For anyone to become a licensed insurance professional, they must pass their respective state’s life insurance test. And this test is far from a breeze. It requires the test taker to demonstrate unwavering competence in key principles and practices concerning life insurance. The following guide offers simple and actionable tips for anyone looking to ace the life insurance licensing exam on the first try.
Focus Attention to the State Exam Outline
It’s imperative to understand the material covered on the State Insurance Exam by reviewing the respective State Exam Outline. This strategic tool explains the material that will be covered under each topic and the way it will be weighted on the exam. It also explains the number of questions in each section of the test, which is critical. Armed with this key information, the test taker can hone their focus on the sections with the most questions. After mastering these key topics, the less-tested areas can be focused on.
Understand the Life Insurance Exam Process
Not knowing what to expect on the day of the exam can be a major hurdle for students who may be otherwise prepared. Instead of walking into the testing center without any forewarning, it’s best to have a solid idea and understanding of the testing process. In doing so, the student will be better equipped to focus solely on performing well on the test.
Identify Effective Study Strategies
Everyone learns differently! It’s of the utmost importance for each student to identify which method of learning or learning style is most effective for them. When the student understands how they learn, they will be empowered to make the most of the time they have. The three different learning styles include:
- Auditory learners who learn best through listening
- Visual learners who retain information best by seeing
- Kinesthetic learners are those who retain information best through doing.
After identifying the most ideal learning method, the student can adapt their study habits for the most conducive approach.
Understand Life Insurance Test-Taking Best Practices
Test-taking anxiety can destroy even the most well-prepared person’s confidence. However, there are several steps anyone can take to reduce text anxiety and let their insurance knowledge clearly shine through. A few best practices for taking the life insurance test include:
- Pay special attention to keywords in questions, like “Except”, “Must”, “None”, and “All”.
- Read every question two times and avoid looking at answer options until the question is understood
- Avoid changing an answer unless absolutely certain the right answer has been identified
- Read every answer prior to choosing a response: “C” may be a suitable response, but “D” may be the best answer.