How to Start a Career in Insurance

The insurance industry is booming. In California alone, the insurance market generates over $90 billion in revenues. If you are ready to claim a portion of this huge market for yourself then you can follow these steps to start your career in insurance.

Instructions

1. Determine what type of insurance career you want to have. There is a dizzying list of different insurance policies that you can market. You also have the option of specializing in a single type of insurance or the option to market several types of insurance policies. Some of the insurance sectors that you can enter include: health, business liability, fire, theft and casualty, health insurance, auto insurance and travel insurance.

2. Visit your state's Department of Insurance to find out what prerequisites you will need to meet before you can start your career as an insurance agent. You can visit the NAIC website to find the link for your state.

3. Meet your educational requirements. Most states will require you to take a minimum of 40 hours of pre-licensure insurance classes. These classes are offered by a number of companies including "A.D. Banker & Company." Your other option is to complete a degree program designed for insurance professionals like the degree program offered by Trocaire College.

4. Prepare for your insurance licensing exam. Your state's Department of Insurance will have a study guide that you can use to focus your studying. The topics covered are going to vary depending on what type of insurance license you are trying to get. However, you should expect the topics to include liability and property laws.

5. Register for and take your insurance licensing exam.

6. Fulfill any other pre-requisites like internship hours, continued professional education credits and registration of your intent to sell insurance. You will also want to apply for your business license and set yourself up with the correct liability insurance.

7. Search for an insurance job with an established insurance agency, start a franchise insurance agency or start an independent insurance agency.

Resources

• This college offers an Insurance Professional degree program.
• Find the link to your state's Department of Insurance.
• Find course for exam preparation and continued education.