The Life and Health California Exam is for candidates pursuing California insurance licensing in life and accident and health or sickness insurance. This page brings together free practice sets, explanations of sample answers, and verified details about the examination. Use it to identify concepts you need to revisit, understand why an answer fits, and plan your practice alongside California Department of Insurance materials.

Life and Health California Exam Exam at a Glance

What changed for Life and Health California Exam in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Delivery changed to Computer-based at PSI test centers, CDI Los Angeles test center, or online remote proctoring (previously Computer-based at PSI centers, the CDI Los Angeles center, or online remote proctoring).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code (previously Complete an approved 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Exam fee changed to $55 CDI examination fee (previously $55 CDI exam fee (one fee for the combined Life + A&H exam)).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Number of questions changed to 150 questions (previously 150 questions (combined Life, Accident and Health or Sickness)).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Score release changed to Displayed on screen at the end of the exam and score report emailed (previously Pass/fail on screen right after the exam, plus an emailed score report).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Retake policy changed to Re-register for each retake; examinees who fail 10 times are barred for 12 months (previously Re-register for each retake; after 10 failures, barred for 12 months).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Validity changed to 1 year from pass date (previously Passed exam is valid for 1 year).^[1]

What the Life and Health California Exam is and how it works

According to California Department of Insurance, “Life, Accident and Health or Sickness 195 150”^[1]

The combined Life, Accident and Health or Sickness examination is part of California’s insurance licensing process. It contains 150 questions and allows 195 minutes. The separate Life and Accident and Health or Sickness examinations each contain 75 questions and allow 105 minutes. Check which examination matches your intended license before booking; the combined and separate examinations have different lengths.

Testing is computer-based at PSI test centers, the CDI Los Angeles test center, or through online remote proctoring. The passing score is 60%. Your pass or fail result appears on screen when you finish, and your score report is emailed.

The CDI examination fee is $55. Testing at a PSI site carries an additional $43 convenience charge. The required 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code must be finished before your license can be issued. Passing the examination does not replace that requirement.

You must re-register for each retake. Examinees who fail 10 times are barred from that license examination for 12 months from the last failure. A passed examination remains valid for 1 year from the pass date. Consult the California Department of Insurance candidate information bulletin and examination fee page, plus PSI’s California scheduling page, for the official requirements and delivery details.

Worked examples: how to reason through Life and Health California Exam questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which of the following best describes the 'any-occupation' definition of total disability?

1. The insured cannot perform any occupation for which they are reasonably suited by education, training, or experience
2. The insured cannot perform any job that exists in the economy, regardless of skill
3. The insured is confined to a hospital
4. The insured must be unable to work for at least 90 days

Answer: A. The insured cannot perform any occupation for which they are reasonably suited by education, training, or experience

Explanation:

A is correct: the any-occupation definition asks whether the insured can perform an occupation for which they are reasonably suited by education, training, or experience. That qualification is the key to the answer. B goes too far by including every job in the economy regardless of the insured’s skills. C substitutes hospital confinement for the question’s work-capacity standard. D introduces a waiting period of 90 days, which does not define any-occupation disability. Remember the distinction: any-occupation considers suitable alternative work, while own-occupation focuses on the insured’s own occupation. Read the definition carefully rather than assuming that inability to return to a previous job settles the question.

Example 2

Question: The 'elimination period' in a long-term care insurance policy functions similarly to:

1. A premium waiver
2. A deductible expressed in days rather than dollars
3. The policy's benefit period
4. A coordination of benefits clause

Answer: B. A deductible expressed in days rather than dollars

Explanation:

B is correct: an elimination period works like a deductible measured in days rather than dollars. It describes a period during which the insured pays for care out of pocket before policy benefits begin. A is incorrect because a premium waiver concerns relief from paying premiums, not the delay before care benefits become payable. C confuses the waiting period with the benefit period, which concerns how long benefits are available. D concerns coordination between sources of coverage rather than a time-based deductible. Remember the rule: distinguish when benefits begin from how long they last and whether premiums must still be paid.

Example 3

Question: When a life insurance policy has a 'reduced paid-up' nonforfeiture option, what happens?

1. The face amount stays the same and premiums are reduced proportionally
2. The face amount is reduced and no further premiums are required
3. Premium payments continue but the benefit period is shortened
4. The policy is converted to an annuity using cash value

Answer: B. The face amount is reduced and no further premiums are required

Explanation:

B is correct: reduced paid-up uses the policy’s cash value to purchase paid-up whole life coverage with a lower face amount. The insured keeps a reduced death benefit without owing further premiums. A reverses the arrangement: the face amount does not stay the same, and premiums are not simply reduced. C is incorrect because premiums do not continue under this option; shortening the benefit period also does not describe reduced paid-up coverage. D describes conversion to an annuity, which is a different use of cash value. Remember the wording: “reduced” refers to the face amount, and “paid-up” means no further premiums are required.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the California Department of Insurance’s official material for the examination you intend to take. Use its content outline to organize your notes. The topic links here describe our practice sets; they are not a verified official exam blueprint.

Try the practice test to identify uncertain concepts. For each missed answer, write down the policy term or distinction you misunderstood, then explain why the other choices do not fit. Our sample questions are practice material, not real examination questions.

Choose focused practice based on those notes. Use disability income insurance for work-capacity definitions, long-term care insurance for elimination and benefit periods, and life insurance provisions and riders for policy options. Revisit the official material whenever an explanation leaves you unsure.

Return to mixed practice after reviewing weak topics. Before test day, check the official delivery instructions and confirm that your booking matches the combined or separate examination you need. Keep the ethics and California Insurance Code study requirement in your licensing checklist.

Sources & last verified

1. California Department of Insurance — number of questions, time limit, retake policy, validity (official source). “Life, Accident and Health or Sickness 195 150” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
2. California Department of Insurance — exam fee (official source). “Life Agent – Life-Only Agent (LO), Accident and Health Agent (AH) $188 $188 $282 $55” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 19, 2026.
3. California Department of Insurance — passing score (official source). “All producer license examinations require a 60 percent score to pass and the adjuster and bail examinations require a score of 70 percent.” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 19, 2026.
4. test-takers.psiexams.com — exam fee (official source). “Convenience Fee: Please note there will be a convenience charge of $43, in addition to the examination fee, when testing at a PSI site.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.