- The KSLH outline (exam code 12-KS-05) has 12 domains covering life, health, and Kansas-specific statutes.
- Only 140 of the 154 questions are scored; the other 14 are unscored pretest items you can't identify.
- You need 70% on the combined score to pass - there's no separate life-only or health-only pass/fail.
- Three domains (10, 11, 12) are Kansas law-specific and don't appear in generic national study material.
How the 12-Domain Outline Is Structured
The Kansas Department of Insurance, working with testing provider Pearson VUE, organizes the KSLH exam (official exam code 12-KS-05) around 12 distinct content domains. This is a combined life and health exam, which is why the outline blends general insurance product knowledge, health and social insurance concepts, and three domains dedicated entirely to Kansas statutes and regulations. If you've read a broad overview of what the KSLH actually is, this article goes one level deeper into the specific content you're accountable for on test day.
Every candidate sits for the same 154-question exam: 140 scored multiple-choice items plus 14 unscored pretest questions mixed in without identification, all within a 150-minute window. Because the unscored items are indistinguishable from scored ones, you have to treat every question - across all 12 domains - as if it counts. A passing score is 70%, and Kansas reports one combined score rather than separate life and health scores, which matters for how you should prioritize weaker domains.
Domain-by-Domain Breakdown
Below is a walkthrough of all 12 domains in the order they appear on the official outline. Note that Domains 1 and 5 share the identical title, "Types of Policies" - this reflects the exam's combined structure, with one covering life insurance product types and the other addressing health insurance product types under the same heading. Don't let the repeated name cause you to skip content in either section.
Domain 1: Types of Policies
Covers the core life insurance product landscape a producer must recognize and explain to a client.
- Term life vs. permanent life structures
- Whole life, universal life, and variable product distinctions
- Group vs. individual life policy characteristics
Domain 2: Life Provisions, Riders, Options, and Exclusions
Tests your ability to identify what modifies a life policy's coverage or payout.
- Common riders (waiver of premium, accidental death, guaranteed insurability)
- Nonforfeiture options and settlement options
- Standard exclusions and how they affect claims
Domain 3: Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy
Focuses on the procedural side of putting a life policy in force.
- Application accuracy and disclosure obligations
- Underwriting classifications and risk selection
- Policy delivery requirements and free-look mechanics
Domain 4: Retirement and Other Insurance Concepts
Bridges life insurance with retirement planning vehicles that a producer needs to understand contextually.
- Annuity basics and how they differ from life insurance
- Qualified vs. nonqualified retirement plans
- Tax treatment concepts relevant to producers, not accountants
Domain 5: Types of Policies (Health)
The health-side counterpart to Domain 1, covering the range of health insurance products sold in Kansas.
- Individual and group health plan structures
- Disability income and long-term care policy types
- Managed care structures such as HMOs and PPOs
Domain 6: Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders
The health-insurance analog to Domain 2's life provisions.
- Standard health policy provisions and required clauses
- Optional riders that expand or limit health coverage
- Renewability provisions across health contract types
Domain 7: Social Insurance
Covers government-administered programs that intersect with private health and disability coverage.
- Medicare parts and eligibility basics
- Medicaid's role relative to private insurance
- Social Security disability concepts
Domain 8: Other Insurance Concepts
A catch-all domain for foundational insurance principles that apply across policy types.
- Insurable interest and indemnity principles
- Coordination of benefits
- Key insurance terminology and definitions
Domain 9: Field Underwriting Procedures
Focuses on the producer's on-the-ground responsibilities before a health application reaches underwriting.
- Producer's role in initial risk assessment
- Replacement rules when a client switches coverage
- Proper documentation practices in the field
Domain 10: Kansas Statutes and Regulations Common to Life, Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance
The first of three Kansas-specific domains, covering rules that apply broadly across all lines a Kansas producer might touch.
- Licensing requirements administered by the Kansas Department of Insurance
- Producer conduct, ethics, and disciplinary standards
- General consumer protection statutes
Domain 11: Kansas Statutes and Regulations Pertinent to Life Insurance Only
Narrows in on Kansas-specific rules that apply exclusively to life products.
- State-specific life insurance disclosure requirements
- Kansas rules on replacement of life policies
- Beneficiary and payout regulations unique to Kansas
Domain 12: Kansas Statutes and Regulations Pertinent to Health Insurance Only
Mirrors Domain 11 but for health-specific Kansas law.
- Kansas mandates on health policy provisions
- State continuation and conversion requirements
- Kansas-specific health claims handling rules
These three law-focused domains - 10, 11, and 12 - are the ones candidates from out of state or from other insurance backgrounds tend to underestimate. National study habits don't cover Kansas-specific statute language, so this is where a dedicated KSLH Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt earns its keep.
How Domain Weighting Actually Works
The Kansas Department of Insurance calculates domain weight from the official count of scored questions assigned to each domain within the 140 scored items on exam 12-KS-05. In practice, this means some domains will contribute more questions to your final score than others, but the exact proportional breakdown isn't something you should guess at from memory - it's published in the official candidate handbook tied to the outline effective March 1, 2025.
What you can control is how you allocate study time relative to domain complexity rather than domain size alone. A domain with fewer questions but denser statutory language (like Domain 11 or 12) can still take longer to master than a broader conceptual domain like Domain 8. If you want a byte-sized reference you can keep open while studying, the KSLH Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts condenses the most commonly missed points across all 12 domains.
| Domain Group | Domains Included | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Life Fundamentals | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Life policy types, riders, underwriting, retirement concepts |
| Health Fundamentals | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Health policy types, provisions, social insurance, field procedures |
| Kansas Statutes | 10, 11, 12 | State-specific licensing, life law, health law |
Key Takeaway
Don't study the 12 domains in isolation - group them into life fundamentals, health fundamentals, and Kansas statutes so you can see how questions might blend concepts from adjacent domains within the same content group.
Registration, Fees, and Retake Rules Tied to the Domains
Exam 12-KS-05 costs $64 through Pearson VUE. Because Kansas does not require prelicensing education, there's no separate course fee baked into your path to test day - the domain outline itself is your study map. For scheduling logistics, the English-language exam is available both at physical test centers and remotely through Pearson's OnVUE online proctoring, while the Spanish combination exam is restricted to in-person test centers only.
If you don't pass on your first attempt, Kansas requires a 7 calendar day wait before you can retest - which is a short window, so any retake plan should focus narrowly on the domains where you missed the most questions rather than restarting your prep from Domain 1. Passing results, once achieved, remain valid for 2 years. For the full mechanics of fees, retake costs, and what's included, see the KSLH Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and for the exact scoring math behind that 70% threshold, check the KSLH Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Who Hires Based on These Domains
The domain structure isn't just an academic exercise - it maps directly to how Kansas insurance agencies staff their teams. Agencies writing both life and health products want producers who can speak fluently across Domains 1 through 9, while compliance-conscious agencies and captive carriers place extra weight on candidates who demonstrate strong command of Domains 10 through 12, since those are the domains regulators care about most when reviewing producer conduct.
If you're evaluating whether this credential fits your career plans, the domain content is a useful lens: heavy emphasis on annuities and retirement concepts in Domain 4 signals opportunities with firms that blend life sales and retirement planning, while the social insurance content in Domain 7 signals relevance to agencies serving Medicare-eligible clients. For a broader look at where this leads professionally, see the KSLH Jobs overview and the KSLH Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
Mapping the Domains to a Study Calendar
Rather than a generic weekly template, build your calendar around the domain groupings from the comparison table above. A practical structure looks like this:
Life Fundamentals
- Work through Domains 1-4 (policy types, riders, underwriting, retirement concepts)
- Drill vocabulary specific to nonforfeiture and settlement options
Health Fundamentals
- Cover Domains 5-9 (health policy types, provisions, social insurance, field underwriting)
- Pay special attention to Medicare/Medicaid distinctions in Domain 7
Kansas Statutes
- Focus entirely on Domains 10-12
- Cross-reference statute language against the official outline effective March 1, 2025
Full Simulation
- Take timed 154-question practice runs to build stamina for the 150-minute limit
- Revisit missed domains from practice attempts before scheduling with Pearson VUE
Spacing your review this way - grouping by content family rather than by domain number - makes it easier to notice overlap, like how Domain 8's general insurance concepts reinforce both life and health scenarios. For a deeper dive into building this kind of schedule around your own timeline, the KSLH Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt lays out a fuller plan, and you can pressure-test your readiness with timed practice exams over on the main practice test platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are titled "Types of Policies" because the KSLH is a combined life and health exam. Domain 1 addresses life insurance product types while Domain 5 addresses health insurance product types under the same heading structure.
No. Domain weights are calculated from the official scored-question counts assigned to each domain among the 140 scored questions on exam 12-KS-05, so some domains contribute more questions than others.
No. The combined exam produces one overall score, and you need 70% on that combined score to pass - there's no independent life-only or health-only pass/fail threshold.
Domain 10 (statutes common to life, health, property, and casualty), Domain 11 (Kansas life-specific statutes), and Domain 12 (Kansas health-specific statutes) are state-specific and require dedicated review beyond generic national content.
Not necessarily. You must wait 7 calendar days before retesting, which is a tight window, so it's more efficient to identify which domains you missed most and concentrate your remaining time there rather than repeating the entire outline.