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New York · Insurance ProducerNew York Life and Health Insurance Practice Exam 2026 (Series 17-55)
The New York Life, Accident, and Health Insurance Agent/Broker exam (PSI Series 17-55) is the state licensing exam for people who want both the Life and the Accident and Health lines of authority in New York. It has 150 scored items, a 2.5-hour time limit, and you need 70% correct to pass. This page explains the format, fees, required pre-licensing course, the official content outline, and what happens after you pass.
ExamCleared is an independent practice test. We are not affiliated with the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) or PSI Services LLC. Our bank has 290 original questions covering general life and health concepts and New York Insurance Law and DFS regulations. Every question has an explanation and a cited statute or official source with the date it was verified. You can take a timed full-length exam in the 17-55 format, try 10 free questions without an account, and pay once with no subscription: $24.99 for 30 days or $34.99 for 60 days, with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
- Questions
- 150 scored items (plus 5 to 10 unscored experimental)
- Time
- 2.5 hours (150 minutes)
- To pass
- 70% correct (105 of 150)
- Exam fee
- $40 PSI exam fee
- Required course
- 40-hour DFS-approved pre-licensing course
Free New York life and health insurance practice exam questions
Five sample questions from the bank — open each answer to see the explanation and the legal source. Take the free 10-question test to practice with a timer and a score.
1. Mia buys a life insurance policy on her own life and names a longtime friend as beneficiary. The friend has no financial interest in Mia's life. Is this allowed?
- No, because the beneficiary must be related to her by blood or marriage
- No, because every beneficiary must have an insurable interest in the insured
- Yes, a person has an unlimited insurable interest in her own life and may name anyone
- Yes, but only if the face amount is small and the insurer approves the friend
Show answer
Answer: C. Yes, a person has an unlimited insurable interest in her own life and may name anyone
When you insure your own life, insurable interest is met by you as the applicant. You may make the policy payable to anyone, even a beneficiary with no insurable interest.
Source: Cal. Ins. Code §10110.1(b) · verified 2026-11-07
2. A client compares Medigap Plan G from two different insurers in the same state. In most states, what is the only difference between these two policies?
- The premium charged
- The basic benefits covered
- The Medicare Part A deductible
- Whether the policy is guaranteed renewable
Show answer
Answer: A. The premium charged
Medigap plans are standardized and identified by letters in most states. All plans with the same letter offer the same basic benefits, so price is the only difference between companies.
Source: Choosing a Medigap Policy (CMS), Section 2 – Medigap policies are standardized · verified 2026-11-07
3. A surgeon with a waiver of premium rider has been totally disabled for 30 months. She can no longer operate but is reasonably suited by education and training to teach at a medical school. Using the minimum total disability definition in the IIPRC standards, which statement is correct?
- She remains totally disabled for life, because she can no longer perform surgery in any setting
- After 24 months, she is not totally disabled if she can do another job suited to her training
- Waiver of premium never covers disability that lasts more than 24 months
- Her disability is judged only by whether she can do any job at all, starting from the first day
Show answer
Answer: B. After 24 months, she is not totally disabled if she can do another job suited to her training
For the first 24 months, total disability means being unable to do the duties of one's own job. After 24 months, it means being unable to do one's own job or any other job one is reasonably suited for by education, training, or experience.
Source: IIPRC Additional Standards for Waiver of Premium Benefits for Total Disability and Other Qualifying Events, §3A(1)(a)(ii) · verified 2026-11-07
4. A construction worker insured under a disability policy becomes an office clerk, an occupation the insurer classifies as less hazardous, and sends proof of the change. What does the Change of Occupation provision require the insurer to do?
- Reduce the premium rate and refund the excess pro-rata unearned premium
- Increase the monthly benefit but leave the premium unchanged
- Cancel the policy and issue a new one at office rates
- Make no change until the policy is renewed
Show answer
Answer: A. Reduce the premium rate and refund the excess pro-rata unearned premium
When the insured moves to a less hazardous occupation, the insurer reduces the premium rate after receiving proof and returns the excess pro-rata unearned premium.
Source: NAIC Model 180 §3B(1) Change of Occupation · verified 2026-11-07
5. A 35-year-old compares a 20-pay whole life policy with an ordinary (continuous-premium) whole life policy with the same face amount from the same insurer. How does the annual premium for the 20-pay policy compare?
- Higher, because premiums are paid over a shorter period
- Lower, because the insurer collects fewer payments
- The same, because the face amounts are equal
- Lower, because coverage ends after 20 years
Show answer
Answer: A. Higher, because premiums are paid over a shorter period
Limited-pay whole life fits the full lifetime cost into a shorter payment period, such as 20 years or to age 65, so each premium is higher. Coverage still lasts for the insured's whole life.
Source: Ill. Admin. Code tit. 50, pt. 930, Exhibit B (NAIC Life Insurance Buyer's Guide) – Whole Life Insurance · verified 2026-11-07
What the New York Life, Accident & Health exam is and who takes it
New York licenses insurance agents and brokers through the Department of Financial Services. A Life, Accident & Health agent or broker is licensed to sell, solicit or negotiate life insurance, annuities and accident and health insurance. PSI Services LLC runs the licensing exams for DFS.
Series 17-55 is the combined exam for candidates who want the Life and the Accident and Health lines at the same time. If you want only one line, PSI offers separate exams: 17-51 (Life) and 17-52 (Accident and Health). The 17-55 is one New York exam that mixes insurance principles with New York Insurance Law and DFS regulations. There is no separate general section and state section.
- Agent: represents the companies that have appointed them.
- Broker: represents the insured and can place business with any New York authorized company that will accept it.
- CLU or CLUA holders applying for an agent license may waive the education requirement and take the Life and Health Laws and Regulations exam instead.
Series 17-55 exam format: questions, time and passing score
- Questions: 150 scored multiple-choice items. PSI may add a small number (5 to 10) of unscored experimental questions. They are not marked, so treat every question as if it counts.
- Time: 2.5 hours. The computer tutorial (up to 15 minutes) does not count toward your exam time.
- Passing score: 70% correct, which works out to 105 of the 150 scored items.
- Closed book: reference materials of any kind are prohibited, as are electronic devices, including handheld calculators.
- Delivery: at a PSI test center or by remote online proctoring. Breaks are not allowed during remote proctored exams.
- Results: your score appears on screen when you finish, and PSI emails you a score report. If you fail, the report shows your strengths and weaknesses by area.
You can go back and change answers until time runs out. These details come from the PSI New York Insurance Candidate Information Bulletin (marked updated April 28, 2023). Check PSI's New York page for any changes before you book.
Exam fee and how to register and schedule
- Exam fee: $40 per attempt, paid to PSI. Exam fees are not refundable or transferable, and you forfeit the fee if you do not test within 1 year of the date PSI receives it.
- Register: online at test-takers.psiexams.com/nyins or by phone at (855) 579-4637. You choose a test center or remote proctoring when you schedule.
- Rescheduling: you can cancel and reschedule without losing the fee if PSI receives your notice 2 days before the exam date. For example, for a Monday appointment the notice must arrive by the previous Saturday. A voicemail or email does not count as cancellation.
- Retakes: you cannot book a new exam on the same day you tested. If you fail on a Wednesday, you can call on Thursday and retest as soon as Friday, depending on seat availability. You pay the exam fee again for each attempt.
The license fee is separate. After you pass, DFS charges New York residents $80 for a full license fee or $40 for a half fee.
Prerequisites: the 40-hour pre-licensing course
New York Insurance Law requires agent and broker applicants to complete a pre-licensing course approved by DFS. The minimum is 40 hours for Life, Accident and Health, or 20 hours for Life only or Accident and Health only. You can find approved schools on the DFS pre-licensing education page.
This practice test supplements the required course. It does not replace it. Use the course to learn the material and use practice questions to check what you remember and to get used to the timing.
- Agent and broker applicants who hold certain designations (CPCU, CLU, CLUA, ChFC, MSFS) are exempt from the course, according to DFS.
- To get a New York resident license you must be at least 18 years old.
- A conviction covered by 18 U.S.C. § 1033 can bar you from working in insurance unless the Superintendent gives written consent. If this applies to you, read the PSI bulletin before you apply.
What the NY life and accident and health exam questions cover
The official 17-55 content outline in the PSI bulletin gives these weights:
- Insurance Regulation: 7%
- General Insurance: 4%
- Life Insurance Basics: 8%
- Life Insurance Policies: 8%
- Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders: 10%
- Annuities: 7%
- Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities: 2%
- Qualified Plans: 2%
- Life Settlement: 3%
- Accident and Health Insurance Basics: 5%
- Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions: 4%
- Disability Income and Related Insurance: 6%
- Medical Plans: 6%
- Affordable Care Act: 6%
- Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance: 6%
- Group Health and Blanket Insurance: 5%
- Government Insurance Plans: 5%
- Private Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals: 6%
The outline cites specific New York Insurance Law sections and DFS regulations inside each topic. Examples include licensing definitions (§2101), insurable interest (§3205), A&H advertising (Regulation 34), small group (Regulation 145) and Healthy New York (§4326).
Study tips for the Series 17-55
- Study by outline weight. Life topics (basics, policies, provisions and riders, annuities) together carry more weight than any single health topic. Provisions, Options, and Riders is the largest single section at 10%.
- Read the cited sections. The outline names New York statutes and regulations, such as Regulation 60 on replacement, Regulation 187 on best interest and Regulation 62 on long-term care. Reading the short sections in the New York Insurance Law helps you answer questions that turn on one word, such as "must" vs. "may" or agent vs. broker.
- Keep New York rules separate from general rules. Many prep books teach national model rules. When a question asks about New York, answer with the New York rule.
- Learn the definitions that look alike. Examples are noncancelable vs. guaranteed renewable, representation vs. warranty, and absolute vs. collateral assignment.
- Practice under time. 150 items in 2.5 hours gives you 1 minute per question. A timed full-length mock shows whether you need to speed up.
- Use your score report. If you fail, the diagnostic report shows weak areas. Focus your next round of study there.
After you pass: getting your New York license
- Apply for the license online through NY LINX. DFS must receive your application within two years from the date you passed the exam.
- Pay the license fee. For New York residents this is $80 for a full fee or $40 for a half fee. Licensing fees are non-refundable.
- Agents send DFS a notice of appointment within 15 days from the date the agency contract is executed or the first insurance application is submitted.
Passing the exam does not guarantee a license. DFS reviews your application and background first. Licenses are issued for up to 2 years and expire on your birthday, in an even or odd year matching your birth year. DFS does not mail paper licenses; you look up and print your license online. Details are on the DFS Life, Accident & Health licensing page.
Pricing
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Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the New York Life, Accident and Health exam (Series 17-55)?
150 scored items. PSI may also include 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions.
How long is the 17-55 exam?
2.5 hours. The tutorial (up to 15 minutes) does not count toward exam time.
What score do I need to pass?
70% correct, which is 105 of the 150 scored items.
How much does the exam cost?
$40 per attempt, paid to PSI. The fee is not refundable or transferable.
Do I have to take a pre-licensing course?
Yes. DFS requires an approved course of at least 40 hours for Life, Accident and Health (20 hours for one line only). Some designations, such as CLU, are exempt.
Is the exam open book, and can I take it from home?
It is closed book; reference materials of any kind are prohibited. You can test at a PSI center or with remote online proctoring.
If I fail, how soon can I retake it?
Not on the same day. If you fail on a Wednesday you can call Thursday and retest as soon as Friday, if seats are available. Each attempt costs the exam fee.
How long do I have to apply for my license after passing?
DFS must receive your application within two years from the date you passed the exam.
Is there a free New York life and health insurance practice exam?
Yes. The first 10 questions are free, with no account or email needed. Full access to all 290 questions, practice by topic and the timed full-length exam starts at $24.99 as a one-time payment.
Is the New York life and health insurance exam hard?
It depends on your preparation. To pass you need 70% correct (105 of 150). The most reliable way to check is a timed full-length practice exam: ours has 150 questions and is scored against the official passing standard, and your results by topic show which areas still need work.
Related practice tests
- Texas Life, Accident & Health practice test
- Texas Property & Casualty practice test
- Florida 2-15 Life & Health practice test
- California Life & Accident/Health practice test
Sources
- https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/7228 — Series 17-55: 150 items, 2.5-hour time limit
- https://www.dfs.ny.gov/apps_and_licensing/agents_and_brokers/prelicensing_education — Pre-licensing hours: 40 combined, 20 single line; designation exemptions
- https://www.dfs.ny.gov/apps_and_licensing/agents_and_brokers/lic_app_la_lb — License fee $80 full / $40 half for NY residents; up to 2 years
ExamCleared is independent and not affiliated with New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) / PSI Services LLC. Our questions are original practice questions written from public law and official materials — not actual exam questions. Confirm current requirements with the official agency before you register.