Do you feel like repetitive work is slowing your agency down? Are your licensed staff pulled away from client conversations because tasks stack up faster than your team can complete them?
Many insurance agencies reach a point where internal capacity begins to strain. Inbox activity increases. Documentation takes longer. Follow-ups compete for attention. These pressures often lead agency owners to explore whether a virtual assistant can steady daily operations and give their team more time for meaningful work.
At Lava Automation, we hear the same core questions from agency leaders every day. This article brings all those answers together in one place so you can understand what a virtual assistant costs, how the relationship works, and what your agency needs to prepare before getting started.
Below are the 10 questions agency owners ask most often, along with what you can expect when considering bringing a virtual assistant into your workflow.
What does a virtual assistant cost?
A Lava virtual assistant is $14 per hour for a full-time 40-hour week. This creates consistency in scheduling, training, and workload so the assistant can integrate with your team and support daily tasks without interruption.
Agencies usually notice the value once foundational work begins to move more steadily throughout the week.
How does payment work?
Invoices run on a predictable schedule. Once your assistant begins working with your agency, billing follows a standard recurring cycle. This allows you to plan your budget and keep payments aligned with your payroll and operational rhythm.
Where should I start if I hire a virtual assistant?
Start by looking closely at your daily workload. Most agencies begin by identifying areas where tasks stack up or where licensed staff lose time to activities that do not require a license.
Consider questions such as:
Where does our agency feel behind?
Which tasks repeat throughout the day?
Where do licensed staff spend time on work that could be documented and reassigned?
Many agencies begin with tasks such as inbox activity, scheduling, CRM updates, document preparation, renewal preparation, certificate movement, and other work that follows a clear pattern. These responsibilities help your team regain time while still moving important tasks forward.
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How do we succeed with a virtual assistant from day one?
Agencies see the strongest results when they treat the assistant as part of the team. Early involvement, regular communication, and structured examples help shape accuracy and confidence.
Training works best when the person teaching speaks through the steps while the assistant does the work. This builds understanding and creates the rhythm your agency needs for consistent output.
Some agencies choose to keep a Zoom room open to create a feeling of working side by side. This supports alignment and reduces friction during the first weeks.
Recording training sessions can also help you document your workflows and support future hires.
What tools should we use?
Most agencies rely on a simple set of tools to support collaboration:
Zoom for video and screen sharing
Keeper for secure password management
TurboDial or a similar VOIP system for calls and communication
These tools reflect the same structure you use with your internal team. They help your assistant participate fully in your daily processes.
What are the risks of not using a placement service?
Hiring independently can introduce uncertainty. When a candidate is not connected to a verified placement program, you are fully responsible for training, oversight, and risk management.
Lava Automation operates as a registered business entity in the Philippines. Assistants complete a structured hiring process, use secured devices, and follow documented expectations. Support systems are in place to protect your agency if a problem ever arises. This level of structure is difficult to replicate when hiring on your own.
Where does Lava find virtual assistants?
We recruit candidates with strong technical and communication backgrounds. Many come from university programs in software and computer-related fields. Others have experience in established call centers that support large brands.
This hiring pool gives agencies access to individuals who are familiar with systems, process-driven work, and task-oriented environments.
Do you monitor the assistant’s activity?
Yes. Lava uses monitoring tools that take periodic screenshots and track keyboard and mouse activity. This helps confirm that work is moving steadily and gives you visibility into the assistant’s daily workflow. It also supports accountability during onboarding and creates a record for oversight when needed.
What should your agency expect as the next step?
You came here looking for clarity about cost, access, training, and expectations. These questions form the foundation of every virtual assistant relationship.
A virtual assistant helps your agency regain structure in areas where work slows. Once routine tasks receive steady attention, your licensed team can focus on client conversations, renewals, and revenue activities with fewer interruptions.
Your next step is to read "What Can a Virtual Assistant from Lava Automation Do?" where we explain the specific responsibilities an assistant can handle and how those tasks support your service and sales workflows.
