If you are just getting started in Florida property and casualty insurance, deciding between a 2-20 General Lines Agent license and a 4-40 Customer Representative license is a key career choice.
OnLine Training (OLT) and its partner colleges offer 100% online, state-approved courses for both paths, including designation options that can help you skip the state exam on the 4-40 side and conversion courses to move into your 2-20 later.
Start Fast with a 4-40
The 4-40 Customer Representative license is designed for entry-level customer service and inside-office roles, where you work as an employee under the supervision of a 2-20 agent or agency.
- Ideal first step if you want to get hired quickly in an agency setting.
- Often available through an online designation course that can waive the state exam when you meet all requirements.
- Lets you earn a salary while you learn the fundamentals of personal lines and agency workflows.
Grow Into Your 2-20
The 2-20 General Lines Agent license gives you full authority to sell and bind a broad range of property and casualty coverages and sets you up for producer, agent-in-charge, or future agency-owner roles.
- Requires a state-approved pre-licensing course and passing the state exam.
- Supports higher income potential, more independence, and long-term career growth.
- OLT’s online 2-20 courses are self-paced, mobile-friendly, and designed to help you pass on the first try.
Most Florida 4-40 license holders work in salaried customer service or account support roles that typically range from the low‑30s to around the low‑50s per year, while many 2-20 agents move into higher‑paying producer, account manager, and management roles often starting in the 50s and scaling well beyond that with experience and commission.
Typical pay ranges
- 4-40 (Customer Representative / CSR)
- ZipRecruiter shows median annual pay for roles tied to a 440 license in Florida around the low‑30,000s, with the 25th percentile near the high‑20,000s.
- Customer service and CSR roles that accept 4-40 often advertise hourly rates in the 17–20 dollars per hour range (roughly mid‑30,000s to low‑40,000s annually), with some experienced commercial CSRs around 50,000 per year.
- PayScale data for jobs requiring a 440 license lists average salaries for CSRs in the mid‑30,000s and office supervisors around the high‑50,000s.
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2-20 (General Lines Agent)
- Job postings for licensed 220 agents in Florida frequently show base salaries from roughly 50,000 to 65,000 plus commissions and bonuses.
- Many 2-20 positions are structured as base plus uncapped commission, with realistic total compensation often in the 50,000–80,000+ range for solid producers, and six‑figure potential in senior producer or sales roles.
- Senior commercial or personal lines roles with a 2-20, such as commercial lines manager or senior account manager, are often advertised at 100,000+ total compensation in established agencies.
Common job titles for 4-40 vs 2-20
- Common 4-40 job titles
- Insurance Customer Service Representative / CSR
- Licensed Customer Service Representative (440)
- Personal Lines Customer Service Representative / Account Manager
- Insurance Representative / Insurance Support Specialist (requiring or preferring 4-40)
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Common 2-20 job titles
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Licensed 220 General Lines Insurance Agent / Insurance Sales Agent
- Property & Casualty Licensed Insurance Agent / Producer
- Personal Lines Sales Agent / Senior Personal Lines Agent
- Commercial Lines Sales Agent / Commercial Lines Account Manager / Commercial CSR (requiring 2-20)
- Less common or specialized 2-20 roles
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Within a 2-20, many agents niche down into specific market segments or advanced roles, often with higher earning potential.
- Commercial‑focused specializations
- Commercial Lines Producer (mid‑market or large accounts)
- Commercial Lines Account Manager / Senior Account Manager
- Commercial Lines Manager or Department Manager overseeing producers and CSRs
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Niche product or market specialties
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Marine Insurance Agent (boats, yachts, marine businesses)
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Excess & Surplus / Surplus Lines Marketing Specialist working with E&S carriers and complex risks
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Financial / Executive Risk or “financial lines” roles (D&O, E&O, cyber, etc.) within P&C agencies
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Agency leadership and operations
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Agency Manager / Operations Manager with 2-20 overseeing workflows, compliance, and staff.
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Marketing Specialist or Placement Specialist responsible for marketing accounts to carriers and negotiating terms.
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In practice, a 4-40 is usually tied to stable, service‑oriented pay bands, while a 2-20 opens the door to commission‑driven producer roles, senior commercial and personal lines positions, and management tracks where compensation can scale significantly with responsibility and book size.
Your OLT Career Ladder
Many students start with a 4-40 designation course through OLT or an OLT college partner, step into an agency role, and then return for a 2-20 pre-licensing or conversion course once they have experience.
This ladder lets you earn while you learn, build real-world confidence, and move into full 2-20 authority with proven training and support from Florida’s original online insurance school.
2-20 vs. 4-40: Quick FAQs
What is the main difference between 2-20 and 4-40?
The 2-20 license is a full General Lines Agent license with broad authority, while the 4-40 license is for supervised Customer Representatives who primarily handle personal lines and service roles within the agency.
How does OLT help me start with a 4-40?
OLT offers online designation courses giving you immediate access, mobile-friendly content, and a certificate of completion you can use when applying for your license.
How do I upgrade to a 2-20 later?
After gaining experience in your 4-40 role, you can enroll in an OLT 2-20 pre-licensing or conversion course, then schedule and pass the state exam to expand your authority and earning potential.
