North Carolina Life & Health Insurance Exam: Complete Guide

The North Carolina Life and Health insurance exams are your gateway to a North Carolina insurance career — and walking in unprepared is one of the biggest mistakes new candidates make. North Carolina's exam structure is distinctive: unlike most states offering combined exams, North Carolina requires separate exams for each line of authority. That means separate Life and Accident & Health exams, each at $45, each requiring its own preparation. North Carolina's exams are also shorter than most states at just 55 questions each — but the condensed format rewards efficient preparation.

Here's the complete guide to the North Carolina Life and Health insurance exams.

Who Administers the Exams

North Carolina insurance licensing exams are administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI). All exam registration, scheduling, and results processing flow through Pearson VUE.

Pearson VUE NC Licensing Office:

Address: 3200 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 120, Raleigh, NC 27604

Mailing: NCDOI/Pearson VUE, PO Box 14209, Raleigh, NC 27620

Phone: (866) 265-6329

Fax: (888) 959-3010

Email: northcarolinalicensingoffice@pearson.com

Website: home.pearsonvue.com/nc/insurance

The Application-First Requirement

Before you can schedule your North Carolina exam, you must complete a license application through NIPR. This is North Carolina's distinctive application-first approach:

Sequence:

Apply through NIPR (nipr.com)

Receive authorization to test email from Pearson VUE

Schedule your exam using the NPN and information from the Pearson VUE email

Take your exam

You cannot register for a North Carolina exam without the authorization information from your Pearson VUE email. Attempting to schedule before applying will fail.

Where You'll Take the Exam

Pearson VUE offers two testing options for North Carolina:

Pearson VUE Testing Centers. Physical testing locations throughout North Carolina with appointments typically available within 1-2 weeks of booking.

Online Proctored Testing. North Carolina permits online proctored testing through Pearson VUE, providing flexibility for candidates with compatible computers and quiet test environments.

To cancel or change your appointment, contact Pearson VUE at least 48 hours in advance or you forfeit the exam fee.

North Carolina's Distinctive Exam Structure

North Carolina stands apart from most states in exam structure. Passing score is 70% (at least 39 of 55 scored questions).

All major line exams: 55 questions, 1 hour 15 minutes.

Critical North Carolina distinctions:

Separate Life and Accident & Health exams — no combined L&H option

Separate Property and Casualty exams — no combined P&C option

Each exam costs $45 — taking all four major lines = $180 in exam fees

Each exam requires separate scheduling through Pearson VUE

This per-line separate exam structure means multi-line candidates take multiple separate tests rather than one combined exam.

The Two-Section Format

Each North Carolina exam covers two content areas:

General Knowledge. Insurance principles applicable in any state — roughly 75-85% of each exam.

North Carolina Statutes and Regulations. North Carolina-specific insurance laws — roughly 15-25% of each exam, drawing from Chapter 58 of the North Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 58).

You receive a single combined score for the entire exam.

Life Insurance Exam Content

The North Carolina Life Insurance exam covers:

Types of Individual Life Insurance:

Term life insurance (level, decreasing, increasing, renewable, convertible)

Whole life insurance (straight life, limited pay, single premium)

Universal life insurance

Variable life and variable universal life

Indexed life insurance

Endowment policies

Juvenile policies

Annuities:

Fixed, variable, indexed annuities

Immediate vs. deferred annuities

Annuity accumulation and payout phases

Tax treatment of annuities

Suitability considerations (including North Carolina Annuity Best Interest standards)

Policy Provisions, Options and Other Features:

Grace period

Reinstatement

Incontestability

Misstatement of age or sex

Free-look period

Policy loan provisions

Dividend options

Settlement options

Beneficiary provisions

Assignment provisions

Non-forfeiture options

Other Life Topics:

Group life insurance and contracts

Group underwriting

Group conversion

Tax-qualified retirement plans (401k, IRA, SEP, SIMPLE, etc.)

Business uses of life insurance (key person, buy-sell, BOLI)

Social Security death and survivor benefits

Federal income tax treatment of life insurance premiums, proceeds, dividends, and withdrawals

Cost comparison methods (interest adjusted vs. traditional net cost)

Formation of the life insurance contract

North Carolina Statutes and Regulations Pertinent to Life Insurance:

Contract of Insurance (G.S. 58-1-10)

Definitions (G.S. 58-1-5)

Commissioner of Insurance (G.S. 58-2)

General Regulations for Insurance (G.S. 58-3)

Licensing of Agents (G.S. 58-33)

Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act

Unfair Trade Practices (G.S. 58-63)

Life Insurance (G.S. 58-58)

Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association

Continuing Education requirements

Accident & Health Insurance Exam Content

The North Carolina Accident & Health Insurance exam covers:

Accident & Health Insurance Policies:

Individual health insurance policies

Group health insurance

HMOs, PPOs, EPOs, POS plans

Short-term health plans

Disability income insurance

Long-term care insurance

Dental and vision plans

Medicare supplement policies

Medicare Advantage plans

Medicare Part D

Accident & Health Insurance Provisions:

Grace period

Reinstatement

Entire contract

Time limit on certain defenses

Change of occupation

Misstatement of age

Other insurance with this insurer

Relation of earnings to insurance

Unpaid premium

Cancellation provisions

Free-look period

COBRA continuation

HIPAA provisions

ACA requirements

Other Accident & Health Topics:

Medicare (Parts A, B, C, D)

Medicare supplement (Medigap) standardized plans

Medicaid

ERISA

HIPAA

ACA essential health benefits

Long-term care provisions

Disability income definitions and provisions

Federal and state coordination of benefits

North Carolina Statutes and Regulations Pertinent to A&H:

Commissioner of Insurance

General Regulations for Insurance

Licensing of Agents (G.S. 58-33)

Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act

Unfair Trade Practices

Nature of Policies

Group Health Insurance Continuation and Conversion Privileges

Fraternal Benefit Societies

Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association

Continuing Education requirements

Two Forms of ID Required

North Carolina requires two forms of valid government-issued identification on exam day:

Primary ID: Must contain both photograph AND signature (driver's license, passport, military ID).

Secondary ID: Must contain signature (another government-issued document with signature).

This two-ID requirement is distinctive — most states require only one form of ID.

Names must match registration exactly. Discrepancies cause problems.

No admission without proper ID — bring both.

On Exam Day

Arrive early. Allow extra time for check-in.

No phones, notes, or study materials in the testing room.

Scratch paper typically provided.

On-screen calculator available for basic computation.

Multiple exam forms exist. Different questions may appear on your exam vs. other candidates' even on the same day — all forms cover the same content outline.

Results:

If you pass: Score report marked "PASS." Pearson VUE electronically transmits result to NIPR.

If you fail: Score report includes numeric score and diagnostic information on general portion of the exam.

After Each Exam

If you pass: Results electronically submitted to NIPR. Continue with fingerprinting and wait for license issuance (48-72 hours after all requirements met).

If you fail: You can retake the exam. Pay another $45 exam fee and reschedule. Retake policy allows rescheduling after reasonable waiting period.

Note on diagnostic information: When you fail, you receive diagnostic information only on the general portion of the exam — not on the NC-specific portion. This means reviewing both sections after a failed attempt is important.

Multi-Line Exam Strategy

For candidates pursuing multiple lines, strategic exam sequencing matters:

Sequential vs. simultaneous preparation:

Sequential: Prepare for and pass one exam, then prepare for the next

Simultaneous: Study multiple lines at once, take multiple exams close together

Sequential approach advantages: More focused preparation per exam; less cognitive load; each exam builds on fundamentals from previous.

Simultaneous approach advantages: Faster overall timeline; some content overlaps between Life and A&H; or between Property and Casualty.

Common sequences:

Life → A&H (related content, sequential works well)

Property → Casualty (related content, sequential works well)

All four: typically Life → A&H → Property → Casualty

Spacing exams: Most candidates benefit from at least 1-2 weeks between different-line exams to allow focused preparation.

5 Frequently Asked Questions

• Is there a combined Life and Health exam in North Carolina? No. North Carolina requires separate exams for each line — Life Insurance and Accident & Health or Sickness are distinct exams. Similarly, Property and Casualty are separate exams. Each costs $45.
• How many questions are on each North Carolina insurance exam? 55 questions per major-line exam (Life, A&H, Property, Casualty, Personal Lines), with 1 hour 15 minutes to complete each.
• What's the passing score on North Carolina insurance exams? 70% — at least 39 of 55 scored questions answered correctly.
• How many forms of ID do I need for the North Carolina exam? Two. A primary ID with photo and signature (driver's license, passport, military ID) and a secondary ID with signature. This two-ID requirement is distinctive to North Carolina.
• Can I cancel my North Carolina exam appointment? Yes, but you must contact Pearson VUE at least 48 hours in advance or forfeit the $45 exam fee.

Walk Into the North Carolina Exam Prepared

Knowing what to expect removes half the stress. At JustInsurance, our North Carolina prelicense course is built around the Pearson VUE content outline — including the North Carolina-specific statutes and regulations that appear on every exam.

Enroll today and prepare for the North Carolina exam the right way.