Guide To Becoming A Licensed Insurance Agent
If you are looking to start a career in insurance and need direction below you will find exact steps on studying and applying for an insurance license.
In a few quick minutes, you’ll learn how to prepare for and what to expect on the insurance license exam.
The steps to getting licensed are relatively simple, but be sure to read more into each step to get the nitty-gritty details:
Step 1. Figuring Out Your State's Requirements
Step 2. Complete A Pre-Licensing Course
Step 3. Taking (And Passing!) The Insurance Exam
Step 4. Fingerprinting
Step 5. Getting Your License
Final (Or First?) Step: Apply to Elite Life Agency!
The steps to getting licensed are relatively simple, but be sure to read more into each step to get the nitty-gritty details:
Step 1. Figuring Out Your State's Requirements
Step 2. Complete A Pre-Licensing Course
Step 3. Taking (And Passing!) The Insurance Exam
Step 4. Fingerprinting
Step 5. Getting Your License
Final (Or First?) Step: Apply to Elite Life Agency!
Step 1. Figuring Out Your State's Requirements
Each individual state regulates insurance law and licensing for new insurance agents. Important to note, some states even require hours logged of pre-licensing courses while others don't.
Thankfully, we've made deciphering these requirements as simple as we can with this comprehensive list of state requirements, including how many hours are required and any fees that you may incur.
Feel free to download the PDF as it will be useful for each step in this guide.
Step 2. Complete A Pre-Licensing Course
While some pre-licensing courses have in-person classroom learning options, most agents opt for the internet-based home study version.
Cost for pre-licensing ranges between $50 to $200, depending on the vendor and state you’re testing in.
Here’s a list of the most popular insurance pre-licensing study courses available in most states:
• Kaplan Financial
• ExamFX
• XCel Solutions
• CPMI Professional Development
• WebCE
• 360 Training
• A.D. Banker And Company
• America’s Professor
My experience with pre-licensing courses is that they’re pretty much all the same, and around the same price range, just depending on which state you're in. Again, refer to our guides from Step 1 for your state specific info.
Important Note: When you join Elite Life Agency, we do our best to guide you through the entire pre-licensing process! We have in-house educational videos, study guides and practice exams. As long as you're not required by your state to log hours with a specific course, we have more than enough content and fellow agents to support you and help you pass your exam - and you'll even save a quite a few extra dollars doing so!
How Much Time To Study?
I’ve seen motivated people complete pre-licensing requirements in less than a week. On average, most people study 2 to 3 weeks prior to completing pre-licensing before scheduling the exam.
After completing pre-licensing, you’re ready to take your state’s insurance license exam.
How Much Time To Study?
I’ve seen motivated people complete pre-licensing requirements in less than a week.
On average, most people study 2 to 3 weeks prior to completing pre-licensing before scheduling the exam.
After completing pre-licensing, you’re ready to take your state’s insurance license exam.
Step 3. Taking (And Passing!) The Insurance Exam
You’ll need to contact your state’s testing provider and schedule a testing date.
Refer to your state’s Department Of Insurance (DOI) directions for a list of preferred vendors.
In many states, Pearson VUE administers insurance exams. Research their website to see if that’s the case in your state.
Most insurance exams consist of 50 to 100 questions with a multi-hour time limit. Most states want a score of 70 or better to get your insurance license.
What Kind Of Questions Are On The Exam?
Exam questions are based on the study material you completed.It’s very rare you’ll run across material not covered in the pre-licensing study material. Prior to the exam, continue to study according to your pre-licensing material.
What Happens After I Pass The Exam?
Once you pass the insurance exam, you can apply for your insurance license. Expect the state to conduct a background check. This consists of a criminal history check and fingerprinting.
Remember, selling insurance is a privilege, not a right, so your state’s Department Of Insurance has ultimate say on whether or not you get a license.
Do I Ever Have To Take Another Insurance Exam Again?
Once you pass the exam, you never need to test for the line of authority (life, health, property and casualty, etc) again.
However, if you want to add additional licensing, you will have to repeat the same pre-licensing and exam process laid out earlier.
For example, if you acquired your life insurance license and want to sell health insurance, you’ll have to study and test for the health insurance license prior to offering any form of health insurance to your prospects.
How Does Continuing Education Work?
Every 2 years, your state requires 24 hours worth of continuing education completed, prior to renewing your insurance license.
Thankfully, all state DOIs allow online-based continuing education course work that you complete at your own pace.
Here’s a list of different online-based continuing education vendors available in most states:
• WebCE
• CEU
• Noble
• E Insurance Training
• Success CE
When I need to complete continuing education, I use WebCE. It’s super simple to set up and relatively affordable to purchase.
What If I Want To Sell In A State I Don’t Live In?
All states recognize and reciprocate each other’s licensed insurance agents, allowing non-residents to license to sell insurance.
Once your home state licenses are complete, you pay your non-resident licensing fee in the states you want to apply in.In most cases, you will be approved to sell in those states within a few days.
National Producer Insurance Registry is the best place to start for non-resident insurance license applications.
Step 4. Fingerprinting
Some states require fingerprinting, and the process is done with varying companies in each state. Refer once more to your state specific guide.
Once that is done, you may submit your fingerprints when you apply for the license in the next step!
Step 5. Getting Your License
Finally, we've made it past the hardest parts and can apply for our license! Simply go to the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) and submit your exam receipt (along with fingerprints if required).
Once that is submitted, it takes a few days to process your license and get your National Producer Number (NPN). The NIPR website has a handy list here for your regulating state's website where you may check in and print your license. Also feel free to call in after a few days and constantly check in so you can get to selling faster!
Final (Or First?) Step: Apply to Elite Life Agency!
We put this guide together to be as helpful as we can – getting licensed can be a vague process if you don't know exactly what information you're looking for.
However, if you join Elite Life Agency UNLICENSED, we have all the support you could ever need in getting licensed.
As part of our membership portal, we have in-house educational videos, study guides, practice exams and a group chat channel where you can seek help from other agents who have been through the same process!
As long as you're not required by your state to log hours with a specific course, we have more than enough content and fellow agents to support you and help you pass your exam - and you'll even save a quite a few extra dollars doing so!
Apply now to become part of the Elite Life Agency family by clicking the button below.
If you have any other questions feel free to reach out to us at
apply@elitelifeagency.com
