Insurance Journal Academy of Insurance

Technical Skills Evaluation Testing Tips

  1. Relax. The Technical Skills Evaluation ("TSE") is simply a tool for developing a customized course of study to advance your career. Questions in the TSE are harder than those you will find in most insurance industry tests. Scores higher than 70 percent indicate a high level of technical coverage knowledge. Scores below 70 percent are the most common – so don't worry.
  2. The TSE is an objective, multiple choice test with four possible answers. There is only one correct answer per question. There is no "most correct" answer with several possible options; each question has only one correct answer.
  3. Pay attention to the wording of the question. Some questions ask for the "true" answer and some ask for the "false" answer (meaning the one that doesn't belong). Examples include:
    1. Questions looking for the "true" answer may contain phrases or questions such as:
      • "Which of the following is…"
      • "A ______ is…"
    2. Questions looking for the "false" answer may contain phrases or questions such as:
      • "All of the following…, except…"
      • "Which of the following is not…"

    No terms are in bold on the test as in the above examples. Each question must be read carefully to assure full understanding of what the question is asking.

    1. Some questions provide background or basic information necessary to answer the question asked; read all the information provided.
    2. Several questions may arise from the same information. For example, two or three paragraphs may be the basis for the next three or four questions. Be sure to read the informational paragraphs in their entirety before trying to answer the questions.
    3. Resist the urge to change the answer to questions to which you have already responded. Your first response is usually the correct response.
    4. This is NOT a Pass/Fail test. As a reminder, this is simply a tool to help you and your employer plan your technical insurance training so that you can more quickly advance in your career. View this as a positive part of your career development.