12-KS-01 KS Life Producer
The Kansas life insurance exam.
The Kansas life insurance exam is 84 scored questions, about 11 unscored pretest questions, in 90 minutes, passing at 70%, $57 per attempt, administered by Pearson VUE. We sell study materials and practice exams for it, written from the official Kansas outline. The first questions are free, and the full License Pass is $149, yours until you pass. Below are the licensing steps, exactly what the exam covers, and free practice questions written to this state's outline.
At a glance
| Exam | 12-KS-01 KS Life Producer |
| Scored questions | 84 |
| Pretest questions | about 11 (unscored) |
| Time limit | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% (set by the Kansas Department of Insurance) |
| Exam fee | $57 |
| Testing vendor | Pearson VUE |
| Retake rules | Must wait at least 24 hours before scheduling a retest appointment, and at least 7 calendar days before retaking the exam; no limit on number of attempts. Exam scores are valid for two years. |
| Prelicensing education | not required for the life line |
Verified against official Pearson VUE materials, Content outlines #121703 effective March 1, 2025 (published 2/2025); exam facts from Candidate Handbook #121700, July 2026 edition. Specs change; confirm when you register.
How to get your Kansas life insurance license
- 1
Meet the basics
Be 18 or older and able to pass the background screening. Kansas handles licensing through the NIPR system like most states.
- 2
Study the exam outline
Kansas does not require prelicensing education for the life line, so your preparation is the whole game. Study the official outline below and drill practice questions until every section holds.
- 3
Book the exam with Pearson VUE
Register at Pearson VUE, pick a test center or online proctoring where offered, and pay the $57 exam fee.
- 4
Pass the exam
Walk in knowing the format, 84 scored questions in 90 minutes, passing at 70%. About 62% of first-time life exam takers pass nationally (NAIC, latest published data).
- 5
Apply for the license and get appointed
Submit the license application (fingerprints where required), then get appointed with carriers so you can write business.
What the Kansas exam covers
From the official exam outline, each section's share of the exam and how many of the 84 scored questions it earns.
| Section | Weight | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Types of Policies | 18% | 15 questions |
| Life Provisions, Riders, Options, and Exclusions | 18% | 15 questions |
| Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy | 14% | 12 questions |
| Retirement and Other Insurance Concepts | 9% | 8 questions |
| Kansas Statutes and Regulations Common to Life, Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance | 24% | 20 questions |
| Kansas Statutes and Regulations Pertinent to Life Insurance Only | 17% | 14 questions |
Free Kansas practice questions
Original questions written to the Kansas outline, the same bank our students drill. Tap a question to check the answer.
Question 1Maria buys a whole life policy and wants to pay the full cost in a shorter period so it is paid up before she retires; which type fits her goal?
- A. Straight (continuous premium) whole life
- B. Limited pay whole life
- C. Modified whole life
- D. Term to age 65
Show the answer
Answer: B
Limited pay whole life lets the policyowner pay premiums over a fixed shorter period, such as 20 years or to age 65, after which no more premiums are due but coverage continues for life. Straight whole life is paid until death or maturity. Modified whole life starts with lower premiums that later rise, not a shortened pay period. Term to age 65 is not permanent and has no lifetime coverage.
Types of Policies > Traditional whole life products
Question 2James is comparing variable whole life and standard whole life; which statement correctly distinguishes them?
- A. Variable whole life has a fixed premium but cash value invested in separate accounts, while standard whole life has guaranteed cash value
- B. Both guarantee cash value and neither uses investments
- C. Standard whole life allows the owner to choose stock subaccounts
- D. Variable whole life has no death benefit
Show the answer
Answer: A
Variable whole life keeps the fixed premium of whole life but places cash value in separate accounts chosen by the owner, so cash value varies with performance; standard whole life provides a guaranteed cash value. It is wrong to say neither uses investments because variable products do. Standard whole life does not offer subaccounts. Variable whole life still provides a death benefit, usually with a guaranteed minimum.
Types of Policies outline node: variable whole life versus whole life
Question 3Darnell holds an annual renewable term policy. What happens to his premium each year he renews?
- A. It stays the same for the life of the policy
- B. It increases because he is one year older
- C. It decreases as the death benefit is paid down
- D. It is waived after the first renewal
Show the answer
Answer: B
Annual renewable term guarantees the right to renew each year without proving health, but the premium rises each year as the insured ages and mortality risk grows. It does not stay level because renewal is yearly. The death benefit does not decrease in level term coverage. There is no automatic premium waiver just for renewing.
Types of Policies > Term life (types and special features)
Question 4What best distinguishes the annuity period from the accumulation period?
- A. The annuity period is when the value is being built up through premiums
- B. The annuity period is when the contract is being liquidated into income payments
- C. The accumulation period is when income payments are made to the annuitant
- D. The two periods mean the same thing
Show the answer
Answer: B
The annuity or payout period is when the built up value is converted into income payments, so choice two is correct. Building value through premiums is the accumulation period, not the annuity period. Income payments are not made during accumulation. The two phases are opposite stages of the contract, so they are not the same.
Outline: Types of Policies > Annuities (accumulation and annuity periods)
Question 5Grandparents Carl and Nina want coverage so that when the first of them dies, the survivor has income to live on. Which product matches this goal?
- A. Survivorship life
- B. Joint life (first-to-die)
- C. A deferred annuity
- D. A term rider on a child
Show the answer
Answer: B
Joint life pays at the first death, giving the surviving spouse funds right when income is needed. Survivorship pays only after both die, which does not help the survivor. A deferred annuity is a savings and payout product, not death protection timed to a first death. A child rider covers a child, not the couple.
Types of Policies > Combination plans and variations (joint life, survivorship life)
Take the free Kansas practice test, every question with the answer and the explanation
Kansas exam FAQs
How many questions are on the Kansas life insurance exam?
84 scored questions, plus about 11 unscored pretest questions mixed in, with 90 minutes on the clock.
What score passes the Kansas exam?
You need 70% to pass.
How much does the Kansas life insurance exam cost?
The exam fee is $57 per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE. Licensing application and fingerprint fees are separate.
What happens if I fail the Kansas exam?
Must wait at least 24 hours before scheduling a retest appointment, and at least 7 calendar days before retaking the exam; no limit on number of attempts. Exam scores are valid for two years. About 62% of first-time life exam takers pass nationally (NAIC, latest published data). Failing once is common, and the fix is drilling the sections your score report names.
Does Kansas require prelicensing education before the exam?
No. Kansas does not require prelicensing education for the life line, which means how you study is up to you and practice exams carry more of the load.
What RingReady is, and is not
RingReady sells study materials and practice exams for the life insurance licensing exam. We are not a state-approved prelicensing education provider, and practicing here does not by itself satisfy any state's education requirement.
If your state requires prelicensing education, you must complete it with an approved provider; your state insurance department publishes the approved list. What we do is make sure that when you sit down for the real exam, the questions feel familiar.
Practice the Kansas exam until it feels familiar.
Practice questions written to every section of the outline above, full timed practice exams matched to the real format (84 questions, 90 minutes), and a mastery map that shows what to study next.
A free placement plus free practice questions. No card to start.