Shapiro Administration’s Faster Licensing Process for Insurance Agents Helps Grow Workforce by 33,000 Jobs since 2023 | Insurance Department | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - Today, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) highlighted that, over the last three years, the Shapiro Administration has made entry for new insurance agents into the insurance industry faster than ever before, while also encouraging a new generation of individuals to consider a career in insurance.

In 2023, PID eliminated unnecessary licensing fees and reduced agent application review times from 20 days to under eight days. PID's more efficient process has created pathways to in-demand jobs by streamlining credentialing for a career in insurance. Since then, 33,000 qualified licensees in Pennsylvania have joined the workforce.

The following year, PID worked with the General Assembly on bipartisan legislation (Act 142 of 2024) to remove pre-licensing education requirements for first-time insurance agent applicants, which helps recruit qualified candidates and paves the way for a more diverse workforce. This also removed financial barriers for future agents that could prohibit people from pursuing a career in this field.

"PID remains committed to encouraging careers in insurance and smoothing entry points into the insurance workforce," said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. "Slashing application wait-times and removing licensing fees have allowed the industry to gain thousands of trusted insurance agents that are ready and willing to assist Pennsylvanians with their insurance needs."

Before the process improvements began in 2023, there were about 365,000 insurance producers authorized to write insurance business in Pennsylvania. At the end of 2023, an additional 8,000 licensees joined the industry, bringing the state-wide total to 373,000 licensed agents. Since then, 25,000 additional licenses were issued - for a total of about 398,000 licensed insurance professionals offering services to Pennsylvanians.

PID's NextGen Insurance Academy also invests in the future workforce by partnering with several Pennsylvania colleges and universities, including Pennsylvania's historically Black colleges and universities, to provide a hands-on learning program that introduces college students to potential careers in insurance. In the last three years, PID has connected with hundreds of Pennsylvania students majoring in actuarial science, risk management and criminal justice.

The NextGen Insurance Academy:

• Connects students directly with industry professionals and provides practical experience in the field.
• Provides an interactive workshop: Students collaborate in small groups to tackle current challenges facing the insurance industry.
• Offers a career networking opportunity with a job fair that allows for students to meet with employers, explore career paths, and build connections that can lead to job opportunities.

PID encourages all Pennsylvania colleges and universities interested in hosting a NextGen Insurance Academy on their campus, or insurance companies interested in participating in the event, to contact PID at [email protected].

More information on how to apply for licenses can be found on PID's Services for Licensees page. Licensees with questions can connect directly with the Bureau of Licensing and Enforcement at 717-787-3840 or [email protected].

Pennsylvanians with questions about their insurance or who wish to file a complaint can visit pa.gov/consumer or call 1-866-PA-COMPLAINT (1-866-722-6675).