Regardless of where you’re at in your career, finding an organization of like-minded professionals to keep you in the loop and sharp in your field is valuable.
But why? You went to school and are part of an field marketing organization, so what more could you need?
Community
Just like you’d find a local group of young professionals when moving to a new town, the same can be said when looking for success in the insurance industry. A professional organization like the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) — formerly the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) — or the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) will link you to other like-minded people with your values. Being part of a chapter gives you access to networking opportunities you’d be hard-pressed to find on your own.
Standards
We’ve all got our own professional ethics, however being part of an organization that provides them gives you more direction, and allows you to spend more time focusing on your own success. NABIP and NAIFA provide ample copy, courses, and webinars centered specifically around ethics and leadership, walking you through best practices in the insurance field in each step of your career. Not only does this keep you informed as to what’s expected of your performance, but it’s a guide for what you should expect from your peers.
Being part of an organization that provides ethics standards gives you more direction, and allows you to spend more time focusing on your own success.
News
Sure, anyone can check their favorite news source for the latest in any area they choose, but professional organizations like NABIP and NAIFA are writing some of those headlines for the benefit of both you and your client. They’re in Washington analyzing federal legislative activities that will impact how you do your job. Not only that, but NABIP has the daily Newswire and NAIFA offers a daily SmartBrief email newsletter. Both organizations track and report on industry-related updates from reputable sources, so you don’t have to spend time searching on your own. Staying on top of legislative changes and more is as simple as opting in to a newsletter and skimming an email in your inbox each morning!
Advocacy
Both NABIP and NAIFA are invested in fairness in health insurance — not only in providing it, but in making it affordable. For instance, Compliance NOW!, NABIP’s blog, and Advocacy in Action, NAIFA’s blog, cover various concerns of health reform. They also offer webinars to keep you informed on the latest in Washington.
NAIFA’s Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee (IFAPAC) and NABIP’s Political Action Committee support candidates in public office working for the issues close to you and your clients. It’s just one of several programs set in place to make sure you, your peers and clients see success.
Read more about NABIP’s advocacy at the state and federal levels
Read more about NAIFA’s advocacy at the state and federal levels
Leadership
Of course you strive for more as your career progresses, but furthering your education can be expensive and time consuming, taking away from your time with clients and generating leads. Being part of a professional organization gives you access to courses, instructional webinars, workshops, and conferences so you can work toward leadership roles in your community on your time and without breaking the bank. There are also annual conventions hosted by NAIFA and NABIP each year to give you the latest information in learning opportunities.
So why wouldn’t you join a professional organization? With all the benefits and opportunities each has to offer, you could be missing out on more success than you thought. You put a lot of work into getting to this point in your career — why stop there?
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2018. It has since been updated to reflect information relevant to 2023.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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