Montana Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Montana-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Montana exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Montana exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Montana insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Montana-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 108 facts from the TESTivity Montana 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 tested2 years from issue
- Grace period for individual life tested30 days
- Window to reinstate a lapsed policy testedWithin 3 years of default (2 years for industrial life), on evidence of insurability and payment of overdue premiums with interest
- Max interest chargeable on reinstatement, if capped testedOverdue premiums bear interest not exceeding 6% per year, compounded annually
- Suicide exclusion period tested2 years — a life policy may exclude death by suicide within 2 years of issue; if suicide occurs within the period, the insurer pays at least the reserve
- Free look for annuities tested15 days for an annuity when the disclosure or Buyer's Guide was not timely delivered
- Free look for long-term care tested30 days for long-term care, from policy delivery
- Required nonforfeiture options testedCash surrender value, reduced paid-up insurance, and extended term insurance, under Montana's Standard Nonforfeiture Law
- Registrations required to sell variable products testedVariable life and variable annuities require Montana's Variable line plus active FINRA registration (a Series 6 or 7 with the SIE) — they are securities
- Does the state regulate viatical/life settlements? testedYes — Montana regulates viatical and life settlements under its Viatical Settlements Act; providers and brokers must be licensed
- Viator's rescission window testedThe viator may rescind for the later of 30 days after the contract is executed or 15 days after the proceeds are received
- Has the state adopted the NAIC best interest standard? testedYES — Montana adopted the NAIC 2020 best interest standard (MCA 33-20-801 et seq.), effective October 1, 2021, with a producer duty of care and a one-time 4-hour annuity training
Health 14 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedYES — Montana expanded Medicaid through the HELP Act (effective January 1, 2016), and the 2025 Legislature removed the sunset, making expansion PERMANENT (HB 245, signed March 2025)
- Effective date of expansion, if expanded testedJanuary 1, 2016 (made permanent by HB 245 in 2025)
- Agency administering Medicaid testedThe Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), branded Montana Healthcare Programs
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA FEDERALLY-FACILITATED marketplace (HealthCare.gov) — Montana does not run a state exchange
- Name of the state CHIP program testedHealthy Montana Kids (HMK), Montana's CHIP program
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic tested30 days to pay or deny after receipt of proof of loss (60 days if the insurer reasonably requests additional information) — Montana does not distinguish electronic from paper
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper tested30 days — the same deadline applies to paper and electronic claims (no split)
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedNo split — a single 30-day standard (60 days with an information request) for both paper and electronic claims
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment tested10% annual interest on a claim not timely paid
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — the independent review organization's external-review decision binds the issuer
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Montana has no classic small-employer mini-COBRA, offering a conversion right instead
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedMontana has NO classic mini-COBRA continuation; instead it gives a group-to-individual CONVERSION right (a new individual policy), regardless of employer size
- Election period for state continuation testedElect the conversion within 31 days of termination (the insured must have had at least 3 months of coverage)
- Max premium as % of group rate testedThe conversion premium is capped at 200% of the group rate (150% if the person was insured more than 3 years)
Auto 12 facts
Auto insurance — minimum limits, fault system, required coverages.
- Fault-based (tort) or no-fault testedTORT (at-fault) — Montana is NOT a no-fault state; there is no mandatory PIP (medical payments coverage is optional). The at-fault driver's liability coverage pays the other party's damages.
- 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 testedMust be OFFERED and may be REJECTED in writing — uninsured-motorist coverage is offered at the liability minimums unless the insured rejects it in writing
- Underinsured motorist status testedOptional — underinsured-motorist coverage is an optional add-on (Montana regulates its stacking but does not mandate an offer)
- Personal injury protection status testedNot required — Montana is a tort state with no mandatory PIP (medical payments coverage is optional)
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedModified comparative negligence — a claimant recovers only if their negligence is NOT GREATER THAN the combined negligence of the parties they claim against, so a claimant exactly 50% at fault still recovers, but one 51% or more at fault recovers nothing; the award is reduced by the claimant's share
- The bar percentage, if modified comparative tested51% bar — a claimant whose fault is greater than the parties they claim against recovers nothing (a claimant exactly 50% at fault still recovers)
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedA commissioner-approved automobile apportionment (assigned-risk) plan in which insurers must participate, commonly called the Montana Automobile Insurance Plan
- Any alternative to buying liability insurance (e.g. VA's UMV fee) testedMontana's financial-responsibility law (MCA Title 61) allows compliance by a liability policy, a certificate of self-insurance (for a fleet of more than 25 vehicles), or a $55,000 cash or securities deposit
CE & Renewal 9 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal tested2 years (biennial); the renewal date is printed on the license
- What the renewal date keys off (flat term / birthday / birth year) testedA flat 2-year cycle — the renewal date is printed on the license (Montana does not clearly key it to a birthday)
- CE hours per renewal period, standard case tested24 CE hours every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics AND 1 hour of Montana law/regulation update
- CE hours if holding multiple license types (if different) tested24 total each period, per person, regardless of the number of lines held (limited-lines-only licensees need 5 hours)
- Ethics hours required per period tested3 hours of ethics each period (plus a separate 1-hour Montana law/regulation update)
- Limits on who may provide CE credits testedCourses and providers must be approved by the CSI
- Initial long-term care training requirement tested8 hours of initial long-term care training plus 4 hours of ongoing LTC training every 24 months (annuity training is a one-time 4 hours; flood is a one-time 3 hours)
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA license not renewed with the required CE lapses; a 12-month reinstatement window with late fees is typical, but the exact fees were not confirmed from a CSI primary source this edition
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedOnly temporary-license holders and case-by-case commissioner exemptions are exempt; nonresidents satisfy CE through their home-state license. There is NO years-licensed or age-based CE exemption.
Property 6 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedFILE-AND-USE — insurers file rates and may use them, subject to the Commissioner's authority over rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory (workers' comp uses prior approval below NCCI loss costs)
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPERMITTED but heavily RESTRICTED — an insurer may not deny, cancel, or nonrenew personal insurance based on credit alone, and may not use income, gender, ZIP code, or ethnicity in a credit model (MCA 33-18-601 to 33-18-612)
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedNO — Montana has NO FAIR Plan and no windstorm pool. Hard-to-place property (including high wildfire risk) is steered to the surplus lines market.
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedWildfire is the dominant peril — Montana ranks among the highest states for the share of homes at catastrophic wildfire risk — with hail, severe winter storms, and windstorm as secondary exposures
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedA surplus lines license, which requires first holding a Property & Casualty producer license
- Is a diligent-effort search of the admitted market required first? testedYes — a diligent effort requiring a MINIMUM of 3 declinations from authorized insurers actually writing that line (an approved 'export list' satisfies the search)
Guaranty 10 facts
The safety nets when an insurer fails — and their limits.
- Name of the life & health guaranty association testedThe Montana Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
- Life death benefit limit tested$300,000
- Life cash surrender / withdrawal value limit tested$100,000 life cash surrender value
- Annuity benefit limit tested$250,000 present value of annuity benefits
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for basic hospital, medical, or surgical; $300,000 for long-term care and disability; $100,000 for other health
- Aggregate per-individual cap, if any tested$300,000 aggregate per individual life (except up to $500,000 where health claims exceed $300,000)
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedYes — standard NAIC model limits ($300,000 death benefit, $100,000 cash value, $250,000 annuity), with tiered health
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedThe Montana Insurance Guaranty Association
- Per-claim cap testedUp to $300,000 per claim (unearned-premium refunds capped at $10,000 per policy); workers' compensation claims are paid in FULL
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — using the life & health guaranty association in advertising or solicitation is a prohibited unfair trade practice (a specific P&C advertising ban was not separately located)
Workers Comp 7 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — workers' compensation is mandatory for employers with any non-exempt employee
- Employee count at which coverage is required testedCoverage is required from the first non-exempt employee — Montana has no numeric threshold (sole proprietors, working partners/LLC members, and casual/domestic labor are exempt)
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division (ERD)
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate testedTemporary total disability: 66 2/3% of the wage at the time of injury, capped at the state average weekly wage
- Maximum TTD duration testedPayable for the duration of the temporary disability, until the worker reaches maximum medical healing (no fixed weeks cap)
- Deadline to file a claim testedGive notice of injury within 30 days; file a claim within 12 months (the insurer may waive up to an additional 24 months); occupational disease is 1 year from knowledge
- Ways an employer may comply (insure / self-insure / group) testedThree plans: Plan 1 (self-insurance), Plan 2 (a private carrier), or Plan 3 (the Montana State Fund) — the State Fund is the guaranteed market and must insure any employer that requests coverage
Regulator 5 facts
Who regulates insurance here and what powers the office holds.
- Name of the state insurance regulator testedThe Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI), within the Office of the Montana State Auditor
- Title of the person who heads it testedCommissioner of Securities and Insurance — a role held by the Montana State Auditor
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedELECTED — the State Auditor is a statewide-elected constitutional officer (4-year term) who serves as Commissioner of Securities and Insurance; not appointed
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedTitle 33 of the Montana Code Annotated (Insurance and Insurance Companies), with producer licensing in Chapter 17 and rules in the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM Title 6)
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedYes — insurance is regulated by the elected State Auditor, who serves as Commissioner of Securities and Insurance and regulates BOTH insurance and securities, rather than by a standalone appointed insurance commissioner
Cancellation 8 facts
When and how policies can be canceled or nonrenewed — heavily tested.
- Initial window during which an insurer may cancel more freely tested60 days — a new policy (in force less than 60 days) may be canceled with 10 days' notice; after 60 days cancellation is limited to stated grounds
- Notice days to cancel a homeowners policy inside the initial window testedAt least 45 days' written notice to cancel a homeowners policy for cause, stating the specific reason (20 days for nonpayment)
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window testedAt least 45 days' written notice to cancel a personal auto policy for cause (10 days for nonpayment)
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment tested10 days for auto nonpayment; 20 days for homeowners nonpayment
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes testedAt least 45 days for cancellation on a permitted ground (homeowners and auto), stating the reason
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedAt least 45 days before expiration for nonrenewal of homeowners (reason must be stated) and auto (reason on request); general P&C is at least 45 days
- Must the reason be stated proactively, on request, or not at all? testedYes — a homeowners cancellation or nonrenewal notice must state the specific reason; an auto notice must give the reason on request
- Restrictions on nonrenewing because of claims (e.g. weather claims excluded) testedA homeowners insurer may not use loss experience more than 7 years old (nor a prior owner's weather claims); an auto insurer may not use driving records more than 3 years old or surcharge a NOT-at-fault accident
Licensing 25 facts
How you get and keep the license — exams, fees, applications, background checks.
- Is there a standalone life license/exam? testedYes — a standalone Life exam and line of authority (Life includes annuities and endowments)
- Is there a standalone health license/exam? testedYes — a standalone Accident & Health (disability) exam and line of authority
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedNO — Montana does NOT offer a combined Life & Health exam. Life and Accident & Health are separate exams and separate lines.
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — a Personal Lines line (its own exam), covering noncommercial property and casualty risks
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedSPLIT — Property and Casualty are separate lines with separate exams; Montana offers NO combined Property & Casualty exam (a narrower Personal Lines line is also available)
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — FIXED annuities and endowments are sold under the Life line. VARIABLE life and variable annuities require the separate Variable line plus FINRA registration (they are securities).
- Does the P&C license already include personal lines authority? testedYes — holding both Property and Casualty covers personal-lines risks; the Personal Lines line is a narrower noncommercial subset
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedOne Montana producer license listing any of: Life · Accident and Health or Sickness (Disability) · Property · Casualty · Personal Lines · Variable — plus limited lines (Credit, Surety, Title, Pre-Paid Legal)
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPearson VUE administers Montana producer exams (in-person or online via OnVUE); each major line is examined separately
- Exam fee tested$65 per exam through Pearson VUE
- License application fee tested$0 — there is NO state license fee for a resident producer (adjuster, consultant, and surplus lines licenses are $50)
- Fee per insurer appointment tested$0 — no appointment fee
- Passing score tested75 (a scaled score) — and each major-line exam is split into a General section and a State section that must each be passed separately
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedNO — Montana does NOT require pre-licensing education. Candidates study the content outlines and sit the exam directly.
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) testedNone — no pre-licensing course is required. Candidates study the Pearson VUE content outlines and sit the exam directly.
- Fingerprints, state police report, or none testedFINGERPRINT-based background check — fingerprints are run by the Montana Department of Justice Criminal Records Division (which may exchange with the FBI)
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedThe Montana Department of Justice Criminal Records Division processes the fingerprints ($30, paid to Criminal Records)
- Deadline to apply after passing the exam testedA passed exam is valid for 1 year; apply for the license within that window
- How long a passed exam remains valid testedA passed exam remains valid for 1 year from the exam date
- Waiting period before retaking a failed exam testedNo statutory waiting period to retake — re-register and pay the fee again
- Notice required to reschedule/cancel without forfeiting the fee testedYou must change or cancel at least 48 hours before the exam to avoid forfeiting the fee (reserve at least 24 hours ahead)
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedNIPR (nipr.com); post-license services run through the NAIC State Based Systems (SBS)
- Are temporary licenses available? testedYes — a temporary license (no exam) is available on the death, disability, or military service of a licensed producer
- Temporary license duration and training requirement testedUp to 90 days, with one 90-day extension (and up to 15 months to wind up a deceased producer's estate), no exam, at no fee