Maryland Life & Health Insurance License Exam Overview
The Maryland Life & Health Insurance License Exam is administered by Prometric on behalf of the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA). Maryland offers a sophisticated insurance market with its own state-based health exchange (Maryland Health Connection), proximity to the DC federal workforce, and wealthy suburban markets.
Important October 2024 Update: Effective October 1, 2024, Maryland no longer requires pre-licensing education for producer licenses. Applicants can now proceed directly to the licensing examination without completing any prior coursework.
Exam Format at a Glance
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Questions | 80 scored questions |
| Time Limit | 105 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes) |
| Passing Score | 70% (56 correct answers) |
| Testing Vendor | Prometric |
| Exam Fee | $60 |
| Pre-licensing Education | NOT required (as of October 2024) |
Why Get Licensed in Maryland?
- State-based exchange - Maryland Health Connection marketplace expertise
- DC proximity - Access to federal employee market
- Wealthy suburbs - High net worth clients in Montgomery and Howard counties
- Baltimore-DC corridor - Growing population and business hub
- No pre-licensing - Streamlined path to licensure
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Our comprehensive, completely free Maryland Life & Health exam prep covers everything you need to pass the MIA licensing exam.
Key Topics Covered on the Exam
1. Life Insurance (30%)
Products You Must Know:
- Term Life (renewable, convertible, decreasing)
- Whole Life (ordinary, limited pay, single premium)
- Universal Life (fixed, indexed, variable)
- Variable Life Products
- Group Life Insurance
Maryland-Specific Provisions:
| Provision | Maryland Requirement |
|---|---|
| Grace Period | 31 days |
| Incontestability | 2 years |
| Suicide Exclusion | 2 years |
| Free Look Period | 10 days |
| Misstatement of Age | Adjustment of benefits |
2. Health Insurance (30%)
Major Coverage Types:
- Major medical insurance
- Disability income insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Medicare supplement insurance
- Group health plans
Maryland Health Programs:
| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Maryland Health Connection | State-based ACA marketplace |
| Maryland Medicaid | State Medicaid program |
| Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP) | Children's coverage |
| Maryland Premium Assistance | State subsidy program |
Maryland Health Connection Details: Maryland operates its own state-based health insurance marketplace called Maryland Health Connection. Unlike states using Healthcare.gov, Maryland has full control over its enrollment platform, plan selection, and consumer assistance. The exchange follows an active purchaser model, negotiating with insurance companies on available plans.
2026 Maryland Health Updates:
- New Maryland Premium Assistance program for residents up to 400% FPL
- Enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at end of 2025
- Over 52,000 residents transitioned from Medicaid to private plans through Maryland Health Connection
- Medicaid eligibility checks resuming with changes coming October 2026
3. Annuities (15%)
Maryland producers must understand:
- Fixed annuities
- Variable annuities (requires securities license)
- Indexed annuities
- Suitability requirements
- Surrender charges and penalties
- Maryland senior protection rules
Important: Maryland requires a state-approved 4-hour Annuity Suitability Best Interest course before selling or soliciting any annuity products.
4. Maryland Insurance Regulations (20%)
Key Maryland Statutes:
- Maryland Insurance Article
- Maryland Insurance Administration authority
- Producer licensing requirements
- Unfair trade practices
- Claims procedures
Agent Requirements:
| Requirement | Maryland Standard |
|---|---|
| Pre-licensing | NOT required (as of Oct 2024) |
| Background Check | Required |
| CE Requirement | 24 hours/2 years |
| Ethics CE | 3 hours required |
| CE Completion | 15 days before expiration |
5. Ethics and General Insurance (5%)
- Agent duties and responsibilities
- Handling client funds
- Policy delivery requirements
- Complaint procedures
- Fiduciary responsibilities
Maryland Exam Registration Changes (October 2024)
Starting October 1, 2024, candidates must use Prometric's new Candidate Management System. Key requirements:
- Create a new profile before scheduling your exam
- Provide accurate DOB and SSN (required for license application)
- Exam results remain valid for six months
Study Timeline for Success
| Week | Focus Area | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Life insurance products | 12-15 |
| Week 2-3 | Health insurance coverage | 12-15 |
| Week 3-4 | Annuities and suitability | 10-12 |
| Week 4-5 | Maryland statutes and regulations | 10-12 |
| Week 5-6 | Practice exams and review | 12-15 |
Total recommended study time: 55-70 hours
Since Maryland eliminated pre-licensing requirements, self-study with quality materials is essential.
Free Practice Questions Available
Practice with hundreds of free questions designed for the Maryland Life & Health exam.
Maryland-Specific Exam Tips
1. Master Maryland Insurance Article
Know these key provisions:
- Producer licensing requirements
- Policy provisions and forms
- Unfair claims practices
- Replacement regulations
- Maryland Health Connection rules
2. Know These Maryland Numbers
| Topic | Maryland Requirement |
|---|---|
| Free look period | 10 days |
| Grace period | 31 days |
| Incontestability | 2 years |
| Pre-licensing | NOT required |
| CE requirement | 24 hours/2 years |
| Ethics CE | 3 hours |
| Exam fee | $60 |
| Exam time | 105 minutes |
3. Understand Maryland Health Connection
Maryland has its own state exchange. Know:
- How it differs from Healthcare.gov states
- Open enrollment periods
- Special enrollment qualifying events
- Maryland Premium Assistance program
- Medicaid and MCHP eligibility
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping study because pre-license is not required - The exam is challenging
- Ignoring Maryland-specific statutes - About 20% of your exam
- Confusing Maryland Health Connection with Healthcare.gov - Maryland is different
- Underestimating annuity questions - Suitability requirements are heavily tested
- Poor time management - 105 minutes for 80 questions requires steady pacing
Continuing Education Requirements
After obtaining your Maryland license, you must complete continuing education:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Hours | 24 hours every 2 years |
| Ethics | 3 hours required |
| Multi-line (L/H and P/C) | 6 hours each line required |
| 25+ Year Producers | Only 8 hours required (3 ethics) |
| Carryover | No carryover allowed |
| Completion Deadline | 15 days before expiration |
Special Training Requirements:
- Long-Term Care (Initial): 8-hour course required
- Long-Term Care (Ongoing): 4-hour course each renewal period
- Annuity Suitability: 4-hour Best Interest course required
- Flood Insurance: 2-hour course for P/C producers
After Passing Your Exam
- Verify exam results - Results valid for 6 months
- Apply through NIPR (National Insurance Producer Registry)
- Complete background check if required
- Pay application fee to Maryland Insurance Administration
- Receive license - Usually 5-10 business days after approval
- Complete appointments with insurance carriers
2026 Maryland Updates
For 2026, be aware of:
- Pre-licensing requirement eliminated as of October 1, 2024
- New Prometric Candidate Management System for exam registration
- Maryland Premium Assistance program expansion
- Enhanced federal tax credits expiration affecting marketplace
- Medicaid changes coming October 1, 2026 for non-citizens
- Six-month Medicaid eligibility checks starting 2027
Start Your Maryland Insurance Career Today
Maryland's sophisticated market with its state exchange and proximity to DC creates excellent opportunities. Pass your exam on the first try with our free prep.
Our free study materials include:
- Complete topic coverage for Maryland Life & Health exam
- Practice questions with detailed explanations
- Maryland statute summaries
- Maryland Health Connection coverage details
- AI-powered study assistance
Get licensed faster with 100% FREE prep materials.
Contact Information
Maryland Insurance Administration 200 St. Paul Place, Suite 2700 Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: (410) 468-2000 Email: producerlicensing.mia@maryland.gov Website: insurance.maryland.gov
Prometric Phone: (800) 610-1174 Website: prometric.com
Continuing Education Sircon: (800) 324-4592 Website: sircon.com
How to Use This Guide Without Missing State-Specific Details
Treat this article as your working roadmap, then verify the administrative details against official sources before you schedule. Insurance licensing changes are usually small, but small changes matter on exam day: a vendor switch, new fingerprinting workflow, revised candidate handbook, or updated application checklist can delay a license even when you know the content. Start with your state insurance department, then confirm the testing vendor account, then check the National Insurance Producer Registry licensing flow if your state uses it. The NAIC state insurance department directory is a practical starting point when you need the current regulator website, and NIPR state requirements can help you verify application steps after the exam.
For the content itself, separate national insurance knowledge from Maryland-specific law. National life and health questions test concepts that transfer across states: contract parties, insurable interest, beneficiary designations, policy riders, annuity phases, health policy renewability, disability income definitions, Medicare supplement basics, group health coordination, and unfair trade practices. The state section asks how those ideas are administered in Maryland. When a question includes a number, deadline, appointment step, replacement notice, continuing education rule, or regulator power, slow down and decide whether it is a national default or a Maryland rule.
A Practical Study Workflow for the Final Two Weeks
Use the last two weeks to convert recognition into decision speed. On day one, take a mixed diagnostic in /study-guides/md-life-health and tag every missed question by reason: did you miss a definition, confuse two similar products, overlook a state rule, or run out of time? Definitions need flashcards. Similar products need comparison tables. State rules need a short checklist. Timing mistakes need practice blocks with a visible clock.
During the first week, work in focused sets. Do life insurance one day, health insurance the next, annuities after that, and Maryland law at least every other session. Do not wait until the end to study regulations. Many candidates know term versus whole life but lose points on replacement, advertising, producer authority, unfair claims practices, or what must happen before a license is issued. After each set, rewrite the explanation in your own words. If you cannot explain why the wrong answer is wrong, you have not finished the question.
During the second week, switch to exam simulation. Use full mixed quizzes, then spend more time reviewing than answering. For life insurance, drill policy provisions, riders, beneficiary changes, settlement options, nonforfeiture options, and taxation at a high level. For health insurance, drill renewability, exclusions, disability definitions, long-term care, Medicare supplement rules, group versus individual contracts, and coordination of benefits. For annuities, make sure you can distinguish accumulation from annuitization, fixed from variable, immediate from deferred, and suitability from general sales preference.
Common Life and Health Traps
A common trap is answering from everyday sales language instead of policy language. "Cash value," "premium," "benefit," "owner," "insured," and "beneficiary" have precise exam meanings. Another trap is treating Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Medicaid as interchangeable. They are different programs or products, and exam questions often reward the candidate who notices which one is actually named.
Replacement questions deserve special attention. The exam may ask what must be disclosed, when notices are required, how existing coverage should be treated, or why twisting is prohibited. Do not memorize replacement as simply "bad." Replacement can be legitimate, but it becomes a compliance issue when comparison, disclosure, or suitability duties are ignored.
Health questions also use similar-sounding renewability terms. Noncancelable, guaranteed renewable, conditionally renewable, optionally renewable, and cancelable policies allocate power differently between insurer and insured. Build a one-page table and practice from both directions: given the term, state the rule; given the rule, name the term.
Exam-Day Checklist
Before test day, confirm your appointment time, approved identification, remote-proctoring rules if applicable, calculator policy, and reschedule deadline from the testing vendor. Use the exact legal name from your licensing and exam records. If your ID and registration do not match, content knowledge will not help at check-in.
On the exam, answer the direct question first before reading extra meaning into the facts. Insurance exams often include plausible distractors that are true statements but do not answer the question asked. Mark long calculation or scenario questions and come back after securing the easier definition and rule points. If you are stuck between two options, identify which answer is broader, which is more specific, and whether the question asks for an exception. Exceptions are where many state-law points hide.
If You Do Not Pass on the First Attempt
A failed attempt is useful data if you treat the score report correctly. Do not simply reread the same chapter. Sort weak areas into national product knowledge, Maryland law, and test-taking process. For product knowledge, rebuild comparison charts. For state law, verify the current rule from official regulator materials and then practice short recall prompts. For process issues, take timed sets and force yourself to explain why each wrong answer was attractive.
Schedule the next attempt only after your weakest two categories have improved in practice. A good target is not just a passing average; it is consistency. When you can pass several mixed sets in a row without relying on memorized question wording, you are closer to exam readiness.
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