New York Insurance License
The New York insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to New York — 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 New York
| Edition | Scored questions | Correct to pass | Pass mark | Misses allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life & Health | 150 | 105 | 70% | 45 |
| Life only | 100 | 70 | 70% | 30 |
| Health only | 100 | 70 | 70% | 30 |
Administered by PSI Services for the New York State Department of Financial Services. Time limit: 2 hours 30 minutes. Roughly 40 of the scored questions (27%) come from New York law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
20 hours per line of authority, or 40 hours for the combined Life, Accident and Health authority.
Continuing education
Completed on a biennial cycle including an ethics component. Confirm the current hour requirement with DFS.
License term
renewed on a biennial cycle
Regulator
The New York State Department of Financial Services oversees licensing, headed by the Superintendent of Financial Services, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate - New York has no Insurance Commissioner.
Life and Health Insurance Company Guaranty Corporation of New York
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to New York policyholders. Verified against the NOLHGA state-by-state table dated 1 June 2025.
| What is protected | Limit |
|---|---|
| AGGREGATE limit for ALL benefits on any one life | $500,000 |
| Unallocated group annuity or funding agreement | $1,000,000 per contract |
| Group health insurance benefits | No limit |
The Study Guide
Written for New York, 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.
New York insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the New York insurance license exam?
The combined life and health exam has 150 scored questions. You need 105 correct to pass at 70%, which means you can miss 45.
What is the passing score for the New York insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 105 correct answers out of 150 scored questions.
Who administers the New York insurance license exam?
PSI Services, on behalf of the New York State Department of Financial Services.
Does New York require prelicensing education?
20 hours per line of authority, or 40 hours for the combined Life, Accident and Health authority.
How much continuing education does New York require?
Completed on a biennial cycle including an ethics component. Confirm the current hour requirement with DFS.
Is there a New York 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 New York 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 New York State Department of Financial Services.