Inbound links are an essential part of a strong SEO strategy. However, buying those links is usually not a good idea. The problem with buying links is that the link sellers oftentimes sell links to several other buyers just like you. Many times these other buyers are purchasing links to promote more questionable types of businesses. This can lead to your inbound link profile looking just like that of an adult website or gambling website - which is never a good thing if Google decides to tweak a bit of their algorithm to target these types of sites.
Also, most link sellers display all of their "sold links" in a common area such as a sidebar or footer of a website. The SEO community strongly believes that links in these areas are being devalued by Google and can also potentially be flagged as "unnatural" by Google.
That being said, there are still a lot of good ways to obtain relevant, strong inbound links. The number one way as an insurance professional is to provide some quality content. Seek out opportunities to weigh in as an expert where other online conversations are happening - this can help build your credibility as well as your link profile.
Also, check into websites that allow you provide content but include a link to your website. Some press release services offer this.
Another great way to build inbound links and market yourself online is the Einsteinsurance knowledgebase. It was mentioned on insurancejournal.com this past week here.
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InsuranceJournal coverage: http://www.insurancejournal.com/services/newswire/2012/10/25/267851.htm
*More information on Einsteinsurance here: http://www.einsteinsurance.com/insurance-professionals