Florida DFS · License Class 2-15

Jules’ Exam Prep Guide

The state gives you 165 minutes to answer 165 questions. Here is the plan, the numbers to memorize, and 128 practice questions.

Jules
InsFL-LHA05Pearson VUE code
165Questions (150 scored)
105Correct to pass
2:45Time limit

What this exam actually is

A closed-book, multiple-choice test at a Pearson VUE center. Four options per question, no penalty for guessing, and you see pass or fail on screen the second you submit. Fifteen of the 165 questions are unscored pilot questions mixed in unmarked, so treat every one as real.

The single most important fact: the Florida state exam is written from the FAIFA / NAIFA-Florida Health, Life & Variable Annuity Study Manual. That book is the source of truth. Everything here is built to support it, not replace it — if a number in your manual differs from one here, your manual wins.

Getting to the test seat

1

Confirm she is eligible

Must be at least 18 and a US citizen or legal alien with work authorization. Florida resident (or apply as a nonresident if licensed elsewhere).

2

Finish the 60-hour prelicensing course

Required by DFS from a state-approved provider, and she needs the current FAIFA study manual to go with it. The provider reports her completion certificate to DFS electronically. Don't buy an out-of-date manual edition — it's the one purchase where the year matters.

3

Apply through MyProfile at MyFloridaCFO

Create the MyProfile account, submit the 2-15 application, pay the fees. Then get electronically fingerprinted through the DFS-approved vendor. Fingerprints must be on file before the license issues.

4

Schedule with Pearson VUE

Exam code InsFL-LHA05, roughly $44. Book the seat before she feels ready — a fixed date is what makes the studying happen. Morning slot if she is a morning person; the test is nearly three hours of concentration.

5

Pass, then finish licensing within one year

A passing score is good for 12 months. If the application isn't completed in that window, she retakes the exam. She also can't sell until an insurer appoints her — the license alone isn't authority to write business.

Retake rules: up to five attempts at the same exam in any 12-month period. Plenty of room, but a failed attempt costs another fee and another wait — so use the diagnostic breakdown on a failed score report. It tells you exactly which sections sank you.

The three-week schedule

Two to three focused hours a day. Front-load Florida law — that is where most candidates bleed points, and state rules need more repetitions than the national content, which is mostly logic.

DaysFocusDaily target
1–3Florida laws, rules, DFS powers, ethics, unfair trade practicesRead the chapter, then drill that section until 85%+
4–5Contract law: insurable interest, offer/acceptance, adhesion, utmost good faith, warranties vs. representationsDrill + write out the definitions from memory
6–8Life policy types and provisions, riders, nonforfeiture, settlement options, dividendsTwo drill rounds, morning and night
9–10Annuities — accumulation vs. annuitization, fixed vs. variable, payout options, suitabilityDrill until she can explain each payout option out loud
11–13Health: provisions, disability income, medical expense, HMO/PPO, LTCDrill + flag every miss
14–15Medicare A/B/C/D, Medicare supplement, Medicaid, group health, COBRADrill; this section is dense and heavily tested
16–17Taxation and qualified plans: MEC, 1035, IRA/401(k)/403(b), premature distributionDrill + the Key Numbers tab
18–20Full mixed drills, timed. Nothing new — only review misses.Two full mixed rounds a day
21Light review of Key Numbers only. Stop by early evening. Sleep.Under an hour

How to answer the questions

Test day

The brain dump sheet

These are the facts that show up as direct recall questions — no reasoning will save her, she either knows them or she doesn't. This is the list to write on the dry-erase board in the first 90 seconds.

Florida time periods
14 daysFree look — individual life insurance policy
14 daysFree look — fixed and variable annuity contracts
21 daysFree look — annuity when the buyer is 65 or older
10 daysFree look — individual health policies (typical minimum)
30 daysFree look — Medicare supplement and long-term care
30 daysGrace period — individual life, premiums after the first
31 daysGrace period — group life; also the conversion window after group coverage ends
2 yearsIncontestability — life and health, after which the insurer cannot contest for misstatement (fraud/nonpayment aside)
2 yearsSuicide exclusion period on a life policy
Claims and legal action
20 daysNotice of claim to the insurer
15 daysInsurer must supply claim forms after notice, or the insured may submit proof in any written form
90 daysProof of loss due after the loss
60 daysNo legal action may begin until 60 days after proof of loss
5 yearsOuter limit to bring legal action after proof of loss
45 daysPeriodic payment interval for continuing disability claims
Health coverage rules
24 monthsMaximum pre-existing condition exclusion on individual health (24-month look-back)
18 monthsCOBRA — termination or reduction of hours
29 monthsCOBRA — disabled at the time of the qualifying event
36 monthsCOBRA — death, divorce, or loss of dependent status
20+Employees required for COBRA to apply to an employer
60 daysElection window to take COBRA
Medicare
7 monthsInitial enrollment period — starts 3 months before the month of the 65th birthday
6 monthsMedigap open enrollment — begins the month she turns 65 and is enrolled in Part B
90 daysPart A hospital benefit period, plus 60 lifetime reserve days
100 daysMaximum skilled nursing facility benefit per benefit period (days 21–100 have a copay)
Jan 1 – Mar 31Medicare general enrollment period
Oct 15 – Dec 7Annual election period for Part C and Part D
Licensing and DFS
60 hoursPrelicensing education required for the 2-15
18Minimum age to be licensed
24 monthsAppointment renewal cycle
180 daysTemporary license duration
30 daysTo notify DFS of an address change or a criminal conviction
24 hrs / 2 yrsContinuing education, including the required 5-hour law and ethics update (reduced hours after 6 years licensed)
1 yearHow long a passing exam score stays valid
Guaranty association limits
$300,000Life insurance death benefit
$100,000Net cash surrender or withdrawal value
$250,000Annuity present value of benefits
$300,000Disability and long-term care benefits
Taxation
59½Age below which distributions face a 10% penalty
73Age required minimum distributions begin
10%Premature distribution penalty on annuities and qualified plans
7 payTest that determines whether a life policy is a MEC
1035Exchange section allowing tax-free swaps: life to life, life to annuity, annuity to annuity

Numbers can change with the statute. Cross-check this sheet against the current FAIFA manual before she leans on it — treat any conflict as the manual being right.

Question bank

128 questions written to the shape of the real exam. Tap an answer and it reveals instantly with the reason. Jump to a section, or work straight through.

FL Law 22 questions

01Which entity issues and regulates insurance agent licenses in Florida?

WhyDFS handles licensing and agent conduct; OIR handles insurer solvency, rates, and forms.

02An agent who induces a policyowner to drop an existing policy by misrepresenting the facts about it has committed:

WhyTwisting is replacement induced by misrepresentation. Churning is the same conduct within the same insurer's own book.

03Adding a product or coverage the applicant never requested and charging for it is:

WhySliding is slipping unrequested coverage or fees into a sale.

04Regarding rebating, Florida law provides that:

WhyFlorida is one of the few states that permits rebating, but only when it is nondiscriminatory and applied to everyone in the same actuarial class.

05The minimum free look period on an individual life insurance policy in Florida is:

Why14 days, measured from policy delivery.

06A fixed annuity is sold to a 70-year-old. The unconditional refund period must be at least:

WhyThe standard annuity free look is 14 days, but it extends to 21 days when the buyer is 65 or older.

07A Medicare supplement policy in Florida must provide a free look period of:

Why30 days for Medicare supplement and long-term care policies.

08The Florida Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association exists to:

WhyIt pays covered claims, up to statutory limits, when a member insurer is impaired or insolvent.

09Which of the following may an agent NOT use as a sales inducement?

WhyStatements about a competitor's financial condition made to induce a sale are defamation and an unfair trade practice.

10An agent holding premium funds belonging to an insurer is acting in what capacity?

WhyPremiums held by an agent are trust funds. Commingling them with personal funds is a violation.

11How long is a Florida temporary insurance license valid?

Why180 days, and it is generally not renewable.

12An agent must notify DFS of a change of address within:

Why30 days — the same window applies to reporting a criminal conviction or a plea.

13Which is required before an agent can lawfully transact business for an insurer?

WhyThe license permits her to be an agent; the appointment authorizes her to represent that specific insurer.

14Knowingly making a false statement on an insurance application to obtain a benefit is:

WhyIt is fraud, punishable under the Florida Insurance Code.

15An order directing a person to stop a specific unlawful practice immediately is:

WhyDFS may issue a cease and desist order; violating one carries additional penalties.

16Which of the following is an unfair claim settlement practice?

WhyFailing to investigate, misrepresenting policy provisions, and unreasonable delay are all unfair claim settlement practices.

17A Florida life policy is incontestable after it has been in force during the insured's lifetime for:

WhyAfter 2 years the insurer cannot contest the policy for a misstatement on the application.

18The grace period for an individual life policy in Florida is at least:

Why30 days on individual life for premiums after the first; group life is 31 days.

19Who bears responsibility for a replacement transaction being properly disclosed?

WhyThe replacing agent must give the required notice and the replacing insurer must notify the existing insurer.

20An applicant's signature on an insurance application must be:

WhySigning an applicant's name is forgery, regardless of permission.

21An HMO in Florida is regulated primarily as:

WhyHMOs provide prepaid services through a network and are regulated under Florida law with both DFS and AHCA involvement.

22Which best describes an agent's duty of suitability on an annuity sale to a senior?

WhyFlorida's annuity suitability rules are strict and are a common exam topic — especially for buyers 65 and older.

Contract Law 14 questions

01Insurable interest in a life insurance policy must exist:

WhyUnlike property insurance, life insurance requires insurable interest only when the policy is issued.

02An insurance contract is one of adhesion, which means:

WhyBecause the insurer drafts it, ambiguity is construed against the insurer.

03A contract in which the values exchanged are unequal is:

WhyAleatory — a small premium may produce a large benefit, or none at all.

04Only one party makes a legally enforceable promise. This describes a contract that is:

WhyThe insurer promises to pay; the insured is never obligated to keep paying premium.

05A false statement on an application that would have changed the underwriting decision is:

WhyMateriality is the test — the misstatement must matter to the risk assessment.

06Deliberately withholding a known material fact is:

WhyConcealment is silence about something the applicant knew was material.

07Voluntarily giving up a known right is:

WhyEstoppel is the related concept — being barred from later asserting the right you gave up.

08An agent's authority that the public reasonably assumes exists based on the agent's appearance and conduct is:

WhyApparent authority arises from what a reasonable client would conclude, such as an agent using insurer-branded materials.

09The clause stating that the policy and the attached application constitute the whole agreement is:

WhyNothing outside the policy and attached application can be used to alter the contract.

10Consideration on the part of the insured consists of:

WhyThe insurer's consideration is the promise to pay benefits.

11When an applicant pays the initial premium with the application, coverage typically begins:

WhyA conditional receipt provides coverage retroactive to the application or medical exam date only if the applicant is found insurable as applied for.

12The process of classifying risks and deciding whether to accept them is:

WhyUnderwriting must be based on sound actuarial classification, never on unfair discrimination.

13The Medical Information Bureau serves what purpose?

WhyMIB reports coded information only; it never provides the underwriting decision itself.

14Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, an applicant who is declined based on a consumer report must be:

WhyThe applicant gets notice of the adverse action and the source, and can then request disclosure directly from the agency.

Life Types 14 questions

01Which policy provides coverage for a specified period with no cash value?

WhyTerm is pure protection — a death benefit only, for a stated term.

02A term policy whose face amount declines over the term while premium stays level is commonly used for:

WhyDecreasing term tracks an amortizing debt.

03Which term feature lets the insured continue coverage without proving insurability?

WhyRenewable extends the term at a higher rate; convertible changes it to permanent — both without new evidence of insurability.

04Whole life premiums are:

WhyGuarantees are the defining feature of traditional whole life.

05A limited pay whole life policy differs from straight whole life in that:

WhyHigher premiums over fewer years, then the policy is paid up.

06Universal life is best described as:

WhyUL unbundles the mortality charge, expenses, and interest, which is why premiums and death benefit can flex.

07Under Universal Life Option B (Option 2), the death benefit equals:

WhyOption A pays a level face amount; Option B pays face plus cash value, so the benefit grows.

08In a variable life policy, the cash value is held in:

WhySeparate account means investment risk shifts to the owner — which is why a securities registration is also required to sell it.

09To sell variable life or variable annuities an agent must hold:

WhyVariable products are securities as well as insurance, so both regulators apply.

10A policy covering two lives that pays at the second death is:

WhySecond-to-die is commonly used for estate tax liquidity, since the tax is typically due at the second death.

11An indexed universal life policy credits interest based on:

WhyThe owner is not invested in the index; crediting is formula-based with downside protection.

12Modified whole life is characterized by:

WhyDesigned for buyers whose income is expected to rise.

13Which policy is typically issued without a medical exam and with a graded death benefit in the first years?

WhyThe graded benefit protects the insurer where underwriting is minimal.

14Group life insurance is generally written as:

WhyThe employer holds the master contract; employees receive certificates.

Provisions 18 questions

01The provision allowing the owner to reinstate a lapsed policy generally requires:

WhyReinstatement restores the original policy and its original age-based rates — but a new contestable period begins.

02A misstatement of age provision means the death benefit will be:

WhyIt is an adjustment, not a defense — and it applies even after the contestable period.

03The automatic premium loan provision:

WhyIt prevents unintentional lapse; the amount becomes a policy loan.

04Which nonforfeiture option provides the same face amount for a limited period of time?

WhyExtended term keeps the face amount and shortens the duration; reduced paid-up keeps the duration for life and shrinks the face.

05Which dividend option buys additional small amounts of permanent coverage with no evidence of insurability?

WhyPaid-up additions are the option that grows both cash value and death benefit fastest.

06Policy dividends from a participating life policy are treated for tax purposes as:

WhyInterest earned on dividends left to accumulate is taxable, but the dividend itself is not.

07The settlement option paying a guaranteed income the beneficiary can never outlive, with nothing to anyone at death, is:

WhyStraight life income pays the largest monthly amount precisely because nothing is guaranteed to heirs.

08A beneficiary chooses to receive $1,000 per month until the proceeds and interest are exhausted. This is:

WhyFixed amount sets the payment; fixed period sets the duration.

09A revocable beneficiary designation means:

WhyAn irrevocable beneficiary must consent to a change, a loan, or a surrender.

10Under per stirpes distribution, if a named child predeceases the insured, that child's share:

WhyPer capita would divide it among the surviving named beneficiaries instead.

11The waiver of premium rider generally:

WhyThe waiting period is typically six months, and benefits are usually retroactive to the start of disability.

12An accidental death benefit rider that doubles the face amount is commonly called:

WhyIt pays only if death results from accidental causes, usually within 90 days of the accident.

13The guaranteed insurability rider allows the insured to:

WhyOption dates are typically every few years and at events like marriage or the birth of a child.

14An accelerated death benefit rider pays:

WhyWhatever is advanced reduces the death benefit paid to the beneficiary.

15A payor benefit rider on a juvenile policy provides that:

WhyIt protects the policy when the adult paying for it can no longer pay.

16A viatical settlement involves:

WhyThe buyer becomes owner and beneficiary and takes over the premiums.

17An outstanding policy loan at the insured's death is:

WhyThe loan plus accrued interest reduces the proceeds.

18The assignment provision in a life policy permits the owner to:

WhyAn absolute assignment transfers all rights; a collateral assignment transfers them only to secure a debt.

Annuities 14 questions

01An annuity's primary purpose is to:

WhyLife insurance creates a sum; an annuity systematically pays one out.

02The period during which the owner pays into an annuity is the:

WhyAccumulation is pay-in; annuitization is pay-out.

03A single premium immediate annuity begins payments:

WhySPIA has no accumulation period — one lump sum in, income starts right away.

04Which annuity guarantees a minimum interest rate and a fixed payout amount?

WhyWith a fixed annuity the insurer bears the investment risk; funds are in the general account.

05In a variable annuity, the purchasing power risk and investment risk are borne by:

WhyPayments vary with subaccount performance, which is exactly why variable products require securities registration.

06During the accumulation phase of a variable annuity, the owner's interest is measured in:

WhyAt annuitization, accumulation units convert to annuity units and the number of annuity units is then fixed.

07A life annuity with 10-year period certain means:

WhyThe certain period is a guarantee against early death; adding it lowers the monthly payment.

08Which payout option produces the highest monthly income for a given sum?

WhyNo guarantees to survivors means the insurer can pay the most per month.

09A joint and two-thirds survivor annuity means that after the first annuitant dies:

WhyReducing the survivor benefit raises the initial payment compared with a full joint and survivor option.

10Withdrawals from a nonqualified deferred annuity before age 59½ are generally subject to:

WhyPlus ordinary income tax on the gain — earnings come out first under LIFO for nonqualified annuities.

11In a nonqualified annuity, the portion of each annuitized payment representing the owner's cost basis is:

WhyThe exclusion ratio determines the tax-free portion of each payment.

12An equity indexed annuity's floor protects the owner by:

WhyThe cap limits the upside; the floor limits the downside. Participation rate determines how much of the index gain is credited.

13A surrender charge on a deferred annuity typically:

WhyIt lets the insurer recover acquisition costs; excessive surrender periods on a senior are a suitability red flag.

14Who receives the annuity payments?

WhyOwner, annuitant, and beneficiary can be three different people; the annuitant's life measures the payout.

Health 16 questions

01Notice of a health insurance claim must generally be given within:

Why20 days for notice, 90 days for proof of loss.

02If the insurer does not furnish claim forms within 15 days of notice, the insured may:

WhyThe insured is not penalized for the insurer's delay.

03Legal action against the insurer cannot be brought until how long after proof of loss?

WhyAnd not later than 5 years after proof of loss is required.

04Which renewability provision offers the insured the strongest protection?

WhyNoncancellable guarantees both renewal and the premium rate. Guaranteed renewable guarantees renewal but the rate can change by class.

05A pre-existing condition exclusion on an individual Florida health policy may not exceed:

WhyWith a 24-month look-back for conditions that would have prompted a prudent person to seek care.

06The time limit on certain defenses provision in a health policy functions like:

WhyAfter the stated period, the insurer cannot void the policy for application misstatements absent fraud.

07A deductible is:

WhyCoinsurance is the percentage split; a copay is the flat per-visit fee.

08Under an 80/20 coinsurance provision, after the deductible is met the insured pays:

WhyThe insurer pays 80%, the insured 20%, until the out-of-pocket maximum is reached.

09A stop-loss or out-of-pocket maximum provision:

WhyIt protects the insured from catastrophic coinsurance exposure.

10The coordination of benefits provision exists to:

WhyOne plan is primary and one secondary; the total cannot exceed the loss.

11Which is an optional, not required, uniform health provision?

WhyMisstatement of age, illegal occupation, and other insurance provisions are among the optional uniform provisions.

12A health policy's grace period for a monthly premium mode is typically:

WhyWeekly mode is 7 days, monthly is 10 days, and quarterly or longer is 31 days.

13A physical exam and autopsy provision allows the insurer to:

WhyThe insurer pays for it.

14Under the change of occupation provision, if the insured takes a more hazardous job, benefits will be:

WhyA less hazardous job entitles the insured to a premium refund instead.

15An insured is covered under a plan with a $1,000 deductible and 80/20 coinsurance on a $6,000 covered bill. The insured pays:

Why$1,000 deductible plus 20% of the remaining $5,000, which is $1,000 — a total of $2,000.

16A basic medical expense policy differs from a major medical policy in that basic coverage:

WhyBasic is first-dollar with low limits; major medical carries deductibles and coinsurance with high maximums.

Health Plans 18 questions

01The defining feature of an HMO is:

WhyHMOs deliver services rather than reimburse for them, and generally require a primary care physician.

02A PPO differs from an HMO in that a PPO:

WhyPPO trades higher cost for flexibility.

03Under an HMO, the primary care physician acting as gatekeeper:

WhyThe gatekeeper model is how HMOs control utilization.

04Disability income insurance benefits are based on:

WhyInsurers typically replace 60–70% of income so the insured retains a financial incentive to return to work.

05The elimination period on a disability policy is:

WhyIt functions as a time deductible — a longer elimination period lowers the premium.

06Own occupation disability coverage means the insured is considered disabled if unable to perform:

WhyAny occupation is the stricter and cheaper definition.

07Disability income benefits are received income tax free when:

WhyEmployer-paid premiums produce taxable benefits; individually paid after-tax premiums produce tax-free benefits.

08Business overhead expense insurance pays:

WhyIt does not replace the owner's own income, and the premiums are tax deductible to the business.

09Long-term care benefits are typically triggered by the inability to perform:

WhyThe six ADLs are bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, and continence.

10Which level of long-term care is provided by a registered nurse under a physician's order?

WhyCustodial care assists with daily living and requires no medical training.

11Medicare Part A primarily covers:

WhyPart A is generally premium-free for those with sufficient work credits.

12Medicare Part B covers:

WhyPart B is voluntary and requires a monthly premium; late enrollment can trigger a lifelong penalty.

13Medicare Part C is also known as:

WhyPart C plans are offered by private insurers and bundle Part A and B, often with Part D.

14The Medicare initial enrollment period:

WhyThree months before, the birthday month, and three months after.

15The Medicare supplement open enrollment period lasts:

WhyDuring open enrollment, a Medigap insurer cannot deny coverage or price it on health status.

16Medicare supplement policies are designed to:

WhyStandardized plans are lettered, and every insurer's Plan A must offer the same core benefits.

17Medicaid differs from Medicare in that Medicaid is:

WhyMedicaid is need-based; Medicare is age or disability based.

18COBRA continuation following termination of employment generally lasts:

Why18 months for termination or reduced hours; 36 months for death, divorce, or a child aging out.

Taxation 12 questions

01A life insurance death benefit paid in a lump sum to a named beneficiary is generally:

WhyInterest paid on proceeds held by the insurer, however, is taxable.

02Cash value growth inside a life insurance policy is:

WhyGain becomes taxable if the policy is surrendered for more than the cost basis.

03A life insurance policy that fails the 7-pay test is classified as:

WhyMEC distributions are taxed LIFO with a possible 10% penalty before 59½ — the death benefit remains income tax free.

04A Section 1035 exchange permits a tax-free transfer from:

WhyLife to life, life to annuity, and annuity to annuity are permitted. Annuity to life is not.

05Premiums an individual pays for personal life insurance are:

WhyPersonal life insurance premiums are paid with after-tax dollars.

06Contributions to a traditional IRA by an eligible individual are:

WhyRoth IRA contributions are the reverse — after tax going in, qualified distributions tax free coming out.

07Qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are tax free if the account has been held five years and the owner is:

WhyThe five-year rule and the age test both must be met.

08A 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity is available to employees of:

WhyA 457 plan serves state and local government employees.

09Distributions from a qualified plan before age 59½ are generally subject to:

WhyExceptions include death, total disability, and certain other qualifying events.

10Employer-paid group life premiums are deductible to the employer, and the cost of coverage is taxable to the employee on amounts above:

WhyThe first $50,000 of employer-provided group term life is not taxable income to the employee.

11A key person life insurance policy is owned by:

WhyPremiums are not deductible, and the death benefit is generally received income tax free.

12In a cross-purchase buy-sell agreement funded with life insurance:

WhyAn entity purchase (stock redemption) plan has the business own the policies instead.
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