Oregon Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Oregon-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Oregon exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Oregon exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Oregon insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Oregon-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 113 facts from the TESTivity Oregon 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 14 facts
The life insurance rules that differ by state — free look, grace, reinstatement.
- Incontestability period tested2 years — a policy is incontestable after it has been in force for 2 years during the insured's lifetime (except for nonpayment of premium)
- Grace period for individual life tested30 days (a month of not less than 30 days), during which the policy stays in force; the insurer may charge up to 6% annual interest for the days of grace
- Window to reinstate a lapsed policy testedWithin 3 years after default (2 years for industrial life), on evidence of insurability and payment of overdue premiums and any indebtedness with interest
- Max interest chargeable on reinstatement, if capped testedOverdue premiums are paid with interest at a rate not exceeding the policy's maximum loan interest rate — Oregon does not fix a separate reinstatement rate
- Suicide exclusion period tested2 years — the industry-standard maximum suicide period (tied to the 2-year contestable period); Oregon's individual life policy-provision statutes do not fix a dedicated statutory suicide period
- Free look for individual life testedAt least 10 days to return an individual life policy for a full refund, beginning when the owner receives the policy
- Free look for annuities tested10 days for an annuity (the same right-to-examine standard as individual life)
- Free look when a policy is being replaced tested30 days when the policy or annuity replaces existing coverage
- Free look for long-term care tested30 days for long-term care, from delivery
- Required nonforfeiture options testedCash surrender value, reduced paid-up insurance, and extended term insurance, under Oregon's Standard Nonforfeiture Law
- Registrations required to sell variable products testedVariable life and variable annuities require the Oregon Life line plus FINRA registration (the SIE with a Series 6 or 7, and a Series 63) — they are securities
- Does the state regulate viatical/life settlements? testedYes — Oregon regulates life settlements (including viatical settlements) under ORS 744.318 to 744.384, administered by DFR; providers and brokers must be licensed
- Viator's rescission window testedThe owner may rescind by the earlier of 60 days after the contract is executed or 30 days after the settlement proceeds are received; if the insured dies during the rescission period, the contract is deemed rescinded
- Has the state adopted the NAIC best interest standard? testedYES — Oregon adopted the NAIC 2020 best interest annuity standard, effective January 1, 2024 (Senate Bill 536; OAR 836-080-0170 to -0193), with a producer best-interest duty and a 4-hour training
Health 15 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedYES — Oregon expanded Medicaid under the ACA (adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level), effective January 1, 2014, through the Oregon Health Plan
- Effective date of expansion, if expanded testedJanuary 1, 2014
- Agency administering Medicaid testedThe Oregon Health Authority (OHA), which runs the Oregon Health Plan (OHP)
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA STATE-BASED marketplace on the federal platform — the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace runs outreach and oversight while consumers enroll through HealthCare.gov. Oregon is transitioning to a fully state-run exchange for the 2027 plan year.
- Name of the state CHIP program testedOregon's CHIP is administered as part of the Oregon Health Plan and marketed as Healthy Kids
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic tested30 days to pay or deny a clean claim
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper tested30 days — Oregon uses a single clean-claim deadline for electronic and paper claims
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedNo — Oregon applies a single 30-day clean-claim deadline to both electronic and paper claims
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment testedInterest of 12% per year (simple) accrues on a clean claim not paid on time, from the 31st day
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — Oregon's external review, conducted by an Independent Review Organization under contract with DFR, is BINDING on the insurer; if the insurer does not comply, the enrollee has a private right of action
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Oregon continuation applies to both larger and smaller groups
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedOregon continuation applies to groups of 20+ (alongside federal COBRA, ORS 743.600) and to small groups under 20 (ORS 743.610)
- Duration of state continuation coverage testedUp to 9 months — Oregon continuation runs a flat 9 months regardless of group size (shorter than federal COBRA's 18 to 36 months)
- Election period for state continuation testedElected within 10 days of the qualifying event or notice (small-group continuation)
- Max premium as % of group rate testedThe continuant pays the group premium
Auto 12 facts
Auto insurance — minimum limits, fault system, required coverages.
- Fault-based (tort) or no-fault testedTORT (at-fault) with mandatory ADD-ON personal injury protection (PIP) — Oregon requires PIP, which pays the insured's own medical and wage costs regardless of fault, but it is NOT true no-fault (the right to sue the at-fault driver is fully preserved)
- Minimum bodily injury liability per person tested$25,000 per person
- Minimum bodily injury liability per occurrence tested$50,000 per accident
- Minimum property damage liability tested$20,000 per accident
- The memorizable shorthand (e.g. 30/60/25) tested25/50/20
- Uninsured motorist: mandatory / must be offered & rejectable / not required testedMANDATORY — every Oregon auto policy must include uninsured motorist bodily-injury coverage, defaulting to the insured's liability limits (at least the 25/50 minimum)
- Underinsured motorist status testedMANDATORY — underinsured motorist coverage is required and is built INTO the uninsured motorist coverage (it is not separately optional)
- Personal injury protection status testedMANDATORY — personal injury protection of up to $15,000 in medical expenses per person (within 2 years), plus 70% of lost wages (up to $3,000/month for 52 weeks), $30/day essential services, a $5,000 funeral benefit, and child-care benefits — paid regardless of fault
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedMODIFIED COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE with a 51% bar — a claimant recovers only if their fault is NOT GREATER THAN the combined fault of everyone they sue, 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 combined fault of the others recovers nothing (a claimant exactly 50% at fault still recovers)
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedThe Automobile Insurance Plan of Oregon — the assigned-risk plan for drivers who cannot obtain coverage voluntarily (administered through AIPSO/WAAIP)
- Any alternative to buying liability insurance (e.g. VA's UMV fee) testedFinancial responsibility may alternatively be met by qualified self-insurance for owners of more than 25 registered vehicles (a fleet certificate from ODOT); there is no cash-deposit or bond option for ordinary drivers
CE & Renewal 10 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal tested2 years (biennial), expiring in the month of the licensee's birthday anniversary
- What the renewal date keys off (flat term / birthday / birth year) testedBirthday-anniversary based — an individual producer license expires in the licensee's birthday-anniversary month, every two years; renew online at NIPR
- CE hours per renewal period, standard case tested24 CE hours per 2-year renewal cycle
- CE hours if holding multiple license types (if different) tested24 total each cycle — a single requirement covering all lines held; it is not stacked per line
- Ethics hours required per period testedAt least 3 hours of ethics each cycle AND at least 3 hours of Oregon insurance law (two separate 3-hour requirements) — plus no more than 4 hours of agency-management credit and no more than 8 hours credited in any one day
- Limits on who may provide CE credits testedCourses must be from a DFR-registered provider; carryover of excess hours is not allowed, and no more than 8 hours may be credited in a single day
- Initial long-term care training requirement testedLong-term care sales require a one-time 8-hour LTC training and 4 hours every 2 years thereafter (Life or Health license required); annuity sales require a one-time 4-hour best-interest annuity training
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA resident producer cannot renew until CE is completed and posted; a late renewal costs $90 (versus $45 on time)
- Late renewal / reinstatement tiers testedA lapsed license may be reinstated within 12 months of the renewal due date without re-examination, by paying double the unpaid renewal fee and completing all outstanding CE
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedConsultants require no CE; certain no-exam limited-line licensees and qualifying long-service life-only producers are exempt. Nonresidents satisfy Oregon CE through their home state.
Property 7 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedFILE-AND-USE (open competition) — rates are filed and take effect immediately, with no prior approval for most property/casualty lines; a rate is not 'excessive' unless it is too high AND a reasonable degree of competition does not exist
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPERMITTED but heavily RESTRICTED — credit history may not be the SOLE basis for a decision, and an insurer may not use credit to cancel or nonrenew a policy that has been in force more than 60 days; no-hit/thin-file consumers are treated neutrally
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedYES — Oregon has a FAIR Plan, the Oregon FAIR Plan Association, the insurer of last resort for basic property coverage
- Name of the FAIR Plan, if any testedThe Oregon FAIR Plan Association — the state's insurer of last resort for basic property (fire/dwelling) coverage
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedWildfire (major and growing) and earthquake (the Cascadia Subduction Zone) lead, with winter and ice storms and flooding also significant. Earthquake is excluded from standard homeowners and bought separately.
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedA surplus lines producer license (licensed under ORS Chapter 744); coverage may be placed only with an eligible surplus lines (nonadmitted) insurer
- Is a diligent-effort search of the admitted market required first? testedYes — a diligent search among authorized insurers must first establish that the full amount or kind of coverage cannot be obtained from them before a placement is made with an eligible surplus lines insurer
Guaranty 10 facts
The safety nets when an insurer fails — and their limits.
- Name of the life & health guaranty association testedThe Oregon 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 present value of annuity benefits ($100,000 for an allocated group annuity)
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for basic hospital, medical, or major medical; $300,000 for disability income and long-term care; $100,000 for other health
- Aggregate per-individual cap, if any tested$300,000 aggregate per individual life (up to $500,000 where basic hospital, medical, or major medical is involved)
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedYes — Oregon follows the standard NAIC model limits ($300,000 death benefit, $100,000 cash value, $250,000 annuity, tiered health, $300,000 aggregate)
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedThe Oregon Insurance Guaranty Association (OIGA)
- Per-claim cap testedUp to $300,000 per covered claim; workers' compensation claims are paid in full, and first-party claims of an insured with a net worth over $25 million are excluded
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — using the existence of the guaranty association (or its website) to advertise or induce the purchase of insurance is prohibited
Workers Comp 7 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — every employer with one or more subject workers must secure workers' compensation coverage by insuring (a carrier or SAIF) or qualifying to self-insure
- Employee count at which coverage is required testedCoverage is required for every employer with one or more subject workers (limited exemptions cover domestic, casual, federally-covered, and certain owner-officer workers)
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Oregon Workers' Compensation Division (WCD), within the Department of Consumer and Business Services; SAIF Corporation is Oregon's competitive state fund, which competes with private carriers
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate testedTwo-thirds (66 2/3%) of the worker's average weekly wage, subject to a maximum of 133% of the state average weekly wage and a statutory minimum, after a 3-day waiting period
- Maximum TTD duration testedTemporary total disability is paid until the worker is medically stationary or returns to (or is released for) work; the maximum weekly benefit is 133% of the state average weekly wage (about $1,943/week for injuries in the year to June 30, 2027)
- Deadline to file a claim testedGive the employer notice of a work injury within 90 days (extendable to 1 year for good cause); an occupational disease claim is filed within 1 year of discovery
- Ways an employer may comply (insure / self-insure / group) testedBuy from a private carrier, from SAIF Corporation (Oregon's competitive state fund), or qualify as an approved self-insurer — Oregon is NOT monopolistic
Regulator 5 facts
Who regulates insurance here and what powers the office holds.
- Name of the state insurance regulator testedThe Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR), part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS)
- Title of the person who heads it testedThe Insurance Commissioner, who is also the Administrator of the Division of Financial Regulation
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedAPPOINTED — the Insurance Commissioner/DFR Administrator is appointed by the DCBS Director, who is nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate; the regulator is not elected
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedThe Oregon Insurance Code, ORS Chapters 731-750, with rules in Chapter 836 of the Oregon Administrative Rules; producer licensing is in ORS Chapter 744
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedYES — insurance is regulated by the Division of Financial Regulation (DFR), nested inside the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), rather than a standalone insurance department; the Insurance Commissioner is the appointed DFR Administrator
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 — during the first 60 days of a new (non-renewal) policy, an insurer may cancel more freely; after 60 days (and on any renewal) cancellation is limited to enumerated grounds
- Notice days to cancel a homeowners policy inside the initial window testedAt least 30 days' written notice to cancel a homeowners policy for a permitted ground (10 days for nonpayment or fraud/material misrepresentation), stating the reason
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window testedAt least 30 days' written notice to cancel a personal auto policy for a permitted cause (10 days for nonpayment), with the reason stated
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment tested10 days' notice for cancellation for nonpayment of premium (auto and homeowners)
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes testedAt least 30 days for cancellation on a permitted ground other than nonpayment (auto and homeowners); a homeowners cancellation for fraud or material misrepresentation runs on 10 days
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedAt least 30 days' advance written notice for nonrenewal of a personal auto or homeowners policy, with the reason stated (auto notice is 45 days when a replacement policy is offered)
- Must the reason be stated proactively, on request, or not at all? testedYes — a cancellation or nonrenewal notice must state the specific reason
- Restrictions on nonrenewing because of claims (e.g. weather claims excluded) testedStrong protections: an insurer may not use a homeowners claim more than 5 years old, or a first claim within the last 5 years, or a mere claim inquiry, to decline or nonrenew — and a 2023 law bars using the state WILDFIRE-RISK MAP to cancel, nonrenew, or raise homeowners premiums
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 (Series 12-01) and line of authority (Life includes annuities)
- Is there a standalone health license/exam? testedYes — a standalone Health exam (Series 12-02) and line of authority
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedYes — Oregon offers a combined Life and Health exam (Series 12-03), in addition to the individual Life and Health exams
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — a Personal Lines line and exam (Series 12-14), covering property and casualty sold to individuals
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedBoth — Oregon offers a combined Property & Casualty exam (Series 12-04) AND separate Property (12-12) and Casualty (12-13) exams, plus a narrower Personal Lines line (12-14)
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — annuities are sold under the Life line. VARIABLE life and annuities require the Life line plus FINRA registration (they are securities); a producer selling annuities also completes a one-time annuity best-interest training.
- Does the P&C license already include personal lines authority? testedYes — the combined Property & Casualty license covers personal-lines risks; standalone Personal Lines is a narrower, personal-only line
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedOregon puts all lines on ONE license, with a separate exam per line: Life · Health · combined Life & Health · Property & Casualty · Property · Casualty · Personal Lines — plus Surplus Lines and Variable (with FINRA registration)
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPSI Services (PSI) administers Oregon producer exams under contract with DFR
- Exam fee tested$45 for a single-line exam; $55 for a combined Life & Health or Property & Casualty exam
- License application fee tested$75 for an initial resident producer license (filed online through NIPR), plus a NIPR processing fee
- Passing score tested70% (Crop Insurance Adjuster is 80%)
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedYES — 20 hours of pre-licensing education per line of authority (Life, Health, Property, Casualty, Personal Lines); the completion certificate is valid for one year
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) tested20 hours per line of authority, from an approved provider; the completion certificate is valid one year (you must pass the exam and apply within that window). WAIVED for adjusters, consultants, surplus lines, CLU (life/health) and CPCU (property/casualty) designees, and producers relocating from another state for the same lines who apply within 90 days.
- Fingerprints, state police report, or none testedElectronic fingerprinting for a state and national criminal background check, required of all initial resident producer applicants; the fee is $61.25 (a $46.25 state fee plus a $15 PSI fee)
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedFingerprints are taken by PSI (walk-in on exam day) or by Fieldprint (FieldprintOregon.com); ink cards are not accepted
- How long the background report stays valid testedFingerprints expire 6 months from the date taken; no new prints are required to add a line of authority to an existing active license
- Deadline to apply after passing the exam testedApply within 1 year — the pre-licensing completion certificate (and exam eligibility) is valid one year, and you must pass the exam and apply for licensure before it expires
- How long a passed exam remains valid testedExam eligibility is valid for 1 year from registration (aligned with the 1-year pre-licensing certificate)
- Waiting period before retaking a failed exam testedNo fixed waiting period — you cannot retake the same day, but may retest as early as the next available day (unlimited retakes within the 1-year eligibility, paying each attempt)
- Notice required to reschedule/cancel without forfeiting the fee testedCancel or reschedule at least 2 days before the exam to avoid forfeiting the fee
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedNIPR (nipr.com) for resident and nonresident producer applications and renewals; paper applications are no longer accepted
- Are temporary licenses available? testedYes — a temporary producer license (up to 180 days, no exam) may be issued to service an existing business after the death, disability, or military induction of a producer; a military-spouse temporary license is also available
- Temporary license duration and training requirement testedUp to 180 days, with no written exam, for defined servicing situations under ORS 744.073 (may require a sponsor); a separate temporary license is available for a military spouse licensed in another state