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Step By Step Guide To: Getting Your AL Life Insurance License

Getting your insurance license is the first step to becoming an insurance agent in Alabama. Life insurance and all other insurances require a license to sell in any state in the US or its territories.

Read this in its entirety. Then follow this step-by-step: DO NOT SKIP ANY STEPS.

  • Insurance Pre-License Education: You must now take your Alabama insurance pre-license education courses. These courses are created specifically to give you the skills you need to pass the test.
    • Alabama requires twenty (40) hours of pre-license education for LIFE/ACCIDENT/HEALTH.
    • Visit Family First Life’s Pre-Licensing private site: prepare2pass.com/ffl
      • Click enroll now then find Insurance English Pre-Licensing Bundle courses.
      • Click on Alabama and select AL Life Pre-licensing by clicking “$199.00.”
      • Click Go to Cart and then apply discount code: fflaria-AFKM8a
        • Yes, the code is case sensitive
      • Click Proceed to Checkout and then click Sign up
      • Create a New Student Account and only enter the Required student information.
      • Review & Verify the student information, this will complete the registration process.
      • welcome email is sent instantly to help get started.
    • You will receive a certificate upon completion of the course. Keep this certificate, as you will need it when taking your exam.
    • In Alabama, you must pass your exam within one year of pre-license education course completion. However, for us, you have ninety (90) days to pass the insurance license exam after completing your pre-license education. If it’s more than ninety (90) days, this may not be for you.
  • Alabama Insurance License Exam: The next step after completing all of your pre-license coursework is to take the insurance exam. You will take one “Combined Producer Exam” for Life & Health (L&H).
    • This is a proctored test, which means that you will be in a controlled environment with a person watching you.
    • For people who haven’t tested in a situation like this should be aware of this fact, and work on taming their nerves prior to sitting for the exam.
    • The fee for each attempt of the exams is $75.00.
      • When you show up you must have a photo ID and the original pre-license education certificate.
      • You have three (3) hours to complete the exam, which is one hundred fifty (150) questions long.
      • A passing score is 70%, so you must answer one hundred five (105) of the question correctly. Here is a copy of the L&H examination outline.
    • If you fail the exam twice, you must wait ninety (90) days to retake the exam.
    • After passing your exam, allow 3-5 business days before applying for your license.
    • Insurance license tests are intentionally difficult, but not impossible by any means. You should study to the point of comfortability with the information before you attempt the test.
      • Failing the exam isn’t the end of the world, but keep in mind that you will need to pay the fee each time you attempt the test.
    • Register to take your exam on the Alabama Department of Insurance website.
      • I registered for the test, but now I’m not ready for it, may I reschedule?
        • No, the exam fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable.  You will need to go back online, reregister and pay again.
      • If I was registered and missed the test, does it count against me?
        • No, it is recorded as an absence and those do not count as an attempt.
  • Fingerprinting And Background Check: Alabama requires that all individual resident applicants provide fingerprints prior to licensing.
    • Giving your fingerprints will initiate a background check. If you have any prior misdemeanors or felonies, this may affect the outcome of your licensing efforts.
      • For more information on this topic, call the Alabama Department of Insurance at (334) 241-4126 or email the License Department.
    • There is a $48.25 feefor fingerprinting services.
    • Apply for your license within thirty (30) days of having fingerprints taken!
    • With the fees paid, your fingerprint results only remain in the state system for thirty (30) days. If you wait longer than this to apply for your license, you will need to re-fingerprint and pay the fee again.
    • Apply for and schedule your fingerprinting at with 3M/Cogent.
  • Alabama Insurance License Application: Once you have completed your exams and fingerprinting, you are now ready to apply for your license.
    • The fee for an online application is $80, and NIPR will charge a $5 transaction fee for a total of $85.
    • Again, you must apply within thirty (30) days of completing your fingerprintsto avoid additional work and fees.
    • Fill out your online application on the NIPR Alabama
  • Proof of Citizenship: According to the Citizen Protection Act, Alabama mandates that you must submit proof of citizenship within ten (10) daysof applying for your license.
    • To do this, there are sixteen (16) different identifiers you can upload as proof (e.g. official driver’s license or other state ID).
      • There are some states whose driver’s license will not satisfy the requirement. A list of these states can be found here.
      • If you have a question about which forms of ID will work, and which will not, please contact the Alabama Department of Insurance at (334) 241-4126or email the License Department.
    • After filling out the application, you have ten (10) days to complete the next stepof submitting proof of citizenship.
    • Submit your proof of citizenship on the Alabama Department of Insurance website.
  • Application Review: Once you have submitted your application and have filled all the other requirements, your license application will be reviewed by the state.
    • Your background check will also be reviewed.
    • If everything is to acceptable standards your license should be issued quickly.
    • If there are any items from your background check that need to be reviewed, it may slow down the process of issuance.
      • If this is the case, the state may contact you to provide context to the issues that they have run into.
    • To check and see if your license has been issued, you may look yourself up in the State-Based Systems License Look-Up System.
  • Congratulations: You’ve done the work, put in the time and effort, and now hold the key to your success! We’re proud of you! Take five (5) minutes and celebrate, and let us know so we can get you contracted!

 

 

Prices and info are subject to change based on state regulations.

For the latest info, please go to the DOI website.