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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: AU Exam

4

Courses Required

Plus Ethics 311

50

Questions Per Exam

The Institutes

65 min

Time Limit

Per course exam

70%

Passing Score

Per course exam

$259-$339

Exam Fee

2026 virtual exam fee schedule

9-12 mo

Typical Completion

AU designation page

AU is not one comprehensive licensing exam. It is a four-course professional designation with a separate 50-question, 65-minute virtual exam for each course and a 70% passing standard. The Institutes' AU page highlights a 9-12 month completion timeline for many candidates. This practice bank weights AU 60, AU 61, and AU 62 almost evenly because The Institutes does not publish one combined AU section-weighting blueprint.

About the AU Exam

The Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU) is The Institutes' commercial-line underwriting designation. The official path requires four courses plus Ethics 311. AU-specific content is concentrated in AU 60, AU 61, and AU 62, which cover underwriting data and financial analysis, commercial property underwriting, and commercial liability underwriting.

Assessment

4-course designation path plus Ethics 311; each course uses a separate virtual exam in an Institutes testing window

Time Limit

65 minutes per course exam

Passing Score

70% per course exam

Exam Fee

$259 early registration / $339 standard per exam (The Institutes)

AU Exam Content Outline

34%

AU 60: Commercial Underwriting Foundations

Data sources, financial statement analysis, operations review, management quality, premium determination, underwriting performance, and communication. Practice weighting is inferred from the official AU course structure because The Institutes does not publish one combined AU blueprint.

33%

AU 61: Commercial Property Underwriting

Commercial property applications, construction and occupancy, fire protection, external exposure, natural hazards, business income, and holistic property risk selection.

33%

AU 62: Commercial Liability Underwriting

Commercial liability exposure analysis, general liability, business auto, workers compensation, professional liability, umbrella and excess liability, and large-account underwriting.

How to Pass the AU Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70% per course exam
  • Assessment: 4-course designation path plus Ethics 311; each course uses a separate virtual exam in an Institutes testing window
  • Time limit: 65 minutes per course exam
  • Exam fee: $259 early registration / $339 standard per exam

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

AU Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study AU in course order. AU 60 gives you the framework for how underwriters evaluate data, financials, operations, and price adequacy before you move into line-specific property and liability analysis.
2Practice reading short underwriting scenarios instead of memorizing isolated definitions. AU-style questions usually ask for the most underwriting-relevant fact, control, or pricing implication.
3Know the difference between frequency drivers and severity drivers. That distinction shows up repeatedly in property hazards, general liability, business auto, workers compensation, and umbrella decisions.
4Review commercial financial statements until you can connect liquidity, leverage, margins, and cash flow to underwriting concerns such as moral hazard, maintenance quality, and business continuity.
5Leave time for portfolio thinking. AU is not just about whether one account looks good; it also tests aggregation, concentration, account size, attachment points, and how decisions affect overall underwriting performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AU one exam or a full designation program?

AU is a full designation program, not a single licensing exam. The Institutes' AU pathway requires four courses plus Ethics 311, and each course has its own virtual exam.

What is the official AU exam format?

The Institutes says its designation-course exams use 50 questions in 65 minutes with a 70% passing score. AU exams are delivered virtually in testing windows rather than as one combined comprehensive exam.

How much does AU cost in 2026?

As of March 12, 2026, The Institutes' virtual exam fee page lists $259 for early registration and $339 standard registration per exam. The underwriting course list prices most AU course packages at about $415-$515 each, so total path cost varies by package choices and registration timing.

What are the official AU content areas?

The Institutes organizes AU around AU 60, AU 61, and AU 62, with an additional elective and Ethics 311 for the designation. Because The Institutes does not publish one master AU section-weighting blueprint, this practice bank infers weighting from the three AU-branded core courses: foundations/data, commercial property underwriting, and commercial liability underwriting.

How long does the AU designation usually take?

The official AU designation page states a typical completion range of 9-12 months. Candidates who pace one course at a time often take longer, especially if they add review time between testing windows.

Were there any AU-specific 2026 exam changes?

As of March 12, 2026, The Institutes had not posted an AU-specific blueprint, time-limit, or passing-score change. The main current underwriting development is broader insurer oversight of AI use in underwriting and pricing, while the AU course pages also note that new AI bonus content is not scored on the exam.