Getting your Indiana life insurance license is the first step toward becoming a life insurance agent. If you want to market and sell life insurance policies, follow this step-by-step guide for obtaining a life insurance license in Indiana.

The Indiana Department of Insurance (IDOI) requires you to complete a four-step process to obtain your life insurance license — from taking the life insurance exam to applying for a license.

These steps will take a few weeks to complete so we recommend you bookmark this page so you can use it as a reference throughout the process.

Steps to Get an Indiana Life Insurance License

Obtaining your Indiana life insurance license isn’t difficult. Just follow these four steps to start your journey toward becoming a life insurance agent. Once you earn this license, check out our guide on how to get your Indiana property and casualty (P&C) license as well.

Step 1: Complete an Indiana Insurance Pre-license Course

Before you take the Indiana life insurance licensing exam, it’s important to make time to acquire the knowledge you’ll need to pass this exam on your first attempt. Completing a pre-license education course will equip you with the necessary information and tools you’ll need to prepare for your exam.

Indiana requires 20 hours of pre-license education. To find approved courses, visit the Sircon website and select “Look Up Education Courses/Credits” and then “Approved Courses Inquiry.”

A pre-license education course provides very specific industry knowledge that will be tested during the exam. There is very little information on the test that could be considered “common sense”. Pre-license education courses are self-paced and include study materials like practice exams and flashcards.

Your pre-license education provider will issue you a Certificate of Completion w at the end of the course. That certificate will remain valid for six months. You must pass your exam and apply for your license during this six-month period. You also must take your Certificate of Completion with you to the test center on the day of the exam.

Beyond helping you effectively prepare for and pass the life insurance licensing exam on your first try, taking a pre-license education course also will give you a solid understanding of your duties as a life insurance agent.

Step 2: Take the Indiana Life Insurance Licensing Exam

After you complete a prep course and your own independent studying, it’s time to take the Indiana life insurance exam.

Indiana uses Pearson VUE as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.

The Indiana life insurance exam outline contains a total of 80 scored questions that cover two sections: general and state-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge. The state-specific section covers insurance concepts and terms, rules, regulations, and practices specific to Indiana.

You’ll have 120 minutes to complete the exam. The Indiana life insurance exam fee is $69, which you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. The exam is a proctored test, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.

If you happen to fail the Indiana life insurance exam, you can schedule a time to retake it at Pearson VUE. You must wait 48 hours before retaking the exam.

Step 3: Complete an Indiana Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam, you can apply for your Indiana life insurance license. The application fee is $40 plus a small transaction fee. You must apply online via Sircon or the NIPR.

The IDOI will issue a life insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam. You should submit your completed license application within 12 months of passing the exam.

To apply for a life insurance license in Indiana, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Indiana Insurance Code and Indiana Administrative Code.

Send any questions or supporting documents to agentlicensing@idoi.in.gov.

Step 4: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous three steps, the IDOI will review your application. It reviews filings in the order it receives them, and this process usually takes five to seven business days from the date you submit your application.

You can print your license from the Sircon or the NIPR websites. There’s no charge to create an account or print a license. You can check the status of your application online through Sircon by selecting “Check License Application Status” or the NIPR via its “Check Your Application or Transaction Status” section.

Congratulations!

You’re now ready to get started as a life insurance agent in Indiana.

Next Steps After Securing Your Indiana Life Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Indiana life insurance license, here’s what you should pursue next.

Get Your FINRA Securities Licenses

Overview

Individuals planning to market and sell market-based life insurance products also must obtain the proper securities licenses. As a securities license holder, you can offer securities as part of your services. That’ll make you a credible authority in addressing all of your clients’ financial needs.

SIE Exam

To obtain these licenses, you’ll first need to take and pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. Professionals in the securities industry are required to take the SIE and a series of examinations administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). 

The SIE exam ensures every life insurance professional has a basic understanding of securities. While taking the SIE exam isn’t a requirement for all insurance professionals, those who don’t obtain at least one securities license limit their ability to work with clients. With a securities license, you can give your clients the option to invest in securities-related products as part of their life insurance plans.

Obtaining a license to sell securities also requires sponsorship from a firm, company, or organization regulated by FINRA. The sponsor will pay the testing fees required for your SIE exams and submit your personal information to FINRA’s Central Registration Depository (CRD). The Series 6 and Series 7 licenses require a FINRA exam sponsorship before you can take the exam. The exam for a Series 63 license doesn’t require any sponsoring entity. 

Once you get your securities license(s), FINRA will list you as a “registered representative.” By achieving the securities licensee designation, you’ll become a highly sought-after professional and set yourself up for a successful career in the insurance industry.

Series 6, 7, and 63 Licenses

Some of the most common securities licenses for insurance agents include the Series 6, 7, and 63 licenses because they allow licensees to sell almost every type of individual security.

The Series 6 (Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative) Securities License is the primary license sought by insurance sales professionals and financial advisors, allowing them to sell grouped securities related to insurance products. 

Series 6 works together with Series 63 because they are the two partner licenses required to sell insurance policies tied to investments. The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) oversees regulation of the Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) license.

The Series 7 license allows you to buy and sell securities (e.g., stocks, bonds, and mutual funds) as part of an investment plan for your clients. To get a Series 7 license, you will first need to register as a new candidate with FINRA and pass the Series 7 exam. The Series 7 exam is commonly known as the General Securities Representative Qualification Exam, but is sometimes referred to as the “Series 7 Top-Off Exam.”

Get a Job in the Insurance Field

Once you earn your license, you can start applying for jobs in the insurance field. With a life insurance license, you can provide advice and recommend insurance products to clients, sell life insurance policies that pay a beneficiary upon an insured person’s death, and sell annuities that pay a set income at retirement.

Find life insurance job postings on our Insurance Jobs Board.

When applying for an insurance-related job, potential employers will request your license number and National Producer Number (NPN).

Complete Continuing Education and Renew Your License

In Indiana, you must take 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years to maintain your license in good standing. Three of those hours must focus on ethics. To find these courses, visit the Sircon website and click on the “Approved Courses Inquiry” section. 

If you have a non-resident license with good standing in your home state, you don’t need to take CE courses in Indiana. You can verify your CE requirements and course completion transcripts online at Sircon by selecting “Look Up Education Courses/Credits” and doing a “Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry.”

You can’t renew your license until you complete your continuing education hours and pay any outstanding fines.

In Indiana, you also must renew and manage your life insurance license every two years. To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete the required CE hours at least 30 days before your license expires. You may renew your Indiana life insurance license online via either Sircon or the NIPR. The renewal fee is $40. 

If you can’t submit a renewal application online, you can mail a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) paper renewal application to the IDOI. Be sure to include the $40 check or money order, payable to the IDOI, with your completed paper application.

Indiana Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address

Indiana Department of Insurance
Attn: Agency Services
311 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2787

Phone: (317) 232-2389

Email: AgentLicensing@idoi.in.gov 

Website: http://www.in.gov/idoi/ 

License Search: Indiana Insurance License Lookup