California Life and Health Agent Exam Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

The California Life, Accident and Health agent exam is the written examination required for the Life Agent and Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license in California. It has 150 questions (75 Life + 75 Accident and Health or Sickness) and a 195 minutes time allowance, and it is administered under the California Department of Insurance (CDI); examinations administered by PSI Services LLC.

A California insurance license is required by state law to sell or solicit the covered lines of insurance. Passing the written exam is a required step before the department issues the license.

People preparing to become licensed insurance agents in California and candidates retaking the exam. Prelicensing education and application requirements are set by the state; check them before you schedule.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

If you do not pass, you may reschedule through PSI and pay the exam fees again; the CDI and the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin set the waiting periods and any limits on attempts.

Passing standard: The CDI's exam information states that California license examinations require a score of 60 percent to pass (the Life and Disability Analyst, Adjuster and Bail exams use different standards). The exam has 150 questions (75 Life + 75 Accident and Health or Sickness) with 195 minutes. No official pass rate for this exam was available in the sources we reviewed, so none is quoted here.

The exam has 150 questions (75 Life + 75 Accident and Health or Sickness) with 195 minutes. Format: Combined exam: 150 questions (Life 75 + Accident and Health or Sickness 75) · 195 minutes. Passing standard: The CDI's exam information states that California license examinations require a score of 60 percent to pass (the Life and Disability Analyst, Adjuster and Bail exams use different standards).

• General Insurance: Basic Insurance Concepts and Principles10.67%
• General Insurance: Contract Law6.67%
• General Insurance: The Insurance Marketplace9.33%
• Life Insurance: Basics5.33%
• Life Insurance: Types of Life Policies6.67%
• Life Insurance: Annuities5.33%
• Life Insurance: Policy Replacement and Cancellation2.67%
• Life Insurance: The Individual Life Insurance Contract6.67%
• Life Insurance: Taxation of Life Insurance and Annuities2%
• Life Insurance: Group Life Insurance Plans1.33%
• Life Insurance: Social Security Disability Program0.67%
• Life Insurance: Individual Underwriting, Pricing, and Claims2%
• Life Policy Riders2.67%
• Medical and Disability Insurance: General Concepts2.67%
• Medical Expense Insurance: Individual Insurance9.33%
• Medical Expense Insurance: Group Medical Expense Insurance5.33%
• Medical Expense Insurance: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act5.33%
• Medical Expense Insurance: Senior Health Products10%
• Disability Income Insurance2.67%
• Long-Term Care Insurance2.67%

The content outline spreads questions across 20 areas: General Insurance: Basic Insurance Concepts and Principles (10.67%); General Insurance: Contract Law (6.67%); General Insurance: The Insurance Marketplace (9.33%); Life Insurance: Basics (5.33%); Life Insurance: Types of Life Policies (6.67%); Life Insurance: Annuities (5.33%); Life Insurance: Policy Replacement and Cancellation (2.67%); Life Insurance: The Individual Life Insurance Contract (6.67%); Life Insurance: Taxation of Life Insurance and Annuities (2.0%); Life Insurance: Group Life Insurance Plans (1.33%); Life Insurance: Social Security Disability Program (0.67%); Life Insurance: Individual Underwriting, Pricing, and Claims (2.0%); Life Policy Riders (2.67%); Medical and Disability Insurance: General Concepts (2.67%); Medical Expense Insurance: Individual Insurance (9.33%); Medical Expense Insurance: Group Medical Expense Insurance (5.33%); Medical Expense Insurance: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (5.33%); Medical Expense Insurance: Senior Health Products (10.0%); Disability Income Insurance (2.67%); Long-Term Care Insurance (2.67%).

California requires an approved prelicensing education course (for example, 20 hours each for Life and for Accident and Health, as listed by the CDI) and a fingerprint-based license application; confirm the current requirements with the CDI before you schedule.

PSI charges a US$43 convenience fee to take the exam at a PSI location, and the CDI charges its own license examination fee; confirm both on the CDI exam-info page. License application fees, fingerprinting, prelicensing education and continuing education are separate.

After you are licensed, California requires periodic license renewal and continuing education on the department's schedule; check the department for the current hours and deadlines.

Start with the heaviest areas of the content outline: General Insurance: Basic Insurance Concepts and Principles (10.67%); Medical Expense Insurance: Senior Health Products (10.0%); General Insurance: The Insurance Marketplace (9.33%). Then work through the remaining areas, practise state-specific statutes and rules separately from the general content, and finish with timed full-length practice runs of 150 questions in 195 minutes.

Content outlines, fees and passing standards change; this guide follows the materials listed under Verification as of October 2026. Check the department and test administrator before you register.