- How the TN-PC Exam Is Structured
- The Five Property Domains
- The Five Casualty Domains
- Why Two Domains Carry Most of the Weight
- Property vs. Casualty Exam at a Glance
- Registration, Fees, and Test Delivery Options
- Who Hires Licensed TN Producers
- Scheduling Your Prep Around the Domain Weights
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Property and Casualty are separate 77-question exams, each with 68 scored and 9 unscored pretest questions.
- Casualty Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms is the single largest domain at 33.8% of the Casualty exam.
- Property Types of Policies is the largest Property domain at 32.4% of that exam.
- The content outline used for both exams took effect October 15, 2025.
How the TN-PC Exam Is Structured
Before diving into content areas, it helps to understand that "TN-PC" actually covers two separate licensing exams administered on behalf of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: the Property exam and the Casualty exam. Each is delivered through Pearson VUE as a 77-question, computer-based, multiple-choice test - 68 questions count toward your score and 9 are unscored pretest items you can't identify during the exam. Candidates get 1 hour 45 minutes per exam and must reach a scaled score of 70 to pass.
Each exam has its own content outline, and together they split into ten domains - five for Property, five for Casualty. Knowing exactly how those ten domains are weighted lets you allocate study time where it actually matters instead of spreading effort evenly across topics that carry very different point values. For a broader walkthrough of preparation strategy, see the TN-PC Study Guide 2026.
The Five Property Domains
The Property exam's content outline (effective October 15, 2025) is organized into five domains. These move from policy-type knowledge into terminology, contract mechanics, and then into Tennessee-specific statutes and rules.
Domain 1: Property - Types of Policies
This is the largest single domain on the Property exam at 32.4%. It covers the structure and intended use of dwelling policies, homeowners forms, commercial property forms, and specialty property coverages.
- Differences between named-peril and open-peril (special form) coverage
- Homeowners policy forms and what each is designed to insure
- Commercial property forms, including builders risk and inland marine concepts
Domain 2: Property - Insurance Terms and Related Concepts
This domain tests foundational vocabulary and concepts that apply across every property policy type.
- Perils, hazards, and covered causes of loss
- Coinsurance, valuation methods, and deductible structures
- Property ownership interests and insurable interest
Domain 3: Property - Policy Provisions and Contract Law
Contract-law fundamentals and the standard provisions found in property policies belong here.
- Elements of an insurance contract and legal principles like utmost good faith
- Standard policy conditions: cancellation, nonrenewal, subrogation, and loss settlement
- Endorsements and how they modify base coverage
Domain 4: Property - Tennessee Laws, and Departmental Rules Common to Life, Accident and Health, Property and Casualty Insurance
Because this domain overlaps with rules tested across multiple license lines, it focuses on general producer conduct and licensing rules rather than property-specific coverage details.
- Producer licensing requirements, appointments, and continuing education obligations
- Unfair trade practices and general market conduct standards
- Department of Commerce and Insurance authority and enforcement
Domain 5: Property - Tennessee Laws, and Departmental Rules Pertinent to Property Insurance Only
This narrower domain isolates statutes and rules that apply specifically to property lines in Tennessee.
- Property-specific statutory requirements and notice provisions
- State-specific cancellation and nonrenewal rules for property policies
- Any Tennessee-specific coverage mandates or filing requirements tied to property insurance
The Five Casualty Domains
The Casualty exam mirrors the Property exam's structure but centers on liability, auto, workers compensation, and bonds instead of property risk.
Domain 6: Casualty - Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms
This is the heaviest domain across either exam at 33.8% of the Casualty content outline. Expect deep coverage of policy structures and surety concepts.
- Personal and commercial auto policy structures
- General liability forms, including occurrence vs. claims-made triggers
- Workers compensation policy basics and surety/fidelity bonds
Domain 7: Casualty - Insurance Terms and Related Concepts
Core liability vocabulary and legal concepts sit in this domain.
- Negligence, liability standards, and legal defenses
- Limits of liability, deductibles, and self-insured retentions
- Umbrella and excess liability concepts
Domain 8: Casualty - Policy Provisions
Standard provisions unique to casualty contracts, distinct from the property-side contract law domain.
- Conditions, exclusions, and endorsements in liability forms
- Other insurance clauses and how casualty policies coordinate coverage
- Cancellation and renewal provisions specific to casualty lines
Domain 9: Casualty - Tennessee Laws, and Departmental Rules Common to Life, Accident and Health, Property and Casualty Insurance
Like its Property-side counterpart (Domain 4), this domain tests general producer regulation rather than casualty-specific coverage.
- Licensing, appointment, and continuing education rules that apply across all lines
- General ethical standards and unfair claims practices
- Department authority over producer conduct
Domain 10: Casualty - Tennessee Laws, and Departmental Rules Pertinent to Casualty Insurance Only
The final domain narrows to statutes and rules specific to casualty lines in Tennessee.
- State-specific auto insurance requirements and financial responsibility laws
- Casualty-specific notice, cancellation, and nonrenewal statutes
- Any Tennessee-specific mandates tied to liability or workers compensation coverage
Why Two Domains Carry Most of the Weight
If you only had time to master two domains, the outline makes the choice obvious: Casualty - Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms at 33.8% and Property - Types of Policies at 32.4% together represent the largest share of scored questions on their respective exams. Every other domain on each exam is meaningfully smaller by comparison.
This doesn't mean the law-and-rules domains are safe to skip - Domains 4, 5, 9, and 10 still contain scored questions and often trip up candidates who assume "types of policies" is the only thing that matters. But if your study time is limited, weighting your review toward policy-type knowledge first, then moving into terms, provisions, and Tennessee-specific rules, mirrors how the actual exam is built. A detailed look at how difficulty is distributed across domains is covered in How Hard Is the TN-PC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
Spend your heaviest review blocks on policy types first (Domains 1 and 6), then work outward to terminology, provisions, and the four Tennessee law-and-rules domains.
Property vs. Casualty Exam at a Glance
| Feature | Property Exam | Casualty Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | 77 (68 scored, 9 pretest) | 77 (68 scored, 9 pretest) |
| Time Allowed | 1 hour 45 minutes | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Passing Score | Scaled score of 70 | Scaled score of 70 |
| Test Center Fee | $55 | $55 |
| Largest Domain | Types of Policies (32.4%) | Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms (33.8%) |
| Domain Count | 5 | 5 |
Pearson VUE also lists an $80 OnVUE Property and Casualty combination appointment for candidates who want to sit for both exams online in a single scheduling session, subject to the two-attempt limit on OnVUE testing before a test center visit is required.
Registration, Fees, and Test Delivery Options
Understanding the mechanics of how you actually sit for the exam matters as much as knowing the domains. Tennessee does not require a prelicensing course before you test, but applicants must be at least 18 years old, complete fingerprint-based background screening, and submit an application through NIPR.
- Each exam (Property and Casualty) costs $55 at a Pearson VUE test center.
- An $80 OnVUE combination appointment is available for candidates testing both exams online.
- Online (OnVUE) exams do not allow unscheduled breaks once testing begins.
- Candidates get two OnVUE attempts per exam line before they're required to test at a physical Pearson VUE center.
- Once licensed, resident producers renew biennially and must complete 24 continuing education hours, including 3 hours of ethics.
For a full cost breakdown across licensing steps, see TN-PC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and for eligibility specifics see TN-PC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. If you're unsure how the passing threshold is calculated, TN-PC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass walks through it in detail.
Who Hires Licensed TN Producers
Passing both exams and holding an active resident license is the entry credential for selling property and casualty insurance products in Tennessee. Independent agencies, captive carrier offices, and brokerages that write homeowners, commercial property, auto, general liability, and bonds all require this license before a producer can legally solicit or bind coverage on their behalf. Some employers hire candidates before they're licensed and support them through the exam process, while others expect the license in hand at time of application.
If you're weighing whether the licensing effort translates into career opportunity, TN-PC Jobs outlines the kinds of roles that require this license, and Is the TN-PC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 looks at the broader value question. For a plain-language explanation of what the credential actually is before you commit to studying, start with What Is TN-PC?.
Scheduling Your Prep Around the Domain Weights
A domain-weighted study plan doesn't need to be complicated - it just needs to reflect that Domains 1 and 6 carry more scored questions than any other single domain on their respective exams. A simple structure looks like this:
Property Policy Types
- Master Domain 1 (Types of Policies) since it's the largest Property domain
- Drill homeowners forms and commercial property structures with practice questions on the main practice test site
Property Terms, Provisions, and TN Rules
- Cover Domains 2 and 3 (terms and contract law)
- Move into Domains 4 and 5 (Tennessee-specific and common law/rules)
Casualty Policy Types and Bonds
- Prioritize Domain 6, the single heaviest domain across both exams
- Focus on auto, general liability, workers comp, and bond distinctions
Casualty Terms, Provisions, and TN Rules, Then Full Review
- Finish Domains 7 through 10
- Run full-length timed practice sessions to simulate the 1 hour 45 minute format
This isn't a generic weekly template - it's built directly around the fact that Domains 1 and 6 outweigh every other domain, so they're front-loaded while you have the most energy and time before exam day. For a more granular breakdown of which facts to memorize last, the TN-PC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts is designed as a final-week companion. You can also run domain-specific quizzes on our practice test platform to see which of the ten domains needs another pass before scheduling your Pearson VUE appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are ten domains total - five on the Property exam and five on the Casualty exam, since Property and Casualty are administered as separate 77-question tests.
Casualty - Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms is the largest at 33.8% of the Casualty exam, followed closely by Property - Types of Policies at 32.4% of the Property exam.
To hold a full Property & Casualty producer license, you generally need to pass both exams, though each is scored and scheduled independently, either at a Pearson VUE test center or via the OnVUE combination appointment.
Domains 4, 5, 9, and 10 focus on statutes and departmental rules rather than coverage concepts, so they reward direct memorization of specific Tennessee requirements rather than conceptual reasoning about policy structure.
The ten-domain content outline used for both the Property and Casualty exams became effective October 15, 2025.