hire | $3,000 | hire | Paid when you sign the agreement with EZ | October 2026 |
| Evergreen Agency Talent | Monthly recruiting subscription | $397 | month | Monthly | October 2026 |
Each firm's profile says when the fee is due and what it covers.
Published fees and pricing terms
These are the fee terms each firm puts in writing. Firms that publish none are left out, so get their terms in the proposal.
We list these in the default order built on trust factors. A higher spot is not a quality ranking.
| Vendor | Fee | Paid before a hire | When you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capstone Search Group | A percent of first-year pay, set per agreement | Engaged and retained searches only | Contingency at hire. Engaged search at the start and at hire |
| The James Allen Companies | Quoted per search | Contained search 10%, not refundable. Retained search 33% | Contingency when the job is filled |
| KBIC | Set in a proposal | Retained searches, paid in stages | Set in the proposal |
| The Jonus Group | Quoted per search | Retained searches only | Contingency fee once, when the hire starts |
| DW Simpson | Quoted per search | Engagement search only | Contingency fee when you hire a candidate it presented |
| Insurance Relief | Hourly for temps. Direct hire quoted | No fee to start | Temps weekly, the week after the work. Direct hire once you accept the candidate |
| EZ Recruiting & Consulting | Flat fee per hire | Yes, the whole fee at signing | When you sign the agreement with EZ |
| Evergreen Agency Talent | Flat monthly fee, no fee per hire | First month at signing | Monthly by card, on the same day each month |
| The Carlisle Group | Quoted per search | Engaged search, up to a third. None on contingency | Contingency at placement. Engaged balance on the start date |
| IOS Staffing Services | Quote only | No for direct hire | Direct hire 30 days after the placement |
| Questpro | Quoted before you start | None for temps or direct hire, per a 2025 article. Retained set in a proposal | Contingency fee when you hire |
| Your Recruiting Department | Service fee plus a fee per hire. Outsourced recruiting is a monthly fee | A service fee while the search runs | Service fee during the search, per-hire fee at each hire |
| General Placement Service | Quoted per search | Engaged search only, credited at placement | Contingency only if you hire |
What a placement fee usually runs
No firm here publishes what percent of first-year pay it charges. James Allen's 10% and 33% are shares of its own fee paid up front, not of pay.
The Jonus Group's July 2026 cost guide puts most agency direct-hire fees at 20% to 30% of first-year pay. That is an industry range, not any one firm's fee, so ask whether bonuses and producer commissions count toward that pay.
Contract and search terms
Read what you agree to before a search starts: the term, what happens if you cancel and who the firm can recruit later. These firms publish at least one such term. The Jonus Group, KBIC, DW Simpson, MarshBerry Talent Search, King's Insurance Staffing and General Placement Service publish no contract terms, so they are not listed.
Vendors appear in our default order, which follows trust factors and says nothing about quality.
| Vendor | Terms to know |
|---|---|
| Capstone Search Group | Engaged search is exclusive |
| The James Allen Companies | The 10% paid up front on a contained search is not refundable |
| The Jacobson Group | Work its interim consultants create on your project belongs to you |
| Insurance Relief | A conversion fee agreed in advance for hiring a temp before the agreed hours |
| EZ Recruiting & Consulting | One free replacement search within 60 days, but none if your agency caused the exit |
| Evergreen Agency Talent | Six-month first term owed in full on early exit, and the signer is personally liable |
| The Carlisle Group | Retained search is exclusive |
| IOS Staffing Services | Won't place your direct hire elsewhere for two years without your consent |
| Questpro | Its temp service advertises no rigid contracts |
| Your Recruiting Department | No long-term retainers per its FAQ, though a service fee runs while it searches |
Vendors that quote
Quote only. Capstone Search Group, The James Allen Companies, The Jonus Group, The Jacobson Group, KBIC, DW Simpson, MarshBerry Talent Search, Insurance Relief, The Carlisle Group, Questpro, King's Insurance Staffing, Your Recruiting Department, IOS Staffing Services and General Placement Service price by quote. Ask for the full first-year cost in writing, with every fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much do recruiting firms cost?
Two of the 16 recruiting firms on this page publish prices in dollars. Most recruiters set their fee in a proposal.
Why do so few recruiting firms publish prices?
14 of the 16 set the price in a quote or an agreement, so a number on a website is the exception here. Whichever firm you call, get the fee, the pay it is figured on, when each payment is due and any guarantee in writing.
Where do these figures come from?
They come from the vendors' own pages and are as of the month shown. If a vendor did not publish something we left it out.
How we researched this. We based this page on each vendor's published pricing where available, terms and product pages, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.