Iowa Insurance License
The Iowa insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to Iowa — 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 Iowa
| Edition | Scored questions | Correct to pass | Pass mark | Misses allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life & Health | 77 | 54 | 70% | 23 |
| Life only | 77 | 54 | 70% | 23 |
| Health only | 80 | 56 | 70% | 24 |
Administered by Pearson VUE for the Iowa Insurance Division. Time limit: 2 hours per exam. Roughly 15 of the scored questions (19%) come from Iowa law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
NOT required. Iowa has no formal prelicensing education requirement, and no fixed prelicensing-hour figure appears in the current Iowa handbook.
Continuing education
36 credits per THREE-YEAR CE term, of which 3 credits must be ethics, under Iowa Administrative Code 191-11.3. Credits earned in excess of the term requirement CANNOT be carried over. Self-study courses are permitted and count when the examination is received by the CE provider.
License term
3-year license and CE term
Regulator
The Iowa Insurance Division oversees licensing, headed by an Insurance Commissioner leading the Iowa Insurance Division.
Iowa Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to Iowa 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 Iowa, 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.
Iowa insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the Iowa insurance license exam?
The combined life and health exam has 77 scored questions. You need 54 correct to pass at 70%, which means you can miss 23.
What is the passing score for the Iowa insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 54 correct answers out of 77 scored questions.
Who administers the Iowa insurance license exam?
Pearson VUE, on behalf of the Iowa Insurance Division.
Does Iowa require prelicensing education?
NOT required. Iowa has no formal prelicensing education requirement, and no fixed prelicensing-hour figure appears in the current Iowa handbook.
How much continuing education does Iowa require?
36 credits per THREE-YEAR CE term, of which 3 credits must be ethics, under Iowa Administrative Code 191-11.3. Credits earned in excess of the term requirement CANNOT be carried over. Self-study courses are permitted and count when the examination is received by the CE provider.
Is there a Iowa life-only or health-only exam?
Yes. Life only is 77 scored questions, 54 to pass, Health only is 80 scored questions, 56 to pass.
How much does a Iowa 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 Iowa Insurance Division.