- LOMA 280 requires a 70% passing threshold on 60 questions in 120 minutes.
- You get one attempt per enrollment on the I*STAR exam - no in-attempt retakes.
- LOMA reports an 85% pass rate for LOMA 280 in calendar year 2025.
- LOMA 280 alone does not earn ALMI; four more courses are required.
The Passing Score: What 70% Actually Means
If you're preparing for the Associate, Life Management Institute designation and specifically the LOMA 280, Principles of Insurance exam, the number that matters most is straightforward: 70%. That's the passing threshold LOMA sets for this proctored, computerized I*STAR examination. There's no curve, no domain-by-domain minimum, and no partial credit structure published beyond that single cutoff.
With 60 questions total, a 70% passing threshold means you need to answer roughly 42 questions correctly. There is no official published breakdown of how many questions come from each of the 15 domain areas, so the safest strategy is treating every domain as equally likely to appear and equally worth mastering. For a full breakdown of how those domains are structured, see our ALMI Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 15 Content Areas.
Exam Format and Why It Affects Your Score
The scoring threshold doesn't exist in isolation - it's tightly linked to how the exam is delivered. LOMA 280 is administered as a computerized, proctored end-of-course exam through the I*STAR system, taken at an approved company testing site or an independent testing site. Understanding the format helps you understand where points get lost.
- 60 questions, 120 minutes. That's an average of two minutes per question, which is generous for most items but tight if you get stuck rereading long scenario-based questions.
- Closed-book. You cannot bring notes, textbooks, or the test preparation guide into the room.
- One attempt per enrollment. Unlike some self-paced modular formats, there is no "try again immediately" option within a single enrollment period.
- Proctor requirements. An approved proctor must remain in the room for the entire session, and you'll need valid picture ID to sit for the exam.
- Permitted materials. Proctor-provided blank scratch paper and an approved basic four-function calculator are allowed - nothing more.
Because you get one shot per enrollment, hitting 70% isn't just about knowing the material - it's about pacing yourself so you don't run out of time on the back half of the exam and rush through questions on domains like Group Retirement Plans or Health Insurance Overview that tend to get less study attention.
Key Takeaway
Practice under timed, closed-book conditions before test day. If you consistently need more than two minutes per question during practice, you're at risk of running out of time before reaching the 70% threshold - regardless of how well you know the material.
How the 15 Domains Show Up on Test Day
LOMA 280's content spans fifteen domain areas, and each one contributes to the pool of 60 questions you'll face. None of these domains are optional for scoring purposes - since LOMA does not publish domain weightings, you should treat every one of the following as fair game:
Domain 1-5: Foundations and Customer Fit
Introduction to Risk and Insurance, The Life and Health Insurance Industry and Its Regulation, Life Insurance Policies as Contracts, Financial Design of Life Insurance Products, and Meeting Customer Needs form the conceptual backbone. Get these wrong and later domains - which build on contract and risk concepts - become harder to reason through.
- Expect terminology-heavy questions on risk pooling, regulatory bodies, and contract elements.
Domain 6-10: Product Mechanics
Term Life Insurance, Cash Value Life Insurance, Supplemental Benefits, Individual Life Insurance Policy Provisions, and Life Insurance Policy Ownership Rights make up the product-heavy middle of the course. These domains reward candidates who can distinguish between similar-sounding provisions and ownership rights under exam pressure.
- Watch for scenario questions comparing term vs. cash value features.
Domain 11-15: Annuities, Group Coverage, and Health
Annuities, Principles of Group Insurance, Group Life Insurance, Group Retirement Plans, and Health Insurance Overview round out the course. Candidates often underestimate these later domains because they appear last in the study guide, yet they carry the same weight toward your 70% score as the earlier material.
- Group insurance concepts frequently get confused with individual policy rules - study them side by side.
For a domain-by-domain study sequence with more detail on what each topic covers, our ALMI Exam Domains 2026 guide walks through all fifteen areas in depth. If you're still deciding how difficult this exam will feel relative to your background, How Hard Is the ALMI Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 is a useful companion read.
One Attempt Per Enrollment: What Happens If You Fall Short
Because LOMA 280 allows only one attempt per enrollment, missing the 70% threshold has real logistical consequences - it's not simply a matter of clicking "retry." Here's what the mechanics actually look like:
- Failed the exam? Discounted reenrollment is available if you reenroll within six months of the failed exam.
- Passed access window but haven't tested yet? A separate USD95 discounted access extension is available, but only if you reenroll within one month after your original six-month course access expires - and only if you have not yet taken the exam. This is not a failed-exam retake fee; it's specifically for candidates who ran out of access time before sitting the test at all.
These are two distinct paths, and mixing them up is a common source of confusion. If you failed the exam, the six-month reenrollment window applies. If you simply never got to sit the exam before your six-month access lapsed, the USD95 extension is the relevant option. Full cost mechanics, including the standard enrollment fee, are covered in ALMI Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
LOMA 280 vs. LOMA 281 Scoring Mechanics
LOMA 280 isn't the only path to satisfying this portion of the ALMI requirement. LOMA offers LOMA 281 as a separate alternative, and the scoring and format mechanics differ significantly:
| Feature | LOMA 280 | LOMA 281 |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Single proctored, computerized I*STAR exam | Self-proctored module exams |
| Timing | 120 minutes, timed | Untimed |
| Questions | 60 questions, one sitting | 60 questions across modules |
| Attempts | One attempt per enrollment | Unlimited attempts during course access |
| Proctoring | Approved proctor required in-room | Self-proctored |
Choosing between the two isn't just a matter of preference - it changes how the passing score pressure feels. LOMA 280's single timed sitting with one attempt per enrollment puts more weight on test-day performance and pacing. LOMA 281's untimed, unlimited-attempt module structure spreads that pressure out. Either way, remember that LOMA 280 alone does not award the ALMI designation - you'll also need to complete LOMA 290 or 291, LOMA 301 or 302, LOMA 307 or 308, and LOMA 320 or 321. Our ALMI Requirements 2026 page details how all five course pairs fit together.
Scheduling Your Prep Around the 70% Target
Hitting 70% consistently in practice - not just once - is the realistic goal before you sit LOMA 280. A simple way to structure the weeks leading up to your exam date is to split your fifteen domains into three blocks that mirror the course's own progression, then dedicate a final week purely to timed practice under the same closed-book, calculator-only conditions you'll face in the testing room.
Foundations (Domains 1-5)
- Build vocabulary around risk, regulation, and contract structure before moving to product-specific content.
Product Mechanics (Domains 6-10)
- Drill the differences between term, cash value, supplemental benefits, and ownership provisions with practice questions.
Annuities and Group Coverage (Domains 11-15)
- Don't shortchange this block - it's tested equally despite coming last in most study guides.
Timed, Closed-Book Simulation
- Take full 60-question, 120-minute practice runs to confirm you're clearing 70% consistently before enrollment access winds down.
Your assigned materials are Principles of Insurance, second edition (2017), and the 2017 test preparation guide - build your six-week plan around those two resources rather than outside study aids, since the exam is written directly to their content. For a more detailed walkthrough of technique-level prep strategy, see ALMI Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. You can also run full-length timed simulations on our practice test platform to get comfortable with the 60-question, 120-minute format before your real attempt.
Key Takeaway
Don't front-load all your study time into the first two domains. Since LOMA doesn't publish domain weighting, uneven prep across the fifteen domains is the most common reason candidates land just under 70%.
Once you've cleared LOMA 280, it's worth thinking beyond the single exam. Many candidates ask whether the full designation pays off relative to the time and fees involved - that's covered in Is the ALMI Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026, and if you're curious about how the credential shows up in job postings, ALMI Jobs and ALMI Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis are useful next reads. You can also check ALMI Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling to line up your six-month access window with a realistic exam date, and browse practice questions modeled on all fifteen domains to gauge where you stand before locking in an enrollment.
FAQ
You need to score at least 70% on the 60-question exam, which works out to roughly 42 correct answers, though LOMA scores the exam as a whole rather than publishing an exact question-count cutoff.
No. LOMA 280 alone does not award ALMI. You also need to complete LOMA 290 or 291, LOMA 301 or 302, LOMA 307 or 308, and LOMA 320 or 321.
Only one attempt per enrollment is allowed for LOMA 280's proctored I*STAR exam. If you fail, you can reenroll at a discounted rate within six months of the failed exam to try again.
The USD95 discounted access extension is for candidates who have not yet taken the exam but need more time after their six-month access expires, and it requires reenrolling within one month of expiration. It is not a fee for retaking a failed exam.
No. LOMA 280 is closed-book. You may use proctor-provided blank scratch paper and an approved basic four-function calculator only, along with valid picture ID for check-in.