Continuing Education: Designation, Standalone CE or Something Else?

• August 12, 2026

By Dustyne Bryant

As insurance professionals, we often frame continuing education (CE) as two choices: pursue a professional designation, or take individual or independent CE courses.

But is it really an either-or decision? Industry designations and independent CE serve different purposes, and the most successful professionals will take advantage of both. And, yes, there is a third category.

Insurance Designations

There is no denying the value of industry designations. For example, the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) offers six certifications: agribusiness and farm insurance specialist (AFIS), construction risk and insurance specialist (CRIS), energy risk and insurance specialist (ERIS), management liability insurance specialist (MLIS), manufacturing risk and insurance specialist (MRIS) and transportation risk and insurance professional (TRIP).

Certifications and designations communicate earned expertise to peers, employers and maybe clients, though clients do not usually recognize them. Many also offer CE credit, helping satisfy license renewal requirements while maintaining credentials. However, these benefits come with significant commitments: Higher costs, time constraints to complete courses and earn certification, rigorous coursework, substantial study time, lengthy examinations and ongoing recertification requirements.

Independent Insurance CE

Independent CE courses offer flexibility, affordability and immediacy. Unlike designation programs that follow a set curriculum and schedule, independent courses allow professionals to learn exactly what they need, when they need it. Because many states allow excess CE credits to roll over into the next renewal period, additional education can be a worthwhile investment in your knowledge.

A word to the wise: Do not mistake low-cost CE as being low-quality CE. I’ve made that mistake myself. I have 20-plus years of industry experience as an independent insurance professional. I have earned several industry designations, and while I value the expertise and credibility they provide, I also got stuck in an “update loop,” taking the same courses over and over again. I learned to actively seek niche topics that interest me or address knowledge gaps.

By exploring niche topics, new lines of business or emerging market trends, you can broaden your expertise, strengthen client conversations and identify opportunities to grow your book of business.

The Missing Category

You might be asking, “So, what’s the missing category?” Many state insurance regulations define topics that can and cannot be approved for CE. Non-CE topics may include:

• Sales: Highly valued in producer and account manager training.
• Psychology: Highly valued in learning to overcome objections and in claims.
• Office skills: Also known as best practices or processes and procedures.
• Time management: Fundamental to excelling in all roles.
• Telephone skills: Highly valued in communications training.
• Health and stress management: Ideal for supporting teams through burnout and market shifts.

This is what I call “industry skill training.” These are the topics everyone needs, but CE isn’t addressing them because it simply can’t. Soft skills, morals, ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI), communication strategies by generation, and much more are desperately needed and ideal for uninhibited course structures delivered through interactive micro-learning and mentorship.

This gap is where WebCE’s EXCEED® program fits. Developed collaboratively with IRMI, utilizing Big “I” subject matter experts, EXCEED® micro videos break down complex topics, which can be paired with agency mentors to help professionals apply their knowledge to real-world situations.

Create a Journey

Your career is more than a job; it’s a professional journey. Professionals must view their industry education as more than checking the box on CE to renew their licenses. The educational journey you design for your career impacts your successes along the way.  Seasoned professionals may no longer be required to earn CE, but they must be cautious not to render themselves obsolete by avoiding education and growth altogether.

So yes, earn the designation. Show your commitment to professionalism and lifelong learning. But don’t stop there. Explore standalone CE and skill training that sharpens your niche, expands your horizons and helps you better serve your clients.

Remember, less expensive or shorter in duration does not mean less valuable. Sometimes the most impactful education is the course that gives you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.

 Dustyne Bryant, CIC, CPRM, CISR, is director of property & casualty curriculum at WebCE. She is an insurance curriculum and content development leader with 20 years of experience in the independent insurance agency channel. An actively licensed insurance professional, she specializes in personal lines risk management and insurance education, having authored over 150 hours of continuing education content, numerous industry articles, and shared insights in over 100 podcast episodes. Dustyne holds MBA, CIC and CISR credentials and has served in leadership roles focused on insurance education, research and professional development.

EXCEED® by WebCE

The Big “I” Virtual University has partnered with WebCE to provide its members access to an extensive catalog of insurance-focused micro-topics with EXCEED®. These interactive videos are ideal for:

• Professionals at every level.
• Non-licensed office professionals learning about their offices.
• Insurance-adjacent professionals learning to interact with the insurance industry.
• Emerging insurance professionals, high school and collegiate level.

Visit WebCE or the Big “I” to explore EXCEED® training today.