Can You Get Better Health Insurance Online Than From an Employer Or Private Insurance Agency?

The first step to becoming a health insurance agent is to get licensed. We recommend taking the classroom course instead of online if at all possible. We also strongly recommend ordering a practice CD. This will be invaluable since you can run some trial exams to test your knowledge. Do not schedule the exam until you can score at least 90% on your practice exam. You state's department of insurance will provide information on how to become licensed in the "producer" or "agent" section. You can check the website at

In many states you will need a sponsor to obtain your license. If you're going to be independent some states may waive the sponsorship requirement, however if you need a sponsor you can contact us at the information below and we can put you in touch with a local agency.

Once you've passed, the next step is to obtain contracts. Unlike life insurance that has many "career shops" there are not many captive health insurance outfits that will offer training and support. Those that do exist typically offer reduced commission and limited product offerings.

We recommend getting appointed with all the carriers in your state that offer major medical. You can obtain a list of carriers in your state from your department of insurance. The process of getting appointed is simple. You'll fill out contracting paperwork and pay your state's appointment fee.

Please make sure you're getting the best deal possible regarding commissions. Commissions, in most cases, is negotiable. You'll want to contact a few agencies and make sure you're getting top commission possible. If you run into an agency that offers reduced commissions because "you're new" simply move on and continue to shop. Many agents will give new agents top commissions.