Kaplan Insurance Licensing Review

When it comes to preparing for the insurance licensing exam in your state, picking the right pre-licensing education course is essential — regardless of whether it’s a mandatory requirement in your state.

In this Kaplan Insurance Licensing Review, we’ll walk you through the different packages Kaplan offers, explain why we believe it’s an excellent choice, and compare it to some alternatives in order to help you find out which is the best one for you.

Is Kaplan Insurance Prep Right For You?

With its high-quality learning tools, wide range of resources, and exceptional pass rate of its students, we strongly believe that Kaplan’s insurance licensing prep courses represent one of the best choices on the market at the moment.

In the sections below, we’ve outlined some of the key pros and cons associated with Kaplan’s courses in order to help you make a decision on whether it’s the right option for you.

Pros

• Affordable Options: Although Kaplan offers premium insurance courses at higher prices, its more basic options present a wallet-friendly alternative for students who are more budget-conscious
• Extensive Bank of Practice Questions: Out of the many valuable learning resources bundled with Kaplan’s insurance pre-licensing programs is a vast bank of over 650 study questions categorized by topic, which we particularly liked as it allows you to assess your grasp of the material as you progress
• Flexible Courses: Kaplan caters to a diverse range of learning preferences with its trio of course formats that range from self-paced study to live online sessions led by instructors. This is great as it allows students to select the style of learning that best suits their needs and schedules
• Interactive Learning Environment: Regardless of the course tier you select, Kaplan ensures you’ll have direct engagement with its qualified instructors — which went a long way in creating an interactive learning environment in which we quickly received feedback to any queries we had
• Progress Monitoring: As part of all its courses, Kaplan offers a built-in time tracking system that’s designed for keeping you on track for your exam by monitoring your progress through its modules

Cons

• Forced Progression: We were disappointed to find that in all courses (including the self-paced ones) full completion of a module is required before you can advance onto the next one. This can be an important consideration for learners that prefer a greater degree of autonomy in their study methods

Kaplan Insurance Prep Pricing and Features

Kaplan offers four key packages for insurance licensing prep, with each designed to cater to individual learning styles and goals.

Be aware that the exact pricing and tiers offered may vary slightly from those listed below depending on the state and lines of authority in question.

Package 1: Basic ($139)

Kaplan’s Basic Package is a reliable, entry-level course that’s designed around mobile and flexible self-study. Its most notable features include:

• Pre-Study Assessment
• InsurancePro QBank
• Checkpoint practice tests after each unit
• Mastery Exam
• Insurance License Exam Manual
• InstructorLink

Right For: This package is ideal for disciplined individuals and those with a more on-the-go lifestyle that want to be able to take advantage of the flexibility of a fully online course.

Package 2: Essential ($189)

In addition to all the features of the Basic Package, Kaplan’s Essential Package is another online self-study course that contains all of the following additional features:

• Comprehensive online course and materials
• Online study tools
• State law supplementary material
• Video and audio review of core exam topics
• Money back guarantee — Kaplan Commitment®

Right For: Individuals that want the flexibility of an online self-study experience alongside even more additional resources to aid in their preparation, such as video and audio reviews of topics.

Package 3: EssentialPlus ($249)

Next up on the list of insurance licensing prep courses offered by Kaplan is the EssentialPlus package, which contains all of the aforementioned features plus:

• Structured live online classroom reviews led by industry expert instructors
• OnDemand recordings of these sessions

Right For: Individuals seeking a flexible learning experience that offers more comprehensive resources, such as live online classroom review sessions and OnDemand online courses.

Package 4: Career Launcher ($349)

Kaplan’s most comprehensive insurance licensing prep offering, the Career Launcher package blends the flexibility and features of all prior bundles with the following additions:

• Structured online classroom sessions
• Direct interaction with insurance instructors
• Access to Kaplan’s Insurance Accelerator program

This program, which you’ll be able to access for up to 12 months, will equip you with the duties you’ll perform on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis as an insurance agent — ensuring you hit the ground running and kickstart your journey in the insurance industry.

Right For: Individuals seeking the most comprehensive insurance licensing preparation possible, especially those who want to fast-track their entry into the insurance industry with hands-on training through the Insurance Accelerator program.

Optional Extras

After selecting your Kaplan course, you can choose from a number of optional extras to add to further customize your insurance licensing package.

Flashcards

Kaplan sells printable flashcards that you can use to study specific “high-yield” terms and concepts that are most likely to appear on the insurance licensing exam in your state.

These are a great way to take a break from your computer screen while continuing to study, and are available in both English and Spanish.

Insurance QuickSheets

These are a supplementary study resource offered by Kaplan that are designed to help you maximize your study time and efficiently refresh your memory with a quick review of essential definitions and concepts that are crucial for success on the insurance exam.

These study tools are laminated for durability, allowing students to use them repeatedly without worrying about wear and tear. Additionally, their compact size makes them easy to carry and use anywhere — whether at home, in the library, or on the go.

Time Extension

For most Kaplan insurance license prep courses, you’ll only be able to access them for a period of 90 days after paying. If you want to use the course any longer than this, you’ll be required to pay extra in order to extend for either 30 days ($29) or 90 days ($49).

Kaplan Insurance Prep Reviews

Overall, customers were really pleased with Kaplan’s insurance licensing prep courses, which boasted an impressive average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 5,400 Trustpilot reviews.

Example 1

“The educational coursework provided the foundation for me to pass my NC insurance exams the first time. The Live Review, LEM and online practice questions gave me the confidence and peace of mind needed. Thank you Kaplan!” — Christopher

Example 2

“With the help of the manual, zoom course and Qbank, I was able to score a 91 on my Property/Casualty State Exam and a 91 on my Life/Health State Exam! Thank you so much for making this a quick and easy way to success!” — Judith

Importantly, customer feedback regarding Kaplan’s insurance courses suggests that the majority of their students were satisfied when it came to pricing — generally considering the value and quality to greatly outweigh the cost.

Kaplan Insurance Prep Alternatives

Now that you’re familiar with Kaplan’s different offerings for insurance license prep, we’ll walk you through some of the other top alternatives so that you have a more holistic understanding of all the different options available to you.

Alternative 1: ExamFX

ExamFX is another top, yet quite pricey, option to consider if you value flexibility. Students of all learning styles will find its courses useful, given that its four distinct packages provide everything from a self-paced course to in-person learning.

Pros

• Guarantee Exam: We really appreciated the money back guarantee ExamFX offers to its students, as it promised a full refund to anyone who obtains at least 80% on the Guarantee Exam and hasn’t passed their state exam within three days
• Interactive Study Calendar: ExamFX goes beyond conventional study plans by offering a fully customizable study calendar that’s meticulously tailored to match your schedule. We found this to be an easy way of holding yourself accountable and following a consistent learning pace that aligns with your availability
• Multiple Study Tools: Another great feature that we liked was the ability to supplement lower-tier packages with study aids from more expensive ones, as it’s a good way to allow students to save money while assembling the precise resources they need in order to effectively prepare

Cons

• Higher Cost: ExamFX stands out as one of the pricier choices among insurance education providers, likely due to its extensive array of course offerings. If you’re looking for a more budget-conscious insurance licensing course, your options may be confined to the lower-tier packages
• Limited Access Period: One of the main problems we faced with this course was its short access period of only two months. While this may suit fast learners or those comfortable with intensive study, students preferring a slower pace may want to find an alternative option

Alternative 2: A.D. Banker

Renowned for its thorough educational offerings, A.D. Banker is another standout choice for licensees due to its inclusive learning bundles, which contain both online modules and interactive virtual classes.

While offering individual learning resources a la carte come at a premium, you’re given the choice between paying more for a customized offering and selecting one of their popular packages in order to save money.

Pros

• A La Carte Learning Tools: We really appreciated the ability to access all A.D. Banker resources individually through the a la carte option. This made it very easy to tailor a package to our needs without unnecessarily spending on tools we didn’t want
• Web Class Option: When testing out A.D. Banker’s courses, we were particularly impressed with its Web Class option. This allows you to progress at your own pace through the required modules while benefiting from the live guidance of an industry professional

Cons

• Jargon in Online Course: We thought that this provider’s courses could be a little confusing for newcomers, as they contain numerous industry-specific terms without explaining them very clearly
• Learning Tools Are Expensive: While great resources, the learning tools are pricey when purchased a la carte. Your best option financially is to buy a higher tier package that includes everything that you may want or need as you study
• Need to Be Self-Motivated: While effective, we do feel that A.D. Banker’s classes are best made for disciplined individuals. If you struggle with self-motivation, considering a company offering instructor-led courses might be more beneficial

Alternative 3: WebCE

Among the courses evaluated in this article, WebCE stands out for the fact that it offers the longest amount of access to its students, who are able to access its resources for up to a year without any additional payments.

This feature caters well to individuals seeking a flexible and leisurely approach to navigating through the extensive resources and expertly crafted practice exams available on the platform.

Pros

• EXCEED Reinforcements: This is a unique feature of WebCE’s packages that allows you to enhance your expertise in the field, improve your performance in the exam, and elevates your career prospects afterwards
• FlashTutor: WebCE’s FlashTutor courses were a particularly effective way to solidify your understanding of key concepts and prepare for the exam, as they come equipped with a digital flashcard program designed to reinforce specific modules
• Physical Workbook: For a minimal extra fee, WebCE provides the option to purchase a physical workbook, allowing you to continue your studies offline

Cons

• Limited State Availability: We were disappointed to find out that some states have limited availability for certain parts of the course content, including Alaska, Hawaii, and North Carolina
• Disappointing Extras: Despite the appeal of WebCE’s FlashTutor and supplementary workbook, students have expressed disappointment with their effectiveness. While they may aid in passing, they are perceived as somewhat gimmicky and fall short of replacing actual tutoring

Final Thoughts

On balance, we strongly recommend students to use Kaplan’s insurance license prep courses when getting ready to take their state’s exam.

While there are a number of other good options available out there, Kaplan is by far the leading choice as a result of its wide range of features, types of resources, and flexibility — all of which go above and beyond those of alternatives.

On top of all this, Kaplan offers excellent value for money on all of its packages, which only cements its position as our top recommendation for an insurance pre-licensing course.