Illinois Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Illinois-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Illinois exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Illinois exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Illinois insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Illinois-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 102 facts from the TESTivity Illinois 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 12 facts
The life insurance rules that differ by state — free look, grace, reinstatement.
- Incontestability period testedNot later than 2 years from the date of issue (except for nonpayment of premium)
- Grace period for individual life tested30 days (one month); the insurer may charge up to 6% per year interest on the overdue premium
- Window to reinstate a lapsed policy testedWithin 3 years of premium default, on proof of insurability and payment of arrears
- Max interest chargeable on reinstatement, if capped testedOverdue premiums bear interest not exceeding 6% per year
- Free look for individual life tested10 days for individual life — the owner may return the policy within 10 days for a refund
- Free look when a policy is being replaced tested20 days on a replaced life policy, with an unconditional refund
- Free look for long-term care tested30 days for long-term care (215 ILCS 5/351A-7); 30 days for Medicare supplement (215 ILCS 5/363)
- 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 Illinois line
- Does the state regulate viatical/life settlements? testedYes — the Viatical Settlements Act of 2009
- 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 the NAIC best interest standard in 50 Ill. Admin. Code 3120, effective February 3, 2023. A producer recommending an annuity must act in the consumer's best interest.
Health 15 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedYES — Illinois expanded Medicaid under the ACA, effective January 1, 2014 (up to 138% of the poverty level)
- Effective date of expansion, if expanded testedJanuary 1, 2014
- Agency administering Medicaid testedIllinois Medicaid, administered by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS); managed care is delivered as HealthChoice Illinois
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA STATE-BASED marketplace — Get Covered Illinois. Illinois moved to its own state-based exchange effective January 1, 2026, replacing HealthCare.gov.
- Name of the state CHIP program testedAll Kids (Illinois's CHIP)
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic tested30 days after receipt of due proof of loss (Illinois applies the same 30-day deadline to electronic and paper claims)
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper tested30 days after receipt of due proof of loss — the same deadline as electronic claims
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedNo split — a single 30-day clean-claim deadline for both paper and electronic claims
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment tested9% per year interest on a late clean claim
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — under Illinois's Health Carrier External Review Act, an Independent Review Organization's decision binds the carrier; on a reversal the carrier must immediately approve coverage
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Illinois's continuation applies to group policies with no minimum employer-size threshold
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedIllinois continuation applies to group health policies generally, with NO minimum employer-size threshold; the insured must have been continuously covered for the prior 3 months
- Duration of state continuation coverage testedUp to 12 months
- Election period for state continuation testedElect within 30 days of the notice (up to 60 days in some circumstances)
- Max premium as % of group rate testedThe full group premium (employer plus employee share) — not more than the group rate, roughly 100%
Auto 11 facts
Auto insurance — minimum limits, fault system, required coverages.
- Fault-based (tort) or no-fault testedFault-based (tort). Illinois has no no-fault system and 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$20,000
- The memorizable shorthand (e.g. 30/60/25) tested25/50/20
- Uninsured motorist: mandatory / must be offered & rejectable / not required testedMANDATORY — Illinois requires uninsured motorist coverage at least at the § 7-203 minimum limits. UM must be OFFERED equal to the insured's bodily injury liability limits (the higher amount is rejectable in writing).
- Underinsured motorist status testedUnderinsured motorist coverage is required in an amount equal to the UM coverage whenever UM limits exceed the § 7-203 minimums (215 ILCS 5/143a-2)
- Personal injury protection status testedNo PIP — Illinois is a tort state. Medical payments coverage is available but optional.
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedModified comparative negligence — a 51% bar. A claimant more than 50% at fault is barred from recovery; otherwise damages are diminished in proportion to the claimant's fault.
- The bar percentage, if modified comparative tested51% bar — a claimant more than 50% at fault recovers nothing; at exactly 50% they still recover
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedThe Illinois Automobile Insurance Plan (assigned risk), for drivers who cannot obtain coverage voluntarily
CE & Renewal 9 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal testedTwo years (a biennial term)
- What the renewal date keys off (flat term / birthday / birth year) testedBiennial (a fixed two-year term, not tied to the birth month)
- CE hours per renewal period, standard case tested24 hours of Illinois-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, which must be completed in a live classroom or webinar
- Any classroom / in-person requirement testedThe 3 ethics hours must be live classroom or webinar
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA license may not be renewed until CE is satisfied; a lapsed license may be reinstated within 12 months without re-examination, on payment of double the renewal fee
- Late renewal / reinstatement tiers testedA lapsed license may be reinstated within 12 months of the due date without re-examination (penalty: double the unpaid renewal fee)
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedCE and pre-licensing apply to resident producers; nonresidents satisfy Illinois CE through their home state (reciprocity)
Property 7 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedOPEN COMPETITION — Illinois is famously the ONLY state with essentially no rate-regulation law for most property and casualty lines. The general P&C rate law (Article XXX ½) was REPEALED effective July 1, 1998, so insurers set rates competitively with no filing or prior approval; the § 155.18 rate standards apply only to medical-liability insurance.
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPermitted but restricted (the Use of Credit Information in Personal Insurance Act): an insurer may not deny, cancel, nonrenew, or rate SOLELY on credit; may not use income, gender, address, ethnic group, religion, marital status, or nationality; and the credit score must be from a report no more than 90 days old.
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedYES — the Illinois FAIR Plan (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements), administered through the Industry Placement Facility, provides basic property and homeowners coverage to those who cannot obtain it in the standard market
- Name of the FAIR Plan, if any testedIllinois FAIR Plan (Illinois FAIR Plan Association)
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedTornado and severe thunderstorm (with hail and straight-line wind) are Illinois's dominant perils, along with flooding (river and flash) and winter storms.
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedAn active Illinois property and casualty producer license, plus a separate Surplus Lines producer 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 testedIllinois 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 / withdrawal value
- Annuity benefit limit tested$250,000 present value of annuity benefits
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for a health benefit plan; $300,000 for disability income and long-term care; $100,000 for other/basic 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; a single owner of multiple nongroup life policies is capped at $5,000,000
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedYes — standard NAIC model limits, with tiered health
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedIllinois Insurance Guaranty Fund
- Per-claim cap testedCovered claims up to $500,000 (for orders of liquidation on or after January 1, 2011). Workers' compensation claims are exempt from the cap; unearned premium refunds are capped at $50,000. There is no per-claim deductible; a covered claim never exceeds the policy limit.
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — using the existence of the guaranty association to sell, solicit, or induce a purchase is prohibited
Workers Comp 6 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — mandatory, and it applies automatically and without election to essentially all employers with employees
- Employee count at which coverage is required testedOne or more employees — Illinois requires coverage from the first employee (workers' compensation applies automatically to the broad list of covered enterprises)
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC)
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate tested66⅔% of the average weekly wage, capped at 133⅓% of the state average weekly wage
- Deadline to file a claim testedGive the employer notice as soon as practicable, no later than 45 days; file a claim within 3 years of the accident (or 2 years after the last compensation payment, whichever is later)
- 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 Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI)
- Title of the person who heads it testedDirector of Insurance
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedAppointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate — not elected
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedThe Illinois Insurance Code, 215 ILCS 5, with regulations in Title 50 of the Illinois Administrative Code
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedNo — a conventional code department under the Governor, headed by an appointed Director
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 — after an auto policy has been in effect 60 days (or on renewal), the insurer may cancel only for enumerated grounds
- Notice days to cancel a homeowners policy inside the initial window testedAt least 30 days' notice to cancel property/homeowners (10 days for nonpayment), with the reason stated
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window testedAt least 30 days' notice to cancel auto (10 days for nonpayment), with the reason stated
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment tested10 days for nonpayment of premium (auto and property)
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes tested30 days for permitted causes (auto and property)
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedAt least 30 days' advance notice of nonrenewal (auto and property), with the specific reason stated; a separate 60-day notice is required to change the deductible or coverage at renewal
- 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 property)
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 Health or Sickness line with its own exam
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedNo single combined Life & Health line or exam — Life and Accident & Health are separate lines of authority in Illinois. A candidate pursuing both qualifies each line separately.
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — a Personal Lines line with its own exam
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedSeparate lines — Illinois licenses Property and Casualty as SEPARATE lines of authority, plus a Personal Lines line. There is no single combined P&C line or exam.
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — annuities are sold under the Life line (Variable Life and Variable Annuity is a separate line that also requires FINRA registration)
- Does the P&C license already include personal lines authority? testedNo — Personal Lines is its own line, but holding Property and Casualty covers personal-lines risks
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedOne Illinois producer license listing any of: Life · Accident and Health or Sickness · Property · Casualty · Personal Lines · Variable Life and Variable Annuity · Motor Vehicle (limited) — plus separate Surplus Lines and Public Adjuster credentials
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPearson VUE — each line requires TWO exams (a General exam and a State exam), both passed within 90 days of each other
- Exam fee tested$92 per exam — but each line requires two exams (General + State), with a $92 discount when both same-line exams are ordered together (so effectively $92 for the pair)
- License application fee tested$215 for the resident producer license, once every two years (plus a $50 exam application processing fee)
- Passing score tested70%
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedYES — Illinois requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education per line of authority, of which 7.5 hours must be live classroom or webinar
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) tested20 hours per line (Life; Accident & Health; Property/Fire; Casualty; Personal Lines), of which 7.5 hours must be live classroom or webinar; the completion is valid for 12 months. (Motor Vehicle is 12.5 hours, 5 of them classroom.)
- Fingerprints, state police report, or none testedA background review is conducted through the license application; Illinois does not require fingerprinting for a resident producer license
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedIllinois DOI, via the NIPR/Sircon application
- Deadline to apply after passing the exam testedThe two required exams (General and State) must be passed within 90 days of each other; pre-licensing completion is valid for 12 months
- How long a passed exam remains valid testedThe General and State exams must be completed within 90 days of each other
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedNIPR (nipr.com) or Sircon, via the IDOI producer portal