How to become an insurance agent in Georgia

Selling car insurance in Georgia can be a lucrative career. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for insurance sales agents is growing faster than average. Between 2022-2032, the profession is expected to grow by 8%.

Being a car insurance agent in Georgia has a number of benefits. If you own an independent agency, your career is self-directed and there is no limit to the amount of money you can make. You also get to choose the products you sell and the insurance companies you work with.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of how to become an insurance agent in GA and explain what the requirements are to start selling insurance in the Peach State.

How to become a licensed insurance agent in Georgia

To become a car insurance agent in Georgia, you must get a property & casualty (P&C) insurance license. An active license is legally required to sell insurance or open an agency in the state of Georgia.

If you’re thinking about becoming an insurance agent in Georgia, it’s important to understand the requirements and the costs associated with getting a license.

Licensing requirements for P&C insurance agents in GA

Here are the licensing requirements for P&C insurance in Georgia:

Take a pre-licensing course: You must complete an approved pre-licensing course for property and casualty insurance. The course requires 40 hours of study (20 hours for property insurance and 20 hours for casualty insurance). Once you complete the course, you will receive a certificate that you’ll submit with your license application.
Pass the licensing exam: After the pre-licensing course is complete, you can take the licensing exam. This is a proctored exam (in-person or online) that costs $63 per attempt. The P&C license test in Georgia consists of 80 questions and you have two hours to complete the exam. The passing score for the P&C exam in Georgia is 70%.
Submit the citizenship affidavit: Before you can apply for an insurance agent license, you must get a Citizenship Affidavit Form to verify your U.S. citizenship. You’ll also submit this form with your P&C license application. Your application cannot be processed without this form.
Apply for your insurance license: The next step is to apply for your P&C insurance license in Georgia. You will need to submit your passed exam document, your Citizenship Affidavit Form, and a valid form of personal identification. The cost to submit an application for property and casualty insurance is $120. You can apply online at NIPR or Sircon.
Undergo a background check: The final step is to undergo a background check and fingerprinting. The cost for fingerprinting is $51.50. If you have a criminal record with prior misdemeanors or felonies, it could compromise your ability to get your insurance license in Georgia.
Application review: Once your application has been submitted, it will be reviewed by the state (along with the background check). If the application is approved, you should receive your license within 14 business days.

Registering for a licensing exam

To register for a licensing exam in Georgia, you can start by finding an exam date and test center location. You can also register for an online exam. You will need to provide the following information to secure your exam date:

Legal name and address
Social Security number
Contact information
School where you did your pre-licensing education
Type of insurance license you are applying for

You will also need to pay the $63 exam fee. You can pay electronically via credit card, debit card, or a voucher. Exam vouchers can be purchased online in advance and are pre-paid.

What to do after you get your GA insurance license

After getting your insurance license in Georgia, you can start looking for jobs in the insurance field. If you decide to open your own insurance agency, there are additional requirements you will need to meet.

In Georgia, you are required to renew your insurance license every two years and take 24 hours of continuing education. Of those 24 hours, three hours must be related to insurance agent ethics or consumer protection. The cost of the license renewal and continuing education course is $100 per license.

In addition to the requirements for renewing your Georgia insurance agent license, it’s also a good idea to keep tabs on the industry on a regular basis. For example, understanding trends in car insurance rates can help your clients find the most affordable rates for their situations.

You can use our guide to Georgia rates to keep a pulse on car insurance trends in GA.

Frequently asked

What exam is required to sell insurance in Georgia?

To sell car insurance in Georgia, you must pass the property and casualty (P&C) insurance exam. It’s an 80-question test that must be passed with a score of 70% or better. If you want to sell other insurance lines, like life insurance or health insurance, there are different exams that you must take.

What are the education requirements to sell insurance in Georgia?

You must take an approved pre-licensing education course to sell insurance in Georgia. You are required to take pre-licensing courses for all the insurance lines you want to sell. Before you can take the insurance agent license exam, you will need to provide a certificate that verifies you completed the course and are eligible to take the licensing exam.

How to sell insurance in Georgia?

To sell insurance in Georgia, you must get a license. Obtaining an insurance license in Georgia requires pre-licensing education, passing the licensing exam, and undergoing a background check. If you want to open an insurance agency, there are other requirements you must follow.

How much does it cost to become an insurance agent in Georgia?

The cost of becoming an insurance agent in Georgia is around $235. There is a $63 fee for each licensing exam attempt and a $120 fee for submitting an application. Once the application has been submitted, you must pay $51.50 for the fingerprinting and background check. Every two years, you must pay $100 to renew your insurance agent license in the state.

Sources

For more information, you can check out this guide to getting an insurance agent license from the Georgia Commissioner of Insurance and Fire Safety.