Rhode Island Life & Health Exam Overview
Key Takeaways
- Rhode Island has NO mandatory pre-licensing education requirement for Life or Accident & Health producers
- Life and Accident & Health are separate exams and separate lines of authority - there is no combined Life/Health exam
- Each exam has 90 questions (80 scored + 10 unscored pretest) split into a General section (75 minutes) and a Rhode Island State section (45 minutes), 2 hours total
- Passing is a SCALED score of 70 (0-100 scale), which is NOT the same as a raw percent-correct; numeric scores are reported only to failing candidates
- Pearson VUE delivers the exam for an $80 fee; the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR) Insurance Division issues the license
- Renewal is biennial on the last day of your birth month: 24 CE hours including 3 ethics hours, $120 per line
Rhode Island Life & Health Insurance Exam
Welcome to the Rhode Island Life & Health Insurance Exam study guide. Rhode Island licenses insurance producers (the modern term for an insurance agent) under the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR) - Insurance Division. To sell life or health products you must pass a state licensing exam delivered by Pearson VUE, the DBR's contracted testing vendor, then apply for the corresponding line of authority.
Two Separate Lines, Two Separate Exams
A critical Rhode Island distinction: there is no combined "Life and Health" exam. The Life line and the Accident & Health (A&H) line are tested and licensed separately. Sitting both means scheduling and paying for two exams, though you may take them on the same day.
| Line of authority | Sample products you may sell |
|---|---|
| Life | Term, whole, universal, variable life; fixed and variable annuities |
| Accident & Health (A&H) | Major medical, disability income, Medicare Supplement, long-term care, dental |
Trap: candidates from other states assume a single "Life, Accident & Health" exam. In Rhode Island, passing Life does not grant A&H authority, and vice versa. Each exam reports a separate pass/fail result and feeds a separate license line.
Exam Structure (Both Exams)
Each major-line exam is split into two separately timed sections - a General (national) section and a Rhode Island State section - taken back-to-back in one appointment.
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| General section | 50 scored + 5 pretest = 55 questions, 1 hour 15 minutes (75 min) |
| State section | 30 scored + 5 pretest = 35 questions, 45 minutes |
| Total | 90 questions (80 scored + 10 pretest), 2 hours total |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 70 (0-100 scale) |
| Format | Multiple choice, computer-based, four options each |
| Vendor | Pearson VUE |
| Exam fee | $80 per major line (buy-one-get-one free if two major lines are scheduled back-to-back) |
The 10 pretest items (5 per section) are unscored questions Pearson VUE is field-testing; they are mixed in and not identified, so answer every question.
About the scaled score: Rhode Island reports results on a 0-100 scaled score, and the DBR-set passing standard is 70. Pearson VUE states plainly that the scaled score is neither the number nor the percentage of questions you answered correctly - it is a statistical conversion. Numeric scores are reported only to failing candidates (so they can see how close they came); passing candidates simply receive a Pass result. Do not assume a flat 70% equals a fixed 56-of-80 raw count. The practical takeaway is the same: build a comfortable margin by scoring 80%+ on full-length practice tests before exam day.
No Pre-Licensing Education Required
Rhode Island imposes no mandatory pre-licensing education for Life or A&H - no required classroom hours, no state-approved course, no certificate to upload. You may register and sit the exam directly.
That freedom is a double-edged sword. The general (national) portion covers dense material - contract law, policy provisions, riders, taxation, annuity suitability, HIPAA, Medicare. Plan 40-60 self-study hours per line and aim for at least three full-length practice exams above 80% before scheduling.
Registration & Exam Day
- Schedule at pearsonvue.com or by phone at (800) 274-3739; create a Pearson VUE web account first.
- Choose an in-person Pearson VUE test center or the OnVUE remote online-proctored option taken from home with a webcam and approved workspace.
- Pay the $80 fee by credit/debit card or voucher at reservation.
- Bring two valid, unexpired IDs whose first/last name matches your registration exactly: one primary ID with photograph and signature (e.g., driver's license or passport) and one secondary ID with signature.
- Arrive 30 minutes early for in-person testing; no phones, notes, study aids, or personal items are allowed in the testing room (lockers provided).
- Results are scored immediately and a pass/fail report is handed to you at the center (or shown on screen for OnVUE).
If you fail, you may reschedule and pay the $80 fee again for each retake. There is no statutory waiting period set by the DBR, but you must re-book through Pearson VUE.
From Passing to Licensed: The One-Year Window
Passing the exam does not make you a producer - it qualifies you to apply. Rhode Island requires you to complete all licensing steps and obtain the issued license within one year of your exam pass date, or the result expires and you must retest.
Application Steps
- Apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) at nipr.com (electronic, fastest) or the DBR system.
- Pay the application/license fee for each line of authority.
- Background review / fingerprinting may be required; disclose any criminal or regulatory history.
- DBR review of your application and exam results.
- License issued, generally valid through the biennial cycle tied to your birth month.
Trap: the "one year" clock runs from the exam date, not the application date. A candidate who passes, then waits 13 months to apply, has a dead exam result and must pay $80 and sit again.
Continuing Education (CE) & Renewal
Rhode Island licenses renew on a biennial cycle ending the last day of your birth month. To renew you must complete CE before submitting the renewal.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total CE | 24 credit hours every 2 years |
| Ethics | 3 of the 24 hours must be ethics |
| Per-line minimum | At least 5 hours in each line held |
| Carryover | Up to 12 excess general hours roll to the next cycle (ethics carries only as general) |
| Renewal fee | $120 per line of authority |
| Late fee | $170 additional for late renewal |
Product-Specific Training (Separate from CE)
| Product | Initial | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|
| Annuity Best Interest | 4-hour one-time course (if licensed on/after 4/1/2021) before soliciting annuities | none |
| Long-Term Care (LTC) | 8-hour one-time course before selling LTC | 4 hours every 24 months |
CE Exemptions
These licensees may be exempt from RI CE:
- Producers holding lines that require no licensing exam
- Adjusters and appraisers
- Non-resident producers who satisfy their home-state CE
- Age 55+ with 25+ years of continuous licensure
- Age 60+ (as of July 3, 2004) with 20+ years of continuous licensure
The Regulator: RI Department of Business Regulation
The DBR Insurance Division licenses producers, approves CE providers, examines insurers for solvency and market conduct, and enforces the insurance code.
- Phone: (401) 462-9520
- Website: dbr.ri.gov/insurance
- Address: 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Building 69-2, Cranston, RI 02920
How to Use This Guide
This state guide focuses on Rhode Island law layered over national fundamentals. Chapters cover: (1) RI insurance regulation & producer licensing; (2) RI life insurance laws; (3) RI health insurance laws; (4) RI policy provisions & consumer protections.
Suggested 6-8 Week Timeline
- Weeks 6-8: Learn national fundamentals + diagnostic practice test
- Week 4: Drill weak domains; daily quizzes; memorize RI thresholds (90 Qs / 80 scored, 75+45 min, scaled 70, $80, 24 CE/3 ethics)
- Week 2: Full-length timed practice exams; schedule with Pearson VUE
- Week 1: Final review of RI statutes; rest
Exam-Day Tactics
- Watch negatives: "NOT," "EXCEPT," "LEAST" flip the correct answer.
- Eliminate two obviously wrong options, then decide between the remaining two.
- Flag hard items and return - you have 75 minutes for the 55-question General section (~82 seconds each) and 45 minutes for the 35-question State section (~77 seconds each).
- Distinguish general vs. RI-specific stems; the two sections are timed separately, and RI questions hinge on the exact numbers above.
Disclaimer: Educational use only; verify current rules with the RI DBR, as fees and requirements change.
How is Life and Accident & Health licensing structured in Rhode Island?
What is the time structure and passing standard for a Rhode Island producer exam?
How long after passing the exam must a candidate obtain the issued Rhode Island license?
Which statement about Rhode Island continuing education for producers is correct?
What is the Pearson VUE fee to sit one Rhode Island producer exam?