When I first started studying for the RIBO (Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario), I purchased the appropriate package of books online from the Insurance Institute of Ontario and budgeted my time accordingly so that I would spend roughly 20 hours a week at the library.
Effective Learning
I know that self study is not for everyone, but over the course of my university career I learned that self study was probably my most effective way of studying. As I kept trucking away over the months, reading through seemingly endless seas of material, I realized that there were some areas where I was just not as comfortable as I would like to be.
The reason for this not being my lack of dedication, but difficulty understanding the technicality of the material. With my exam fast approaching, I decided that I would sign up for the 2 week RIBO crash course offered by the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario. What a decision that was!
Education Is Key
The course was offered over a 2 week period at the IBAO office at the corner of Yonge and Eglinton and we, the students, actually got to write the RIBO during the final afternoon of the course which was extremely convenient. I would highly recommend the course to anyone contemplating writing their RIBO as the instructor, Lyall Bell, did an incredible job keeping the course entertaining and engaging. Lyall’s stories (as funny as they were) were based on real life situations helped create memorable situations which were, and still are, easily applicable to various rules within the RIBO legislation.
Worth The Investment
The course cost me roughly $1,000.00 but I would say it was a grand well spent, as the course not only helped me pass the RIBO, it also helped boost my level of insurance knowledge which in turn boosted my confidence as well. As we all say, selling insurance is like selling peace of mind… well the same applies for this course. I wasn’t just paying for someone to reiterate to me what I had already read in the months passed, I was paying for peace of mind, an expenditure well worth the reduction in stress.
A Solid Foundation
If by chance you have a job with a brokerage who is IBAO certified, the cost of the course is cut in half making it a no brainer in my opinion. In short, I am not trying to say that the RIBO exam is not passable without taking the IBAO course, but that the course not only helped significantly with my preparation for the exam, it also helped lay a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding upon which I will build my career.
Author : Steve Hopmans
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Steve Hopmans (aka Hotchy) is a young and passionate individual. Although new to the industry, he possesses an immense amount of drive and determination to succeed. Oh, Steve also has a mild sports obsession :)
I was wondering the average starting salary after completing RIBO Level 1 (under supervision) examination. Could this be a part time job – or is full time mandatory. Thinking of entering this field.
Any info would help.