Washington Insurance Exam Guides
Pick the license you're studying for. Each guide covers Washington-specific requirements, fees, and official links — plus a free practice exam. Then scroll down to explore the Washington exam's state-law material, mapped.
Free study resource
What's actually tested on the Washington exam — the state regulations, mapped
Every Washington insurance exam reserves a block of questions for Washington-specific law — the fees, deadlines, limits, and rules that generic national study guides gloss over. This is that material: 116 facts from the TESTivity Washington 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)
- 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 (a claim during the grace period is paid less the unpaid premium)
- 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 — Washington does not fix a separate statutory reinstatement-interest cap
- Suicide exclusion period tested2 years — if death is by suicide within 2 years of issue, the insurer's liability is limited to a refund of the premiums paid
- Free look for individual life testedAt least 10 days to return an individual life policy or annuity for a refund (longer on a replacement or senior sale)
- Free look for annuities testedAt least 10 days for an annuity (an unconditional refund period of at least ten days is provided; longer on a replacement)
- Free look when a policy is being replaced testedWashington'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 Washington's Standard Nonforfeiture Law
- Registrations required to sell variable products testedVariable life and variable annuities require the Washington 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 — Washington regulates viatical and life settlements; providers and brokers must be licensed by the OIC
- Viator's rescission window testedThe owner has a statutory right to rescind a life-settlement contract within the period fixed by Washington law (commonly within a set number of days after execution or receipt of proceeds)
- Has the state adopted the NAIC best interest standard? testedYES — Washington adopted the NAIC best interest annuity standard by rule: a producer recommending an annuity must act in the consumer's best interest, without placing their own or the insurer's financial interest ahead of the consumer's
Health 15 facts
Health coverage rules — continuation, prompt pay, mandates, public programs.
- Has the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA? testedYES — Washington EXPANDED Medicaid (an early-expansion state; full ACA expansion took effect January 2014); Apple Health covers adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level
- Effective date of expansion, if expanded testedFull ACA expansion took effect January 1, 2014 (Washington was also one of the early-expansion states before 2014)
- Agency administering Medicaid testedThe Washington Health Care Authority (HCA); Washington's Medicaid program is branded Apple Health
- Federal marketplace or state-based exchange testedA STATE-BASED marketplace — Washington Healthplanfinder (the Washington Health Benefit Exchange) — Washington built and runs its own ACA exchange rather than using HealthCare.gov
- Name of the state CHIP program testedApple Health for Kids — Washington's CHIP/children's Medicaid coverage, administered by the Health Care Authority
- Clean-claim payment deadline, electronic testedWashington requires prompt payment of clean claims — a carrier must pay or deny the large majority of clean claims within 30 days and substantially all within 60 days (WAC 284-170-431)
- Clean-claim payment deadline, paper testedWashington applies the same clean-claim payment standard to paper and electronic claims (95% within 30 days; 95% within 60 days)
- Does the state distinguish electronic vs paper claims? testedNo — Washington uses a single clean-claim standard (with 30-day and 60-day compliance benchmarks) rather than splitting electronic from paper
- Interest / penalty on late claim payment testedInterest accrues on a clean claim not paid within the required period
- Is the IRO's external review decision binding on the plan? testedYES — Washington provides an independent external review of adverse health benefit determinations by an Independent Review Organization (IRO), and the IRO's decision is binding on the carrier
- Employer size at which federal COBRA applies testedFederal COBRA applies at 20+ employees; Washington does not add a broad small-employer 'mini-COBRA,' though limited continuation/conversion rights exist by policy and law
- Employer size range covered by state continuation testedWashington does not have a broad small-employer continuation ('mini-COBRA') law; continuation is governed mainly by federal COBRA, with limited state conversion and continuation rights
- Duration of state continuation coverage testedContinuation duration is generally governed by federal COBRA (18/36 months); Washington adds conversion rights rather than a broad state continuation period
- Election period for state continuation testedElection follows federal COBRA timelines (or the policy's conversion terms) after a qualifying event
- Max premium as % of group rate testedThe individual pays the premium for continued or converted 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. Washington does not mandate PIP (it must be offered), 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$10,000 per accident
- The memorizable shorthand (e.g. 30/60/25) tested25/50/10
- Uninsured motorist: mandatory / must be offered & rejectable / not required testedUninsured motorist coverage must be OFFERED with every auto policy; the named insured may reject it (or select lower limits) only in writing
- Underinsured motorist status testedUnderinsured motorist coverage must be OFFERED with every auto policy (Washington combines UM and UIM), and may be rejected only in writing
- Personal injury protection status testedPersonal injury protection (PIP) must be OFFERED with every auto policy, and the insurer must include and charge for it unless the named insured rejects it in writing — but it is not mandatory to carry
- Contributory / pure comparative / modified comparative negligence testedPURE COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE — a claimant may recover even if mostly at fault; damages are simply reduced by the claimant's percentage of fault. A claimant 99% at fault still recovers 1%.
- The bar percentage, if modified comparative testedThere is no fault threshold that bars recovery — a claimant recovers their damages reduced by their own percentage of fault, even at 99%
- Assigned risk / residual market plan for auto testedThe Washington Automobile Insurance Plan (WAIP, the assigned-risk plan administered through 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) testedWashington requires proof of financial responsibility; most comply by buying auto insurance, though a deposit, bond, or self-certification of financial responsibility is available (RCW 46.29)
CE & Renewal 10 facts
Continuing education and renewal rules — the numbers the exam loves.
- How long a license lasts before renewal testedA Washington producer license runs on a two-year 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
- 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 OIC; excess credits do not carry over to the next cycle
- Initial long-term care training requirement testedLong-term care: producers must complete LTC training before selling LTC. Annuities: a one-time annuity best-interest/suitability training under Washington's adoption of the NAIC best interest standard.
- What happens if CE is not completed (fine / expiry / cancellation) testedA producer who fails to complete CE by the birth-month renewal deadline cannot renew, and the license lapses
- Late renewal / reinstatement tiers testedA lapsed license may be reinstated within one year on completion of CE and payment of a penalty; after one year, reapplication (and re-examination) is required
- Any CE exemption (e.g. long-service agents) testedLimited-lines producers carry reduced or no CE, and nonresidents generally satisfy Washington CE by meeting their home-state requirement
Property 8 facts
Property insurance — rate regulation, residual markets, catastrophe exposure.
- Rate regulation system (file-and-use / prior approval / use-and-file) testedPRIOR APPROVAL — Washington is a prior-approval state for most property & casualty rates and forms: insurers must file rates with the OIC and, for many lines, may not use them until approved. Rates may not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory.
- Is insurance credit scoring permitted in personal lines? testedPERMITTED but heavily RESTRICTED — Washington limits the use of credit-based insurance scoring in personal lines and has repeatedly sought to curb it; a credit score may not be the sole basis for an adverse action, and specific factors are prohibited
- Does the state have a FAIR Plan? testedNO — Washington has no FAIR Plan or state-run property insurer of last resort
- Name of the FAIR Plan, if any testedNone — Washington 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 — Washington has no coastal wind pool or beach plan
- Dominant catastrophe perils in the state testedEARTHQUAKE (the Cascadia Subduction Zone and the Seattle Fault beneath the Puget Sound population center), WILDFIRE (especially east of the Cascades), VOLCANIC hazard (Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens), and flooding and windstorm — earthquake and wildfire are Washington's signature exposures, both typically excluded from or limited on a standard homeowners policy
- What license you must already hold to write surplus lines testedA Washington surplus lines broker license (a separate license), held to place business with nonadmitted insurers on top of property & casualty authority
- Is a diligent-effort search of the admitted market required first? testedYes — before placing coverage with a nonadmitted insurer, the surplus lines broker 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 Washington Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Association (Washington's term for its life & health guaranty fund)
- Life death benefit limit tested$500,000 in life insurance death benefits per insured life — higher than the $300,000 NAIC-model figure most states use
- Life cash surrender / withdrawal value limit tested$500,000 in net cash surrender value for life insurance (higher than the common $100,000)
- Annuity benefit limit tested$500,000 in the present value of annuity benefits per contract owner (higher than the common $250,000)
- Health benefit limit tested$500,000 for health insurance claims, including long-term care claims, per insured life
- Aggregate per-individual cap, if any tested$500,000 per insured life in each covered category — Washington applies a uniform $500,000 cap across life, cash value, health, and annuity
- Does the state follow the standard NAIC model limits? testedNo — Washington EXCEEDS the NAIC model, applying a uniform $500,000 limit to life death benefit, cash value, health, and annuity (versus the model's $300,000 / $100,000 / $250,000)
- Name of the P&C guaranty association testedThe Washington Insurance Guaranty Association (the property & casualty guaranty fund, administered through Western Guaranty Fund Services)
- Per-claim cap testedUp to $300,000 per covered claim, never more than the policy limit; workers' compensation is outside this fund (Washington workers' comp runs through the state fund, not private insurers)
- Is using the guaranty association as a sales inducement prohibited? testedYes — Washington law prohibits agents and companies from using the guaranty association in advertising or as an inducement to purchase insurance
Workers Comp 7 facts
Who must carry workers' compensation and what it pays.
- Is workers' compensation mandatory for private employers? testedYes — nearly every Washington employer must provide workers' compensation, and it must be obtained through the STATE FUND (the Department of Labor & Industries), not a private insurer
- Employee count at which coverage is required testedRequired for essentially ANY employer with employees (there is no minimum-headcount exemption) — coverage is bought from the state fund
- Agency administering workers' compensation testedThe Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), which operates the state workers'-compensation fund
- Temporary total disability wage replacement rate tested60% to 75% of the worker's gross monthly wages depending on marital status and number of dependents, subject to statutory maximums and minimums
- Maximum TTD duration testedTime-loss is paid while the worker remains temporarily and totally disabled; the maximum monthly benefit is a percentage of the state average wage, set annually
- Deadline to file a claim tested1
- Ways an employer may comply (insure / self-insure / group) testedBuy coverage through the STATE FUND (L&I), or — only if you are a large employer (about $25 million+ in assets with an accident-prevention program) — qualify as an approved self-insurer. Private workers'-comp insurance is NOT sold in Washington.
Regulator 5 facts
Who regulates insurance here and what powers the office holds.
- Name of the state insurance regulator testedThe Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC)
- Title of the person who heads it testedInsurance Commissioner
- How the commissioner is chosen: elected / appointed by governor / appointed by other body testedELECTED — the Insurance Commissioner is a statewide elected official (elected at the same time and in the same manner as other state officers), NOT appointed by the Governor
- Where the state's insurance law is codified testedTitle 48 of the Revised Code of Washington (Insurance), with producer licensing in Chapter 48.17 and rules in Title 284 WAC
- Does the regulator sit somewhere unusual (e.g. inside a constitutional commission)? testedSomewhat — Washington's Insurance Commissioner is a standalone, statewide ELECTED official (not an appointed director/commissioner), which is the minority model nationally
Cancellation 8 facts
When and how policies can be canceled or nonrenewed — heavily tested.
- Initial window during which an insurer may cancel more freely testedDuring the first 60 days a new policy may be canceled more freely; after 60 days cancellation is limited to statutory grounds (nonpayment, fraud/material misrepresentation, substantial change in the risk, license/registration suspension, and similar)
- Notice days to cancel a homeowners policy inside the initial window testedProperty: at least 45 days' written notice to cancel (for a reason other than nonpayment) or to nonrenew — only 10 days when the reason is nonpayment of premium; the notice must state the actual reason
- Notice days to cancel a personal auto policy inside the initial window testedAuto: at least 45 days' written notice to cancel for a reason other than nonpayment (10 days for nonpayment); after 60 days cancellation is limited to statutory grounds
- Notice days for cancellation for nonpayment testedAt least 10 days' written notice for a cancellation based on nonpayment of premium
- Notice days for cancellation for other permitted causes testedA cancellation for a permitted cause other than nonpayment takes at least 45 days' written notice stating the actual reason and the significant risk factors
- Notice days required for nonrenewal testedNonrenewal takes at least 45 days' written notice before expiration, stating the actual reason (90 days for medical malpractice)
- Must the reason be stated proactively, on request, or not at all? testedYes — a Washington cancellation or nonrenewal notice must state the actual reason, and midterm cancellation is limited to statutory grounds
- Restrictions on nonrenewing because of claims (e.g. weather claims excluded) testedAfter the initial 60-day underwriting window, a Washington personal-lines policy may be canceled midterm only for the grounds allowed by statute (nonpayment, material misrepresentation, substantial change in the risk, license/registration suspension, and similar) — not merely 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 Producer exam and line of authority (Life includes annuities and may include disability income)
- Is there a standalone health license/exam? testedYes — a standalone DISABILITY Producer exam and line of authority (Washington calls health/accident coverage 'disability')
- Is there a combined life+health license/exam? testedYes — Washington offers a combined Life and Disability Producer exam in addition to the standalone Life and Disability exams
- Is there a personal lines license/exam? testedYes — a Personal Lines Producer exam and line, covering property and casualty sold to individuals for personal, noncommercial purposes
- Is P&C one combined license, or split into Property and Casualty? testedBOTH — Washington offers a combined Property and Casualty Producer exam AND standalone Property and Casualty exams; a narrower Personal Lines exam is also offered
- Does the life license cover annuities? testedYes — the Life line covers life insurance, annuities, and endowments (and may include disability income). 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 the Property and Casualty lines (or the combined P&C exam) covers personal-lines risks; standalone Personal Lines is a narrower, personal-only line
- Full list of exam-based agent license types testedWashington offers Life · Disability (health) · Property · Casualty · Personal Lines exams — with combined Life & Disability and combined Property & Casualty exams available — plus Surety, Credit, Title, Variable Contracts (with FINRA registration), Surplus Lines Broker, and Adjuster
- Exam administrator (Prometric / PSI / Pearson VUE) testedPSI Services LLC administers Washington producer exams (at a PSI test center or via remote proctoring) on behalf of the OIC
- Exam fee tested$35 per single-line exam; $52 for a combined-line exam (for example, combined Life and Disability)
- License application fee tested$55 for a resident insurance producer license (biennial)
- Fee per insurer appointment testedAppointments are filed by the insurer; Washington charges a per-appointment fee paid by the appointing insurer (RCW 48.14.010)
- Passing score tested70% (Washington producer exams are scored; 70% is the passing standard)
- Minimum age to be licensed tested18
- Is pre-licensing education required? testedNO — effective July 23, 2023, Washington no longer requires pre-licensing education to sit the producer exam
- Pre-licensing hours and any exceptions (e.g. Title, adjusters) testedNone (since July 23, 2023) — Washington 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 — the OIC requires fingerprints to check for a disqualifying criminal or social-services background before licensing
- Who takes the prints / issues the report testedFingerprints are submitted through the OIC's process for a state (Washington State Patrol) and federal (FBI) criminal history check
- 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 after passing your exam; Washington exam results are valid for 12 months
- How long a passed exam remains valid testedExam results are valid for 12 months from the date passed
- Waiting period before retaking a failed exam testedIf you fail, you must re-register with PSI and pay the exam fee again before retaking
- Limit on number of attempts, if any testedWashington does not publish a fixed cap on attempts; you re-register and pay the fee for each attempt
- Notice required to reschedule/cancel without forfeiting the fee testedChange or cancel an exam appointment in advance under PSI's standard policy to avoid forfeiting the fee (generally at least two business days ahead)
- Where you apply (Sircon / NIPR / state portal) testedNIPR (nipr.com) — apply online and pay the fees; the OIC processes the license. Exam scheduling is through PSI.
- Are temporary licenses available? testedYes — Washington 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