IC-38 Life exam-day guide
IC-38 Life · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission document / authorization to test
Bring the admission letter or authorization the testing provider issues after you schedule. It may list your name, the exam name (IC-38 Life), and the appointment time. Confirm with the provider which document is required and whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired photo ID in the exact name used on your registration. The provider sets the accepted ID types (passport, driver's license, national ID); confirm with the provider whether photocopies or digital IDs are rejected, and whether a second form of ID is needed.
Appointment confirmation and test-center address
Save the confirmation email and the test-center address and phone number offline on your phone. If you test remotely, confirm the platform, the link, and the system check requirements with the provider in advance.
Scheduling and rescheduling cutoff
Know the last time you may reschedule or cancel without losing the fee. These cutoffs are set by the provider and vary, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming a 24- or 48-hour rule.
Permitted items only
Assume personal items (phone, watch, notes, bag) must be stored or left outside the testing room. The provider's list of permitted and prohibited items controls; confirm with the provider before bringing anything beyond ID and admission documents.
Any approved accommodations
If you requested extra time or other accommodations, confirm the approval in writing and bring the approval notice. Accommodation procedures are provider-specific, so verify the process with the provider.
Scratch paper and calculator policy
Confirm with the provider whether scratch paper, a basic calculator, or an on-screen calculator is supplied, and whether you may bring your own. Do not assume either way.
Rest and travel plan
Plan to arrive at the test center with buffer time for traffic, parking, and security screening, and get a full night's sleep. Late arrival rules are set by the provider; confirm the arrival window with the provider.
Content review plan, not new material
In the final days, review your own summary sheets and weak areas rather than starting new topics. For IC-38 Life, focus on life insurance fundamentals, policy provisions, underwriting, and claims handling as covered in your study materials.
Question-strategy rehearsal
Practice answering under timed conditions and rehearse a plan for flagging and returning to hard questions. Confirm with the provider whether the exam allows review of flagged questions and whether answers can be changed before submission.
Logistics for remote proctoring (if applicable)
If you test online, confirm the room requirements, webcam and microphone checks, and the identity-verification steps with the provider. Have a backup internet option and a charged device.
Confirm exam format and scoring basics
Verify the number of questions, time limit, and pass mark with the provider or your official exam handbook. Do not rely on secondhand claims about the passing score.
Plan the day
Re-read your condensed notes on life insurance principles, policy types, riders, beneficiaries, and claims. Take one timed practice set and review every wrong answer to find the underlying concept, not just the correct letter.
Confirm logistics: appointment time, test-center address or remote-proctoring link, ID requirements, and permitted items with the provider. Resolve any open accommodation requests now, before the rescheduling cutoff.
Do a lighter review of the topics you miss most often. Build a one-page sheet of formulas, definitions, and distinctions (for example, term versus permanent coverage, and the roles of owner, insured, and beneficiary) and study only that.
Stop heavy studying early. Pack your ID, admission documents, and confirmation in one place. Check the route or the remote-testing setup, set two alarms, and aim for a normal night's sleep rather than a last-minute cram.
Eat a normal meal, arrive early with buffer time, and avoid discussing exam content with other candidates. Leave prohibited items at home or in the car so security screening is quick.
Read each question fully and watch for qualifiers such as EXCEPT, NOT, and BEST. Answer easier questions first, flag hard ones, and return to them. For scenario questions, identify the roles and the policy stage before choosing. Confirm the time-remaining display early and pace yourself.
Check that no flagged questions are unanswered and that your answers are recorded as intended. Confirm with the provider in advance whether breaks stop the clock and whether you can review answers before final submission.
Rules to check
Bring the original government-issued photo ID in the name on your registration. If your name differs from your registration record, contact the provider before test day; the provider decides whether you will be admitted.
Follow the provider's rules on personal items. Phones, smart watches, notes, and bags are typically not allowed in the testing room, and possession of unauthorized materials can lead to dismissal. Confirm the exact list with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates about exam content during the test, and do not share or reproduce exam questions afterward. Exam-content confidentiality terms are set by the provider.
Ask the proctor or administrator before taking any break, and confirm in advance whether scheduled breaks count against your time. Break rules differ between test-center and remote testing, so verify with the provider.
If a technical problem, distraction, or illness affects your test, raise it with the proctor immediately and ask how to document it. Complaint and retake procedures are provider-specific; confirm them with the provider.
Understand the scoring before you sit: confirm the number of scored questions, whether any questions are unscored pretest items, and the passing standard with the provider or official handbook. Do not assume a particular pass mark.
Arrive within the provider's stated check-in window. Late arrivals may be refused entry or have time deducted, and the exact policy is set by the provider, so confirm it when you schedule.
If you test remotely, follow the proctor's instructions on room scans, desk clearance, and staying in camera view. Violations of remote-proctoring rules can void your result; confirm the full rules with the provider.