How to Pass the Insurance State Licensing Exam

By Dan Tromblay, Senior Product Manager
Sep 23, 2021
How To Pass the State Insurance Licensing Exam

Thinking about an insurance sales career? If you want to become an insurance produer, you'll need to pass the state license exam and obtain your insurance license. Whether you’re changing career paths or just starting out in the industry, studying for any exam can be a daunting task. However, with the right mindset and the right tools, you can pass your state's insurance license exam on your first try.

In this article, we're going to look at the best ways to study for the insurance license exam. By following these steps and investing in exam prep, you'll be able to pass your state's insurance exam on your first try. For even more tips on studying for the license exam, you can also download our free eBook, The Ultimate Guide for Starting a Career in Insurance. In this completely free eBook, you can learn more about the benefits of being an insurance producer, how to study for the license exam, and how to thrive in your new industry.

Your Guide to Studying for the Insurance License Exam

The Ultimate Guide for Starting a Career in Insurance, a free eBook from WebCE

FREE Guide for Starting an Insurance Career

Insurance agents are part of an increasingly innovative and dynamic field that attracts people from all walks of life. It's a great industry with enormous potential benefits. So, how do you begin your career in the insurance?


You can download this free eBook to learn more about the benefits of being in the insurance industry, how to prepare for and take the state insurance exam, and how to receive real-world training so you can thrive in your new career.


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Steps to Pass the Insurance Exam

1. Prepare for the Insurance Licensing Exam

Every state’s insurance license exam covers a lot of ground, with 200 or more separate topics on the typical state’s exam topic outline. Topics range from insurance products and processes to state insurance laws and regulations, all of which are fair game on your exam.

With good study skills, an expert-written online exam prep course can be completed in as little as one to three weeks. This is a short study time in comparison to the financial and psychological rewards that derive from a successful insurance sales career.

Realizing that it’s going to take some serious study to nail the license exam is a fork-in-the-road moment for many candidates. One path approaches the coursework that lies ahead as an opportunity to learn the essentials of the business. The other sees a painful chore to be completed as quickly as possible. It should come as no surprise that those who approach their studies as an opportunity fare better on the state exam than those who approach it with dread.

Experience has taught us that a project we look forward to is far easier to complete than one we’re dreading. It’s all in how you look at it. Self-help author and speaker Wayne Dyer famously said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Embrace exam prep education as an opportunity to learn the essential basics of a complex field in an orderly manner, and the effort will naturally come easier than if it’s viewed as a tedious march to the exam.

2. Follow a Study Plan

Do you want to know what to study each day to reach your target exam date goal? Follow a study plan!

A study plan gives you a road map to meet your goal. It breaks up what first seems daunting into manageable daily steps, and provides an important sense of accomplishment as steps are completed.

Most online prelicense education courses include recommended study plans, like a “10-day plan” or a “14-day plan.” The problem with these one-size-fits-all study plans is they don’t account for the student’s real life. When choosing a prelicense education course, look for one that includes a dynamic study planner that lets you customize a study plan that adapts to your actual study progress.

3. Avoid Distractions

It is important you schedule time alone that you can use to prepare for your exam. It can be hard to find time to focus on studies when there are always potential distractions. Whether you block out minute or hours, comprehending and retaining the many things covered in an exam prep course requires uninterrupted concentration.

Finding a place that is relatively free from distractions, establishing a personal study schedule that has you spending at least a few hours every day studying, and making sure those around you respect your study time and space is essential to starting off on the right foot.

4. Just Get Going

Sometimes the hardest part of a big project is simply breaking the inertia that leads to procrastination. Strike while the iron is hot! Once the commitment is made to pursue an insurance sales career, leverage the momentum that exists right then by registering for a course and, most importantly, getting started with your studies.

While the idea of studying may not seem exciting, you can stay motivated by envisioning the feeling you will have when you pass your state exam on the first try! Beginning a new career can be a life-changer and career in insurance sales can be as rewarding as it is satisfying. Always keep your end goal in mind and keep a pot of coffee nearby for when you need a little extra motivation.

5. Take an Exam Prep Course

WebCE offers insurance license exam prep products for life and health, property and casualty, and insurance adjusters. Our courses are written by experts and contain the information you will need to know for the state exam. With study tools like our State Exam Tutor® exam simulator and Flash Tutor online flashcards, you can understand and solidify important insurance concepts you’ll use in your career. Get started today on our insurance exam prep product page or call our world-class support services team at 877-488-9308.