predicting insurance agent turnover using a video-based situational judgment test

High turnover of newly contracted insurance agents is a wide-spread problem faced by many insurance companies. The objective of the present study was to examine the usefulness of a video-based selection test in the prediction of turnover for insurance agents. Newly contracted insurance agents (N=677) responded to items presented on a video-based situational judgment test. Each item presented a videotaped situation showing an agent interacting with client. Following the situation, the agents responded to a multiple-choice question indicating how they would handle the situation. Turnover information was gathered on the agents one year after contract. Using an empirical scoring method, data analyses indicated a significant relationship between test scores and the turnover criterion.This research was completed while the author was at LIMRA, International, Farmington, CT.