How to Pass the Virginia Insurance Licensing Exam

**IMPORTANT COVID-19 INFORMATION**

Insurance and public adjuster exams in Virginia are administered through Prometric. You can take your exam in person at one of several testing locations. Or, you can take a remotely proctored exam online through ProProctor™. When you take the test online a proctor (agent) will monitor you throughout the exam and be available to answer questions. Learn more about what to expect with remotely proctored exams, then schedule your exam.

As of June 16, 2020, Prometric is operating in-person testing centers at full capacity in these Virginia cities: Bristol, Chesapeake, Falls Church, Lynchburg, Glen Allen, and Roanoke.

Prometric also plans to deliver exams at test centers in the following Virginia localities, subject to reopening guidelines: Abingdon, Alexandria, Ashburn, Chantilly, Fairfax, Grundy, Herndon, Norfolk, Reston, Sterling, Virginia Beach, and Winchester.

Prometric also has limited occupancy testing for essential programs only in the following locations: Bethesda MD; Greensboro, NC; Hyattsville, MD; Raleigh, NC; and Washington, DC.

• Social distancing restrictions may limit test sites to 50% capacity. This will limit the availability of in-person appointments. Keep this in mind when planning.
• The Virginia Licensing Information Bulletin (Bulletin) and exam Content Outlines are available on Prometric’s website.
• Register for examinations administered by Prometric online or call toll free 866-891-6396.
• The fee for all exams is $35.

Extended Time for Application Submissions & Processing: Virginia has extended the time frame for applicants to submit required documentation from 30 days to 90 days. Application processing may exceed 15 business days. To check your application status or view license/appointment information, go to License Search.

Prometric will require a Criminal History Record Report (CHRR) as part of your background check. You can obtain this from the VA State Police website: https://vspapps.vsp.virginia.gov/catspublic/public/publicHome.html

If you’re considering getting an insurance license in the state of Virginia, you probably have a lot of questions about where to go, who to talk to, and what to do. Fortunately, America’s Professor has pulled together all our knowledge and resources to create one comprehensive site with the answers you need.

Below you will find sample questions, basics of test format and scoring, pricing, testing locations, how to fully prepare yourself for the exam, and more!

We’re here to help you succeed, and that means providing you with the best, most up-to-date information available. Our courses will help prepare you for many different types of state insurance licensing exams, and they are available to you at the click of a mouse. Read on and enroll today!

• What kind of questions do they put on the Virginia insurance test?

• What score do I need to pass the Virginia insurance exam?

• Are questions grouped by category?

• What is the cost of the Virginia insurance exam?

• What insurance exams are available?

• How many questions are on the Virginia insurance exam?

• Where can I take the Virginia insurance exam? (Testing center locations)

• How do I sign up to take the Virginia insurance exam?

• Which Virginia insurance test is the toughest?

• Will I have adequate time to complete the Virginia insurance test?

• Is the Virginia insurance exam still given by the “paper and pencil” method?

• What is the best test prep method for the Virginia insurance exam?

• Helpful Links

• General Insurance License Exam Information (Video)

What kind of questions do they put on the Virginia insurance test?

All the Virginia insurance exam questions are multiple choice. There are no fill-ins (no need to memorize) and no essay (no need to be ready to explain anything) questions.

For example:

Since the test is multiple choice, most of the questions will be about definitions (terminology) and numbers (dollar amounts and number of days).

The exam is drawn from a large pool of questions—you will have a different set of questions than the person sitting next to you. If you retake the exam, you can expect to see very few of the same questions as before. Students tell us that the exams vary greatly in terms of the number of questions on any given topic.

Students report that about 1/3 of the questions are terminology (definitional) questions, 1/3 are number/day questions, and 1/3 are questions where you use your knowledge to reason through a practical situation (story problems—usually short).

What score do I need to pass the Virginia insurance exam?

In Virginia there are seven basic exams—Life and Annuities, Health, Life, Annuities and Health Combo, Property and Casualty Combo, Personal Lines (no commercial), Public Adjuster, and Title.

In Virginia, you need a score of 70 to pass the exam. Please be aware that if you fail the exam three times, you will have to wait 30 days to reschedule a 4th exam.

Are questions grouped by category?

Our students always want to know if the questions are grouped together by type (for example, questions about indemnification). No, questions and topics are randomly scrambled, but that never seems to be a problem for anyone.

What is the cost of the Virginia insurance exam?

The cost is $35 for an examination. You may take up to two exams for that fee. A retake of any portion is the same fee.

What insurance exams are available?

How many questions are on the Virginia insurance exam?

• Virginia Property and Casualty Insurance – 135 scored (10 pre-test) questions – 2.5-hour time limit
• Virginia Personal Lines Insurance – 100 scored (5 pre-test) questions – 2-hour time limit
• Virginia Public Adjuster – 50 scored (5 pre-test) questions – 1-hour time limit
• Virginia Life, Annuities and Health Insurance – 140 scored (10 pretest) questions – 2.5-hour time limit
• Virginia Life and Annuities – 90 scored (15 pre-test) questions – 2-hour time limit
• Virginia Health Insurance – 90 scored (15 pre-test) questions – 2-hour time limit
• Virginia Title Insurance – 75 scored (10 pre-test) questions – 90-minute time limit

Pretest questions do not count toward your score. You will not know what questions are real or pre-test questions when taking your exam. It’s very possible the pre-test questions will not even be covered in the Test Content Outline. It’s very important to know that these pre-test questions will be in your exam so you don’t start second guessing yourself when you see a question that you have no idea how to answer (make your best guess and stay calm!).

Where can I take the Virginia insurance exam? (Testing center locations)

Testing locations vary depending on the test you will be taking. Visit the ProScheduler website to see which locations near you are available. You also have the option to schedule a remotely proctored exam, and you can do that here. Please review the environmental and computer systems requirements before you schedule a remotely proctored exam to make sure this option works for you.

• As of June 16, 2020, Prometric is operating in-person testing centers in these Virginia cities: Bristol, Chesapeake, Falls Church, Lynchburg, Glen Allen, and Roanoke.
• Prometric also plans to deliver exams at test centers in the following Virginia localities, subject to reopening guidelines: Abingdon, Alexandria, Ashburn, Chantilly, Fairfax, Grundy, Herndon, Norfolk, Reston, Sterling, Virginia Beach, and Winchester.
• Prometric also has limited occupancy testing for essential programs only in the following locations: Bethesda MD; Greensboro, NC, Hyattsville, MD, Raleigh, NC; and Washington, DC.
  

How do I sign up to take the Virginia insurance exam?

We recommend that you call Prometric (the company administering the exams) at 1-866-891-6396 or visit their website to schedule online.  Please be sure to call or visit the website well in advance of when you plan to take the test, as the testing centers and online opportunities are filling up fast. The earlier you sign up, the better your chances of getting the test date of your choice. You can also use their test center/exam tool to see exam availability.

Which Virginia insurance test is the toughest?

Each Virginia insurance licensing exam is challenging in its own way. Between Life, Annuities, and Health, students say that the Virginia Health insurance exam is the most difficult. Health insurance policies are simply more complicated than life insurance policies. Don’t expect to skim through a Virginia life and health insurance study guide online or the test content outline and pass. Taking a pre-course is your best bet.

The Property insurance part of the exam is easier than the Casualty insurance part of the exam. Property insurance deals with easy to understand issues—fire, flooding, earthquake, etc. On the other hand, Casualty insurance deals primarily with Liability insurance—protection against lawsuits. Casualty insurance is a more conceptual topic and one that is more difficult for students to grasp—particularly if you have never been sued.

Again, taking a couple of Virginia property and casualty insurance practice exams and expecting to pass the actual exam is not realistic. Property and Casualty insurance has very specific terms and concepts that you’ll need to thoroughly understand. The best way to prepare is to take a pre-licensing course through a reputable provider like America’s Professor.

The state portion of the Virginia insurance exam is very detailed and presents its own challenges. The state topics tend to cover trivial details relating to complicated state regulations. None of this is easy, but that is why we work so hard to make the material both understandable and memorable.

This is a challenging exam. Put yourself on a strict schedule as you do your exam prep work. Be focused and disciplined as you do your insurance test prep.

If you are getting a Property and Casualty license, you must take the Property and Casualty exams at the same time. If you are getting Life, Annuities, and Health licenses, then you may take the Life & Annuities exam at a different time than the Health exam. For some people, it is easier to get one exam out of the way at a time.

Will I have adequate time to complete the Virginia insurance test?

Yes. We have never had students say that they ran out of time to complete the exam. Most students finish in about half of the allotted time (up to 3 1/2 hours). The only students who ever report that they ran out of time were those who were trying to memorize questions in the event they had to repeat the exam.

If English is not your first language or you require other testing accommodations, you can request accommodations by visiting Prometric’s “Arrange Testing Accommodations” page. Here is a list of accommodations Prometric can provide. Keep in mind that accommodations need to be requested and approved prior to testing and that availability can vary by location. Please arrange these prior to scheduling your exam, as you will be asked whether you have been approved for accommodations when you schedule.

Is the Virginia insurance exam still given by the “paper and pencil” method?

No, this is a computerized exam. However, as an accommodation to test takers, you may request to take the test via “paper and pencil” method. Here is more information about that. You can also visit Prometric’s “Arrange Testing Accommodations” page for more information.

Virtually all of our students who take exams in-person at a testing site say the proctors were helpful, the room was quiet, and the computer worked well. The testing software gives you the opportunity to complete a practice exam to learn how to use the system. When you are finished testing and submit your exam, you will NOT be given a copy of the exam, nor will you be given the opportunity to review individual questions and their answers. The exam will be scored immediately, and you will know whether you passed before you leave.

What is the best test prep method for the Virginia insurance exam?

There is no alternative to knowing the material, and there are no shortcuts to learning—but there are more effective and less frustrating ways to learn. Reading the test content outline and taking practice tests isn’t enough. The insurance industry is full of terms and concepts that are impossible to know off the top of your head.

Taking a pre-licensing course with a reputable education provider, like America’s Professor, will give you the best chances of passing your exam on your first try. We recommend that you follow this four-step process:

• Enroll in the appropriate course with America’s Professor.
• Watch and listen to the lectures.
• Highlight key concepts in your textbook.
• Review the practice questions in the test bank.

We’ve helped hundreds of students prepare for their exams and pass with flying colors, and we can help you, too! Please send us an email or give us a call with any questions.

Virginia Online Video Courses	Virginia Sample Insurance Questions

Helpful Links:

• America’s Professor Insurance Courses for Virginia – https://americasprofessor.com/course_cat/virginia-insurance-exam-prep-courses/
• Virginia Department of Insurance – https://scc.virginia.gov/pages/Bureau-of-Insurance
• Virginia Department of insurance Licensing and Renewals – https://scc.virginia.gov/pages/License-Renewals
• Virginia Criminal Background Check – https://www.vsp.virginia.gov/CJIS_Criminal_Record_Check.shtm
• NAIC Website – https://content.naic.org/
• Prometric Virginia –  https://www.prometric.com/virginia/insurance
• Prometric Testing Accommodations Page – https://www.prometric.com/test-takers/arrange-testing-accommodations

General Insurance License Exam Information: