Texas: preparing for the exam without a pre-licensing course?
- Thread starter Shmitty
- Start date
www.pmreview.com is a super review site referred to me, and I've been using to study until I can sit for the exam. The questions used as practice are the questions people remember from taking the different state exams, and the guy who made it keeps updated information for each state.
- Thread starter
- #3
- Thread starter
- #5
"The questions used as practice are the questions people remember from taking the different state exams, and the guy who made it keeps updated information for each state."
I would question the legality or at least the ethics of a program based on memorizing questions on the exams. How does that serve the public when a newly licensed agent has a good memory but otherwise knows nothing about insurance?
I would question the legality or at least the ethics of a program based on memorizing questions on the exams. How does that serve the public when a newly licensed agent has a good memory but otherwise knows nothing about insurance?
- 15,041
You know as well as I, getting licensed is just the start of knowledge. Otherwise why don't we all hire lawyers who just passed the bar or doctors who just graduated medical school? Generally it takes some real world experience to truly learn you profession. We do not set new doctors loose upon the world without completing a residency, and most attorneys get hired into firms were they do basic research and legal work to take the grunt work off more experience attorneys and to begin learning the law as it is applied.
Sadly for insurance agents and the public, we set them loose upon the world as soon as the license is issued.
As to the OP, I say you are being foolish if you don't take a pre-license course. Most are available online. You'll get basic insurance knowledge and then be prepared to take the exam.
"You know as well as I, getting licensed is just the start of knowledge. Otherwise why don't we all hire lawyers who just passed the bar or doctors who just graduated medical school?"
I had a question this week from a CIC with 42 years experience that wanted to know why someone with medical insurance needs UM coverage. So, even years of experience may not be enough in some cases.
But I'd say a lawyer who has just completed 4-8 years of undergraduate and graduate level instruction and passed a RIGOROUS set of examinations or a doctor who has just completed 8-10 years of undergraduate and medical school instruction is better suited for their occupations than someone whose qualifications consist of two years working at a convenience store then memorizing test questions and answers to get an insurance license.
This industry is best served by those committed to life-long learning and I realize that this only comes with time. However, there should be at least some minimum qualifications and reasonable rigorous testing before someone is qualified to counsel people trying to avoid financial disaster. Memorizing 50 questions and answers isn't the way.
I had a question this week from a CIC with 42 years experience that wanted to know why someone with medical insurance needs UM coverage. So, even years of experience may not be enough in some cases.
But I'd say a lawyer who has just completed 4-8 years of undergraduate and graduate level instruction and passed a RIGOROUS set of examinations or a doctor who has just completed 8-10 years of undergraduate and medical school instruction is better suited for their occupations than someone whose qualifications consist of two years working at a convenience store then memorizing test questions and answers to get an insurance license.
This industry is best served by those committed to life-long learning and I realize that this only comes with time. However, there should be at least some minimum qualifications and reasonable rigorous testing before someone is qualified to counsel people trying to avoid financial disaster. Memorizing 50 questions and answers isn't the way.
- 15,041
As soon as someone is willing to pay for it. Either through more rigorous schooling and/or an apprentice system. Something that both the medical and legal field have.
I would say the closest parallel would be accounting. To the best of my knowledge, there is absolutely no license or knowledge required to be a bookkeeper. For a CPA, yes, but an accountant, I don't believe there is any either. Sure, you can study accounting in college, but I'm unaware of any licensing as long as you don't call yourself a CPA.
VolAgent, I think we're on the same page. The people directly counseling consumers and business owners should have a level of qualification far higher than that currently required. I have been working with someone exploring a certification program that actually means something.
