What is a requirement for agents selling life insurance related to securities?

Agents who sell life insurance products that are considered to be securities must be registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). This registration is necessary because these financial products can be regulated under both state insurance laws and federal securities laws. The requirement for FINRA registration ensures that the agents are compliant with regulatory standards, which helps protect consumers by ensuring that agents have the necessary knowledge and ethical standards to deal with these more complex financial products.

In the context of selling life insurance that involves investment elements—such as variable life insurance policies—agents must fulfill this regulatory requirement to legally offer these products. Other options, such as having a degree in finance or a minimum of experience, while potentially beneficial to an agent's career, are not mandated for compliance with selling these specific insurance products. Additionally, working exclusively for an insurance company does not inherently qualify an agent for the sale of securities-related insurance products, as they still need the proper licensing and registration through FINRA.