The exams still vary from state to state and so does their "hardness". Having taken and passed the exams in 3 different states over the years I can say that they are not examinations set to weed out all but the select few. While the standards have been raised in recent years, in my experience any reasonably intelligent person who pays attention in the class you have to take should be able to pass the licensing exam the first time they take it. If you flunk the Life & Health exam 3 times and are still fogging a mirror you definitely need to move on to some other career choice.
All the hard stuff to learn about the Life and Health Insurance world comes to you after you've gotten your license. The licensing process teaches you the basic terminology and rules of the road, it doesn't teach you how to drive.
Actually it's not hard at all if you study. Just prepare yourself and don't overthink it. When taking the test, breeze through the test and answer the questions you know for certain. You can always go back and review the ones you don't. So you go through the test, answer the ones you know. Read the whole question twice and when you go through it the second time.
On the 3rd time around read the question again and if the answer don't come to you, the ones you don't know, just guess on the third time around.
That is a great question! The answer depends upon how well you study, retain what you learn, and how well you handle tests. If you are one of those people who stress out over tests, it will be more difficult than for someone who breezes through them. There is a lot to remember, but the grade for passing is fairly low. If you do a decent job studying, and you understand what you've studied, prepared well for the exam, and just go in and take it, you will do well. Good luck, and thanks for asking!
Business Development Officer, T.D. McNeil Insurance Services, Fresno, California
The insurance commissioner in each state administers their own license exam. In California each test is different as questions are selected by a computer from a bank of about 5000 questions. It is very difficult to prepare for specific questions. The course requirements and materials differ from state to state but in California the mandated course was not enough to prepare a person for the examination. The examination required review and a thorough understanding of the concepts behind the products and enforcement of regulations.
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All the hard stuff to learn about the Life and Health Insurance world comes to you after you've gotten your license. The licensing process teaches you the basic terminology and rules of the road, it doesn't teach you how to drive.
On the 3rd time around read the question again and if the answer don't come to you, the ones you don't know, just guess on the third time around.