South Carolina Insurance License Exam

Passing your South Carolina insurance license exam is a pivotal part of becoming a licensed insurance agent in the state of South Carolina.

In this guide, we’ll break down the general information that you need to know in order to pass your exam, outline the differences between each examination line, and offer tips on both: how to prepare for your South Carolina insurance licensing exam, and on what to do after you pass.

South Carolina Insurance Exam Basics

General Information

The state of South Carolina uses Pearson VUE to administer its insurance agent licensing. This means you can register and book all of your licensing examinations through the Pearson VUE website. Your test can be carried out online or in person.

Each major insurance line examination includes both general and state-specific material.

The general questions test your federal insurance product and agent knowledge, whereas the state-specific questions test you on the South Carolina insurance regulations and laws that you will need to know in order to operate as an insurance agent.

Score Explanation

As soon as you finish your insurance exam, you will see your score on screen. A score report will also be emailed to you.

If you failed your exam, your score report will include a diagnostic report which can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses for future exam attempts.

Note: You will need to obtain a score of 70% or higher in order to pass your insurance license exam(s) in South Carolina.

Cost

Your South Carolina insurance license exam cost will depend on the number of examinations that you take:

Examination	Cost	Time Allowed
Life, Accident & Health	$59	150 Minutes
Life Insurance Producer	$59	120 Minutes
Property, Casualty, Surety and Marine	$59	165 Minutes
Personal Lines Insurance Producer	$59	120 Minutes

Note: You should focus on one exam at a time. This will likely increase the amount of time and effort you can allocate to each examination and should allow you to feel more prepared when you sit your exam.

South Carolina Life, Accident and Health Insurance Exam

Below you can find the content outline offered by Pearson VUE.

We recommend using it as a checklist when working through your pre-license education course. This way, you’ll be absolutely sure that you haven’t missed any topic that you will be tested on later on.

Life, Accident and Health General Knowledge Content Outline

100 scorable questions plus 5 pretest questions.

I. Types of Policies

A. Traditional Whole Life Products
B. Interest Sensitive/Adjustable Life Products
C. Term Life
D. Annuities
E. Combination Plans and Variations

II. Policy Riders, Provisions, Options, and Exclusions

A. Policy Riders
B. Policy Provisions and Options
C. Policy Exclusions

III. Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy

A. Completing the Application
B. Underwriting
C. Delivering the Policy
D. Contract Law

IV. Retirement and Other Insurance Concepts

A. Third-Party Ownership
B. Life Settlements
C. Group Life Insurance
D. Retirement Plans
E. Life Insurance Needs Analysis/Suitability
F. Social Security Benefits
H. Tax Treatment of Insurance Premiums, Proceeds, and Dividends

V. Accident & Sickness
Types of Policies

A. Disability income
B. Accidental death and dismemberment
C. Medical expense insurance
D. Medicare supplement policies
E. Group insurance
F. Individual/Group Long Term Care (LTC)
G. Other policies

VI.Accident & Sickness
Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders

A. Mandatory and optional provisions
B. Other provisions and clauses
C. Riders
D. Rights of renewability

VII. Accident & Sickness
Social Insurance

A. Medicare (Parts A, B, C, D)
B. Medicaid
C. Social Security benefits

VIII. Accident & Sickness
Other Insurance Concepts

A. Total, partial, recurrent, and residual disability
B. Owner’s rights
C. Dependent children benefits
D. Primary and contingent beneficiaries
E. Modes of premium payments
F. Nonduplication and coordination of benefits
G. Occupational vs. non-occupational
H. Tax treatment of premiums and proceeds of insurance contracts
I. Managed care
J. Workers Compensation
K. Subrogation
L. Cost containment

IX. Accident & Sickness
Field Underwriting Procedures

A. Completing the application
B. Explaining sources of insurability and HIPAA privacy info
C. Initial premium payment and receipt
D. Submitting application to company for underwriting
E. Policy delivery
F. Explaining policy to clients
G. Replacement
H. Contract law

Life, Accident and Health South Carolina Specific Content Outline

30 scorable questions, plus 5 pretest questions

I. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Insurance Lines

A. Insurance Department and Director
B. General insurance definitions
C. Licensing
D. Unfair trade practices
E. Reporting and disposition of premiums
F. Life and Accident and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
G. Consumer information privacy regulation

II. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Life Insurance

A. Replacement/Conversion of Life insurance
B. Life insurance advertisements and solicitation
C. Group/Individual Life policy provisions and riders

III. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Accident and Health Insurance

A. Individual and Group Accident and Sickness Insurance
B. Medicare Supplement
C. Long Term Care

Life General Knowledge Content Outline

50 scorable questions, plus 5 pretest questions.

I. Types of Policies

A. Traditional whole life products
B. Interest/market-sensitive/adjustable life products
C. Term life
D. Annuities
E. Combination plans and variations

II. Policy Riders, Provisions, Options, and Exclusions

A. Policy riders
B. Policy provisions and options
C. Policy exclusions

III. Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy

A. Completing the application
B. Underwriting
C. Delivering the policy
D. Contract law

IV. Retirement, and Other Insurance Concepts

A. Third-party ownership
B. Life settlements
C. Group life insurance
D. Retirement plans
E. Life insurance needs analysis/suitability
F. Social Security benefits
G. Tax treatment of insurance premiums, proceeds, and dividends

Life South Carolina Specific Content Outline

I. South Carolina Laws, Rules, and Regulations Pertinent to all Lines

A. Insurance Department and Director
B. General insurance definitions
C. Licensing
D. Unfair trade practices
E. Reporting and Disposition of Premiums
F. Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
G. Consumer information privacy regulation

II. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Life Insurance

A. Replacement/Conversion of Life insurance
B. Life insurance advertisements and solicitation
C. Group/Individual Life policy provisions and riders

South Carolina Property and Casualty License Exam

Below you can find the content outline offered by Pearson VUE.

You should use this outline as a checklist when working through your pre-license education course in order to ensure that you haven’t missed any topic that you will be tested on later on.

Property General Knowledge Content Outline

50 scorable answers plus 5 pretest questions.

80 scorable answers plus 10 pretest questions.

I. Types of Policies

A. Homeowners
B. Dwelling policies
C. Commercial lines
D. Inland marine
E. National Flood Insurance Program
F. Others

II. Insurance Terms and Related Concepts

A. Insurance
B. Insurable interest
C. Risk
D. Hazard
E. Peril
F. Loss
G. Loss Valuation
H. Proximate cause
I. Deductible
J. Indemnity
K. Limits of liability
L. Coinsurance/Insurance to value
M. Occurrence
N. Cancellation
O. Nonrenewal
P. Vacancy and Inoccupancy
Q. Liability
R. Negligence
S. Binder
T. Endorsements
U. Blanket vs. Specific

III. Policy Provisions and Contract Law

A. Declarations
B. Insuring agreement
C. Conditions
D. Exclusions
E. Definition of the insured
F. Duties of the insured
G. Obligations of the insurance company
H. Mortgagee rights
I. Proof of loss
J. Notice of claim
K. Appraisal
L. Other Insurance Provision
M. Subrogation
N. Elements of a contract
O. Warranties, representations, and concealment
P. Sources of underwriting information
Q. Fair Credit Reporting Act
R. Privacy Protection (Gramm Leach Bliley)
S. Policy Application
T. Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA)
U. Territory

Property South Carolina Specific Content Outline

25 scorable questions

I. South Carolina State Laws and Regulations Pertinent to All Insurance Lines

A. Insurance Department and Director
B. General insurance definitions
C. Licensing of agents, counselors, subagents, and adjusters
D. Unfair trade practices

II. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance

A. Cancellation and nonrenewal of policies
B. Regulation of Rates
C. South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance
Guaranty Association

Casualty General Knowledge Content Outline

50 scorable questions, plus 5 pretest questions.

I. Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms

A. Commercial general liability
B. Automobile: personal auto and business auto
C. Workers Compensation Insurance, Employers Liability Insurance and Related Issues
D. Crime
E. Bonds
F. Professional liability
G. Umbrella/Excess Liability
H. Business owners Policy (BOP)

II. Insurance Terms and Related Concepts

A. Risk
B. Hazards
C. Indemnity
D. Insurable interest
E. Loss valuation
F. Negligence
G. Liability
H. Occurrence
I. Binders
J. Warranties
K. Representations
L. Concealment
M. Deposit Premium/Audit
N. Certificate of Insurance
O. Law of Large Numbers
P. Pure vs. Speculative Risk
Q. Endorsements
R. Damages
S. Compliance with provisions of Fair Credit Reporting Act

III. Policy Provisions

A. Declarations
B. Insuring agreement
C. Conditions
D. Exclusions and Limitations
E. Definition of the insured
F. Duties of the insured after a loss
G. Cancellation and nonrenewal provisions
H. Supplementary payments
I. Proof of loss
J. Notice of claim
K. Arbitration
L. Subrogation
M. Loss settlement provisions including consent to settle a loss
N. Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA)

Casualty South Carolina Specific Content Outline

I. South Carolina State Laws and Regulations Pertinent to All Lines

A. Insurance Department and Director
B. General insurance definitions
C. Licensing
D. Unfair trade practices
E. Reporting and Disposition of Premiums
F. Consumer information privacy regulation

II. South Carolina State Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance

A. Cancellation and nonrenewal of policies
B. Regulation of Rates
C. South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance
Guaranty Association
D. Auto
E. South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Law

Property and Casualty General Knowledge Content Outline

100 scorable questions, 5 pretest questions

I. Types of Policies

A. Homeowners
B. Dwelling policies
C. Commercial lines
D. Inland marine
E. National Flood Insurance Program
F. Others

II. Property: Insurance Terms and Related Concepts

A. Insurance
B. Insurable interest
C. Risk
D. Hazard
E. Peril
F. Loss
G. Loss Valuation
H. Proximate cause
I. Deductible
J. Indemnity
K. Limits of liability
L. Coinsurance/Insurance to value
M. Occurrence
N. Cancellation
O. Nonrenewal
P. Vacancy and Inoccupancy
Q. Liability
R. Negligence
S. Binder
T. Endorsements
U. Blanket vs. Specific

III. Property: Policy Provisions and Contract Law

A. Declarations
B. Insuring agreement
C. Conditions
D. Exclusions
E. Definition of the insured
F. Duties of the insured
G. Obligations of the insurance company
H. Mortgagee rights
I. Proof of loss
J. Notice of claim
K. Appraisal
L. Other Insurance Provision
M. Subrogation
N. Elements of a contract
O. Warranties, representations, and concealment
P. Sources of underwriting information
Q. Fair Credit Reporting Act
R. Privacy Protection (Gramm Leach Bliley)
S. Policy Application
T. Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA)
U. Territory

IV. Casualty: Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms

A. Commercial general liability
B. Automobile: personal auto and business auto
C. Workers Compensation Insurance, Employers Liability Insurance and Related Issues
D. Crime
E. Bonds
F. Professional liability
G. Umbrella/Excess Liability
H. Business owners Policy (BOP)

V. Casualty: Insurance Terms and Related Concepts

A. Risk
B. Hazards
C. Indemnity
D. Insurable interest
E. Loss valuation
F. Negligence
G. Liability
H. Occurrence
I. Binders
J. Warranties
K. Representations
L. Concealment
M. Deposit Premium/Audit
N. Certificate of Insurance
O. Law of Large Numbers
P. Pure vs. Speculative Risk
Q. Endorsements
R. Damages
S. Compliance with provisions of Fair Credit Reporting Act

VI. Policy Provisions

A. Declarations
B. Insuring agreement
C. Conditions
D. Exclusions and Limitations
E. Definition of the insured
F. Duties of the insured after a loss
G. Cancellation and nonrenewal provisions
H. Supplementary payments
I. Proof of loss
J. Notice of claim
K. Arbitration
L. Subrogation
M. Loss settlement provisions including consent to settle a loss
N. Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA)

Property and Casualty South Carolina Specific Content Outline

I. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to All Lines

A. Insurance Department and Director
B. General insurance definitions
C. Licensing
D. Unfair trade practices
E. Reporting and Disposition of Premiums
F. Consumer information privacy regulation

II. South Carolina Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property and Casualty

A. Cancellation and nonrenewal of policies
B. Regulation of Rates
C. South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association Act
D. South Carolina Valued Policy Law
E. South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (SCWHUA)
F. Auto
G. G. South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Law

How to Pass the South Carolina Insurance Exam

Passing your South Carolina insurance exam ultimately comes down to your mindset and degree of preparation.

We have composed a few helpful exam tips and tricks that should help you perform as well as you can during your exam day.

Get a Pre-License Course

Even though this is not a requirement in the state of South Carolina, getting a pre-license course can be incredibly beneficial. These courses can help you get accustomed to the extensive amount of content that you will have to memorize.

We recommend Kaplan’s course because it offers a variety of helpful features, including:

• Online exam simulations
• Live online training
• Printable study guides
• End of chapter reviews

Make Enough Time to Study

Not leaving enough time to prepare is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you do not pass your exam on your first attempt.

Remember, there are zero questions on your exam that are based on common sense or critical thinking. All questions are purely factual, and so will relate to how well you understand and remember the content that you have learned.

We recommend allocating around one to two weeks to prepare for your exam, as this should allow you to go through all of the material at least twice.

Control Test Anxiety

Even though you cannot control whether you get exam anxiety or not, you can take a few steps when preparing to limit its effect on your performance:

• Establish a consistent pretest routine — Acclimate yourself to exam conditions by following a specific routine on each practice exam at home. This should help you feel less anxious during your exam day.
• Get plenty of sleep — Lack of sleep can exacerbate your anxiety and increase your self-doubt. Make sure you are consistently getting a good night’s sleep in the week leading up to your exam.
• Study effectively — This sounds obvious, but make sure you are actually tailoring your studying to the exam that you are taking. Remember, there are no critical thinking or common sense questions involved.
• Arrive early — If you are planning to sit your exam in person, we recommend you arrive at least 30 minutes before it’s due to start in order to get used to your surroundings and have time to check in with your center’s administrator.

Getting Your South Carolina Insurance License

Your next steps will depend on whether you actually passed your exam, as well as on whether you plan to get licensed for any additional lines.

You can apply for your license up to 12 months after you complete your exam, so if you would like to attempt passing additional insurance line exams before filing your licensing application, you are totally free to do that.

After you have passed your insurance licensing exam, you will need to:

• Complete a fingerprint and background check
• File your licensing application
• Wait for your application to be reviewed

South Carolina Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:

1201 Main Street, Suite 1000
Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: (803) 737-6160

Fax: (803) 737-6231

Email: agentmail@doi.sc.gov

Website: https://doi.sc.gov/481/Producer

License Search: South Carolina Insurance License Search and Lookup