If you plan to sell health insurance in California, you need an Accident and Health or Sickness license. This is the California license authority commonly referred to as a Health insurance license.
This guide explains what the California Health insurance license allows you to sell, how to prepare for the licensing exam, the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course, and the steps to become licensed.
For the complete licensing process, including the application, fingerprints, fees, and other state requirements, review our California Insurance License Requirements page.
What Is the California Health Insurance License?
California officially calls the Health license the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license. It provides authority to transact insurance covering sickness, bodily injury, accidental death, and disability income. It also includes authority for certain additional health-related products.
Products may include:
- Individual and group health insurance
- Major medical coverage
- Disability income insurance
- Hospital and surgical coverage
- Accident insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Other health-related coverage
Additional product-specific training may apply. For example, California requires specific long-term care training before an authorized agent may solicit individual consumers for long-term care insurance.
Unlike agents who obtain both Life and Accident and Health or Sickness authority, a Health-only agent does not have authority to sell Life insurance or annuity products. Review our California Life and Health Insurance License Guide if you plan to work across both lines.
California Health Insurance Exam
California applicants must pass the Accident and Health or Sickness licensing examination administered by PSI.
The exam is based on the California Department of Insurance examination objectives for the Accident and Health or Sickness license. California no longer requires the former product-specific pre-licensing education before applicants take this exam.
Exam preparation is separate from the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course. A California-specific exam prep course can help you learn the concepts tested on the licensing exam and practice applying them to exam-style questions.
Required 12-Hour Ethics & California Insurance Code Course
California requires Accident and Health or Sickness license applicants to complete a 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course that includes one hour of insurance fraud instruction. The course must be completed before the license can be issued.
The 12-hour course is separate from Health insurance exam preparation. It does not have to be completed before taking the licensing exam, although the California Department of Insurance encourages applicants to study the course material while preparing for the examination.
The 12-hour requirement only needs to be completed once. If you later apply for another California license type covered by the same requirement, you do not need to repeat the course.
What California Health Insurance Exam Prep Covers
California Health exam preparation should follow the California Department of Insurance examination objectives for the Accident and Health or Sickness license.
Topics include:
- Health insurance fundamentals
- Individual and group health insurance
- Policy provisions and benefits
- Disability income insurance
- Medical expense coverage
- California insurance laws and regulations
- Agent responsibilities and consumer protections
Our California Health exam prep also includes exam-style practice questions and timed practice exams to reinforce the material and help you determine when you are ready for the state licensing exam.
How Long Should You Prepare for the California Health Insurance Exam?
Many applicants prepare for the California Health insurance exam within one to three weeks when studying regularly.
Rather than scheduling the state exam based only on the number of days you have studied, use your understanding of the material and performance on comprehensive practice exams to determine when you are ready to test.
How to Get a California Health Insurance License
The licensing process includes these steps:
- Prepare for the California Accident and Health or Sickness licensing exam
- Schedule and pass the licensing exam through PSI
- Complete the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course before license issuance
- Submit the insurance license application
- Submit fingerprints after filing the application, or soon afterward
- Receive approval from the California Department of Insurance
The California Department of Insurance currently directs resident applicants to submit the license application after passing the exam and then submit fingerprints after filing the application or soon afterward.
For detailed application, fingerprinting, fees, and licensing instructions, use the California License Requirements button at the top of this guide.
Choosing California Health Insurance Exam Prep
California no longer requires product-specific pre-licensing education before the Health exam, so exam preparation should be evaluated based on how effectively it prepares you for the actual state examination.
Look for California-specific instruction, exam-style practice questions, timed practice exams, detailed answer reviews, and progress tracking that helps you evaluate your preparation over time.
National Online Insurance School’s California Health exam prep includes the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course within the same enrollment, allowing you to prepare for the licensing exam and complete the state education requirement together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the California Health insurance license called?
California officially calls it the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license. It provides authority for health-related insurance coverage, including sickness, bodily injury, accidental death, and disability income benefits.
What can you sell with a California Health insurance license?
The Accident and Health or Sickness license can provide authority for health insurance, major medical coverage, disability income insurance, accident coverage, long-term care insurance, and other health-related products. Additional training requirements apply to certain products such as long-term care insurance.
Is pre-licensing education required for a California Health insurance license?
California no longer requires the former product-specific pre-licensing education before taking the Accident and Health or Sickness licensing exam. The required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course must still be completed before the license can be issued.
Do you have to complete the 12-hour course before taking the Health exam?
No. The 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course does not have to be completed before the licensing exam, but it must be completed before the license can be issued.
Can a California Health agent sell life insurance?
No. Accident and Health or Sickness authority does not provide Life insurance authority. An agent who plans to sell Life products must also obtain the appropriate Life authority.
Can a California Health agent sell long-term care insurance?
Yes, but California requires additional long-term care training before an authorized agent may solicit individual consumers for long-term care insurance.
Do you need another 12-hour Ethics course if you later add Life authority?
No. California requires the 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course only once for applicants obtaining multiple license types covered by the requirement.
Next Steps
If you plan to become a Health insurance agent in California, the next step is preparing for the Accident and Health or Sickness licensing exam and completing the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course.
Review our California Health Insurance Exam Prep to begin preparing for the state exam and complete the required 12-hour course.
