View source for Definition:Series 6

📄 '''Series 6''' is a securities license, administered by the [[Definition:Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) | Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)]], that authorizes an individual to sell mutual funds, [[Definition:Variable annuity | variable annuities]], and [[Definition:Variable life insurance | variable life insurance]] products. In the insurance industry, the Series 6 license is especially relevant for agents and advisors who distribute [[Definition:Life insurance | life insurance]] and [[Definition:Annuity | annuity]] products with investment components, because these products are classified as securities and therefore fall under federal securities regulation in addition to state [[Definition:Insurance regulation | insurance regulation]].

📝 To obtain the license, a candidate must be sponsored by a FINRA [[Definition:Broker-dealer | broker-dealer]] member firm and pass the Series 6 examination, which covers topics including investment company products, variable contracts, regulatory requirements, and customer suitability obligations. Many insurance professionals pair the Series 6 with a state [[Definition:Insurance license | insurance license]], since selling a [[Definition:Variable annuity | variable annuity]] typically requires both authorizations — the securities license for the investment wrapper and the insurance license for the underlying [[Definition:Annuity contract | annuity contract]]. The sponsoring broker-dealer provides ongoing supervision, and the representative must satisfy continuing education requirements to keep the license active.

🎯 Holding a Series 6 expands an insurance professional's product shelf in a meaningful way. Without it, an agent is limited to fixed insurance products and cannot legally recommend or transact variable products that invest in securities sub-accounts. For [[Definition:Insurance distribution | insurance distribution]] organizations — whether traditional agencies, [[Definition:Independent agent | independent broker networks]], or [[Definition:Insurtech | insurtech]] platforms offering digital annuity sales — ensuring that their representatives carry the appropriate securities licenses is a fundamental [[Definition:Compliance | compliance]] requirement. The license thus sits at the intersection of insurance and securities regulation, a junction that shapes how variable products reach consumers.

'''Related concepts:'''
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* [[Definition:Series 7]]
* [[Definition:Variable annuity]]
* [[Definition:Variable life insurance]]
* [[Definition:Insurance license]]
* [[Definition:Broker-dealer]]
* [[Definition:Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)]]
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