Life insurance agents play many roles in today’s business environment. They have their traditional role of selling policies that pay a death benefit. They also have many other skills. Those skills include pension plan set-up, estate planning, and retirement planning. All states require life insurance continuing education credits for bi-annual license renewal. CE is key to maintaining and building agent skills.
Since the recession of 2008, the industry has blossomed. Prior to the recession, many companies eliminated agent positions. Instead, they let banks, stockbrokers, financial advisers, and internet sites produce their sales volume. Financial planners lambasted whole life policies. They advised their clients to buy inexpensive term policies. They told clients to invest the money they saved in stocks or mutual funds. Then, the stock market collapsed. When securities values tanked, whole life policies still retained full value.
As a result, many companies have begun to add agents to their rolls. Bankers, lawyers, real estate agents, and mortgage brokers are transitioning out of their old careers and into the life insurance industry. These new agents have to face many challenges. Only thirty percent of agents earn more than $35,000 by their second year in the field. By the fourth year, only twenty percent remain at all. By the sixth year, however, those who stay can find themselves earning up to and beyond the $100,000 mark.
Continuing education courses cover a wide variety of topics. Firm element and regulatory classes include FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) rules and regulations. They also include ethics, suitability, and money laundering prevention, securities, and the economy. Additional courses may include accelerated benefits, distribution planning, and annuities. Additional courses may include health and benefits insurance, health savings accounts, and Medicare and Medicaid.
Continuing education requirements vary from state to state. Most require license renewal every two years. The number of continuing education hours can be as few as eighteen and as many as thirty. Requirements are decided by state departments of insurance. Some states require specific courses. For instance, nearly twenty states require ethics and consumer protection courses.
Choosing an education provider can be daunting. Agents have to do their own due diligence. A referral from a firm or colleague is helpful. Agents should make sure that the CE provider has experience and a good reputation. They should look for online, live, and textbook courses. The coursework should be approved nationwide and accredited by the state. Some firms reimburse employees for CE, and others require the agent to pay out-of-pocket.
If a firm is looking for CE providers, they should take a few steps. One is to hire a compliance specialist who has Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses. A local compliance officer employed by government can help small firms. Larger firms need to hire a specialist. A firm should make sure that the course provider offers classes for all of the firm’s services. These could include CFP, CIMA, CPA, ChFC, and CLU credits.
All agents in all states must complete life insurance continuing education requirements. Agents should research their state’s requirements and their CE provider before signing on for classes. Agents and their companies must make compliance for CE a high priority.
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