Allstate Insurance is strengthening its sales force in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia to meet increasing market demand for products and services in Mid-Atlantic states.

Allstate has had solid growth in 2016 and expects to continue to grow in 2017.

Allstate Capital Region recruiting director Jennifer Yingling said: "This region's strong economy is fueling our expansion in our Mid-Atlantic states. We are seeing increased consumer demand for auto and home insurance as well as financial advice and planning.

"We are seeking qualified professionals and offering comprehensive training and resources to support the success of those professionals."

To recruit more agents, Allstate is offering a $5,000 award to any member of the general public who refers a qualified agency owner candidate to Allstate. The referral award is payable after the candidate has completed their first 90 days of Allstate agency ownership.

Of those 1,105 sales professionals Allstate is seeking in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, 80 appointments will be agency owners and 25 will be exclusive financial specialists, with the remaining 1,000 hired by those agencies as sales professionals.

Allstate is seeking individuals with a strong entrepreneurial drive and passion to help others in their community who want to operate their own small business.

The addition of the new agencies will have a compounding effect on each state's job market as each new agency normally opens with a minimum of three employees to ensure customers are well served with courtesy and efficiency.

Yingling added: "Allstate is a trusted brand and an excellent wealth building opportunity for a small business owner. We are unique among all other insurers because the agent owns the economic interest in their business.

"Allstate agents can sell the economic interest in their agency or pass the business they built on to a family member."

Candidates interested in becoming an Allstate agency owner will need capital to invest in their agency. This money does not go to Allstate; it helps ensure the agency can successfully fund the normal day-to-day costs associated with opening and running a small business.

Licensed sales professionals need no liquid capital to apply.