How to Become an Insurance Agent in 1- 5 Steps

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree
Although some companies may hire you out of high school and most will train you on the job, most prefer applicants with postsecondary education in an area like business or economics. You might also choose a major in risk management and insurance, or a risk management concentration in a business administration degree, particularly if you're interested in eventually becoming an underwriter or insurance investigator.

Step 2: Complete Prelicensure Requirements
States require you to have a license in each category of insurance for which you sell policies. You will need to complete prelicensure courses and be fingerprinted or submit information for a criminal background check. Depending on the state and the type of insurance, the prelicensure course may be classroom training or self-study, requiring about 20-50 hours. Classroom-based prelicensure courses may be available at community colleges, public technical colleges or private for-profit education providers.

Step 3: Take License Exams
A state insurance license requires you to pass a licensing exam that covers state insurance laws and category-specific insurance concepts. Some types of life insurance may require you to hold a Series 6 or Series 7 securities registration. Exams for those qualifications are administered through national testing centers on behalf of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Step 4: Pursue a Job
As an insurance agent, you might work directly for a specific insurance company as a captive agent, or you may appoint with several insurance companies and operate as an independent broker. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the insurance industry is trending toward the use of independent brokers. As you start out, you'll likely receive on-the-job training by working alongside experienced agents for a training period before prospecting for and seeing clients on your own.

Step 5: Maintain Licensure and Certifications
In most states you also have to complete continuing education courses in insurance law, ethics and policy terms every two years to renew any of your licenses. Although professional certifications are voluntary ways of demonstrating to existing and potential clients that you're well versed in your specialty or specialties, courses required for many common insurance certifications may fulfill continuing education requirements for state licensure.