New Hampshire Insurance Department and New England College Announce New Educational Partnership

First-of-its-kind course will provide students with the opportunity learn about the insurance industry

The New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) and New England College (NEC) has announced the creation of a first-of-its-kind course designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the insurance industry. The course will introduce students to the nature of risk, risk identification, general risk management techniques, and the management of risk through insurance. It covers why the individual or corporation purchases insurance, what constitutes an intelligent insurance plan, what products are available in the insurance marketplace and how those products are regulated by the NHID.

“Our mission at the department is to promote and protect the public good by ensuring the existence of a safe and competitive insurance marketplace, and a significant component of that charge is to ensure that the future workforce in the insurance industry is well trained,” said New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner Christopher Nicolopoulos. “Attracting highly educated individuals into the industry – whether as producers or regulators – is critically important to the health of our markets and the furtherance of our consumer protection efforts.”

“As the workforce continues to evolve, New England College is committed to providing our students with the tools and opportunity to succeed. This collaboration is just another example of that commitment,” said Dr. Wayne Lesperance, Interim President of New England College.

The four-credit course will begin in the Spring 2023 semester, and students will have the opportunity to undertake an internship for additional academic credit. A team of insurance experts at the New Hampshire Insurance Department will teach the course.

“Collectively, our team of experts bring hundreds of years of insurance experience in both the public and private sectors, and we are excited to share that knowledge with students,” said Deputy Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt. “The internship opportunities will also allow students the opportunity to gain extensive experience in the work of the department, the insurance industry, and like the Webster Scholar Program at UNH Law, there will be an opportunity for students to have their insurance licensing exam waived upon successful completion of the course and internship.”