How to Get a Life Insurance License in Mississippi

Written by: Mary Gerardine

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How to Get a Life Insurance License in Mississippi

Getting your Mississippi life insurance license is the first step toward becoming a life insurance agent in the state.

The Mississippi Insurance Department requires you to complete a four-step process to become a life insurance agent in Mississippi — 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.

How to Get Your Mississippi Life Insurance License

  1. Complete a Mississippi Insurance Pre-license Course (Kaplan Education Company – $149+)
  2. Take the Mississippi Life Insurance Licensing Exam (Pearson VUE – $52)
  3. Complete a Mississippi Life Insurance License Application (Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) – $100 application fee + $1 online fee)
  4. Watch for Your Application Results

Life Insurance License Mississippi

Obtaining your Mississippi 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 Mississippi property and casualty (P&C) license as well.

Step 1: Complete a Mississippi Insurance Pre-license Course

Before you take the Mississippi 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.

Mississippi requires 20 hours of pre-license education for life-only insurance license applicants. 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.

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.

Recommended Course

Over 81% of our readers use Kaplan’s online courses — which come with a 93% pass rate — when preparing for their insurance license exam(s). For comprehensive study packages, StateRequirement recommends:

4.7 out of 5 starsKaplan Education Company

Step 2: Take the Mississippi Life Insurance Licensing Exam

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

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

The Mississippi life insurance exam outline contains a total of 60 scored questions. The exam includes four sections:

  1. Types of Policies
  2. Policy Riders, Provisions, Options, and Exclusions
  3. Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policies
  4. Taxes, Retirement, and Other Insurance Concepts

You’ll have 120 minutes to complete the examThe Mississippi life insurance exam fee is $52, 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 Mississippi life insurance exam, you must wait one day before scheduling a reexamination.

Tip

Check out our in-depth insurance exam guide for tips to help you pass on the first attempt.

The best way to understand if you are prepared for the test is to take a Life Insurance Practice Exam.

Step 3: Complete a Mississippi Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam, you can apply for your Mississippi life insurance license. The application fee is $100 plus $1 fee for online applications. You must apply online via Sircon or the NIPR.

The Mississippi Insurance Department 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 Mississippi, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Mississippi Insurance Code

Send any questions or supporting documents to licensing@mid.ms.gov.

Step 4: Watch for Your Application Results

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

After the Mississippi Insurance Department completes its review, you’ll receive an email regarding the issuance of your license. 

You can print your license from the Sircon or NIPR websites. There’s no charge to create an account or print a license. To search or manage your license, visit the Mississippi Insurance Department’s Individual and Entity Licensing Search page.

Congratulations!

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

Next Steps After Securing Your Mississippi Life Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Mississippi 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.

To learn more, check out our Securities Licensing guide.

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.

Tip

To help you start preparing for the SIE exam, check out our full guide on How to Pass the SIE Exam.

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

Insurance professionals with Mississippilicenses in effect for 19 to 24 months must take 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years to maintain their license in good standing. Three of those required hours must focus on ethics. If you’re approaching your first renewal with a license active for 13 to 18 months, you must take 12 hours of CE courses.

If you have a non-resident license in good standing with your home state, you don’t need to take CE courses in Mississippi. To find out if you need to take Mississippi courses, go to the Sircon website and click on “Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry.”

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

In Mississippi, you also must renew and manage your life insurance license every two years. To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete your required CE hours at least 90 days before your license expires. Renew your license via Sircon or the NIPRThe renewal fee is $100 plus a $1 fee for online applications.

Learn how to renew your license with our Mississippi insurance license renewal guide.

Mississippi Insurance Department Contact Information

Mailing Address

Mississippi Insurance Department
P.O. Box 79
Jackson, MS 39205-0079

Phone: (601) 359-3582

Email: licensing@mid.ms.gov 

Website: http://www.mid.ms.gov/ 

License Search: Mississippi Individual and Entity Licensing Search

Mississippi Life Insurance License FAQ

How much does it cost to get a life insurance license in Mississippi?

Obtaining a life insurance license in Mississippi requires these fees:
Insurance Pre-license Education Course Fee: $149+ via Kaplan Education Company
Exam Fee: $52 via Pearson VUE
Application Fee: $100 application fee + $1 online fee via Sircon or the NIPR

How long does it take to process a life insurance license application in Mississippi?

This process typically takes three to five business days. You’ll receive an email once the Mississippi Insurance Department reviews your application.

Can I get a temporary life insurance agent license in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi provides a 180-day, temporary life insurance license. Send your completed Temporary insurance Producer Application to:
Mississippi Insurance Department
P.O. Box 79
Jackson, MS 39205

Can I get an emergency life insurance agent license in Mississippi?

No. An emergency license isn’t available for life insurance agents in Mississippi.

Do I need to get my securities license on top of a life insurance license in Mississippi?

Probably. While you can sell certain basic life insurance products with just a life insurance license, a securities license removes the limits on what you can sell and puts you in a much better career position. As a securities license holder, you can provide your clients with products tied to the securities market as part of their retirement and life insurance plans. But, you’ll need FINRA accreditation to obtain your securities license.

What can I sell with a life insurance license in Mississippi?

With a Mississippi life insurance license, you can sell life insurance policies that pay a designated beneficiary when the insured person dies. You also can sell annuities that pay a set income at retirement.

How much can you make with a life insurance license in Mississippi?

According to ZipRecruiter, life insurance agents earn an average of $79,730 per year.

What are the limitations of a Mississippi life insurance license?

Unless you have multiple licenses to sell various types of insurance products (e.g., the combined life and health insurance license), having a Mississippi life insurance license only qualifies you to sell life insurance policies as well as retirement plans and annuities. You can’t sell other types of insurance. A securities license on top of your life insurance license removes that limitation and enables you to offer securities, including stocks and bonds.

Can I cancel my life insurance license in Mississippi?

Yes. To cancel your license, download and complete the Individual Voluntary Surrender Form. Email your completed form to licensing@mid.ms.gov or mail it to:
Mississippi Insurance Department
P.O. Box 79
Jackson, MS 39205

How hard is it to get a life insurance license in Mississippi?

The process is quite simple! Follow the steps above and get started today!

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