To become an insurance agent, first complete pre-licensing coursework. Next, take the relevant state exam – most state exams are multiple-choice and proctored.
Each state imposes different licensing and fee requirements and fees, but the basic process remains similar. Here are the steps involved.
Obtaining a Pre-License
Are You Thinking About Becoming an Insurance Agent? Acquiring Your Pre-License is the Initial Step
After you complete your pre-licensing coursework, the next step should be selecting a line of insurance to sell. Most states allow multiple lines – such as life, disability, property and casualty insurance – which you can become licensed to sell. In addition to passing background checks and meeting other requirements for each line of insurance that interests you.
Most state license exams are multiple-choice and administered via computer, featuring 50 to 200 scored questions with 70% being required in most states to pass; though individual states may use different scoring systems. It’s essential to practice prior to taking your licensing examination by taking practice tests if taking insurance policies as it will help ensure you’re well prepared.
After passing your state licensing exam, the next step should be obtaining a National Producer Number (NPN). Most states use NPNs as unique identifiers on databases of licensed insurance producers; you’ll also need to submit a completed application and any paperwork necessary.
After passing your state insurance licensing exam in New York, it will take at least 48 hours before applying for a license in order for the state to process it. With your license in hand, selling insurance and building your business can begin! Just remember to adhere to any state-mandated continuing education requirements as well as renewal dates; being aware of these will give you an edge against competitors – ExamFX offers numerous CE courses to fulfill them quickly!
Taking the Licensing Exam
Once you have successfully completed prelicensing courses, the next step will be taking and passing your state insurance exam. This multiple-choice test covers both general product knowledge as well as specific laws, rules and regulations specific to New York. Usually taken at a PSI testing center in standardized format; good prelicensing courses will help prepare you for this format by creating a study schedule to cover all necessary material prior to taking your state license exam – thus helping avoid last minute stress-inducing cramming sessions!
Exam topics will depend on your line of insurance, so it is crucial that you follow your prelicensing course and study materials closely. Once you’ve prepared thoroughly for an exam, taking it should seem much less intimidating and allow you to focus solely on answering its questions.
Information for scheduling an insurance exam can be found on your state Department of Insurance or PSI website, and typically happens quickly and smoothly. Once your exam time arrives, you will be given access to a computer and asked to answer multiple-choice questions on an exam simulated environment. At its completion, results are immediately provided indicating whether you passed or failed; should that happen, usually another examination date can be rescheduled later.
Once you have passed your insurance licensing exams, the next step will be submitting all required license applications to your state. Each state varies in this process; some require fingerprint checks as part of their background check process. Once licensed, you can begin your career helping people protect what matters most in life.
An insurance professional typically begins their career earning between $20-$23 an hour – an excellent starting wage that can increase with experience in the field. Furthermore, many professionals benefit from flexible working hours and can set their own schedules.
Continuing Education Requirements
Many states mandate that insurance producers take continuing education courses to maintain their licenses. These classes keep agents up-to-date with industry developments and help them provide outstanding customer service to clients.
These courses can be taken via webinars or self-paced online courses, with most people opting for self-paced online courses that allow them to log in at any time of the day and complete credits at their own pace. Self-paced courses typically incorporate video and text content, culminating in a knowledge exam at their conclusion; many are compatible with mobile devices for easy logging-in when traveling.
Establishing an awareness of the licensing requirements in your state can save you from incurring large fines later. This is particularly important if your state mandates that you earn certain number of credit hours before renewing your license, although most states have signed onto the National Association of Insurance Commissioners CE Reciprocity agreement, making fulfilling state requirements simpler by taking courses from various providers.
Securities Training Corporation (STC) stands out among many providers offering insurance licensing courses because of its comprehensive study tools, such as on-demand training and practice tests, instructor hotline, and live sessions that give learners a more interactive learning experience.
ExamFX and Kaplan are known for providing comprehensive study materials, comprehensive content coverage and practice exams that can make all the difference when it comes to passing your insurance license exam. When selecting a course provider, the ideal thing would be one who covers relevant topics related to your line of work while having a proven record in helping their students pass their licensing exams successfully.
Finding a Course
Are You Thinking About Becoming an Insurance Agent? Finding a Course That Prepares For the Licensing Exam can Be Difficult If so, but with so many courses on the market it can be daunting trying to decide where to start your search process – fortunately online courses provide accessible, quality education at an affordable price and help individuals pass their licensing exam successfully.
The best courses provide an array of study materials and tools, such as syllabuses, study guides, flashcards, videos, practice exams and easy-to-understand metrics showing your progress over time. Some even feature live instructors providing instantaneous feedback or answering any of your queries; though these features might not always be available when searching online courses.
Kaplan offers an affordable course that contains all of the study tools required to prepare for an insurance exam, from its comprehensive study manual and video lectures that keep your attention engaged to live sessions with instructors that simulate classroom environments.
STC Insurance Courses provide state-specific life and health insurance courses designed to meet your requirements at reasonable prices. Their instructors take great pride in helping students pass their licensing exam successfully, while the course also covers history of life insurance as well as providing an insightful primer into its operation.
STC courses stand out with their pass guarantee; should you not pass the license exam after taking their course, STC will refund your fees – an impressive feature, considering most providers do not provide this guarantee.
WebCE is a favorite among insurance professionals due to its convenient format that enables users to study at their own pace. WebCE boasts one of the longest access periods on this list – three months! And its website boasts an informative Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page to answer any inquiries you might have.
