What the RIBO Level 1 exam is
To act as an insurance broker in Ontario you must be registered with the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO), the self-regulatory body for general insurance brokers. Passing the Level 1 Entry-Level Broker Exam is the first step. A Level 1 licensee works under the supervision of a Principal Broker and must be employed or sponsored by a registered brokerage. RIBO also states that candidates who pass the current Level 1 exam may sell travel health insurance.
Exam format
The Level 1 exam is a three-hour exam of 100 multiple-choice questions. You need at least 75%, which is 75 out of 100, to pass. There are also 15 pilot questions that do not count toward your grade, and you will not know which ones they are, so treat every question as if it counts. RIBO confirms the exam is 100% multiple choice, so there are no written answers to mark and no remarking or appeal of the score.
| Content area | Questions |
|---|---|
| General insurance and industry knowledge | 25 |
| Personal lines habitational | 25 |
| Personal lines automobile | 25 |
| Commercial lines | 20 |
| Travel health | 5 |
| Pilot questions (not scored) | 15 |
RIBO's blueprint also weights the exam by thinking skill: about 40 to 45% of questions test knowledge, 40 to 45% test comprehension and 15 to 20% test application, such as working out a claim payment or choosing the right coverage for a client.
Booking, rules and rewrites
- Exam providers. You register directly with one of RIBO's two approved exam service providers, the Insurance Institute (Insurance Institute of Ontario) or the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO). Exams are offered in person and virtually proctored.
- Not open book. RIBO's exam rules prohibit books, notes, phones and other resources. You may only use the tools and resources provided within the exam interface, such as the online calculator or note area.
- Results. Your exam provider sends results about two weeks after the exam, and results are valid for 12 months.
- Rewrites. You must wait two weeks after a failed attempt. You may write twice per exam provider; after two failed attempts with the same provider there is an 8-month waiting period.
What the exam covers
- General insurance and industry knowledge: the Registered Insurance Brokers Act, Regulation 991 (qualifications, code of conduct, misconduct, trust accounts, E&O and fidelity requirements), RIBO By-laws No. 1, 2 and 3, privacy (PIPEDA), anti-spam rules (CASL), the roles of RIBO and FSRA, and ethics.
- Personal lines automobile: the Ontario Automobile Policy (OAP 1), liability, accident benefits, uninsured automobile coverage, Direct Compensation - Property Damage, Loss or Damage coverages, statutory conditions, the Fault Determination Rules and the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.
- Personal lines habitational: homeowners, condo and tenant policies, actual cash value and replacement cost, water and earthquake coverage, co-insurance calculations and the statutory conditions in the Insurance Act.
- Commercial lines: classes such as liability, property, fidelity, surety, boiler and machinery and credit insurance, co-insurance, business use of automobiles and placing risks with unlicensed insurers.
- Travel health: what provincial health plans do and do not pay abroad, pre-existing condition and stability clauses, medical evacuation and claims.
Know the July 2026 auto changes
The OAP 1 approved for use on or after July 1, 2026 changed accident benefits. The standard benefits are now medical, rehabilitation and attendant care. Income replacement, caregiver, non-earner, death, funeral and several other benefits are optional, and a client can also elect not to recover under Direct Compensation - Property Damage, in which case Collision or Upset coverage cannot be offered. Our auto questions follow the 2026 policy wording.
How our practice exam is organized
Our question bank uses the five scored content areas as sections, so you can practise one area at a time. The mock exam matches the real scored exam: 100 questions in three hours, split 25, 25, 25, 20 and 5 across the sections just like RIBO's blueprint. Aim well above 75% before you book.
How to prepare
RIBO lists the study material for self-study: the competency profile and blueprint, OAP 1, the RIB Act, O. Reg. 308/98, Regulations 990 and 991, and By-laws No. 1, 2 and 3, all gathered in RIBO's Consolidated Examinee Resource. RIBO does not run courses itself, but the IBAO and the Insurance Institute do. Read the OAP 1 examples closely, because many questions turn on a deductible, a notice period or a dollar limit. Practise the calculations (liability limits, Direct Compensation shares, co-insurance) by hand until they feel routine, and read every explanation, even on questions you get right.
Our questions follow the laws, by-laws and policy wording in force on the date shown below. Rules can change, so RIBO, your exam provider and the official texts have the final word.
Aptitude Tests Canada is an independent practice platform. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by RIBO, FSRA, the Insurance Institute, the IBAO or the Government of Ontario. Our questions are original practice questions written from public sources, not real exam questions.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
Who may use the designation "R.I.B. (Ont.)"?
- Anyone who passed the Level 1 exam in the past year
- Any employee working at a registered brokerage
- Any insurance agent licensed under the Insurance Act
- Only a registered insurance broker
Answer: D, Only a registered insurance broker. Section 3 (2) reserves the title "registered insurance broker" and the designations "R.I.B. (Ont.)" and "C.A.I. (Ont.)" for holders of a certificate of registration. (Registered Insurance Brokers Act, s. 3 (2))
Which home insurance coverage pays for a hotel and meals while a family cannot live in their home after an insured fire?
- Personal liability
- Voluntary medical payments
- Additional living expenses
- Equipment breakdown
Answer: C, Additional living expenses. Additional living expenses coverage pays for temporary accommodation and related costs when you cannot live in your home because of a covered loss. (FCAC, Home insurance)
What is the purpose of a "stability clause" in a travel health policy?
- The premium stays the same for every trip during the coming year
- The insurer cannot cancel the policy once the trip has started
- Claims are paid at a stable exchange rate set on the purchase date
- Pre-existing conditions are covered only if stable
Answer: D, Pre-existing conditions are covered only if stable. A stability clause requires no changes to your medical condition and no new medical conditions, symptoms or medications before you leave. Travel.gc.ca advises getting written confirmation of coverage for pre-existing conditions. (travel.gc.ca, Travel insurance)