Texas offers a wide array of insurance licenses. Before beginning the application process candidates should take a moment to understand which license they should seek. Texas offers the following types of insurance licenses:
The state of Texas has many different license types for those looking to become an insurance agent in Texas. So before you run off to the nearest licensing site, you need to familiarize yourself with the insurance agent license types and insurance specialties offered in the state of Texas.
License Types
Most Texas Insurance Agents licenses fall into two categories- Property & Casualty (P&C) and Life & Health. The General Lines – Property and Casualty insurance license will allow your meat and potatoes coverages like auto, home, business insurance or bonds; while the General Lines- Life, Accident, Health & HMO license deals with life, health, annuities, and other related coverages.
Regardless of which specialty you choose, the General Lines licenses will allow you to represent a larger array of companies and products making it easier for your to eventually become an agency owner. However, if you wish to take the easier route to becoming and insurance agent in Texas, the additional insurance license types are also available:
- Life(only) Agent
- Funeral pre-arrangement Life
- Life Insurance Not Exceeding $25000
- Life and Health insurance counselor
- Personal Lines Property Casualty Agent
- Insurance Service Representative
- Managing General Agent
- Limited Lines – Agent
- County Mutual
- Surplus Lines
Beware, each license type has different requirements. Check with the Texas Department of Insurance for details regarding each license type.
Pre-licensing and Backgrounds
The state of Texas has no pre-licensing educagtion requirement, but it is highly recommended that you attend a local licensing course offered in your area. After taking a pre-licensing course, you must take the state mandated test offered at Pearson Vue (Prometric is no longer the state-approved exam administrator) .
Upon passing the exam, MorphTrust (formerly L1 Identity) will need to process your fingerprints as part of the FBI criminal background check. They can be contacted here http://www.l1enrollment.com/state/?st=tx . It is highly recommended that you set an early appointment for your fingerprints because the wait can be a long one.
Texas Insurance Agent Licensing Fees
As of this writing, the fees involved for becoming a licensed insurance agent in Texas are as follows:
- State Licensing Exam: Fee ranges from $55to $70 depending on type of license
- Fingerprinting fee is $44.50
- Licensing application fee $50 per license type, plus a $10.67 fee to fill your application electronically through www.sircon.com .
Texas Insurance Licensing and Continuing Education
Generally, the insurance agents’ licensing term is two years from issue. Agents are required to take 40 hours of continuing education, with an additional 4 hours of an ethics course, before renewing their licenses each two years.