The Changing Face of Insurance Education

At the turn of the millennium, the world saw a major change in how commercial business operated. The internet is now a major resource and tool for anyone looking to do business and develop contacts. In the last ten years, the field of education has also changed as states and institutions have begun to accept the use of the internet for the delivery of educational material. College students are now completing classes online and even primary schools are starting to deliver homework and instructional material by way of the Internet.

What was once new and foreign is now becoming a standard practice. And why wouldn’t it when the internet is convenient, inexpensive, and easier to use then ever before.  The insurance industry is beginning to witness these changes as well as more and more states with classroom attendance requirements are releasing these restrictions for pre-licensing and continuing education course completion. Kentucky and Minnesota, for example, have both recently adopted new guidelines which make it acceptable for online and self-study courses to meet the entirety of the CE requirements in the state. This change allows for a more access for agents to their required insurance education.

More and more states are also switching to online systems where agents can easily monitor their license status and lookup approved courses to take. The states are using these services to better track and monitor agent licensing. In the last six months, no fewer than five states have adopted some kind of new online administrative system and a few have even moved to paperless licensing.

Agents should be aware that these changes are taking place and be watchful of how and when changes may have an impact on their own licensing requirements.