California Life & Health Insurance License Practice Exam
150 practice questions covering national life & health concepts and California-specific regulations.
About the California Life & Health Insurance Exam
The California Life and Health insurance producer license exam is required by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) before selling life, health, annuity, or disability products in California. California is the largest insurance market in the US, and its exam is known for being more rigorous than most states — with 75 questions and a 60-minute time limit, candidates must work efficiently and know the material cold.
The exam is administered by PSI Exams on behalf of the CDI. You need a score of 60% (45 of 75) to pass. Before sitting for the exam, you must complete 52 hours of pre-license education. California's exam places particular emphasis on state-specific insurance code provisions, ethics, and the California Insurance Code (CIC).
California L&H Insurance Exam Topic Breakdown
| Section | Approx. Weight | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Life Insurance | ~30% | Term, whole, universal, variable life; policy provisions; underwriting |
| Health Insurance | ~25% | Medical, dental, vision; HMO/PPO/EPO; disability; long-term care |
| Annuities | ~15% | Fixed, variable, indexed; accumulation vs. payout; suitability |
| California Insurance Code (CIC) | ~20% | Producer licensing, unfair practices, privacy (HIPAA/CCPA), replacement |
| Federal Regulations | ~10% | ACA/Obamacare, ERISA, Medicare/Medicaid basics, COBRA |
Sample California L&H Insurance Exam Questions
1. A California insurance producer who willfully misrepresents the terms of an insurance policy to induce a policyholder to lapse, forfeit, or surrender their existing policy is guilty of:
2. Under California law, a life insurance producer must deliver the policy to the insured within how many days of receiving it from the insurer?
3. A California resident purchases a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy. Under California law, the free-look period for this policy is:
Study Tips for the California L&H Insurance Exam
California's exam emphasizes the California Insurance Code (CIC) heavily — don't treat it as an afterthought. Know the definitions of twisting, churning, rebating, defamation, and misrepresentation; the replacement regulations for life insurance; the free-look periods (10 days standard, 30 days for Medigap and annuities); and the producer duties around disclosure and suitability. These California-specific provisions differentiate candidates who pass from those who fail.
For health insurance, know the difference between HMO, PPO, EPO, and POS plans, the ACA's essential health benefits and metal tiers, and California-specific requirements under Covered California. For annuities, the suitability and best interest standards are heavily tested — California has adopted enhanced suitability rules that mirror fiduciary-like requirements for annuity recommendations.
The national exam content is covered in our national Life & Health practice exam. Getting both lines? See the California P&C exam, and use the insurance license study guide for a full prep plan.
Frequently Asked Questions — California L&H Insurance Exam
How many questions are on the California Life & Health insurance exam?
The California L&H exam contains 75 questions with a 60-minute time limit. The passing score is 60%, meaning you need at least 45 correct answers. The exam is administered by PSI Exams on behalf of the California Department of Insurance.
What pre-license education is required in California for L&H insurance?
California requires 52 hours of CDI-approved pre-license education before sitting for the Life and Health exam: 20 hours of life insurance, 20 hours of accident and health insurance, and 12 hours of ethics and California insurance code. Courses can be completed online through CDI-approved providers.
What is twisting in California insurance law?
Twisting is the illegal practice of inducing a policyholder to lapse, surrender, or cancel an existing insurance policy in favor of a new one by making misrepresentations or incomplete comparisons. It is prohibited under the California Insurance Code and can result in license suspension, revocation, and fines.
What is the free-look period for life insurance in California?
California provides a 10-day free-look period for most life insurance policies, during which the insured can return the policy for a full premium refund. For replacement life insurance policies, the free-look period is 30 days. For Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies, the free-look period is also 30 days.
How long is a California insurance producer license valid?
California insurance producer licenses are valid for two years and expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month. Renewal requires 24 hours of continuing education, including mandatory ethics and anti-fraud courses. Licenses that lapse require additional fees and education to reinstate.
Do I need separate licenses to sell life insurance and health insurance in California?
In California, life insurance and accident and health insurance are separate lines of authority, but you can qualify for both by passing the Life and Health combined exam and completing the required pre-license education for each line. Most producers obtain both simultaneously since the pre-license courses and exam cover both topics.
What is California's replacement rule for life insurance?
When a new life insurance policy is intended to replace an existing policy, California's replacement regulations require the producer to provide a Notice Regarding Replacement to the applicant, submit the notice to both the replacing and existing insurer, and give the insured a 30-day free-look period to review the replacement policy. The rules are designed to protect consumers from the potential harm of unnecessary replacements.