Property & Casualty Exam Training

Property & Casualty (P&C) Insurance License: What You Need to Know

If you’re thinking about starting a career as a P&C agent, getting your Property and Casualty license is the first step. This license lets you sell policies that help individuals and businesses protect themselves from financial losses due to property damage or liability. Here’s what you need to know to get started in this exciting field.

What Is Property and Casualty Insurance?

Property and Casualty insurance is the umbrella name for a variety of policies that cover an individual’s or business’s assets (“property”) and/or protect them from liability/lawsuits (“casualty”).

Having a Property and Casualty license means you can sell products like auto, homeowners, and business insurance policies to individuals and businesses.

You can work either as an independent agent selling policies on behalf of multiple insurance companies or as a captive agent selling policies exclusively on behalf of one insurance company.

Anyone who discusses or makes changes to insurance policies must be licensed. If you plan to work as a customer service representative (CSR) for an insurance company or agency, you must be licensed, even if your job doesn’t involve insurance sales.

In some states, surety bail agents are also required to either obtain a Property and Casualty license (e.g., Virginia) or just a Casualty license (e.g., Georgia).

What Kinds of Policies Can Property and Casualty Insurance Agents Sell?

Property and Casualty Insurance

Property and Casualty insurance covers a broad range of policy types, including (but not limited to):

  • Car insurance (personal or commercial auto insurance)
  • Homeowners insurance
  • Commercial property insurance
  • Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance
  • Workers’ compensation insurance
  • Professional liability insurance (E&O, D&O)
  • Inland marine insurance
  • Umbrella insurance
  • Renters insurance
  • Condo insurance
  • Power sports insurance (e.g., for boats and motorcycles)
  • Landlord insurance

How Much Money Do P&C Agents Make?

Most Property and Casualty insurance agents make well above the national median income for all industries to start. And the longer you work in the industry, the greater your earnings potential—especially if you get licensed in additional insurance lines, such as Life and Health.

As your clients renew their policies year after year and you continue writing new policies, you can expect a steady flow of commission checks that grows over time. And if you decide to venture out as an insurance producer and open your own office, your earnings potential is significantly higher. In our experience at America’s Professor, many P&C agents who stick with this career do very well for themselves.

Here’s the average P&C agent salary in select states, according to data from ZipRecruiter. Keep in mind that you could earn more than this—even as a CSR.

State Annual Salary Hourly Wage
Hawaii $49,629 $23.86
Washington $54,102 $26.01
Arizona $44,515 $21.40
Wyoming $45,916 $22.07
Montana $43,844 $21.08
Iowa $44,867 $21.57
Utah $43,487 $20.91
Idaho $44,945 $21.61
Missouri $44,807 $21.54
Kansas $42,602 $20.48
Virginia $47,358 $22.77
Georgia $40,335 $19.39
Texas $44,503 $21.40
South Carolina $44,327 $21.31

 

Things are looking good across the US for agents with a Property and Casualty insurance license. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4% job growth for insurance agents between 2024 and 2034.


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Requirements for a Property and Casualty Insurance License

To get your Property and Casualty license, you must pass your state’s Property and Casualty exam. The licensing exams are timed and are almost always a series of multiple-choice questions testing your insurance knowledge.

Most people take a Property and Casualty insurance license class to prepare for the exam, and some states require it. Well-designed exam prep courses—like those offered by America’s Professor—will teach you everything you need to know to pass the exam on your first try.

Here are the basic steps to becoming a licensed insurance agent:

  • Complete a pre-licensing course. Half of all states have pre-licensing requirements. Whether it’s required or not, taking a pre-licensing course like those offered by America’s Professor is highly recommended to ensure you pass the exam the first time.
  • Pass your state exam. Take the test in person at the provider’s physical location or a proctored (monitored) exam online. The tests are time-restricted, and the number of multiple-choice questions varies by state. The passing grade varies by state but is usually between 70% and 80%.
  • Get fingerprinted. Most states require licensed agents to be fingerprinted and to undergo a background check. There is usually an on-site fingerprinting technician where you take your exam. If you take a proctored (monitored) exam online, you will need to find an approved local business to take your fingerprints.
  • Apply for your license. After you pass your insurance exam, you will need to apply for your license through the state’s licensing provider. This process sometimes takes a few weeks, depending on how busy they are.
  • Fulfill periodic continuing education requirements. Every state requires licensed insurance agents to undergo periodic continuing education (CE) to refresh their insurance knowledge and learn about new laws impacting the insurance industry. CE requirements vary by state.

Prepare for the Property and Casualty License Exam With America’s Professor

America’s Professor offers top-rated national and state-specific courses to help you pass your Property and Casualty license exam the first time. Each Property and Casualty license course is designed to be straightforward and engaging. We use clear language and real-world examples to make complex insurance concepts easy to understand.

Our P&C training packages include:

  • In-depth video lectures available 24/7
  • A printed textbook to reinforce key concepts
  • A 45-day subscription with free extensions if needed
  • Practice quizzes and Property and Casualty practice exams that reflect actual test questions

This Property and Casualty training is ideal for both new students and working professionals who want to prepare efficiently and confidently. Whether your state requires a pre-licensing course or not, completing a structured Property and Casualty training program greatly improves your chances of passing on your first attempt.

Each course includes helpful tools for reviewing difficult topics and tracking your progress. From terminology reviews to scenario-based learning, America’s Professor makes the Property and Casualty license course feel approachable. With thousands of successful students, we’ve built a reputation for helping people launch rewarding careers in insurance.

 

FAQs

Property and Casualty insurance is a type of coverage that protects someone financially if their property is damaged or if they are held responsible for harming someone else or their belongings. It includes things like home insurance, car insurance, and liability coverage. A Property & Casualty (P&C) license allows you to sell or discuss these and other insurance products with existing and potential customers. P&C agents can work independently (representing multiple insurance companies) or as “captive” agents, meaning they represent a single insurance company.
The salary for a P&C agent varies based on several factors, including the state where you live, whether you work as an independent or captive agent, your sales numbers, how much commission you earn, and other factors. The good news is that most insurance agents make well above the national median income. As of 2024, the median annual pay for insurance sales agents in the US was $60,370 per year or $29.02 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is plenty of earning potential in the insurance industry, especially if you sell multiple lines of insurance (for example, if you sell Life and Health insurance in addition to Property and Casualty products). Note that you will need additional licenses for each line of insurance you plan to sell. Read more about how much money insurance agents make.

The Property and Casualty insurance exam is full of tricky insurance concepts and terminology. The questions can get very granular and specific, and the material on the exam is not common knowledge. In other words, it’s not information you pick up in your day-to-day life. That’s why you need to study for your exam.

The required passing score for the Property and Casualty license exam varies from 60% to 75%, depending on your state. According todata from the NAIC, many test takers do not pass the exam on their first try.

Taking anexam prep course with a quality provider like America’s Professor can greatly improve your chances of passing the Property and Casualty insurance exam on your first try.

Depending on your state and other factors, it could take anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks to get a Property and Casualty license. Some states have a pre-licensing education course requirement. Even if yours doesn’t, you should still take an exam prep course and devote 35-40 hours to studying.

Once you’ve completed your exam prep course, you can register to take the exam online or in-person. It might be a few days to a week before you actually take the exam, depending on the schedule.

After you pass your exam (hopefully on your first attempt), you can apply for your license and get fingerprinted, if required. It will take some time—anywhere from a few days to a few weeks—for your state’s insurance authority to review your application and run a background check (if applicable).

When your application has been approved, you should receive a copy of your official insurance license in the mail.

Check with your state’s department of insurance to find out exactly what steps you need to take to get your Property and Casualty license. Some states require pre-licensing education, while others don’t. Similarly, some states require fingerprints and/or a background check, while others don’t. One thing all states have in common—including Alaska and Hawaii—is that you must pass an exam to get your insurance license. Check out AP's state-specific resources to get many of your questions answered.

If you don’t pass the exam, you can retake it. But most states have a minimum waiting period of 24-72 hours before you can make another attempt. Some states make you wait up to 60 days to retake the exam.

Also keep in mind that you’ll have to pay a fee for each exam attempt, not to mention the time and hassle of having to start over again. Give yourself the best chances of passing on your first try by taking a comprehensivepre-licensing education course.

If you don’t particularly enjoy sales, there are several other roles you can take with a Property and Casualty license. Here are a few to consider:

  • Insurance adjuster, which involves inspecting property damage or personal injury claims to determine how much the insurance company should pay for the accident/loss.
  • Insurance underwriter, which involves helping insurance companies properly assess risk before they enter an insurance contract, among other functions.
  • Customer service representative (CSR), which typically involves processing changes to insurance policies and counseling policyholders about insurance.

These are just a few of the alternatives to working as an insurance sales agent. Some companies may even have their own specific roles that require a P&C license, such as managerial positions. Getting a Property and Casualty insurance license opens up a world of new career possibilities.

A captive insurance agent works exclusively for one insurance company and sells only that company’s policies. They are knowledgeable about the company’s products and services and often receive training and support from the insurer they represent. However, they are more limited in the products they can offer customers.

An independent insurance agent works with multiple insurance companies, which allows them to compare coverage from different providers and recommend the best fit for the customer’s needs and budget. While independent agents can offer clients a wider range of insurance products, one of the tradeoffs is that they receive less direct support from any one insurer.

Learn more aboutcaptive versus independent agents and the pros and cons of each.

Use a combination of reading, video lectures, and practice tests. Our Property and Casualty practice exams are especially valuable, as they prepare you for the structure and complexity of real test questions. Many students also benefit from reviewing flashcards and teaching the material to someone else as a way to reinforce what they’ve learned.
You’ll learn about personal and commercial lines of insurance, insurance regulations, underwriting practices, claims handling, and general insurance concepts. America’s Professor breaks each section down into manageable lessons so you can build your knowledge step by step.
No prior experience is required. Our Property and Casualty training is designed for beginners as well as those looking to refresh their knowledge. Everything is taught from the ground up, so you won’t feel lost or overwhelmed at any point.
Yes. All of our courses are available online, which means you can study anytime, from anywhere. This flexibility is especially useful for students who are working full-time or managing other responsibilities.
Licenses are issued by each state, so they are not automatically transferable. However, some states have reciprocity agreements that may allow you to apply for a license without retaking the exam. Check with your state’s insurance department for specifics.
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PRE-LICENSE COURSES   SAMPLE QUESTIONS