Insurance Exam Prep

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The insured must provide a written notice of claim to the insurer within 20 days of a loss, or as soon as reasonably possible. - The 20-day notice period can be extended if circumstances, such as incapacitation, make it not reasonably possible for the insured to comply. - After receiving a notice o...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The length of the Grace Period is determined by the premium payment mode: 7 days for weekly, 10 for monthly, and 31 for all others. - Coverage remains in force during the Grace Period, but any unpaid premium will be deducted from a claim payment. - Reinstatement is required after a policy lapses and i...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The Entire Contract provision consists of the policy, the application, and any attached riders, forming the complete agreement. - Verbal statements or promises made by an agent that are not in the written contract are unenforceable. - The Time Limit on Certain Defenses sets a two-year period for insurers to contest m...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That all individual health policies must include the 12 mandatory provisions created by the NAIC to protect the insured. - How the exam tests your ability to differentiate between the 12 mandatory provisions and the 11 optional provisions. - The specific timelines for the Grace Period provision, which are 7, 10, or 31 days depending on premium f...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How Fee-for-Service reimbursement incentivizes the quantity of medical services provided. - The core concept of Capitation as a fixed, per-member-per-month payment, shifting financial risk to providers. - Why Salary-Based reimbursement removes the direct financial incentive for the volume of services. - The function of Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs) in reimbursing hospitals with a...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why a POS plan is considered a hybrid of HMO and PPO plans. - The critical role of the Primary Care Physician (PCP) as a gatekeeper in POS plans. - The key features of an EPO plan, including its strict network and lack of a referral requirement. - How the exam t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - PPOs offer a network of preferred providers for lower costs but allow out-of-network care at a higher cost-sharing for the member. - Unlike HMOs, PPOs do not require a Primary Care Physician (PCP) to act as a gatekeeper. - Members of a PPO can see specialists without needing a referral. - T...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The two defining characteristics of an HMO are its prepaid service model and the use of a Primary Care Physician (PCP) as a gatekeeper. - HMO members must use in-network providers, and there is no coverage for out-of-network care except in cases of a true medical emergency. - A referral from t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The primary purpose of exclusions is to manage risk, prevent adverse selection, and maintain affordable premiums. - Under the ACA, pre-existing conditions cannot be excluded or charged higher premiums in compliant health plans. - A waiting period for employer-sponsored health benefits cannot exceed 90 days from the date of eligibility. - Injuries s...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The main purpose of Coordination of Benefits (COB) is to prevent receiving payments that exceed 100% of the cost of services. - How to determine the primary payer when an individual is covered under their own employer's plan and a spouse's plan. - The "Birthday Rule" makes the primary payer the parent w...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That UCR is the maximum amount an insurer recognizes for a service in a specific geographic area, based on what local providers usually charge. - How balance billing occurs when an out-of-network provider charges more than the UCR amount and bills the patient for the difference. - That all insurer payment c...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The out-of-pocket maximum is the absolute most an insured will pay for covered, in-network services in a policy year. - Once the out-of-pocket limit is reached, the insurance company pays 100% of all subsequent covered costs. - Deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments for covered services are the three costs that count toward meeting t...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How comprehensive major medical plans simplified insurance by combining basic and major medical coverage into a single policy. - The function of the single, unified deductible that replaced the older, more confusing corridor deductible system. - How a unified coinsurance percentage applies to most expenses after the deductible is met. - T...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Major Medical policies provide broad coverage with high limits and are the most tested health policy type. - The correct calculation order for a claim is: total bill, minus the calendar-year deductible, then apply the coinsurance percentage. - The out-of-pocket maximum, also known as the stop-loss provision, is the absolute most a...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That Basic Medical Expense policies provide 'first-dollar' coverage, meaning they pay benefits from the start without an annual deductible. - The critical difference between a per-cause deductible, found in Basic plans, and the annual deductible used in Major Medical policies. - The three core components of Basic Medical insurance: Hospital Expense, S...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The difference between a per-cause and a calendar-year deductible and how it impacts out-of-pocket costs. - How individual and family deductibles, including embedded deductibles, are applied on the exam. - The function of a fixed-dollar copayment and its relationship to the deductible. - How to calculate the insured's responsibility using a p...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Indemnity plans, or fee-for-service, provide maximum provider choice and operate on a reimbursement basis. - Managed care plans, like HMOs and PPOs, use provider networks to control costs and lower premiums. - HMOs utilize a Primary Care Physician (PCP) as a gatekeeper, requiring referrals for specialist care. - PPOs offer the f...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The absolute guarantee of a Noncancellable policy: no cancellation and no premium increases. - The key difference in Guaranteed Renewable policies: renewal is guaranteed but premiums can increase by class. - How Conditionally Renewable policies allow non-renewal only for specific, non-health related reasons. - The insurer's right to non-renew for any r...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical difference between reimbursement (commercial) and service (BCBS, HMO) models. - How HMOs use gatekeepers (PCPs), networks, and capitation to manage care. - Why Blue Cross Blue Shield plans are considered service providers that pay doctors directly. - The number one exam trap: self-insured employer plans are regulated by federal E...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Individual underwriting focuses on a single person's health, while group underwriting assesses the collective risk of the entire group. - Experience rating for group plans bases premiums on the group's past claims history. - Community rating for individual plans sets premiums based on geographical area, not personal health. - Group insurance n...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Health insurance addresses four key losses: medical expenses, disability income, accidental death, and long-term care needs. - The crucial exam distinction between Medical Expense insurance, which pays for care, and Disability Income insurance, which replaces lost wages. - A peril is the direct cause of loss in health insurance, which is l...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • Distinguish 401(k) plans by their use in the private sector and their reliance on employee salary deferrals. • Identify 403(b) plans as Tax-Sheltered Annuities specifically designed for nonprofit and public school employees. • Recognize SEP IRAs as employer-funded plans allowing up to 25 percent of compensation for small b...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam life insurance exam. In this episode you will learn: • The fundamental tax differences between Traditional tax-deferred IRAs and Roth tax-free IRAs. • The 2025 annual contribution limits of $7,000 and the $1,000 catch-up provision for individuals aged 50 and older. • How to identify "qualified distributions" for Roth IRAs including the five-year rule and age requirements. • The rules...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam insurance exam. In this episode you will learn: • Qualified plans must comply with ERISA and IRS non-discrimination rules to ensure benefits are available to all eligible employees. • Non-qualified plans allow employers to selectively choose participants and are often used as executive compensation tools. • Employer contributions to qualified plans are immediately tax-ded...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • How the transfer-for-value rule converts income tax-free death benefits into taxable income. • The calculation formula for determining the taxable gain when a policy is sold for value. • The five specific business exceptions including transfers to the insured or their partners. • Why transfers to corporations where the...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • How LIFO taxation dictates that interest and earnings are withdrawn and taxed first in non-qualified annuities. • The application of the exclusion ratio during the annuitization phase to separate taxable interest from tax-free principal. • Why withdrawals before age 59.5 trigger a 10% penalty specifically on the taxable earning...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • The definition of an IRC Section 1035 tax-free exchange and how it defers tax on gains. • Which product swaps are permitted, including Life to Life and Life to Annuity. • The critical prohibited exchange from an Annuity to a Life Insurance policy. • How the original cost basis car...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam life insurance exam. In this episode you will learn: • How the seven-pay test calculates cumulative premium limits to determine MEC status. • The shift from FIFO to LIFO taxation and how it affects policy withdrawals and loans. • The impact of the ten percent IRS penalty for distributions taken before age fifty-nine and a h...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • Cash value growth within a permanent life insurance policy is tax-deferred until accessed. • Withdrawals follow the FIFO (First-In-First-Out) rule, where premiums are returned tax-free first. • Any withdrawal amount exceeding the policy's cost basis is taxed as ordinary income, never capital gains. • Policy loans are generally...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam life estate exam. In this episode you will learn: • The fundamental rule under IRC Section 101(a)(1) that keeps death benefits income tax-free. • How to calculate the taxable portion of installment payouts using the PIT mnemonic. • The specific tax-free qualifications for accelerated death benefits in cases of terminal illness. • The tax implicati...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam real estate exam. In this episode you will learn: • The six essential customer data points required by FINRA Rule 2330 • How to apply the LISTEN mnemonic to verify annuity suitability • The critical differences between the suitability standard and the NAIC Best Interest standard • The specific seven business day window for principal review an...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the Life Insurance Exam [National] exam. In this episode you will learn: • Surrender charges function as a declining back-end load used by insurers to recoup initial policy issuance costs. • A standard surrender period typically lasts six to ten years with the penalty percentage decreasing annually. • The ten percent free withdrawal provision allows policyowners penalty...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam real estate exam. In this episode you will learn: • Why Life Only (Straight Life) provides the highest possible monthly payment for the annuitant. • How Life with Period Certain guarantees income for life while protecting beneficiaries for a set term. • The mechanics of Joint and Survivor options and how they support income...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • How interest credits are linked to external market indices without direct equity investment. • The function of the zero percent floor in ensuring total principal protection. • How participation rates and caps determine the maximum interest credited to the account. • Why indexed annuities are classified as insurance...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam life insurance exam. In this episode you will learn: • Variable annuities utilize separate accounts to invest in equities, providing a potential hedge against inflation. • The contract owner bears all investment risk, distinguishing variable annuities from fixed products. • Dual licensing is required, necessitating both a state insurance license and a federal securit...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam life insurance exam. In this episode you will learn: • Why the insurance company bears 100% of the investment risk in a fixed annuity. • How the general account operates using conservative assets like bonds and mortgages. • The difference between the guaranteed minimum interest rate and the current interest rate. • Why fixed annuities fail to p...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • The specific twelve month timeframe that distinguishes immediate annuities from deferred annuities. • Why immediate annuities are always funded with a single premium and lack an accumulation period. • How deferred annuities can be funded via single or periodic premiums while focusing on long term growth. • The relat...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • The accumulation phase represents the pay-in period where funds grow on a tax-deferred basis. • Withdrawals made during the accumulation phase are taxed using the last-in first-out (LIFO) method. • The annuitization phase is an irrevocable conversion of a lump sum into a guaranteed income stream. • Once a co...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam life insurance exam. In this episode you will learn: • The definition of longevity risk and why annuities are the primary solution for outliving assets. • The fundamental differences between life insurance which creates an estate and annuities which liquidate one. • How tax-deferred growth functions during the accumulation phase of an annuity contrac...

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. This episode covers content for the National Exam. In this episode you will learn: • Why dividends are considered a tax-free return of premium rather than taxable income. • The critical distinction between mutual company dividends and stock company dividends. • How the Accumulation at Interest option creates a taxable event on the interest portion. • Why Paid-Up Additions is often the default o...