Legend:
Life & A&H appears on both exams
Life Only Life exam only
A&H Only A&H exam only
Shared Topics — Life and A&H Exams
These topics appear on both the Life Only and the Accident & Health Only exams. If you're sitting for the Combined license, you'll see these concepts once — they don't repeat in both sections.
Core Insurance Concepts & Principles Life & A&H
The foundation of every insurance exam. Covers how insurance works at a conceptual level.
- Risk management techniques: avoidance, reduction, transfer, retention
- The law of large numbers and insurable interest
- Principles of indemnity, subrogation, and contribution
- How insurance pools risk across a group
- Types of insurers: stock, mutual, reciprocal, Lloyd's
Contract Law Life & A&H
Insurance policies are contracts. This domain covers what makes a contract valid and enforceable.
- Elements of a valid contract: offer, acceptance, consideration, competent parties, legal purpose
- Distinguishing features of insurance contracts: aleatory, unilateral, adhesion, conditional
- Warranties vs. representations vs. concealment
- Waiver and estoppel
The Insurance Marketplace Life & A&H
Who sells insurance, who regulates it, and how the industry is structured in California.
- Agent vs. broker vs. solicitor distinctions
- Producer licensing and appointment requirements
- CDI's role and authority under the California Insurance Code
- The California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA)
- Admitted vs. non-admitted insurers
- Surplus lines
Ethics & California Insurance Code Life & A&H
Heavily tested. Covers producer conduct, prohibited practices, and California-specific regulations.
- Unfair trade practices: misrepresentation, twisting, churning, rebating
- Producer duties to clients and insurers
- Continuing education requirements
- License renewal and termination
- Fiduciary responsibilities
- Anti-fraud requirements
Life Insurance Topics
These topics appear on the Life Only exam and on the Life section of the Combined exam.
Life Insurance — Basics Life Only
- How life insurance works: premiums, death benefit, beneficiaries
- Insurable interest in life insurance
- Beneficiary designations: revocable vs. irrevocable, per stirpes vs. per capita
- Assignment of life insurance policies
Types of Life Policies Life Only
One of the highest-weighted topics on the Life exam.
- Term life: level, decreasing, increasing, renewable, convertible
- Whole life: straight, limited pay, single premium, modified premium
- Universal life: flexible premiums, adjustable death benefit
- Variable life and variable universal life (securities-regulated)
- Survivorship (second-to-die) and joint life (first-to-die) policies
- Credit life insurance
Annuities Life Only
- How annuities work: accumulation and distribution phases
- Fixed, variable, and indexed annuities
- Immediate vs. deferred annuities
- Payout options: life only, life with period certain, joint and survivor
- Tax treatment: LIFO rule, exclusion ratio, 10% early withdrawal penalty
The Individual Life Insurance Contract Life Only
- Standard policy provisions: grace period, reinstatement, incontestability, misstatement of age
- Nonforfeiture options: cash surrender, reduced paid-up, extended term
- Policy loans and their effect on the death benefit
- Dividend options for participating policies
- Settlement options for death benefits
Life Policy Riders Life Only
- Waiver of premium rider
- Accidental death benefit (double indemnity) rider
- Guaranteed insurability rider
- Term rider and child rider
- Long-term care rider and accelerated death benefit rider
Group Life Insurance Life Only
- How group life differs from individual life (master policy, certificates)
- Eligibility and participation requirements
- Conversion rights when leaving a group
- COBRA continuation
Taxation of Life Insurance & Annuities Life Only
- Income tax treatment of death benefits (generally tax-free)
- Transfer for value rule
- Estate tax considerations for life insurance
- Modified endowment contracts (MECs)
- Tax treatment of annuity distributions
Policy Replacement & Cancellation Life Only
- California replacement regulations
- Required disclosures when replacing existing coverage
- Free-look periods
- Policy lapse and reinstatement conditions
Individual Underwriting, Pricing & Claims Life Only
- Underwriting factors: age, health, occupation, lifestyle
- Standard, rated (substandard), and declined risks
- How premiums are calculated
- Claims process and contestability period
Social Security Programs Life Only
- Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
- Full retirement age and reduced benefits
- Survivor benefits
- How Social Security interacts with private insurance planning
Accident & Health Topics
These topics appear on the A&H Only exam and on the A&H section of the Combined exam.
General Medical & Disability Concepts A&H Only
- Basic health insurance terminology: deductible, copay, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum
- Coordination of benefits (COB)
- Subrogation in health insurance
- HIPAA portability requirements
- Disability definitions: own occupation vs. any occupation
Individual Medical Expense Insurance A&H Only
- Types of individual health policies: indemnity, managed care
- HMO, PPO, EPO, and POS plans — how each works
- Required policy provisions under California law
- Pre-existing condition rules
Group Medical Expense Insurance A&H Only
- How group health insurance is structured (employer vs. employee contributions)
- Eligibility and waiting periods
- COBRA continuation rights
- California continuation (Cal-COBRA) for smaller employers
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) A&H Only
- Guaranteed issue and community rating
- Essential health benefits
- Marketplace exchanges and Covered California
- Employer mandate and individual coverage requirements
- Metal tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Senior Health Products A&H Only
One of the highest-weighted A&H topics — expect multiple questions.
- Medicare Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), Part C (Advantage), Part D (prescription drugs)
- Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans: standardized plans A–N
- Medicare enrollment periods and late enrollment penalties
- Medi-Cal (California Medicaid) basics
Disability Income Insurance A&H Only
- Short-term vs. long-term disability
- Elimination period (waiting period)
- Benefit period and benefit amount
- California State Disability Insurance (SDI)
- Own occupation vs. any occupation definitions of disability
Long-Term Care Insurance A&H Only
- Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) as the trigger for benefits
- Benefit periods and daily/monthly benefit amounts
- Elimination periods
- Inflation protection options
- California LTC Partnership program
- Tax treatment of LTC premiums and benefits
Study Every One of These Topics — Guided
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