- The exam has 90 questions (80 scored, 10 unscored) and costs $37 at Pearson test centers.
- A scaled score of 70 is the passing threshold - no higher, no lower.
- Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms is the largest domain at 28.75% of the exam.
- First license renewal requires 60 CE credits (including 3 ethics); later renewals need 45 credits every three years.
Quick Facts Snapshot
This page is designed to be the one-tab reference you keep open during your final review pass. Every number here is pulled directly from the Massachusetts Division of Insurance's testing framework for the Casualty Producer exam - nothing borrowed, nothing generic. If you want the full context behind any of these figures, the MA-CAS Study Guide 2026 walks through the reasoning in more depth.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Massachusetts Division of Insurance |
| Test administrator | Pearson Professional Assessments (since July 22, 2026) |
| Exam fee | $37 |
| Total questions | 90 (80 scored + 10 unscored pretest) |
| Question format | Four-option multiple choice |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 70 |
| Testing location | In person at Pearson test centers |
| Content outline effective date | July 22, 2026 |
Five Domains at a Glance
The exam pulls from five content areas, and they are not weighted evenly. Knowing the relative size of each domain lets you allocate study hours proportionally instead of spreading yourself thin. For a deeper breakdown of subtopics inside each area, see the MA-CAS Exam Domains 2026 guide.
Domain 1: Casualty - Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms (28.75%)
This is the single largest domain on the exam, nearly a third of your total questions. It covers the range of casualty products and surety instruments a Massachusetts producer needs to distinguish between.
- Know the structural differences between casualty policy types and surety bonds
- Be able to match terminology to the correct policy category on sight
Domain 2: Casualty - Insurance Terms and Related Concepts
General casualty vocabulary and concepts that underpin everything else on the exam. If a term feels unfamiliar here, it will resurface in a scenario-based question elsewhere.
- Build a working glossary rather than memorizing isolated definitions
Domain 3: Casualty - Policy Provisions
Focuses on how policy language actually operates: exclusions, conditions, endorsements, and how provisions interact within a casualty contract.
- Practice reading provision language the way it appears in an actual policy, not a summary
Domain 4: Massachusetts Laws and Rules Pertinent to All Lines of Insurance
State-specific regulatory content that applies regardless of insurance line. This domain rewards familiarity with Massachusetts statutes rather than general industry knowledge.
- Separate "general rule for all lines" content from casualty-specific rules in Domain 5
Domain 5: Massachusetts Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance Only
Where the general Massachusetts rules from Domain 4 get applied specifically to casualty products. Expect questions that test whether you can apply, not just recall, a rule.
- Cross-reference this domain against Domain 4 so you don't confuse general and casualty-specific rules
Key Takeaway
Domain 1 alone accounts for more than a quarter of your exam. If your study time is limited, weight it accordingly before spreading effort across the other four domains.
Registration and Fee Mechanics
Registration and testing for the MA-CAS exam run through Pearson Professional Assessments, which took over administration of the Casualty Producer exam on July 22, 2026. The exam fee is $37, and testing takes place in person at a Pearson test center - there is no remote or at-home option. If you're mapping out your full budget, including pre-licensing education and application fees, the MA-CAS Certification Cost 2026 breakdown lays out the complete picture beyond just the exam fee itself.
Because the content outline effective date and the Pearson administration start date are the same (July 22, 2026), candidates testing after that date should make sure any study materials they use reflect the current outline rather than an older version. For scheduling logistics and how far in advance to book your seat, check the MA-CAS Exam Dates 2026 guide.
Question Format and Scoring
Every question on the MA-CAS exam is four-option multiple choice - no fill-in-the-blank, no multi-select, no essay components. Out of 90 total questions, 80 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest items used to evaluate future exam versions. You will not know which questions are which, so pacing yourself evenly across all 90 is the safest strategy.
To pass, you need a scaled score of 70. A scaled score is not the same as "70% of questions correct" - it's a converted score on a standardized scale that accounts for question difficulty. For a full explanation of how scaled scoring works and what it means for how many raw questions you can miss, see the MA-CAS Passing Score 2026 guide.
Key Takeaway
Don't try to identify or skip the 10 unscored questions - you can't, and treating any question as "less important" is a losing strategy on a scaled-score exam.
Must-Know Topics Per Domain
Beyond memorizing domain names, here's what actually shows up in question form on test day, organized to match the five domains above.
- Domain 1 (Policies, Bonds, Terms): Be ready to differentiate casualty policy types from each other and from surety bonds - this is the domain most likely to have overlapping-sounding answer choices designed to test precision.
- Domain 2 (Terms and Concepts): Expect vocabulary applied in short scenarios rather than tested as standalone definitions.
- Domain 3 (Policy Provisions): Questions here often present a provision and ask how it functions in a given situation, not just what it's called.
- Domain 4 (MA Laws, All Lines): Focus on statutory requirements that apply broadly across insurance lines in Massachusetts.
- Domain 5 (MA Laws, Casualty Only): Focus on the same regulatory framework as Domain 4, but narrowed to casualty-specific application.
If you're still unsure how difficult this material is relative to other producer exams, the How Hard Is the MA-CAS Exam? guide addresses that directly, and the MA-CAS Pass Rate 2026 analysis covers what the available outcome data shows.
Continuing Education and Renewal
Passing the exam is the beginning of an ongoing compliance cycle, not the end of one. Your first producer-license renewal requires 60 continuing education credits, including 3 ethics credits. Every subsequent renewal after that, on a three-year cycle, drops to 45 credits, still including 3 ethics credits.
| Renewal Stage | CE Credits Required | Ethics Credits Included |
|---|---|---|
| First renewal | 60 | 3 |
| Each subsequent renewal (every 3 years) | 45 | 3 |
For full eligibility criteria before you even sit the exam, including prerequisites tied to licensing, review the MA-CAS Requirements 2026 guide.
Final-Week Review Schedule
A generic study calendar won't help you here - your final review week should be built around the domain weights above. Here's a compressed schedule that prioritizes Domain 1 given its 28.75% share, while still covering the state-law domains that many candidates underestimate.
Domain 1 Deep Review
- Drill policy-type and bond terminology since this domain carries the most weight on the exam
Domain 2 and Domain 3
- Review insurance terms and how policy provisions apply in scenario questions
Domain 4 and Domain 5
- Compare general Massachusetts rules against casualty-specific rules side by side
Full Practice Run
- Simulate all 90 four-option questions under timed, in-person-style conditions
Run through timed practice sets on the main practice test platform at least once during this final stretch so the four-option format and pacing feel automatic before you walk into a Pearson test center.
Who This Exam Matters To
The MA-CAS exam exists specifically for individuals seeking a casualty insurance producer license in Massachusetts. That includes agents joining independent agencies, captive agents working for a single carrier, and professionals adding a casualty line of authority to an existing property or other license. It is not a voluntary industry designation - it's a state licensing exam administered under Massachusetts Division of Insurance rules.
If you're trying to figure out whether pursuing this license makes sense for your career path, the Is the MA-CAS Certification Worth It? ROI analysis and the MA-CAS Salary Guide 2026 both go into the practical career considerations. For terminology basics, What Is MA-CAS? and MA-CAS Meaning are good starting points if you landed on this cheat sheet without full context.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 90 total questions: 80 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest questions mixed in without identification, so every question should be treated as potentially scored.
You need a scaled score of 70. This is a converted score, not a raw percentage of correct answers.
The exam fee is $37, paid through Pearson Professional Assessments, which has administered the exam since July 22, 2026.
Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms is the largest domain at 28.75% of the exam and should get the most study hours relative to the other four domains.
Your first renewal requires 60 CE credits including 3 ethics credits. Every subsequent renewal, on a three-year cycle, requires 45 credits including 3 ethics credits.