IC-38: Life, General or Health - Pick Your Track
Most candidates only need one. Choosing before you start studying saves real time.
IC-38 material splits into different insurance lines, and picking the right one before you start studying saves real time. This page is about making that choice. For the full chapter-by-chapter list once you've decided, see the syllabus page.
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What the Common section gives everyone
Every candidate studies the same Common section first, regardless of track. It covers what insurance actually is, how an agent interacts with a customer, how complaints get resolved, the regulatory responsibilities an agent carries, and the legal principles behind an insurance contract.
This is shared ground across Life, General and Health. What differs between the three is everything that comes after it.
Life vs. General vs. Health, at a glance
Life Insurance
What it adds beyond Common
Financial planning, life insurance products, pricing and valuation, proposal and policy documentation, underwriting, and how payments are made under a life policy.
Choose it when
Your intended appointment is for life insurance business.
General / Non-Life Insurance
What it adds beyond Common
Premium rating, personal and retail insurance, commercial insurance, documentation and claims procedure for non-life products.
Choose it when
Your intended appointment is for general insurance business.
Health Insurance
What it adds beyond Common
Health-specific documentation, health insurance products, underwriting and claims.
Choose it when
Your intended appointment is for a standalone health-insurance track.
| Track | What it adds beyond Common | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Life Insurance | Financial planning, life insurance products, pricing and valuation, proposal and policy documentation, underwriting, and how payments are made under a life policy. | Your intended appointment is for life insurance business. |
| General / Non-Life Insurance | Premium rating, personal and retail insurance, commercial insurance, documentation and claims procedure for non-life products. | Your intended appointment is for general insurance business. |
| Health Insurance | Health-specific documentation, health insurance products, underwriting and claims. | Your intended appointment is for a standalone health-insurance track. |
Track structure can be revised
This comparison reflects III's current revised material. Course structure and content are administrative and can change. If a track choice is unclear for your situation, check the current material relevant to your appointment before committing hours of study to one track.
Try a track's questions before you commit to it.
Which track is easiest?
There is no meaningful universal answer to this. The track that feels easiest is usually the one aligned with the business you are actually preparing to sell, because you will encounter its terminology and product concepts more naturally than in a track you have no context for.
Do I need to study all three?
Usually, no. Study the track tied to your examination and intended appointment. Studying all three adds workload without adding marks, unless your specific role genuinely requires broader certification, in which case that requirement will come from your insurer, not from IC-38 itself.
If you're still not sure
- check_circleCheck which appointment (Life, General or Health) the insurer or agency you're joining is recruiting you for. The track follows the appointment, not the other way round.
- check_circleIf you haven't settled on an insurer yet, the track decision can wait until you have. You only need to lock it in before product-specific preparation starts.
- check_circleThe Common section is useful either way, so it's a reasonable place to start while you decide.