Complete A California Life Insurance License Application
Once you pass the life insurance exam and complete the background check, you can apply for your California life insurance license. The application fee is $188. Theres no service fee if you apply via Sircon. If you apply via the NIPR, you must pay a $5.60 transaction fee. You can submit your application to the NIPRs Attachment Warehouse or the California Department of Insurance via mail:
California Department of Insurance|320 Capitol MallSacramento, CA 95814
The CDI will issue a life insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam. You should submit your completed license application within 12 months of passing the exam.
To apply for a life insurance license in California, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the California Insurance Code.
Send any questions or supporting documents to the CDI Contact Form.
Keep Preparing And Practicing
If you want to increase your exam acing chances, consider getting a preparation exam review course.
You could consider live classes, those self-study printed books, or online courses.
You can also consider taking practice exams to help you get accustomed to the exam environment.
You can always find a free insurance practice test online.
These things enable you to gauge whether you have understood the study material and the weak areas you have that will require more focus.
Undertake a practice exam that looks like the actual test exams to help you know if you are on the right track and also help you practice your timing.
Sample Life And Health Exam Prep Course Videos:
Our course was created for someone who has NO insurance background at all! Using our 14-day study plan, you will start building an insurance definition-based foundation that will have you ready to answer all your exam questions correctly by the end of the course. Our course is highly video-based. Come on insurance is boring enough, but our instructor Scott makes it easy to understand. Sample course videos below:
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Scheduling Your Insurance Exams
In most states, you will need to schedule a date and time to attempt your exam. This scheduling will either be done over the phone or on the website of whichever entity is in charge of testing for your state.
Third-party testing companies, like Pearson Vue and Prometric, handle most states, but some states use either different third-party companies or manage their own testing in-house.
There are several states that do not allow same-day scheduling for testing. This means that you will need to plan ahead for the date that you will be attempting the test. This also means that if you dont pass the exam, you cant take the test again that day. Sometimes even the next day.
We think the same-day scheduling rule is a good one, as it gives you a true opportunity to reflect on your studies if you dont pass on the first attempt.
StateRequirement recommends that you schedule your exam two to three weeks in advance after you get your study materials or start your pre-license course. This will allow you enough time to properly study and prepare for the exam without having too much time to psych yourself out.
Test-taking is a mental game, and you should do everything that you can to put yourself in the right headspace.
One other element that we suggest is that you only study and schedule for one exam at a time.
These tests are not just blow-off exams and can be very data-intensive. It is easy to misremember facts like: you have 30 days for one type of policy, and 35 for another.
Instructions For Obtaining Your License
After passing your exam, you must complete the Fingerprint background check. You should seek to get fingerprinted one day before applying for the license. Once you have completed the Fingerprint background check, visit the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Under Producers/Agents, click on apply for license, select producer , scroll down to initial licensing process and click on online application. Complete the NIPR electronic resident licensing online application and submit Proof of Citizenship. Please allow three days for your grades to appear within NIPR.
After 5 days, check the Alabama Department of Insurance website to confirm license issuance. Under Producers/Agents click on licensee search and complete the form. Once your license is issued you may print your license from the home page.
*Effective April 1, 2015: If you currently hold an active temporary license, your temporary license will no longer automatically convert to a permanent license when the exam grades are received by NIPR. It is recommended that temporary license holders take and pass their exam and complete the fingerprinting process at least ONE WEEK prior to expiration of the temporary license. Follow procedures above to check for and print your license. If your temporary license expired before your exam date: you will need to follow the above directions to apply for an initial license through NIPR.
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Take The South Dakota Life Insurance Licensing Exam
After you complete a prep course and your own independent studying, its time to take the South Dakota life insurance exam.
South Dakota uses Pearson VUE as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.
The South Dakota life insurance exam outline contains a total of 90 scored questions that cover two sections: general and state-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge. The state-specific section covers insurance concepts and terms, rules, regulations, and practices specific to South Dakota.
Youll have 120 minutes to complete the exam. The South Dakota life insurance exam fee is $85, which you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. The exam is a proctored test, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.
If you happen to fail the South Dakota life insurance exam, you can schedule a time to retake it as soon as 24 hours after your first attempt. Theres no limit to the number of attempts you can make on the same exam.
Tip:
The best way to understand if you are prepared for the test is to take a Life Insurance Practice Exam.
What Should I Do If I Fail The State Exam
NOTE: There is a limit of five exam attempts for the same exam type during a one-year time period.
If things to not go according to plan and you do not pass the state exam the first time, don’t panic! We are here for you. You have multiple options to get yourself ready to PASS it the second time around. Here is what we recommend:
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Free Ebook: Launching Your Insurance Career With Confidence
As an aspiring insurance professional, wouldnt it be great if you could sit down with a room full of successful insurance veterans and ask them for their advice? The Kaplan Financial Education team interviewed over 100 insurance professionals to develop this exclusive eBook for those who are considering the insurance industry.
What Do I Do If I Fail My State Insurance Licensing Exam
We are sorry to hear that your first experience with the licensing exam did not go as planned. Not everyone passes the exam on their first attempt. Do not feel discouraged. We are here to help.
The good news: The first-time jitters are over. You have now experienced what it is like to take the exam. As you prepare for your next exam attempt, you are equipped with a score report from your first attempt, as well as the insight you received regarding the exam format and the questions themselves. With these tools, you will be able to turn around and ace your next attempt.While some states do not have insurance prelicensing training requirements, we strongly recommend taking an insurance prelicensing training course if you have not already. See if the prelicensing course is designed directly from the states exam outline, so you are studying the most accurate information available. The best courses will use proven methods to improve learner comprehension, such as short lessons, engaging activities, and practice exams.
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Can I Retake My Life Insurance Medical Exam
Reviewed byGrant Desselle
Life insurance rates are based on your health, habits, age, and actuarial tables. A medical exam is required for many types of policies, which helps the insurer to understand your general health condition and behaviors or habits that may affect your health, such as weight or nicotine use. When applying for a life insurance policy, youll have to answer some questions regarding your health and habits, and for many policies, a medical exam is required, which measures numerous factors including blood testing.
Health conditions can change and and we often break habits or change those behaviors which can adversely affect our health. People lose weight, quit smoking, lower their cholesterol levels through medication or diet changes, and make other changes which can affect their life insurance rating. Many life insurance buyers wonder if they can retake their life insurance medical exam to earn a better rate. A life insurance exam can be taken again, under certain circumstances and subject to approval by the insurer, but there are several considerations. Without taking another medical exam, the rate at which the policy is issued wont change for policies with fixed premiums. If the life insurance medical exam is approved to be taken again, rates may go down or may remain unchanged.
What Happens When You Pass Or Fail
After completing your state exam, the results are the next thing you will be getting.
Once you pass, instructions on the states license application will follow, and finally, you will become an insurance agent after following the due process.
A couple of days is all you will need to wait for your testing center to hand you the report on your life insurance test and indicate whether you passed.
If you fail your life insurance exam, you will still get a helpful diagnostic report to let you know the areas that you will need to pay attention to the next time you sit for the exam.
You are allowed to retake the exam three times a year.
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Why Were The Questions On The State Exam Different From The Prelicensing Course
Prelicensing providers do not have access to the question pool used in any state exam. Therefore, the questions you see in your prelicensing course will not be the same as those on the state exam. Do not try to memorize practice test questions and answers. This will not work. If you have memorized specific questions and answers, you may be confused when you see a question on the exam with different wording.
What Is The Format Of The Insurance Exam
The format of insurance exams is a timed, proctored, multiple-choice test, consisting of around 50-180 questions. The actual length of each exam will depend on the state you are testing in, and the license for which you are applying.
So what exactly is a proctored exam?
In the simplest terms, proctored means someone is present while the candidate is taking the assessment. Proctored tests can be administered on a computer or using paper and pencil. Depending on the type of test, the proctor may or may not have to be certified. Proctored assessments are the optimal administration format. You know for certain that the responses were given without input from other people or the use of supplemental tools . You can also control the environment and eliminate the risk of distraction.
Most states use third-party testing companies, such as Pearson Vue or Prometric to administer their exams. This means that you will be taking the test in a standardized testing facility on a computer that is provided with a person watching over you.
For some, this may cause some anxiety, which we will cover later in this article.
The exam is a multiple-choice test, generally with four options available as answers. This means that if you arent sure about a question, you still have a chance of getting the answer correct.
There will not be an essay section to your insurance license exam, as the laws that your test is based upon are not open to interpretation or opinion.
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California Life Insurance License Faq
How much does it cost to get a life insurance license in California?
Obtaining a life insurance license in California requires these fees:
- Insurance Pre-license Education Course Fee: $149+ via WebCE
- Fingerprint-Based Background Check Fee: $59 processing fee + $17 FBI processing fee + $32 Department of Justice processing fee + $10 CDI contractor rolling fee via Accurate Biometrics
- Exam Fee: $88 exam fee + $33 convenience fee via PSI Exams
- Application Fee: $188 application fee + $5.60 transaction fee via the NIPR
- Printing a license: $5.50 via Sircon
How long does it take to process a life insurance license application in California?
This process typically takes two to three weeks upon receipt of your application.
Can I get a temporary life insurance agent license in Arkansas?
No. The CDI isnt issuing temporary licenses at this time . Bookmark this page for the latest updates.
Can I get an emergency life insurance agent license in California?
No. An emergency license isnt available for life insurance agents in California.
Do I need to get my securities license on top of a life insurance license in California?
What can I sell with a life insurance license in California?
With a California life insurance license, you can sell life insurance policies that pay a designated beneficiary when the insured person dies. You also can sell annuities that pay a set income at retirement.
How much can you make with a life insurance license in California?
What Is The Texas General Lines Life Accident & Health Exam Code
You will need to know this information when you schedule your test. In Texas, there are two versions of the General Lines Life, Accident, and Health test. One version is delivered in English and one is in Spanish. Here are the exam codes for each version:
English InsTX-LAH05
Spanish InsTX-LAH25
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How Do I Schedule My Life & Health Insurance Exam In Texas
You can schedule your exam with Pearson VUE online at or by calling them at 1-888-754-7667. You must be at least 18 years of age before sitting for the exam and have a valid Social Security number.
Pro tip: Make sure to schedule your exam well in advance of completing our course so you can make sure to get the date and time you want at the test center of your choice. Pearson VUE encourages candidates to make their exam reservation at least twenty-four hours in advance. We recommend even further in advance. Keep in mind exam testing fees are not accepted at the test center.
Take The New York Life Insurance Licensing Exam
After you complete a prep course and your own independent studying, its time to take the New York life insurance exam.
New York uses PSI as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.
The New York life insurance exam contains a total of 100 scored questions that cover two sections: general and state-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge. The state-specific section covers insurance concepts and terms, rules, regulations, and practices specific to New York.
Youll have 120 minutes to complete the exam. The New York life insurance exam fee is $33, which you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. The exam is a proctored test, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.
If you happen to fail the New York life insurance exam, you can schedule a time to retake it as soon as 24 hours after your first attempt. Theres no limit to the number of attempts you can make on the same exam.
Tip:
The best way to understand if you are prepared for the test is to take a Life Insurance Practice Exam.
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The Insurance Categories We Have
- Preferred Plus this category goes by many names such as Preferred Select, Preferred Elite, and Super Preferred. In this category, you get to pay the lowest rates as you are deemed to be in superb health. It is the most affordable and wanted category.
- Preferred the next on the list after the Preferred Plus. Although it doesnât come with all the benefits of the above category. However, it is nonetheless cheap compared to those below.
- Standard Plus this classification indicates that in general, you are in good health. However, there are niggling issues that make unqualified for the higher categories.
- Standard in the case of standard classification, it could point at issues like the height to weight ratio. It could be that your medical results had some commas. Additionally, your qualification is affected by your familys medical history.
- Substandard this classification is different from the rest, in the sense that it makes use of a table rating system based on the latest health conditions in your medical history. You will pay the rates for the standard label together with an extra 25 percent as you go down the table rating. For instance, a substandard rating two or B will see you pay the standard monthly premium plus 50% extra.
Note: We have a complete post that explains all the health classes, dont forget to read it.
Get Your Finra Securities Licenses
Overview
Individuals planning to market and sell market-based life insurance products also must obtain the proper securities licenses. As a securities license holder, you can offer securities as part of your services. Thatll make you a credible authority in addressing all of your clients financial needs.
To learn more, check out our Securities Licensing guide.
SIE Exam
To obtain these licenses, youll first need to take and pass the Securities Industry Essentials exam. Professionals in the securities industry are required to take the SIE and a series of examinations administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority .
The SIE exam ensures every life insurance professional has a basic understanding of securities. While taking the SIE exam isnt a requirement for all insurance professionals, those who dont obtain at least one securities license limit their ability to work with clients. With a securities license, you can give your clients the option to invest in securities-related products as part of their life insurance plans.
Tip:
Once you get your securities license, FINRA will list you as a registered representative. By achieving the securities licensee designation, youll become a highly sought-after professional and set yourself up for a successful career in the insurance industry.
Series 6, 7, and 63 Licenses
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