Why do I need a bachelors degree to become an insurance agent?

1. 

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   Marlin McKelvy

   President, Consumer Directed Benefit Solutions, Memphis, Tennessee

   You don't. Very few colleges or universities have programs that prepare a student for a career in the insurance industry. That's not to say that a bachelor's degree would be useless, especially if it's a degree in business administration it would certainly help you understand the bigger picture of risk management and the various areas where it can apply and why. But there are many very successful people in the insurance industry that either don't have a bachelor's degree at all or have a degree in a field that was totally unrelated to insurance.
   
   Insurance carriers probably prefer candidates with a college education and in today's job market they can be choosy if it suits their corporate agenda and image. The major insurance consulting firms that deal with large businesses and complex risk management issues can certainly make the case that a bachelor's degree and perhaps even advanced degrees (MBA, PhD) are necessary for the kinds of work they do. And I'm sure some insurance agencies feel the same way.
   
   But as a 30-year veteran (admittedly college educated) very little of what most people learn in college will ever be applied in working with small and medium sized businesses and individuals on their various insurance needs. That's the kind of training you will have to get in the real world of actually learning the products of the specific segment of the insurance industry you are working in and learning from the school of hard knocks. What's really crucial in today's insurance world is that you bring the capability to continually educate yourself, learn from others and regularly update your industry knowledge and skills as the insurance world is very dynamic and evolving rapidly.

   Answered on November 5, 2014

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   David G. Pipes, CLU®, RICP®

   Business Development Officer, T.D. McNeil Insurance Services, Fresno, California

   If there were 100 insurance agents in a room and you asked if any of them planned to be an agent prior to reaching age 21, you might get one hand, the son of an insurance agent. This is not a career that requires formal education. There is a great deal of formal education available but it is not required to start.

   Answered on November 6, 2014

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   Tim Wilhoit

   Owner, Your Friend 4 Life, Brentwood TN

   I am a proponent of higher education, but it has to make sense. There are colleges that offer bachelor degrees in insurance. However, from an agents stand point, the success rate, in my humble opinion, is not increased. I have been blessed in the insurance industry for 22+ years and have recruited, trained, coached and mentored well over 1,000 agents. I have worked with agents that barely graduated from high school to college grads to even a couple of PhDs, there education level had nothing to do with their success or failure at selling insurance.
   As David mentioned, very few of us wanted to grow up to be an insurance agent. The best way to be a successful insurance agent is to become licensed and find a great mentor and be patient and become a sponge to learn everything you can about this great industry.

   Answered on April 17, 2015

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   BILL HANNA

   Agent, WMH Consulting LLC, Fort Worth, Texas

   You do not need a bachelors degree to become an insurance agent. Once you become an agent there is an abundance of formal education /training available.I recommend locating excellent mentor(s) and absorbing their knowledge/advice is priceless. It is crucial to your success to be constantly updating your knowledge and skills...

   Answered on July 6, 2015

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