Insurance and Risk Management Programs

The Department of Finance offers two programs in insurance—an Insurance and Risk Management Specialization and a Minor in Insurance and Risk Management.  The Insurance and Risk Management Specialization is designed for business students to prepare them to be an insurance specialist.  The Minor in Insurance and Risk Management is designed for both business and non-business students and available to all students except BSBA students pursuing the Insurance and Risk Management Specialization.

Why Pursue an Insurance and Risk Management Career?

As an insurance and Risk Management specialist, students will engage in a highly rewarding career, not just a job, by advising on insurance and risk management for both individuals and business firms and managing insurance company and agent operations. Career options in insurance and risk management are unlimited. With the knowledge and skills learned in our Insurance and Risk Management Programs, students will be able to choose from a variety of careers, including owning own business as an insurance agent, or working with one of many insurance companies as an analyst, actuary, administrator, claims adjuster, risk manager, or underwriter, to name a few.

There’s never been a better time to consider a career in insurance and risk management. The insurance industry is growing, but the current workforce is also aging, opening positions for the next generation of professionals. At the national level, more than half of insurance professionals are projected to retire by 2025, creating ample opportunities for entry and career advancement for insurance and risk management graduates. According to a recent study by Regionomics, the insurance industry in the state of Ohio alone will require approximately 26,000 new workers to fill positions open between now and 2020.  Hence, insurance companies expect to have substantially more job openings by the end of the decade than people ready to fill those openings.

Insurance Career Opportunities

Insurance and Risk Management is a major player in Ohio when it comes to employment opportunities. The state of Ohio ranks 7th in the nation with over 250 insurance companies and 100,000 employees and an annual statewide economic impact of nearly $6 billion.

Upon completion of the program requirements, students will gain exposure to more than 30 different career paths including Accountant, Benefits Specialist, Claims Adjuster, Claims Representative, Fraud Examiner, Insurance Agent, Loss Prevention Manager, Pricing Analyst, Risk Manager, and Underwriter. (Click Insurance Career Opportunities for description of each career path.)

Internships

Internships will help students explore a career in insurance and risk management. Many insurance companies recruit on-campus for insurance interns including Allstate, Auto-Owners Insurance, Brown & Brown of Ohio, Cincinnati Insurance, Hylant Group, MassMutual, Medical Mutual of Ohio, Met Life, Nationwide, New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, Progressive, Prudential Financial, Skylight Financial Group, State Farm, Western & Southern Life, Westfield Insurance.  Our Insurance and Risk Management Program aims to have all insurance and risk management program students complete at least one insurance internship before they graduate.

Scholarships

Thanks to the Insurance and Risk Management Institute member companies and the generosity of alumni, scholarships are awarded to program students based on their academic performance, extra-curricular activities and/or financial need.  The scholarship application process begins in spring semester.

Program Highlights

• Industry-driven program with strong support from the State of Ohio’s Governor’s office and the Ohio insurance industry (Insuring Ohio Futures.com)
• Addressing the impending shortage of qualified insurance workers in the insurance industry of Ohio and neighboring states
• More than 30 different career options in the insurance industry
• One of only a few 4-year degree programs in the state of Ohio specifically focused on insurance
• The Insurance and Risk Management Institute to effectively promote partnerships with the insurance industry.
• The Insurance Advisory Board comprised of insurance professionals
• The insurance student organizations such as Gamma Iota Sigma Chapter at BGSU

Why Study at BGSU Business School?

• Ranked in top 5% of business schools by Bloomberg Businessweek
• In top 2% of world’s business schools accredited in both accounting and business
• Ranked in top tier of business schools by The Princeton Review & U.S. News and World Report
• Faculty includes Master Teachers, Fulbright Scholars & highly-cited authors
• Student organizations place in the top nationally and internationally
• Average starting salary of Schmidthorst College of Business graduates is $49,000
• Eighty percent of graduates have jobs or are in the interviewing process
• Designated career services office networking with companies throughout country

Program Description and Requirements

Click the links below to view a detailed description of each program:

Insurance and Risk Management Specialization

Minor in Insurance and Risk Management

We are committed to delivering a quality educational experience to our undergraduate and graduate students at Bowling Green State University.  Please explore our programs in depth.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Cindy Baber
Administrative Assistant
cbaber@bgsu.edu
419-372-2520