Why Insurance Continuing Education Classes Are So Important

All insurance and financial professionals are required to take some type of continuing education. Every license and state differ, but agents must keep up to date with current rules, regulations, and new products available to their clients. Online insurance education is one way for an insurance professional to complete their continuing education hours. Many states allow continuing education to be done completely online as opposed to in a classroom. Agents prefer online classes because they are flexible, easy to use, and affordable. They can complete all of the continuing education requirements from anywhere in the world as long as they have an internet connection. If an agent chooses to sit in a classroom they will have to find a local seminar and listen to an instructor for however how many hours the course is worth. Sometimes this could last an entire weekend or more.

Continuing education is important for three main reasons. An agent must complete their insurance continuing education every 1-2 years to keep their license active. This is important because selling life/health insurance is typically an agent's way to earn a living. If an agent falls behind on their education requirements their state could fine them or even suspend their license. Another important reason to complete your continuing education is to keep up to date with the latest rules and regulations your state has implemented. Without ongoing education an agent might be breaking the law and not even know it. And finally, the third reason is based on offering the best possible products to their clients. If an agent doesn't complete their continuing education they might not know about the latest annuity available for example. These courses will keep the agent up to date on industry trends which will ensure their clients are receiving the correct advice when purchasing policies.

Because each state and license type have different educational requirements it is beneficial to contact a provider or your state department of insurance to find out what classes you need to take and how many hours you need to stay in compliance with your state laws. The courses you choose are important because some states will require an ethics course while others will not. Also, most states will not let you repeat the same course within a two year period. Finally, many states allow carry over credits. These are credits you took above and beyond your requirements the previous compliance period. Typically, you are able to use the remaining credits towards your credit requirement the following term.