Jeffrey Wade
Becoming an insurance agent in Missouri requires a license, which can be obtained by passing a state licensing exam and submitting an application. To be eligible to take the exam, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of Missouri. While pre-licensing education is not required, taking an exam preparation course can increase your chances of passing. The exam can be taken in person or online, and covers various types of insurance, including life, accident, health, property, and casualty. Once you have passed the exam and received your license, you can apply to work with insurance companies and start selling policies. Excellent communication skills, emotional intelligence, and persistence are beneficial traits for a career as an insurance agent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Education | A high school diploma or equivalent degree is required. A college degree is not necessary. |
| Age | Must be at least 18 years old |
| Residency | Must be a resident of Missouri |
| Examination | Must pass the state licensing examination with a score of 70. |
| Application | Submit a license application and pay a $100 fee. |
| Criminal Record | Must not have committed any acts that are grounds for license denial, including violating insurance laws or being convicted of a felony. |
| License Type | A "resident producer" license is required to sell or discuss insurance policies in Missouri. A non-resident license is required to sell insurance to out-of-state clients. |
| Training Courses | Kaplan and America's Professor offer online training courses to help prepare for the licensing examination. |
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What You'll Learn
Education and exam prep courses
While pre-licensing education is not required in Missouri, completing an exam preparation course can significantly improve your chances of passing the licensing exam. Kaplan Financial Education and America's Professor are two providers of exam prep courses.
Kaplan Financial Education offers a Designated Home State (DHS) adjuster license to residents of states that do not license adjusters or to company adjusters who reside in a state that only licenses independent or public adjusters. The DHS license is also available to those who want to designate another state as their home state. The qualifying states include Colorado, Washington, D.C., Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
America's Professor offers online training courses for the Missouri insurance license exam. Their courses include streaming video lessons accessible 24/7, a comprehensive hardcopy textbook, and practice quizzes. They claim to teach you everything you need to know to pass your exam on the first try.
The Missouri insurance licensing exam can be taken in person at various test centers in Missouri and neighboring states, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Joplin. Alternatively, you can opt for an online proctored exam from home, where someone will monitor you through your webcam. The number of questions on the exam varies. For example, the Missouri Life, Accident, and Health exam has a total of 170 questions (145 scorable and 25 pretest questions), while the Property and Casualty exam has 165 questions (140 scorable and 25 pretest). To pass the exam, you need a score of 70 or higher.
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Licensing exam
To become an insurance agent in Missouri, you must pass the state licensing examination. This is your first step toward becoming a licensed insurance agent. While pre-licensing education is not required in Missouri, completing an exam preparation course will significantly increase your chances of passing. America's Professor and Kaplan Financial Education offer online training courses to help you prepare for the exam. These courses provide streaming video lessons, practice quizzes, and comprehensive textbooks to help you learn everything you need to know to pass the exam on your first try.
The Missouri insurance licensing exam can be taken in person at one of several test centers in Missouri, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Joplin. You can also take the exam online in a proctored setting, which means someone will monitor you through your webcam while you take the exam from home. The number of questions on the exam varies. For example, the Missouri Life, Accident, and Health exam contains a total of 170 questions (145 scorable questions and 25 "pretest" questions that don't count toward your score), while the Property and Casualty exam has a total of 165 questions (140 scorable and 25 non-scorable). To pass each exam, you need a score of 70 or higher.
Once you have passed the licensing exam, you can submit your license application and pay the $100 license fee. The Missouri Department of Insurance issues insurance licenses to qualified applicants. After receiving your license, you can apply to work with or for insurance companies as an independent or captive producer to start selling insurance policies legally. However, you cannot legally solicit or sell any insurance policies until an insurance company authorizes you to sell insurance on their behalf.
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License application
To become an insurance agent in Missouri, you must obtain a Missouri insurance license. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for your license:
- Meet the Basic Requirements: To be eligible for a Missouri insurance license, you must be at least 18 years old and a high school graduate. While a college degree is not required, some employers may prefer candidates with bachelor's degrees in relevant fields. Additionally, strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and analytical abilities are advantageous.
- Complete Pre-Licensing Education (Optional): Prelicensing education is not mandatory in Missouri. However, enrolling in a preparatory course, such as those offered by Kaplan Financial or America's Professor, can significantly enhance your chances of passing the licensing exam on your first attempt. These courses provide comprehensive study materials, practice quizzes, and exam strategies.
- Register and Prepare for the Licensing Exam: Missouri requires insurance agents to pass a state licensing examination. You can choose to take the exam in person at test centers in Missouri or neighboring states, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Joplin. Alternatively, you may opt for an online proctored exam, where your test session is monitored through your webcam. The exam fee is typically included in the course fee if you opt for a prep course.
- Pass the Licensing Exam: The Missouri licensing exam will assess your knowledge in various insurance domains. For example, the Life, Accident, and Health exam consists of 170 questions, while the Property and Casualty exam has 165 questions. You must achieve a passing score of 70 on each exam.
- Submit Your License Application: After successfully passing the exam, you can submit your license application to the Missouri Department of Insurance through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). The application fee is $100. Ensure you meet the ethical requirements and have not committed any acts that are grounds for license denial, such as violating insurance laws or felony convictions.
- Receive Your License: Once your application is approved, you will be granted your Missouri insurance agent license. At this point, you can start applying to work with insurance companies as an independent or captive producer. Remember, you cannot legally sell insurance policies until an insurance company authorizes you to do so. They will add your details to their list of company-appointed producers, after which you can begin working with clients.
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License types
To become an insurance agent in Missouri, you must obtain a Missouri insurance license. There are different types of licenses available, depending on the type of insurance you want to sell and the state in which you plan to sell it. Here is a detailed overview of the license types:
Resident Producer License
A resident producer license, also known as an insurance producer or broker license, allows you to sell or discuss insurance policies in Missouri. This license is required for anyone who wants to sell insurance in the state, regardless of whether they work as a captive agent for a single company or as an independent agent. With this license, you can help people or businesses obtain financial compensation by selling them customized insurance plans that fit their needs for their homes, cars, health, and more.
Non-Resident License
If you plan to sell insurance to out-of-state clients, you must obtain a non-resident license for the specific state in which you intend to do business. This license allows you to sell insurance policies in states other than your resident state, enabling you to expand your reach and serve a wider range of customers.
Life and Health Insurance License
A life and health insurance license qualifies you to sell life insurance policies, which help individuals and families achieve financial stability during challenging times, such as retirement or in the event of a loss. With this license, you can also sell health insurance, which covers a percentage of healthcare costs, including medications, doctor visits, and hospital stays. This license empowers you to assist others in maintaining their health while minimizing financial strain.
Property and Casualty Insurance License
The property and casualty insurance license is another option. This license combines the authority to sell property insurance, which covers risks associated with homes and businesses, and casualty insurance, which pertains to injuries or damages caused by accidents. By obtaining this license, you can assist clients in managing their risks and protecting their assets.
Designated Home State (DHS) Adjuster License
The DHS Adjuster License is designed for individuals residing in states that do not license adjusters or for company adjusters in states that only license independent or public adjusters. This license allows you to designate another state as your home state for licensing purposes. It is particularly relevant for states like Missouri, which is included in the list of qualifying states for this option.
All-Lines Adjuster Designated Home State License
This license is specifically mentioned in the context of Florida and Texas. The All-Lines Adjuster Designated Home State License, such as the Florida 70-20 Non-Resident Designated Home State Adjuster License, enables you to become an All-Lines Adjuster. This license grants you the authority to adjust claims related to various lines of insurance, providing you with a comprehensive scope of practice.
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Career options
Insurance is always in demand, and so are licensed insurance agents. Everyone needs insurance, and most people need multiple policies to protect their homes, cars, health, and more. This is why the insurance industry remains stable through good and bad economic times.
To be eligible to become an insurance agent in Missouri, you must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent degree. Since this position involves sales techniques, some employers may prefer graduates with bachelor’s degrees in relevant fields such as business, communications, or psychology. It is beneficial to have excellent communication skills, high emotional intelligence, persistence, technical know-how, and strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Once you have passed your exam and successfully applied to the department, they will give you your Missouri insurance agent license if they accept your application. From there, you can apply to work with or for insurance companies as an independent or captive producer to start legally selling policies.
Even when you have your insurance producer license, you cannot legally solicit or sell any insurance policies until you begin working with a company. Within 30 days of an insurance company authorizing you to sell insurance on their behalf, they will put your name and information on their list of company-appointed producers, and you can begin working with clients and selling insurance.
Missouri insurance license requirements include passing the state licensing examination and submitting the application and the $100 application fee. Passing state licensing exams allows you to practice in the areas of life, accident and health or sickness, property, casualty, crop, title insurance, personal lines, and surplus lines. You can get licensed without taking an examination to practice credit or travel insurance.
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Frequently asked questions
To become an insurance agent in Missouri, you must be 18 years old, be a resident of the state, have a high school diploma or equivalent, pass the state licensing examination, and submit a license application with a $100 fee.
First, you must pass the state licensing exam. You can take the exam in person at a test centre in Missouri or a neighbouring state, or online with a proctor. After passing the exam, you can submit your license application to the Missouri Department of Insurance.
Pre-licensing education is not required in Missouri, but completing an exam prep course can increase your chances of passing. You can take an online training course through providers such as Kaplan Financial or America's Professor. These courses offer video lessons, textbooks, and practice quizzes to help you prepare for the exam.
Once you have obtained your Missouri insurance agent license, you can apply to work with insurance companies as an independent or captive producer. You cannot legally sell insurance policies until you are authorized by a company. After receiving authorization, your name will be added to the list of company-appointed producers, and you can begin selling insurance and working with clients.
