CA PSI CA-Life-Accident-and-Health Real Exam Dumps [June 2026 Update]

CA PSI California Life Accident and Health License Exam Questions [June 2026 Update]

The California Life, CA PSI Accident and Health exam has a 60% passing score, and that number misleads candidates more than any other fact about this exam. Sixty percent sounds achievable. It sounds like the kind of score you could reach on a subject you half-studied. It is not. The exam covers life insurance policy types, annuity mechanics, health insurance structures under the ACA, disability income provisions, long-term care insurance design, Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, California Insurance Code requirements, agent licensing rules, and ethics standards, across 150 questions with a strict 180-minute time limit. The actual first-attempt pass rate sits around 64.8%, which means roughly one in three candidates fails despite having completed a 40-hour pre-licensing course. The gap between completing the coursework and mastering enough specific detail to answer 90 of 150 questions correctly under time pressure is where most first-attempt failures live.

The California Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensing exam is administered by PSI on behalf of the California Department of Insurance (CDI). Passing is required to obtain a Life, Accident and Health insurance agent license in California, which authorizes the sale of life insurance, health insurance, annuities, disability income products, and long-term care insurance to California residents. The exam consists of 150 scored questions plus up to 10 unscored pre-test questions (which are not identified and do not affect your score). All questions are multiple-choice with four answer options. Results are displayed immediately after exam completion.

Cert Empire’s California Life, CA PSI Accident and Health exam questions mirror the CDI exam structure: mixed life and health content, California-specific regulatory questions integrated throughout, scenario-based application questions alongside definition and concept questions, and full-length 150-question timed sessions that replicate the real exam pace.

Exam Snapshot

What the California Life, Accident and Health Exam Covers

The exam is divided into two broad sections: general insurance knowledge (applicable across all states) and California-specific content (applicable only to California regulations and law).

Life Insurance Fundamentals

Types of life insurance policies: The exam tests the four primary life insurance categories and their characteristics:

• Term life insurance: Provides coverage for a specified period (term). Pure protection, no cash value accumulation. Level term (fixed premium and death benefit), decreasing term (death benefit decreases, often used for mortgage protection), and increasing term (death benefit increases). Renewable term: right to renew at end of term without evidence of insurability, but at a higher premium. Convertible term: right to convert to a permanent policy without new medical underwriting.
• Whole life insurance: Permanent coverage with guaranteed death benefit and cash value accumulation. Premiums are fixed and guaranteed. Cash value grows at a guaranteed rate and can be accessed via policy loans or surrendered. Participating whole life pays dividends (not guaranteed); non-participating does not.
• Universal life insurance: Flexible permanent coverage. Premiums are adjustable within limits; death benefit can be increased (with evidence of insurability) or decreased; cash value earns interest at current rates (with a guaranteed minimum). Two death benefit options: Option A (level death benefit, cash value is part of the benefit) and Option B (death benefit equals face amount plus cash value).
• Variable life insurance: Cash value is invested in separate account sub-funds (similar to mutual funds). Death benefit and cash value fluctuate with investment performance. Agents selling variable life must hold both a life insurance license AND a FINRA securities license.

Policy provisions: The exam tests required and optional policy provisions:

• Incontestability clause: After the policy has been in force for 2 years (1 year in some states, but California uses 2), the insurer cannot contest the policy for misrepresentation except for fraudulent statements or non-payment of premium.
• Free-look period: California requires a 10-day free-look period for life insurance policies (30 days for annuities and certain other products). The policyholder may return the policy for a full refund during this period.
• Grace period: A 30-day grace period (31 days for monthly premium policies) during which premium can be paid after the due date without lapsing the policy.
• Reinstatement provision: A lapsed policy can be reinstated within 3 years (California) by paying all back premiums with interest and providing evidence of insurability.

Beneficiary designations: Primary beneficiaries receive the death benefit first. Contingent (secondary) beneficiaries receive the benefit only if no primary beneficiary survives. Revocable beneficiaries can be changed by the policyowner without consent. Irrevocable beneficiaries cannot be changed without the beneficiary’s consent.

Settlement options: When a life insurance claim is paid, five standard settlement options are available: lump sum (default), interest only, fixed period (annuity-certain), fixed amount, and life income (life annuity). The exam tests when each settlement option is appropriate and who can select the option (owner during lifetime; beneficiary at death if no prior election).

Life insurance policy riders: Common riders tested: waiver of premium (waives premiums if insured becomes totally disabled), accidental death benefit (also called double indemnity, pays additional benefit if death is accidental), guaranteed insurability option (allows purchase of additional coverage at future dates without medical evidence), payor benefit (waives premiums on juvenile policies if the payor dies or becomes disabled).

Annuities

Types of annuities: Fixed annuities (guaranteed interest rate, principal protection), variable annuities (performance-based on separate account investments, requires securities license), indexed annuities (returns linked to a market index with a floor guarantee).

Accumulation phase vs. distribution phase: Annuity funds accumulate on a tax-deferred basis during the accumulation phase. At annuitization (distribution phase), the contract converts to periodic payments. The accumulation-to-annuitization conversion is the exam-tested transition.

Annuity payout options: Life only (highest payment, no survivor protection), life with period certain (guaranteed for minimum period), joint and survivor (continues payment for two lives), fixed period (specific time period), fixed amount (specific payment amount until funds are exhausted). California agents must explain annuity payout option trade-offs in writing for senior citizen clients.

Tax treatment: Premiums paid into a non-qualified annuity (personal after-tax funds) are not deductible. Growth is tax-deferred. At distribution, the gain portion is taxable as ordinary income; the cost basis is returned tax-free. Surrender charges may apply in early years.

Group Life Insurance

Group life characteristics: Single master policy issued to the employer; certificates of participation issued to employees. Evidence of insurability may not be required when joining during the initial enrollment period. Conversion privilege: a terminated employee can convert group life coverage to an individual policy within 31 days without evidence of insurability.

California employer requirements: The exam tests California-specific group life insurance rules, including minimum participation requirements and the employer’s role as the named insured on the master policy.

Health Insurance

Individual and group major medical coverage: Comprehensive health insurance covering hospital, surgical, medical, and preventive services. Major medical features the exam tests: deductible (amount insured pays before insurance begins), coinsurance (percentage split after deductible), copayment (fixed per-service charge), and out-of-pocket maximum (annual limit on insured’s financial exposure).

Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions: The exam tests current ACA requirements: essential health benefits that all qualified health plans must cover, prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions, guaranteed issue and guaranteed renewal for individual and group plans, dependent coverage to age 26, and the metal tier structure (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) based on actuarial value.

Disability income insurance: Provides income replacement when the insured is unable to work due to illness or injury. The exam tests two definitions of disability: own-occupation (unable to perform duties of own occupation) and any-occupation (unable to perform duties of any occupation). Elimination period (waiting period before benefits begin, typically 30, 60, 90, or 180 days). Benefit period (maximum duration of benefits: 2 years, 5 years, to age 65, lifetime). California requires short-term disability (SDI) through the State Disability Insurance program.

Long-term care insurance: Covers custodial care in nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, or at home when the insured cannot perform two or more activities of daily living (ADLs: bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, continence) or has a severe cognitive impairment. California has specific LTC regulations including inflation protection options and minimum benefit periods.

Medicare and Medicaid:

• Medicare Part A: Hospital insurance. Funded by payroll taxes. Covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility stays (limited), hospice, and some home health.
• Medicare Part B: Medical insurance. Funded by premiums and general revenue. Covers outpatient services, physician visits, preventive services, and durable medical equipment.
• Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage): Private plan alternative to Original Medicare combining Parts A and B.
• Medicare Part D: Prescription drug coverage through private plans.
• Medigap (Medicare Supplement): Private insurance supplementing Original Medicare’s cost-sharing. California agents must be familiar with standardized plan letters.
• Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California): State-federal program covering medical services for low-income individuals. The exam tests eligibility basics and how Medi-Cal coordinates with Medicare for dual-eligible beneficiaries.

California-Specific Regulations

California Department of Insurance (CDI): The state agency that regulates the insurance industry in California, issues licenses, enforces the California Insurance Code, and investigates consumer complaints.

License types and requirements: The exam tests the difference between a life-only agent (sells life insurance and annuities), an accident and health agent (sells health, disability, and LTC), and a life, accident, and health agent (sells all three). A broker represents the insured (fiduciary to client). An agent represents the insurer. A solicitor may only solicit on behalf of one licensed agent.

California Insurance Code requirements: Unfair trade practices (misrepresentation, false advertising, twisting, rebating), replacement regulations (written disclosure required when a new policy replaces existing coverage), anti-discrimination provisions (cannot use race, religion, or national origin in underwriting or rating), and suitability requirements for annuity sales to seniors.

Continuing education requirements: After obtaining a California life, accident, and health license, agents must complete 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics.

What to Expect on Exam Day

• 150 scored questions plus up to 10 unscored pre-test questions mixed in (not identified). Budget time for 160 questions to be safe.
• 180 minutes: approximately 68 seconds per question. Efficient pacing is required.
• Questions appear in three formats: direct questions, incomplete sentence completions, and “all of the following except” exception questions.
• Results displayed immediately. A diagnostic score report showing performance by section is provided on failure.
• Exam is taken at a PSI testing centre or via online proctoring (where available). No reference materials permitted.

5 Study Tips for California Life, Accident and Health

• Tip 1: Study California-specific regulations as a separate, dedicated topic. California has specific free-look periods, reinstatement rules, replacement disclosure requirements, suitability requirements for senior annuity sales, and Medi-Cal rules that differ from generic insurance concepts. Many candidates under-prepare the state-specific section.
• Tip 2: Know every settlement option by name, mechanics, and appropriate use case. Settlement option questions appear regularly and require knowing which option pays the highest monthly income, which provides the most survivor protection, and which guarantees payments for a minimum period.
• Tip 3: Memorize the Medicare Part structure (A, B, C, D) and what each covers at the level of specific services. Medigap plan letters and how Medi-Cal interacts with Medicare for dual-eligibles are California-specific exam areas.
• Tip 4: Practice with full 150-question timed sessions. Most candidates’ first attempt failure is not about knowledge gaps alone; it is about pacing. Sixty-eight seconds per question for 180 minutes is demanding across a three-hour session.
• Tip 5: Use Cert Empire’s California Life, Accident and Health exam questions in both topic-by-topic review mode and full-length timed simulation mode to build both conceptual accuracy and exam-day stamina.

Best Study Resources

• Cert Empire California Life, Accident and Health exam questions PDF and full-length practice simulator (2026 CDI-aligned edition).
• California Department of Insurance: Candidate Information Bulletin (official exam objectives).
• PSI Exams: California licensing exam registration and scheduling (psiexams.com).
• California Insurance Code (official state law accessible via California Legislative Information).
• California Department of Insurance consumer education materials.
• Pre-licensing course materials (AB Training Center, Kaplan, Xcel Solutions).

Career Opportunities After California Life, Accident and Health License

• Life Insurance Agent / Financial Advisor
• Health Insurance Agent / Broker
• Annuity Sales Specialist
• Long-Term Care Insurance Specialist
• Medicare Supplement / Advantage Insurance Broker
• Employee Benefits Specialist
• Independent Insurance Broker (multi-line)

A California Life, Accident and Health license is the broadest single insurance license available in the state, authorizing the full range of life, health, disability, and annuity product sales. Licensed agents in California earn between USD 45,000 and USD 120,000+ annually depending on production.

Certifications to Pursue After California Licensure

• CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter): Advanced professional designation for life insurance and estate planning specialists
• ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant): Broad financial planning designation
• LUTCF (Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow): Industry credential for life agents
• California long-term care specialty training: Required before selling LTC products in California
• Series 6 or 63 (FINRA): Required for variable annuity and variable life sales

Why Candidates Choose Cert Empire for California Life, Accident and Health Preparation

✔ California-specific regulatory questions integrated throughout every practice session. Our question bank tests California Insurance Code provisions, CDI rules, replacement disclosure requirements, senior suitability requirements for annuity sales, and California-specific Medi-Cal rules alongside the general insurance content. California content is not a separate mini-section but is woven through the entire exam.

✔ Full 150-question timed practice sessions. Our exam simulator runs the complete 150-question format in 180 minutes, giving you the stamina and pacing experience the real exam requires. Timed practice is the most under-utilized and most important preparation tool for this exam.

✔ All three question formats included. Direct questions, incomplete sentence questions, and “all of the following except” exception questions are all represented in our question bank, matching the format variety candidates encounter in the real PSI exam.

✔ Diagnostic scoring by topic area. After each session, our simulator shows your performance across Life insurance, Health insurance, Annuities, and California Regulations so you know which section needs the most attention before exam day.

✔ Instant access, 90-day free updates, and 24/7 support. As CDI updates exam objectives and California Insurance Code provisions change, your materials update automatically. Our support team is available around the clock.

✔ Backed by a full money-back guarantee. If our exam questions do not help you pass, we refund your purchase with no conditions.

Readiness Check

1. A client purchased a California individual life insurance policy 18 months ago. The insurer later discovers the application contained a material misrepresentation about the insured’s health history that was not fraudulent. Can the insurer contest the policy and deny a death claim on this basis? What is the specific California rule that governs this, and would your answer change if the policy had been in force for 26 months?
2. A 67-year-old California resident is enrolled in Original Medicare Parts A and B. She wants to purchase supplemental coverage that will pay Medicare’s cost-sharing amounts (deductibles and coinsurance). Which type of coverage addresses this need? She also has prescription drug expenses. Can her supplemental coverage include drug benefits, and if not, what separate product addresses that need?
3. A California agent is comparing two disability income policies for a client. Policy 1 defines disability as the inability to perform the duties of the insured’s own occupation. Policy 2 defines disability as the inability to perform the duties of any occupation for which the insured is reasonably suited by education, training, or experience. The client is a surgeon earning $400,000 annually. Which policy definition provides broader protection for this client, and why does the own-occupation definition matter more at higher income levels?
4. A California agent sells a client a new life insurance policy that replaces an existing policy with a different insurer. The client is not informed that the new policy has a new 2-year incontestability period and a new suicide clause, which could affect them if they had contestable health events in the prior 2 years under the old policy. What California regulation has been violated, what disclosure was required, and what is the term for the practice of replacing insurance to earn a new commission without full disclosure?
5. A 58-year-old California client wants to purchase a long-term care insurance policy. The policy has an elimination period of 90 days, a daily benefit of $200, and a benefit period of 3 years. The agent does not offer or discuss inflation protection options. What California-specific LTC requirement may have been violated, and what inflation protection option must agents offer to California LTC buyers?

FAQS

What is the California Life, Accident and Health exam?

The California Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensing exam is the state licensing test for individuals seeking an insurance agent or broker license to sell life insurance, annuities, health insurance, disability income, and long-term care products in California. It is administered by PSI on behalf of the California Department of Insurance.

How many questions are on the exam and what is the passing score?

The exam has 150 scored questions plus up to 10 unscored pre-test questions (which are not identified). You must answer at least 90 of the 150 scored questions correctly (60%) to pass.

Do I need to complete a pre-licensing course before taking the exam?

Yes. California requires completion of an approved 40-hour pre-licensing course before taking the licensing exam. A 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course must also be completed before the license can be issued. Note that pre-licensing must be completed within 3 years of the exam.

How much does the California Life, Accident and Health exam cost?

The exam fee is $88 per attempt plus a $33 convenience fee, for a total of $121. This fee is required for each attempt, including retakes.

How many times can I retake the exam if I fail?

There is no limit on retake attempts. After the first two attempts, there is a 30-day waiting period before the third attempt. After the fourth attempt, there is no waiting period before the fifth. After the fifth attempt, there is a 60-day wait. After 10 failed attempts, a one-year prohibition applies before retaking.

What is the free-look period for life insurance in California?

California requires a 10-day free-look period for life insurance policies, during which the policyholder may return the policy and receive a full refund of premiums paid. For annuities and some other products, California requires a 30-day free-look period.

Related Certifications Worth Exploring

California insurance agents who pass the Life, Accident and Health exam and want to expand their licensing scope can explore our CA PSI certification exam questions page, which covers the homeowners, auto, liability, and commercial insurance lines that complete a full-service insurance practice. For agents specializing in Medicare and senior health products, our insurance practice questions page covers the specific knowledge required for California’s senior insurance market.