The insurance test in Oregon is changing yet once again! There are a couple of things in the pike as we speak and I want to make sure that all of you are aware of the happenings, so read on! Oregon is looking at changing a few things to mirror the NAIC’s methodology in terms of testing a prelicense education. One thing that is definitely changing is the way that Oregon will test insurance prelicensing candidates. Click below to read the rest of the article!
Per the email that was sent to all Oregon Prelicensing education providers from James Thompson, the Oregon Producer Licensing Manager:
“The Oregon Insurance Division is changing the order of the resident license application. Currently, applicants are able to schedule and take a licensing exam only after first receiving approval from the division.
Beginning January 1, 2011 applicants may no longer submit a license application for pre-screening purposes prior to taking the examination. All license applications are to be submitted after successfully passing any required examinations. Each applicant will be able to schedule the exam with the exam vendor whenever they are ready to test. They will no longer be required to wait for exam eligibility to be issued by the division.
If applicants are interested in being licensed in multiple lines of authority, they should apply for the license only after they have completed the exams for all lines of authority they wish to be licensed for. Once a license has been issued, the addition of lines of authority would require another application.
This will not modify any prelicense training requirements. Students will still be required to present proof of completion of all required training in order to sit for the exam.
Beginning January 1, 2011 students will schedule and take the examination, have their fingerprints digitally taken, and apply electronically for the license from the testing centers. These results of each of these will be forwarded to our office for processing. Students will need to take a debit or credit card with them to the testing center so that they can submit the license application to NIPR after successfully completing the exam.
As of this date, no application for a resident license will be processed without passing exam results and a completed background check.”
So…what does this mean? In simple terms:
- Study for your test using an approved education provider and make sure to complete the required number of hours of prelicense education prior to testing.
- Take and pass the examination(s) for your lines of authority
- Complete the fingerprinting requirement at the test center ($$$)
- Apply to the Insurance Divisions through NIPR ($$$)
In addition to the changes mentioned above, there is the possibility that the testing provider (currently Thompson-Prometric) will be changing. The Insurance Division is in the process of looking at RFPs for the testing of insurance licensing candidate and expects to award the contract to a testing provider within the next few days. As such, there’s the possibility that the test content outlines are going to be changing as well. I will keep all of you informed and will post a blog article as soon as I learn something!
Finally, the application process itself is going to change. While we are looking at an effective date of 1/1/2011 for the process itself to change (per above), the Oregon DOI is also changing the application and renewal process. Effective 1/1/2011, everything is going electronic. Applications, renewals and continuing education reporting are changing as well. We don’t have the specifics on this yet, but I anticipate having all of the new information shortly and will make sure you all are aware.
In terms of renewal licenses, it’s simply the reporting and renewal notification that’s changing, not the requirement that a licensee complete his CE. So, you still have to do CE, but the method of how it’s done is changing. While the state is still in the stages of determining exactly how reporting is going to be done, it’s a given that it WILL change; we just don’t have the details as of right now.
Since all renewals are going to be done electronically and no more paper renewals are going to be sent as of 1/1/2011, it’s important that the division has your current email address! Mr. Thompson has asked me to publish the email address that all agents need to submit a current email address to in order to be notified of their renewal status.
Please send all notifications of current email addresses to: web.insagent@state.or.us (cut and paste this into the email address)
Please let me know if you have any questions and I will do all I can to get you the info! Stay tuned…lot’s more on this in the near future!