Ohio Life & Health
Insurance Exam

To pass the Ohio insurance licensing exam on your first attempt, follow this proven strategy: First, complete the required 20 hours of ODI-approved pre-licensing education. Second, study the key content areas systematically — life insurance, health insurance, annuities, and Ohio-specific regulations under Ohio Revised Code Title 39. Third, complete at least 400+ practice questions until you consistently score 80% or higher, well above the 70% passing threshold. Fourth, focus extra time on Ohio Insurance Code topics including replacement regulations, grace periods (30-day life, 10-day individual health, 31-day group health), free-look periods, and Ohio Guaranty Association limits. Finally, take full-length timed practice exams (150 questions in 2.5 hours) to build stamina and confidence.

The combined Ohio Life, Accident & Health insurance exam has 150 multiple-choice questions with a 2-hour 30-minute time limit. You need a score of 70% to pass, meaning at least 105 correct answers out of 150. Ohio also offers separate exams: Life-Only (75 questions) and Health-Only (75 questions), both requiring 70% to pass (53 correct out of 75). The exam is administered by Pearson VUE. We recommend aiming for 80%+ on practice tests to give yourself a comfortable margin on exam day.

The Ohio Life, Accident & Health exam covers several major content areas. Life insurance (~35%): policy types (term, whole, universal, variable), beneficiary designations, settlement options, and group life plans. Health insurance (~28%): individual and group medical expense coverage, the Affordable Care Act, disability income insurance, long-term care, and Medicare/Medigap plans. Annuities (~12%): fixed, variable, indexed, immediate, and deferred annuities, including taxation rules. General Insurance Principles (~10%): fundamental concepts, risk management, insurable interest, and types of insurers. Ohio-specific content (~15%): the Ohio Insurance Code under Ohio Revised Code Title 39, ODI regulations, replacement rules, free-look and grace periods, ethics, and unfair trade practices.

The Ohio insurance exam fee is $41 per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE when you schedule. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, either at Pearson VUE testing centers across Ohio or via remote online proctoring from your home or office. To schedule, visit home.pearsonvue.com/ohio/insurance and create an account. If you fail and retake, you pay the $41 fee again each time. Additional costs include fingerprinting through IdentoGO (~$35–$50) and the license application fee ($50) paid to ODI.

Ohio requires 20 hours of ODI-approved pre-licensing education before you can take the state exam. This covers both the life and health lines combined. Courses are available online (self-paced) or in-person from ODI-approved education providers, typically costing between $75 and $200. After completing the course, your provider will report your completion to ODI and Pearson VUE electronically. Your pre-licensing certificate is valid for 12 months — you must pass the state exam within that period. Additional requirements include: you must be at least 18 years old, submit fingerprints through IdentoGO for a criminal background check, and provide a valid government-issued photo ID on exam day.

If you fail the Ohio insurance exam, you can retake it with no mandatory waiting period. Each retake requires paying the $41 Pearson VUE exam fee again. Your score report will include a diagnostic breakdown showing your performance by topic area. Use this to focus your additional studying on weak areas. Ohio Insurance Code sections — particularly replacement regulations, grace periods, and ODI enforcement actions — are the most common areas where candidates lose points. Upgrading to our premium question bank and completing targeted practice in those sections gives you the best chance on your retake.

The Ohio Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association protects policyholders if a licensed insurance company becomes insolvent. Coverage limits are: up to $300,000 in life insurance death benefits per insured, up to $100,000 in cash surrender or withdrawal values for life insurance, and up to $300,000 in health insurance benefits. Understanding these limits is important for the exam — the guaranty association does not cover 100% of all benefits, and knowing the specific dollar caps is frequently tested.

The Ohio insurance licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE. You can take it at a Pearson VUE testing center in Ohio or via Pearson VUE OnVUE remote online proctoring from your own computer. For remote testing, you need a computer with webcam, microphone, and a stable internet connection. The exam content, format, fee, and passing score are identical regardless of delivery method. Schedule at home.pearsonvue.com/ohio/insurance.