| Every state in the US requires insurance adjusters | | | | enhance the learning experience. However, most |
| and agents to undergo continuing education and earn | | | | people learn through a variety of ways, both visual |
| a minimum number of credits every few years in | | | | and auditory. Several vendors will provide a narrative |
| order to maintain their professional licensing. There | | | | along with the slides in order to reinforce the lesson. |
| are several different approaches offered by a | | | | It is even more advantageous if these lessons can |
| multitude of vendors to address this need in the | | | | be downloaded to a computer, burned to a disc or |
| market. | | | | loaded into an mp3 player to be heard at ones |
| Prior to the advent of the Internet, the only way | | | | convenience. |
| credits could be earned was to physically attend | | | | Most people tend to learn effectively when courses |
| classes in a location, usually away from the office. | | | | are broken down into smaller lessons, like sections or |
| Today there are companies that specialize in | | | | chapters in a book. If these lessons are followed by |
| providing online classes. When you compare the cost | | | | sample questions, this can help the student to |
| and convenience benefits to traditional methods of | | | | understand how much of the material they have |
| training, it would appear to make a lot of sense to | | | | retained, and it gives them an indication as to which |
| investigate online continuing education as an option. | | | | areas may need further review. This can provide the |
| Finding a company that offers CE training for | | | | confidence one needs to help decide when they are |
| insurance professionals is as simple as typing | | | | ready to take the final exam. |
| insurance continuing education credits into your | | | | When searching for an education provider, you should |
| browser search and sifting through the list of | | | | determine the total cost of earning your insurance CE |
| providers. The problem is how to choose the | | | | credits. Some online providers charge an additional |
| education provider that is right for you. Pricing is one | | | | fee for the exam or for retakes if you do not pass |
| factor that may enter into your decision making | | | | on the first attempt. Others will allow you to use the |
| process, but it shouldn't be the only one you use. | | | | course materials for an unlimited time and will allow |
| Sometimes the price you see up front is not the | | | | test retakes at no extra cost to you. Try to find the |
| price you end up paying, as there can be hidden fees | | | | vendor that maximizes your value, and not the |
| and costs. | | | | profits of the vendor. |
| In order to assist you in your search for an online CE | | | | Do the course fees include reporting to your state |
| insurance provider, you should ask the following | | | | insurance department? Most, but not all, states allow |
| questions before making a final decision as to which | | | | the training vendor to report the students credits; |
| company to use when looking to earn your CE | | | | however, these states charge a fee to record the |
| credits. | | | | credits. In some cases, the student is required to pay |
| What format is the course presented in? Some online | | | | this recording fee in addition to the course tuition. |
| courses consist of little more than transcribed text | | | | This is another example of a hidden charge. Other |
| on the computer screen. It can be difficult to follow | | | | vendors include the reporting in the overall course |
| the material and stay focused on the content when | | | | fee. |
| it is presented in this way. If possible, view an online | | | | Does the vendor provide a way for the student to |
| demo or try to take a sample course before | | | | check the status of their insurance CE credits? Most |
| committing to a specific vendor. If you find the | | | | states require insurance CE credits to be attained |
| material boring or hard to follow in the sample or | | | | every two years. It is easy to forget which courses |
| demo, you will probably have a hard time getting | | | | one has taken and completed as time goes by. Some |
| much benefit from the actual courses. | | | | vendors provide an interface that allows the student |
| Does the presentation follow the format of a slide | | | | to login, view their completion certificates online, and |
| show, with illustrations, diagrams, and bullet points? | | | | generate a report on when credits were issued and |
| Many people learn best when presented with a | | | | reported to the state. This gives the student an |
| varied set of visual reinforcements that help them | | | | individualized compliance record that can be very |
| understand the course material. | | | | useful, particularly when changing employers. |
| One question you may have is if the classes have | | | | Once you have decided to choose an online vendor |
| audio support. Some people learn visually, others learn | | | | for your training needs, the outline presented should |
| better by listening to a presentation. Visual learners | | | | help you to make a well educated choice in helping |
| will benefit from charts and images which can | | | | you obtain your insurance CE credits. |