Tennessee Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Tennessee-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Tennessee exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Tennessee exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Tennessee insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Tennessee-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 116 facts from the TESTivity Tennessee 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 life policy is incontestable after it has been in force during the insured's lifetime for 2 years (except for nonpayment of premium and certain wartime military-service conditions)
- Grace period for individual life testedOne month (not less than 30 days) for any premium after the first, during which the policy stays in force
- Window to reinstate a lapsed policy testedWithin 3 years after the date of premium default, with evidence of insurability and payment of overdue premiums (unless the policy was surrendered for cash value)
- Max interest chargeable on reinstatement, if capped testedOverdue premiums are paid with interest at the rate stated in the policy — Tennessee does not fix a separate statutory reinstatement-interest cap
- Suicide exclusion period testedBy policy provision (commonly two years) — if death is by suicide within the stated period, the insurer's liability is typically limited to a refund of the premiums paid
- Free look for individual life testedAt least 10 days to return an individual life policy for a refund (longer on a replacement or a senior/annuity sale)
- Free look for annuities testedAt least 10 days for an annuity (longer on a replacement under Tennessee's replacement rules)
- Free look when a policy is being replaced testedTennessee's replacement rules extend the right to return when a life policy or annuity replaces existing coverage (commonly a longer period than a new sale)
- 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 Tennessee's Standard Nonforfeiture Law
- Registrations required to sell variable products testedVariable life and variable annuities require the Tennessee Life line plus a variable contracts qualification and FINRA registration (a Series 6 or 7 with a Series 63) and a CRD number — they are securities
- Does the state regulate viatical/life settlements? testedYes — Tennessee regulates viatical and life settlements; providers and brokers must be licensed
- Viator's rescission window testedThe owner has a statutory right to rescind a life-settlement contract within the period fixed by Tennessee law (commonly within a set number of days after execution or receipt of proceeds)
- Has the state adopted the NAIC best interest standard? testedYES — Tennessee adopted the NAIC 2020 best interest annuity standard (announced January 2023), with the obligations of care, disclosure, conflict-of-interest, and documentation; a producer must complete a one-time annuity best-interest training
Health 15 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedNO — Tennessee has NOT expanded Medicaid under the ACA; it remains a non-expansion state. The Medicaid program is TennCare, administered by the Division of TennCare.
- Effective date of expansion, if expanded testedNot applicable — Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid
- Agency administering Medicaid testedThe Division of TennCare — Tennessee's Medicaid program is called TennCare
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA FEDERALLY-FACILITATED marketplace (HealthCare.gov) — Tennessee did not build a state exchange
- Name of the state CHIP program testedCoverKids — Tennessee's CHIP, administered within TennCare
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic tested21 calendar days to pay (or act on) a clean claim submitted electronically
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper tested30 calendar days to pay (or act on) a clean claim submitted on paper
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedYes — Tennessee uses different deadlines for electronic (21 days) and paper (30 days) clean claims
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment tested1% interest per month accrues on the unpaid amount of a clean claim not paid on time, from the day after payment was due
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — under the Tennessee Health Carrier Grievance and External Review Procedure Act, an external review decision is BINDING on the health carrier
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Tennessee's state continuation reaches smaller groups (it applies regardless of employer size)
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedTennessee state continuation applies to group health policies regardless of the number of employees — small and large groups alike
- Duration of state continuation coverage tested3 months
- Election period for state continuation testedElected when group coverage ends for a reason other than termination of the whole group policy or nonpayment; a pregnancy-related extension applies
- Max premium as % of group rate testedThe individual pays the premium for continued coverage
Auto 12 facts
Auto insurance — minimum limits, fault system, required coverages.
- Fault-based (tort) or no-fault testedTORT (at-fault) — the at-fault driver's liability insurance pays the other party's damages. Tennessee does not mandate PIP, so it is not a no-fault state.
- 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$15,000 per accident
- The memorizable shorthand (e.g. 30/60/25) tested25/50/15
- Uninsured motorist: mandatory / must be offered & rejectable / not required testedUninsured motorist coverage must be OFFERED at limits equal to the policy's bodily-injury limits, but the named insured may reject it in writing or select lower limits (not below the statutory minimum)
- Underinsured motorist status testedUnderinsured motorist coverage is part of Tennessee's uninsured motorist coverage; it must be OFFERED at the policy's bodily-injury limits but may be rejected in writing
- Personal injury protection status testedNot required — Tennessee does not mandate PIP; medical payments (MedPay) coverage is optional
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedMODIFIED COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE — a claimant recovers only if their fault is LESS THAN the defendant's (i.e., less than 50%); at exactly 50% or more they recover nothing. Recovery is reduced by the claimant's share.
- The bar percentage, if modified comparative testedA claimant who is 50% or more at fault is barred; recovery requires the claimant's fault to be LESS THAN the defendant's
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedThe Tennessee Automobile Insurance Plan (the assigned-risk plan, administered by AIPSO) — a producer submits an application on the driver's behalf when voluntary coverage cannot be found
- Any alternative to buying liability insurance (e.g. VA's UMV fee) testedTennessee requires proof of financial responsibility; most people comply by buying auto insurance, though the Financial Responsibility Law also allows a cash deposit or bond in lieu of a policy
CE & Renewal 10 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal testedA Tennessee producer license runs on a two-year (biennial) term
- What the renewal date keys off (flat term / birthday / birth year) testedRenew every two years by the last day of the producer's birth month
- CE hours per renewal period, standard case tested24 CE credit hours every 2 years
- CE hours if holding multiple license types (if different) tested24 total each cycle regardless of how many lines you hold (Tennessee does not stack the requirement per line)
- Ethics hours required per period tested3 hours of ethics within the 24
- Limits on who may provide CE credits testedCourses and providers must be approved by the TDCI; an approved course may be repeated for credit only after two years
- Initial long-term care training requirement testedLong-term care: producers must complete LTC training before selling LTC (T.C.A. §56-42-109). Annuities: a one-time annuity best-interest training under Tennessee's adoption of the NAIC 2020 model.
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA producer who fails to complete CE by the renewal deadline cannot renew, and the license lapses
- Late renewal / reinstatement tiers testedA lapsed license may be reinstated within the statutory window on completion of CE and payment of a penalty; after that, reapplication (and re-examination) may be required
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedA producer who has been continuously licensed in Tennessee since January 1, 1994 is exempt from CE; limited lines carry reduced or no CE
Property 8 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedFILE-AND-USE — Tennessee property & casualty insurers file rates with the TDCI and may use them; rates may not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPERMITTED with restrictions — insurers may use credit-based insurance scoring in personal-lines underwriting and rating, subject to Tennessee's consumer-protection limits (a credit score may not be the sole basis for an adverse action)
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedNO — Tennessee has no FAIR Plan or state-run property insurer of last resort
- Name of the FAIR Plan, if any testedNone — Tennessee does not operate a FAIR Plan; hard-to-place property risks rely on the surplus-lines/specialty market
- Coastal windstorm pool, if any (e.g. TWIA) testedNone — Tennessee is landlocked and has no coastal wind pool or beach plan
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedTornadoes and severe thunderstorms, hail and straight-line wind, flooding, and — in West Tennessee — earthquake exposure from the New Madrid Seismic Zone
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedA Tennessee surplus lines license, held on top of property & casualty producer authority
- Is a diligent-effort search of the admitted market required first? testedYes — before placing coverage with a nonadmitted insurer, the surplus lines producer must make a diligent search of the admitted market and document that the risk could not be placed with admitted insurers
Guaranty 10 facts
The safety nets when an insurer fails — and their limits.
- Name of the life & health guaranty association testedThe Tennessee Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
- Life death benefit limit tested$300,000 in life insurance death benefits per insured life
- Life cash surrender / withdrawal value limit tested$100,000 in net cash surrender or withdrawal value for life insurance
- Annuity benefit limit tested$250,000 in the present value of annuity benefits per contract owner (all annuities combined)
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for basic hospital, medical, and surgical or major medical health insurance; $300,000 for disability income and long-term care; $100,000 for other health coverage
- Aggregate per-individual cap, if any tested$300,000 aggregate per individual life for all coverages ($500,000 where basic hospital/medical/surgical or major medical health insurance is involved)
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedYes — Tennessee uses the standard NAIC model limits: $300,000 death benefit, $100,000 cash value, $250,000 annuity, and a $300,000 aggregate ($500,000 for major-medical health)
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedThe Tennessee Insurance Guaranty Association (TIGA, the property & casualty guaranty fund)
- Per-claim cap testedThe amount of a covered claim in excess of $100 and LESS THAN $100,000 — Tennessee's P&C cap is $100,000, not the $300,000 some states use. Workers' compensation claims are paid IN FULL, and a $10,000,000 aggregate applies per insured.
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — using the existence of the guaranty association to sell or induce the purchase of insurance is prohibited, and a disclaimer notice is required
Workers Comp 7 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — a covered Tennessee employer must secure workers' compensation by insuring or qualifying to self-insure
- Employee count at which coverage is required testedCoverage is required once a non-construction employer has FIVE or more employees. Construction employers (and coal-mining employers) must carry coverage with even ONE employee. Part-time, seasonal, and family employees count.
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation (within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate testedTwo-thirds (66 2/3%) of the employee's average weekly wage, subject to a statutory maximum tied to the state average weekly wage and a statutory minimum
- Maximum TTD duration testedTemporary total disability is paid while the worker remains temporarily and totally disabled; the maximum weekly benefit is capped at 110% of the state average weekly wage (set annually)
- Deadline to file a claim tested1
- Ways an employer may comply (insure / self-insure / group) testedBuy a policy from a private carrier, or qualify as an approved self-insurer — Tennessee has no monopolistic state fund
Regulator 5 facts
Who regulates insurance here and what powers the office holds.
- Name of the state insurance regulator testedThe Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI)
- Title of the person who heads it testedCommissioner of Commerce and Insurance (who also serves as the State Fire Marshal)
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedAPPOINTED by the Governor and serving in the Governor's Cabinet at the Governor's pleasure (not elected)
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedTitle 56 of the Tennessee Code Annotated (Insurance), with producer licensing in Chapter 56-6 and departmental rules in Title 0780 of the Rules of Tennessee
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedNo — a Commissioner appointed by the Governor heads the Department (the mainstream appointed-commissioner model). One Tennessee wrinkle: insurance sits inside a combined Department of Commerce and Insurance, and the Commissioner also serves as the State Fire Marshal.
Cancellation 8 facts
When and how policies can be canceled or nonrenewed — heavily tested.
- Initial window during which an insurer may cancel more freely testedAuto: 60 days — a new auto policy (less than 60 days old and not a renewal) 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 testedProperty: Tennessee requires advance written notice before canceling or nonrenewing a homeowners policy; insurers may nonrenew with notice
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window testedAuto: at least 20 days' written notice to cancel after the first 60 days (10 days for nonpayment or for a policy less than 60 days old)
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment testedAuto: 10 days' notice for nonpayment of premium (also the notice period for a new policy less than 60 days old)
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes testedAfter 60 days, a Tennessee auto policy may be canceled only for enumerated grounds (nonpayment, license/registration suspension, fraud, and similar) on at least 20 days' notice
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedAuto nonrenewal takes at least 30 days' written notice; if the notice does not state the reason, the insured may request a written statement of the reason
- Must the reason be stated proactively, on request, or not at all? testedAuto cancellations after 60 days are limited to enumerated grounds; for nonrenewal, the insurer must give the reason on written request within 15 days
- Restrictions on nonrenewing because of claims (e.g. weather claims excluded) testedAfter a Tennessee auto policy has been in force 60 days, it may be canceled only for the grounds listed in T.C.A. §56-7-1302 (such as nonpayment, license or registration suspension, or fraud) — not simply because a claim was filed
Licensing 27 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)
- Is there a standalone health license/exam? testedYes — a standalone Accident and Health (Accident & Health) exam and line of authority
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedNo — Tennessee does NOT offer a combined Life & Accident/Health exam. Life and Accident & Health are separate exams and separate lines of authority.
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — a Personal Lines line and exam, covering property and casualty sold to individuals for personal, noncommercial purposes
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedSEPARATE — Tennessee gives Property and Casualty their own separate exams and lines of authority; there is NO combined Property & Casualty exam. A narrower Personal Lines exam is also offered.
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — the Life line covers life insurance and annuities. VARIABLE life and variable annuities require the Life line plus FINRA registration (they are securities).
- Does the P&C license already include personal lines authority? testedYes — holding both the Property and the Casualty lines covers personal-lines risks; standalone Personal Lines is a narrower, personal-only line
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedTennessee offers separate Life · Accident and Health · Property · Casualty · Personal Lines exams and lines — plus Title, Variable Contracts (with FINRA registration), Surplus Lines, and Adjuster. There are NO combined Life/Health or Property/Casualty exams.
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPearson VUE administers Tennessee producer exams under contract with the TDCI
- Exam fee tested$49 per line for an online-proctored (OnVUE) exam, or $59 per line at a Pearson VUE test center
- License application fee tested$50 for a resident producer license, paid through NIPR (biennial)
- Fee per insurer appointment testedAppointments are filed by the insurer through NIPR; Tennessee charges a per-appointment fee paid by the appointing insurer
- Passing score tested70% on each section (both the national and the Tennessee state-law sections must be passed)
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedNO — Tennessee has no pre-licensing education requirement; you may take the exam directly for any line
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) testedNone — Tennessee requires no pre-licensing hours for any line. A study course (like this one) is strongly recommended, but not legally required.
- Fingerprints, state police report, or none testedFingerprint-based criminal background check — every applicant is fingerprinted for a state (TBI) and federal (FBI) criminal history check; the applicant bears the cost
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedFingerprints are captured through IdentoGO (the state's vendor); the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) runs the state check and forwards prints to the FBI
- How long the background report stays valid testedFingerprints are submitted with the initial application; a producer who stays continuously licensed is not re-fingerprinted at renewal
- Deadline to apply after passing the exam testedApply through NIPR after passing your exam; apply within the score-validity window shown in the candidate handbook
- How long a passed exam remains valid testedExam results are valid for the period stated in the candidate handbook (apply promptly after passing)
- Waiting period before retaking a failed exam testedIf you fail, you may reschedule and retake the exam, paying the exam fee each attempt
- Limit on number of attempts, if any testedTennessee does not publish a fixed cap on attempts; you pay the exam fee for each attempt
- Notice required to reschedule/cancel without forfeiting the fee testedChange or cancel an appointment in advance under Pearson VUE's standard policy to avoid forfeiting the fee (generally at least one business day / 24 hours ahead)
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedNIPR (nipr.com) — apply online and pay the fees; exam scheduling is through Pearson VUE
- Are temporary licenses available? testedYes — Tennessee provides temporary producer licenses in limited business-servicing situations (such as the death or disability of a producer), not as a general 'work while you study' license
- Temporary license duration and training requirement testedIssued without an exam to service an existing insurance business (for example after a producer's death or disability); the Commissioner may limit its authority and duration (commonly up to 180 days)