Maryland Insurance Law & Code
Beyond getting licensed, Maryland producers must know the substantive rules that protect policyholders. This chapter covers the structure of the state insurance code and the Maryland Insurance Administration's rule-making authority, required policy protections such as the free-look right, the state life and health insurance guaranty association, and replacement and claims protections. These are Maryland-specific overlays on the national policy provisions.
The Maryland Insurance Code and Regulator Rules
The Maryland insurance code is the body of statutes governing insurers, producers, policies, and market conduct, and the Maryland Insurance Administration adopts administrative rules to implement it. Different provisions address different subjects, such as licensing, required policy language, unfair trade practices, and claims handling. Knowing that the code and the regulator's rules together control what a producer may and may not do is foundational.
Required Policyholder Protections
Maryland requires certain protections in individual policies. A key example is the free-look, or right-to-examine, provision, which lets a policyowner return a newly delivered individual life policy within a stated period (commonly at least 10 days) for a full premium refund; replacement and senior sales often carry a longer window. State law also governs grace periods, required disclosures, and replacement notices so consumers understand what they buy.
Guaranty Association and Claims Protections
The Maryland life and health insurance guaranty association pays certain covered claims, up to statutory dollar limits, when a member insurer becomes insolvent. Maryland law prohibits using the association's existence as a sales inducement or in advertising, so it is a backstop rather than a selling point. State law also sets standards for how insurers must acknowledge, investigate, and pay or deny claims, and prohibits unfair or unreasonably delayed claim settlement.
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State-specific details
State exam facts
- State regulator
- Maryland Insurance Administration
- Exam vendor
- Prometric
- Prelicensing education
- None (prelicensing education was eliminated effective October 1, 2024)
- Passing score
- 70%
Who regulates life & health insurance licensing in Maryland?
The Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) licenses producers. Maryland contracts with Prometric — a different vendor than the Pearson VUE and PSI used in many neighboring states — to administer its licensing exams.
Does Maryland require prelicensing education for the life & health exam?
No. Maryland eliminated its prelicensing education requirement effective October 1, 2024; candidates may schedule directly with Prometric.
How is the Maryland life & health exam administered?
The exam is delivered by Prometric, and a minimum score of 70% is required to pass.
Sources: https://insurance.maryland.gov/Producer/Pages/Producer-Initial-and-Renewal-Licenses.aspx, https://www.prometric.com/exams/mia/
In the Maryland Life & Health Insurance Producer Exam guide: A KEY CONCEPT box, a Common Traps list and a Check Yourself set closing each of the 9 national chapters. Practice here stays free.