New York Life, Accident & Health Insurance Exam Overview
New York life and health insurance licensing exams are administered by PSI on behalf of the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS). New York is one of the most heavily regulated insurance markets in the country, so proper exam preparation matters more here than in most states.
The single most important thing to know first: New York does not have one "Life & Health" exam. It offers three separate exams, and which one you take decides how many questions you face and how many prelicensing hours you must complete.
New York Has Three Separate Life/Health Exams
| Exam | Series | Questions | Time | Prelicensing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life only | 17-51 | 100 | 2 hours | 20 hours | Selling life insurance and annuities only |
| Accident & Health only | 17-52 | 100 | 2 hours | 20 hours | Selling health, disability, LTC, Medigap only |
| Life, Accident & Health (combined) | 17-55 | 150 | 2.5 hours | 40 hours | Most candidates -- both lines at once |
Most new producers take the combined 17-55 exam because it qualifies you for both lines of authority in a single sitting, and most prelicensing courses are built around the 40-hour combined curriculum. If you only ever intend to sell one line, the standalone 17-51 (Life) or 17-52 (Accident & Health) exam is shorter (100 questions) and requires only 20 prelicensing hours. The infographic below reflects the combined 17-55 exam.
Exam Format at a Glance (Combined 17-55)
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Questions | 150 multiple-choice |
| Time Limit | 2.5 hours (2 hours for the 100-question single-line exams) |
| Passing Score | 70% (105 of 150 correct on the combined exam) |
| Testing Vendor | PSI |
| Exam Fee | $33 per attempt (every series) |
| Prelicensing Education | 40 hours combined, or 20 hours per single line |
| Result | Pass/fail score report issued at the test center |
The 70% standard is an overall score -- you do not need to clear 70% on each content section, only on the exam as a whole. You must pass the exam within two years of the date you apply for the license.
Why Get Licensed in New York?
- Financial capital — NYC is a major insurance hub
- High population density — Nearly 20 million potential clients
- Premium market — Higher incomes mean larger policies
- Corporate opportunities — Group insurance demand
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Key Topics Covered on the Exam
1. Life Insurance Products (30%)
Types of Life Insurance:
- Term Life (yearly renewable, level, decreasing)
- Whole Life (ordinary, limited pay, single premium)
- Universal Life (Types A, B, and C)
- Variable Life Insurance
New York-Specific Provisions:
| Provision | NY Requirement |
|---|---|
| Grace Period | 31 days (61 for industrial) |
| Incontestability | 2 years |
| Suicide Exclusion | 2 years (1 year for group) |
| Free Look Period | 10 days (60 for replacements) |
| Minimum Death Benefit | Yes, required |
2. Accident & Health Insurance (30%)
Coverage Types:
- Individual health insurance
- Group health insurance
- Disability income insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Medicare supplement (Medigap)
New York Health Requirements:
- NY State of Health (marketplace)
- Essential Plan options
- Child Health Plus
- Medicaid Managed Care
3. Annuities (15%)
- Fixed annuities
- Variable annuities
- Immediate vs. deferred
- NY suitability standards
- Best interest regulations
4. New York Insurance Law (15%)
Key NY Regulations:
- NY Insurance Law Article 32 (agents)
- Regulation 60 (replacements)
- Regulation 187 (best interest)
- DFS enforcement powers
Licensing Requirements:
- Prelicensing: 40 hours combined (or 20 hours per single line)
- CE: 15 hours every 2 years (includes 1 hr insurance law, 1 hr ethics, 1 hr diversity/inclusion)
- Fingerprint-based background check (IdentoGO)
- Minimum age 18
5. Ethics and General (10%)
- Agent conduct standards
- Unfair trade practices
- Handling premiums
- Record keeping
- Complaint procedures
Study Timeline for Success
| Week | Focus Area | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Life insurance products | 12-15 |
| Week 2-3 | Accident & health coverage | 12-15 |
| Week 3-4 | NY Insurance Law | 10-12 |
| Week 4-5 | Annuities and ethics | 8-10 |
| Week 5 | Practice exams | 10-12 |
Total recommended study time: 55-65 hours
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New York-Specific Exam Tips
1. Master NY Regulations
New York is heavily regulated—know these key regulations:
- Regulation 60 — Life insurance replacements
- Regulation 187 — Best interest standard for annuities and life insurance
- Regulation 194 — Producer compensation transparency
2. Know These New York Numbers
| Topic | NY Requirement |
|---|---|
| Free look (standard) | 10 days |
| Free look (replacement) | 60 days |
| Grace period | 31 days |
| Prelicensing (combined) | 40 hours |
| Prelicensing (single line) | 20 hours |
| CE requirement | 15 hours/2 years |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Exam fee | $33 per attempt |
| License fee | $80 (2-year term) |
3. Understand Regulation 187
New York's best interest standard is stricter than suitability:
- Must act in client's best interest
- Applies to life insurance and annuities
- Documentation requirements
- Compensation disclosure
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Underestimating NY regulations — They're heavily tested
- Ignoring Regulation 187 — New and important
- Confusing free look periods — 10 days vs. 60 days
- Skipping NY State of Health — Know the marketplace
- Not reviewing replacement rules — Regulation 60 is key
How to Get Your New York License (Step by Step)
- Complete prelicensing education -- 20 hours per single line (17-51 or 17-52) or 40 hours for the combined 17-55 authority, through a DFS-approved provider. Keep your completion certificate.
- Schedule and pass the PSI exam -- register at PSI, pay the $33 fee per attempt, and pass with 70% overall.
- Get fingerprinted -- complete fingerprint-based background screening through IdentoGO (a separate fee applies, roughly $100).
- Apply for the license -- file through NIPR or DFS directly and pay the $80 license fee for the two-year term ($40 only if the term is one year or less).
- Receive your license -- processing typically takes a couple of weeks once your exam result and fingerprints are on file.
- Appoint with carriers -- carriers submit appointment applications so you can sell their products.
Realistic total cost: roughly $300-$525 -- prelicensing course ($150-$350), exam fee ($33), fingerprinting (~$100), and the $80 license fee.
2026 New York Updates
For 2026, be aware of:
- Enhanced Regulation 187 enforcement
- Updated mental health parity requirements
- New long-term care regulations
- Modified marketplace rules
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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 New York-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 New York. 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 New York 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 /practice/ny-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 New York 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, New York 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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