Insurance agents are in charge of selling insurance, assessing a company’s or individual’s needs and recommending insurance coverage that fits those needs, and cultivating relationships to grow a client base. Most insurance brokers focus on one form of insurance, such as life insurance, health insurance, disabilities coverage, or long-term care.
A job as an insurance agent could be very rewarding for you. A career as an insurance agent offers a variety of advantages, including a comparatively straightforward entry into the profession, the flexibility of choosing your preferred workplace, and a high earning capacity.
The educational requirements to become an insurance agent varies. For example, holding a high school diploma in some states makes you eligible to enroll in insurance licensing exams. In other states, you have to meet certain academic qualifications.
Time Frame and Other Considerations to Become an Insurance Agent
The employment outlook for agents has changed much over the last few years. There have been steady increases in job opportunities for agents in various fields. For instance, insurance agents are in high demand in the area of health insurance and life insurance. The time it takes to become an insurance agent depends on the state’s requirement of eligibility and licensing to work as an agent. In most places, holding a high school diploma and being 18 years of age and older is sufficient to start your career as an insurance agent. In other states, it is mandatory for anyone applying to be an insurance agent to clear licensing courses and exams. Therefore, if you are looking for a career as an insurance agent, getting a higher education and earning your state license is a good way to improve your job prospects.
The actual time frame to become an insurance agent varies greatly depending on which state you pursue your insurance career. While some states require agents to be licensed in as little as six months, other states take as long as three years or more to complete the necessary licensing requirements. In addition, you must pass further state insurance licensing exams to retain your current license.
Requirements for License
Becoming an insurance agent is not something that people do overnight. Although varying levels of education and training are involved, agents must also complete the state licensing process. There are typically four steps to the state licensing process.
- Prospective agents must complete the pre-licensing education.
- They must successfully pass the state licensing exam and become certified by the state.
- They must complete a specified number of hours of training in fundamental industry practices.
- They must successfully pass the state test for insurance sales agents.
The actual licensing process typically takes about two years. In addition, in some states, independent insurance agents must complete a minimum number of hours of pre-licensing training within their state.
Every state has its terms for getting licensing, although you are usually required to have a license for each category you plan to sell insurance. You may need to complete additional classroom training or self-study to meet a minimum number of hours required. You may be asked to submit fingerprints and information for a background check. You should know that to work in a state as an insurance agent, you will have to meet all the eligibility criteria set by them to apply for your licensing exam and retain that license.
Pursue A Career
When you pursue a job as an insurance agent, you can expect to receive some on-job training at the initial level. At the start, most employers will offer you the position of independent insurance agent. In this role, you will get your initial training and work under the supervision of more qualified insurance agents before you get the opportunity to get clients and build your insurance portfolio.
You must keep in mind that some employers require agents to have specific educational backgrounds before applying for a job in insurance. There are also many different career paths available to people interested in this field. For example, you can become an assistant to an agent, work for an agent’s firm, or work at a broker-dealer’s firm. As your career progresses, you will likely be promoted into other positions and eventually work your way up to the top of the ladder.
The first step, of course, is getting licensed by your state. Once you do this, you can then start to apply to work for an insurance company. One thing that is important to remember about insurance agents is that they are licensed by the state that they work for. As mentioned earlier, different states have different requirements when it comes to licensing exams and licenses. For example, some states require insurance agents to get a college degree and pass a licensing exam. Other states only require that they have a high school diploma or GED. Not everything that you learn in the course will apply to the job market, though. In most cases, you will have to further your insurance knowledge by taking on-job training that most employers offer to new recruits in their insurance departments.
Questions About Being An Insurance Agent
An insurance career is rewarding. However, the timeframe to start and build a successful career as an insurance agent depends on your location and your efforts to get a license and follow all company or state-mandated requirements. If you have more questions, call Western Marketing! Our experts can help you learn more as we are committed to recruiting and assisting independent insurance agents in all 50 states!