How To Become an Insurance Agent
Insurance Schools, Inc. provides
prelicensing and continuing education for insurance
agents/producers and those who wish to become licensed as an
insurance agent. Our products include:
Virtual
Classrooms
Self-Study
Textbooks and CD sets
Exam
Coach CDs
The requirements to become an
Insurance Agent vary from state to state however, some of the
general rules apply in most all states.
Some of the requirements are:
-
An individual
must be at least 18 years of age;
-
Reside in the
state where they are seeking a license; and
-
Be appointed as
an agent by a licensed insurer.
Many states require
that you attend and pass a prelicensing course to become certified
to sit for the state insurance exam. Other states allow students
to purchase a textbook course and study on their own before taking
the state insurance exam. And still others have no prelicensing
education requirement at all. You should visit your state
Insurance Department Website for the details specific to your
state.
Additional
requirements are that an agent must not write "controlled
business" on himself, his relatives or employees only, and
shall be trustworthy and competent. This requirement is to ensure
that a person does not acquire an insurance license for the sole
purpose of insuring himself and his family.
An insurance agent
represents the insurer (insurance company) and must not place any
business with any insurer not admitted to do business in the
state.
An agent may not
accept business from a broker or agent who is not licensed in the
state.
To become licensed
in a state other than the state where the agent resides, he/she
must apply for a "non-resident agent" license. All
non-resident licensees must first have a resident license in his
or her home state before a non-resident license will be issued.