- The exam is 150 scored questions in 150 minutes, and you need 70% to pass.
- Insurance Regulation is the single largest domain at 10% of the test.
- Prelicensing education certificates (20 hours Life, 20 hours Accident and Health) expire after 180 days.
- The exam fee is $49, administered by PSI as Series 11-35 for the Ohio Department of Insurance.
Quick Facts Snapshot
Before diving into domain-level details, keep this reference table nearby during your final review. Every figure here comes straight from the Ohio Department of Insurance's rules for the Life, Accident and Health Producer Combined Exam, administered through PSI as Series 11-35.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regulating body | Ohio Department of Insurance |
| Test administrator | PSI (Series 11-35) |
| Exam fee | $49 |
| Question count | 150 scored multiple-choice questions |
| Time limit | 150 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Prelicensing education | 20 hours Life + 20 hours Accident and Health |
| Certificate validity | 180 days from completion |
| Background check | BCI and FBI fingerprint-based checks |
| License renewal | Every 2 years; 24 CE hours (3 ethics) |
If you want a deeper walkthrough of how each of these numbers fits into your overall preparation timeline, the OHLH Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt breaks the process down step by step, and the OHLH Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify guide covers eligibility in more depth.
All 16 Domains at a Glance
The Life, Accident and Health Producer Combined Exam is built from 16 distinct content areas. None of them stand alone - many questions blend a regulation concept with a policy provision or a tax rule, so you need working familiarity with all 16, not mastery of a favorite few.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1. Insurance Regulation | 10% |
| 2. General Insurance | 5% |
| 3. Life Insurance Basics | 8% |
| 4. Life Insurance Policies | 7% |
| 5. Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders | 9% |
| 6. Annuities | 5% |
| 7. Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities | 8% |
| 8. Accident and Health Insurance Basics | 8% |
| 9. Individual Accident and Health Insurance Policy General Provisions | 5% |
| 10. Disability Income and Related Insurance | 5% |
| 11. Medical Plans | 6% |
| 12. Health Insuring Corporations (HICs) | 5% |
| 13. Group Accident and Health Insurance | 5% |
| 14. Dental Care Plans | 2% |
| 15. Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals | 8% |
| 16. Federal Tax Considerations for Accident and Health Insurance | 4% |
Notice how the life-side domains (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and the health-side domains (8 through 14, 16) roughly mirror each other in structure - basics, policy provisions, group variations, and tax treatment. Once you see that pattern, cross-referencing becomes much easier. For a domain-by-domain breakdown of what's tested inside each area, see the OHLH Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 16 Content Areas.
High-Weight Domains to Prioritize
With 150 minutes for 150 questions, you have roughly one minute per question, so efficient recall matters more than slow reasoning. These four domains carry the most combined weight and deserve disproportionate review time.
Domain 1: Insurance Regulation (10%)
This is the largest single domain on the exam. Expect questions on producer licensing rules, appointment requirements, unfair trade practices, and the Ohio Department of Insurance's authority over agents.
- Know the difference between licensing violations and unfair claims practices
- Understand producer duties tied to appointments and terminations
- Review penalties and disciplinary actions the department can impose
Domain 5: Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders (9%)
Nearly one in ten questions comes from this domain. Focus on nonforfeiture options, settlement options, and common riders like waiver of premium and accelerated death benefit.
- Memorize the grace period and reinstatement provisions
- Compare loan provisions against automatic premium loan features
- Distinguish riders that add coverage from those that adjust existing benefits
Domain 3: Life Insurance Basics & Domain 8: Accident and Health Insurance Basics (8% each)
These foundational domains define the terminology everything else builds on - insurable interest, underwriting classifications, and the structure of indemnity versus service benefits.
- Master the parties to a life insurance contract and their roles
- Learn how underwriting risk classes affect premium rating
- Separate first-party from third-party accident and health coverage concepts
Domain 15: Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals (8%)
Because Ohio producers frequently serve older clients, this domain tests suitability standards, long-term care basics, and coordination between individual policies and public programs.
- Understand suitability requirements when recommending policies to seniors
- Know how supplemental coverage interacts with existing benefits
- Review disclosure obligations specific to senior-focused products
Key Takeaway
Domains 1, 5, 3, 8, and 15 together account for roughly 43% of the exam. If your time is limited, drill these five domains first before moving to the smaller ones.
Licensing & Registration Mechanics
The exam itself is only one piece of getting licensed. Understanding the surrounding process helps you avoid administrative delays that have nothing to do with your knowledge of the material.
- Prelicensing education: Resident applicants complete 20 hours of approved coursework for Life and 20 hours for Accident and Health before sitting for the exam.
- Certificate expiration: Each completion certificate is valid for only 180 days, so plan your PSI exam date while the clock is still running.
- Exam delivery: PSI administers the test as Series 11-35, combining both the life and health content into one 150-question, 150-minute session.
- Exam fee: Budget $49 for the exam itself, separate from any prelicensing course tuition.
For a full cost breakdown across coursework, fees, and fingerprinting, check the OHLH Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown article. If you're still confirming when and how often exams are offered, the OHLH Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling guide covers scheduling logistics.
Fingerprinting, Renewal & CE Requirements
Passing the exam doesn't finish the licensing process, and staying licensed requires ongoing compliance.
- Background checks: Both BCI and FBI fingerprint-based background checks are required before a producer license is issued.
- Renewal cycle: Producer licenses renew every two years.
- Continuing education: Each renewal period requires 24 CE hours, with 3 of those hours specifically in ethics.
These requirements are separate from the initial exam but often show up in Domain 1 (Insurance Regulation) questions about producer obligations, so it's worth memorizing the numbers even before you're licensed.
One-Week Final Review Plan
If you're using this cheat sheet in the last week before your PSI appointment, sequence your review around domain weight rather than the order domains are listed in the outline.
Regulation & Life Fundamentals
- Review Domain 1 (Insurance Regulation) licensing and disciplinary rules
- Cover Domain 3 (Life Insurance Basics) terminology and contract parties
- Skim Domain 4 (Life Insurance Policies) product types
Provisions, Riders & Tax Rules
- Drill Domain 5 (Policy Provisions, Options and Riders) settlement and nonforfeiture options
- Work through Domain 7 and Domain 16, the federal tax considerations for life, annuities, and accident and health
- Review Domain 6 (Annuities) accumulation and payout phases
Health, Group & Senior Coverage
- Cover Domain 8 (Accident and Health Basics) and Domain 9 (Individual A&H Policy Provisions)
- Review Domain 11 (Medical Plans), Domain 12 (HICs), and Domain 13 (Group Accident and Health)
- Study Domain 15 (Senior Citizens and Special Needs) suitability rules
Small Domains & Full Simulation
- Finish Domain 2 (General Insurance), Domain 10 (Disability Income), and Domain 14 (Dental Care Plans)
- Take a full-length timed practice exam under real 150-question, 150-minute conditions
- Review missed questions by domain, not just by correct/incorrect count
Running a full-length simulation on our practice test platform before test day is the best way to confirm your pacing holds up across all 150 questions, not just in short study bursts.
Common Question Traps
Even well-prepared candidates lose points to predictable question patterns rather than genuine knowledge gaps.
- Mixing life and health terminology: Because the exam combines both lines, questions can use similar-sounding terms (like "elimination period" versus "grace period") from different domains. Read carefully before assuming which product type is being described.
- Overlooking regulation-based wording: Domain 1 questions often hinge on exact regulatory language rather than general insurance logic. If an answer choice sounds reasonable but isn't the specific rule, it's likely a distractor.
- Tax domain assumptions: Domains 7 and 16 test federal tax treatment specifically - don't apply general financial planning assumptions where the exam wants the precise tax rule.
- Rider versus provision confusion: In Domain 5, riders (which add or modify benefits for an extra cost) are frequently confused with standard provisions (which are built into the base contract).
If you're unsure how these traps compare to the exam's overall difficulty level, the How Hard Is the OHLH Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 article walks through what makes certain domains harder than others. And if you want to see how your prep stacks up against outcome data, the OHLH Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows piece is a useful companion read.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam has 150 scored multiple-choice questions with a 150-minute time limit, which works out to about one minute per question on average.
You need to score 70% or higher across the full exam. There is no separate passing threshold for individual domains.
Start with Insurance Regulation, since it's the largest domain at 10% of the exam, followed by Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders at 9%.
Each completion certificate for the 20-hour Life and 20-hour Accident and Health courses is valid for 180 days, so schedule your PSI exam within that window.
You'll need to clear BCI and FBI fingerprint-based background checks before licensure, and once licensed, you'll renew every two years with 24 CE hours, including 3 ethics hours.