The Institutes Agent & Broker Group and The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Collaborate on Early-Career Employee Benefits Designation

Business Wire

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Institutes Agent & Broker Group, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council), through The Institutes Designations, announce the launch of the Professional Employee Benefits Consultant (PEBC™).

This new program provides early-career brokerage talent with the foundational knowledge and skills they need to grow and excel in their roles. The launch of the designation marks the expansion of The Institutes’ longstanding partnership with The Council, as both organizations work to address the talent gap across the commercial insurance brokerage sector.

“Helping people grow in their careers starts with giving them the tools to feel confident, capable, and connected to the work they do. That’s especially true in employee benefits, where the issues are complex, the impact is personal, and trusted guidance matters,” said Pete Miller, CPCU, President and CEO of The Institutes. “Through our continued collaboration with The Council, we’re proud to offer a program that equips early-career professionals with the kind of foundational knowledge that supports long-term success—and delivers lasting value.”

"Solving for the tremendous challenge we face in bridging the talent gap is going to require creativity, collaboration and leadership from all facets of our industry," said John Howard, Chair of The Council's Board of Directors, and immediate Past Chair of The Institutes Board of Trustees. “I’ve seen firsthand how passionate and committed both The Council and The Institutes are to elevating the brokerage profession, and I look forward to seeing the impact of these efforts, both within my firm and across The Council's membership community.”

"Over the past 20 years, The Council has gradually and intentionally increased our investment in the benefits side of the business, and we've seen exponential growth in our members' market share in this area," said Council President/CEO Joel Wood. "With Council member firms currently advising, in some capacity, on two thirds of all employer-sponsored health plans in the U.S., this new EB designation addresses a critical need – developing, upskilling and career-pathing the next generation of benefits professionals.”

The PEBC designation is geared toward those interested in employee benefits with less than two years of experience in insurance brokerage, including consultants, account managers, client service representatives and business development associates. The designation serves as a counterpart to the Professional Risk Consultant (PRC®) designation, re-launched last year, for early-career risk management and property/casualty professionals.

Earning a PEBC designation requires completion of two core courses and one ethics course.

The new PEBC can be earned via two paths:

PEBC™ On-Demand - A self-paced, on-demand learning pathway, offering online courses with video, interactive activities and simulated exams.
PEBC™ Hybrid - An instructor-led, virtual learning experience with instruction from University of Wisconsin School of Business professors.

Corporate packages offer a cost-efficient way to bring on-demand programming in-house and train new employees at scale.

For more information on the Professional Risk Consultant and Professional Employee Benefits Consultant designations, visit our web site.

About The Institutes Agent & Broker Group

As part of The Institutes, The Institutes Agent & Broker Group offers brokers, producers, and agency professionals at any stage in their career the skills, knowledge, and education to grow a deeper understanding and mastery of the employee benefits insurance. Our knowledge solutions include learning pathways and designations for every stage of a career, certificates and professional development programs, online courses, and continuing education opportunities.

About The Institutes

The Institutes® are a not-for-profit comprised of diverse affiliates that educate, elevate, and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by The Institutes 20 affiliated business units, and backed by more than 115 years of experience as a trusted knowledge partner, we empower people and organizations to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting, and preventing losses to create a more resilient world. Learn more at Global.TheInstitutes.org.

About The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

Founded in 1913 and based in Washington, D.C., The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) is the premier association for the top 150 commercial property/casualty insurance and employee benefits intermediaries worldwide. Council members are market leaders who annually place 90 percent of U.S. commercial P/C premiums and 70 percent of all employee benefits business. The Council’s Government Affairs team represents our member firms with a strong, unified voice on Capitol Hill and within the regulatory space. CouncilPAC, The Council’s political action committee, consistently maintains its position as the leading PAC in the insurance industry. In addition to providing best-in-class professional development resources and publishing Leader’s Edge, an award-winning industry content platform, The Council hosts four annual leadership forums: The Insurance Leadership Forum (ILF) and Employee Benefits Leadership Forum (EBLF), gathering leading brokers, carriers, and strategic partners in the commercial P/C and EB sectors respectively; the Operations & Working Groups Forum, offering leadership development opportunities for C-suite brokerage executives; and the Legislative Summit, connecting Council members with key legislators on broader issues impacting our industry.