Florida has plenty of things to offer, of which some top insurance schools in Florida are part.
However, selecting the right insurance school can be difficult. I’ve compiled a list of all the colleges and universities in Florida that offer good insurance programs, along with some other perks.
Florida is ranked among the top five states for the growth of the insurance industry, according to The Insurance Journal.
Florida’s insurance industry has over $100 billion in assets that are under its management and the insurance industry is regarded as one of the largest in the world.
Benefits of attending an insurance school
The insurance industry is increasingly innovative and as such, is a dynamic field that fascinates people from all walks of life.
It is an essential and diverse industry that affects almost everyone, if not everyone, in the US.
In insurance schools, the courses you take will focus on teaching you how to analyze risks and also how to make decisions on what kind of policies to write.
You will also learn about insurance coverage-related legal issues and even how to sell policies.
Gaining knowledge from insurance schools and later joining the insurance industry provides lots of opportunities to an individual, ranging from making a difference in the country to learning a variety of skills, which include, communication skills, problem-solving skills, analytics skills, and organizational skills, and lots more.
Getting a degree from insurance schools and delving into the insurance industry provides an individual with job security, as insurance isn’t going anywhere.
Insurance has been around for centuries and it will remain as long as people continue to need medical care, need to own homes, run businesses, and own cars.
After obtaining a degree from an insurance school, it’s easy to get started in the insurance industry as there is a wide variety of roles in insurance.
For some roles in the insurance industry, it is extremely easy to start right away because they do not require work experience.
There is a wide variety of colleges that offer insurance courses in the US, but our focus in this article is on the insurance schools in Florida.
Top 8 Reasons to Attend Florida Insurance Schools
You have read above about the various benefits of attending an insurance school, now, let us talk about why I recommend you attend one of the insurance schools in Florida.
Florida is recorded as one of the top places for insurance schools in the US.
Insurance schools in Florida are a good match for anyone that has an interest to work in the insurance industry.
Tons of universities and colleges in Florida offer various kinds of programs that can help pave the way for you to get into the industry.
Here are some reasons why you should consider attending an insurance school in Florida:
Location of insurance schools
From all over the country, Florida has a great selection of insurance schools.
Most of the universities that offer insurance courses are near major cities like Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa, and there are lots of job opportunities for graduates in these cities.
Affordable fees
The fees paid in insurance schools in Florida are lower than in most other states.
In Florida, you find good insurance schools that offer very affordable tuition rates. The tuition depends on where you decide to attend school.
Financial aid resources
In Florida insurance schools, there are many available financial aid resources.
Students can apply for grants, student loans, scholarships, and work-study programs, these will give students opportunities to help them pay for their education.
With this, students can freely choose where they want to attend school.
Online Programs
It is important to note that insurance schools in Florida also provide students, who want to get a degree but do not want to move away from home, the opportunity to apply for online programs.
Good Degrees
On completion of your program in an insurance school in Florida, you’re sure to get a degree that is acknowledged by regulators, employers, and even consumers across multiple industries.
Access to networking events
Once you graduate from an insurance school in Florida, you’ll have access to networking events where you tend to meet professionals who have an interest in the same career as you, which may, in turn, lead to new job opportunities for you.
Start a career as a Registered Life Underwriter (RLU)
Insurance schools in Florida enable students to learn skills needed to become an RLU and these schools also include practical applications in their programs and which allows students to gain hands-on experience while they obtain vital education credits.
Quality of Life and Cost of Living
What can be compared with great weather? Students schooling in Florida have access to some of the best weather in the US and the cost of living in Florida is lower than the cost of living in so many other states.
Types of programs offered in Insurance Schools in Florida
The programs offered in insurance schools in Florida are modeled to help you learn skills that are required to become an insurance professional.
There are two (3) types of programs offered in insurance schools in Florida:
- Bachelors Degree Programs
- Masters Degree Programs
- Doctoral Degree Programs
Bachelor’s Degree Programs
In this program, general training is offered and the program focuses on specific insurance topics.
Courses like business management, decision making, as well as, risk and financial planning are often included in this program.
After completion of this program, students can expect to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree.
Master’s Degree Programs
This program is designed for people that wish for more specialized training.
There are several alternative courses available for students who want to pursue a master’s degree in insurance schools in Florida.
Some of the common topics covered by the master’s degree program include life insurance, taxation law, property-casualty insurance, reinsurance, International risk management, and lots more.
After completion of this program, students can expect to obtain a Master’s Degree.
Doctoral Degree Programs
This program is designed for people who wish to get a degree higher than a master’s degree as it involves very high research activity.
Upon completion of this program, students become authoritative experts in their specialized field and can expect to obtain a Doctoral Degree.
The List of Insurance Schools in Florida
When it comes to selecting an insurance school in Florida it can be overwhelming.
Here are some of the best insurance schools in the state of Florida:
Florida State University (FSU) – Tallahassee, FL
Florida State University was founded in 1851. It is a public research university and a senior member of the State University System of Florida. It was founded on January 24, in the year 1851.
Their motto is “Vires, Artes, Mores” (Latin) which means “Strength, Skill, Character” in English.
They offer both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in the insurance program. Their tuition fees for insurance programs fall in the range of $5,616 for in-state and $18,746 for out-of-state, and $9,580 for in-state and $22,220 for out-of-state, for bachelor’s and master’s degrees respectively.
FSU is cheaper than most universities, although the admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 32%.
University of South Florida (USF) – Tampa, FL
The University of South Florida is a public research university, just like Florida State University.
They are one of the 12 members of the State University System of Florida. The University of South Florida is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity”.
Their main campus is located in Tampa, with two (2) other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. Their motto is “Truth and Wisdom”. They offer both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in the insurance program.
Their tuition fees for insurance programs fall in the range of $6,409.50 for in-state students and $17,324.10 for out-of-state students, for the bachelor’s degree program, and $10,428.24 for in-state students and $21,126.00 for out-of-state students for the master’s degree program.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) – Boca Raton, FL
Florida Atlantic University is also a public research university. Florida Atlantic University has its main campus in Boca Raton, FL, and other campuses in Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, and Fort Pierce.
They are one of the 12 members of the State University System of Florida. Florida Atlantic University was established as the fourth public university in Florida in 1960 and has grown to become the sixth-largest in the state by enrollment.
Florida Atlantic University is also classified among the “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity”. Their motto is “Where Tomorrow Begins”.
Visit the school’s website for information about tuition fees.
Florida International University (FIU) – Miami, FL
Florida International University is one of the top public universities in the state.
They are known to drive real talent and innovation in Miami. Florida International University has its main campus in Westchester, Miami-Dade County, Florida.
It was founded in 1965. The university is also classified as “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity”.
Irrespective of the fact that FIU has a campus for traditional learning, they also offer online classes for various programs. Visit the school’s website for more information.
University of Central Florida – Orlando, FL
The University of Central Florida is also a public research university. They are currently the second largest body of any public university in the U.S.
They are part of the State University System in Florida. Visit the University of Central Florida.
University of Tampa – Tampa, FL
The University of Tampa is a private university and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, with over 10,000 students.
The University of Tampa has an average acceptance rate of 56% and a graduation rate of 58%.
Students have the opportunity to apply for financial aid to assist in meeting educational expenses. Currently, 92% of students receive financial aid.
Orlando Insurance School by Hilda Tucker – Orlando, FL
Orlando Insurance School is funded by the Hilda Tucker Insurance School and has been approved by Florida as a Continuing Education School, also as an Agent Pre-licensing school. Visit their website for more information and tuition fees.
College of Central Florida
The College of Central Florida offers insurance and continuing education courses online.
They partner with Online Training Institute to offer this opportunity to students.
These online courses provide students with a solid foundation of insurance laws and theories. Their tuition fees fall in the range of $119 to $390.
Central Florida Insurance School
The Central Florida Insurance School has its campus in Orlando but they, as well, offer classes online.
The cost to attend this school falls in the range of $150 to $580, with a median cost of $450. The amount depends on the qualification.
Florida Insurance License Online
This is one of the insurance schools in Florida that provides an opportunity for students to attend classes and even take final exams online.
It is a 2-20 General Lines pre-licensing course that is recognized and approved by Florida. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be qualified to sit for the state examination.
Florida insurance license online course covers various topics, some of which include homeowners insurance, dwelling insurance, and so on. The fees for this program fall in the range of $119 – $269.
South Florida State College
South Florida State College is a public college in Florida and it has its campuses in Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee counties.
South Florida State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission. 61% of students in South Florida State college receive federal financial aid.
They also offer students the opportunity to attend programs online.
Their tuition fee for the program is about $3,165.
Florida State College at Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL
Florida State College at Jacksonville is a public college in Jacksonville, Florida.
It is a part of the Federal College System and it offers a larger number of four years bachelor’s degrees than most traditional community colleges.
Their tuition fee for insurance programs is about $2,219.
How Do I Get My Life Insurance License in Florida?
It is important to note that there are three (3) types of Life and Health Insurance licenses:
- 2-15 Florida Health & Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts) Agent License
- 2-14 Florida Life (Including Annuities & Variable Contracts) Agent License
- 2-40 Florida Health Agent License
For you to apply for any of the above-listed licenses, you must be a resident of Florida, be at least 18 years of age, and have a Social Security number.
Below are some steps on how to get a life and health insurance license in Florida:
- Take a pre-licensing course
- Sit for the state license exam and pass
- Register for electronic fingerprinting
- Submit Application
- Print your license
How long does it take to get an insurance license in Florida?
After submission of your application for a life and health insurance license in Florida, the approval of your application generally takes about 5 – 15 working days.
How long does it take to become a life insurance agent in Florida?
Becoming a life insurance agent in Florida may take about 2 weeks or more.
This depends on how fast you can go through all the steps required to become a life insurance agent.
How hard is the Florida insurance examination?
The Florida insurance examination is based on what you learned from the pre-licensing course and how hard or easy it depends on how prepared you are.
All insurance exams in Florida are multiple choice questions, and you are required to reach a 70% score to pass.
Conclusion:
One of the benefits of attending any of these insurance schools mentioned above is that many of them offer specialized lessons to their students and these lessons are created and taught by experienced professionals in the insurance field.
Asides from being up to date, these classes will be taught by professionals in the industry who you can learn from along the line.
If you are looking to start a career in the insurance industry, you should consider taking classes at any of the above-listed insurance schools in Florida.
They offer all that is needed to get your certification and in no time get your career started.
Best of luck!