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Key Facts: CA Life & Health Exam

60%

Passing Score

CA CDI

150 Q

Combined Exam Questions

CA CDI

12 hrs

Pre-License Education (AB 943, 2026)

CA CDI

30 days

Senior Free Look

Age 60+

$300K

CLHIGA Life Limit

CLHIGA

$55

CDI Exam Fee (+ $43 PSI fee)

CA CDI / PSI

California's combined Life, Accident & Health insurance exam has 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours and requires a 60% score to pass (the Life-Only and Accident & Health exams are 75 questions in 1.5 hours each). Effective January 1, 2026, AB 943 cut prelicensing to a single 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course (including 1 hour of fraud). Buyers 60 or older on the purchase date get at least 30 days to return an individual life policy or annuity (Insurance Code 10127.10), and CLHIGA protects 80% of a life death benefit up to $300,000, with a health limit indexed to medical costs ($661,862 as of March 31, 2024).

Sample CA Life & Health Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the CA Life & Health exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 647+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which California state agency is the primary regulator of insurance companies and insurance producers in California?
A.California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC)
B.California Department of Insurance (CDI)
C.California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
D.California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS)
Explanation: The California Department of Insurance (CDI), headed by the elected Insurance Commissioner, is the primary regulator of insurance companies and producers in California. The DMHC regulates health maintenance organizations (HMOs) under the Knox-Keene Act, but the CDI has broader regulatory authority over the insurance industry. The DFPI regulates financial services firms, and CHHS is the parent agency for health-related departments.
2How is the California Insurance Commissioner selected?
A.Appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation
B.Elected by California voters in a statewide election
C.Appointed by the state legislature
D.Nominated by insurance industry representatives
Explanation: California voters elect the Insurance Commissioner in the same manner as the Governor, for no more than two four-year terms (Insurance Code 12900). This makes the Commissioner directly accountable to California residents. The position was changed from appointed to elected by Proposition 103 in 1988, which also gave the Commissioner authority over rate regulation.
3Effective January 1, 2026, how many hours of pre-license education must a California Life-Only or Accident & Health license applicant complete?
A.12 hours
B.20 hours
C.40 hours
D.52 hours
Explanation: Effective January 1, 2026, Assembly Bill 943 repealed California's 20-hour line-specific pre-license education requirement. Applicants now complete only a single 12-hour California Insurance Code and Ethics course (including at least 1 hour of insurance-fraud training) under Insurance Code 1749, then pass the state licensing exam. The former 52-hour requirement no longer applies.
4What is the continuing education (CE) requirement for California life and health insurance producers per renewal period?
A.20 hours every 2 years
B.24 hours every 2 years
C.30 hours every 2 years
D.24 hours every year
Explanation: California requires life and health insurance producers to complete 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years as a condition of license renewal. This must include required ethics training hours. The 24-hour biennial requirement helps ensure producers stay current on California insurance law changes, product developments, and ethical standards.
5Under California law, which of the following is required before an insurance producer can sell policies on behalf of an insurer?
A.The producer must obtain a separate appointment from each insurer they represent
B.The producer only needs a valid CDI license with no separate insurer appointment
C.The producer must register with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
D.The insurer must submit a notarized sponsorship letter to the CDI
Explanation: In California, a licensed insurance producer must be appointed by each insurer they wish to represent. The insurer files the appointment with the CDI, and the producer cannot transact business on behalf of that insurer until the appointment is effective. Simply having a CDI license is not sufficient; the appointment creates the legal authority to bind coverage for a specific company.
6A nonresident insurance producer wants to sell life insurance in California. What must this producer do to become licensed?
A.Complete California's 52-hour pre-license course and pass the CA exam
B.Hold a valid license in their home state and apply for a California nonresident license
C.Establish a physical office in California before applying
D.Be appointed by at least three California-domiciled insurers
Explanation: Under California's reciprocity rules, a nonresident producer who holds a valid license in their home state may apply for a California nonresident license without retaking the California exam or completing California pre-license education. The producer must maintain their home state license in good standing, and the home state must offer similar reciprocity to California licensees.
7How often must a California insurance producer renew their license?
A.Every year
B.Every 2 years
C.Every 3 years
D.Every 4 years
Explanation: California insurance producer licenses must be renewed every 2 years. During each renewal period, the producer must complete the 24-hour continuing education requirement and pay the applicable renewal fee. There is no grace period: a license may be late renewed within one calendar year of its expiration date by meeting the renewal requirements and paying a 50 percent penalty fee (CDI Renewal FAQ).
8Which of the following is a grounds for the CDI to deny, suspend, or revoke a California insurance producer's license?
A.Filing a personal bankruptcy more than 10 years ago
B.Conviction of a felony involving dishonesty or breach of trust
C.Failing to sell a minimum number of policies per year
D.Being employed part-time rather than full-time in insurance
Explanation: A felony conviction involving dishonesty or breach of trust is a valid ground for the CDI to deny, suspend, or revoke a producer's license. California does not require minimum sales quotas or full-time employment as conditions of licensure. A bankruptcy more than 10 years old would generally not be considered a current basis for adverse action.
9Under California law, what is the minimum free-look period the insurer must allow on an individual life insurance policy issued to a buyer under age 60?
A.10 days
B.20 days
C.30 days
D.45 days
Explanation: For buyers under 60, Insurance Code 10127.9 requires a notice on the policy stating a return period set by the insurer that is not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days, so 10 days is the minimum. A buyer who is 60 or older on the date of purchase gets at least 30 days (Insurance Code 10127.10), and a replacement policy carries a 30-day unconditional refund right from delivery (Insurance Code 10509.6). Separately, Insurance Code 786 gives a 30-day examination period on disability policies and group life policies offered to people 65 or older.
10California law provides an extended examination (free-look) period for senior citizens who purchase individual life insurance or annuity contracts. How long is this senior free-look period?
A.15 days
B.30 days
C.45 days
D.60 days
Explanation: Insurance Code 10127.10 requires every individual life policy and individual annuity delivered to a senior citizen, defined as someone 60 or older on the date of purchase, to allow at least 30 days to return the policy. Buyers under 60 get the insurer-set period of 10 to 30 days (Insurance Code 10127.9). Insurance Code 786 is a separate rule: individual and group disability policies and group life policies offered to people 65 or older must provide a 30-day examination period.

About the CA Life & Health Exam

The California life and health insurance exam covers CDI licensing, California Insurance Code regulations, the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association (CLHIGA), life and annuity replacement rules (Insurance Code 10509 and following), senior-specific protections including the Senior Insurance Bill of Rights, and California's free look period requirements.

Exam sponsor: PSI Services LLC, for the California Department of Insurance (CDI). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

150 questions

Time Limit

3 hours (combined Life, Accident & Health); 1.5 hours for Life-Only or Accident & Health

Passing Score

60%

Exam / Certification Fees

$55 CDI examination fee + $43 PSI convenience fee ($98 per attempt; CDI, checked 2026-10-23)

Exam sponsor website

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

22 Qs

General Insurance (Life objectives)

Basic concepts 9, contract law 6, insurance marketplace 7 (CDI 2025 Life objectives, 75 questions)

49 Qs

Life Insurance

Life basics 8, policy types 10, annuities 8, replacement 4, the contract 10, taxation 3, group 2, Social Security 1, underwriting 3

4 Qs

Life Policy Riders

Riders on life policies

18 Qs

General Insurance (A&H objectives)

Basic concepts 7, contract law 4, insurance marketplace 7 (CDI 2025 Accident & Health objectives, 75 questions)

4 Qs

General Concepts of Medical and Disability Insurance

Health and disability insurance concepts

45 Qs

Medical Expense Insurance

Individual 14, group 8, PPACA 8, senior health products 15

4 Qs

Disability Income Insurance

Disability income coverage

4 Qs

Long-Term Care Insurance

Long-term care coverage

Preparing for the CA Life & Health Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 60%
  • Exam length: 150 questions
  • Time limit: 3 hours (combined Life, Accident & Health); 1.5 hours for Life-Only or Accident & Health
  • Exam / certification fees: $55 CDI examination fee + $43 PSI convenience fee ($98 per attempt; CDI, checked 2026-10-23) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 647 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CA Life & Health: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the California Insurance Code provisions named in the CDI exam objectives
2Know the at-least-30-day return period for buyers 60+ (on the purchase date) vs the insurer-set 10-to-30-day period for younger buyers
3Understand CLHIGA limits: 80% up to $300K life death benefit and $250K annuity value; the health limit is indexed ($661,862 as of March 2024)
4Study Knox-Keene Act: HMOs regulated by DMHC, not CDI
5Learn Cal-COBRA (applies to groups 2-19) vs federal COBRA (groups 20+)

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is the California life and health insurance exam?

The combined Life, Accident & Health exam has 150 questions in 3 hours and requires a 60% score to pass (the Life-Only and Accident & Health exams are 75 questions in 1.5 hours each). The CDI exam objectives include California-specific topics such as the Insurance Code, CLHIGA, rules for seniors, and which regulator (CDI or the Department of Managed Health Care) oversees a plan.

What are California's pre-license education requirements?

Effective January 1, 2026, AB 943 repealed the 20-hour line-specific requirement, so California now requires only a single 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course (including 1 hour of fraud instruction), approved by the CDI, for life and accident & health applicants.

What is the California 30-day free look period for seniors?

Individual life policies and individual annuities sold to a buyer who is 60 or older on the date of purchase must allow at least 30 days to return the policy (Insurance Code 10127.10). For buyers under 60, the insurer sets the return period, which must be at least 10 and no more than 30 days (Insurance Code 10127.9). A replacement policy carries a 30-day unconditional refund right from delivery (Insurance Code 10509.6).

What is the Knox-Keene Act?

The Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 regulates HMOs and health care service plans in California. It requires plans to be licensed by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), not the CDI, and sets standards for quality, access, and consumer protections.