UPDATE: these changes have been THROWN OUT in the courts!


The clock is ticking for insurance agents to adapt to the FCC’s new “one-to-one” consent rule, which takes effect on January 27, 2025. These changes are set to dramatically impact how businesses, including insurance agents, can communicate with leads and clients via robocalls and text messages.

Starting January 27, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will implement a new “one-to-one” consent rule under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This regulation mandates that businesses obtain explicit, individual consent from consumers before sending marketing communications via automated systems, such as calls or texts.

Each consumer’s consent must be specific to a single identified seller, effectively closing the “lead generator loophole” that previously allowed multiple businesses to contact consumers based on a single consent.

To comply with this rule, insurance agents should:

  • Review and update current consumer-facing consent disclosures to align with the one-to-one consent requirement.
  • Identify consumers obtained through methods not in line with the new consent requirement and either obtain new consent or remove them from marketing lists.
  • Maintain thorough records of consent, as documentation is crucial for compliance and in case of regulatory inquiries.

It’s important to note that failure to comply with these updated TCPA regulations can result in significant financial penalties and legal repercussions. 

If you rely on phone and text outreach to connect with prospects, this guide is for you.


UPDATE: these changes have been THROWN OUT in the courts!


 

What’s Changing?

Starting January 27, the TCPA will enforce stricter consent requirements for both new leads and existing phone numbers in your database.


Does This Apply to All Numbers?

👉 Yes! The rule impacts every number in your database—whether it’s a new lead or a long-time client. Compliance hinges on having proper consent specific to your business.


Existing Phone Numbers: What You Need to Do

⚠️ If your database includes numbers collected without specific, documented consent tied to your business, you’ll need to re-obtain consent.

✅ If you already have clear and documented consent, you’re all set to continue communication without interruptions.


New Leads: What’s Required?

🚫 Broad or third-party consents will no longer be valid.

✅ Every new lead must provide explicit consent for your business to contact them. This means a checkbox, a signed form, or a clear agreement specific to your organization.


How to Stay Compliant

Follow these steps to ensure you’re ready:

🔍 Audit Your Database: Review how your leads were collected. Do you have proper documentation for consent?

✍️ Update Consent Forms: Ensure they’re specific to your business and compliant with the new rules.

🗂️ Document Everything: Maintain detailed records of all consents for legal protection.

💡 Bonus Tip: Use Agent CRM’s tools to streamline compliance. From consent form templates to automated re-consent campaigns, we’ve got you covered.


Addressing Your Questions

1. “I meet 99% of my prospects in person and get verbal consent. Do I still need a consent form?”

Yes, absolutely! While verbal consent shows good intent, it won’t meet the new regulatory standards. Written consent is essential for:

  • Regulatory Compliance: The new rules require explicit, documented consent tied to your business.
  • Legal Protection: Protect yourself from disputes with signed or digitally recorded consent forms.
  • Streamlined Communication: Written consent ensures clarity and builds trust with your clients.

Here’s what you can do:
👍 Create a simple consent form for in-person events or send it digitally after meetings.
👍 Include checkboxes or signature lines for texting, calling, and emailing.
👍 Keep all forms on file for easy access.


2. “What about a workflow where the lead texts me first?”

Great news! Agent CRM has this built-in. Our “Text-In” campaign is included in all Branning Bundles under the 1.0 Lead Generation folder. This workflow allows leads to text you for information, ensuring compliance while simplifying lead generation.


How Agent CRM Helps with Compliance

Agent CRM simplifies TCPA compliance with automation and tools to ensure every interaction is secure and documented. From consent forms to automated workflows, you can manage communications confidently.

Here’s what one happy user had to say:
💬 I can tell you from personal and business experience that making that switch would be worth your time and effort. Agent-CRM support is world-class, and the platform is growing exponentially, we can’t keep up with all the ways to grow our agency. Just in time for 2025, which will be the best time of our industry in 40 years. You can just position yourself now to take advantage of it. — Steve Houston


Next Steps

Compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about building trust with your clients. With Agent CRM, you’ll have everything you need to stay ahead of the new TCPA rules.

👉 Ready to make compliance simple? Sign up for a free trial at http://www.agent-crm.com today!


More Resources:

Are you looking for more resources on compliance? Be sure to check out this video on our YouTube channel:

 


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Agent CRM Team

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The Agent CRM Team works with our developers, our community and our executives to create content for our blog. The content we create is useful for understanding how Agent CRM can help you, it can show you how to use our features and we use the blog to answer common questions.

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