While there are a number of public policies to promote in this area, there is also a need for the industry to recruit and retain more agents who will work in the market.
New York Life announced recently a plan to add 3,700 more representatives in 2012. The company is putting a heavy emphasis on underserved communities in its recruiting.
From the press release:
New York Life actively seeks to hire women and individuals who serve ethnic markets. In 2011, 57% of the company’s hires in the field were women or individuals who represent the cultural markets. An additional recruitment focus for 2012 is men and women transitioning to the workforce from the military.