Becoming An Insurance Agent In Hawaii: A Guide

how to become insurance agent in hawaii

If you're interested in becoming an insurance agent in Hawaii, you'll need to obtain a Hawaii insurance license. This process involves several steps, including deciding on the type of insurance policies you want to sell and obtaining the appropriate license. While Hawaii does not require pre-licensing education hours, taking an exam preparation course will improve your chances of passing the licensing exam. After completing any exam preparation, you must pass the relevant Hawaii insurance licensing exam, which consists of a general knowledge section and a state-specific section. Once you've passed the exam, you'll need to submit your insurance agent license application, which includes sending your fingerprints for a background check.

Characteristics Values
First Step Obtain a Hawaii insurance license
License Type Depends on the type of insurance policies you want to sell, e.g., health, life, property and casualty insurance, or any combination
Pre-licensing Education Not mandatory in Hawaii, but recommended to improve chances of passing the exam
Exam Type Multiple-choice, consisting of two parts: general knowledge and state-specific rules and regulations
Exam Provider Pearson VUE
Exam Fee $75
Exam Format In-person or online
Exam Pass Criteria Pass in both sections; partial pass allowed, i.e., only the failed section needs to be retaken
Post-exam Process Submit fingerprints to the Hawaii Insurance Division and FBI for a background check ($63)
Application Process Apply for a license through Vertafore
License Renewal Every two years, with 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics training

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Choose the type of insurance you want to sell

Before you can start selling insurance in Hawaii, you need to obtain a Hawaii insurance license. The type of insurance you want to sell will determine the type of license you need.

Property & Casualty (P&C)

With a P&C license, you can sell products like auto, home, and business insurance. This includes umbrella insurance, earthquake insurance, commercial auto insurance, and employer's liability insurance.

Life & Health (L&H)

An L&H license allows you to sell different types of life insurance (whole life, term life, etc.), health insurance plans (HMOs, PPOs, etc.), Medicare supplement plans, disability income insurance, and annuities.

Business Insurance

Business insurance is another important area in Hawaii. This includes general liability insurance, professional liability insurance (also known as errors and omissions insurance or E&O), and cyber insurance.

Life Insurance

If you want to sell advanced life insurance products, you will need to obtain additional licenses, such as the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) license.

It is worth noting that many agents choose to obtain both P&C and L&H licenses to offer their clients a wider range of products. However, if you plan on specializing in one area, you may only need a single license.

Once you have decided on the type of insurance you want to sell, you can proceed with the necessary licensing requirements, including completing an exam prep course and passing the relevant Hawaii insurance license exam.

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Get the right license

To become an insurance agent in Hawaii, you must obtain a Hawaii insurance license. The type of insurance policies you plan to sell will determine the type of license you need. For example, if you want to sell life insurance, you'll need to pass the Life exam, while a Property & Casualty (P&C) license allows you to sell products like auto and homeowners insurance. Many people opt for both P&C and L&H licenses to offer a wider range of products.

Hawaii does not require pre-licensing education hours, but taking an exam prep course will improve your chances of passing. You can choose between an in-person or online course, with the latter offering more flexibility. Well-designed online courses will teach you what you need to know for the exam, with video lectures and practice quizzes.

The Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice and cost $75 per attempt. You can take the exam in person or online via the OnVUE testing platform. The exam consists of two parts: general knowledge and state-specific rules and regulations. Unlike most other states, Hawaii allows for a partial pass, meaning you only need to retake the section you failed.

Once you've passed the exam, you can apply for your license through Vertafore. As part of the application process, you'll need to submit your fingerprints to the Hawaii Insurance Division and the FBI for a background check. This costs $63 and can be done through Fieldprint.

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Complete pre-licensing education

Unlike many other states, pre-licensing education is not a mandatory requirement to sit for the insurance licensing exam in Hawaii. However, it is highly recommended that aspiring insurance agents in Hawaii complete a pre-licensing education course to increase their chances of passing the exam on their first attempt.

You have two options for pre-licensing education courses: in-person courses in a classroom setting or online courses. Online courses are generally more affordable and offer greater flexibility, allowing you to set your own schedule and study at your convenience. Well-designed online courses will cover everything you need to know to pass the exam and often include streaming video lectures and practice quizzes simulating the exam questions. When choosing an online course provider, be sure to select an established company with positive reviews and testimonials.

Kaplan and AD Banker are two examples of companies that offer pre-licensing education courses. Kaplan's exam prep courses are reported to have a 93% pass rate, and their content is based directly on the Hawaii licensing exams. Similarly, AD Banker's prelicensing education courses are designed to prepare you to successfully pass the state exam on your first try. They offer online courses that can be supplemented with web classes and learning tools like flashcards and study manuals.

After completing your pre-licensing education course, you will be ready to take the relevant Hawaii insurance license exam. The exam must be scheduled in advance and can be taken in person at a test centre or remotely through OnVUE, Pearson VUE's remote testing platform. All Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice and cost $75 per attempt. The number of questions and the allotted time to complete the test vary depending on the specific exam. For example, the Life exam, which qualifies you to sell life insurance, has 85 scored questions, 11 pre-test questions, and must be completed within two hours.

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Pass the state licensing exam

To pass the state licensing exam, you must first complete an exam prep course. While Hawaii does not require pre-licensing education, taking an exam preparation course will significantly improve your chances of passing the exam on your first try. You can choose between an in-person course in a classroom or an online course. Online courses are more affordable and offer more flexibility, allowing you to set your own schedule. Well-designed online courses will cover everything you need to know for the exam, with video lectures and practice quizzes simulating the exam questions. When choosing an online course provider, look for an established company with good reviews.

Kaplan's exam prep courses are based directly on the Hawaii licensing exams, and over 81% of readers use Kaplan's online courses, which have a 93% pass rate. Similarly, A.D. Banker offers pre-licensing education courses that prepare you to pass the state exam on your first attempt, with online courses supplemented by web classes, flashcards, and study manuals.

Once you have completed your exam prep course, you can schedule your state exam. All Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice, administered by Pearson VUE, and cost $75 per attempt. You must schedule your exam online through the Pearson VUE website or over the phone, as walk-in testing is not available. You can choose to take the exam in-person at a test site or online using the OnVUE testing platform.

The exam consists of two parts: a general knowledge section and a section covering state-specific rules and regulations. The number of questions and the allotted time to complete the test varies for each exam. For example, the Life exam, which you would take if you planned to become a life insurance agent, has 85 scored questions, 11 pre-test questions, and must be completed within two hours. Unlike most other states, Hawaii allows for a partial pass, meaning that if you pass one section but not the other, you will only need to retake the section you failed.

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Submit your license application

Once you have passed your state licensing exam, you are ready to submit your license application. This can be done through Vertafore (formerly Sircon). On the website, you will need to select 'Apply for a license' from the menu, followed by 'Individual' next to Submit Resident Application. You will then need to complete the application by choosing Hawaii and entering your information and submitting the appropriate application fees.

Before submitting your license application, you will need to send your fingerprints to the Hawaii Insurance Division and the FBI. This process, which is completed through Fieldprint, costs $63 and will initiate a background check. To schedule a fingerprinting appointment, head to the Fieldprint website and enter the code "HI-DCCA-INS". This will allow the Hawaii Insurance Division to receive the results of your background check.

It is important to note that each insurance producer application in Hawaii must be accompanied by fingerprints, unless submitted at the same time. You can schedule your Hawaii insurance exam appointment online through the Pearson VUE website or over the phone by calling (800) 274-2608, as walk-in testing is not available.

The exam will cover both a general section with basic insurance product knowledge and a state section with specific insurance laws, rules, regulations, and practices that are unique to Hawaii. All Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice, administered by Pearson VUE, and cost $75 per attempt. You will need to pay this fee when booking your exam reservation, as payments cannot be made at the testing center.

Frequently asked questions

First, you'll need to obtain a Hawaii insurance license. To do this, you must complete a pre-licensing education course, pass a state licensing exam, and submit your insurance agent license application.

The exam consists of two parts: a general knowledge section and a section covering state-specific rules and regulations. All Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice, administered by Pearson VUE, and cost $75 per attempt. Unlike most other states, Hawaii allows for a "partial pass," meaning that if you pass one section of an exam but not the other, you will not have to retake the section you passed when retesting.

The final step before submitting your application is sending your fingerprints to the Hawaii Insurance Division and FBI. This process costs $63 and will initiate a background check. To schedule a fingerprinting appointment, head to the Fieldprint website and enter the code "HI-DCCA-INS".

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