How does one become an insurance agent? What kind of courses/exams/certifications are needed?
Asked by leanne

Best Answer:
What education & experience should you have? =For insurance sales agent jobs, most companies and independent agencies prefer to hire college graduates—especially those who have majored in business or economics. =High school graduates are occasionally hired if they have proven sales ability or have been successful in other types of work. =In fact, many entrants to insurance sales agent jobs transfer from other occupations. In selling commercial insurance, technical experience in a particular field can help sell policies to those in the same profession. What courses should you take? College training may help agents grasp the technical aspects of insurance policies and the fundamentals and procedures of selling insurance. Many colleges and universities offer courses in insurance, and a few schools offer a bachelor’s degree in the field. College courses in finance, mathematics, accounting, economics, business law, marketing, and business administration enable insurance sales agents to understand how social and economic conditions relate to the insurance industry. What exams/licenses do you need? Depends on your state. Insurance sales agents must obtain a license in the States where they plan to do their selling. Separate licenses are required for agents to sell life and health insurance and property and casualty insurance. In most States, licenses are issued only to applicants who complete specified prelicensing courses and who pass State examinations covering insurance fundamentals and State insurance laws. Job Outlook: Although employment of insurance sales agents is expected to grow more slowly than average for all occupations through 2014, opportunities will be favorable for college graduates who have sales ability, excellent interpersonal skills, and expertise in a wide range of insurance and financial services. Multilingual agents also should be in high demand because they can serve a wider range of customers. What do they Make? The median annual earnings of wage and salary insurance sales agents were $41,720 in May 2004. Good luck!
US Dept of Labor Insurance agent career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos118.htm For information about insurance sales careers and training, contact: Independent Insurance Agents of America, 127 S. Peyton St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.iiaa.org
Answered by waswisgirl1

At least a License. In California, you will need 52 Licensing hours before you could take the test. After that you may want to get a CIC designation (Certified Insurance Counselor) or CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter)
Answered by InsuranceAdvisor