How Can Insurance Brokers Apply CPD Learning More Effectively?
Why does CPD learning sometimes fail to stick?
How often do you complete an e-learning module, attend a live webinar or read a useful article, only to find that much of it has slipped from your mind within a few days? For insurance professionals balancing CPD with client work, renewals and day-to-day responsibilities, this is an understandable challenge.
I often think back to the time when I decided to change careers and become a teacher. In Wales, I needed a grade B in English and Maths GCSE to be accepted onto a PGCE course, so I had to resit my maths. I spent months revising and relearning formulas, but once I had passed the exam, I found that I could recall very little of it. As a Humanities and Welsh language teacher, I simply had no reason to use GCSE-level mathematics.
That experience taught me an important lesson: learning is more likely to stay with us when it is relevant, and we have an opportunity to put it into practice. The same applies to continuing professional development. Completing a course may meet a training requirement, but its real value lies in improving knowledge, judgement and customer outcomes.
What are the benefits of e-learning for insurance brokers?
Well-designed e-learning can help insurance brokers and other general insurance intermediaries fit CPD around client work, renewals and other responsibilities. Learners can study at their own pace, select topics that reflect their role and revisit a module or specific section when a real situation highlights a gap in knowledge. Short, focused online learning can also make it easier to apply one practical point at a time.
Effective learning is a partnership. The e-learning provider should make the content clear, engaging and relevant. Employers and managers should select suitable training, allow time for it and create opportunities for staff to use what they have learned. The learner’s role is to engage with the content, identify what matters and decide how it can improve their work.
How can brokers put online learning into practice?
Application is often the missing step. If new knowledge is not used soon afterwards, or at least captured in a simple action plan, it is more likely to be forgotten. The following four-step process can help turn online learning into practical professional development.
Imagine that you have completed an e-learning module on explaining policy exclusions clearly to customers and now want to use that knowledge in your customer conversations.
1. Identify one relevant action
Choose one practical action that is relevant to your role. Keeping it specific makes it easier to remember, apply and review.
For example: Over the next two weeks, I will improve how I explain significant policy exclusions by checking the customer’s understanding and using clear, everyday language rather than relying on technical terms.
2. Set a realistic timescale
Set a clear and achievable period in which to test the action. This helps prevent the learning from being pushed aside by other priorities and creates a natural point for reflection.
For example: During my next five relevant customer conversations, I will explain the key exclusion, ask the customer to describe their understanding in their own words and record any points that cause confusion.
3. Review what changed
Consider what happened after you applied the learning. Did the action improve the conversation? Did customers ask fewer follow-up questions? Was your explanation clear, accurate and appropriate to their needs?
For example: Customers appeared to understand the exclusion more clearly when I used a short practical example. However, I sometimes introduced too much information at once, so I need to make my explanation more concise.
4. Revisit and refine
Return to the e-learning if you need a refresher, adjust your approach and try again. Revisiting relevant content when a real situation raises a question can help turn new knowledge into consistent working practice.
For example: I will return to the section on clear customer communication, refine my explanation and test it in my next appropriate conversation. I will then record the outcome as part of my CPD reflection.
Why does reflection matter in insurance CPD?
Reflection connects completed learning with improved practice. A technical module may largely confirm what you already know, but one reminder about policy terms, customer vulnerability, Consumer Duty or record-keeping could still improve the service you provide. Recording what you learned, where it applies and what changed provides a more meaningful account of professional development than completion alone.
Four points to remember
- Choose e-learning that is relevant to your role and development needs.
- Identify one specific action to apply in your work.
- Review what changed and record your reflection.
Revisit the learning and refine your approach where necessary.
E-learning gives insurance professionals a flexible way to maintain and develop their knowledge, but its real value comes from what happens after a module is completed. Applying one relevant point, reviewing the result and returning to the content when needed can help learning make a practical difference to the individual, the firm and its customers.
Author: James Best
James is a Learning Design Specialist with a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status, providing evidence-informed learning for regulated workplaces.
