LOMA Society of Greater New York
LOMA Exams A to Z
A Guide to Help Navigate through LOMA
What is LOMA?
LOMA, or the Life Office Management Association, is an international association through which more than 1,250 insurance and financial services companies from over 70 countries engage in research and educational activities to improve company operations. Founded in 1924, LOMA offers a series of self-study programs in which members of the financial services industry can participate to further their education and to become more productive in their jobs. LOMA's cornerstone program is the FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute), a 10-course, professional development program that
provides a comprehensive business education in the context of the insurance and financial services industry. The FLMI program was established in 1932, and more than 75,000 people worldwide have earned the FLMI designation.
A complete listing of LOMA's educational palette can be found at:
http://www.loma.org/EdPrograms.asp A copy of LOMA's current Education and Training catalog can the found at:
ftp://www.loma.org/Edcatint.asp (requires Adobe Acrobat) LOMA's general website address is:
http://www.loma.org/ Please familiarize yourself with the material discussed in the above links before proceeding.
I'm interested! What's my first step?
The first thing you'll need to do is register as a student with LOMA. Please be advised that some companies prefer that students register through the Education Representative. New York Life and Guardian are two companies. Therefore, if you are a New York Life or Guardian employee please see the company Education Representative. Otherwise you can register directly with LOMA as follows:
1. Go to http://www.lomanet.org/ and select the LOMA icon on the left side of the page. (Note that the web address is different than LOMA's general web address.)
2. Click on "Register" under the New Students heading on the right side of the page.
3. You'll be on the Pre-Registration Page. Enter (contact your company's Ed Rep for Primary Location number) as your Ed Rep Last Name. The Secondary Location Number can be left blank.
4. You'll be on the Student Registration Page. Fill in all of your personal information and areas of interest, and click "Submit" on the bottom of the page.
5. On the next page, you'll be provided with a student number and a password. Take note of these - you'll be changing them shortly but you need to know what they are. Click OK at the bottom of the screen.
6. On the next screen, you'll be prompted to "Create an Alias". This will become your "Login ID" or username for LOMA. Click Submit.
7. The next screen is the "Password Screen". Create a new password - enter it, and reenter it. Click OK.
I'm registered - how do I sign up for and prepare for an FLMI exam?
If your company is a member company of LOMA, taking exams is relatively simple. You don't need to take the ten FLMI courses in order, but LOMA recommends that you complete the first two (FLMI 280 and 290 - which comprise FLMI Level 1) before moving on to the next eight.
Once you've decided on a course, there are two things you need to do - buy textbooks and enroll for the exam. Buy the textbooks as soon as you are prepared to begin studying, but The Greater NY(GNY) Society of LOMA recommends delaying enrolling for the exam until you are actually ready to take it-since you pay upon enrollment, you can defer your expenses by enrolling later.
The LOMA testing period is approximately six months - from January 5 - June 30, and July 5 - December 31. Paper LOMA exams are offered in May and November, but I highly recommend using the I*STAR system. This electronic system allows you to take exams anytime during the testing. Another option is to use a Prometric testing center. The I*STAR system allows you the most flexibility and is significantly cheaper than using Prometric.
Buying textbooks
PBD Worldwide Fulfillment Services is the authorized dealer of LOMA texts. We have found that the most efficient way to purchase books is over the internet using a credit card. There may be ways to order them via paper/fax but I am unfamiliar with other methods.
1. Go to http://www.pbd.com/ and click on "Order Products" on the left panel. (Note that the web address is different than LOMA's general web address.)
2. Click on "LOMA & ICA(Credit Card Orders Only)".
3. Click on "LOMA and ICA Catalog" on the left panel.
4. You'll be sent to a secure page - click on "LOMA and ICA" on the left panel.
5. Select "English Order Form" (or other language, if applicable).
6. Select the appropriate course from the list.
7. The next screen will show you a list of associated texts. Generally, each course has a textbook (some of the more advanced courses have two), a "Prep Pak", and an Instructor's Kit, sometimes called "IK". It is the choice of each student as to how to best prepare. Many of the GNY Society's members have used the textbook and the "Prep Pak" and have found this to be more than adequate.
8. Click on the first book you'd like to purchase, and then click "Add to Cart". You should see the text in your "Shopping Cart" on the right panel. To buy another book, click on the "Return to" link in the center and repeat the process.
9. When all desired texts are in your cart, click on "Submit Order".
10. Enter shipping information, and click "Continue".
11. Enter billing information, and click "Continue".
12. You'll have one final chance to adjust your order - click "Continue to Order Submittal".
13. Click "Continue Order Submittal" on the following page.
14. Enter all credit card information and click "Purchase".
Enrolling for an exam
1. Go to http://www.lomanet.org/
2. Enter your Login ID and Password (created during registration) and click Submit.
3. All of your Student Information should pull up, and an activities list will be on the left panel of the page. Select Enroll for Exam.
4. Select your Preferred Language, and then click on the exam you wish to take.
5. Click on the appropriate link ("LOMA I*STAR (Internet), if so desired)
6. The "Company Exam Sites" screen will follow, and the default will be Site. No other information is required. Click "Next".
7. Enter all enrollment and payment details as requested. The total fee is currently $70. Click on "Enroll".
8. Print out the confirmation page for your records. Note that no specific date is listed for the exam-only the current six-month testing period.
Make sure to save a copy of your enrollment confirmation and your receipt from your book order delivery. You'll need both of these to get reimbursement from your company. And remember, you don't need to enroll until you're ready to take the test (one week prior should be plenty of time).
I'm studied and ready - how do I take the test?
Once you've enrolled with LOMA, you can go ahead and schedule your test. You should contact your Company's Ed Rep to schedule the exam at your Company's exam center.
I'm done!!
You will receive your score right over the I*STAR system just moments after completing the exam. LOMA will also send you an email confirming this grade. The email will have a link to access a formatted version of your grade report. You can also login Go to http://www.lomanet.org/ and select "Course History" to access the report.