Career change as an insurance broker
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 5 with on-the-job training and 3 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Field claims adjuster
Also: Large loss case officer
With on-the-job training
As a claims adjuster, you inspect damage to buildings, vehicles or businesses on site, check cause and extent, negotiate with injured parties and craftspeople and decide on the settlement.
- What you bring:
- You know insurance conditions, coverage checks and typical claims from advice and processing.
- How to get there:
- Insurers move insurance clerks into adjuster roles after a few years in inside sales or sales and train them in construction and vehicle technology, usually over several months. A class B driving license and willingness to travel in the settlement territory are expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people€4,797gross per monthMedian salary
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Customer adviser at a health insurance fund
Also: Corporate client manager at a health insurance fund
With on-the-job training
At a statutory health insurance fund, you advise insured persons and employers on membership, contributions and benefits and attract new members.
- What you bring:
- You know health and long-term care insurance, advisory conversations and the handling of applications and contracts from insurance practice.
- How to get there:
- Health insurance funds hire insurance clerks for customer advice and sales and train them internally in social insurance law, often over several months. For permanent case-officer work, some funds later expect the exam as a social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte/r) or an internal course.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an officeHome office possible€3,964gross per monthMedian salary
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Recruitment consultant in temporary agency work
Also: Recruiter
With on-the-job training
As a recruitment consultant, you win companies as customers, search for suitable applicants, hold interviews and support assignments.
- What you bring:
- You approach people actively, recognize needs, can sell offers and maintain customer relationships over years.
- How to get there:
- Temporary work agencies and recruitment firms like to hire sales professionals from insurance and train them for a few weeks. A recognized qualification comes from training as a personnel services clerk (Personaldienstleistungskaufmann/Personaldienstleistungskauffrau). After some years in HR work, you can take the upgrading course for certified HR specialist (Geprüfter Personalfachkaufmann/Personalfachkauffrau, IHK).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,046gross per monthMedian salary
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Real estate agent
Also: Real estate adviser
With on-the-job training
As a real estate agent, you market apartments and houses, conduct viewings, advise on price and financing and accompany buyers and sellers up to the notary appointment.
- What you bring:
- You sell products that need explaining, know building insurance and financing questions and can close deals.
- How to get there:
- Real estate agencies, banks and property developers hire sales professionals from insurance and train them. For your own work as an agent, you need a permit under § 34c GewO, but no expertise exam is required for it. Training as a real estate clerk (Immobilienkauffrau/Immobilienkaufmann) gives a solid foundation.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people€3,940gross per monthMedian salary
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Sales trainer
Also: Trainer in brokerage training
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As a trainer at an insurer or training provider, you train new talent, prepare them for the expertise exam (Sachkundeprüfung) and train brokers in products, advice and sales.
- What you bring:
- You know advisory conversations, needs analysis and handling of objections from practice and can demonstrate them to others.
- How to get there:
- Insurers and training providers of the industry fill trainer positions with experienced brokers or managers and train them. The trainer aptitude exam (Ausbildereignung, AEVO) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and a trainer course of a few months improve your chances. You can work freelance as a trainer, and permanent positions exist mainly in the academies of large insurers.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light€5,254gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of an insurance agency
Also: Head of sales in insurance field service
With further trainingPromotion
As agency or sales manager, you lead a team of insurance brokers or an agency of your own, plan targets, recruit and train new talent and look after important customers.
- What you bring:
- You know insurance products, advice, sales and looking after a customer base from practice.
- How to get there:
- You take the upgrading course for Bachelor Professional in Insurance and Financial Investments (Bachelor Professional in Versicherungen und Finanzanlagen, IHK), formerly certified senior specialist for insurance and finance (Fachwirt für Versicherungen und Finanzen). You can take it alongside work, it is eligible for funding through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications), and the duration depends on the provider. With a qualification as an insurance and financial investment clerk (Kaufmann/Kauffrau für Versicherungen und Finanzanlagen), you are admitted directly. With another training occupation, you are admitted after one year of practice, as a certified insurance brokerage specialist (Geprüfter Fachmann/Fachfrau für Versicherungsvermittlung) after 2 years, otherwise after 5 years of work practice.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€8,030gross per monthMedian salary
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Financial investment adviser
Also: Fee-based financial investment adviser
With further trainingPromotion
As a financial investment adviser, you also advise on investment funds and other investments, create provision and investment concepts and look after customer assets over years.
- What you bring:
- You advise customers on protection and retirement provision and know advice documentation and liability risks from brokerage.
- How to get there:
- For commercial brokerage of financial investments, you need a permit under § 34f GewO with an expertise exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), and the length of preparation courses depends on the provider. Among others, insurance and financial investment clerks, the certified senior specialist for insurance and finance (Fachwirt für Versicherungen und Finanzen) and its successor, the Bachelor Professional in Insurance and Financial Investments (Bachelor Professional in Versicherungen und Finanzanlagen), are treated as equivalent and so are exempt from the exam. With the older training as an insurance and finance clerk, this only applies to the financial advice track.*Regulated by law (Trade Regulation Act (GewO) §§ 34f, 34h; Financial Investment Brokerage Ordinance (FinVermV) § 4).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people -
Construction financing adviser
Also: Real estate loan broker
With further training
As a construction financing adviser, you compare loans from many banks, work through customers' financing with them and accompany the application through to payout.
- What you bring:
- You advise customers on long-term decisions and know how to protect real estate purchases through residential building, term life or disability insurance.
- How to get there:
- For brokering real estate loans, you need a permit under § 34i GewO with an expertise exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), and the length of preparation courses depends on the provider. Among others, the certified senior specialist for insurance and finance (Fachwirt für Versicherungen und Finanzen) and its successor, the Bachelor Professional in Insurance and Financial Investments (Bachelor Professional in Versicherungen und Finanzanlagen), as well as certain tracks or elective qualifications for insurance clerks are treated as equivalent. The IHK checks whether this applies to you.*Regulated by law (Trade Regulation Act (GewO) § 34i; Real Estate Loan Brokerage Ordinance (ImmVermV) § 4).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as an insurance broker without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Field claims adjuster, Customer adviser at a health insurance fund, Recruitment consultant in temporary agency work, Real estate agent and Sales trainer.
Which retraining or further training suits me as an insurance broker?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Head of an insurance agency, Financial investment adviser and Construction financing adviser.
What promotion options do I have as an insurance broker?
Promotions include, for example: Head of an insurance agency, Financial investment adviser and Sales trainer.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Head of an insurance agency (€8,030 gross per month), Sales trainer (€5,254 gross per month) and Field claims adjuster (€4,797 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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