6 Smart Strategies to Help you PASS the Property and Casualty Exam

pandcpacademy
Oct 2
7 min read

Students taking the advice of P&CP and remaining calm while taking the Property and Casualty Insurance Exam

Passing the Property & Casualty Exam Is Possible — Despite How It May Feel

Preparing for the Property and Casualty (P&C) State Exam can feel overwhelming — and for good reason. The questions are complex, the terminology is heavy, and the exam is intentionally designed to test your critical thinking skills.

🕒 Let’s Talk About Time | One of the best tips for success is surprisingly simple|

Take. Your. Time.

Seriously. Rushing through the P&C exam is one of the most common — and most costly — mistakes test-takers make. Slowing down to carefully read each question, understand what’s being asked, covering up those answer choices, and re-reading can make the difference between passing & failing.

Let’s look at why this tip is so powerful, and how you can use it to walk into your exam with confidence and walk out with a passing score.

🧠 Why Taking Your Time Is Critical

The P&C exam is known for tricky, wordy, and confusing questions that can trip you up — Even if you know the content cold.

You’ll encounter:

❌ Double negatives

🔀 Lookalike answer choices

🚫 The "obvious" yet incorrect answer choice

🌀 Terms with multiple meanings

🤯 “All of the above” traps

📍 State-specific rules mixed in with general knowledge

And just when you’re feeling confident, they’ll throw something like:

❓ A windstorm damaged Jon’s Central Air Conditioner that is permanently installed on a concrete slab outside the home. Which coverage applies?

A. Coverage A – Dwelling ✅

B. Coverage B – Other Structures

C. Coverage C – Personal Property

D. Not covered under a standard HO policy

🙃 Sneaky, right? The trick is in the words “Permanently Installed; That's what makes it Coverage A.

Let’s break down some strategies to help you do exactly that and if you find these examples helpful. If you find these tips helpful, P&CP has a full 100+ Practice Exam & Study Guide Bundle where you can put your knowledge to the test and learn from the FREE course video that is included!

⏳ 6 Smart Strategies to Help you Slow Down on the Property and Casualty Exam

1️⃣ Read the Question Slowly & Completely

Resist the urge to skim through the questions and/or answers! Read each question word-for-word — And don't just do it once. The exam writers love to use phrases that sound familiar but mean something slightly different.

🚀 Bonus Tip: Watch for Sneaky Words That Flip the Question Words like “Not,” “Except,” "Always,” or “Never.” can completely flip the meaning of a question — and that’s exactly what the exam writers are counting on.

🧠 Pro Tip: Reverse the question to simplify it. Rather than overthinking it, flip the question in your head. For example|

❓ Which one is NOT an example of a Hazard?

A. Pure ✅

B. Physical

C. Moral

D. Morale

Now, it’s easy to see| Moral, Morale, & Physical are all types of hazards —

The odd one out is Pure (which is a type of Risk (NOT a hazard)

2️⃣ Analyze All the Answer Choices

Don’t just stop at the first answer that sounds right. You may find more than one answer that seems correct — but only one is the correct answer.

Take the time to compare each choice:

Eliminate obviously wrong answers, many times you can eliminate 1 or 2 answer choices simply by doing processing of elimination.
Identify subtle differences between the “best” and “almost right” answers. Always go with the most concrete or definitive answer choice.

3️⃣ Watch Out for Double Negatives

These are infamous on the P&C exam and can really mess with your brain if you are rushing! These questions are sneaky by design. If you're not reading carefully, it's easy to misinterpret them and choose the wrong answer.

🚀 Bonus Tip: If you take your exam in person, you will get a blank piece of paper (your scrap paper) Use It! Sometimes just writing the question down helps you to slow down and actually understand what it is asking.

🧠 Pro Tip: Use the scrap paper to your advantage. Rewrite the question in a way that makes sense to YOU! See how you can utilize your scrap paper in even more ways with P&CP's Scrap Paper Trick Learning Aid, included in the P&C On Demand Premium Package!

❓ Which of the following is NOT a reason a claim would NOT be approved?

A. The loss is excluded under the policy

B. The claim is reported within the required timeframe ✅

C. The damage was intentional

D. The policy was not in force at the time of loss

Yep — that’s a double negative inside a question about exceptions to exceptions. It’s a trap!

Try rewording it in your head to simplify the ask, let's help your brain stay focused!

Which one IS a valid reason for a claim to be APPROVED?

Now, it’s easy to see| Loss that's excluded, intentional damage, & an inactive policy are all reasons a claim would NOT be approved.

The odd one out is the claim being reported within the required timeframe!

4️⃣ Don’t Rush — Even If You Think You Know It

Even if the question looks familiar, read it all the way through. Sometimes the test throws in a tiny twist at the end — and you’ll miss it if you get too confident!

For example, Option A might seem right, but Option D could be slightly more accurate — and that small detail is what gets you the point.

❓ Concealment refers to which of the following actions by the insured?

A. Failing to tell the insurance company of a fact not material to the policy issuance

B. Violating a stipulation in the policy.

C. Unintentionally making a false statement to the insurance company

D. Failing to disclose to the insurance company a material fact on an application ✅

You may see option A and think “That looks right!” — but don't rush because Option D is actually more precise.

Concealment is about withholding a material fact — something that would affect the insurer’s decision to issue or rate the policy. Option A is close, but it refers to a non-material fact! Get even more practice questions with a FREE VIDEO review in P&CP's Practice Exam & Study Guide Bundle

5️⃣ You Don’t Get Extra Points for Finishing Early — But Don’t Burn Time Either!

The P&C exam is timed — giving you plenty of time to work through each question carefully. It is not a race.

So yes — take your time to:

✅ Read the question

✅ Re-read if it’s confusing

✅ Watch out for tricky wording or double negatives

But here’s the fine line:

⏳ If you’ve read the question a few times and you're still completely stumped — don’t sit there for 30 minutes trying to force it.

🟥 Flag it. Keep moving. Come back later with a fresh brain.

💡Pro Tip | You may see a question later on that triggers your memory or even straight-up gives away the answer to that earlier question. It happens all the time!

Your brain is making connections as you move through the exam. Don’t let one confusing question knock you off your game!

6️⃣ Practice Patience — This Exam is a Mental Marathon

To keep it 100 with you — The Exam WILL Look Different — That Doesn’t Mean You’re Unprepared. The wording may be different. But the concepts are the same.

The exam is designed to test your understanding of the material, not how well you can memorize the material.

I can’t tell you how many students have said to me:

“I gave up halfway through. I got so frustrated. The exam wasn’t anything I studied!”

We hear it all the time. And if you’re nodding along because you’ve been there — you’re not alone.

But here’s what you need to know:

💡 You cannot get discouraged — and think you studied “the wrong stuff” when really, you just weren’t ready for the way the material was presented.

This test is a mental marathon. You can't get frustrated halfway through — especially if you hit a string of tough questions.

🧠 Remember This:

When you feel that frustration creeping in during the exam, don’t give up. You know this material.

Take a deep breath. Read the question again. Focus on the core concept of what the question is asking. Do not focus on the extra "fluff" in the question. That is there to trip you up and you are not going to let it get you!

🔁 Shift Your Thinking:

Instead of:

“This isn’t what I studied.”

Think:

“I didn't understand the question, let me reread it — and I can figure it out.”

You didn’t come this far just to get shaken by a few confusing questions. Stay calm. Stay focused. Trust your prep. You’ve got this !

🎯 Final Thoughts

Passing the Property & Casualty exam isn’t just about knowing the study material — it’s about how well you apply that knowledge under pressure.

And the #1 way to do that?

Take. Your. Time.

Carefully read every question. Don’t rush. Be mindful of wording. Analyze ALL answer choices. Use your full time. Remember you are not getting extra credit for being the first one to turn in your exam!

You’ve studied hard. You’re prepared. Now give yourself the best chance to succeed by slowing down & taking it one question at a time by focusing on the CORE question at hand!