Who Regulates Insurance in New York
New York folded its old Insurance Department and Banking Department into a single Department of Financial Services (DFS) in 2011, headed by the Superintendent of Financial Services (appointed by the Governor). So in New York you answer to a Superintendent, not a Commissioner - a small wording difference the exam likes to test.
Exams are administered by PSI Services, and you apply for the license through NIPR, paying New York's $80 application fee to DFS.
One New York distinction worth burning into memory: the state takes the agent versus broker difference seriously. An agent represents the insurer (the company); a broker represents the insured (the customer). Many other states blur this into one producer license - New York does not.
No Fingerprinting (for Agents and Brokers)
Good news on the paperwork: New York does not require fingerprinting for resident agent or broker licenses. That removes a vendor appointment and fee that most states impose.
(The major exception is public adjusters, who face extra requirements like a bond and certificates of character - but that is a different license track from the producer lines here.)
Prelicensing Education (Life)
New York requires 20 hours of state-approved prelicensing for the Life line before you can sit the exam. Approved live classes require a minimum of 10 classroom hours.
Here is a genuinely nice New York feature: your prelicensing certificate of completion never expires. Most states put a 1-to-4 year clock on it; New York does not, so there is no rush between finishing the course and testing.
TESTivity recommends [Achievable](https://app.achievable.me/study/insurance-life/purchase#a_aid=getthelicense) to satisfy your New York pre-licensing requirement. Achievable is an approved provider, its insurance courses were built by the same subject-matter expert behind TESTivity, and completing the Achievable course earns you the certificate of completion New York requires.
One important distinction: TESTivity is not an approved pre-licensing provider in New York and does not issue certificates of completion. The TESTivity learning tools and study packages will absolutely help you pass the exam — but treat them as a supplement to your Achievable course, not a substitute for it.
Disclosure: TESTivity has a partnership with Achievable and may earn a commission if you enroll through links on this page.
Passing Score and Exam Format
New York uses a flat 70% passing score on every line. Each exam splits into two parts: a national section on general insurance principles and a New York state section on New York law, rules, and regulations.
Be ready for a long exam. New York's major-line exams run 150 questions with a 2.5-hour limit - longer than the 100-120 questions common in other states. Verify the exact question count and time for single lines (Life-only, A&H-only, Personal Lines) on the current PSI bulletin, as those are shorter.
You can test at a PSI test center or by remote online proctoring (PSI Bridge) - New York gives you both options. After passing, you generally have a window to apply; Verify the current apply-by deadline on the PSI/DFS bulletin.
Regulation 60 and Regulation 187 - The Big Two
These two regulations define New York life-and-annuity practice and show up heavily on the exam.
Regulation 60 (11 NYCRR 51) governs replacement of life insurance and annuities. When a sale replaces existing coverage, you must provide the Important Notice Regarding Replacement and a Disclosure Statement comparing the old and new policies. The goal is to stop unjustified churning.
Regulation 187 (11 NYCRR 224) is New York's best-interest standard, effective for annuity transactions since August 1, 2019 and life insurance since February 1, 2020. It raised the bar from mere suitability to acting in the consumer's best interest - a documented, process-based standard of care covering recommendations and replacements. Where a replacement is involved, a properly completed Regulation 60 Disclosure Statement can help satisfy Regulation 187.
New York Life Provisions
New York requires the standard life provisions - grace period, incontestability (2 years), reinstatement, and a suicide exclusion - plus a free-look period on new policies (longer on replacements and certain annuities). Verify the exact free-look day counts, which New York sets by product type.
New York is also a strong unfair-trade-practices state: twisting, churning, rebating, and unfair discrimination carry specific statutory definitions, and rebating rules are notably strict.
Keeping Your License Active
Important CE details: Approx. 15 credit hours per biennial period; Reg 187 best-interest training can count.
New York producers complete CE on a 2-year cycle - generally 15 credit hours per biennial period. Verify the current hour total and any line-specific requirements, since New York has adjusted CE rules over time.
On the life and annuity side, completing a Regulation 187 best-interest training course can earn CE credit and help satisfy the carrier training requirement at the same time - a two-birds move.
Note New York's appointment rule: an insurer must appoint you, and the appointment generally has to be filed within 15 days of the agency contract or first application submitted to that company.
New York's Guaranty Safety Net
If an admitted insurer becomes insolvent, New York's guaranty mechanisms protect policyholders. Life and annuity obligations run through the Life Insurance Company Guaranty Corporation of New York; property/casualty claims run through the New York Property/Casualty Insurance Security Fund.
Important: New York's coverage limits are set by New York law and differ from the standard NAIC model figures used in most other states - do not assume the usual $300k/$100k/$250k numbers here. Verify New York's current guaranty limits before relying on a specific dollar amount.
As everywhere, the guaranty fund cannot be used as a sales inducement, and only admitted insurers are covered.
Quick Reference
Official Links
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