Tennessee Insurance License
The Tennessee insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to Tennessee — 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 Tennessee
| Edition | Scored questions | Correct to pass | Pass mark | Misses allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life & Health | 68 | 48 | 70% | 20 |
| Life only | 68 | 48 | 70% | 20 |
| Health only | 68 | 48 | 70% | 20 |
Administered by Pearson VUE for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. Time limit: about 1 hour 45 minutes per exam (105 minutes for Accident and Health). Roughly 18 of the scored questions (26%) come from Tennessee law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
Not required. Tennessee eliminated mandatory prelicensing education effective March 21, 2023. Self-study is permitted and you may schedule the exam without completing a course. TCA 56-6-106 governs.
Continuing education
24 hours every two years under TCA 56-6-107, including 3 hours of ethics. The compliance period ends the last day of your birth month. Up to 12 unused hours carry over, and the same course may not be repeated within 24 months.
License term
2 years (24 months) unless revoked or suspended
Regulator
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance oversees licensing, headed by the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance, appointed rather than elected.
Tennessee Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to Tennessee 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 Tennessee, 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.
Tennessee insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the Tennessee insurance license exam?
The combined life and health exam has 68 scored questions. You need 48 correct to pass at 70%, which means you can miss 20.
What is the passing score for the Tennessee insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 48 correct answers out of 68 scored questions.
Who administers the Tennessee insurance license exam?
Pearson VUE, on behalf of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
Does Tennessee require prelicensing education?
Not required. Tennessee eliminated mandatory prelicensing education effective March 21, 2023. Self-study is permitted and you may schedule the exam without completing a course. TCA 56-6-106 governs.
How much continuing education does Tennessee require?
24 hours every two years under TCA 56-6-107, including 3 hours of ethics. The compliance period ends the last day of your birth month. Up to 12 unused hours carry over, and the same course may not be repeated within 24 months.
Is there a Tennessee life-only or health-only exam?
Yes. Life only is 68 scored questions, 48 to pass, Health only is 68 scored questions, 48 to pass.
How much does a Tennessee 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 Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.