Florida Legislation Proposes High School Course as Alternative to CSR Education Requirements
A bill currently advancing through the Florida House of Representatives aims to alleviate the shortage of customer representatives at insurance agencies by eliminating longstanding educational requirements. This initiative is particularly timely, given the challenges faced by agencies in hiring and retaining staff.
House Bill 1343 proposes that insurance customer representatives be exempt from the courses typically required for obtaining a customer service representative license in the state. Instead, applicants would only need to complete high school courses focused on insurance and personal finance.
State Rep. Brian Hodgers, a co-sponsor of the bill and one of only two insurance agents in the Legislature, highlighted the difficulties agencies have encountered in recent years. Rising property insurance premiums have led to an influx of frustrated policyholders, making it increasingly challenging for agencies to maintain a stable workforce of customer representatives.
“Over the last six years, many phone calls have been adversarial, and customer reps are the first line of defense,” said Hodgers, who operates two agencies in Viera and Davies. “They’re the ones getting yelled at.”
Hodgers noted that the state’s requirement of 9 credit hours of education has deterred many high school graduates from pursuing careers in insurance. Those who do often gravitate toward underwriting or carrier-based positions instead.
The proposed legislation, developed with input from the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, would instruct the state Department of Education to create a high school course worth 0.5 credit hours in insurance and personal finance. This course would cover essential topics, including “basic property and casualty lines of insurance,” and would align with existing state law regarding insurance education.
To qualify for a customer service representative license, applicants would need to apply within four years of completing the high school course, as stipulated in the bill.
Florida has already taken steps toward enhancing financial literacy among high school students. A law approved in 2022, championed by former Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, mandates a financial literacy class that includes personal insurance. Hodgers’ bill aims to expand this initiative by requiring a more comprehensive curriculum in insurance and personal finance.
While Hodgers faced some initial resistance from the Florida Department of Education, he reported that any differences were ultimately resolved. The bill has made significant progress, having been approved by the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee in January and the Careers and Workforce Subcommittee last week. It is now awaiting action from the full House Commerce Committee.
A similar measure, Senate Bill 1504, has also gained traction, passing the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee without opposition. The 2026 legislative session is set to conclude on March 13.
Interested in Education?
Get automatic alerts for this topic.
A bill currently advancing through the Florida House of Representatives aims to alleviate the shortage of customer representatives at insurance agencies by eliminating longstanding educational requirements. This initiative is particularly timely, given the challenges faced by agencies in hiring and retaining staff.
House Bill 1343 proposes that insurance customer representatives be exempt from the courses typically required for obtaining a customer service representative license in the state. Instead, applicants would only need to complete high school courses focused on insurance and personal finance.
State Rep. Brian Hodgers, a co-sponsor of the bill and one of only two insurance agents in the Legislature, highlighted the difficulties agencies have encountered in recent years. Rising property insurance premiums have led to an influx of frustrated policyholders, making it increasingly challenging for agencies to maintain a stable workforce of customer representatives.
“Over the last six years, many phone calls have been adversarial, and customer reps are the first line of defense,” said Hodgers, who operates two agencies in Viera and Davies. “They’re the ones getting yelled at.”
Hodgers noted that the state’s requirement of 9 credit hours of education has deterred many high school graduates from pursuing careers in insurance. Those who do often gravitate toward underwriting or carrier-based positions instead.
The proposed legislation, developed with input from the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, would instruct the state Department of Education to create a high school course worth 0.5 credit hours in insurance and personal finance. This course would cover essential topics, including “basic property and casualty lines of insurance,” and would align with existing state law regarding insurance education.
To qualify for a customer service representative license, applicants would need to apply within four years of completing the high school course, as stipulated in the bill.
Florida has already taken steps toward enhancing financial literacy among high school students. A law approved in 2022, championed by former Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, mandates a financial literacy class that includes personal insurance. Hodgers’ bill aims to expand this initiative by requiring a more comprehensive curriculum in insurance and personal finance.
While Hodgers faced some initial resistance from the Florida Department of Education, he reported that any differences were ultimately resolved. The bill has made significant progress, having been approved by the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee in January and the Careers and Workforce Subcommittee last week. It is now awaiting action from the full House Commerce Committee.
A similar measure, Senate Bill 1504, has also gained traction, passing the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee without opposition. The 2026 legislative session is set to conclude on March 13.
Interested in Education?
Get automatic alerts for this topic.
