New York offers separate insurance licenses depending on whether you plan to sell Life products, Accident & Health products, or both. Choosing the correct license determines the products you are authorized to sell and the pre-licensing education you must complete.
This guide compares the New York Life, Health, and Life and Health insurance licenses so you can determine which license fits the type of insurance business you plan to pursue.
For the complete licensing process, including the state exam and application requirements, review our New York Insurance License Requirements page.
New York Life and Health Insurance License Types
New York offers separate Life, Accident & Health, and combined Life/Accident & Health authority. The combined option allows an agent to pursue both lines together, while the individual licenses are limited to their respective lines.
The three license options covered in this guide are:
New York Life and Accident & Health Insurance License
The New York Life and Accident & Health insurance license provides authority for both Life and Accident & Health insurance products. It is the broadest of the three options for agents who plan to work across both lines rather than limiting their authority to only Life or Health products.
New York requires 40 hours of approved pre-licensing education for the combined Life and Accident & Health license.
With this license, agents may sell products including:
- Term and whole life insurance
- Annuities
- Major medical coverage
- Disability income insurance
- Medicare supplement coverage
- Long-term care insurance
The combined license may be appropriate for agents who expect to work with clients across both Life and Health needs or who want broader flexibility when pursuing insurance sales opportunities.
Review our New York Life and Health Insurance License Guide for the education, exam, and licensing requirements for this license.
New York Life Insurance License
The New York Life insurance license provides authority for Life insurance products and annuities but does not provide Accident & Health authority. It is designed for agents whose work will focus primarily on Life insurance, retirement-related products, and other products within the Life line.
New York requires 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education for the Life license.
Life license authority includes products such as:
- Term life insurance
- Whole life insurance
- Universal life insurance
- Annuities
This license may be appropriate for agents who plan to focus exclusively on Life insurance products and do not expect to sell Health insurance.
Review our New York Life Insurance License Guide for the education, exam, and licensing requirements for this license.
New York Accident & Health Insurance License
The New York Accident & Health insurance license provides authority for Accident & Health insurance products but does not authorize the sale of Life insurance or annuities. It is intended for agents whose work will focus on Health-related insurance products rather than the Life line.
New York requires 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education for the Accident & Health license.
Accident & Health license authority includes products such as:
- Health insurance
- Disability income insurance
- Medicare supplement coverage
- Long-term care insurance
This license may be appropriate for agents who plan to focus on Health insurance products and do not need Life insurance authority.
Review our New York Health Insurance License Guide for the education, exam, and licensing requirements for this license.
Which New York Insurance License Should You Get?
The right license depends on the products you plan to sell.
- Life and Health: Best suited for agents who want authority to sell both Life and Accident & Health products.
- Life: Designed for agents focused on Life insurance products and annuities.
- Health: Designed for agents focused on Accident & Health insurance products.
For many new agents who expect to work with both life and health products, the combined Life and Health license provides the broadest authority under one license.
New York Pre-Licensing Requirements by License Type
Before taking the applicable New York insurance licensing exam, you must complete the required pre-licensing education.
- Life and Health: 40 hours
- Life: 20 hours
- Health: 20 hours
National Online Insurance School provides New York pre-licensing courses approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services for each of these license types.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main New York Life and Health insurance license types?
The three primary options are the combined Life and Health license, the Life license, and the Health license. The combined license provides authority for both Life and Accident & Health products, while the individual licenses are limited to their respective lines.
Should I get a Life and Health license or only a Life or Health license?
Choose the combined Life and Health license if you plan to sell products from both lines. A Life-only or Health-only license may be appropriate if your work will be limited to that specific line of insurance.
How many pre-licensing hours are required in New York?
New York requires 40 hours of pre-licensing education for the combined Life and Health license, 20 hours for the Life license, and 20 hours for the Health license.
Can you sell health insurance with a New York Life insurance license?
No. A Life insurance license does not provide authority to sell Accident & Health insurance products. You need Health authority or the combined Life and Health license.
Can you sell life insurance with a New York Health insurance license?
No. A Health insurance license does not provide authority to sell Life insurance products. You need Life authority or the combined Life and Health license.
Next Steps
Once you know which New York insurance license fits your goals, the next step is completing the required pre-licensing education and preparing for the state licensing exam.
Review our New York Pre-Licensing Courses to select the appropriate Life, Health, or Life and Health course and begin preparing for the licensing exam.
