Careers & classes

Is insurance a good career? Pros, cons and who it suits

An honest look at what's great about working in insurance — and what's hard.

5 min read

Insurance doesn't always top “dream job” lists, but it offers something many careers don't: steady demand, room to grow and work that helps people at important moments. Here's an honest look.

The pros

  • Steady demand. People and businesses need insurance in good times and bad.
  • Fast entry. In Ohio, you can complete pre-licensing education in five weekends.
  • Many paths. Sales, customer service, underwriting, claims and more.
  • Flexibility. Many roles can be done remotely or in a hybrid setup.
  • Purpose. You help people protect their homes, families and businesses.

The cons

  • Learning curve. There are products, rules and terms to learn.
  • Building a client base takes time, especially in sales roles.
  • Ongoing education. Ohio agents complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years.
  • Hard conversations. You'll sometimes deliver news people don't want to hear.

Thinking it over? Ohio pre-licensing classes are live streamed over five weekends.

See classes & schedule

Who it suits

Insurance tends to suit people who like helping others, explaining things clearly, staying organized and following through. You don't need to be a natural salesperson — many roles focus on service and problem solving.

Read more: Insurance jobs that aren't sales and Why choose a career in insurance?