How to Get a Life and Health Insurance License in the Keystone State
If you want to sell life insurance, fixed annuities, accident and health insurance, disability income insurance, medical plans, group health insurance, or related products in the Keystone State, you will need the proper Pennsylvania life and health insurance license authority.
Pennsylvania’s insurance licensing process changed recently. As of April 29, 2025, Pennsylvania no longer requires insurance producer candidates to complete prelicensing education before taking the licensing exam. Sircon’s Pennsylvania producer portal states that the prelicensing education requirement was removed under Act 142 of 2024.
That gives candidates more flexibility, but it does not make the exam optional, easy, or magically friendly.
The Pennsylvania Life & Health exam still covers a wide range of material: life insurance policies, health insurance concepts, annuities, policy provisions, riders, senior products, federal tax considerations, producer responsibilities, and Pennsylvania insurance regulation. Without a required course forcing you through the material, your study plan matters even more.
TESTivity’s Pennsylvania Life & Health study tools are built for Pennsylvania candidates preparing for the PSI exam. They are not generic national study materials with a Pennsylvania sticker slapped on the box. They are designed to help you prepare for the actual exam style, content mix, and state-specific rules you are likely to face on test day.
For the broader licensing overview, see Insurance Licensing in Pennsylvania: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements. If you are pursuing property and casualty authority instead, see How to Get a Property and Casualty Insurance License in Pennsylvania. For deeper exam strategy, see How to Pass the Insurance Licensing Exam in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Life and Health Insurance License Quick Facts
| Item | Pennsylvania L&H Details |
|---|---|
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania Insurance Department |
| Testing vendor | PSI |
| Common license authorities | Life & Fixed Annuities; Accident & Health |
| Prelicensing education | Not required as of April 29, 2025 |
| Exam format | Multiple choice |
| Application portals | Sircon or NIPR |
| Resident individual producer application fee | $55 |
| Nonresident individual producer application fee | $110 |
| Fingerprinting | Required for new resident producer applicants |
| Fingerprint vendor | IdentoGO |
| Fingerprint service code | 1KGBGJ |
| Exam score validity | 12 months |
| CE requirement | 24 hours every two-year licensing cycle |
| Ethics CE | 3 hours required |
Pennsylvania directs candidates to pass the required PSI examination before applying for licensure. Once the exam is passed, candidates may apply online through Sircon or NIPR. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department lists the resident individual producer application fee as $55 and the nonresident individual producer application fee as $110.
What Can You Sell With a Pennsylvania Life and Health License?
A Pennsylvania Life & Health license path is generally used by insurance producers who want to work with products such as:
- Term life insurance
- Whole life insurance
- Universal life insurance
- Fixed annuities
- Accident insurance
- Health insurance
- Disability income insurance
- Medical expense insurance
- Group health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Senior health products
- Medicare-related products, where properly licensed and trained
- Other life, accident, and health products
Pennsylvania separates insurance authority by line. Candidates commonly pursue Life & Fixed Annuities, Accident & Health, or both, depending on the products they plan to sell. NIPR lists exam-required Pennsylvania producer lines including Life & Fixed Annuities and Accident & Health.
In plain English: if you plan to sell life insurance and health-related products, make sure you choose the correct line or lines of authority before you schedule your exam and submit your application.
Do You Need Prelicensing Education for a Pennsylvania Life and Health License?
No. Pennsylvania no longer requires insurance producer candidates to complete prelicensing education before taking the insurance licensing exam.
This is a major change.
Sircon’s Pennsylvania producer portal states that the prelicensing education requirement was removed effective April 29, 2025, under Act 142 of 2024.
That does not mean you should skip exam preparation.
The Pennsylvania Life & Health exam can be concept-heavy. It tests definitions, laws, product features, policy provisions, tax rules, suitability issues, replacement rules, health policy provisions, annuities, and scenario-style application questions.
The old rule forced candidates to complete prelicensing education. The new rule gives candidates freedom. But freedom without a study plan is how people end up staring at a PSI question about annuity settlement options wondering who moved all the furniture.
TESTivity’s Pennsylvania L&H tools are designed to give candidates structure without relying on a mandatory prelicensing course. You can study the material through reading, practice questions, flashcards, audio, video, mind maps, games, AI tutoring, and final review.
5 Steps to Get a Pennsylvania Life and Health Insurance License
Step 1: Choose the Life and Health Authority You Need
Before you start studying, decide which authority matches the products you want to sell.
You may need:
- Life & Fixed Annuities if you want to sell life insurance and fixed annuity products.
- Accident & Health if you want to sell accident, health, disability, medical, and related insurance products.
- Both authorities if your career path requires a full Life & Health license package.
If you are still comparing license types, start with Insurance Licensing in Pennsylvania: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements.
Step 2: Study for the Pennsylvania PSI Life and Health Exam
Pennsylvania uses PSI as its insurance testing vendor. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department directs candidates to complete the appropriate insurance examination through PSI before applying for licensure.
The Life & Health exam is not just a vocabulary test. It may ask you to apply concepts to real-world insurance situations.
You should study topics such as:
- Pennsylvania insurance regulation
- Producer licensing and responsibilities
- General insurance concepts
- Life insurance basics
- Types of life insurance policies
- Life policy provisions, options, and riders
- Beneficiary designations
- Premium payment options
- Settlement options
- Policy loans and nonforfeiture options
- Replacement rules
- Annuities
- Accident and health insurance basics
- Individual health policy provisions
- Disability income insurance
- Medical expense plans
- Group health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Senior health and special needs products
- Federal tax considerations
TESTivity’s Pennsylvania L&H study tools are designed to help you study this material from multiple angles. That matters because a candidate might understand a term while reading it, then miss it when PSI phrases it inside a scenario question with two tempting wrong answers and one sneaky right one.
Why L&H Insurance Exam Prep Matters in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania gives candidates flexibility by not requiring mandatory prelicensing hours. But flexibility can become a trap if it leads to scattered studying.
The Pennsylvania insurance exam is a content-heavy multiple-choice exam. You are not just memorizing definitions. You need to recognize policy language, understand how coverages work, identify exclusions and conditions, and apply insurance law to exam-style scenarios.
That is why TESTivity uses a multi-tool study system instead of relying on one flat textbook.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package includes:
Step 3: Schedule and Pass the Pennsylvania Life and Health Exam
After studying, you will schedule your insurance licensing exam through PSI.
PSI’s Pennsylvania insurance exam page states that Pennsylvania insurance exams are multiple choice and may be taken through online testing or at a PSI test center when available.
On exam day, bring valid identification that matches your registration information. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says exam identification must include a current photo, your signature, and a name matching your exam registration.
Do not treat the ID requirement like a tiny bureaucratic pebble. A name mismatch can stop your exam before it starts.
Pennsylvania Life and Health Exam Retakes
If you do not pass, PSI states that Pennsylvania allows unlimited retakes. Candidates must wait at least 24 hours before scheduling another attempt and must pay the full exam fee again.
That is helpful, but retakes still cost money, time, and momentum. The better strategy is to prepare properly before the first attempt.
Step 4: Apply for Your Pennsylvania Producer License
After passing the exam, you can apply for your Pennsylvania producer license online through Sircon or NIPR.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says candidates may submit a license application online immediately after passing the exam. The state lists these initial licensing application fees:
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Individual Insurance Producer, Pennsylvania Resident | $55 |
| Individual Insurance Producer, Non-Pennsylvania Resident | $110 |
| Business Entity Insurance Producer, Pennsylvania Resident | $55 |
| Business Entity Insurance Producer, Non-Pennsylvania Resident | $110 |
Portal transaction fees may also apply.
NIPR’s Pennsylvania licensing center notes that insurance exam scores are valid for 12 months.
That means you should apply after passing instead of letting your score drift around in the licensing attic.
Step 5: Complete Fingerprinting Through IdentoGO
New Pennsylvania resident producer applicants must complete fingerprinting as part of the background check process.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says fingerprinting is required for applicants for a new resident producer license and must be completed at an IdentoGO enrollment center using Insurance Department service code 1KGBGJ.
Timing matters.
Pennsylvania warns candidates not to register for fingerprinting or submit fingerprints until after passing any exam requirements and applying for licensure. Fingerprint results received without a matching license application will not be accepted.
The safe sequence is:
- Study for the Pennsylvania Life & Health exam.
- Pass the PSI exam.
- Apply through Sircon or NIPR.
- Register for fingerprinting through IdentoGO using service code 1KGBGJ.
- Complete fingerprinting.
- Monitor your application status.
- Print your license once approved.
Pennsylvania Life and Health Exam Details
The Pennsylvania Life & Health exam is designed to test whether you understand the core knowledge needed to work as a licensed insurance producer in the life, accident, and health marketplace.
Depending on the exact exam and authority selected, candidates may be tested on life insurance, accident and health insurance, or both.
Pennsylvania Insurance Regulation
Pennsylvania regulation is a major study priority. You should understand producer licensing, appointments, unfair trade practices, fiduciary duties, advertising, replacement rules, penalties, privacy, and state-specific consumer protections.
State law is not decorative parsley. It is part of the meal.
General Insurance Concepts
This includes basic insurance ideas such as risk, hazards, insurable interest, indemnity, contracts, representations, warranties, concealment, fraud, adhesion, aleatory contracts, and conditional contracts.
Life Insurance Basics
Candidates should understand the purpose of life insurance, underwriting, insurable interest, policy delivery, premium calculation, beneficiary designations, ownership rights, and settlement options.
Types of Life Insurance Policies
This may include:
- Term life insurance
- Whole life insurance
- Universal life insurance
- Variable life concepts, where applicable
- Group life insurance
- Credit life insurance
- Joint life policies
- Survivorship life policies
Life Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders
This section can be tricky because many provisions sound similar until you see them in an exam question.
Study:
- Grace period
- Reinstatement
- Incontestability
- Misstatement of age or gender
- Policy loans
- Nonforfeiture options
- Dividend options
- Accelerated benefit riders
- Waiver of premium
- Accidental death riders
- Guaranteed insurability
- Settlement options
Annuities
Annuities are a common trouble zone for L&H candidates. Study accumulation periods, annuitization, settlement options, fixed annuities, variable annuity concepts, immediate annuities, deferred annuities, surrender charges, taxation, and suitability.
Accident and Health Insurance Basics
Candidates should understand how health insurance policies are structured, including covered expenses, exclusions, renewability provisions, deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, out-of-pocket limits, and coordination of benefits.
Individual Accident and Health Policy Provisions
Study required and optional provisions, time limits, notice of claim, proof of loss, claims payment, physical examination/autopsy provisions, legal actions, change of beneficiary, and cancellation or renewal rules.
Disability Income Insurance
This may include elimination periods, benefit periods, occupational definitions, total disability, partial disability, residual disability, recurrent disability, and business disability coverage.
Medical Plans
Study basic medical expense plans, major medical, HMOs, PPOs, point-of-service plans, high deductible health plans, health savings accounts, and managed care concepts.
Group Health Insurance
Candidates should understand eligibility, probationary periods, coordination of benefits, conversion rights, employer contributions, and group underwriting.
Senior Health and Special Needs Products
This area may include Medicare basics, Medicare supplement concepts, long-term care insurance, special needs coverage, and senior consumer protections.
Federal Tax Considerations
Taxation questions may involve life insurance proceeds, policy loans, dividends, annuity distributions, disability income benefits, medical expense deductions, employer-paid benefits, and qualified plan basics.
Why Pennsylvania Life and Health Candidates Fail
Many Pennsylvania L&H candidates do not fail because they are not smart enough. They fail because they study in a way that does not match the exam.
They Think “No Prelicensing Requirement” Means “No Serious Study”
Pennsylvania removed the prelicensing education requirement. It did not remove the exam.
The exam still expects candidates to understand insurance products, Pennsylvania law, policy language, and scenario-based application questions.
They Use Generic National Material
Generic material can help with broad concepts, but Pennsylvania candidates also need Pennsylvania-specific regulation and PSI-style practice.
The screen on test day says PSI. Your practice should not feel like it was built for another state, another vendor, and another planet.
They Memorize Terms Without Understanding Relationships
Life & Health is full of connected concepts. Riders connect to policies. Provisions connect to claims. Annuities connect to taxation. Health policy provisions connect to time limits and claim handling.
If you only memorize isolated definitions, the exam can twist them into knots.
They Underestimate Annuities
Annuities can feel like a small island inside the Life & Health world, but it is an island with cliffs. Many candidates struggle with accumulation, annuitization, settlement options, taxation, surrender charges, and suitability.
They Skip Health Policy Provisions
Health policy provisions can be dry, but they are testable. Notice of claim, proof of loss, time of payment, legal actions, renewability, and reinstatement rules are exactly the kind of details exams like to turn into questions.
They Do Not Practice Under Timed Conditions
Knowing the material while sitting comfortably at home is one thing. Answering PSI-style questions under a timer is another.
Timed practice helps turn knowledge into test-day performance.
How to Study for the Pennsylvania Life and Health Exam
A strong Pennsylvania L&H study plan should use several study methods together. Reading alone may not be enough. Practice questions alone may not be enough. Flashcards alone may not be enough.
The goal is to build understanding, recall, application, and test-taking stamina.
1. Start With a Pennsylvania-Specific Study Manual
Begin with a structured study manual that explains the major topics clearly.
TESTivity’s Pennsylvania Life & Health Study Manual helps candidates build a foundation in the material, including Pennsylvania-specific licensing concepts and state law.
2. Use Flashcards for Fast Recall
Flashcards are especially helpful for:
- Definitions
- Policy provisions
- Riders
- Beneficiary rules
- Annuity terms
- Health policy provisions
- Tax rules
- Time limits
- Producer responsibilities
- Pennsylvania-specific rules
Flashcards help move information from “that looks familiar” to “I can recall it under pressure.”
3. Add Audio Review
Audio review helps you add repetition without adding more screen time.
Use it while driving, walking, exercising, cleaning, or doing errands. This is not a replacement for active study, but it is excellent reinforcement.
4. Use Video for Difficult Concepts
Some Life & Health concepts are easier when explained visually.
Video can help with:
- Life policy structure
- Riders
- Annuities
- Settlement options
- Health policy provisions
- Disability income
- Medicare supplement concepts
- Taxation
- Replacement rules
5. Use Mind Maps to Connect Concepts
Life & Health topics overlap. Mind maps help you see how policies, riders, provisions, benefits, exclusions, tax rules, and state regulations fit together.
This is especially useful for candidates who feel like the material is a drawer full of loose screws.
6. Use Learning Games for Repetition
Learning games help keep repetition active. They are useful for vocabulary, concept matching, and quick recall.
Insurance exam prep is serious, but that does not mean every study session has to feel like a gray filing cabinet.
7. Practice With a PSI-Style Exam Simulator
This is one of the most important steps.
Pennsylvania uses PSI for insurance licensing exams. TESTivity’s Pennsylvania exam simulator is designed to help candidates practice with questions that reflect the style, structure, and pressure of the real testing experience.
Over 20+ years of insurance exam preparation, TESTivity has learned that PSI, Pearson VUE, and Prometric exams do not always feel the same. The wording, pacing, recurring question patterns, and “feel” of the exam can vary by testing provider.
Pennsylvania candidates should prepare for the exam they are actually taking.
8. Use the AI Tutor for Stubborn Topics
When a concept will not click, use the AI Tutor to ask targeted questions.
Examples:
- “Explain the difference between waiver of premium and payor benefit.”
- “Why is an annuity not life insurance?”
- “What is the difference between a beneficiary and policy owner?”
- “How do health policy claim provisions work?”
- “Why did I miss this replacement question?”
Targeted explanations can turn a stubborn topic into a manageable one.
9. Review the Cheat Sheet Before Test Day
In the final 24 hours, do not try to relearn everything.
Use a final cheat sheet to review high-yield facts, state-specific reminders, policy provisions, annuity rules, tax treatment, and common exam traps.
Pennsylvania Life and Health License Fees
Here are the main licensing fees Pennsylvania L&H candidates should know:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Resident individual producer application | $55 |
| Nonresident individual producer application | $110 |
| Additional line of authority | $25 |
| Resident renewal | $55 |
| Lapsed license renewal | $165 |
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department lists the resident individual producer application fee as $55 and the nonresident individual producer application fee as $110.
Exam fees, fingerprinting fees, and portal transaction fees may change, so candidates should confirm current amounts directly with PSI, IdentoGO, Sircon, or NIPR when scheduling or applying.
Pennsylvania Life and Health Fingerprinting and Background Check
Fingerprinting is required for applicants for a new resident producer license in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says fingerprinting must be completed through IdentoGO using service code 1KGBGJ.
Pennsylvania also warns that applicants should not submit fingerprints until after they have passed any examination requirements and applied for licensure. Fingerprints received without a matching license application will not be accepted.
That means your sequence should be:
- Pass the Pennsylvania Life & Health exam.
- Apply online through Sircon or NIPR.
- Complete fingerprinting through IdentoGO.
- Monitor your application.
- Print your license after approval.
Pennsylvania Life and Health License Application Process
Once you pass the appropriate exam, you can apply for your license online through Sircon or NIPR.
Before submitting your application, make sure:
- Your legal name is accurate.
- Your Social Security number is correct.
- Your address is current.
- You selected the correct line or lines of authority.
- Your exam matches the authority you are requesting.
- You follow fingerprinting instructions carefully.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says new applicants who apply online can verify information on the Pennsylvania website once the license is issued, and the Department no longer mails paper licenses.
Pennsylvania Life and Health License Renewal and Continuing Education
Pennsylvania producers must complete continuing education to keep their licenses active.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department states that licensed insurance producers must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education during each two-year licensing cycle.
Sircon’s Pennsylvania producer portal notes that, under Act 142 of 2024, resident producers must include 3 hours of ethics CE as part of the 24-hour CE requirement.
Pennsylvania L&H CE Summary
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| CE cycle | Two years |
| Total CE | 24 hours |
| Ethics CE | 3 hours |
| Renewal fee | $55 resident renewal |
Product-Specific Training
Depending on the products you sell, additional training may apply. For example, annuity and long-term care products may involve product-specific training requirements, carrier requirements, or suitability-related training before you can sell them.
Candidates and producers should confirm current product-training rules with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, carriers, and compliance departments before selling specialized products.
Pennsylvania-Specific L&H Licensing Quirks
Pennsylvania No Longer Requires Prelicensing Education
As of April 29, 2025, Pennsylvania candidates are no longer required to complete prelicensing education before taking the insurance licensing exam.
This is helpful, but it also means candidates need to create their own study structure.
PSI Is the Testing Vendor
Pennsylvania uses PSI for insurance licensing exams. PSI’s Pennsylvania exam page describes the exams as multiple choice and offers test-center or online testing options when available.
Your practice should match the testing vendor’s style as closely as possible.
Fingerprinting Timing Matters
Do not fingerprint too early. Pennsylvania warns that fingerprint results received without a corresponding license application will not be accepted.
Exam Scores Are Valid for 12 Months
NIPR’s Pennsylvania licensing information lists insurance exam scores as valid for 12 months.
Pennsylvania Regulation Deserves Real Study Time
Life & Health students sometimes spend all their time on policy types and product features. Those matter, but Pennsylvania law, producer duties, unfair practices, licensing rules, and replacement rules can be just as important.
Annuities and Health Policy Provisions Are Common Trouble Spots
Many candidates underestimate annuities and health policy provisions because the material feels technical. That technical detail is exactly why it shows up on exams.
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Pennsylvania Life and Health Insurance License FAQ
About This Pennsylvania L&H Insurance License Guide
This guide was created by GetTheLicense.org as part of a state-by-state insurance licensing resource library.
Our goal is to help future insurance professionals understand the licensing process, avoid outdated information, and prepare for the exam with confidence. Licensing requirements can change, so candidates should always confirm final details with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, PSI, Sircon, NIPR, and IdentoGO before applying.
TESTivity has helped insurance exam candidates prepare for more than 20 years with state-specific study tools designed around the way insurance licensing exams actually work. Our Pennsylvania Life & Health materials are built to help candidates prepare for the Pennsylvania PSI exam, not a generic exam from nowhere-land.
About the author
Matt Williams
Matt Williams has been teaching insurance pre-licensing curriculum for over 20 years and has helped thousands of people pass their exams on their first attempt. Matt holds Life & Health, Property & Casualty, and Adjuster insurance licenses along with the Series 7, 8, 24, 63, and 65 FINRA/NASAA designations, and the CLU, ChFC, and CFP® professional credentials. He is a certified trainer in adult education and the founder of TESTivity.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package is built around exactly this map: video lessons weighted to the actual exam outline, mind maps that show how coverage types relate to each other, a full-length exam simulator that mirrors the Pennsylvania PSI format, and a pass guarantee. Built by the people who teach the exam — used by the candidates who pass it!
Ready to Start Studying for Your Pennsylvania Life and Health License?
Pennsylvania no longer requires a prelicensing course, but you still need to pass the exam.
Do not prepare for the Pennsylvania Life & Health exam with generic material that treats every state and every testing vendor the same. TESTivity’s Pennsylvania-specific study tools are built to help you prepare for the PSI exam with realistic practice questions, targeted review, audio reinforcement, flashcards, video instruction, mind maps, learning games, an AI tutor, and a final test-day cheat sheet.
Start with the TESTivity Platinum Study Package and prepare for the Pennsylvania Life & Health exam with a complete study system built for the exam you actually have to pass.
📋 Official Pennsylvania L&H Insurance Licensing Resources
To ensure absolute accuracy when registering for your exam and filing your application, we recommend utilizing these official state materials alongside your TESTivity Platinum Study Package.
Instant PDF Downloads
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Pennsylvania L&H Insurance Candidate Information Booklet (PDF)
Direct mirror hosted by GetTheLicense.org -
Pennsylvania Life Accident and Health Insurance Licensing Exam Content Outline (PDF)
Official exam breakdown and topic weighting
Official Portals & Live Verification
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Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID)
For resident agent regulations and fee schedules -
PSI Pennsylvania L&H Insurance Licensing Exam Page
To schedule your exam, find test centers, or check live updates