BUSINESS, FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Insurance Advisor

Sells and services life, health and general insurance policies, advising clients on suitable cover.

Any stream; Class 12 (urban) or Class 10 (some rural areas) After Class 12 Self-employed

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Talking with families about their real needs and helping them plan for emergencies
Seeing a claim paid when a client needs it most
Setting your own schedule and building your own client base

It may not suit you if you dislike

Income can be uneven at the start, since much of it comes as commission
Rejection, cold calls and long follow-ups are a normal part of the work
Products, rules and training change over time, so you must keep studying

Class 11–12 subjects: Any Class 12 stream works, because the rules ask only for a pass in Class 12 in larger towns and Class 10 in smaller places. Strong English and your regional language help, since the study material comes in many languages. Maths is useful for understanding premiums, but it is not a rule.
First degree: No degree is required. A graduate degree is not needed for an individual agent's licence, though insurers may prefer it.
Entrance exams: IC-38 pre-recruitment exam, conducted by the Insurance Institute of India on behalf of IRDAI.
Licence or registration: IRDAI licence as an individual insurance agent, for life, general or health insurance. It is valid for a set period and must be renewed.

Open to every streamAny stream; Class 12 (urban) or Class 10 (some rural areas).Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Explaining life, health and general policies to families and businesses; helping clients choose cover; collecting proposal forms and premiums; handling renewals; helping with claims paperwork; keeping records and finding new clients.

A day in the work
The day often starts with calls to clients whose premiums or policies are due soon. Mid-morning, you may visit a family or a shop owner to review their cover and explain the difference between a term plan and a savings-type plan. Afternoons go to forms, documents for a claim, and phone calls to new leads. The day ends with updating records and planning the next day's visits.

Professional qualificationRun by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). You can start after: Class 12 in urban areas; Class 10 in some rural areas. Minimum time: Training plus the IC-38 exam, then appointment by an insurer. The timeline depends on when your sponsor schedules you..

The full route: exams, training, registration

Step 1 · Class 10–12Finish Class 12 in any stream. In some rural places, Class 10 is enough. The population limit that applies differs between sources, so check with the insurer you plan to join.
Step 2 · Age 18Reach 18 years of age. Keep ready your age proof, PAN card, Aadhaar and education certificates, as these are asked for at the application.
Step 3 · Before trainingPick an insurer or corporate agent that will sponsor you. In practice, you sit the IC-38 exam through that sponsor, not on your own.
Step 4 · Pre-recruitment trainingComplete the required training from an IRDAI-approved institution or your insurer. Most sources say 50 hours for a life or general licence. Older IRDAI rules set higher hours, so confirm the exact number with your sponsor. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 5 · IC-38 examPass the IC-38 exam: 50 multiple-choice questions with no negative marking. The pass mark was lowered to 15 out of 50 for exams from January 2024, according to an Insurance Institute of India circular. Older pages still show 17 or 18 marks. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 6 · Licence and renewalAfter passing, your insurer applies for your IRDAI licence. The licence is valid for three years. Renewal needs refresher training, commonly 25 hours.

Recently changed, or still changing

The licence is valid for three years and needs refresher training to renew.
The pass mark and training hours have changed over the years. Check the latest IRDAI regulation and Insurance Institute of India circular before you pay for training.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (any stream; Class 10 enough in some rural places)	2 years	Your school's fees	Your school's fees	—
Pre-recruitment training (IRDAI-approved institute or insurer; about 50 hours, reported)	Check with your sponsor	Check with your sponsor; no official per-candidate fee found	About ₹886 for corporate agent route, GST included (reported)	Not a paid government training job; no scholarship or stipend published
IC-38 pre-recruitment exam (Insurance Institute of India, sat through sponsor)	1 day exam	Check the notice	About ₹590 for corporate agent route, GST included (reported)	No scholarship or stipend published
IRDAI licence (issued via insurer; valid three years)	Check with your sponsor	₹250 licence fee payable to IRDAI (issue or renewal)	₹250 licence fee payable to IRDAI (issue or renewal)	—
Licence renewal (refresher training, commonly 25 hours)	Every 3 years	Check with your sponsor	Check with your sponsor	—

Total timeAbout 1 year after Class 12, depending on when your sponsor schedules training and the exam

Total costRoughly ₹1,726 or less in exam, training and licence fees for the corporate agent route, plus your school fees; individual insurer costs are not published.

Good to knowSelling insurance without an IRDAI licence is not allowed, and training and exam costs are arranged by your sponsor, so ask for the exact amount before paying.

Fees from: Become Banker — IC-38 fees (reported) · IRDAI — Updated Regulations list · IRDAI document: licence fee (₹250) and practical training requirements. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Earnings vary a lot. Beginners usually earn less while building a client base, and income depends on the products you sell, your insurer, your city and how steadily you find new clients.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~Insurance advisors earn quickly and easily just by selling policies.~~

Fact: You need a licence, an insurer's sponsorship and an exam before you can sell. Most income is commission-based, so early earnings are often slow and uneven.

Try it now

Class 7–9Ask a family member to show you their insurance policy. Note what it covers, the premium amount and the due date.
Class 10–12Download the free IC-38 study material from the Insurance Institute of India and read the first chapter to see how insurance works.Open link ↗
College or afterRead the list of IRDAI regulations to see which rules govern agents, and note what an agent must disclose to a client.Open link ↗

Good to know

Selling insurance without an IRDAI licence is not allowed. Acting as an agent without it can attract a penalty under the regulations.
An individual agent works for one life insurer and one general insurer at a time. Your choice of products is narrower than a broker's.
Older IRDAI rules, the 2015 corporate agent rules and the 2016 appointment rules differ on some details. Always confirm with the latest IRDAI notification.

Sources: IRDAI — Updated Regulations list (includes the 2016 agent appointment regulations) · IRDAI (Appointment of Insurance Agents) Regulations, 2016 (copy on licindia.in) · IRDAI — Licensing of Insurance Agents document (older 2000 regulations text) · Insurance Institute of India — IC-38 Insurance Agents Health study material (2016 edition) · Become Banker — IC-38 pass marks, pattern and fees (reported; cites Insurance Institute of India pages and circular)