People ask me all the time, how do I become an insurance agent?  Boy, that’s a loaded question.  Personally, I stumbled upon the insurance industry by chance.  I had no idea that the insurance industry has so many possibilities.   I know how I got into the business, what  about you?  Are you trying to break into the insurance industry?  I am going to demystify the process of getting into the insurance industry and gaining associations with the right carriers.  If you follow my blog, you too will become a successful insurance professional.

For the initiated agent that is looking to recruit and re-purpose my content, the first step will seem a little simplistic.  However, everyone knows the first step to becoming an insurance agent is to get an insurance licensing.  You’ll need to choose a specialty first.  Do you want to specialize in life and health insurance, or is property and casualty your cup of tea?  Personally, I am licensed in both.  You should familiarize yourself with the types of policies and differences between the two agents.  The way to consider that is to talk to your local agent and ask him why he chose his particular specialty(ies).  Regardless of which side you choose, there are pitfalls to avoid and vast rewards for the successful.

After you’ve figured out whether you’ll be the auto and home guy or the life insurance guy (or gal, I should be politically correct); you’ll need to obtain the appropriate licenses.  The easiest way to find out what licenses to obtain, is to check out your state’s department of insurance.  Some states require pre-licensing education while others simply require you pass the licensing tests and pay an application fee.   Each state’s licensing requirements vary.  Regardless, once you pass the prelicensing test, you’re on your way to becoming an insurance pro.

Once you’ve applied for and received your insurance license, you need to decide whether to become a captive agent, independent agent, or direct writer.  I personally started out as a direct writer and eventually grew into the role of an independent agent.  To this day, I have a number of friends that still work with my first company.  Your career like mine, will come down to personal preference and your future goals.  The good thing about the insurance business, is that you choose your own path.

In my next blog post, we’ll talk about the differences between the different types of insurance agents.  Good luck in your insurance career!