Registering for the OTL Exam

Before applying for your general insurance agent license in Ontario, you must successfully pass a qualifying exam known as the ‘Other Than Life (OTL) Agent’s Exam’.

Passing the ‘Other Than Life’ (OTL) Agent’s Exam is just one of the requirements needed to receive the Agents License. Applicants must be sponsored by a licensed insurer, among other requirements. For more information on the requirements to become a general insurance agent in Ontario, please visit http://www.fsrao.ca.

Insurance agents who hold a general license from another Canadian province or territory can apply for the same license in Ontario without writing the full Other Than Life (OTL) Agent’s Exam. Out of province candidates will instead need to successfully pass the Ontario Agent Auto Equivalency Examination. More information on this exam is available below.

NEW! The Institute is now offering in-person licensing exams on select days at various Institute examination centres. You now have a choice - write your exam online using the virtually proctored service or come in to one of our exam centres.

Please note, the OTL Agent's exam now includes 110 Multiple-Choice Questions (including 10 unscored pilot questions). For more information about the pilot questions, please read the "What can I expect during the OTL Agent's exam?" and "I still have questions" tabs. 

You may not need to write this exam if:

• If you have a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation (contact FSRA for more information)
• If you hold a licence from another province or territory ( (you may be eligible to write the Ontario Agent Auto Equivalency Examination, see the following section)

If you have any questions about the exam, please contact the OTL Agent's Exam Administrator at otlexam@insuranceinstitute.ca. If you have any questions about applying for an Agents Licence, licence cost, lapsed licences, or any other enquiries related to agents licensing, please contact FSRA.

Insurance agents who hold a general licence from another Canadian province or territory can apply for the same licence in Ontario without completing the full education program required for new Ontario applicants. You would still need to complete the Ontario Agent Auto Equivalency Exam.

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) regulates and licenses all insurance agents in Ontario. Please visit the FSRA website to determine whether you are eligible to write this exam prior to registering.

OTL Agent’s Exam:

We have many options to help you prepare for your OTL Agent's Exam.

Note - The study kit forms the basis of your knowledge and is strongly recommended for all learning options (including in-class and online classes).

If you prefer to learn on your own and set your own pace, then check out the study kit and online tutorial.

If you prefer to learn in a classroom setting with an instructor, then check out our in-class and virtual class learning options.

If you prefer the flexibility of learning on your own, listening to recordings, and some guidance from an instructor, then check out our recorded class.

OTL Agent Auto Equivalency Exam:

To help prepare for the OTL Agent Auto Equivalency Exam, check out the Ontario Auto Self-Study Kit.

Virtual proctoring requires you to install software on your laptop/computer, allowing an online proctor to monitor your exam via your webcam, microphone, and system activity. The virtual proctor will closely monitor your on-screen activity and off-screen behavior.

If the proctor notices any unusual behavior during the exam, they will notify the Institute so that appropriate action can be taken. You are expected to follow all proctor instructions and Institute exam policies..

After you submit your exam online, your grade will be posted within 2 business days.

For more information on virtual proctored exams, visit our Online Exam page.

Technical requirements:

Virtual proctoring has certain technical requirements. Please review the system requirements on our virtual proctoring page. You must ensure you can meet these requirements prior to registering.

In-person exams are computer exams held at select Institute and third-party exam centres. Sittings start promptly at the scheduled start time so please arrive at least 30 minutes early. Computers will be supplied and include secure features such as screen protection and locked-down browser software. A proctor will check you in when you arrive at the centre and verify your identity. You are expected to follow all proctor instructions and Institute exam policies.

After you submit your exam online, your grade will be posted within 2 business days. You’ll be notified by email as soon as your grade is available.

1. Your IIC member ID and password to log into IIC's exam administration portal.
2. Students must present original, valid (non-expired) government-issued photo identification (passport, Canadian driver’s licence, Canadian health card, Canadian Permanent Resident card) for identity verification before they can write their exam. Digital copies or photocopies are not permitted. Students without original, valid government-issued photo identification will not be permitted to write their examination and will be required to reschedule subject to the rescheduling fee.
3. The name on the government-issued photo identification must match the name the student used to register for the examination (the name in the Insurance Institute Member account), otherwise the student will not be permitted to write the examination and will be required to reschedule, subject to the rescheduling fee.

Online exams

Exam sittings start at various times during the day, 7 days a week, subject to proctor availability. Booking times are based on a 24 hour clock, so ensure you select the correct time you intend to write at. For instance, if you want to write at 2 pm, select 14:00 hrs. Seats are booked on a first-come, first-served basis, so schedule your exam immediately after registering.

You will be able to book an exam date and time within the following exam windows, subject to proctor availability:

August 7 - 31
September 8 - 29
October 9 - 30

In-person exams

In-person exams are offered at various Institute offices and third-party exam centers. Seats are limited so you should schedule your in-person exam immediately after registration.

Arrive at least 15 minutes early as sittings start promptly at the scheduled start time.

In person exams are offered on the following dates, subject to availability. Log in to the IIC examinations portal to view the schedule, locations, and availability.

August 2023

August 9

Ottawa
Conestoga
London
Hamilton

August 16

Toronto

September 2023

September 13

Toronto
Ottawa
Conestoga
London
Hamilton

October 2023

October 11

Toronto
Ottawa
Conestoga
London
Hamilton

For in-person exam dates at other chapter locations, please contact otlexam@insuranceinstitute.ca

Licensing candidates with a documented disability or impairment (short-term/temporary or long-term/chronic) that substantially impacts their ability to participate equally in Insurance Institute examinations can request testing accommodations. Testing accommodations will be based on functional limitation(s) resulting from a documented disability or other restrictions due to a protected ground under human rights legislation that impact a students’ ability to take a midterm, test, or exam under standard conditions.

Testing Accommodation Information

The OTL Agent’s exam is two (2) hours long and is based on learning objectives and content provided in the Insurance Institute's study kit, which is available for purchase here. You must obtain a minimum of 75% on the exam to pass. Study aids cannot be used during the exam.

The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions divided into the following categories and sub-categories. Once you have your study kit, pay close attention to the learning objectives in each study, as the exam questions are based on these. Also, ensure that you are familiar with multiple choice questions and how they need to be answered:

Please note, In accordance with the standards and best practices in exam development, the Insurance Institute of Canada is introducing ten (10) pilot multiple-choice questions on the Other Than Life (OTL) Agent's Examination in Ontario as of October 2022. The exam will thus include a total of 110 questions. In order to provide the candidates with sufficient time to complete the exam, the exam duration is increased by 15 minutes, to a total of 135 minutes (2 hours and 15 minutes).

As exams are continuously updated, piloting questions provide a critical opportunity to gather statistical data on the questions prior to including them on the exam. Careful considerations have been made to ensure that the addition of these questions does not negatively impact the candidates’ performance.

The candidates will not be able to identify the pilot questions. These questions are indistinguishable from the other questions and should be treated the same as any other question on the exam. The pilot questions will not be scored and will not contribute to the candidate’s grade. The grades on this exam continue to be calculated out of 100 questions.

Industry Knowledge (28%)

• Insurance and risk concepts
• Insurance contract/policy
• Ethics and professionalism

Automobile Insurance (33%)

• Policy coverages, conditions and exclusions
• Automobile Insurance Application
• Endorsements
• Statutory Conditions
• Commercial automobile insurance

Habitational Insurance (32%)

• Policy Coverage
• Endorsements
• Fire Statutory Conditions
• Liability

Business Insurance (5%)

• Business property insurance
• Business liability insurance

Claims (2%)

If you are successful in your exam attempt:

The Institute will share your passing grade with FSRA so you can proceed with the steps necessary to receive your agent licence. The Institute does not participate in the OTL Agent licensing process beyond the exam.

Once you receive your OTL Agent Licence, you are eligible to apply to the Insurance Institute of Ontario to receive credit for C11: Principles and Practice of Insurance, one of the 10 courses in the CIP program. The CIP is the benchmark of professionalism for individuals starting out or building a career in insurance. The designation has many benefits, including:

• Keeps you updated on industry trends
• Allows you to network with others in the industry
• Elevates your knowledge to serve your customers
• Leaders value the designation

For more information on how to receive credit for C11: Principles and Practices of Insurance with your OTL Agent Licence, please visit the Provincial Agent/Broker Insurance Licence Credit page.

If you are unsuccessful:

You can register again for another examination.

There are several steps you can take to improve your results:

• Purchase the OTL self-study kit
• Register for a virtual OTL licensing class
• Candidates can access their Exam Score report via the Exam Portal by clicking on the hyperlink titled “history”. This Exam Score report shows the percentage scored in each category of the exam

If you are successful in your exam attempt:

The Institute will share your passing grade with FSRA so you can proceed with the steps necessary to receive your agent licence. The Institute does not participate in the OTL Agent licensing process beyond the exam.

If you are unsuccessful:

If it is your first attempt, you can register again for another examination. If it is your second attempt, you must wait 8 months until you can re-attempt the exam. If you are eligible to re-write, register for the re-write using the same process as the first exam.

Our OTL Exams Frequently Asked Questions PDF may have the answer you're looking for. Contact the OTL Exam Administrator: otlexam@insuranceinstitute.ca.

Pilot Questions FAQ's

What are Pilot Questions?

Pilot Questions refer to questions that appear on an examination for the purpose of gathering statistical data prior to the implementation of the questions on the exam. As exams are continuously updated, this is a critical step in ensuring that the performance of the new questions is evaluated prior to their implementation. These questions do not count towards the candidate’s final grade and will not impact their performance.

How many Pilot Questions are added to the Other Than Life (OTL) Agent's Examination in Ontario?

Ten pilot questions will be added to the Other Than Life (OTL) Agent's Examination in Ontario starting October 2022.

Will I receive additional time to answer the pilot questions?

Yes, the exam duration has been extended by 15 minutes to allow for completion of the additional questions. The total exam duration is 135 minutes (2 hours and 15 minutes).

Does adding the pilot questions impact the format or difficulty of the exams?

No. The format and the level of difficulty of the exam do not change. The pilot questions will not affect the candidate’s performance on the exam.

What is the format of the pilot questions?

The pilot questions are in a multiple-choice format, similar to the other questions on the exam.

Will I be able to identify the pilot questions or receive feedback on my performance on the pilot questions?

No. To ensure the integrity and security of the exams, pilot questions are not identified and feedback on the performance on the pilot questions will not be provided to the candidates.

PROCEED TO EXAM REGISTRATION

Once you register for your exam, you will be sent an email asking you to schedule your exam. Follow the link and log in to IIC's exam portal. Choose your preferred exam format tab, "In-person" or "Online proctored." Select any available date to view the available locations and sitting times.

Once you've booked your exam, you'll be sent an "Exam Booking Confirmation" email with important information and instructions for exam day. Be sure to save this email for reference.

You may reschedule or change your exam format up to 24-hours prior to your booked sitting. For more information, see our Examinations webpages.

Please note, examinations are routinely reviewed for irregularities and/or breaches of examination rules. Examination irregularities and/or breaches may result in disqualification of the examination and suspension of examination privileges. The regulator will be notified of all disqualifications and suspensions.

Our registration process has been updated.

Please review the following steps very carefully:

1. If you do not have one already, sign up for an Institute member ID. Write down this number as you will need it to complete the registration process.
2. Review and abide by the OTL Agent/Level 1 Examinations Rules and Regulations.
3. Review the Examination Policies and system requirements on our virtual proctoring page and determine whether you will be able to meet these specifications on your company issue or personal computer.
4. When you have completed the above 3 steps, complete the virtual registration linked below to review your personal details and process your payment, which is $225 + HST per attempt.
5. Once registration is complete and payment has been processed, you will receive an email with booking instructions to select your preferred exam date and time.

Please note, information such as your name, ID and video recording may be shared with relevant third parties, such as regulatory bodies, institute partners, or third-party investigators, in situations of suspected examination breaches..

Licensing candidates must abide by the RIBO rewrite policy. Additional attempts will be considered void and a refund will not be provided.

You may attempt this exam no more than two times in an 8-month period. If you are not successful in the second attempt, you must wait 8 months before writing this exam again. Any additional attempts within this period will be considered void and a refund will not be provided.

Please review the following steps very carefully:

1. If you do not have one already, sign up for an Institute member ID. Write down this number as you will need it to complete the registration process.
2. Review and abide by the OTL Agent/Level 1 Examinations Rules and Regulations.
3. Review the Examination Policies and system requirements on our virtual proctoring page and determine whether you will be able to meet these specifications on your company issue or personal computer.
4. When you have completed the above 3 steps, complete the virtual registration linked below to review your personal details and process your payment, which is $250 + HST per attempt.
5. Once registration is complete and payment has been processed, you will receive an email with booking instructions to select your preferred exam date and time.