Certificates and Certifications That Pay Well
May 8, 2025
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This post was originally published in June 2024 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
The insurance industry has experienced exponential growth in the past decade. It is not only one of the biggest industries globally, but the US insurance market remains the largest worldwide. Alongside the finance industry, they have an estimated revenue of 6 trillion dollars. No wonder why many professionals aim to get into the insurance sector.
Fortunately, as big as its revenue is, the insurance industry has one of the largest labor markets and keeps growing. This means there are a lot of opportunities for everyone attracted to this industry. But then, how can you get into insurance? Stay on this read and learn everything you need to succeed in this industry.
The insurance industry offers a wide variety of careers, allowing professionals with different backgrounds, skill sets, and education to get into insurance smoothly. Depending on the job role that interests you, the best course of action will be to research the required certifications, knowledge, and qualifications to perform it.
However, if you want to get ahead and set the groundwork for your career change, here are some recommended actions for getting into the insurance industry.
Think about the goals you want to achieve in the insurance industry and the tasks that will make you feel more comfortable. Keep in mind your current skills when doing so, but don’t limit yourself to positions related to your expertise; instead, consider new activities that attract you.
When doing your selection, most likely you’ll have to research the companies driving the market in your region and the type of insurance that you’re attracted to. On top of knowing the specific requirements to land a job with them, researching potential employers will also allow you to understand more about the industry.
Insurance roles usually have functions related to other industries, such as finance, tech, or marketing; therefore, it’s most likely you already have qualities and valuable knowledge for insurance. Once you’ve identified them, it’ll be easier to cover the skills gap for your transition.
If you don’t know where to start, keep in mind that there are certain abilities that stand out from the rest due to the industry’s skills shortage. While the basic skill set for insurance jobs includes abilities related to customer service and administrative tasks, some state-of-the-art knowledge in evolving technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and data science, will make your profile more attractive.
Although many high-paying insurance jobs only require a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree, there are executive roles where having a master’s degree is preferable. On the other hand, if you aim to become an insurance agent, you’ll most likely have to get a license to sell insurance policies.
A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, marketing, business studies, business administration, or law can boost your profile and ultimately increase your chances of landing a job in the insurance industry. If you’re aiming for an executive role, a master’s degree in one of the mentioned fields will give you the upper hand to secure the job.
Leveling up your networking skills will help you make your way into the insurance industry and succeed in it. Networking lets you stay updated with trends that can set you up for success, and making your name known is an excellent way to land new clients and work opportunities.
Before applying for your desired job role, make sure to update your resume following recruiter best practices. The main goal is to highlight why your profile is the right fit for the job. If you want to go one step ahead, tailor your CV to the job description and company you’re applying for so it stands out to the interviewer.
As mentioned above, although many roles in the insurance industry don’t require a bachelor’s or major degree, different certifications, courses, and licenses are either a must for your desired role or will make your profile more fit.
Here are some common training programs or certificates that you should explore to secure yourself a job in the insurance industry:
If you’re looking for a certification that encompasses the different types of jobs in insurance, this must be one of your main choices. Offered by The Risk & Ensurance Education Alliance, this certificate has been in the industry for over 40 years, and it covers specific areas such as commercial casualty, commercial property, agency management, personal lines, and life and health.
Since the main objective of many analyst roles in insurance is to evaluate policies and clients’ risk factors, this certification should be in your learning plan if you’ve decided to go for one of these positions. Also offered by The Risk & Ensurance Education Alliance, over five courses and 120 hours of program, you’ll learn different areas of risk management, such as analysis, prevention, reduction, control, and financing.
An important note about this certificate is that you’ll need at least two years of professional experience in the insurance sector before starting it. In fact, you may find it easier to complete this specialization after completing the CIC.
Once you’ve made your way into the insurance industry, this certificate will allow you to go beyond being an insurance agent to become proficient and knowledgeable in accounting principles and legal issues within the insurance business.
As the name implies, the program administered by The Institutes Knowledge Group covers all areas of the underwriting process, as well as property-casualty insurance and risk management. Achieving this certification will not only make you a top-notch insurance professional but will also show clients and employers a proven experience track record.
This is another less-specialized certification, but equally important to get into the insurance industry managed by The Institutes Knowledge Group. With this course, you’ll get a strong foundation in basic insurance topics, such as general property and liability insurance for personal and commercial lines, to set you up for success.
Another basic credential offered by The Institute is the Accredited Adviser in Insurance. You’ll learn about property and casualty lines, underwriting, and customer services during this certification. The silver lining about this course is that it only requires four classes for candidates to take before earning their certificate.
If you’re particularly interested in the workers’ compensation insurance field, this credential from The Institute of WorkComp Professionals should be at the top of your learning program. Trainees in this certification program will learn how to lower the insurance costs of their clients’ workforce compensation packages, create safety committees, and provide employees with insight into HR best practices.
If you decide to take the learning program offered by The Institute of WorkComp Professionals, the next step is this specialization program on workers’ compensation insurance. This program teaches you about claims management, experience modifiers, and audits; on top of the above, and since this is a specialist program, it will provide you with the necessary knowledge to advise and educate employees and employers on workers’ compensation insurance.
If you’re pursuing an insurance career, there are many companies you can apply for, even if you prefer a flexible or completely remote position. From known large corporations such as Allstate, New York Life, Allianz, and Farmers to regional or local insurance firms, there’s a wide range of potential employers you could search for to make your transition into the insurance industry.
In case you want assistance with your search and application, you can work with a recruiter to find a job in insurance or any other industry. As search consultant specialists, recruiters can guide you throughout the interview and hiring process.
Even if you haven’t sourced an insurance company, recruiters have a portfolio of clients with available job opportunities. As long as you have a clear idea of the role you’d like to perform, they can suggest positions and employers that align with your needs. They can even advise what aspects of your profile you should improve to shift careers or recommended skills to acquire.
If you aren’t aware of the benefits of working with a recruiter or haven’t found one specializing in this industry, contact one of gpac’s insurance recruiters to plan your career change.
Insurance is a highly welcoming industry, as its wide range of roles allows professionals from many backgrounds to get into it. Although core soft skills are needed to build and maintain client relationships, other technical and transferable skills will let you fulfill other key functions, such as assessing data and completing administrative tasks.
Here are some essential traits and abilities that will set you up for getting into insurance successfully.
As mentioned before, interpersonal skills are the cornerstone of many positions. Whether it’s a face-to-face or remote interaction, many insurance jobs rely on customer service. If you become a broker, claims executive, underwriter, or adjuster, you’ll interact and sometimes negotiate with clients, stakeholders, or even colleagues.
While communication skills are a must for effective customer service, their impact goes beyond this aspect. Since most of your clients, as an insurance agent or representative, will have basic or below knowledge about insurance services, you’ll have to be a proficient communicator to explain basic information about coverages and policies clearly and in simple terms.
Since many insurance jobs involve calculating and processing payments, attention to detail is necessary to enter this industry. A typo or miscalculated figure can make or break your customer’s trust in your work and your personal branding to gain more clients.
Having sharp attention to detail involves understanding your responsibilities above and beyond, so make sure to be clear about them and clear up any concerns during your training.
Many insurance roles have structured administrative procedures for issuing policies and other documents, processing payments, reimbursements, etc. To perform effectively, you’ll need to be proficient in following these processes and setting a clear organization for your day-to-day activities, customer management, and any other tasks related to your internal management.
Another highly valued skill for getting into insurance is numeracy. This industry has various mathematically demanding roles. Finance-related positions, such as actuaries, auditors, and financial managers and analysts, require more in-depth knowledge as they process and model statistics on a day-to-day basis, while other roles, like claim examiners, who analyze numbers more simply, only need a more basic proficiency.
Aside from analyzing numbers, insurance job roles require evaluating a situation from a broader standpoint. For example, as an insurance agent, you’ll have to examine your clients’ conditions to offer them different insurance policies according to their needs. Truth be told, in any insurance role, you’ll face situations that will demand that you use your analytical skills.
But what’s the point of applying your analytical skills if it’s not for solving problems? If you aim to get into insurance, you’ll need sharp conflict resolution skills, whether for dealing with dissatisfied customers or calculating and solving any policy’s risks.
If you’re getting into insurance, you’ll face many kinds of issues, so any employer will highly treasure your ability to think creatively about solutions for them.
If you’ve been pursuing a career change and one of your options is getting into insurance, but you’re still figuring out how to do it or which position you could land, there are many options depending on your background and needs.
If you’re just finishing college or have an entry-level profile, you could start with assisting positions. Many jobs within insurance companies have the primary objective of providing support to insurance agents, customers, or management. Here are some of the most common ones.
As mentioned above, other vital roles within the insurance industry are those related to analytical work, whether evaluating revenue and sales or clients’ risk factors, prices, and coverages.
If the only thing getting in the way between you and getting into insurance is the work-life balance, nowadays, there are many remote insurance jobs, so there’s no need to jeopardize your family time by landing one of these flexible-schedule roles.
The most common job roles in the insurance industry are those whose day-to-day activities involve working with clients, whether to guarantee they receive the proper attention throughout any process or those focusing on providing them compensation and insurance packages that best fit their needs.
Make sure to check all the boxes to guarantee a smooth transition when prepping for a career change. The suggested actions, positions, and skills will help you plan your transition to the insurance industry, and partnering with a recruiter along the way will ease the burden of doing it all on your own. The best thing is you won’t have to spend a dime out of your pocket.
Here are some frequently asked questions about the insurance industry and how to get a job in this field.
Some of the most common entry-level positions in the insurance industry are insurance sales agent, claims processor and adjuster, customer service representative, and underwriting assistant.
Although specific requirements, such as insurance licensing, can vary depending on the employer and state, a high-school diploma, associate’s degree, or higher is enough to land these roles.
Not at all. While sales roles are the most popular in insurance, they’re far from the only path. Risk assessment, IT, marketing, and customer service are other popular careers to get into this industry.
The best way to get started in insurance is by identifying the area that matches your interests—sales, claims, underwriting, or support—gaining relevant experience through internships or entry-level positions, and networking with professionals on LinkedIn. Learning about the industry through courses or certifications can also help accelerate your career path.
Only roles that involve selling, advising, or brokering insurance products require an insurance license, and each state has its own licensing requirements and exams. Nevertheless, other roles, such as underwriters, claims processors, and other administrative positions, don’t require a license, but having one can make you a more competitive candidate.
Communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and time management are highly valued by most employers in the insurance industry since they’re essential for relationship building and explaining specific concepts. Depending on the role, other soft skills that can give you an edge are attention to detail, critical thinking, and stress management in fast-paced environments.
Since the pandemic, remote work has become increasingly common in the insurance industry. Some roles offering hybrid or fully remote work options are customer service representatives, claims adjusters, underwriters, and even sales agents.
Depending on their sales volume, insurance agents in high-demand markets have substantial incomes based on their commission. On the other hand, fields like actuarial science, reinsurance, and executive-level roles in underwriting or brokerage also tend to offer high salaries.
Contributed by Luis Arellano
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