Virginia Life and Annuities Insurance Examination (Series 11-05)
The Virginia life insurance exam.
The Virginia life insurance exam is 90 scored questions, about 15 unscored pretest questions, in 120 minutes, $35 per attempt, administered by Prometric. We sell study materials and practice exams for it, written from the official Virginia 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 | Virginia Life and Annuities Insurance Examination (Series 11-05) |
| Scored questions | 90 |
| Pretest questions | about 15 (unscored) |
| Time limit | 120 minutes |
| Passing score | Not published in the current official CIB or outline (score report shows percentage correct and pass/fail; no numeric cut printed) |
| Exam fee | $35 |
| Testing vendor | Prometric |
| Retake rules | 24 hours before a new reservation; after a third failure Virginia law requires a 30-calendar-day waiting period before retaking |
| Prelicensing education | not required for the life line |
Verified against official Prometric materials, Series 11-05 outline PDF produced March 18, 2025 (header: 90 scored, 15 pre-test, two-hour limit); Virginia Licensing Information Bulletin effective as of December 13, 2024 (https://www.prometric.com/files/virginia/INSVA-CIB-FINAL.pdf). Specs change; confirm when you register.
How to get your Virginia life insurance license
- 1
Meet the basics
Be 18 or older and able to pass the background screening. Virginia handles licensing through the NIPR system like most states.
- 2
Study the exam outline
Virginia 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 Prometric
Register at Prometric, pick a test center or online proctoring where offered, and pay the $35 exam fee.
- 4
Pass the exam
Walk in knowing the format, 90 scored questions in 120 minutes. 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 Virginia exam covers
From the official exam outline, each section's share of the exam and how many of the 90 scored questions it earns.
| Section | Weight | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Regulation | 17% | 15 questions |
| General Insurance | 10% | 9 questions |
| Life Insurance Basics | 16% | 14 questions |
| Life Insurance Policies | 20% | 18 questions |
| Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders | 18% | 16 questions |
| Annuities | 11% | 10 questions |
| Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities | 4% | 4 questions |
| Qualified Plans | 4% | 4 questions |
Free Virginia practice questions
Original questions written to the Virginia outline, the same bank our students drill. Tap a question to check the answer.
Question 1What is the key difference between a producer's license and a producer's appointment in Virginia?
- A. The license grants general authority to transact insurance, while the appointment authorizes representing a specific insurer
- B. The license is issued by the insurer, while the appointment is issued by the state
- C. The appointment must be earned before a license can be granted
- D. The license and appointment are the same thing with different names
Show the answer
Answer: A
A license is state authority to sell, solicit, or negotiate insurance generally, and an appointment is the specific authorization from an individual insurer to represent it. The license comes from the SCC, not the insurer, and the appointment comes from the insurer. A person must be licensed before being appointed, not the other way around. They are two distinct requirements, not the same thing.
Va. Code Ann. Title 38.2, Ch. 18 (license vs. appointment)
Question 2Before an appointed producer in Virginia can lawfully solicit and write business for an insurer, what generally must happen?
- A. The producer must complete two years of experience
- B. The insurer must appoint the producer with the Commission
- C. The producer must pay a separate state bond
- D. The producer must obtain written client consent
Show the answer
Answer: B
An appointment is the insurer's authorization that lets a licensed producer act on its behalf, and it is filed with the Commission. There is no blanket two-year experience requirement to begin writing business. A separate state bond is not the trigger for authority. Client consent relates to specific transactions, not the general authority to represent an insurer.
Va. Code 38.2-1833, producer appointment
Question 3What is the key difference between a warranty and a representation on an insurance application?
- A. A warranty is guaranteed true, while a representation is believed true to the best of the applicant's knowledge
- B. A representation is guaranteed true, while a warranty is only an opinion
- C. Both must be absolutely true or the policy is automatically void
- D. Neither has any effect on the validity of the contract
Show the answer
Answer: A
A warranty is a statement guaranteed to be true and made part of the contract, while a representation is a statement the applicant believes to be true to the best of their knowledge. The reversed choice mislabels which one is guaranteed. Not both must be absolutely true; representations only need to be substantially true and material to matter. And both clearly can affect the contract's validity, so the last choice is wrong.
General insurance concept: warranty vs. representation
Question 4An insurance company chartered in Ohio wants to sell policies in Virginia. From Virginia's viewpoint, how is this insurer classified?
- A. Domestic insurer
- B. Foreign insurer
- C. Alien insurer
- D. Reciprocal insurer
Show the answer
Answer: B
A foreign insurer is one formed under the laws of another U.S. state, which is exactly what an Ohio company is when operating in Virginia. Domestic would apply only if it were formed in Virginia. Alien applies to insurers formed in other countries. A reciprocal is a type of insurer structure, not a domicile classification.
General Insurance > Insurers (domicile classification concept)
Question 5A producer represents the interests of which party in the insurance transaction under the general law of agency?
- A. The applicant
- B. The insurer
- C. The state insurance department
- D. The beneficiary
Show the answer
Answer: B
Under agency law the producer is the agent of the insurer and legally represents the insurer's interests, even though the producer also serves customers. The producer does not legally represent the applicant, though the producer works with the applicant. The state insurance department regulates producers but is not the party the producer represents. The beneficiary receives policy proceeds but is not the party the producer represents in the transaction.
General rules of agency (concept)
Take the free Virginia practice test, every question with the answer and the explanation
Virginia exam FAQs
How many questions are on the Virginia life insurance exam?
90 scored questions, plus about 15 unscored pretest questions mixed in, with 120 minutes on the clock.
What score passes the Virginia exam?
Virginia does not publish a numeric passing score. The score report shows pass or fail, and a failing report carries a number and diagnostics.
How much does the Virginia life insurance exam cost?
The exam fee is $35 per attempt, paid to Prometric. Licensing application and fingerprint fees are separate.
What happens if I fail the Virginia exam?
24 hours before a new reservation; after a third failure Virginia law requires a 30-calendar-day waiting period before retaking. 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 Virginia require prelicensing education before the exam?
No. Virginia 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 Virginia exam until it feels familiar.
Practice questions written to every section of the outline above, full timed practice exams matched to the real format (90 questions, 120 minutes), and a mastery map that shows what to study next.
A free placement plus free practice questions. No card to start.