Working in insurance education involves teaching adjusters how to do their jobs: liability claims, insurance reports, etc. This insurance educator shares career tips for insurance education, as well as the best and worst parts of working in the insurance industry.

Continuing education insurance instructors do more than teach insurance – they write novels, too! Insurance doesn’t have to be dull or dry…in fact, many insurance educators love their jobs.

“People are often surprised by the fact that I like insurance so much,” says Linda Faulkner, who owns a firm that specializes in career development workshops and insurance continuing education. “It’s a technical field, but it’s not as complex as many people believe.”

In addition to owning Faulkner Education Services, she’s also the author of Second Time Around. Here, Faulkner describes her job as an insurance educator, and offers career tips for adjusters.

What Does an Insurance Educator Do?

“My firm focuses on two areas: career development and insurance education,” says Faulkner. “The career development workshops are presented to the local business community, and address topics such as marketing, sales, and customer attention. However, the major focus of Faulkner Education Services is insurance education.”

Faulkner develops and writes the curriculum for her company’s insurance continuing education seminars and online courses. She also works as a freelance writer for several national organizations and develops, writes, and edits insurance courses on a contract basis.

What is the Salary of an Insurance Educator?

“I don’t know what the average salary/wage is because I wear so many hats and do so many things,” says Faulkner. “On average, insurance educators earn anywhere from $35 to $125 per hour. Freelance technical writers/editors earn anywhere from $25 to $150 per hour.”

She says the most important “prerequisite” for working in insurance education is extensive experience in the insurance industry. “Most state insurance departments require insurance instructors to have a minimum of three years’ experience in this industry,” she says. “ I had 23 years of experience under my belt before I began teaching, and 29 years experience before I began writing insurance courses.”

The Best Parts of Teaching Insurance Education

Faulker enjoys the flexibility and working with her peers. “I’m able to schedule my seminars and contractual obligations with very little conflict – and pretty much at dates/times of my own choosing,” she says.

She adds that talking with other insurance professionals in a seminar setting is very rewarding. “We all have different perspectives and experiences and, because of that, no two seminars are ever the same.”

The Downside of Working as an Insurance Educator

It can be frustrating to deal with clients who wait until the last minute to complete the education required to renew their insurance licenses.

“Although each state has its licensing requirements published online, and most states send licensees the requirements in writing, a fair number of people either don’t know the requirements or forget about them until crunch-time,” says Faulkner. “I guess if it weren’t for these people, my life would be far less exciting the day before a seminar!”

Career Tips for Insurance Educators and Adjusters

Faulker encourages people who have been working in the insurance industry, such as as an insurance claims adjuster, for ten or more years to consider talking to their local insurance agent’s associations, and other insurance organizations, about working in insurance continuing education.

“Insurance instructors are always needed,” she says. “Teaching for an agent’s association or other business is great way to secure training. You can decide if you want to consider working as the occasional freelance instructor or start your own insurance education business. People always need insurance (and will always have liability claims), which means insurance agents and adjusters will always have jobs. They need to grow and develop their knowledge and skills.”

If you need help choosing a career, searching for jobs, or figuring out where you fit in the “working world”, check out Amazon’s job hunting and careers page.

If you have any questions or thoughts on working in insurance education, please comment below.

For more information about Linda M. Faulkner, CIC, visit Faulkner Education Services. She is a Licensed Insurance Agent/Consultant, and Education Provider in MT, ID, WA, and NV, and a Faculty Member of the National Alliance for Insurance Education Research.