California-Property-and-Casualty Exam Information and Outline
California Property and Casualty Insurance
California-Property-and-Casualty Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the official California-Property-and-Casualty exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap, breaking down exactly which technical domains and skills will be tested. By reviewing the syllabus, you can identify your strengths and focus your study time on the areas where you need the most improvement.
The information below reflects the latest 2026 course contents as defined by P-and-C. We provide this detailed breakdown to help you align your preparation with the actual exam format, ensuring there are no surprises on test day. Use this outline as a checklist to track your progress as you move through our practice question banks.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Content Areas and Max Scores in Actual Exam for the Property and Casualty:
1. General Insurance — (Max Scores = 22)
2. Property and Casualty Insurance — (Max Scores = 22)
3. Personal Lines Insurance — (Max Scores = 53)
4. Commercial Insurance Coverages — (Max Scores = 51)
5. Pet Insurance — (Max Scores = 2)
1. General Insurance
- Basic insurance concepts and principles: Risk (pure vs. speculative), peril, hazard (physical, moral, morale), loss (direct/indirect/proximate cause), indemnity, insurable interest, utmost good faith (uberrimae fidei), aleatory contract, adhesion contract, unilateral contract.
- Methods of handling risk: Avoidance, retention, sharing, reduction, transfer (insurance).
- Contract law basics: Elements of a valid contract (offer/acceptance, consideration, capacity, legal purpose), representations vs. warranties, concealment, fraud/misrepresentation, parol evidence rule.
- The insurance marketplace: Types of insurers (admitted vs. non-admitted/surplus lines, stock vs. mutual vs. reciprocal), agents (independent vs. captive), brokers, managing general agents (MGAs), surplus lines regulations (CA Ins. Code §1760 et seq.), California FAIR Plan as last resort.
- Legal concepts – tort law: Negligence (duty, breach, causation, damages), intentional torts (assault, battery, false imprisonment), strict liability, vicarious liability, comparative negligence (CA pure comparative), contributory negligence, damages (compensatory, punitive, special/general).
- Ethics and unfair trade practices: California Insurance Code unfair practices (Cal. Ins. Code §790 et seq. – twisting, rebating, false advertising, defamation, boycott), fiduciary responsibilities, producer duties, continuing education/maintenance requirements.
- Policy structure basics: Declarations page, insuring agreement, definitions, conditions, exclusions, endorsements/riders, additional coverages.
2. Property and Casualty Insurance
- Property insurance basics: Direct vs. indirect/consequential loss, named peril vs. open/special peril, actual cash value (ACV) vs. replacement cost valuation, coinsurance clause/insurance-to-value, deductibles, pair and set clause, vacancy/unoccupancy provisions, right of salvage.
- Casualty insurance basics: Liability types (bodily injury, property damage, personal/advertising injury), occurrence vs. claims-made triggers, defense costs (supplemental vs. within limits), medical payments (no-fault basis).
- Common policy forms and causes of loss: Basic, broad, special/open perils forms; exclusions (earthquake, flood, war, nuclear – standard in CA policies).
- California-specific: Prop 103 rate/prior approval regulations, mandatory disclosures, earthquake/flood mandatory offer/exclusions, California FAIR Plan (for high-risk/fire-prone areas), fire mitigation discounts/credits.
- Dwelling property forms: DP-1 (basic), DP-2 (broad), DP-3 (special), coverage A/B/C/D (dwelling, other structures, personal property, fair rental value/loss of use).
- Casualty classes: General liability, professional liability exclusions, completed operations/products liability.
3. Personal Lines Insurance
- Homeowners (HO) forms: HO-2 (broad), HO-3 (special/open on dwelling), HO-4 (renters contents), HO-5 (comprehensive contents), HO-6 (condo unit owners), HO-8 (older homes – modified coverage).
- Coverages A–F: A (dwelling), B (other structures), C (personal property – replacement cost vs. ACV), D (loss of use/additional living expense), E (personal liability), F (medical payments to others).
- Personal auto policy (PAP): Liability (bodily injury/property damage), medical payments, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM – CA required offer), physical damage (collision/comprehensive), CA minimum limits (15/30/5 as baseline, higher common), no-fault elements if applicable, other coverages (rental reimbursement, towing/labor).
- Inland marine/personal articles: Scheduled personal property floaters (jewelry, furs, cameras), personal watercraft/boats.
- Additional endorsements/coverages: Ordinance or law, water backup/sewer, identity fraud/theft, home-sharing (Airbnb exclusions), earthquake endorsement (separate policy common in CA), mold/fungus limits.
- California-specific: FAIR Plan basics for personal property, mandatory earthquake offer in certain zones, fire mitigation/home hardening credits.
4. Commercial Insurance Coverages
- Commercial property: Building/personal property coverage, causes of loss (basic/broad/special), business income/extra expense (actual loss sustained), valuation options, peak season endorsements.
- Commercial general liability (CGL): Coverage A (bodily injury/property damage), B (personal/advertising injury), C (medical payments), occurrence vs. claims-made, key exclusions (pollution, professional services, expected/intentional injury).
- Commercial auto: Business auto policy (liability, physical damage, hired/non-owned autos), garagekeepers, motor carrier filings.
- Commercial package policy (CPP): Modular structure (common conditions, declarations), combining property, liability, inland marine, crime, boiler/machinery/equipment breakdown.
- Businessowners policy (BOP): Simplified package for small/medium businesses (property + liability), eligibility limits, coverages similar to CPP but condensed.
- Other commercial: Commercial crime (employee dishonesty, forgery), inland marine (contractors equipment, builders risk), workers' comp/employers liability (often separate but referenced).
- California-specific: Rate regulations, surplus lines for unique commercial risks, workers' comp mandatory for most employers.
5. Pet Insurance
- Definitions: Accident-only vs. comprehensive/illness coverage, hereditary/congenital conditions, wellness/preventive add-ons.
- Pet insurance basics: Reimbursement model (pay vet then claim) vs. direct pay (some plans), annual/lifetime limits, deductibles (per incident/annual), co-insurance/co-pay percentages.
- Common coverages: Vet exam fees, diagnostics (X-rays, labs), surgery/hospitalization, medications, alternative therapies (if endorsed).
- Exclusions and limitations: Pre-existing conditions (waiting periods common: 14-30 days accident, longer illness), routine care/vaccinations (unless wellness rider), breed-specific issues, elective/cosmetic procedures.
- California regulations: Disclosures (Cal. Ins. Code requirements), waiting periods, renewability/guaranteed issue rules, unfair practices (misrepresentation of coverage), administrative proceedings if denied claims.
- Key terms: Curative vs. palliative care, bilateral conditions, exam fee coverage.