Georgia Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Georgia-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Georgia exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Georgia exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Georgia insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Georgia-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 101 facts from the TESTivity Georgia 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 13 facts
The life insurance rules that differ by state — free look, grace, reinstatement.
- Incontestability period tested2 years from the date of issue
- Grace period for individual life testedNot less than 30 days
- Window to reinstate a lapsed policy testedWithin 3 years of premium default, on evidence of insurability and payment of overdue premiums
- Max interest chargeable on reinstatement, if capped testedOverdue premiums bear interest not exceeding 6% per year, compounded annually
- Suicide exclusion period testedUp to 2 years from the date of issue — Georgia's standard provisions permit a suicide exclusion of up to two years (unlike several nearby states, this IS fixed by statute)
- Free look for individual life tested10 days for individual life — the owner may return the policy within 10 days for a full refund
- Free look when a policy is being replaced tested10 days — the right to return a replaced life policy
- Free look for long-term care tested30 days for long-term care (O.C.G.A. § 33-42-6); 30 days for Medicare supplement (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-2-8)
- Required nonforfeiture options testedCash surrender value, reduced paid-up insurance, extended term insurance
- Registrations required to sell variable products testedThe Life license plus FINRA securities registration; Variable Products is a separate Georgia line that requires holding Life
- Does the state regulate viatical/life settlements? testedYes — the Georgia Life Settlements Act
- Viator's rescission window tested15 days from execution of the settlement contract (and deemed rescinded if the insured dies within that window)
- Has the state adopted the NAIC best interest standard? testedYES — adopted the NAIC best interest standard, effective July 1, 2023. A producer recommending an annuity must act in the consumer's best interest.
Health 13 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedNO full expansion — instead Georgia runs the limited 'Georgia Pathways to Coverage' program (a Section 1115 demonstration covering adults up to 100% of the poverty level who meet an 80-hour-per-month activity requirement)
- Agency administering Medicaid testedGeorgia Medicaid (with managed care delivered through Georgia Families), administered by the Department of Community Health
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA STATE-BASED exchange — 'Georgia Access.' Georgia left the federal HealthCare.gov platform and launched its own state-based exchange for plan year 2025.
- Name of the state CHIP program testedPeachCare for Kids (Georgia's CHIP)
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic tested15 working days to pay or deny an electronic clean claim
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper tested30 calendar days to pay or deny a paper clean claim
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedYes — 15 working days electronic, 30 calendar days paper
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment tested12% per year interest on overdue clean claims; an administrative penalty applies if an insurer fails to process at least 95% of claims on time in a quarter
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — under the Patient's Right to Independent Review Act, an Independent Review Organization decision favorable to the enrollee is final and binding on the insurer (expedited decisions within 72 hours)
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Georgia's continuation fills the gap for smaller groups
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedGeorgia continuation applies to group coverage; the insured must have been continuously covered for at least 6 months
- Duration of state continuation coverage testedThe remainder of the month plus 3 additional months (with a longer extension available for those age 60+ under § 33-24-21.2)
- Max premium as % of group rate testedUp to about 120% of the group premium
Auto 11 facts
Auto insurance — minimum limits, fault system, required coverages.
- Fault-based (tort) or no-fault testedFault-based (tort). Georgia REPEALED its no-fault system effective October 1, 1991, and has no mandatory PIP.
- Minimum bodily injury liability per person tested$25,000
- Minimum bodily injury liability per occurrence tested$50,000
- Minimum property damage liability tested$25,000
- The memorizable shorthand (e.g. 30/60/25) tested25/50/25
- Uninsured motorist: mandatory / must be offered & rejectable / not required testedMust be OFFERED in an amount equal to the liability limits; the insured may reject UM/UIM in writing
- Underinsured motorist status testedOffered with UM and rejectable in writing (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11). Georgia uses an 'added-on' (excess) UIM option.
- Personal injury protection status testedNo PIP — Georgia repealed no-fault in 1991. Medical payments coverage is available but optional.
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedModified comparative negligence — a 50% bar. A claimant is barred if they are 50% or more at fault (their fault must be LESS than the defendant's); damages are reduced by the claimant's share.
- The bar percentage, if modified comparative tested50% bar — a claimant 50% or more at fault recovers nothing
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedThe Georgia Automobile Insurance Plan (assigned risk), for drivers who cannot obtain coverage voluntarily
CE & Renewal 8 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal testedTwo years (the license renews biennially by the last day of the licensee's birth month)
- What the renewal date keys off (flat term / birthday / birth year) testedBiennial, tied to the last day of the licensee's birth month
- CE hours per renewal period, standard case tested24 hours every two years for a resident agent licensed fewer than 20 years
- CE hours if holding multiple license types (if different) testedStill 24 total (20 for those licensed 20+ years) — holding multiple lines does not multiply the hours
- Ethics hours required per period tested3 hours of ethics per renewal, within the total
- Limits on who may provide CE credits testedA maximum of 12 self-study / online hours may count per two-year cycle
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA license may not be renewed until CE is satisfied; failure lapses the license
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedAgents licensed 20+ years need only 20 hours. Georgia CE applies to RESIDENT licensees only — nonresidents are compliant if they meet their home state's CE.
Property 7 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedPRIOR APPROVAL (with a deemer). Rates are filed with the Commissioner; for private passenger auto at minimum limits, a rate is effective only if approved, or after 45 days with no disapproval (the review period may be extended up to 55 additional days). Rates must not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory.
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPermitted but restricted: an insurer may not use income, gender, race, address, ZIP code, ethnicity, religion, marital status, or nationality, and may not deny, cancel, or nonrenew based solely on credit.
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedYES — the Georgia Underwriting Association (the Georgia FAIR Plan), which makes basic property coverage available to those who cannot obtain it in the standard market. Membership is mandatory for property insurers.
- Name of the FAIR Plan, if any testedGeorgia Underwriting Association (Georgia FAIR Plan)
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedCoastal hurricane and windstorm along Georgia's Atlantic shore, plus tornado and hail inland. (The specific perils are not enumerated in the FAIR Plan statute; the Georgia Underwriting Association is the residual outlet for wind-prone coastal property.)
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedAn active Georgia Property & Casualty agent license, plus a separate Surplus Lines broker license
- Is a diligent-effort search of the admitted market required first? testedYes — a diligent effort to place the risk 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 testedGeorgia Life and Health Insurance Guaranty 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 net cash surrender value ($300,000 present value of annuity benefits)
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for basic hospital, medical, and surgical or major medical health benefit plans; $300,000 for disability income, long-term care, and other health
- Aggregate per-individual cap, if any tested$300,000 aggregate per life — except up to $500,000 where a health benefit plan is involved
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedYes — standard NAIC model limits, with tiered health
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedGeorgia Insurers Insolvency Pool
- Per-claim cap testedCovered claims up to the lesser of the policy limits or $300,000. Claims under $50 are excluded; a claim of $50 or more is paid in full up to the cap (there is no traditional per-claim deductible). Workers' compensation claims are paid without the cap.
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — using the existence of the guaranty association to sell or solicit insurance is prohibited (penalty up to $1,000 per violation, $10,000 maximum)
Workers Comp 7 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — mandatory for employers with 3 or more employees
- Employee count at which coverage is required tested3 or more employees (counting regular and part-time)
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate tested66⅔% of the average weekly wage, capped at $800 per week (for injuries on or after July 1, 2023), with a $50 weekly minimum and a 7-day waiting period
- Maximum TTD duration testedUp to 400 weeks for a non-catastrophic injury (unlimited for a catastrophic injury)
- Deadline to file a claim testedReport the injury to the employer within 30 days; file a claim within 1 year of the injury (or within 1 year of the last remedial treatment, or 2 years of the last income-benefit payment)
- Ways an employer may comply (insure / self-insure / group) testedInsure with a licensed carrier, 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 Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire (the Department of Insurance)
- Title of the person who heads it testedCommissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire — who also serves as the State Fire Marshal (the 'Safety Fire' role)
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedELECTED by the voters of Georgia to a four-year term — not appointed
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedTitle 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.), with regulations in Chapter 120 of the Georgia Comp. Rules & Regulations
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedYES — Georgia's insurance regulator is also the STATE FIRE MARSHAL. The elected Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire runs both insurance regulation and the state's fire-safety and inspections functions.
Cancellation 7 facts
When and how policies can be canceled or nonrenewed — heavily tested.
- Initial window during which an insurer may cancel more freely tested60 days — during the first 60 days a policy may be canceled more freely; after 60 days, cancellation is limited to enumerated reasons (nonpayment, fraud or material misrepresentation, a substantial increase in hazard, or material breach)
- Notice days to cancel a homeowners policy inside the initial window testedAt least 30 days' notice to cancel homeowners (10 days for nonpayment, or if the policy has been in effect fewer than 60 days). A reason is required.
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window testedAt least 30 days' notice to cancel auto (10 days for nonpayment, or if the policy has been in effect fewer than 60 days). A reason is required.
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment tested10 days for nonpayment of premium (auto and homeowners)
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes tested30 days for permitted causes (auto and homeowners)
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedAt least 30 days' advance notice of nonrenewal (auto and homeowners), and the reason must be stated
- Must the reason be stated proactively, on request, or not at all? testedYes — a specific reason must be stated for cancellation and nonrenewal (auto and homeowners)
Licensing 20 facts
How you get and keep the license — exams, fees, applications, background checks.
- Is there a standalone life license/exam? testedYes — a Life line with its own exam
- Is there a standalone health license/exam? testedYes — an Accident and Sickness line with its own exam
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedYes — Georgia offers a combined Life, Accident and Sickness course and combination examination for those pursuing both lines
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — a Personal Lines line with its own 8-hour course and exam
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedBoth — Georgia offers Property (12-GA-03) and Casualty (12-GA-04) as individual exams AND a combined Property & Casualty exam (12-GA-06), plus a narrower Personal Lines line (12-GA-55).
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — annuities are sold under the Life line (Variable Products require the Life license plus FINRA registration)
- Does the P&C license already include personal lines authority? testedYes — the full Property & Casualty license covers personal-lines risks; the Personal Lines license is a narrower subset for those who sell only personal lines
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedGeorgia agent lines: Life · Accident and Sickness · Property and Casualty (applied for together) · Personal Lines · Variable Products (requires Life) · Credit · Title · Travel — plus a separate Surplus Lines broker credential (requires P&C)
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPearson VUE (physical test centers)
- License application fee tested$120 resident agent license application
- Fee per insurer appointment tested$10 per appointment
- Passing score tested70%
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedYES — Georgia requires pre-licensing education for each major line (reduced to 8 hours per line under a July 2025 rule change)
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) tested8 hours per major line — Life 8, Accident & Sickness 8, Property 8, Casualty 8, Personal Lines 8. A combined dual line is 16 hours (Life + Accident & Sickness = 16; Property + Casualty = 16, and P&C must be taken together).
- Fingerprints, state police report, or none testedFingerprinting is REQUIRED — electronic fingerprints through the GBI's approved vendor (IdentoGO), OCI service code 2TGJ6B, for a criminal background check
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedIdentoGO, the GBI's approved fingerprint vendor (OCI service code 2TGJ6B)
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedSircon (sircon.com/georgia) for resident applications; nonresidents may use Sircon or NIPR
- Are temporary licenses available? testedYes — a temporary agent license, sponsored by an insurer and supervised by a licensed agent, issued for 6 months and extendable in 3-month increments to a 15-month maximum. Limited to ONE temporary license per lifetime.
- Temporary license duration and training requirement tested6 months initially, extendable in 3-month increments to a 15-month maximum, one per lifetime; eligible lines are Life, Accident & Sickness, Property, Casualty, and Personal Lines. Fee $80.