Ohio Life And Health Insurance Exam: How Tough?

The Ohio Life and Health Insurance Exam is a requirement for anyone wishing to sell life and health insurance in the state. The exam is comprised of 150 multiple-choice questions, and candidates are given 2.5 hours to complete it. To pass, a score of 70% or higher is needed. The exam can be challenging, covering a range of topics, including insurance regulations, general insurance principles, life insurance basics, life insurance policies, and accident and health insurance basics. Candidates must also have a minimum level of knowledge about the insurance marketplace and Ohio State laws and regulations. To prepare for the exam, it is recommended that individuals complete a pre-licensing course and allow sufficient time to study the exam content outline.

Pre-exam preparation

To prepare for the Ohio Life and Health Insurance Exam, there are several steps you need to take. Firstly, you must meet the pre-examination requirements. This includes being at least 18 years old, being a resident of Ohio, and completing prelicensing education requirements. The prelicensing education requirements include 20 hours of classroom instruction or an approved self-study course per line of authority.

Once you have completed your prelicensing education, you will receive a certificate of completion, which you must bring to the exam. You will also need to register for the state licensing exam, which is administered by PSI. The exam will be multiple-choice and taken on a computer. It is important to note that the exam will cover both Ohio-specific statutes and general principles, so be sure to review the exam content outline thoroughly.

To increase your chances of passing, it is recommended to allocate one to two weeks to prepare for the exam, allowing you to go through the material at least twice. There are also pre-license courses available, such as those offered by Kaplan, which include features like online exam simulations, live online training, and printable study guides. These courses can help you get accustomed to the large amount of information you need to learn and improve your chances of passing.

Additionally, it is important to control test anxiety by establishing a consistent pre-test routine and getting plenty of sleep in the week leading up to the exam. Remember to arrive early on exam day, especially if you plan to take the exam in person, to give yourself time to get settled and familiar with your surroundings.

Exam format

The Ohio Life and Health Insurance Exam is a multiple-choice exam that takes place on a computer. The exam covers Ohio statutes and general principles sections, as well as specific content for each line. The exam is made up of 150 questions and has a time limit of 2.5 hours. A passing score is 70% or higher.

The exam is divided into the following sections:

• Insurance Regulation (5%)
• General Insurance (5%)
• Life Insurance Basics (10%)
• Life Insurance Policies (8%)
• Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders (10%)
• Annuities (7%)
• Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities (10%)
• Accident and Health Insurance Basics (5%)
• Life Settlement (5%)
• Accident and Health Insurance Basics (10%)
• Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions (4%)
• Disability Income and Related Insurance (5%)
• Group Health and Blanket Insurance (6%)
• Dental Care Plans (2%)
• Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals (9%)
• Federal Tax Considerations for Accident and Health Insurance (4%)

The first four sections cover topics such as licensing, state and federal regulations, general insurance concepts, insurers, agents, and contracts. The next three sections focus on life insurance, including personal and business uses, different types of policies, and policy provisions and riders. The following two sections cover annuities and federal tax considerations for life insurance and annuities.

The next six sections pertain to accident and health insurance, including definitions, types of losses and benefits, common exclusions, agent responsibilities, and considerations for replacing insurance. The final three sections discuss disability income, group health and blanket insurance, and dental care plans.

It is important to note that the exam covers both general insurance knowledge and specific regulations pertaining to the state of Ohio. Candidates are encouraged to review the exam content outline and prepare thoroughly to increase their chances of passing.

Post-exam steps

Once you have completed the Ohio Life and Health Insurance Exam, there are several steps you need to take to finalise your qualification. Here is a detailed breakdown of the steps to follow:

Check your results

As soon as you finish your insurance exam, you will receive a "pass" or "fail" score on the screen. A score report will also be emailed to you, indicating your overall score and grade, including the numerical percentage of questions answered correctly. If you fail the exam, you will receive a diagnostic report showing your weak points to help you prepare for any future re-examination attempts.

Apply for your license

If you have passed the exam, you can apply for your insurance sales license. You can do this immediately after passing the exam, either at the test centre or online at www.insurance.ohio.gov. You will need to submit your application within 180 days of completing the exam.

Complete a background check

You will need to complete an electronic criminal background check using National WebCheck, which processes background checks electronically. You can set an appointment online.

Submit your fingerprints

In addition to the background check, you must also submit to fingerprinting. This can be done at any Hondros College location through FastFingerprints.

Plan your continuing education

To maintain your license, you must complete a certain number of credit hours of continuing education each licensing period. This will ensure that you stay up-to-date with the latest industry knowledge and requirements.

Renew your license

Insurance producer licenses in Ohio must be renewed every two years. Make sure you are aware of the renewal process and the continuing education requirements needed to maintain your license.

Prelicensing education

The state of Ohio requires 20 hours of prelicensing education for each line of authority. Candidates must complete either a 20-hour classroom course per line of authority or an approved self-study course. The educational requirements can be fulfilled through online courses, live online courses, or self-study courses. However, self-study and online courses require applicants to pass a certification exam.

To earn a certificate of completion for prelicensing education, candidates must read every chapter and take an end-of-chapter quiz with a score of 70% or higher before progressing to the next chapter. Additionally, candidates must spend at least 20 hours studying for each line of authority and pass the Certificate Exam with a minimum score of 70%. After successfully completing these requirements, candidates must sign and date the Affidavit/Attestation form(s).

The prelicensing education curriculum covers various topics, including insurance regulation, general insurance, life insurance basics, life insurance policies, life insurance provisions, annuities, accident and health insurance basics, disability income, group health and blanket insurance, dental care plans, insurance for senior citizens and special needs individuals, and federal tax considerations for life and health insurance.

It is important to note that prelicensing education requirements may be waived for candidates with specific designations, certifications, or degrees. For example, applicants with a CLU® designation may have the prelicensing education requirements waived for the Life, Accident & Health line of authority. Similarly, those with a CPCU® certification may have the requirements waived for Property, Casualty, and Personal Lines. Additionally, applicants with an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Insurance may have the requirements waived for all major lines of authority except Surety Bail Bond. However, it is essential to provide verification to the Ohio Department of Insurance and receive the education waiver before taking the exam.

Exam content

The Ohio Life, Accident, and Health Insurance Agent Examination Series 11-35 consists of 150 questions to be answered within a time limit of 2.5 hours. The exam covers the following topics:

Insurance Regulation (5%)

• Licensing
• State regulation
• Federal regulation

General Insurance (5%)

• Concepts
• Insurers
• Agents and general rules of agency
• Contracts

Life Insurance Basics (10%)

• Insurable interest
• Personal uses of life insurance
• Determining the amount of personal life insurance
• Business uses of life insurance
• Viatical settlements
• Classes of life insurance policies
• Premiums
• Agent responsibilities
• Individual underwriting by the insurer

Life Insurance Policies (8%)

• Term life insurance
• Whole life insurance
• Flexible premium policies
• Specialized policies
• Group life insurance
• Credit life insurance

Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders (10%)

• Required provisions
• Beneficiaries
• Settlement options
• Nonforfeiture options
• Policy loan and withdrawal options
• Dividend options
• Disability riders
• Accelerated (living) benefit provisions/riders
• Riders covering additional insureds
• Riders affecting the death benefit amount

Annuities (7%)

• Annuity principles and concepts
• Required provisions
• Immediate versus deferred annuities
• Annuity (benefit) payment options
• Annuity products
• Personal uses of annuities
• Suitability in Annuity Transactions

Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities (10%)

• Taxation of personal life insurance
• Modified endowment contracts (MECs)
• Taxation of non-qualified annuities
• Taxation of individual retirement plans

Accident and Health Insurance Basics (5%)

• Definition of perils
• Principal types of losses and benefits
• Classes of health insurance policies
• Limited policies
• Common exclusions from coverage
• Agent responsibilities in individual health insurance
• Individual underwriting by the insurer
• Considerations in replacing accident and health insurance

Life Settlement (5%)

• Definitions
• Broker License Requirements
• Intermediary Registration
• Provider License
• Fingerprinting Requirements
• Advertising
• Privacy
• Disclosure to owners and insureds
• Life Insurance Applications
• Prohibited Practices
• Stranger-originated life insurance
• Penalties and civil remedies
• Applicability and choice of law
• General Rules

Accident and Health Insurance Basics (5%)

• Definitions of perils
• Principal types of losses and benefits
• Classes of accident and health insurance coverage Individual, sole proprietor, franchise and group
• Types of limited policies
• Common exclusions from coverage
• Licensee responsibilities in individual accident and health insurance
• Considerations in replacing accident and health insurance
• Community rating of policies

Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions (4%)

• Required provisions
• Other provisions
• Other general provisions

Disability Income and Related Insurance (5%)

• Qualifying for disability benefits
• Individual disability income insurance
• Group disability income insurance
• Business disability insurance

Group Health and Blanket Insurance (6%)

• Characteristics of group insurance
• Types of eligible groups
• Regulation of employer group insurance plans
• Types of funding and administration
• Employer group health insurance
• Small employer medical plans

Dental Care Plans (2%)

• Categories of dental treatment
• Indemnity plans
• Employer group dental expense

Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals (9%)

• Medicare
• Medicare supplements
• Other options for individuals with Medicare
• Long-term care (LTC) policies

Federal Tax Considerations for Accident and Health Insurance (4%)

• Personally-owned health insurance
• Employer group health insurance
• Medical expense coverage for sole proprietors and partners
• Business disability insurance
• Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs)

Frequently asked questions