Mandatory Education for Insurance Producers

Many industries have set certain standards that their professionals must abide by. The financial and insurance industries are no different. These agents deal with large corporations, small corporations and individual families. They affect a lot of lives each year. The advice they give decision makers is crucial and plays a very important role in the overall decision an individual or corporation make. In order to keep up to speed with current trends and state regulations insurance and financial professionals must complete continuing education each and every year. Any agent holding an insurance license must complete their continuing education either online or in a classroom depending on what their state laws are. Insurance continuing education is meant to help agents but also help their clients. The major differences between the two are a final examination. Classroom courses typically do not require the agent to complete an exam.

Agents must be knowledgeable in every aspect of their profession. They must know all of the products available and abide by all state rules and regulations. Insurance education contributes to their overall success. Every state has different rules when completing their education requirements so make sure to contact your state’s department of insurance or an approved provider to find out exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it by. The most common requirements are 20-24 of continuing education credits every two years. They are typically due by the agent’s birth date.

There are many things to consider when choosing an online school. The first thing is to make sure they are an approved provider in your specific state. If they are not, your continuing education will not count. Then, make sure they offer the courses completely online. Many schools offer this service. Also, take into consideration the price and if there are any type of discounts offered. Finally, make sure the school reports to the state within a reasonable amount of time. Most schools report credit hours at least once a day. This will help ensure you stay compliant and do not incur any late fees or fines from the state.

Once you have chosen the school, ask them what classes you need to complete to meet all of your state’s requirements. There may be an ethics course required for example. If so, make sure to include those courses when you make your purchase. If not, feel free to complete which ever course interests you the most. Many choose a course that is most similar to what they do on a day to day basis. Others will choose a new subject they are interested in. This allows them to broaden their knowledge in something they may not know much about. Agents are able to sell different types of products and learn about new subject areas. It never hurts to learn about new products that may not have been available in the past. The more valuable you are to your clients, the better. Referrals are an agent’s best friend. Free leads that convert higher than others could really impact an agent’s overall success.