Are you considering becoming a Certified Insurance Counselor? For some agents, this certification may be something brand new! We’re here to break down what this certification is, how you can obtain it, and whether or not it would be beneficial to you and your business.
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What Is a Certified Insurance Counselor?
A Certified Insurance Counselor is an agent who completes his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) certification. The course to become certified is offered by The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. Their course is said to provide agents with practical and real world education that will help them become successful.
The CIC program is for agents, brokers, underwriters, etc. who have at least two years of full-time experience in the insurance industry. If you are a part-time insurance agent, you will need to become full-time before you can complete the CIC certification.
How Do I Become One?
There are seven elements of the CIC program. These elements are referred to as “Institutes.” The seven Institutes are as follows: Agency Management, Personal Lines, Commercial Property, Commercial Casualty, Commercial Multiline, Life and Health, and Company Operations. Of these seven, you must choose five for which you will complete the coursework and pass the corresponding exam. You can complete the exams for each Institute online or in person.
Once you have your certification and you wish to maintain it, you must complete an annual course, but you do not have to take the exams again.
Should I Get My CIC Certification?
The CIC designation marks your commitment to professional excellence as well as dedication to your clients. The knowledge you gain from completing the course can help you stand out among your peers who lack a CIC certification. In fact, professionals with their CIC designation earn 30 percent more than their undesignated counterparts.
On the flip side, becoming a Certified Insurance Counselor takes a lot of time and money. The rate per course is $420 to $475 and each one is 16 hours in length (split into two and a half days). Prior to 2019, each course was 20 hours long. That being said, you do have a total of five years to complete the necessary coursework and tests.
If you are an agent who only sells health and/or life insurance, this certification may only be somewhat beneficial, since Life and Health is only one of the five Institutes you must complete. But if you sell the other types of insurance that the Institutes cover, becoming a Certified Insurance Counselor can really help you step up your game in those areas.
If you sell the other types of insurance that the Institutes cover, becoming a Certified Insurance Counselor can really help you step up your game in those areas.
Whether or not you opt to get your CIC certification is entirely up to you. You can weigh the pros and cons to decide if it’s worth it for you and your business. If you’re looking for additional ways to boost your insurance career, consider partnering with a field marketing organization (FMO) like Ritter Insurance Marketing. Ritter’s industry experts can provide you with guidance and support for all your agent needs and registering is entirely free!
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