How to Get a Life and Health Insurance License in the Old Dominion State
If you want to sell life insurance, annuities, health insurance, disability income, Medicare-related products, long-term care insurance, or related financial protection products in the Old Dominion, you will need the right Virginia insurance producer license.
For many applicants, that means pursuing a Virginia life and health insurance license path through the Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam.
Virginia insurance licensing is regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance, and the state’s insurance licensing exams are administered by Prometric. Prometric lists the combined VA Life & Annuities/Health exam as Series 11-01, and Virginia applicants can schedule either a test-center exam or a remotely proctored exam through Prometric.
The licensing process is not impossible, but the exam is broad. It covers insurance regulation, life insurance, annuities, health insurance, policy provisions, medical plans, Medicare, long-term care, disability income, and Virginia-specific rules.
That is why your study material matters.
TESTivity’s Virginia Life and Health study tools are built from the ground up with Virginia in mind. This is not the same generic insurance content that gets reheated, renamed, and resold across every state. Virginia uses Prometric, and your study plan should prepare you for the way Prometric organizes, words, and weights the exam.
Quick Facts About the Virginia Life and Health Insurance License
| Requirement | Virginia L&H Licensing Detail |
|---|---|
| License path | Life & Annuities, Health, or combined Life, Annuities & Health |
| Licensing authority | Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance |
| Testing vendor | Prometric |
| Combined exam | VA Life, Annuities & Health |
| Combined exam series | 11-01 |
| Exam length | 150 minutes / 2.5 hours |
| Exam questions | 140 scored questions plus 10 pretest questions |
| Exam fee | $35 |
| Resident fingerprinting | Required for new resident applicants |
| Fingerprint vendor | Fieldprint |
| Application method | Sircon or NIPR |
| Application fee | $15 per line of authority |
| Continuing education | 16 or 24 hours depending on license mix, including at least 3 ethics hours |
Prometric’s Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health outline lists Series 11-01 as a 140 scored question exam with 10 pretest questions and a 2.5-hour time limit. The Virginia licensing bulletin lists the VA Life, Annuities & Health exam at 150 minutes with a $35 exam fee.
What Can You Sell With a Virginia Life and Health Insurance License?
A Virginia life and health insurance license path can prepare you to sell insurance products that protect families, individuals, seniors, employees, and businesses from financial loss related to death, retirement income, illness, injury, medical expenses, and long-term care.
Depending on the lines of authority you obtain, products may include:
- Life insurance
- Term life insurance
- Whole life insurance
- Universal life insurance
- Annuities
- Fixed annuities
- Health insurance
- Disability income insurance
- Medicare-related products
- Medicare supplement insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Group health insurance
- Supplemental health products
Virginia separates Life & Annuities and Health as lines of authority, but Prometric also lists a combined VA Life & Annuities/Health exam option. For applicants planning to sell both life/annuity and health-related products, the combined path can be an efficient way to prepare for both sides of the license. Prometric lists VA Life & Annuities/Health as Series 11-01, VA Life & Annuities as Series 11-05, and VA Health as Series 11-06.
For the broader licensing overview, visit Insurance Licensing in Virginia: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements.
How to Get a Life and Health Insurance License in Virginia
Most Virginia resident Life and Health applicants follow these five steps.
Step 1: Choose the Correct Virginia License Path
Before you study, decide which line or combination of lines matches your career plans.
You may need:
- Life & Annuities if you want to sell life insurance and annuity products
- Health if you want to sell health insurance, disability income, Medicare-related products, and similar coverages
- Life, Annuities & Health if you want the broader combined path
Virginia’s NIPR resident licensing page lists Life & Annuities, Health, Variable Contracts, Property & Casualty, Personal Lines, and Title as exam-required Insurance Producer lines of authority.
If your goal is to sell auto, homeowners, renters, commercial property, liability, businessowners policies, or similar coverages, use the How to Get a Property and Casualty Insurance License in Virginia guide instead.
Step 2: Study for the Virginia Prometric Life and Health Exam
Virginia uses Prometric for insurance licensing exams. The Virginia SCC states that insurance licensing exams are administered by Prometric, and Prometric’s Virginia insurance exam page directs candidates to review the official test content outlines before taking the exam.
That detail should shape your study strategy.
A lot of students study “life and health insurance” in the abstract. They read chapters, memorize vocabulary, and take generic quizzes. Then exam day arrives and the questions feel different from what they practiced.
That is the study trap.
Prometric has its own testing rhythm. Prometric questions do not always feel like Pearson VUE questions, and they do not always feel like PSI questions. Over 20+ years of insurance licensing exam prep, TESTivity has learned that the recurring question style, wording, answer-choice traps, and content emphasis vary by testing vendor.
Virginia is a Prometric state, so your study material should help you prepare for the Virginia Prometric exam, not a generic national licensing exam with a Virginia sticker on the box.
TESTivity’s Virginia Life and Health tools are designed to help you:
- Follow the Virginia Prometric content outline
- Learn Virginia-specific insurance regulation
- Understand life insurance, annuities, and health insurance concepts
- Practice Prometric-style questions
- Build recall with flashcards and audio
- Use visual reinforcement through video and mind maps
- Identify weak areas before test day
- Practice timed exam simulation before sitting for the real exam
The worst thing you can do is study with material that does not resemble what you are actually going to see on the exam screen.
Why Exam Prep Matters in Virginia
Virginia gives candidates flexibility by not requiring mandatory prelicensing hours. But flexibility can become a trap if it leads to scattered studying.
The Virginia 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: Pass the Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health Exam
The combined Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam is Prometric Series 11-01.
| Exam Detail | Virginia Life, Annuities & Health Exam |
|---|---|
| Exam name | VA Life, Annuities & Health |
| Exam series | 11-01 |
| Testing vendor | Prometric |
| Scored questions | 140 |
| Pretest questions | 10 |
| Total exam questions seen | 150 |
| Time limit | 2.5 hours / 150 minutes |
| Exam fee | $35 |
Pretest questions are not scored, but they are mixed into the exam and are not identified separately. Treat every question as if it counts.
Prometric’s official outline states that the Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam has 140 scored questions, 10 pretest questions, and a 2.5-hour time limit. The Virginia licensing bulletin lists the exam time as 150 minutes and the exam fee as $35.
Virginia Life and Health Exam Content Outline
The Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam is broad. It is not simply a vocabulary test. Prometric weights the exam by topic, which means some sections deserve more study time than others.
Here is the official Prometric content weighting for the Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health Insurance Examination, Series 11-01:
| Exam Section | Weight |
|---|---|
| Insurance Regulation | 10% |
| General Insurance | 6% |
| Life Insurance Basics | 6% |
| Life Insurance Policies | 10% |
| Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders | 11% |
| Annuities | 6% |
| Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities | 2% |
| Qualified Plans | 2% |
| Health Insurance Basics | 6% |
| Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions | 11% |
| Disability Income and Related Insurance | 5% |
| Medical Plans | 6% |
| Group Health Insurance | 5% |
| Dental Insurance | 1% |
| Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals | 11% |
Prometric’s official outline identifies the largest sections as Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders, Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions, Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals, Insurance Regulation, and Life Insurance Policies.
What This Means for Your Study Plan
You should not study every topic equally.
The Virginia L&H exam has several heavy-weight areas that deserve serious attention:
- Virginia insurance regulation
- Life insurance policy provisions
- Life insurance policies
- Health insurance policy provisions
- Medicare and senior products
- Long-term care
- Annuities
- Disability income
- Medical plans
- Group health insurance
Students often get into trouble because they over-study the easy vocabulary and under-study the policy provisions. Policy provisions are where the exam becomes a thicket: grace periods, reinstatement, incontestability, misstatement of age, claim forms, proofs of loss, payment of claims, renewability, free look rules, exclusions, riders, settlement options, and beneficiary rules.
That is not material you want to casually skim while half-watching a rerun.
A strong Virginia Life and Health study plan should combine reading, repetition, practice questions, timed exams, and weak-area review. TESTivity’s Virginia tools are designed for exactly that kind of layered learning.
Virginia Life and Health License Fees
Here are the main fees Virginia Life and Health applicants should plan for.
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| VA Life, Annuities & Health exam fee | $35 |
| Virginia resident insurance producer application fee | $15 per line of authority |
| Fingerprinting fee | $34.95 |
| Renewal fee | $10 per line of authority |
NIPR lists the Virginia resident Insurance Producer fee as $15, with all fees charged per line of authority.
The Virginia licensing bulletin lists the VA Life, Annuities & Health exam fee as $35.
Fingerprinting is required for Virginia residents applying for a new insurance license. NIPR notes that fingerprints must be completed at a Fieldprint location and must be no older than 90 days when the application is submitted.
Virginia Fingerprinting and Background Check Requirements
Virginia requires resident applicants for a new insurance license to complete fingerprinting. The fingerprints are captured electronically through Fieldprint using live scan technology and transmitted to the Virginia State Police and FBI.
Important fingerprinting details:
| Requirement | Virginia Detail |
|---|---|
| Who needs fingerprinting? | Virginia residents applying for a new insurance license |
| Vendor | Fieldprint |
| Method | Live scan fingerprinting |
| Validity window | Fingerprints must be no older than 90 days when the application is submitted |
| Background check | Virginia State Police and FBI |
| Renewal applications | Fingerprinting requirement does not apply to license renewals |
The Virginia SCC states that fingerprinting is required for Virginia residents applying for a new insurance license and that the requirement does not apply to renewal applications.
Do not let your fingerprints expire before your application is submitted. That is the licensing version of baking a cake and forgetting the pan.
Virginia Life and Health License Application Process
After you pass the appropriate Virginia licensing exam, you can apply for your insurance producer license online.
Virginia resident applicants can apply through:
- Sircon
- NIPR
The Virginia SCC instructs applicants to apply online through Sircon or NIPR after passing the appropriate licensing exam.
NIPR notes that Virginia applicants should allow at least 15 business days for processing before contacting the Bureau about application status. NIPR also notes that an application may be considered unapproved and closed after 30 calendar days if the applicant does not provide all required documentation.
Before submitting your application, double-check:
- Your legal name matches your exam registration and application
- You selected the correct line or lines of authority
- Your background questions are answered accurately
- Your fingerprinting is completed within the required window
- Any required documents are uploaded promptly
- Your contact email is accurate
Small mistakes can create big delays. Licensing paperwork has the patience of a stone gargoyle and the appetite of a shredder.
Does Virginia Require Prelicensing Education for Life and Health?
Virginia does not list a state-mandated prelicensing education requirement for standard resident Life & Annuities or Health producer applicants on its individual insurance license application page. The SCC says resident applicants must pass the appropriate licensing examination, and it specifically lists a 16-hour prelicensing study course requirement for Title applicants.
So, for standard Virginia Life and Health producer applicants, the key requirement is passing the appropriate Prometric exam before applying.
But do not mistake “no required prelicensing classroom course” for “easy exam.”
The Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam covers 15 weighted sections, including life policies, policy provisions, annuities, health policy provisions, Medicare, long-term care, disability income, group health, and Virginia regulation. It is wide, detailed, and very good at punishing shallow study.
A serious exam prep system is still essential.
Virginia Life and Health License Renewal and Continuing Education
Virginia resident agents must complete continuing education before the license expiration date. The SCC states that resident agents holding one license type, or holding both Life & Annuities and Health licenses, must complete 16 credit hours of CE. Resident agents holding two or more license types must complete 24 credit hours, with at least 8 credit hours applicable to each license type held.
Virginia also requires at least 3 credit hours of Ethics in each biennium. Ethics courses categorized as Other General Insurance credits do not satisfy the Ethics requirement.
| License Situation | Virginia CE Requirement |
|---|---|
| One license type | 16 credit hours |
| Life & Annuities plus Health | 16 credit hours |
| Two or more license types | 24 credit hours |
| Minimum per license type when holding two or more license types | 8 credit hours applicable to each license type |
| Ethics | At least 3 credit hours |
The SCC also states that CE credits must be completed on or before the license expiration date and that no more than 75% of required credits may come from courses provided by insurance agencies or insurance companies.
Virginia-Specific L&H Licensing Tips
Study the Combined Exam Strategically
The Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam is broad because it combines multiple worlds: life insurance, annuities, health insurance, disability, Medicare, long-term care, tax concepts, and Virginia regulation.
Your study plan needs to move between topics quickly. That is why practice exams matter. They train your brain to switch from annuity surrender charges to health claim provisions to Medicare supplement rules without grinding the gears.
Do Not Underestimate Policy Provisions
Two of the biggest sections on the Virginia L&H exam are Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders and Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions, each weighted at 11%. Those are not decorative chapters. They are exam-day machinery.
Medicare and Senior Products Matter
Prometric weights Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals at 11%. This section includes Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance, Medicaid, and long-term care topics.
Many students treat senior products like a side hallway. On the Virginia exam, it is more like a main corridor with a velvet rope.
Virginia Regulation Is Not Optional
Insurance Regulation is weighted at 10% on the combined Virginia Life, Annuities, and Health exam. It includes licensing, state regulation, unfair trade practices, privacy rules, federal regulation, and Virginia-specific responsibilities.
Students often prefer product chapters because they feel more familiar. But regulation is one of the largest sections on the exam, and skipping it is like leaving a pocket of points on the table.
Practice With Prometric-Style Questions
Virginia uses Prometric. TESTivity’s Virginia Life and Health Exam Simulator is designed to help students practice with question style, structure, and topic flow that better reflects the Virginia Prometric testing experience.
Generic material can teach insurance concepts. Virginia-specific, Prometric-aware practice helps you prepare for the screen you will actually face.
Why TESTivity Works for Virginia Life and Health Exam Prep
A Virginia Life and Health license path is not just about reading insurance definitions. The exam asks you to understand products, provisions, state rules, federal concepts, and applied scenarios under time pressure.
That is exactly why TESTivity uses a multi-modal study system.
TESTivity’s Virginia Life and Health learning tools and study packages are built from the ground up with Virginia in mind. They are not generic national material with the word “Virginia” pasted into the headline. The goal is to help you prepare for the actual Virginia Prometric exam.
The TESTivity system gives Virginia students multiple ways to learn and retain the material:
- Virginia Insurance Exam Study Guide / Study Manual for structured content review
- Virginia Life and Health Exam Simulator for Prometric-style practice
- Insurance Exam Flashcards for fast recall
- Insurance Exam Audio Course for repetition while driving, walking, or working
- Insurance Exam Video Course for visual explanations of difficult concepts
- Insurance Exam Mind Maps for organizing product and policy relationships
- Insurance Exam Learning Games for low-friction repetition
- AI Insurance Exam Tutor for weak-area support
- Insurance Exam Cheat Sheet for final review
- TESTivity Platinum Study Package for the complete study system
Different tools reinforce different parts of memory. Reading builds understanding. Practice questions build application. Flashcards build recall. Audio adds repetition. Video adds clarity. Mind maps reveal relationships. Games make review less painful. The AI Tutor helps when your weak areas start waving little red flags.
That is why TESTivity is so effective: it does not ask one study tool to do every job.
FAQ: Virginia Life and Health Insurance License
About This Virginia L&H Insurance License Guide
This guide was created by the TESTivity insurance licensing education team to help Virginia applicants understand the Life and Health licensing process and prepare for the Virginia Prometric insurance exam.
TESTivity has spent more than 20 years helping insurance licensing candidates prepare for state exams using focused, multi-modal study tools. Licensing requirements can change, so always confirm current rules with the Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance, Prometric, Sircon, and NIPR before scheduling your exam or submitting your application.
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 Virginia Prometric format, and a pass guarantee. Built by the people who teach the exam — used by the candidates who pass it!
Ready to prepare for your Virginia Life and Health exam?
Do not rely on generic study material that was not designed for Virginia or Prometric. TESTivity’s Virginia-specific Life and Health tools help you learn the content, practice the question style, and build the confidence you need before test day.
Study for Virginia. Practice for Prometric. Walk in ready.
Start with the TESTivity Platinum Study Package for the most complete Virginia Life and Health exam prep experience, including the study manual, exam simulator, flashcards, audio course, video instruction, mind maps, learning games, cheat sheet, AI Tutor, and readiness tools.
📋 Official Virginia Life Annuities and Health 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
-
Virginia L&H Insurance Candidate Information Bulletin (PDF)
Direct mirror hosted by GetTheLicense.org -
Virginia Life Annuities and Health Insurance Licensing Exam Content Outline (PDF)
Official exam breakdown and topic weighting
Official Portals & Live Verification
-
Virginia SCC — Bureau of Insurance (BOI)
For resident agent regulations and fee schedules -
Prometric Virginia L&H Insurance Licensing Exam Page
To schedule your exam, find test centers, or check live updates