Steps to Getting Your Insurance License
It’s never been a better time to become a licensed insurance agent, whether you want to specialize in property and casualty insurance (to sell products like homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance), life and health insurance, or another area. America’s Professor makes it easy to study for your licensing exam without having to take time off from work or school, stand in registration lines, or drive to and from insurance license classes. Read more below about the steps required to become a licensed insurance agent.
Step 1: Prepare
Once you’ve decided which type of license you want to obtain, choosing an insurance exam prep course is your first step.
America’s Professor offers the highest quality insurance pre-licensing courses online. Enjoyable and informative, each course resembles a live, on-location class—only more convenient! Our knowledgeable instructors will walk you through all the material you’ll need to know to pass your licensing exam.
Unlike most online courses, AP’s whole course is presented with streaming split screen video. On your left, you will see your professor. On your right, you will see the material: either the text or instructor-provided examples on a whiteboard. As a key element of the course, the video will provide an overview of all concepts, present interesting examples, and guide you through the textbook (included with your course). Our textbook is constantly revised to reflect the newest information in the industry.
As part of our courses we also offer a test bank, featuring over 700 questions to give you a complete understanding of the material and to put you at ease with the questions you will confront in the insurance licensing exam. This is a vital part of the process, as it lets you see where your strengths are and where you need more practice.
Choosing a comprehensive course, like those offered by America’s Professor, is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you’re well prepared and ready to pass your insurance licensing exam the first time.
Step 2: Pass
Passing the exam is your next step. Each state has different license requirements, which will also vary depending on the type of insurance license you’re going for (property & casualty, life & health, etc.). All 50 states require you to be licensed in order to sell insurance policies or even discuss insurance transactions. You must obtain a resident producer license in the state where you live as well as a non-resident license for each additional state where you intend to sell or discuss insurance. Some states also require license applicants to be sponsored by an employer.
There is typically a fee to take the state licensing exam, ranging from $50-$100 per testing session, on average. The testing facility is often held at a state facility. You should expect anywhere between 100-150 multiple-choice questions on the exam.
Once you pass the exam, you’ll be fingerprinted (most states) as part of the background process. The fingerprint/background check usually runs in the $50 range and should be scheduled right after you schedule your exam. A technician is usually on-site to take fingerprints, but you may need to go to a separate facility.
Step 3: Apply
Once you pass the exam you can formally apply for your insurance license. It may take a few weeks to receive your license in the mail, but once you do, you’re on your way to becoming a fully-fledged insurance agent! Most people start by working as a captive agent, which means they are contracted to work for a single insurance company and sell only that insurance company’s policies. Others work as independent agents, selling policies for multiple insurance companies. Learn more about captive vs. independent insurance agents.
Get Started Today!
The comprehensive online insurance exam prep courses by America’s Professor make passing your insurance license exam easier than ever before. Enroll in a course today, and read what our students have to say about our courses and teaching methods.