Becoming An Insurance Clerk: Maine Requirements And Qualifications

If you're looking to become an insurance clerk in Maine, you'll need to obtain a Maine insurance license. The process is straightforward and involves four main steps. First, decide on the type of insurance license you need, such as health insurance, life insurance, or property and casualty insurance. Next, complete a pre-licensing education course to prepare for the licensing exam. This step is optional but highly recommended as it increases your chances of passing the exam on your first attempt. Then, pass the relevant Maine insurance license exam, which is administered by Pearson VUE. Finally, submit your insurance license application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) and pay the associated fees. Once your application is approved, you will officially become a licensed insurance agent in Maine.

Decide which insurance license you need

The type of insurance license you need depends on the type of insurance policies you want to sell. For example, if you want to sell auto, home, or business insurance, you'll need a Property & Casualty (P&C) license.

Here's a list of the different types of insurance agent licenses available in Maine:

• Life, Accident & Health
• Property & Casualty (P&C)
• Life and Health

Most insurance agents in Maine obtain either a Property and Casualty (P&C) or Life and Health license. Many agents choose to get both licenses so they can offer their clients a wider range of insurance products. However, if you want to specialize in a specific type of policy, you only need to focus on getting the relevant license for that insurance type.

It's important to note that if you want to work as an insurance adjuster, you'll need to obtain a separate license.

Take a pre-licensing course

Although Maine law does not require aspiring insurance agents to complete a certain number of pre-licensing education hours, it is highly recommended that you take a pre-licensing course to prepare for your state exam. A pre-licensing course 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 Maine.

There are a variety of pre-licensing courses available, which can be taken as online courses, in-person classes, or self-study materials. When choosing a course, consider the following factors:

• Flexibility: Does the course allow flexible learning, or does it require completion within a short time frame?
• Price: While cheaper courses may be tempting, remember that you often get what you pay for.
• Reputation: How reliable is the course provider? Check reviews to ensure you will have sufficient and complete resources before your exam.

Some recommended course providers include:

• Kaplan Education Company: Offers Live Online, Live & OnDemand, and Self-Study Online insurance licensing solutions.
• ABTrainingCenter: Offers online training courses, live in-person classes, and self-study materials.
• A.D. Banker: Offers online courses for all license types that can be supplemented with web classes and learning tools like flashcards and study manuals.
• AdjusterPro: Offers an online classroom where you can print reference materials, take practice tests, and create your own quizzes to help with challenging subjects.

By taking a pre-licensing course, you will dramatically increase your chances of passing your state exam on the first attempt, saving you time and money in the long run.

Pass the relevant exam

To become an insurance clerk in Maine, you'll need to pass the relevant Maine Insurance License Exam. The exam you take will depend on the type of insurance you want to sell. For example, to become a life insurance agent, you'll need to pass the Life Producer exam, which consists of 75 scored questions and 10 unscored pretest questions. Other exams include the Accident & Health Producer exam, the Property Producer exam, and the Casualty Producer exam.

The Maine Insurance License Exam is administered by Pearson VUE, and the exam fees range from $55 to $80, depending on the specific line of authority. To pass, you'll need to achieve a scaled score of 70 out of 100. While there is no requirement to complete a pre-licensing education course before taking the exam, it is highly recommended as it can increase your chances of passing on the first attempt. Pre-licensing courses offer various features, such as live tutoring, study calendars, and practice exams, to enhance your understanding of the material. When choosing a pre-licensing course, consider factors such as flexibility, price, and the course's reputation.

To prepare for the exam, you should familiarise yourself with the format and content. All licensing exams are computer-based and consist of multiple-choice questions. The exams cover both a general section with basic insurance product knowledge and a state-specific section covering insurance laws, rules, regulations, and practices unique to Maine. Practising with sample questions or taking a prelicensing course can help you become familiar with the exam format. Additionally, ensuring you meet the technical requirements for remote exams or arriving early for in-person exams is crucial for a smooth testing experience.

On the day of the exam, whether remote or in-person, it is essential to follow the instructions and guidelines provided by the testing platform. For remote exams, you must be alone in a private room, have a clear surface, and refrain from having any prohibited items with you. Similarly, for in-person exams, you should arrive at the testing centre 30 minutes early, present a valid ID, and leave all personal items in your vehicle or provided storage space.

Submit your license application

Once you have passed your exams, you are ready to submit your license application. You will need to pay a processing fee of $25 per individual producer license application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) website. You will need to keep your email information current and up-to-date, as the Maine Bureau of Insurance will email a copy of your license within 24 to 48 hours following your application's approval.

The Maine Bureau of Insurance requires each person selling insurance policies in the state to hold an insurance producer license. You will need to choose which line of authority you want to be licensed in: health insurance, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, or any combination of those lines.

After your application is approved, you can view and print your license. It's important to note that your license will need to be renewed every two years. To renew your license, you must complete continuing education courses. Generally, the CE requirement for producer and adjuster licenses is 24 hours every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics training.

Application Review

After submitting your application, the final step is to wait for it to be reviewed and approved. This process typically takes three to five weeks. However, it's important to note that the issuance of your insurance license can take longer if there are any items from your background check that need to be reviewed. The state will notify you via email regarding the status of your license once the review is complete.

Plan for continuing education

To become an insurance clerk in Maine, you will need to obtain a Maine insurance license. This requires completing a pre-licensing education course, passing the relevant Maine Insurance License Exam, and submitting your insurance license application.

Once you have passed all your exams and your license application has been approved, you will officially become a licensed insurance agent in Maine. At this point, you will need to start thinking about continuing education to keep your license valid.

The Maine Bureau of Insurance will automatically renew resident producer licenses, provided that all continuing education (CE) requirements are met. These include completing 24 credit hours every two years, with at least three of those hours dedicated to ethics.

To complete the required 24 credit hours, you can take continuing education courses. These are offered by various companies, such as Kaplan Education Company, ABTrainingCenter, and AD Banker, which all provide online courses and learning tools like flashcards and study manuals.

It is important to stay on top of any changes to Maine's insurance statutes and continuing education requirements, which can be found on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website. Non-resident license holders will need to adhere to their home state's continuing education requirements.

Frequently asked questions