Colorado Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Colorado-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Colorado exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Colorado exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Colorado insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Colorado-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 99 facts from the TESTivity Colorado regulations curriculum, organized the way we teach them. Open a branch, explore, and let the structure do some of the remembering for you.
Every fact below carries its source citation and the date we last verified it (most recently July 2026) — and is re-checked on a schedule. Facts marked tested are ones you should expect to see on the exam.
Life 10 facts
The life insurance rules that differ by state — free look, grace, reinstatement.
- Incontestability period tested2 years from issue, during the insured's lifetime
- Grace period for individual life testedOne month, not less than 30 days
- Suicide exclusion period testedFIRST POLICY YEAR ONLY — suicide after the first policy year is no defense. Colorado's suicide exclusion is effectively ONE year.
- Free look when a policy is being replaced tested30 days — an unconditional right to return a replaced life policy or annuity
- Free look for long-term care tested30 days for long-term care (C.R.S. § 10-19-111); 30 days for Medicare supplement (C.R.S. § 10-18-107)
- Required nonforfeiture options testedCash surrender value, reduced paid-up insurance, extended term insurance
- Registrations required to sell variable products testedThe Life line plus FINRA securities registration; Variable Life and Variable Annuity is a separate Colorado authority
- Does the state regulate viatical/life settlements? testedYes — the Colorado Viatical Settlements Act
- Viator's rescission window testedThe earlier of 30 days after the contract is executed OR 15 days after the viator receives the proceeds
- Has the state adopted the NAIC best interest standard? testedYES — adopted in 3 CCR 702-4, Regulation 4-1-11, effective November 1, 2022 (aligned to the NAIC 2020 model). The producer must act in the consumer's best interest.
Health 14 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedYES — Colorado expanded Medicaid under the ACA, effective January 1, 2014
- Effective date of expansion, if expanded testedJanuary 1, 2014
- Agency administering Medicaid testedHealth First Colorado — the state's Medicaid program, administered by the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA STATE-BASED exchange — Connect for Health Colorado. Colorado runs its own full exchange.
- Name of the state CHIP program testedChild Health Plan Plus (CHP+)
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic tested30 days for an electronic clean claim
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper tested45 days for a clean claim submitted by other means
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedYes — 30 days electronic, 45 days paper
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment tested10% annual interest from the due date, PLUS a 20% penalty on the total allowed if the claim is not resolved within 90 days (imposed on the 91st day)
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — Colorado runs a state external review through a certified Independent External Review Entity. Request within 4 months of the internal-appeal denial; the carrier pays; the IRO decision is BINDING.
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Colorado state continuation fills gaps
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedColorado state continuation applies to group health plans; there is no stated small-employer size threshold. The insured must have been continuously covered for at least 6 months.
- Duration of state continuation coverage testedUp to 18 months (or until other group coverage begins)
- Max premium as % of group rate testedThe full group premium — the employee-plus-employer contribution (there is no reduced percentage cap in the statute)
Auto 11 facts
Auto insurance — minimum limits, fault system, required coverages.
- Fault-based (tort) or no-fault testedFault-based (tort). Colorado REPEALED its no-fault system in 2003 and returned to a tort system effective July 1, 2003.
- Minimum bodily injury liability per person tested$25,000
- Minimum bodily injury liability per occurrence tested$50,000
- Minimum property damage liability tested$15,000
- The memorizable shorthand (e.g. 30/60/25) tested25/50/15
- Uninsured motorist: mandatory / must be offered & rejectable / not required testedMust be OFFERED at limits equal to the bodily injury liability limits; the insured may reject it in writing
- Underinsured motorist status testedOffered, rejectable in writing (part of UM/UIM under § 10-4-609)
- Personal injury protection status testedNo PIP (no-fault was repealed). But MEDICAL PAYMENTS (MedPay) coverage must be OFFERED at $5,000, and is presumed included unless rejected in writing.
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedModified comparative negligence — a 50% bar. Recovery is barred if the claimant's negligence is 'as great as' (equal to or greater than) the defendant's.
- The bar percentage, if modified comparative tested50% bar — a claimant whose negligence is as great as the defendant's recovers nothing
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedThe Colorado Automobile Insurance Plan (assigned risk), whose rates are subject to prior approval
CE & Renewal 8 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal testedTwo years (a biennial 'continuation' cycle)
- What the renewal date keys off (flat term / birthday / birth year) testedBiennial continuation cycle
- CE hours per renewal period, standard case tested24 hours of Colorado-approved CE every two years
- CE hours if holding multiple license types (if different) testedStill 24 total — holding multiple lines does not multiply the hours
- Ethics hours required per period tested3 hours of ethics, within the 24
- Limits on who may provide CE credits testedA distinctive Colorado add-on: if you hold a PROPERTY or PERSONAL LINES authority, 3 of your 24 hours must be in HOMEOWNERS insurance.
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA license may not be continued until CE is satisfied; an uncontinued license lapses.
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedNonresidents are treated as compliant if they meet their home state's CE. First-time licensees have until their second continuation cycle. Limited/restricted licenses (travel, title, credit) require no CE.
Property 7 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedPrimarily OPEN COMPETITION ('Type II' / competitive rating) — insurers file rating data and compete; the Commissioner intervenes only if a market is not competitive. PRIOR APPROVAL ('Type I') applies only to workers' compensation rating-organization pure premiums and to assigned-risk auto. Rates must not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory.
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPermitted, with restrictions: the insurer must disclose the use of credit information, and on any adverse action must give the FCRA notice (the reporting agency's identity, the right to a free report within 60 days, and the right to dispute).
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedYES — the Colorado FAIR Plan, newly created by HB23-1288 (2023) and now OPERATIONAL: residential policies became available April 10, 2025, and commercial policies June 17, 2025.
- Name of the FAIR Plan, if any testedColorado FAIR Plan Association
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedWildfire and hail above all — Colorado is one of the most hail-prone states in the country, and wildfire risk has driven a property-insurance availability crisis and the creation of the FAIR Plan.
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedAn active Property and Casualty license (or applying for P&C together with the surplus lines authority)
- Is a diligent-effort search of the admitted market required first? testedYes — a diligent effort to place in the admitted market first
Guaranty 10 facts
The safety nets when an insurer fails — and their limits.
- Name of the life & health guaranty association testedColorado Life and Health Insurance Protection Association
- Life death benefit limit tested$300,000
- Life cash surrender / withdrawal value limit tested$100,000 net cash surrender value
- Annuity benefit limit tested$250,000 present value
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for a health benefit plan; $300,000 disability income; $300,000 long-term care; $100,000 other health
- Aggregate per-individual cap, if any tested$300,000 aggregate per life — except up to $500,000 where health benefit plan coverage is involved
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedYes — standard NAIC model limits
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedColorado Insurance Guaranty Association (CIGA)
- Per-claim cap testedCovered claims up to $300,000 (for liquidations on or after August 10, 2011). Workers' compensation claims are paid in FULL. No per-claim deductible. Claims must be filed within 24 months of the liquidation order.
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — using either guaranty association in advertising or a sales inducement is prohibited
Workers Comp 6 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — mandatory for essentially all employers
- Employee count at which coverage is required testedOne or more employees — Colorado requires coverage for essentially any employer with an employee
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Division of Workers' Compensation, within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE)
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate tested66⅔% of the average weekly wage, capped at 91% of the state average weekly wage
- Deadline to file a claim tested2 years from the injury or death, extendable to 3 years for a reasonable excuse. Separately, the employee must give the EMPLOYER written notice within 4 days of the injury (30 days for occupational disease).
- Ways an employer may comply (insure / self-insure / group) testedInsure with a licensed carrier, obtain coverage from Pinnacol Assurance (Colorado's quasi-public workers' comp insurer of last resort), or qualify as an approved self-insurer
Regulator 5 facts
Who regulates insurance here and what powers the office holds.
- Name of the state insurance regulator testedThe Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI), within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
- Title of the person who heads it testedCommissioner of Insurance
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedAppointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, and serving at the Governor's pleasure — not elected
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedTitle 10 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, with regulations at 3 CCR 702
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedNo — a conventional division within DORA, headed by an appointed Commissioner
Cancellation 6 facts
When and how policies can be canceled or nonrenewed — heavily tested.
- Initial window during which an insurer may cancel more freely tested60 days. After an auto policy has been in effect 60 days (or is a renewal), it may be canceled only for nonpayment, license or registration suspension, a false statement on the application, or a false material claim statement.
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window tested30 days' advance written notice
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment tested10 days for nonpayment, with the reason
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes tested30 days for other permitted causes (auto)
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedAt least 30 days' advance notice of nonrenewal (auto). The reason is not required in the notice, but the insurer must give it within 20 days of the insured's written request.
- Must the reason be stated proactively, on request, or not at all? testedAuto: the reason for nonrenewal is not required in the notice but must be provided within 20 days of the insured's written request
Licensing 22 facts
How you get and keep the license — exams, fees, applications, background checks.
- Is there a standalone life license/exam? testedYes — Life
- Is there a standalone health license/exam? testedYes — Accident and Health
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedNo single combined Life & Health exam — Colorado exams are per line of authority. A candidate pursuing both sits the Life exam and the Accident & Health exam separately.
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — Personal Lines
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedSeparate lines — Colorado offers Property and Casualty as SEPARATE exams and lines of authority (plus a narrower Personal Lines line). There is no single combined P&C exam.
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — annuities are sold under the Life line (Variable Life and Variable Annuity is a separate add-on authority)
- Does the P&C license already include personal lines authority? testedNo — Personal Lines is its own line. But holding Property and Casualty exempts you from the Personal Lines pre-licensing and exam.
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedOne Colorado Producer license listing any of: Life · Accident and Health · Property · Casualty · Personal Lines · Title · Surplus Lines · Credit · Crop Hail · Travel · Portable Electronics · Self-Storage · Variable products — plus a separate Public Adjuster license
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPearson VUE, with remote online proctoring
- License application fee tested$44 per line of authority for a new resident license; $27 per line to renew
- Fee per insurer appointment tested$95 appointment fee
- Passing score tested70%
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedYES — Colorado requires pre-licensing education for the five major lines (Life, Accident & Health, Property, Casualty, Personal Lines), completed before you may sit the Pearson VUE exam.
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) tested50 hours per major line of authority (Life, Accident & Health, Property, Casualty, Personal Lines), each including ethics and Colorado-law content. The completion certificate is valid for 1 year.
- Fingerprints, state police report, or none testedA background review is conducted as part of the license application (screening questions plus supporting documents for any bankruptcy or criminal history)
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedColorado DOI, via the Sircon/NIPR application
- Deadline to apply after passing the exam testedYou must pass the Pearson VUE exam within 1 year of completing pre-licensing training, and passing scores are valid for 1 year for the license application
- How long a passed exam remains valid tested1 year
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedSircon (sircon.com/colorado) or NIPR
- Are temporary licenses available? testedYes — a temporary producer license for up to 180 days
- Temporary license duration and training requirement testedUp to 180 days, in the statutory circumstances (death, disability, military service, or Commissioner discretion). Not a general pre-exam temporary license.