Online Continuing Education in Insurance: Options and Program Overviews

Licensed insurance agents must fulfill continuing education requirements to keep their licenses current. These classes offer agents a chance to learn about new regulations governing the insurance industry. Online classes offer these professionals the ability to manage their time more effectively while they stay up to date in their field.

Continuing Education Requirements for Insurance Agents

Continuing education requirements for insurance agents vary by state. The requirements may also depend on the type of insurance being sold. For example, agents handling property and casualty insurance have different training requirements than those who sell life and health insurance.
Since the licensing requirements for insurance agents differ so widely, agents should verify their requirements with the state's insurance department. Some states permit their agents to take online training programs to meet continuing education requirements. Other states require the agents to attend a classroom course.

Continuing Education Class Structure

The format for online programs is fairly standard across the industry. Most include manuals, training materials and an exam. To take the class, insurance agents register for online access to the training materials. They are often able to download the manuals and training documents for future use. Occasionally, these items are shipped to the agent in bound form.
The online classes allow agents to read through the manual and training materials at home or at work. Since most states require agents to keep current with new regulations for their specialty, these materials are kept as a resource once the continuing education course is complete.
The continuing education manuals include common terms and their definitions for a given insurance specialty. They also provide an overview of new regulations that affect that branch of insurance. The training materials also include explanations of common forms used by the industry and instructions on properly using the forms.

Continuing Education Exam Process

After reading through the training materials, agents take the exam for that continuing education program. The exam's costs are usually a part of the class tuition. For most continuing education classes, a minimum passing score is required. The state insurance agency or commissioner determines the minimum passing score requirements. Typically, the agent may take the exam three times for the original fee. Failing the class a third time may cause the agent to lose his or her license.