Independent Insurance Agent Resources: Training Courses

Independent insurance agents are responsible for ensuring that they meet all the education requirements necessary to meet the training and education requirements for the states in which they are licensed to sell (based on the license types they hold).

When Liberty Mutual independent agents first leave Liberty Mutual’s “independent” program to start their own insurance business, they may not know how to find the education programs they need to keep up their insurance license. When they were with Liberty Mutual, the continuing education courses to meet the minimum training requirements were offered. Now, they’re on their own to find training for insurance agents.

That’s why we’re providing a list of independent insurance agent resources so that former Liberty Mutual independent agents as well as other independent agents can locate the training courses they need.

You’ll learn about:

• Why it’s important to receive ongoing training and education
• The importance of remaining in compliance with minimum training requirements
• How you can gain more access to training and education

While you’re here learning about training for insurance agents, we have something for you: a free workbook. Have you thought about joining an insurance aggregator? We know it’s a tough decision. That’s why we provide a free workbook to help you make this decision. You can download your free workbook here. 

Why Is Ongoing Training for Insurance Agents Important?

In this section, you’re going to learn a lot about why ongoing training for insurance agents is important. It’s not just about the education requirement to keep your insurance license. Training for insurance agents is also about education programs that show you new sales techniques, how to better connect with your clients and prospects, and making sure you have new information about insurance products and companies. In a nutshell, training and education opportunities are your lifeline for running a successful insurance business.

Remain in Compliance with the Department of Insurance

When you live in, take the licensing exams in, or sell insurance products in different states, it can change the continuing education courses that you need. For example, let’s say that you live in Arizona and that you sell life insurance in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. You must meet the Department of Insurance minimum training requirements for each state for life insurance (and for whatever other lines of authority you sell in each state). 

So, how can ongoing training and education help? Ongoing training programs can help by allowing you to choose training programs and education providers on subjects that you may be interested in learning, such as sales techniques or training courses on insurance products you offer that may fulfill your required education hours. However, it is critical that you check in the states where you sell and where you are licensed before you enroll in or complete each education credit (unless, of course, you’re completing education programs for your own professional development).

Keep Up-to-date with Insurance Business Trends and Needs

Nothing says you’re growing and successful more than focusing on education programs that expose you to insurance business trends and the needs of the industry. Imagine how much better you could grow your agency and serve your clients and prospective clients with these continuing education courses and education programs. These classes could discuss anything from lines of authority to the insurance industry itself to insurance technology trends to requirements of insurance regulators.

Learn the Requirements to Increase the Insurance Products Offered by Your Insurance Business

One of the best ways to continue to grow your agency as a licensed agent is to offer new insurance products. Yet, to offer those new products, you need to make sure you have the right license type. To get the right license type, you need to pass the right license exam. And it keeps going. So, how do you learn all the requirements?

Since most, if not all, states have an education requirement for a license type for lines of authority (and specific underwriting procedures) set out by the Department of Insurance, the best thing you can do is attend online training about the type of insurance you’re interested in offering. Successful completion will put you in better shape to then pursue the license type. These training courses that are offered will also teach you more about sales techniques related to this type of insurance, too. You may also be able to locate an education provider who can prepare you for the licensing exam.

Ongoing Training and Education to Better Serve Clients

What can make you stand out from other licensed agents? Going above and beyond with your agency in how you serve your clients. So, how can you do that? By successful completion (and using the ideas you learn that make sense to you and that you can reasonably implement) of education programs devoted to better serving clients!

If you want to sell more insurance products, you need happy clients. If you have happy clients, you get more referral opportunities. You also have more opportunities to cross-sell. It’s much easier to continue to sell insurance products to existing clients than to bring in brand new clients.

How Licensed Agents Can Access Continuing Education Courses

Your options include:

•  The Department of Insurance for a list of continuing education providers
• The insurance companies you are approved to provide insurance products with
• The education provider for the licensing exams in the states in which you are licensed
• Various trade and industry publications
•  Join an aggregator like SIAA so that you have more access to ongoing training and education

When you join an aggregator like SIAA, you have more access to online training and education programs for licensed agents. You spend less time looking for opportunities that don’t just meet your minimum training requirements, but also provide you with opportunities to attend training programs to learn things that actually help you grow your insurance business while fulfilling your education credit needs. 

How Does Training Differ for Licensed Agents?

How does training and education differ from all the different types of licensed agents? Does it differ at all? Let’s look at captive agents, independent agents without a cluster, independent agents, and independent agents with a cluster.

• Captive agents. Captive agents get their training and education opportunities from their parent insurance company. Of course, they could seek out their own opportunities.
• Independent agents without a cluster. An independent agent without a cluster is an independent agent who hasn’t joined an aggregate. They must find their own training and education opportunities. So, they must piece together their own education programs. They might be sourcing them from the opportunities we listed above. They will pay the full price for their education programs.

Independent agents with a cluster. An independent agent with a cluster is an independent agent who joins an aggregate. They have ongoing training and education programs available to them. Some may be free and some may be offered at a reduced cost. They also have opportunities to attend networking and mentoring events as well.

Become the Best Licensed Agent You Can with Ongoing Training!

When you join an aggregate like SIAA, you get education programs and training for insurance agents at your fingertips. We hope you enjoyed this article. Don’t forget to download your free workbook to determine if joining an aggregator is right for you!