Hawaii Life Insurance License: What You Need To Know

If you're considering working as an insurance agent in Hawaii, you'll need to obtain a Hawaii insurance license. The process involves five steps: figuring out which insurance license you need, completing a pre-licensing education course, passing the relevant Hawaii insurance license exam, completing a fingerprint and background check, and submitting your insurance license application. The type of insurance policies you want to sell will dictate the type of license you need. For example, to sell auto, home, or business insurance, you'll need a Property & Casualty (P&C) license. It's worth noting that Hawaii offers a wide range of insurance agent licenses, but most agents opt for a P&C or a Life and Health insurance license.

Pre-licensing requirements

To obtain a life insurance license in Hawaii, you must complete the following pre-licensing requirements:

• Decide on the type of insurance policies you want to sell. This is an important first step as it will dictate the type of license you need. For example, if you want to sell auto, home, or business insurance, you'll need a Property & Casualty (P&C) license. Other types of licenses available in Hawaii include Accident, Health or Sickness; Variable Life & Variable Annuity; Credit (Limited Lines); Travel (Limited Lines); and Car Rental (Limited Lines). Many agents opt for both a P&C and a Life and Health insurance license to offer clients a wider range of products.
• Complete a pre-licensing education course. Although Hawaii does not require aspiring insurance agents to complete a minimum number of pre-licensing education hours to sit for the licensing exam, it is highly recommended. Pre-licensing courses can enhance your understanding of the material and increase your chances of passing the exam on the first attempt, saving you time and money. These courses often include features such as live tutoring, study calendars, and practice exams. When choosing a course, consider factors such as flexibility, price, and the provider's reputation.
• Pass the relevant Hawaii Insurance Licensing Exam. The exam you take will depend on the line of insurance you wish to specialize in. For example, if you want to become a life insurance agent, you'll need to pass the Life exam, which consists of 85 scored questions, 11 pre-test questions, and must be completed within two hours. All Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice, administered by Pearson VUE, and cost $75 per attempt. You must schedule your exam appointment in advance through the Pearson VUE website or by 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. It is recommended to avoid taking multiple exams at once, as this increases the difficulty.
• Complete a fingerprinting and background check. Schedule a fingerprinting appointment through the Fieldprint website and enter the code "HI-DCCA-INS" to ensure the Hawaii Insurance Division receives the results. This process costs $63 and initiates a background check to confirm you meet the state's insurance agent regulations. Each insurance producer application in Hawaii must be accompanied by fingerprints, so if you apply for multiple licenses at different times, you will need to be fingerprinted again.

Exam format and scoring

To obtain a life insurance license in Hawaii, you must pass the relevant licensing exam. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE and costs $75 per attempt. It is a multiple-choice test, with no fill-ins or essay questions. The questions are randomly scrambled and are drawn from a large pool, so you will have a different set of questions from other test-takers. The exam is divided into two parts: the "national" insurance section and the "state rules" section. You will need a score of 70 or higher on each section to pass, and the scores are not averaged together.

The Life exam, which is the relevant exam for aspiring life insurance agents, consists of 85 scored questions, 11 pre-test questions, and must be completed within two hours. The exam focuses heavily on definitions and numbers (dollar amounts and number of days). According to students, about one-third of the questions are terminology (definitional) questions, one-third are number/day questions, and one-third are practical situation questions (story problems).

The Hawaii insurance licensing exam is a challenging test, and it is recommended that you put yourself on a strict schedule and remain focused and disciplined during your exam prep. Completing a pre-licensing education course is highly recommended, as it can enhance your understanding of the material and increase your chances of passing on the first attempt.

Testing locations

To take the Hawaii Insurance exam, you can either take it online or at a test centre.

Online Proctoring

The Hawaii Insurance exam can be taken from home through OnVUE online proctoring. A live proctor will monitor you through your webcam to provide a secure exam experience. You can watch a short video on the Hawaii Insurance online proctoring page to see how convenient it is to test from home or work.

Test Centres

Test centre locations, testing frequency and test fees are listed in the Candidate Handbook, which can be downloaded without charge from the Pearson Vue website.

Additional test centres can be found at https://wsr.pearsonvue.com/testtaker/find/testcenter/HIINS. Locations and schedules are subject to change, so it is recommended that you call 1-800-274-2608 for up-to-date information.

Test prep methods

To obtain a life insurance license in Hawaii, you must pass the relevant licensing exam. Here are some test preparation methods to help you get ready for the exam:

Know the Exam Format

The Hawaii insurance exam is a multiple-choice test with no fill-in or essay questions. It typically covers definitions and terminology, numbers and dollar amounts, and practical scenario-based questions. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, and you can opt to take it online or at a test centre.

Enrol in a Prep Course

Although not mandatory, it is highly recommended to enrol in a prep course to enhance your understanding of the material. Look for courses that offer features like live tutoring, study calendars, and practice exams. Reputable course providers include Kaplan, XCEL, and America's Professor.

Familiarise Yourself with the Material

There is no substitute for knowing the material. Watch lectures, highlight key concepts in your study texts, and review practice questions. Focus on the most important topics that are likely to appear on the exam.

Take Practice Exams

Practice exams are an excellent way to familiarise yourself with the exam format and identify areas that need further review. Pearson VUE offers online life, health, property, and casualty insurance practice tests for $19.95.

Maintain a Strict Study Schedule

Stay focused and disciplined during your exam preparation. Create a study plan and stick to it. The Hawaii insurance exam is challenging, so allocate sufficient time to master the material.

Be Aware of the Scoring Requirements

To pass the Hawaii insurance exam, you need a scaled score of at least 70. The exam consists of two parts: the "national" insurance section and the "state rules" section. You must achieve a score of 70 on each section; the scores are not averaged.

Application process

To obtain a life insurance license in Hawaii, you must complete the following steps:

• Complete a pre-licensing education course: Although Hawaii does not require aspiring insurance agents to complete a certain number of pre-licensing education hours, it is highly recommended to do so as it can increase your chances of passing the licensing exam on your first attempt.
• Pass the relevant Hawaii Insurance License Exam(s): After completing your pre-licensing education, you must take and pass the relevant licensing exam(s). The exam(s) will depend on the type of insurance policies you plan to sell. For example, if you want to become a life insurance agent, you will need to pass the Life exam. All Hawaii insurance exams are multiple-choice, administered by Pearson VUE, and cost $75 per attempt.
• Complete a fingerprint and background check: Send your fingerprints to the Hawaii Insurance Division and the FBI through Fieldprint. This process costs $63 and will initiate a background check to ensure you meet the state's insurance agent regulations.
• Submit your insurance license application: You can submit your application online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) for a fee of $150 (plus a $5.60 transaction charge). You must submit your application within 60 days of being fingerprinted, or the background check results will expire, and you will have to repeat this step.

The entire application process can take anywhere from 45 to 60 days, depending on the number of licenses you are applying for and the number of exam attempts you need.

Frequently asked questions