An insurance agent, or someone who "sells" insurance, is called a "producer". To be qualified as an insurance producer in Illinois, the State of Illinois requires 20 hours of pre-license education for each line of insurance you are going to produce. That is a combined 80 hours of pre-license education for the four main lines of insurance; property, casualty, life, and health insurance.After your pre-license education is completed, you then qualify to take the state required exams for each line of insurance you desire to produce. There is an exam for each line, so 4 separate exams for the four main lines of insurance.
Now, I haven't sat in a class, or taken a real exam since about 1993. So, the idea of this activity was a little bit freaky for me. But, I haven't backed away from very many challenges over my lifetime, so I didn't back away from this one either. John Wayne said: "Courage is being scared to death... but saddling up anyway." So, I saddled up, and hit the proverbial educational trail!
The actual classes were 2 days long, and each 2 day session covered 2 lines of insurance. One line of insurance the first day, and one line the second day. These classes were attended by a wide range of attendees. About 30 people were in attendance. Most were younger adults with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, motives, and grooming habits. A few others were older persons, like myself, somewhat professionally dressed, and excitedly embarking on a new phase of our working lives.
Each two days of class were fast-paced, intensive, streamlined, presentations designed to efficiently prepare each student to be able to study, and successfully complete the state required exams. Let's just say that it felt a lot like cramming for a final exam in a class that you had never taken. As I remember it anyway. At the end of the first day of class, I was exhausted. Luckily, I had chosen to spend the night at the hotel where the class was presented. So, I was able to relax, rest, take a practice test, and prepare for the second day.
By the end of the second day, my little old brain was fried. I had exceeded my ability to receive data, and could barely keep up with just underlining and highlighting the course materials I was given. The classroom atmosphere was distinctively more subdued that second day, and it was obvious that I was not the only one suffering from data overload. None-the-less, we trudged on, and finished the day with a "mid term", open book type of exam that we were required to pass to complete the classes. I passed the first try! I was elated!
As I made the long journey home, I realized that I was now on my own. It was now up to me to study independently and go face my first two of the state exams. I had a few days to prepare for the tests before I had to get ready for the next two classes. I studied intensely, cramming every fact and figure into my brain that I could. I took a practice test, and then studied some more. Finally, after several rounds of practice tests and studying, I believed that I was ready.
