Business Ethics

Course Description

Business Ethics is aimed at those insurance agents that are self-employed and the small business person. The course gives an introduction to the topic of ethics, describing how social pressure brings about expected behavior and sometimes even legal legislation.

The course looks at the way a person's past will impact their actions in the work place and how the individual looks at ethical behavior in general. Business Ethics asks the question “Why be ethical in business?” While the reasons may seem obvious to some, for many this question has never really been addressed. In addition, this course looks at the practical reasons that ethical behavior must be stressed in our insurance agencies. This course reminds us why it really is important to us to preserve ethical standards in our industry.

Business Ethics also specifically addresses the role that greed plays in our society and why that impacts not only individuals, but businesses as well. The course addresses the basic questions of ethical behavior and why some "gray" areas are not really so gray after all. This includes topics such as attempting to suggest more financial education than is actually achieved (to promote the sale), only giving partial information (leaving out important details) and manipulation of the actual facts (such as insurance company financial ratings). While one would hope that the true professional would never do such things, the realist in the industry knows that it does occur.

This course specifically addresses the need for continuing education. As a provider of education, we are sometimes appalled at the statements that we hear from agents. We hope that the information included in this course, Business Ethics, will address some of the statements made by insurance agents in an adequate fashion.

Business Ethics also looks at the practical side of ethical investing, a relatively new field for insurance agents. In the past agents considered such things as financial ratings, management and even commissions, but seldom did they assess the "moral" standing of the companies they represented. We look at what being a professional advisor really means. We also look at how current and future goals are arrived at, both for the insurance agent and his or her clients.

Overall, this course addresses those issues in business that is part of every-day activities and ties in those activities to the ethical consequences.