- LOMA 280 is 60 questions, 120 minutes, closed-book, with a 70% passing threshold.
- ALMI requires five completed LOMA courses - LOMA 280 alone does not earn the designation.
- 2026 enrollment is USD385 (member-company learners) or USD770 (nonmembers), including materials and grading.
- LOMA reports an 85% LOMA 280 pass rate for calendar year 2025.
Quick Facts at a Glance
This page is a compressed reference for candidates working toward the Associate, Life Management Institute (ALMI) designation through LOMA, using the English-language LOMA 280, Principles of Insurance course as the selected exam. It's meant to sit next to your notes during final review - not to replace deeper prep. For that, see the full ALMI Study Guide 2026 and the complete domain-by-domain breakdown.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuing body | LOMA (Life Office Management Association) |
| Selected course/exam | LOMA 280, Principles of Insurance (English) |
| Question count | 60 questions |
| Time limit | 120 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Attempts per enrollment | One |
| Format | Computerized, proctored I*STAR exam, closed-book |
| 2025 pass rate (LOMA-reported) | 85% |
| Course access window | Six months |
| 2026 fee (member / nonmember) | USD385 / USD770 |
LOMA 280 Exam Format
LOMA 280 uses a computerized, proctored end-of-course I*STAR examination administered at an approved company testing site or an approved independent testing site. Key mechanics candidates need to internalize:
- 60 questions delivered in a fixed 120-minute window.
- One attempt per enrollment - there is no "just retake it tomorrow" option within the same enrollment cycle.
- 70% passing threshold. You need to know this number cold; see the dedicated breakdown at ALMI Passing Score 2026 for how it's calculated and what it means for pacing.
- Closed-book. No notes, no textbook, no outside material during the exam itself.
- An approved proctor must remain in the room for the entire testing session.
The Five-Course ALMI Path
One of the most common misunderstandings candidates bring to this exam is thinking LOMA 280 is the whole designation. It isn't. ALMI requires completion of five courses total:
- LOMA 280 or LOMA 281
- LOMA 290 or LOMA 291
- LOMA 301 or LOMA 302
- LOMA 307 or LOMA 308
- LOMA 320 or LOMA 321
Passing LOMA 280 alone does not award the ALMI designation - it satisfies just the first of five required course slots. If you're mapping out your full path and timeline, the ALMI Requirements 2026 guide walks through eligibility and how each course pair fits together. This cheat sheet focuses specifically on the LOMA 280 exam content, since that's typically the first and most commonly asked-about step.
Key Takeaway
Treat LOMA 280 as step one of five, not the finish line. Plan your enrollment sequence before you sit for any single exam so you're not caught off guard by the remaining course requirements.
2026 Fees and Enrollment Mechanics
The 2026 North American English-course enrollment fee for LOMA 280 is USD385 for eligible member-company learners or USD770 for nonmembers. This single fee bundles:
- Required study materials
- Examination enrollment
- Grading
- Designation credit toward ALMI
Assigned materials are Principles of Insurance, second edition (2017), and the corresponding 2017 test preparation guide. Course access lasts six months from enrollment, which is your working window to study, request the exam, and sit for it. For a full cost breakdown across the entire five-course path, see ALMI Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
The 15 LOMA 280 Domains, Condensed
LOMA 280 content is organized around fifteen topic areas. Here they are, in order, with a one-line orientation for each. For deep coverage of each area, use the ALMI Exam Domains 2026 guide.
Domain 1: Introduction to Risk and Insurance
Foundational vocabulary - risk types, risk management techniques, and how insurance functions as a risk-transfer mechanism.
- Know the difference between pure risk and speculative risk
Domain 2: The Life and Health Insurance Industry and Its Regulation
Industry structure and the regulatory bodies that oversee insurers.
- Understand how state-based regulation shapes company operations
Domain 3: Life Insurance Policies as Contracts
The legal elements that make a policy an enforceable contract.
- Memorize the required contract elements and standard provisions
Domain 4: Financial Design of Life Insurance Products
How premiums, reserves, and cash values interact in product design.
- Be able to explain why premium structure differs across product types
Domain 5: Meeting Customer Needs
How insurers assess and match products to customer financial needs.
- Connect needs analysis to product recommendation logic
The remaining ten domains continue the same pattern of moving from product mechanics to ownership rights to group and health coverage:
- Domain 6: Term Life Insurance
- Domain 7: Cash Value Life Insurance
- Domain 8: Supplemental Benefits
- Domain 9: Individual Life Insurance Policy Provisions
- Domain 10: Life Insurance Policy Ownership Rights
- Domain 11: Annuities
- Domain 12: Principles of Group Insurance
- Domain 13: Group Life Insurance
- Domain 14: Group Retirement Plans
- Domain 15: Health Insurance Overview
Exam Day Rules
LOMA 280's I*STAR exam is closed-book, and the logistics are strict:
- Valid picture ID is required to sit for the exam.
- Proctor-provided blank scratch paper is permitted - you cannot bring your own notes.
- An approved basic four-function calculator is permitted for any calculation questions.
- An approved proctor must be present in the room for the full session - no unsupervised remote testing.
- You get one attempt per enrollment, so there's no casual "practice run" at the real exam.
If you want a realistic sense of what the pressure of that 120-minute window feels like before you sit for the real thing, run timed sessions on our ALMI practice test platform so the format itself isn't a surprise on exam day.
Reenrollment, Extensions, and Retakes
This is one of the most misunderstood parts of the LOMA 280 process, so keep the distinctions straight:
- USD95 discounted access extension: Available only if you reenroll within one month after your six-month access expires and you have not yet taken the exam. This is an access extension, not a failed-exam retake fee.
- Discounted reenrollment after a failed attempt: Requires reenrolling within six months of the failed exam date.
Key Takeaway
Don't confuse the USD95 extension (for unused access) with reenrollment after failing (a separate six-month window). Missing either deadline typically means paying full enrollment again.
For the numbers behind LOMA's reported outcomes and how they factor into your retake planning, see ALMI Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Final Review Week
In the last stretch before your scheduled exam date, structure your remaining hours around domain weight and personal weak spots rather than rereading the textbook cover to cover.
Individual Product Domains
- Drill Domains 6-10: Term, Cash Value, Supplemental Benefits, Provisions, Ownership Rights
- Rebuild any weak contract-element definitions from Domain 3
Group and Annuity Shift
- Focus on Domains 11-14: Annuities, Group Insurance Principles, Group Life, Group Retirement Plans
- Run full-length timed practice sets under closed-book conditions
Foundations and Health
- Revisit Domains 1, 2, 5, and 15 - risk basics, regulation, customer needs, health overview
- Use short recall drills rather than long reading sessions
Logistics and Light Review
- Confirm ID, testing site details, and proctor requirements
- Light review only - no new material the night before
If you haven't yet worked through a structured plan, the full ALMI Study Guide 2026 lays out a longer-horizon schedule, and How Hard Is the ALMI Exam? gives an honest read on where most candidates struggle before they get to this final-week stage.
Who Actually Uses ALMI
ALMI is pursued primarily by professionals working inside life and health insurance companies - home office roles in underwriting support, policy administration, product development, and operations, where familiarity with policy provisions, product design, and group insurance concepts is directly applicable to daily work. It's worth noting that FINRA's designation directory lists no entry prerequisites and no continuing-education requirement for ALMI, with LOMA identified as the issuing body - which makes it accessible to candidates earlier in their careers compared to designations with formal licensing gates. For a broader look at how the credential connects to roles and career movement, see the ALMI Jobs overview and ALMI Salary Guide 2026, and if you're still weighing whether to pursue it, Is the ALMI Certification Worth It? covers the ROI question directly.
For newcomers who land on this page without full context, it may help to first skim What Is ALMI? or ALMI Meaning before diving into exam mechanics - this cheat sheet assumes you already know what the designation is and are focused purely on passing LOMA 280.
FAQ
No. ALMI requires five completed courses total: LOMA 280 or 281, LOMA 290 or 291, LOMA 301 or 302, LOMA 307 or 308, and LOMA 320 or 321. LOMA 280 satisfies only the first requirement.
60 questions within a 120-minute time limit, delivered as a computerized, proctored I*STAR exam at an approved testing site.
A 70% passing threshold. LOMA reports an 85% pass rate for LOMA 280 for calendar year 2025.
It's a discounted access extension available if you reenroll within one month after your six-month course access expires, provided you haven't yet taken the exam. It is not a fee for retaking a failed exam - reenrollment after a failed attempt has its own six-month discounted window.
No. The exam is closed-book. You're permitted proctor-provided blank scratch paper and an approved basic four-function calculator, plus valid picture ID for entry. A proctor stays in the room throughout testing.