Last Updated on August 30, 2023
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how to become an insurance agent in florida
Getting your Florida insurance license is the first step to becoming an insurance agent in Florida. Whether you’re interested in selling property and casualty insurance, life insurance, health insurance, or any combination of those lines of authority, this article has the information you need to get started.
The Florida Division of Insurance Agent & Agency Services has a 6-step process to getting your insurance license. We’ll walk you through step-by-step; from the license application to insurance test prep, to the Florida insurance exam, and beyond.
This guide has everything you need to know to get your Florida insurance license quickly and easily.
How To Get Your Florida Insurance License
Getting your insurance license in Florida is easy! Just follow our step-by-step guide. Be sure to bookmark this page so that you can visit it again throughout this process.
Step 1. Which Insurance Licenses Do You Need?
The first step to getting your insurance license is choosing which licenses you need. The most common licenses new insurance agents get are the property & casualty license (P&C), life and health insurance license (L&H).
The types of insurance products and policies you’ll be selling will determine which licenses you need. Here are some examples of the types of policies you can market with each license:
Property and Casualty Insurance License – Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Business Insurance, etc…
Life and Health Insurance License – Life Insurance, Annuities, Medicare, Health Insurance, etc…
Most insurance agents and producers choose to get both P&C and L&H licenses, but if you plan on specializing in only one category then you don’t need every license.
Insurance adjusters require a separate license. You can find more information on becoming an insurance adjuster here: Florida Insurance Adjuster License
Note:
If you plan on specializing as a life insurance agent, then you may also need to hold a certain FINRA securities license.
Step 2. Florida Insurance Pre-License Education
After you’ve determined which licenses you need, you must now take your Florida insurance pre-license education courses.
Most folks choose to take their insurance pre-license course online. These courses are created specifically to give you the skills you need to pass the test. The types of licenses you choose (also known as “lines of authority”) will determine which courses you take.
Each line of authority in Florida varies in required hours of pre-license education. This means that if you wish to get a Property and Casualty 2-20 license, you must take two-hundred (200) hours of pre-licensing, and for Life and Health 2-15 (including Annuities and Variable Contracts) you must take sixty (60) hours.
You will receive a certificate upon completion of the course. Keep this certificate, as you will need it when taking your exam.
Step 3. Florida Insurance License Application
After you have completed all of your required pre-licensing education, the next step is to apply for your license. If you have more than one line of authority that you have taken the education for, be sure to apply for all of those lines.
The fee for an online application is $50 plus a $5 License ID fee, totaling $55.
The application process is located within Florida’s MyProfile account system. This system will essentially be your home base for all license actions from this point forward. After receiving your license, this is where you will take most other actions regarding your license and appointments.
Step 4. Fingerprinting And Background Check
The State of Florida requires that all insurance license applications 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 Florida Department of Insurance at (850) 413-3140 or email the Insurance Department or check the information on this page.
Fingerprinting must be completed through IdentoGO. You will schedule an appointment at one of the locations in Florida, and they will electronically record your fingerprint information using LiveScan (as opposed to ink and paper).
The fee for fingerprint services is $48.05 plus the local Florida sales tax. Your fingerprints will be submitted automatically to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Step 5. Florida Insurance License Exam
The next step after completing all of your pre-license coursework or self-study is to take the insurance exam. You will take one exam for each line of insurance you wish to carry. Life, Accident, & Health 2-15 (L&H) and Property & Casualty 2-20 (P&C) lines are combined lines in Florida, so you will take two exams if you wish to attain all of these lines of authority: Property, Casualty, Life, Accident, Health.
This is a proctored test, which means that you will be in a controlled environment with a person watching over 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. One great way to get some experience with insurance testing is taking an insurance practice exam.
The fee for each attempt of the exams is $44 (one exam per combined lines of authority). When you show up you must have a photo ID any other documents that the testing facility has asked you to bring.
The Life & Health (including Annuities & Variable Contracts) 2-15 exam consists of one hundred fifty (150) questions, and you have two hours and forty-five minutes (2:45 hours) to complete the exam. Here is a copy of the exam content outline for the Life & Health (including Annuities & Variable Contracts) 2-15 exam.
The Property & Casualty General Lines 2-20 exam consists of one hundred sixty (160) questions, and you have three hours (3 hours) to complete the exam. Here is a copy of the exam content outline for the Property & Casualty 2-20 exam.
A total score of 70% is required to pass each exam. You have a limit of five (5) attempts at each exam per year.
Check out our Insurance Exam Guide. It’s extremely in-depth, and will hopefully help you pass the first time.
Looking for a guide to passing the insurance exam? Check out our in-depth article: How To Pass The Insurance Exam
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.
Tip:
StateRequirement recommends that you study for one exam at a time, then after passing, starting on your next line. The exams are difficult enough on their own without confusing information from one line to another.
Check out our review of the ExamFX Insurance Course.
You may register to take your exams and find more information on the Pearson Vue Florida Insurance Testing page. You may also find the Pearson Vue Florida Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook useful.
Step 6. Application Review
Once you have submitted your application and passed your exams, 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.
steps to become an insurance agent
Step 1: Complete the Florida Prelicensing Education
Regardless of the type of insurance license you are looking to earn, you will be required to complete a specific number of state-approved education credit hours. The number of hours varies depending on the license you are looking to obtain. You can get the details on our State Requirements page. Upon completion of your course, you will receive a certificate.
Step 2: Submit the Florida License Application
Once you’ve completed the required education, it’s time to apply for your Florida insurance license. There is an application fee of $50 and a License ID fee of $5, giving you a total cost of $55. You can complete the license application on Florida’s Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services webpage.
Step 3: Complete Fingerprinting and Background Check
Prior to earning your license, the state of Florida requires that state licensing applicants submit fingerprints and complete a background check. Florida uses MorphoTrust USA to complete fingerprinting. There is a $45.80 fee (plus tax) associated with the fingerprinting process. MorphoTrust USA submits your fingerprints automatically to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Step 4: Prepare and Sit for the Insurance Licensing Exam
In Florida, Life, Accident, & Health and Property & Casualty are bundled together. So you would need to sit for the exam that matches the insurance lines you want to carry. Florida insurance licensing exams are proctored, meaning there is a designated person overseeing you while you take the exam. To increase your odds of success on your insurance licensing exam, trust your preparation to Kaplan Financial Education.
Step 5: Pass License Application Review
After passing the exam and submitting your application, your background check and application will be reviewed by the state. If approved, your license will be issued. If there are issues revealed in your background check, the state may reach out with questions. You will be notified of approval in your MyProfile account on the FL Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services website.
