West Virginia Life & Health Exam Overview

West Virginia Life & Health Insurance Exam

Welcome to the West Virginia Life & Health Insurance Exam study guide. West Virginia licenses Life and Accident & Health (A&H) as two separate lines of authority, each with its own exam. You may sit one line or both, but each is scheduled, paid for, and scored independently. Licensing is regulated by the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC), and exams are delivered by Pearson VUE.

What the Exam Tests

Each exam blends two parts: a general (national) section covering core insurance principles, and a West Virginia state-law section. You are graded on the combined scaled score, so weakness in either part can sink the result. State-law topics carry heavy weight relative to their question count, so do not treat them as an afterthought.

• OIC structure, the Insurance Commissioner's authority, and enforcement powers
• Producer licensing, appointment, and continuing-education rules
• Required policy provisions, free-look periods, and replacement rules
• Unfair trade practices, rebating, twisting, and misrepresentation
• Guaranty association protections and consumer disclosures

Exam Specifications (March 2025 Handbook)

The two L&H exams share identical logistics. Both are computer-based at a Pearson VUE test center, with results delivered on a printed score report the moment you finish.

Common trap: older prep lists 94/96 questions and a $88 fee. The current WV handbook specifies 90 questions per L&H exam and an $84 Pearson VUE fee. Both exams seed unscored pretest questions mixed in with scored items — they are not identified, so answer every question as if it counts. The 120 minutes works out to roughly 80 seconds per item, leaving time to flag and revisit a handful.

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Pre-Licensing Education and the Certificate

West Virginia requires state-approved pre-licensing education before you may test. Hours are counted per line of authority, so a combined Life & Health candidate needs the full 40 hours.

The course concludes with a closed-book certification exam that you must pass with 70% or higher. Critically, this final must be monitored by a disinterested third party — not a relative, friend, roommate, or business associate. This proctor rule applies to online courses too, where many candidates stumble by having a household member supervise.

On passing, you receive a Certificate of Pre-licensing Course Completion (or the equivalent form PL 789E). This document is valid for only 6 months and you cannot be admitted to the test center without it. West Virginia's six-month window is shorter than many states, so the sequencing rule is simple: do not finish your course until you are within six months of a realistic exam date.

Worked timing example

Suppose you complete your 40-hour course and pass the proctored final on March 1. Your certificate expires September 1. If you fail your first attempt in August, you still have a valid certificate to retest — but if you delay into September, the certificate lapses and you must retake the entire pre-licensing course before testing again. Build in buffer for at least one retake.

Scheduling and Exam-Day Rules

Reserve through Pearson VUE online at pearsonvue.com or by phone at (800) 274-2614, paying the $84 fee by credit card, debit card, or voucher at booking. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable and are never collected at the test center. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

Arrive 30 minutes early to complete check-in. Bring:

• Two forms of valid ID, at least one government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or military ID), with matching names
• Your Certificate of Completion / PL 789E

No personal items — phones, watches, notes, bags — are allowed in the testing room; store them in a locker. Violating test-center policy means dismissal and forfeiture of the fee. If you fail, you must wait 24 hours to rebook and pay the $84 fee again.

After You Pass: Fingerprints, Application, and Fees

Passing the exam is the midpoint, not the finish line. Resident L&H applicants must submit fingerprints for a criminal-history background check through IdentoGo (identogo.com). Reserve the fingerprinting appointment after passing, and complete it promptly — fingerprint results have a limited shelf life, so do not let your appointment drift.

To apply, mail the original Pearson VUE passing score report, the original Certificate of Completion (or PL 789E), fingerprint submission, and the $50 resident license fee payable to the West Virginia Insurance Commissioner. Most producers apply electronically through NIPR. The license renews every 2 years based on the applicant's birth month.

One-Year Deadline (high-stakes rule)

Applicants not licensed within one year of passing an examination must complete pre-licensing education again AND retake the exam. A passing score does not sit on the shelf indefinitely.

Continuing Education to Stay Licensed

Product-specific add-ons apply on top of the 24 hours: a 4-hour Annuity Best Interest course before selling annuities, and an initial 8-hour long-term-care (LTC) course plus 4 hours every renewal for LTC sales. Telemarketing-only producers may qualify for a reduced 6-hour requirement, 3 of which must be ethics.

How This Guide Is Organized

1. WV Insurance Regulation & Licensing — OIC authority, producer duties, enforcement
2. WV Life Insurance Laws — required provisions, replacement, free look
3. WV Health Insurance Laws — mandated benefits, coverage rules
4. WV Policy Provisions & Consumer Protections — disclosures, guaranty fund, unfair practices

Test-Taking Strategy

• Watch qualifier words: "NOT," "EXCEPT," "LEAST" flip the correct answer
• Eliminate two implausible options first, then decide between the remaining two
• Pace at ~80 seconds/item; flag and return rather than stalling
• Trust prepared knowledge — first instincts on factual recall are usually right
• Memorize the WV numbers: 90 questions, 120 minutes, 70% pass, $84 fee, $50 license, 6-month certificate, 24-hour CE

Disclaimer: Always confirm current rules with the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (wvinsurance.gov, (304) 558-0610), as fees, forms, and requirements change.