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Which type of life insurance provides protection only for a specified period and pays a death benefit only if the insured dies during that period?

Whole life

Term life

Universal life

Endowment

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CISR Life & Health Exam

70%

Passing Score

End-of-course multiple-choice exam

$295

Course Tuition

Exam included

1 day

Course Length

Classroom or live online

5 of 9

Courses for CISR

Within 3 calendar years

Annual

Update Required

To maintain CISR designation

100

Free Practice Questions

OpenExamPrep

CISR Life & Health Essentials is a 1-day course followed by a multiple-choice exam (70% to pass) covering life insurance basics, policy provisions and riders, group life and group health, individual health, Medicare and ACA basics, disability and long-term care basics, and producer conduct. Tuition is approximately $295 (exam included). Complete any 5 of 9 CISR courses within 3 calendar years to earn the CISR designation.

Sample CISR Life & Health Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CISR Life & Health exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which type of life insurance provides protection only for a specified period and pays a death benefit only if the insured dies during that period?

A.Whole life

B.Term life

C.Universal life

D.Endowment

Explanation: Term life insurance provides pure death benefit protection for a defined period (e.g., 10, 20, or 30 years). It builds no cash value and pays a benefit only if the insured dies during the term. Premiums are typically lower than permanent insurance because most policies expire without paying a claim.

2A level term policy is best characterized by which of the following?

A.The face amount decreases each year while the premium stays level

B.The premium and face amount both remain constant for the term

C.The premium increases each year while the face amount stays level

D.The face amount increases with inflation while the premium stays level

Explanation: Level term insurance keeps both the premium and the death benefit constant throughout the term period. It is the most common form of term insurance and is easy for service representatives to explain because nothing changes during the level term.

3Which form of term life insurance is commonly used to cover a mortgage balance because its death benefit declines over time?

A.Level term

B.Increasing term

C.Decreasing term

D.Return of premium term

Explanation: Decreasing term has a face amount that drops on a set schedule while the premium remains level. It is frequently sold as mortgage protection because the death benefit can be matched to the declining balance of an amortizing loan.

4An increasing term policy is most often used as a rider attached to which type of policy to keep the death benefit aligned with inflation?

A.A whole life policy as a cost-of-living rider

B.A disability income policy

C.A long-term care policy

D.A Medicare Supplement policy

Explanation: Increasing term is commonly used as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rider on permanent life insurance. It allows the death benefit to grow over time, typically tied to a published index, helping the coverage keep pace with inflation.

5A return of premium (ROP) term policy typically does which of the following if the insured outlives the term?

A.Pays the original face amount in cash

B.Refunds the premiums paid during the term

C.Converts automatically to whole life with no underwriting

D.Pays a fixed annuity for life

Explanation: Return of premium term refunds the total premiums paid if the insured is alive at the end of the term. ROP premiums are higher than ordinary level term because the insurer must reserve for the eventual refund, but the refund itself is not taxable as income.

6Which of the following best describes traditional whole life insurance?

A.Temporary coverage with no cash value

B.Permanent coverage with level premiums and a guaranteed cash value

C.A pure investment with no death benefit

D.Coverage that ends at age 65

Explanation: Whole life is permanent insurance with a level premium for life, a guaranteed death benefit, and a guaranteed minimum cash value. The cash value grows on a tax-deferred basis and can be accessed via policy loans or withdrawals.

7In a participating whole life policy, dividends paid to the policyowner are generally treated for federal income tax purposes as which of the following?

A.Ordinary income in the year received

B.Capital gains in the year received

C.A return of premium and not taxable until they exceed total premiums paid

D.Tax-free indefinitely with no basis tracking

Explanation: Dividends on participating life insurance are considered a return of overpaid premium. They are not taxable until cumulative dividends exceed the total premiums paid into the contract, at which point further dividends become ordinary income.

8Which of the following is NOT a typical dividend option on a participating whole life policy?

A.Cash payment to the policyowner

B.Reduction of the next premium

C.Paid-up additions of insurance

D.A guaranteed first-year bonus paid by the insurer

Explanation: Standard dividend options include cash, premium reduction, paid-up additions, accumulation at interest, and one-year term insurance. Dividends are never guaranteed; a 'guaranteed first-year bonus' is not a recognized dividend option.

9Which whole life variation requires the insured to pay premiums for a fixed number of years (such as 10 or 20), after which the policy is fully paid up?

A.Straight whole life

B.Limited-pay whole life

C.Single-premium whole life

D.Modified whole life

Explanation: Limited-pay whole life allows the policyholder to fund the policy over a stated number of years (e.g., 10-pay or 20-pay) or to a stated age. After that period, no further premiums are due, but coverage continues for life.

10Universal life insurance differs from traditional whole life primarily because universal life offers which of the following?

A.A fixed premium and fixed face amount that cannot be changed

B.Flexible premiums and an adjustable death benefit

C.Coverage that automatically expires at age 65

D.No cash value at any time

Explanation: Universal life is permanent insurance built around a flexible premium structure and an adjustable death benefit. Within limits, the policyowner can vary how much premium to pay and increase or decrease the face amount as needs change.

About the CISR Life & Health Exam

CISR Life & Health Essentials is one of nine CISR courses offered by the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance (formerly The National Alliance). The 1-day course gives service-side professionals a working foundation in individual life insurance products, group life and group health, individual health, Medicare and the ACA marketplace, disability income, long-term care, and producer conduct so they can confidently service life and health accounts.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

2 hours

Passing Score

70%

Exam Fee

$295 per course (Risk & Insurance Education Alliance)

CISR Life & Health Exam Content Outline

25%

Life Insurance Basics

Term (level, decreasing, increasing, ROP), whole life, universal life (current assumption, indexed, variable), GUL vs IUL, endowments, MEC and the IRC 7702A 7-pay test, IRC 1035 exchanges, and IRC 72 LIFO/FIFO ordering.

15%

Life Policy Provisions & Riders

Free look (10/30 days), 30/31-day grace period, 2-year incontestability and suicide clauses, settlement options (lump sum, fixed amount, fixed period, life income, joint and survivor), and core riders (waiver of premium, accidental death, accelerated benefit).

20%

Group Life & Group Health

Group life conversion (31 days), IRC Section 79 first $50,000 group term life exclusion, group health conversion (31 days), COBRA continuation (18/29/36 months), HIPAA portability and privacy, Section 125 cafeteria plans, FSAs, HSAs, and HSA-qualified HDHPs.

15%

Individual Health Insurance

Major medical, HMO/PPO/EPO/POS structures, deductibles, coinsurance, ACA out-of-pocket maximums, ACA essential health benefits, dependent coverage to age 26, qualifying life events, and short-term limited duration insurance.

15%

Medicare & ACA Basics

Medicare Parts A/B/C/D, the 10 standardized Medigap plans (A-N), Medicare Advantage HMO/PPO/PFFS/SNP, the IRA-mandated Part D $2,000 OOP cap, AEP (Oct 15 - Dec 7), MA OEP (Jan 1 - Mar 31), ACA premium tax credits and CSR Silver eligibility.

Disability Income & LTC Basics

Individual DI elimination and benefit periods, own-occ vs any-occ definitions, taxation of DI premiums and benefits, and HIPAA tax-qualified LTC trigger (2 of 6 ADLs for 90+ days or severe cognitive impairment).

Producer Conduct

Fiduciary and best-interest duties, NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model, replacement procedures, twisting and churning, rebating, and accurate documentation of life and health sales.

How to Pass the CISR Life & Health Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 70%
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 2 hours
Exam fee: $295 per course

Keys to Passing

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

CISR Life & Health Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize the 7702/7702A/72 framework: 7702 defines life insurance, 7702A's 7-pay test creates a MEC, and IRC 72 governs annuity LIFO/FIFO with the 10% pre-59 1/2 penalty.

2Build a 1035 exchange map: life-to-life, life-to-annuity, annuity-to-annuity, and annuity-to-LTC are tax-free; annuity-to-life is NOT permitted.

3Learn the timing trio cold: free look (10 or 30 days), grace period (30 or 31 days for life, mode-based for health), and 2-year contestability/suicide.

4Drill COBRA durations: 18 months (termination/reduction in hours), 29 months (Social Security disability extension), 36 months (divorce, death, dependent age-out, Medicare entitlement).

5Memorize Medicare in one chart: Part A hospital, Part B medical, Part C Advantage, Part D drugs ($2,000 IRA out-of-pocket cap), and the 10 standardized Medigap plans A through N.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CISR Life & Health Essentials course?

CISR Life & Health Essentials is one of nine CISR courses offered by the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance (formerly The National Alliance). It is a 1-day program for insurance service representatives covering individual life products, group life and health, individual health, Medicare, ACA basics, disability income, long-term care, and producer conduct, ending with a multiple-choice course exam.

How is the CISR Life & Health exam structured and how many points do I need to pass?

The end-of-course CISR Life & Health exam is multiple choice. Candidates must score at least 70% to pass. Most students complete the exam within the proctored window scheduled at the end of the course. Study aids and instructor review during the course are designed to closely mirror the items on the final exam.

How much does CISR Life & Health Essentials cost?

Tuition for CISR Life & Health Essentials is approximately $295, with the exam included in the course registration. Earning the full CISR designation requires completing any five of the nine CISR courses within three calendar years, which costs roughly $1,475 in tuition plus the annual update requirement.

Which topics are weighted most heavily on this exam?

Life Insurance Basics (term, whole, universal, endowments, MEC, 1035 exchanges, IRC 72) carries the largest weight at about 25%, followed by Group Life & Group Health at 20%. Life Policy Provisions & Riders, Individual Health, and Medicare & ACA Basics each carry about 15%. Disability Income & LTC and Producer Conduct each carry about 5%.

Do I need a state insurance license to take CISR Life & Health Essentials?

No state license is required to attend or pass the course. The course is designed for new and experienced service-side staff, customer service representatives, and account managers. Many attendees already hold a state Life and Health producer license, and the course often qualifies for state CE credit.

How does CISR Life & Health Essentials compare to a state Life & Health licensing exam?

A state Life & Health licensing exam tests entry-level statutory knowledge needed to sell insurance in that state. CISR Life & Health Essentials is broader and more practical: it focuses on real-world service tasks like explaining product differences, handling Medicare and group benefit questions, and identifying suitability and replacement risks, but it does not by itself create authority to sell insurance in any state.