Massachusetts Insurance License
The Massachusetts insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to Massachusetts — 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 Massachusetts
| Edition | Scored questions | Correct to pass | Pass mark | Misses allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life & Health | 100 | 70 | 70% | 30 |
| Life only | 100 | 70 | 70% | 30 |
| Health only | 100 | 70 | 70% | 30 |
Administered by Pearson for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. Time limit: 2 hours per exam. Roughly 25 of the scored questions (25%) come from Massachusetts law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
NOT required. Prelicensing education is not required under M.G.L. c.175 Section 162L for these producer lines.
Continuing education
An unusual two-stage structure. FIRST renewal requires 60 CE credits including 3 credits of ethics. Each SUBSEQUENT three-year renewal requires 45 CE credits including 3 credits of ethics. Massachusetts licenses renew every THREE years.
License term
3 years, on a birth-date cycle
Regulator
The Massachusetts Division of Insurance oversees licensing, headed by a Commissioner of Insurance appointed to lead the Division of Insurance.
Massachusetts Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, 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.
Massachusetts insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the Massachusetts insurance license exam?
The combined life and health exam has 100 scored questions. You need 70 correct to pass at 70%, which means you can miss 30.
What is the passing score for the Massachusetts insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 70 correct answers out of 100 scored questions.
Who administers the Massachusetts insurance license exam?
Pearson, on behalf of the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.
Does Massachusetts require prelicensing education?
NOT required. Prelicensing education is not required under M.G.L. c.175 Section 162L for these producer lines.
How much continuing education does Massachusetts require?
An unusual two-stage structure. FIRST renewal requires 60 CE credits including 3 credits of ethics. Each SUBSEQUENT three-year renewal requires 45 CE credits including 3 credits of ethics. Massachusetts licenses renew every THREE years.
Is there a Massachusetts life-only or health-only exam?
Yes. Life only is 100 scored questions, 70 to pass, Health only is 100 scored questions, 70 to pass.
How much does a Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Division of Insurance.