- Overview: Two Exams, 171 Scored Questions, 13 Domains
- The Six Life Insurance Domains
- The Seven Accident and Health Domains
- Why New Jersey Law Carries the Most Weight
- Question Format, Timing, and Scoring by Domain
- Registration, Fees, and Licensing Mechanics
- Mapping the 13 Domains to a Study Timeline
- Frequently Asked Questions
- NJ-LH is two separate exams: 83 scored Life questions and 88 scored Accident and Health questions.
- Each exam runs 3 hours 30 minutes, and both require a 70% passing score independently.
- Domains 5 and 12 - New Jersey law common to all lines - each carry 14.6%, the single largest weight in either exam.
- Exams may include 5-19 unscored experimental items mixed in with no way to identify them.
Overview: Two Exams, 171 Scored Questions, 13 Domains
The New Jersey Life & Health Insurance Producer Exam is not one test - it's two. Candidates seeking a major-line producer license sit for a Life exam and an Accident and Health exam, each administered separately by PSI Services on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Combined, the two exams cover 171 scored questions across 13 distinct content domains, and each exam has its own 3-hour-30-minute time limit and its own 70% passing threshold.
That structure matters for how you study. Passing the Life exam does not carry over any credit toward the Accident and Health exam, and vice versa - you need a 70% on each one separately. This guide breaks down all 13 domains exactly as the state defines them, with the weight each one carries, so you know precisely where your study hours should go. For a broader first-attempt strategy, pair this with the NJ-LH Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
The Six Life Insurance Domains
The Life exam contains 83 scored questions distributed across six domains. Some of these are narrow and product-specific; others test New Jersey statute you must memorize cold.
Domain 1: Types of Policies (5.3%)
Covers term, whole life, universal life, variable life, and endowment products, along with how each policy structure builds or fails to build cash value over time.
- Distinguish level term from decreasing/increasing term
- Understand flexible premium and adjustable death benefit features of universal life
- Know how variable life ties cash value to separate account performance
Domain 2: Policy Riders, Provisions, Options, and Exclusions (12.3%)
The second-largest Life domain. Expect detailed questions on nonforfeiture options, settlement options, waiver of premium, accelerated death benefit riders, and standard exclusions like suicide clauses.
- Memorize the differences between extended term, reduced paid-up, and cash surrender nonforfeiture options
- Know grace period, reinstatement, and incontestability provisions precisely
- Understand common riders: accidental death, guaranteed insurability, term riders
Domain 3: Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy (7.0%)
Tests the mechanics of the application-to-issue process: representations vs. warranties, insurable interest at time of application, conditional receipts, and proper policy delivery requirements.
- Know when insurable interest must exist
- Understand the effect of a conditional receipt versus a binding receipt
- Recognize what "field underwriting" duties fall on the producer
Domain 4: Taxes, Retirement, and Other Insurance Concepts (4.7%)
Covers taxation of life insurance proceeds and cash value, qualified vs. nonqualified retirement plans, IRAs, and annuity fundamentals as they intersect with life products.
- Know when death benefit proceeds are income-tax-free
- Understand the tax treatment of policy loans and surrenders
- Distinguish qualified plans from nonqualified plans
Domain 5: New Jersey Laws, Rules, and Regulations Common to Life, Accident and Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance (14.6%)
The single largest domain on the Life exam. It overlaps almost entirely in content with Domain 12 on the Accident and Health exam, meaning the same statutory knowledge is tested twice under two different question sets.
- Producer licensing requirements, appointments, and continuing education rules
- Unfair trade practices and unfair claims settlement practices under New Jersey law
- Department of Banking and Insurance enforcement authority and penalties
Domain 6: New Jersey Laws, Rules, and Regulations Pertinent to Life Insurance Only (4.7%)
Narrower than Domain 5 - this covers statutes that apply specifically to life products, such as replacement regulations and life-specific disclosure requirements.
- Life insurance replacement rules and required disclosures
- Beneficiary designation statutes specific to New Jersey
- State-specific free-look period requirements
The Seven Accident and Health Domains
The Accident and Health exam contains 88 scored questions across seven domains - one more domain than Life, reflecting the broader range of health-related products and social insurance programs candidates must know.
Domain 7: Types of Policies (8.2%)
Covers disability income, long-term care, Medicare supplement, group and individual health, and specialty products like dental and critical illness coverage.
- Know the differences between individual and group health underwriting
- Understand long-term care benefit triggers and elimination periods
- Recognize Medicare supplement standardized plan concepts
Domain 8: Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders (11.7%)
The second-largest Accident and Health domain. Focuses on mandatory and optional policy provisions, coordination of benefits, pre-existing condition clauses, and elimination/waiting periods.
- Know required uniform provisions in health policies
- Understand coordination of benefits rules when multiple policies apply
- Study renewability provisions: guaranteed renewable vs. noncancellable
Domain 9: Social Insurance (1.8%)
The smallest domain on either exam, worth roughly three questions, but still tested. Covers Social Security disability, Medicare, and Medicaid basics as they relate to private insurance planning.
- Know Medicare Part A, B, C, and D distinctions
- Understand Social Security disability insured status requirements
- Recognize Medicaid eligibility as a needs-based program
Domain 10: Other Insurance Concepts (2.3%)
A small but distinct domain covering underwriting classifications, risk pooling, and general insurance principles applied to health products.
- Know standard vs. substandard vs. preferred risk classifications
- Understand adverse selection and how it affects health underwriting
Domain 11: Field Underwriting Procedures (5.3%)
Tests the producer's responsibilities when collecting applications, disclosing information, and following fair underwriting practices for health products specifically.
- Know required disclosures at point of sale
- Understand producer liability for misrepresentation on applications
Domain 12: New Jersey Laws, Rules, and Regulations Common to Life, Accident and Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance (14.6%)
Tied with Domain 5 as the largest single domain across both exams. This is the same body of general New Jersey producer and insurance law tested from the Accident and Health perspective.
- Licensing, appointment, and CE requirements under New Jersey statute
- Unfair trade and claims practices as applied to health insurers
- Department authority over rate filings and market conduct
Domain 13: New Jersey Laws, Rules, and Regulations Pertinent to Accident and Health Insurance Only (7.6%)
The state-specific health rules that don't apply to Life: mandated benefits, small employer health rules, and health-specific consumer protections unique to New Jersey.
- Small employer health benefits program requirements
- Mandated health benefit provisions under New Jersey law
- State-specific continuation and conversion rights
Why New Jersey Law Carries the Most Weight
Look across all 13 domains and a clear pattern emerges: Domains 5 and 12 - the "common" New Jersey law domains for Life and Accident and Health respectively - each sit at 14.6%, making state insurance law the largest combined content area on the entire NJ-LH exam. Add Domain 6 (4.7%) and Domain 13 (7.6%), and law-specific content accounts for a substantial share of your total score across both exams.
This is not a coincidence. New Jersey testing candidates on statute this heavily reflects the practical reality of the job: producers are legally accountable for how they represent products, disclose information, and handle claims from day one of licensure. If you're trying to gauge how tough this exam really is relative to other state licensing tests, the law-heavy weighting is a major factor - see How Hard Is the NJ-LH Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 for more on that comparison.
| Domain Group | Approx. Combined Weight | What It Tests |
|---|---|---|
| NJ Law Common to All Lines (Domains 5 & 12) | 29.2% | Licensing, unfair practices, DOBI authority |
| NJ Law Specific to Life or A&H (Domains 6 & 13) | 12.3% | Replacement rules, mandated health benefits |
| Policy Provisions & Riders (Domains 2 & 8) | 24.0% | Nonforfeiture options, uniform provisions |
| Product Types (Domains 1 & 7) | 13.5% | Term, whole, universal life; disability, LTC, Medicare supp |
Key Takeaway
If you only have time to master four domains deeply, make them Domains 5, 12, 2, and 8 - together they represent more than half of the scored questions across both exams.
Question Format, Timing, and Scoring by Domain
Every NJ-LH question is multiple-choice, delivered either at a PSI test center or through live online proctoring. The Life exam gives you 3 hours 30 minutes for 83 scored questions; the Accident and Health exam gives you the same 3 hours 30 minutes for 88 scored questions. Neither exam allows reference materials or handheld calculators, and if you choose the remote online-proctored option, be aware that no breaks are permitted during the session.
One detail candidates frequently overlook: each exam may include between 5 and 19 unscored experimental questions mixed in with the scored ones from the 13 domains. You won't be told which questions are experimental, so there's no way to identify or skip them - treat every question on screen as if it counts. This is also why pacing matters across all 13 domains rather than rushing through the ones you find easy.
For an exact breakdown of what 70% actually requires in raw question terms on each exam, read NJ-LH Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Registration, Fees, and Licensing Mechanics
Before you can sit for either exam, resident candidates must complete state-approved prelicensing education: 20 hours per line (Life or Accident and Health) or a 40-hour combined course covering both. You'll need to present your course completion certificate to test, and unlike some other credentials, New Jersey prelicensing certificates do not expire.
After passing both exams, licensing involves electronic fingerprinting and a formal application to the Department of Banking and Insurance. Your passing score remains valid for one year, so don't let too much time lapse between testing and filing. The major-line producer license itself costs $150 for a two-year term, plus a $20 new-application fee. Once licensed, maintaining your credential requires 24 continuing education credits per renewal cycle, including at least 3 hours specifically in ethics.
Qualified candidates who need to start working before full licensing is finalized may be eligible for 60-day temporary work authority. For the full sequence of eligibility steps, education hours, and fingerprinting logistics, see NJ-LH Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify, and for a complete cost breakdown across education, exams, and licensing fees, check NJ-LH Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Key Takeaway
Your one-year passing score window starts the moment you pass - schedule fingerprinting and file your application promptly rather than letting the clock run down.
Mapping the 13 Domains to a Study Timeline
Rather than studying all 13 domains in the order they're listed, sequence your review by weight and by exam. Because Domains 5 and 12 (New Jersey law common to all lines) are nearly identical in content but tested on two separate exams, mastering that statute once effectively prepares you for both.
New Jersey Law Foundations
- Study Domain 5 and Domain 12 together since content overlaps heavily
- Review licensing, appointments, and unfair trade practice statutes
Life Product Mechanics
- Cover Domain 1 (policy types) and Domain 2 (riders, provisions, nonforfeiture options)
- Drill Domain 6's life-specific replacement rules
Application, Underwriting, and Life Tax Concepts
- Finish Domain 3 (application/underwriting/delivery) and Domain 4 (taxes and retirement)
- Take a full-length practice Life exam under timed conditions
Accident and Health Products and Provisions
- Study Domain 7 (policy types) and Domain 8 (provisions, clauses, riders)
- Layer in Domain 9, 10, and 11's smaller topics
Health-Specific NJ Law and Final Review
- Master Domain 13's mandated benefit and small employer rules
- Run full-length practice exams for both Life and Accident and Health
This sequencing avoids wasted repetition - you study New Jersey statute once instead of twice, then layer product-specific detail on top. If you want a condensed, single-page reference to run through in the final days before test day, use the NJ-LH Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts, and confirm your test slot early with NJ-LH Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Running full-length timed drills through our practice test platform is the most direct way to see which of these 13 domains still need work before you commit to a scheduling date. Because both exams are scored independently at 70%, a domain-by-domain practice approach on the practice site lets you isolate weak spots in Life separately from Accident and Health, rather than guessing at your overall readiness from one combined study session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Each exam is scored separately and requires its own 70% passing score. The 13 domains are split across both - six on the Life exam and seven on the Accident and Health exam.
Domains 5 and 12 - New Jersey law common to all lines - each carry 14.6% weight, the largest of any domain, and their content overlaps substantially, so mastering it once benefits both exams.
Each exam may include 5 to 19 unscored experimental questions in addition to the scored ones, and there is no indication during the test of which items are experimental or which domain they belong to.
No. Handheld calculators and reference materials are prohibited on both the Life and Accident and Health exams, including for Domain 4's tax and retirement content.
A passing score remains valid for one year, during which you must complete electronic fingerprinting and submit your license application to the Department of Banking and Insurance.