Life Insurance Agents Education and Training

How to start your career as a life insurance agent

Becoming a life insurance agent requires more than knowing the difference between term life insurance and whole life insurance. Before you can start to work at a life insurance agency, you'll need life insurance agents education and training. Whether you'll be working for life insurance brokerage companies or independent life insurance brokers, proper education and training are essential.

Life insurance agents education and training will help prepare you for any licensing exams you'll need to take. A formal degree or enrolling in an insurance school can also help on your road to becoming a life insurance agent. So before you set foot into a life insurance brokerage office, get the education and training you need to make it as a life insurance agent:

1. Obtain a formal degree from an accredited college or university before you begin applying to life insurance agencies.
2. Enroll in an insurance school to receive life insurance agents education and training.
3. Take advantage of internships offered by many life insurance agencies.
   

 

Receive a degree in insurance as a first step in life insurance agents education and training

While a formal degree is not mandatory for life insurance agents, some colleges offer a degree in insurance that can be beneficial to those who wish to pursue a career as a life insurance agent. Combining general studies with more specific courses, including those covering life insurance, a bachelor's degree in insurance can be a major part of life insurance agents education and training.
Try: The curriculum for the bachelor's of science degree in insurance offered by Indiana State University includes a course in life insurance as well as an insurance internship. Excelsior College offers a bachelor of science degree in insurance program which allows a student to choose an area of concentration, one of which is life/health insurance.

Learn what every potential life insurance agent needs to know from an insurance school

The formal education route may not be for everyone. For those individuals, enrollment in an insurance school may be the way to go. Insurance schools offer intensive training for life insurance agents through classroom settings, interactive CDs or online courses.
Try: The Florida Insurance School has a 40-hour life insurance course as well as exam preparatory courses and even tutorials on CD. ABTrainingCenter.com offers self-study, online or classroom courses for life insurance agents and brokers.

Get hands-on experience by becoming an intern at a life insurance agency

Few things can prepare you for a career in any field like hands-on experience. Through an internship at a life insurance agency, you'll have the benefits of working directly with a life insurance agent and learn the ins and outs of the life insurance business. Internships can be a vital part of life insurance agents education and training.
Try: New York Life has internships specifically for life insurance sales, an intensive program that exposes interns to all aspects of being a life insurance agent and even prepares them for running their own business. Allstate Insurance Company conducts a summer internship program offering competitive pay, work experience and possible full-time opportunities with the company upon completion of the internship.

 

• Many life insurance agencies offer continuing education classes and seminars for life insurance agents.
• Every life insurance agent or life insurance broker is required to have a license. Requirements for insurance licenses vary by state, but usually include some insurance-related courses and the successful completion of several exams. Check your state requirements.

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