I am often asked what’s the best way to study for an insurance exam.  While it’s important to know how to properly prepare for a state licensing examination, it’s just as (if not maybe more so) important to know what not to do when getting ready to test.  What follows are five reasons why people fail, not listed in any particular order.  When you read the list that follows, you’ll likely think that nothing discussed applies to you.  In fact, I’ll wager that at least one of them applies and likely more.  Please read on for more information! Read the rest of this entry »

ProSchools is proud to announce that we have partnered with ClearCert, LLC.  ClearCert is an industry-leading provider of compliance services to the major Long-Term Care (LTC) insurance companies.  ClearCert, an Ohio corporation,  has entered into agreements with insurers and insurance educational providers to ensure compliance with the new LTC educational requirements mandated by the individual states and the NAIC’s Model Long-Term Care Act.  Read on for more! Read the rest of this entry »

One of the questions that I am asked frequently deals with life insurance beneficiary designations made through the life insurance company and whether a last will and testament will alter this designation.  I give you the following e-mail sent to me from Stephanie R. in Denver, Colorado concerning this issue:

“Dear PIB, my father-in-law recently passed away.  We have found out that he has several life insurance policies that show his wife (my mother) as the beneficiary on both policies.  When reading his will, the attorneys discovered that he attempted to change who gets the life insurance money through the will.  As best as we can determine, no changes were ever made at the insurance company.  We have talked to his agent, the insurance company and anyone else with knowledge about the life insurance payment and it appears as if the will won’t change anything…it had to be done through the insurance company in order to be effective.  The reason I ask is that the will named my husband and me as the people who were supposed to get the money.  We don’t need the money, it’s just that my mother has a tendency to spend money on things that she doesn’t need and we’re worried that she’ll spend it foolishly.  Any advice?  Thanks, Stephanie. Read the rest of this entry »

The Life and Health Insurance Review is set for June 9, 2009 at our Cedar Hills classroom, and will run from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, give or take a few minutes.  There is no cost for currently enrolled ProSchools students and $99 for non-ProSchools enrollees.  For directions to the classroom and phone numbers, click HERE!

Please make sure to bring all of your textbooks (if you did a classroom course), notes, paper, pencils/pens and anything else you might feel you need in a review session.  The pace will be brisk and concentrated.  We will begin with an overview of the test itself, some “do’s and don’ts,” content discussions and a short Q&A on the test.  We will then take on health insurance, followed by insurance law and finishing with life insurance.  I hope to see you there!

One of the things that we pride ourselves at ProSchools is our ability to keep current with the changes that affect our students, and the changes that are happening in Washington are no exception.  Effective July 1, 2009, the state of Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) is making significant changes to the prelicense education mandates and rules.  If you would like to view the actual rule changes, click HERE for the text version of the legislation.  This information is critical to those prelicense students who are either currently enrolled in a ProSchools program or are planning on obtaining an insurance license in the near future.  This absolutely affects you if you are in Washington and are studying for your insurance license, so please read on for the changes! Read the rest of this entry »

ProSchools is proud to announce that we have “opened the doors” in Colorado for insurance prelicense training!  Following the Pearson-Vue content outline,  ProSchools is now offering our industry-leading insurance prelicense training solutions to the state that’s home of the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets, Avalanche,  Colorado College and the University of Denver (the last two for you college hockey fans)!  We are very excited to be in Colorado and we look forward to serving the Centennial state and Colorful Colorado!  We have years of experience with the Pearson-Vue insurance examination system, and can prepare you for your state test so that you’re ready to pass on the first attempt!

Click on the following links to get some useful information:

• The Colorado Insurance Prelicense Content Outline (as provided by Pearson-Vue)
• The ProSchools page that will answer all of your Colorado insurance questions on how to get licensed!
• The “buy-now” link for prelicense courses
• The Colorado Insurance Division’s homepage

We are currently offering prelicense courses for Life, Accident and Health and Property and Casualty insurance.  Look for continuing education in the future!  Hello Colorado!

Hello PIBbers!  I have recently run across a question in the Oregon Health insurance examination that asks about the limits that are available under the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool, or “OMIP.”  This specific material is not yet included within your textbook or online materials, so I thought I would let you know (isn’t that nice)!  It is going to be made part of the revised materials which will be online and in the printed versions shortly.

The OMIP plan is a plan for individuals that cannot obtain medical expense coverage through normal channels; the insured has been denied coverage due to their medical conditions, can’t get COBRA or portability coverage, or are eligible for a federal health coverage tax credit.  Think “uninsurable” for the most part.

The lifetime limit for an individual under OMIP is $2,000,000!  Remember this for the Oregon test!

Pibbers, I just wanted to post a response to a few questions that I have recently received concerning the “new” Oregon insurance exam administered by Prometric.  Take a look below at some of the comments that I have received:

1. I agree! When I took my Health exam I was stunned to see questions that were not covered in the study material. It had questions on Social Security and tax that I had not seen before. I felt the test was not fair and slighted so I would fail it. Is this a way for them to get more money with increased re-testing?
2. It only took 6 months of complaints before you decided to do this. Kudos on the timely response.
3. Well, I have been studying the Life portion of the ProSchools course and am just getting ready to start in on the Health. This is good information, and a bit concerning? Have you learned anything recently? Or maybe an update on the retirement taxation laws?  I will read on. And, am also excited about getting into the insurance business.
   All suggestions are appreciated.  I found the hardest thing to understand is all the different types of whole life products?

I have responded to these questions within the posts they were attached to, but I have learned quite a bit about the exam through my testing experience a few days ago.  Read on for my thoughts and suggestions! Read the rest of this entry »

Good Afternoon Pibbers!  This is just a quick note, but I wanted you all to know that several ProSchools staffers have taken the Oregon Insurance Test!  Woo-Hoo!  I will address our findings shortly- right now I’m in the middle of de-briefing the material found on the test.  So, for now- watch the ProSchools Blog and come back in a day or two to see what we found!  -Gary

Well, the Oregon Insurance Division has posted on their website the 2007  annual report for the top 25 insurers.  Very interesting report, and might lend considerable insight to what’s going on with rates here in the great state of Oregon.  To link directly to the Insurance Division report, click here! 

Some of the more interesting tidbits from the report include Read the rest of this entry »