Illinois Insurance License
The Illinois insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to Illinois — the pass mark, the question counts, who runs the exam, and what the state requires before and after you sit it.
What you need to pass in Illinois
| Edition | Scored questions | Correct to pass | Pass mark | Misses allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life & Health | 81 | 57 | 70% | 24 |
Administered by Pearson VUE for the Illinois Department of Insurance. Time limit: 85 minutes for the General portion and 50 minutes for the State portion (Life line). Roughly 36 of the scored questions (40%) come from Illinois law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
20 hours per line of authority under 215 ILCS 5/500-30, of which 7.5 hours must be completed live in a classroom or web class. 40 hours for combined Life and Health. The certificate is valid one year from course completion.
Continuing education
24 hours every two years under 215 ILCS 5/500-35, including 3 hours of ethics which must be completed in a classroom or webinar format rather than self-study.
License term
2 years, at a $215 resident license fee
Regulator
The Illinois Department of Insurance oversees licensing, headed by a DIRECTOR of Insurance, appointed by the Governor - not a Commissioner or Superintendent.
Illinois Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to Illinois policyholders. Verified against the NOLHGA state-by-state table dated 1 June 2025.
| What is protected | Limit |
|---|---|
| Life insurance death benefit | $300,000 |
| Life insurance cash surrender value | $100,000 |
| Hospital, medical, surgical, or major medical | $500,000 |
| Disability income and long-term care | $300,000 |
| Other health insurance benefits | $100,000 |
| Annuity benefits (present value) | $250,000 |
The Study Guide
Written for Illinois, not for everyone.
Every rule explained in ordinary English before the terminology arrives. If two things are easy to confuse, we tell them apart in a sentence. No insurance background assumed.
You get two PDFs: a study guide that teaches the material, and a practice exam whose answer key explains why each answer is right. Printable flashcards, a master sheet of every number worth memorizing, and a four-week study plan are included.
Twisting versus churning. Twisting involves lying to move a customer, usually to a different company. Churning happens inside the same company and is about generating commission. If the question mentions misrepresentation, it is twisting. If it mentions the same insurer, it is churning.
Illinois insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the Illinois insurance license exam?
The combined life and health exam has 81 scored questions. You need 57 correct to pass at 70%, which means you can miss 24.
What is the passing score for the Illinois insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 57 correct answers out of 81 scored questions.
Who administers the Illinois insurance license exam?
Pearson VUE, on behalf of the Illinois Department of Insurance.
Does Illinois require prelicensing education?
20 hours per line of authority under 215 ILCS 5/500-30, of which 7.5 hours must be completed live in a classroom or web class. 40 hours for combined Life and Health. The certificate is valid one year from course completion.
How much continuing education does Illinois require?
24 hours every two years under 215 ILCS 5/500-35, including 3 hours of ethics which must be completed in a classroom or webinar format rather than self-study.
Is there a Illinois life-only or health-only exam?
No. Illinois tests life and health together as one combined exam, so there is no single-line edition.
How much does a Illinois study guide cost?
A single-line guide is $9.99 and the combined life and health guide is $19.99. Each includes a study guide and a practice exam with a full answer key.
These are independent study aids. They are not state-approved prelicensing education courses and do not satisfy any state prelicensing requirement. They are not affiliated with any exam vendor or state insurance regulator. All practice questions are original. We publish no pass-rate claim and make no guarantee of any exam result. Content verified as of August 2026 — confirm current requirements with the Illinois Department of Insurance.