PNC Learning

What PNC Learning is

PNC Learning is an online exam prep school for insurance licensing in Canada and the US state of Texas. It is a product for the LEARNER: someone who needs to pass a provincial general insurance exam, the LLQP for life insurance, a CAIB level, or the Texas property and casualty exam, usually while holding down a job. The home page sums up the pitch as "plain language exam prep made simple", and the About page explains where it came from: the founders found it hard to juggle work and family while studying for their own licensing exams, with "a mountain of material" and legal language that was hard to decipher. The site lists a Vancouver, BC address.

Besides e-learning, the company runs instructor-led classes, one-to-one tutoring, study guides and practice question banks, and accredited continuing education (CE) bundles for licensed brokers and advisors. The About page says it is "an accredited course provider in many provinces/jurisdictions", and the home page names it an Alberta Insurance Council approved GLQP Course Provider.

The courses

The general insurance catalog follows the Canadian licensing ladder. Fundamentals of Insurance / CAIB 1 prepares you for the CAIB 1 or Fundamentals of Insurance exam and a Level 1 license in BC, SK, MB, NB, NS, PEI and NF. There are separate courses for the Alberta General Insurance Level 1 and Level 2 exams, RIBO 1 (Ontario Level 1), the Other Than Life (OTL) exam in Ontario, and a Saskatchewan Level 1 course. Higher up, CAIB 2 and CAIB 3 courses prepare for the Level 2 license in several provinces and the RIBO 2 technical exam in Ontario, and a CAIB 4 course covers the Level 3 license and the RIBO 3 management exam. According to the home page, completing the Alberta GLQP 1 course earns the required CIPR certification.

For life insurance, the LLQP Exam Prep course covers all 4 modules of the HLLQP exam: Life Insurance, Accident & Sickness, Segregated Funds and Ethics. The site notes that the course is supplementary material and that you must register for the exam through an approved provider. In the US, a Texas P&C Insurance Broker/Agent Licensing course prepares you for the Texas property and casualty exam.

The CE side has three bundles: General Insurance CE, Life + A&S CE for LLQP CE credits, and FP Canada & MFDA CE. The general bundle focuses on recent industry changes (the page names cannabis and blockchain) and topics outside the licensing exams, such as wrap-up liability and professional liability.

How a course works

The home page FAQ lists what course fees include: a simplified note package, lectures, practice questions and exams, access to the PNC Learning mobile app, and support from the course tutor team. The LLQP page breaks this down into multimedia lectures, study and exam tips, chapter quizzes and mock exams with instant feedback, and a personal course tutor reachable by phone or through a built-in live chat. The home page adds an AI tutor on select courses, says licensed instructors are available 7 days a week, and that most questions are answered within hours. Everything works on a computer, phone or tablet, around the clock.

The Alberta Level 1 course is a good example of the format. Its page calls it a 10 hour course that cuts the large textbook down to what you need, and says successful graduates should be ready to sit the exam the following week. Class enrollments come with an 8 month subscription to the online program, including the textbook, video lectures and practice questions. The curriculum runs from the insurance business and intermediaries through property, liability, automobile (including GRID), travel and accident and sickness insurance.

Access length varies by course. The FAQ calls the enrollment period "an industry-leading 8+ months" and tells you to check each course page, while the LLQP page promises 6 months of access for a course it says should take less than 3 weeks.

Prices

The site prints many prices. On the LLQP page each module (Life Insurance, Accident & Sickness, Segregated Funds, Ethics) costs $49.00. The All Courses Bundle with every LLQP lesson is listed at $196.00, reduced to $149.00, and the LLQP Certification Package is $349.00. That package, offered through REMIC, adds access to the CIPR certification exams, extra quizzes and mock exams, an HLLQP exam prep textbook, live webinars and extra support.

The home page lists the Texas P&C course at $249, study guides at $99 (CAIB 1 to 4) and $149 for Alberta Level 2, practice question banks at $99, and Level 1 / CAIB 1 exam prep classes at $799. Tutoring for all subjects is listed at $75 an hour on the home page, while the LLQP tutoring page quotes "$100/hr with discounts for online course students and multiple hours". Group and package pricing is on request.

Klarna and Afterpay let you split payments, and the home page says Canadian students may be able to claim the Canada Training Credit for up to 50% back on course costs. A free trial gives sample lessons, notes and practice questions with no credit card, and the LLQP page adds $10 off any course or bundle when you sign up for it.

Pass guarantee, support and results

The pass guarantee is spelled out on the LLQP page: "didn't pass the first time? Come back and study for free until you do." The home page puts it slightly differently, saying your enrollment stays open until you pass, and marks the guarantee with a dagger for conditions. Once you pass, the company says it will review your resume and connect you with hiring brokerages in its network. There are also student communities for questions and accountability.

The home page claims 50,000+ students, 91,473+ enrollments, a 4.8 star rating and an "83% pass rate". The LLQP page shows different figures for that program (16,000+ students, 38,000+ enrollments) and 300+ 5 star reviews on Google.

Instructors are introduced by name on the About page. The lead instructor has over 15 years of combined experience in education and insurance and, according to the tutoring page, scored 97% on his CAIB 3 exam in 2015, the highest mark in the province that year. Classes can be taken in Chinese on request.

Who it suits

PNC Learning suits someone entering insurance in Canada or Texas who wants plain language notes, practice exams and a tutor to ask, without a week off work for a classroom course. It also covers the next steps, from CAIB 2 to CAIB 4, and the CE credits a licensed broker or life agent needs each cycle. The low per-module LLQP prices and the free trial make it easy to test before paying. It does not serve other US states beyond Texas, and access periods differ between course pages, so check the one for your exam.