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Iowa Insurance License Requirements

Do you want to become an insurance agent and get your Iowa insurance license? XCEL has taught thousands of aspiring insurance professionals in Iowa and we make it easy for you to get up to speed on the Iowa insurance requirements.

Iowa Insurance License SchoolIowa Insurance License School

How To Obtain an Iowa Insurance Producer License

The state of Iowa has no formal pre-licensing education requirement however it is recommended as the prelicensing course is designed to prepare candidates for the State Licensing Examination.

1. Complete the Pre-Licensing Course.

  • Life Only
  • Accident & Health Only  
  • Casualty  
  • Property 
  • Personal lines 

Course Requirements

  • This is a forced progression (locked) state that requires the student to review each lesson and pass each of the chapter quiz before moving onto the next section/chapter. 
  • Assessments on key topics throughout the course must be successfully passed with a minimum score of 70% before moving onto the next chapter. 

2. Schedule the Iowa State Examination.

Limitation on Repeat Examinations:
  • There are no limitations on retaking the exam. 

Online Proctored Exams:

  • You must check the compatibility of your computer before registering for the exam. https://home.pearsonvue.com/ia/insurance/onvue
  • If your computer is not compatible with the online software, you will need to schedule your examination at a Pearson Vue test center.

3. Pass the State Exam

  • Be sure to take advantage of XCEL’s 3-Part training program, including Part 2 (Prep Review Course) and Part 3 (Exam Simulator). These are the two sections we hear from students value the most during the exam waiting period. 
    • Prep Review Course: This part of the training scales down content to focus solely on the most important material with weighted sections identical to the state exam. Chapters have only a few pages of material, but the content must be mastered to pass. Instructionally designed to teach individuals how to pass, most study effort should be invested here. Chapter exams are substantially larger (50+ questions), providing exposure to the types of questions seen on the state exam. 
    • Exam Simulator: These special exams are designed to gauge content retention levels. Important: Only take the Exam Simulators after the Prep Review
    • Course has been successfully completed. It ensures these questions will be “fresh in the mind.” 
    • On the day of testing, you must present two (2) forms of identification bearing your signature, one of which must be a valid government issued photo id. 
    • Candidates who have changed their names must provide written documentation of the change. This documentation may be a copy of a marriage license, divorce decree, or other official document. 

4. Apply for your License

  • Submit license application electronically through NIPR – https://nipr.com/
  • Application fee: $50
  • NIPR verifies exams prior to allowing submission of an application.
  • If applicant responds “yes” to one of the background questions, please submit supporting documents electronically via NIPR’s Attachments Warehouse. The documents may also be submitted to the state via mail, email, or fax.
  • Submit to a criminal history check pursuant to Iowa Code section 522B.5.

Pearson Vue Exam Outlines

DESCRIPTION Question Count % of Exam Questions
Life Health Life Health
Life Insurance
Types of Policies and Features 15 0 19% 0%
Policy Riders, Provisions, Options, and Exclusions 15 0 19% 0%
Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policies 12 0 16% 0%
Retirement, and Other Insurance Concepts 8 0 10% 0%
Health Insurance
Types of Policies 0 16 0% 20%
Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders 0 15 0% 19%
Social Insurance 0 6 0% 8%
Other Insurance Concepts 0 5 0% 6%
Field Underwriting Procedures 0 8 0% 10%
Iowa Laws and Rules
Total for all parts
Total Scored Questions on Exam 77 80
Maximum Time allowed to complete exam in minutes 120 120
Passing Score 70 70
DESCRIPTION Question Count % of Exam Questions
Casualty Property Casualty Property
Casualty Insurance
Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms 23 0 29% 0%
Insurance Terms and Related Concepts 15 0 16% 0%
Policy Provisions 12 0 13% 0%
Property Insurance
Types of Property Policies 0 22 0% 18%
Insurance Terms and Related Concepts 0 15 0% 12%
Policy Provisions and Contract Law 0 13 0% 10%
Iowa Laws and Rules
Iowa Laws, Rules, and Regulations Common to All Lines 25 25 29% 30%
Iowa Laws, Rules and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance 10 0 12% 0%
Iowa Laws, Rules and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance 0 8 0% 10%
Total for all parts
Total Scored Questions on Exam 85 83
Maximum Time allowed to complete exam in minutes 120 120
Passing Score 70 70
DESCRIPTION Question Count % of Exam Questions
Personal Lines Insurance
Types of Property Policies 10 9%
Types of Casualty Policies 13 12%
Property and Casualty Insurance Terms and Related Concepts 28 25%
Property and Casualty Policy Provisions and Contract Law 24 21%
Iowa Laws and Rules
Iowa Laws and Rules Common to All Lines 25 22%
Iowa Laws and Rules Pertinent to Property, Casualty and Personal Lines Insurance Only 0 0%
Iowa Laws and Rules Pertinent to Property Insurance Only 7 6%
Iowa Laws and Rules Pertinent to Casualty Insurance Only 6 5%
Total for all parts
Total Scored Questions on Exam 113
Maximum Time allowed to complete exam in minutes 120
Passing Score 70

Producer Licensing Checklist:

Task: Date Completed
1. Complete prelicensing course
2. Register for exam
3. Pass exam
4. Apply for license

Governing Agency

Name: Iowa Insurance Division
Phone: 515-654-6600
Fax: 515-654-6500
Website: https://iid.iowa.gov/
Address: 1963 Bell Ave., Ste. 100 Des Moines, IA 50315

Iowa Insurance License Renewal And Compliance Requirements

XCEL Solutions provides this information as a courtesy to licensees subject to insurance continuing education requirements. Although every effort is made to maintain the accuracy of this course, recent changes in laws and procedures may not yet be reflected in the content. All information is subject to change without notice.

License Renewal Timelines

Agents holding a Major Lines license (Property, Casualty, Personal Lines, Accident & Health, Life or Variable Products) are required to renew their license by the last day of their birth month every two years. 

  • On-going renewal periods are the last day of the agent’s birth month every three (3) years thereafter.

Continuing education requirements must be met before submitting the license renewal application. 

Complete Required Continuing Education

Requirements per License

Licensees renewing a Property, Casualty, Personal Lines, Accident & Health, Life or Variable Products license are required to complete 36 hours of approved continuing education, 3 of which must be approved as ethics, before submitting their renewal application. 

Specific Product Training Requirements

The Iowa Department of Insurance requires specific training requirements for individual agents selling, soliciting, or negotiating Long-Term Care products (LTC), Flood Insurance products (NFIP), and Annuity products (Annuity). Failing to complete the required training may jeopardize the agent’s authority to sell the related insurance products. 

Long-Term Care Training Requirements

  • Life or Accident & Health licensees must complete an approved 8-hour Long-term Care course before selling, soliciting, or negotiating long-term care insurance. 
  • Agents must also complete an approved 4-hour LTC refresher course every renewal period to continue selling, soliciting, or negotiating long-term care insurance. 
  • The initial and refresher LTC course credits count towards the agent's 36-hour CE requirement. 
  • Resident agents may complete these training requirements in any state provided the department has approved the course for long-term care credit prior to the agent taking the course. 
  • Non-resident agents may complete these training requirements in any state. 

Annuity Best Interest Training Requirements

  • Life or Variably Annuity licensees must complete an approved one-time 4-hour Annuity Best Interest course before selling, soliciting, or negotiating annuity products. 
  • Annuity course credits count towards the agent's 36-hour CE requirement. 
  • Resident and non-resident agents may complete these training requirements in any state with laws substantially similar to Iowa. 

Index Product Training 

  • A producer who wishes to sell indexed products shall complete at least one four-credit indexed products training course prior to providing any advice or making any sales presentation concerning an Indexed product.  
  • Program course Index Product Training credits count towards the agent's 36-hour CE requirement. 

Flood Insurance (NFIP) Training Requirements

  • Property and Casualty or Personal Lines licensees must complete an approved one-time 3-hour National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) course by the end of their first renewal period if they plan to sell, solicit, or negotiate Flood insurance.
  • The National Flood Insurance Program course credits count towards the agent's 48-hour CE requirement.

Requirements 

  • Licensees can use independent self-study courses to fill all requirements.
  • Licensees may take courses in any line of authority.
  • Self-study exams are closed book and require a monitor/proctor. 
  • Duplicate courses completed in the same renewal period are not allowed and cannot be carried over to future renewal cycles. 
  • Excess credits earned in the previous biennial renewal period cannot be carried over to the next reporting period. 

Reporting to your State

  • Students must provide their National Producer Number (NPN) to report on course completion. 
  • $1.00 per credit hour is required to report course completions to your state. 
  • Course completions are reported within one business day. 

Renew your License

Resident and nonresident license renewal applications are processed through Sircon. A $50 renewal fee is required. Agents with a continuing education requirement must obtain all required credits prior to their license expiration date. An agent will not be eligible to renew their insurance license(s) until they have satisfied their continuing education requirement.

Helpful Resources

Iowa Division of Insurance
https://iid.iowa.gov/regulated-individuals
515-654-6600
Producer.Licensing@iid.iowa.gov
1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 100, Des Moinies, IA 50315