South Carolina Insurance Exam Questions, Time Limit, and Format

Knowing the exact format of the South Carolina insurance exam — how many questions you'll face, how much time you have, and how scoring works — helps you pace yourself, manage time effectively, and walk in confident on test day.

Here's the complete breakdown of the South Carolina insurance exam format.

Who Administers the Exam

South Carolina insurance licensing exams are administered by an approved testing provider on behalf of the South Carolina Department of Insurance (SCDOI). You register, schedule, and take the exam at authorized testing centers throughout South Carolina.

Exam Breakdown by License Type

Life, Accident, and Health (Combined) License:

Approximately 150 scored questions

Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes

70% passing score

Life-Only License:

Approximately 75-100 scored questions (specific count varies)

Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours

70% passing score

Accident and Health Only License:

Approximately 75-100 scored questions

Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours

70% passing score

Property and Casualty (Combined) License:

Approximately 150 scored questions

Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes

70% passing score

Personal Lines License:

Approximately 75-100 scored questions

Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes

70% passing score

The combined Life, Accident, and Health exam is the most common for new agents pursuing life and health careers.

What Types of Questions Appear

All South Carolina insurance exam questions are multiple choice with four answer options. There are no:

Fill-in-the-blank questions

True/false questions

Short answer or essay questions

Partial credit opportunities

Each question is either right or wrong. Every scored question is weighted equally.

Scored vs. Pilot Questions

South Carolina exams include two types of questions:

Scored questions. These count toward your passing score.

Pilot (unscored) questions. Small number of experimental questions being tested for use on future exams. These don't count toward your score, and you won't know which ones are pilot questions.

The safest approach is to treat every question as scored.

How the 70% Passing Score Works

Your score is based only on the scored questions. For a 150-question exam:

105 correct answers = 70% = passing

104 correct answers = failing (just below the threshold)

There's no curve, no rounding up, and no partial credit. You either meet or exceed 70%, or you don't pass.

Time Management

With 2 hours 30 minutes and 150 scored questions, you have about 60 seconds per question — a reasonable pace that most prepared candidates find manageable.

Most candidates finish with time to spare.

Pacing strategy:

Answer confidently known questions quickly

Flag uncertain questions and move on

Return to flagged questions after completing the rest

Review your answers if time permits

Don't leave any questions blank — guess rather than skip

What the Testing Interface Looks Like

The testing platform allows you to:

Navigate forward and backward through questions

Flag questions for later review

See your remaining time at the top of the screen

Review all flagged questions before submitting

Submit the exam when you're ready (before time runs out)

The interface is straightforward. Spend a minute or two orienting yourself at the beginning so you're not fumbling later.

Content Area Distribution

The Life, Accident, and Health exam typically distributes questions across content areas roughly as follows:

General Insurance Concepts: ~10%

Life Insurance Basics: ~15%

Life Insurance Policies and Provisions: ~15%

Annuities: ~10%

Health Insurance Basics: ~10%

Health Insurance Policies and Provisions: ~15%

Medicare and Specialized Coverage: ~10%

South Carolina-Specific Laws: ~15-20%

Federal Regulation and Ethics: balance of exam

These percentages shift over time and aren't exact, but they give you a sense of where to focus study time.

What to Expect on Exam Day

Arrive at your testing center at least 30 minutes early

Bring two forms of ID (one must be government-issued with photo)

Store personal items in a provided locker

Receive scratch paper and pencil

Be escorted to your testing station

Complete the exam within the time limit

Submit and receive your result on screen immediately

Pick up a printed score report before leaving

Results and Score Reports

If you pass: You receive confirmation of passing. Detailed score breakdown isn't typically provided to passing candidates.

If you fail: You receive a detailed score report showing your performance by content area. This is valuable for identifying weak spots before retaking.

Either way, results are reported electronically to the SCDOI.

Retaking the Exam

If you fail:

Wait at least 24 hours before scheduling a retake

Pay a new exam fee

South Carolina doesn't cap attempts — you can retake until you pass

Each retake requires new registration

Use your failed score report to focus study on weak content areas before retaking.

5 Frequently Asked Questions

• How many questions are on the South Carolina Life, Accident, and Health exam? Approximately 150 scored questions plus a small number of unscored pilot questions. You have about 2 hours 30 minutes to complete all of them.
• What's the passing score? 70% — answer at least 70% of scored questions correctly to pass.
• Can I bring a calculator? No. Personal calculators aren't allowed. The testing platform may include a basic on-screen calculator.
• What happens if I run out of time? Unanswered questions count as wrong. Always guess rather than leaving blank. The exam auto-submits when time expires.
• Can I flag questions and come back to them? Yes. The testing platform lets you flag questions and return before submitting. Use this strategy.

Know the Format, Own the Exam

When you know exactly what you're facing, you can prepare precisely. At JustInsurance, our South Carolina prelicense course is built around the real exam format — so every practice question you work on is preparing you for the actual test.

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