Indiana requires candidates seeking a resident Life or Health insurance producer license to complete approved pre-licensing education before taking the state licensing exam. The required education provides the foundation for the insurance concepts and Indiana-specific material tested on the applicable producer examination.
After completing the required course, candidates receive a Certificate of Course Completion and can move on to the state examination.
How Many Pre-Licensing Hours Are Required in Indiana?
The number of required pre-licensing hours depends on whether you are pursuing Life, Health, or both lines of authority.
Indiana Life Insurance
Candidates pursuing an Indiana Life producer license must complete 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education before taking the Life producer examination.
The course prepares candidates for Life insurance concepts as well as the Indiana laws and regulations included on the state licensing examination.
Indiana Health Insurance
Candidates pursuing an Indiana Health producer license must complete 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education before taking the Health producer examination.
The required education covers Health insurance concepts and the Indiana-specific laws and regulations candidates are expected to understand for the examination.
Indiana Life & Health Insurance
Candidates pursuing both Life and Health must complete 40 hours of approved pre-licensing education before taking the combined Life & Health producer examination.
The combined course satisfies the pre-licensing education requirement for both lines of authority and prepares candidates for the combined licensing examination.
Can You Complete Indiana Insurance Pre-Licensing Online?
Yes. Indiana allows approved self-study pre-licensing education in addition to classroom courses. The course must be approved for the applicable Indiana line of authority. IDOI provides a searchable directory of approved pre-licensing courses and providers through Sircon.
National Online Insurance School’s Indiana courses are 100% online and self-paced, allowing you to complete the required education on your schedule while preparing for the applicable state licensing exam.
Completing the course online does not change the number of required hours. Life candidates must still complete 20 hours, Health candidates must complete 20 hours, and candidates taking the combined Life & Health course must complete 40 hours.
What Does an Indiana Pre-Licensing Course Cover?
Indiana’s pre-licensing education requirements are intended to provide candidates with the entry-level knowledge needed to understand the insurance products they may sell as well as the statutes and rules that apply to insurance producers.
For Life and Health candidates, the material includes the insurance concepts applicable to the selected line of authority along with Indiana-specific laws and regulations. The exact subjects tested are identified in the examination content outline for each Indiana licensing exam.
The Indiana Department of Insurance periodically updates its examination content outlines and states that the current outlines take precedence when they differ from outdated study materials.
For a closer look at the subjects, exam structure, question counts, and passing requirements, review our What Is on the Indiana Insurance Exam? article.
What Happens When You Complete the Indiana Pre-Licensing Course?
After completing an approved Indiana pre-licensing course, you receive a Certificate of Course Completion. Unless you qualify for a pre-licensing waiver or are taking an examination that does not require course completion, you must have the applicable certificate to take the licensing exam.
The Certificate of Course Completion is valid for six months from the date you complete the course. During that six-month period, you must pass the applicable licensing examination and submit the insurance license application.
This means completing the course not only satisfies the education requirement but also starts the clock for completing the remaining licensing steps.
Do You Need Your Certificate of Completion for the Indiana Insurance Exam?
Yes. For examinations that require pre-licensing education, Indiana’s examination admission requirements call for a valid Course Completion Certificate. Testing must be completed within six months of the course completion date shown on the certificate.
Before scheduling the examination, make sure the certificate corresponds to the examination you intend to take and remains valid through the testing date.
Candidates should also keep the six-month licensing deadline in mind after passing the exam because Indiana requires both the examination and license application to be completed within the certificate’s validity period.
Can Indiana Pre-Licensing Education Be Waived?
Yes, but only certain applicants qualify for a waiver.
For the Life and Health lines of authority, Indiana may waive the pre-licensing education requirement for applicants who hold a qualifying professional designation, including the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC/CFC), as recognized by IDOI. A bachelor’s degree in insurance may qualify for a waiver across the applicable lines of authority.
A qualifying applicant must request and receive a waiver from the Indiana Department of Insurance. Receiving the education waiver does not eliminate all testing requirements. IDOI states that an applicant granted a waiver may take the Indiana Laws and Regulations assessment for the applicable license qualification.
Candidates who believe they qualify should review the current Indiana Department of Insurance Resident Licensing Requirements before proceeding.
What Should You Do After Completing the Required Hours?
After completing the required pre-licensing education, the next step is preparing for and passing the applicable Indiana producer examination.
Completing 20 or 40 hours of education satisfies the state’s education requirement, but exam preparation should also focus on whether you can consistently apply the concepts covered by the examination content outline. Indiana specifically encourages candidates to use the applicable content outline as a basis for studying.
Use comprehensive practice exams to identify weaker subjects and become comfortable applying the material across the different topics tested. For a closer look at exam difficulty and preparation, review our How Hard Is the Indiana Insurance Exam? article.
After passing the examination, submit the Indiana producer license application before the six-month validity period of the Certificate of Completion expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours is the Indiana Life insurance pre-licensing course?
Indiana requires 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education for the Life producer license.
How many hours is the Indiana Health insurance pre-licensing course?
Indiana requires 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education for the Health producer license.
How many hours is the Indiana Life & Health pre-licensing course?
Indiana requires 40 hours of approved pre-licensing education for candidates pursuing the combined Life & Health producer license.
Can you take Indiana insurance pre-licensing classes online?
Yes. Indiana allows approved self-study pre-licensing courses. National Online Insurance School’s Indiana Life, Health, and Life & Health pre-licensing courses are completed online.
How long is an Indiana pre-licensing certificate valid?
An Indiana Certificate of Course Completion is valid for six months. You must pass the applicable licensing examination and submit the license application during that six-month period.
Do you need the Certificate of Completion to take the Indiana insurance exam?
Yes, unless you qualify for a waiver or are taking an examination that does not require pre-licensing course completion. Candidates subject to the education requirement must have the applicable Course Completion Certificate for exam admission.
Next Steps
Once you complete the required Indiana pre-licensing education, continue preparing for the applicable state examination and complete the remaining licensing requirements within the six-month validity period of your Certificate of Completion.
Review our Indiana Insurance Courses to complete the required pre-licensing education and prepare for the licensing exam, or visit our Indiana License Requirements page for the complete Indiana licensing process.
