How many questions are on the California Life & Health Insurance exam?

The CA-LH exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering both general insurance concepts and California-specific regulations.

How much time is allowed to complete the CA-LH exam?

Candidates are given a total of 180 minutes to complete the 150-question exam.

What is the passing score for the California Life & Health Insurance exam?

To pass the California exam, you must achieve a score of 60%. As a state licensure exam, the required passing score varies by state. Candidates MUST verify the exact passing score with their specific state's Department of Insurance. For example, while California requires a 60% to pass, many other states require a 70%.

How much does it cost to take the California Life & Health exam?

The total fee is generally $98, which includes a $55 CDI base fee plus a $43 PSI convenience fee.

Where can I take the CA-LH exam?

The exam can be taken in-person at CDI or PSI test centers, or online from your home via PSI Bridge remote proctoring.

How long should I study for the California Life and Health exam?

Most candidates require around 60 hours of total preparation time. The General Insurance Regulation section alone accounts for 25% of the exam, meaning you should devote significant time to California-specific laws.

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CA-LH · Syllabus & Exam Outline 2026

California Life & Health Insurance License Exam

Exam-aligned study paths covering the national Life & Health insurance core plus California insurance law - California Department of Insurance rules, licensing, and state-specific requirements - in retention-first 15-minute topics.

Start studying free see the outline ↓

Questions: 150
Time limit: 180 minutes
Passing score: 60%
Cost: $55 CDI base fee + $43 PSI convenience fee
Format: Multiple choice
Delivery: In-person at CDI/PSI test centers or online via PSI Bridge remote proctoring
Prep time: ~60 hours

Exam overview

The California Life & Health Insurance License Exam (CA-LH), administered by the California Department of Insurance (CDI), is designed to assess your competency in core insurance principles and state-specific regulations. Passing this exam is a mandatory step toward becoming a licensed life and health insurance producer in the state. The curriculum spans nationally uniform concepts—such as policy riders, underwriting procedures, and health policy provisions—while diving deeply into California’s unique insurance codes, marketing practices, and unfair trade regulations. To help you systematically navigate this comprehensive material, Only Ever breaks the official syllabus down into highly focused, 15-minute study topics. By matching each topic to the specific curriculum weights outlined by the state, our platform ensures you dedicate the right amount of time to high-value sections, like General Insurance Regulation, guaranteeing a thorough and efficient preparation journey.

Exam domains & weighting

Each domain's share of the exam — study deepest where the weight is highest. Open one for how to study it and its objectives.

How to study this domain

Focus on distinguishing between term and permanent life insurance. Memorize the features of traditional whole life versus flexible policies like universal and variable life. Use flashcards to differentiate annuity accumulation periods from payout options.

Key objectives

Traditional Whole Life Products
Interest, Market-Sensitive, and Adjustable Life
Term Life Insurance
Annuities
Combination Plans and Variations

Study this domain

Readiness self-check

Tick off everything you can confidently explain. Anything left unchecked is your study list — tap “Review” to jump straight into that domain.

Readiness

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Types of Policies

Review

Can you distinguish between ordinary whole life and flexible premium universal life policies?
Do you understand the difference between the accumulation period and the payout period of an annuity?

Policy Riders, Provisions, Options, and Exclusions

Review

Can you list the standard nonforfeiture options available in a whole life policy?
Are you able to explain the incontestability clause and its time limits?

Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy

Review

Do you know the difference between warranties and representations?
Can you describe the agent's responsibility upon delivering a newly issued policy to a client?

Retirement and Other Insurance Concepts

Review

Can you explain how a buy-sell agreement is funded with life insurance?
Are you familiar with the general tax treatment of individual life insurance death benefits?

Types of Accident & Health Policies

Review

Can you describe the characteristics that distinguish an HMO from a PPO?
Do you understand how Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) integrate with High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs)?

Health Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders

Review

Can you recall at least three mandatory uniform provisions for health policies?

Social Insurance

Review

Can you match Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D to their respective coverage types?

Other Health Insurance Concepts

Review

Can you define residual disability and explain how it differs from partial disability?
Do you understand the purpose of the coordination of benefits provision in group health plans?

Field Underwriting Procedures

Review

What steps must a producer take if they discover an application is incomplete?

General Insurance Regulation

Review

Are you familiar with the specific unfair trade practices defined by the California Insurance Code, such as twisting and churning?
Can you outline the continuing education and license renewal requirements for California producers?
Do you know the coverage limits and excluded products under the California Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association (CLHIGA)?

Quick reference

Essential Insurance Acronyms

Common abbreviations tested on the state life and health producer exam.

NAIC: National Association of Insurance CommissionersDevelops model laws that many states adopt.
CLHIGA: California Life & Health Insurance Guarantee AssociationProtects policyholders if an insurer becomes insolvent.
HDHP: High Deductible Health PlanRequired to open a Health Savings Account (HSA).
COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation ActFederal law for group health coverage continuation.
HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ActRegulates health data privacy and portability.

Key Insurance Concepts & Terms

Fundamental terminology frequently tested across multiple exam domains.

Free Look Period

A mandatory provision giving the policyowner a set number of days to review a new policy and return it for a full refund if dissatisfied.

Incontestability Clause

Prevents the insurance company from voiding a life insurance policy after it has been in force for a specific period (usually two years), even in cases of material misrepresentation.

Subrogation

The right of the insurer to assume the legal rights of the insured to sue a third party that caused a medical loss, preventing the insured from collecting twice.

Twisting

An unfair trade practice involving misrepresentation to persuade a policyowner to cancel, lapse, or switch policies, usually to their detriment.

Nonforfeiture Options

Guarantees built into permanent life insurance that allow the policyowner to access the cash value if the policy is surrendered or lapses.

Frequently asked questions

Good to know

The General Knowledge portion of the content is nationally uniform (NAIC model), whereas the General Insurance Regulation section is heavily customized to California state laws.
The exam consists exclusively of multiple-choice questions. Ensure you are familiar with the computer-based testing interface if taking it via PSI.

Reading isn’t remembering.

California Life & Health prep blends nationally-uniform insurance concepts with California-specific law, and most materials muddle the two.

Only Ever teaches the shared national Life & Health core once, then layers California insurance law - regulation, licensing, unfair practices, guaranty protection, and state-specific rules - as focused 15-minute topics.

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