Getting your Life and Health Insurance License in Connecticut allows you to sell insurance products that protect from financial hardship due to death, illness, or medical expenses.
Whether you’re working to become a life insurance agent in Connecticut, begin selling health insurance, or expanding the insurance products you can offer your current clients, we’re here to make the process of getting your license easy.
On this page you’ll find step-by-step instructions to find a quality license course, pass your exam, and apply for the insurance license you need.
Life and Health Insurance License Basics
Before discussing the steps required to get these licenses, you should understand the basics of each line of insurance.
Connecticut Life Insurance License
A life insurance license allows you to sell life insurance products, annuities, and other death benefit policies.
Connecticut Health Insurance License
A health insurance license lets you sell health insurance plans, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and other health-related coverage.
Depending on the job or position you’re working toward, it may only require you to carry one license or the other.
Jobs focused primarily on health insurance sales, medicare advantage, marketplace navigators, etc… generally only need the health insurance license.
Positions like a life insurance agent, employee benefits manager, banking, and financial managers generally require both the life and health insurance licenses.
How much does it cost to get a life and health insurance license in Connecticut?
The total cost to get your life and health license in Connecticut is around $390 – $600. To get a single line license – life insurance or health insurance – it’s around $250 – $560. Your costs will vary based on the level of your pre-license course and assume you pass your test on the first attempt.
How long does it take to get a life and health insurance license in Connecticut?
Most people get licensed in 2-4 weeks if they’re focused. Some folks take more time to study, some require less. After passing your exams, the Connecticut Insurance Department typically processes applications within a few business days. If you’re studying part-time while working another job, plan on 4-6 weeks total.
How to Get Your Connecticut Life and Health Insurance License
The first step to getting your Connecticut Life and Health Insurance License is to take an insurance pre-license course.
Connecticut requires new agents to take 20 hours per line of pre-license education. For Life and Health applicants, this means you’ll take 40 hours of coursework in total.
These courses start from around $139, and range up to around $350. They can be taken for an individual line, or a combination of both L&H lines.
The price range reflects the different “level” of course that you take, which affects which type of teaching you receive – and the additional features of the course.
Lower cost courses are at your own pace video courses, while higher cost courses give you access to live instructors that can answer questions and clear up any misconceptions.
There are also features like flashcards, practice exams, money-back guarantees, cram sheets, etc…
Each attempt at the exam comes at a cost, so be sure to choose the course that gives you the best tools to pass the first time – not just the least expensive.
Once you have the course, take your study seriously. Spend the time you need until you feel you have a deep comprehension of the material. Only then should you move on to the exam!
Step 2: Connecticut Life and Health Insurance License Exam
After you’ve completed your pre-license course, the next step is to take the Connecticut Life and Health Insurance License Exams.
You can choose to test for each line separately, or you can take a combo exam that covers both lines.
To pass any of the exams, you’ll need to answer at least 70% of the questions correctly.
Life and Health insurance exams can be tough, with first-time pass rates hovering around 55-67%.
Since 2016, we’ve spoken to hundreds of test-takers, and taken several insurance exams ourselves. Based on this experience, we can confidently say that low pass can be blamed on lack of preparation.
Whether or not you’re a “good test-taker”, competence breeds confidence. This means if you know the material and terminology, you’ll do fine on the exam.
If you take your exam prep course seriously and spend the proper time to understand the terms and concepts, passing on your first try is absolutely achievable.
Step 3: Connecticut Insurance License Application
After passing your exam, the next step is to submit your Connecticut Insurance License Application.
Connecticut’s insurance applications are administered through NIPR.
The CT Insurance Department states to wait 1-2 business days after passing the exam to submit your application.
Connecticut Insurance License Background Checks
Background checks are conducted to protect consumers from fraud and dishonest practices. They primarily look for felony convictions, financial crimes like theft or fraud, and any previous insurance license suspensions or revocations.
Minor offenses or misdemeanors usually won’t stop you from getting a license, but failing to disclose them on your application can result in denial.
Once you’ve submitted everything, CID will process your application.
If you’ve done everything correctly and nothing comes up on your background check, this process should only take a few days. Keep an eye out for an email with your approval and new license number!
If the state needs further information from you regarding your background check, be sure to respond promptly to any requests or correspondence.
After Getting Your License
Get Additional Licenses
After getting your first license, your position may require additional license types alongside the L&H license.
FINRA Securities Licenses
If you’re working to become a life insurance agent or insurance agency owner, your next step is to start the FINRA securities licensing process.
Any life insurance products that are tied to a security (ex. variable life insurance) require you to carry either a Series 6 or Series 7 license, as well as a Series 63, 65, or 66 license.
All FINRA licenses begin by passing the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam, then moving to the individual licenses after that.
Property & Casualty Licenses
If your plan is to work within an insurance agency, your next step is getting the CT P&C License.
The property and casualty license opens up the most common insurance products like auto, home, and other property-related policies.
Surrounding States
Many folks working in insurance sales – especially life insurance sales – will need to work outside of their home state. Since insurance licenses are state-specific, you’ll need to get licensed in each state you wish to sell products in.
We recommend starting with the states surrounding your home state:
New York
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
New Jersey
Find Work
If you don’t already have a position lined up, we recommend checking out an insurance-specific job board like StateRequirement Jobs.
If you’re looking to become an independent life insurance agent, your next step is to get appointed with insurance companies. Appointments are the contracts that allow you to market and sell products from that insurance provider.
Connecticut Insurance License Renewal and CE
Keeping your license in good-standing with the Connecticut Insurance Department requires you to complete continuing education requirements and renew your license before the expiration date.
License renewal requirements:
Renew your license every 2 years
Complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) per renewal period