Pennsylvania Insurance License
The Pennsylvania insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to Pennsylvania — 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 Pennsylvania
| 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 Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Time limit: 2 hours 30 minutes. Roughly 32 of the scored questions (21%) come from Pennsylvania law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
ELIMINATED. Act 142 of 2024 repealed the former 24-hour requirement at 40 P.S. Section 310.4(b), effective 29 April 2025. No pre-exam course is required.
Continuing education
24 hours every biennial license cycle including 3 hours of ethics, under Act 147 and 40 P.S. Sections 310.8(b) and 310.6(a), with rules at 31 Pa. Code Chapter 39a.
License term
biennial license cycle
Regulator
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department oversees licensing, headed by a Commissioner appointed by the Governor.
Pennsylvania Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association (PLHIGA), 40 P.S. Section 991.1717
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, 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.
Pennsylvania insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 105 correct answers out of 150 scored questions.
Who administers the Pennsylvania insurance license exam?
PSI Services, on behalf of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.
Does Pennsylvania require prelicensing education?
ELIMINATED. Act 142 of 2024 repealed the former 24-hour requirement at 40 P.S. Section 310.4(b), effective 29 April 2025. No pre-exam course is required.
How much continuing education does Pennsylvania require?
24 hours every biennial license cycle including 3 hours of ethics, under Act 147 and 40 P.S. Sections 310.8(b) and 310.6(a), with rules at 31 Pa. Code Chapter 39a.
Is there a Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Insurance Department.