Individuals who wish to earn commissions for insurance transactions conducted in the state must obtain the appropriate license. Applicants must prove they have the necessary knowledge and integrity in order to secure a license.
All applicants must be at least 18 years old, reside in the state of Tennessee (or apply for a non-resident license) and prove they are financially responsible, competent and trustworthy. The Department of Commerce and Insurance wants to make sure its insurance agents will properly represent their policyholders and/or insurance companies.
Pre-licensing Education Requirements
To become a licensed agent or broker the state requires candidates to take pre-licensing classes. The amount of education hours required depends on the type of license. As of this writing the pre-licensing education requirements are outlined as follows:
- Life - 20 hours
- Accident & Health - 20 hours
- Property - 20 hours
- Casualty - 20 hours
- Title - 5 hours
- Personal Lines - 20 hours
Insurance education courses are offered from a wide list of approved education providers. Please be advised, however, that in order to access the online education providers' database, candidates must use Internet Explorer version 6.0 or better and must also have the certificate of class completion before being able to schedule the state licensing exam.
Tennessee State Licensing Exam
All exams are administered through Pearson Vue. By visiting their website, licensing applicants can schedule the time, date and location for taking the exam. Remember to bring the pre-licensing education certificate as proof of satisfying the necessary education requirements.
In addition to scheduling the exam, Pearson Vue offers a host of valuable online information. Their Insurance Candidate Handbook provides important information on what to bring to the exam and what to expect. Additionally, applicants can download an exam content outline or even take an online practice test.
Criminal Background Check
The state of Tennessee requires each of its applicants to undergo a criminal background check. The Department of Commerce and Insurance uses an organization called Cogent Tennessee Applicant Background Check Procedures to coordinate the fingerprinting process.
To make an appointment, call or visit their website (Tennessee.cogentid.com). Once the fingerprints are taken they are checked against the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) databases.
To expedite matters, its best to start the fingerprinting process prior to taking the state exam. This way the criminal background check could be completed and forwarded to the state by the time they receive the passing test score. Coordinating it in such a way will prevent a delay in issuing the insurance license.
Receiving the Tennessee Insurance License
Upon successfully passing the state exam (scores are automatically sent to the state) candidates must complete the Individual Producer License Application and submit it along with the filing fee (currently $50). The application can be filed online via NIPR.com (National Insurance Producer Registry) or downloaded and mailed to the Department of Commerce and Insurance.
If submitting the application via NIPR, wait at least 48 hours after taking the exam before submitting the application. If using snail mail, it takes 15 days after the application is received by the Agent Licensing Section to be processed.
Insurance License Term and Continuing Education
Tennessee insurance producer licenses are valid for a period of two years. During those two years brokers must take at least 24 hours of continuing education credits. Only insurance producers who have been licensed continually since January 1, 1994 are exempt from the continuing education requirement.
Felicia A. Williams - Felicia A. Williams is a full time freelance writer with over 20 years of business writing experience.
