Mastering the Insurance Licensing Exam: How to pass on your first try!

Welcome, future insurance professionals!

If you are wondering how to pass the insurance licensing exam on the first try, you have come to the right place. Whether you are preparing for the Property & Casualty, Life & Health, Crop, or Laws tests, understanding the exam environment and utilizing effective test-taking strategies is just as important as knowing the material.

Before diving into the strategies, it's worth highlighting how Norris Training is the only in-person Pre-licensing provider offered in Kansas. If you're not able to make it to Wichita to join us in person, we also simultaneously stream all of our courses.

Additionally, many students appreciate how Norris training offers instructor led and self study options, so people can simply buy the materials for the insurance licensing exam.

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Here is a breakdown of the best strategies to conquer your exam.

1. Know What to Expect on Test Day

   
   

   Anxiety is a common hurdle, so understanding the environment beforehand will help you walk in feeling prepared and comfortable.

   
   

   Expect security: you will not be allowed to bring anything into the room—no phones, jackets, or keys. You will be checked thoroughly and asked to affirm test rules. Once seated, you will be provided with noise-blocking headphones, a calculator, and a marker board for scratch notes.

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2. Perfect Your Pacing

   
   

   Time management is critical. For the Property & Casualty and Life & Health exams, you will have 2.5 hours to tackle 156 questions You should aim to answer a question every 40 to 45 seconds.

   
   

   1. The MARK and REVIEW Buttons: If you encounter a confusing question, answer it to the best of your ability, hit the "MARK" button, and move on. Do not disrupt your pace by dwelling on a single question. You can use the "REVIEW" button at the end of the test to revisit these marked items

      
      

   2. Two Separate Sections: Be aware that the exam is split into two sections that are completed separately. You must review and submit the first section before you can start the second, meaning you cannot go back once the second section begins

      
      

   3. Un-scored Questions: Do not panic if you see a concept you have never studied. There are 16 "un-scored" practice questions hidden in the exam that will not count against you.

1. The Golden Rule: RTWDT

   
   

   If you take a Norris classroom course, you will hear this constantly: RTWDT, or "Read The Whole Darn Thing". The test uses tricks that can easily be avoided by reading the entire question and every single answer option. You will often encounter "Best Answer" questions where two choices seem partially right, but one is the most correct. Reading everything provides context and prevents you from jumping at the first partially correct answer you see.

1. Master Multiple-Choice Tactics

   When you are stuck on a difficult question, rely on these proven strategies

   
   

   1. Elimination: Cross out the answers you know for a fact are wrong. Even if you can only narrow it down to two choices, an educated guess between two options is far better than four. Because there are no penalties for wrong answers, never leave a question blank.

      
      

   2. The True/False Method: Simplify wordy questions by turning the core of the question and its answers into True/False statements. This makes it easier to spot which answer makes logical sense.

      
      

      1. Watch for Qualifiers: Pay close attention to absolute words like "Always," Never," "Only," or "Sometimes," as these are massive hints toward the correct answer.

         
         

   3. Educated Guessing: If you are totally stumped, go with your gut instinct. Alternatively, choose the longest answer, pick answers with qualifying terms like "often" or "most," or eliminate answers that use specific determiners like "everyone" or "always".

Ultimately, you cannot spend too much time studying. Be sure to review both your pre-study materials and your classroom notes thoroughly. Stay calm, focused, and remember to Read The Whole Darn Thing, and you will be well on your way to a passing score!

Check out these related articles for How to Schedule your Exam or the Math behind passage rates!