Part of the insurance agency system for selling individual life insurance. Each field office is independent and under contract to the insurance company. The office is directed by a general agent who employs a staff and pays the salaries and office expenses. Sales agents contract with the general agent and not the insurance company. Usually the insurance company pays all commissions to the general agent who retains a portion of each commission (overriding commission) and the remaining commission is paid to the sales agent. However, some offices use a different procedure and pay commissions directly to the sales agents and overriding commissions directly to general agents.