New Florida Law makes a way for high schoolers to go straight into insurance workforce

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — A new Florida law is giving students a path straight into the insurance workforce, skipping the traditional college route.

HB 1343, which passed July 1, allows students to become an insurance customer service representative (CSR) right out of high school if they complete a class.

The course will not be available this school year. Florida schools have a year to create the class. Mark Wilcox has been in the insurance industry for some time, but filling this position has been difficult. 

"It's been incredibly hard to find and retain young customer service representatives," Wilcox said.

Lawmakers recognized that gap and created the new option for students. The class would prepare rising juniors and seniors for careers in insurance without requiring a four-year degree.

"When they're given the options, it's just a lot more freeing for young ones," Wilcox said.

John Beecham has five kids and says alternate career paths need better advertising. He went to college for one thing but ended up doing another.

"Every child is different, and they put so much pressure on putting them into college level," Beecham said.

Beecham says giving kids more options could help take the pressure off. Students don't need to have their entire future figured out at 15 or 16 years old.

"They don't know, and at 15 or 16 years old they really don't need to know," Beecham said.

What students need to know most is how to be good people. Beecham emphasized character over academic or athletic achievement.

"Make sure they're good people, not good students, not good athletes, just good people," Beecham said.

For those considering an insurance career, Wilcox says he loves having real impacts on people that last.

"Being able to really help people when they need it, it's important and it's awesome, it's the reason I like doing it you know?" Wilcox said.

The class won't be offered until the 2027 school year. To qualify, an applicant must submit their license application to the Florida Department of Financial Services within four years of graduation.