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March 27, 2021

To become a life insurance agent in Canada, there are a few steps you have to do which varies by province. This article will give you a general overview of the process so you know what to expect and introduces PNC Learning’s new Life Insurance Agent course.

Step 1) Life Insurance Agent Course & Certification

First you need to study for the exam and get a certificate from an approved provider after completing the course. The Life License Qualification Program (LLQP) consists of 4 modules:

  1. Life Insurance
  2. Accident & Sickness Insurance
  3. Segregated Funds & Annuities
  4. Ethics & Professional Practice (there is another version of this module if you are in Quebec)

To get a full life insurance license, you need to complete all 4 of these modules. Once you complete the modules, your approved LLQP education provider will certify you on the Canadian Insurance Participant Registry (CIPR) which allows you to sit the official provincial licensing exam.

Step 2) LLQP Exam

The exams are administered by your provincial regulator. Here’s a list for your convenience:

Province/TerritoryRegulator
British Columbia (BC)Insurance Council of British Columbia
AlbertaAlberta Insurance Council (AIC)
OntarioFinancial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO)
SaskatchewanInsurance Council of Saskatchewan
ManitobaInsurance Council of Manitoba
New BrunswickFinancial and Consumer Services Commission
Newfoundland & LabradorSuperintendent of Insurance
Nova ScotiaSuperintendent of Insurance
Prince Edward Island (PEI)Superintendent of Insurance
QuebecAutorité des marchés financiers (AMF)
YukonSuperintendent of Insurance
Northwest TerritoriesSuperintendent of Insurance
NunavutSuperintendent of Insurance

You take the exam one module at a time but you need to pass all 4 within a 1 year time frame to earn your full life insurance license. Less courses are required for an Accident & Sickness (A&S) license.

Starting January 1st, 2016, the educational requirements across Canada were harmonized which means if you want to move to another province, you do not need to take any additional exams.

Step 3) Employment/Sponsorship

After you’ve passed, you need to find an insurance provider to work with. You contract with them to act as an insurance agent selling for them and they become your license sponsor. They will help you complete your licensing paperwork and oversee your work in this industry.

Step 4) Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance

Having insurance is a requirement of your licensing and will most likely come from your employer. This type of insurance protects you when clients claim that you have made a mistake.

Step 5) Life Insurance Agent Application

After you have all these pieces in place, you can complete your licensing application which includes submitting an application, paying a licensing fee, and passing background checks (criminal & financial).

Different provinces may have additional rules and requirements on top of the basic steps outlined here. For example, the Insurance Council of British Columbia requires all new licensees complete a Council Rules Course within 1 year of licensing.

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PNC Learning was started by insurance professionals for insurance professionals.

Our goal is to help you get a strong start in the industry and assist you as you seek to learn more and move up in the industry.