- ALHC means Associate, Life and Health Claims, a six-course designation from the International Claim Association.
- Earning it requires two approved intro courses plus ICA's C1 through C4 courses.
- C1, Medical Aspects of Claims, is a 75-question, 150-minute, closed-book exam requiring 70% to pass.
- Enrollment includes the exam plus one retake, both usable within 180 days of purchase.
What ALHC Stands For
ALHC stands for Associate, Life and Health Claims. It is a professional designation awarded through the International Claim Association (ICA) to insurance professionals who complete a defined sequence of courses covering the technical, medical, and administrative sides of life and health claims work. If you've landed here searching for a quick definition, that's it - but the acronym only tells part of the story, because ALHC isn't a single test you sit for and walk away with a certificate. It's a multi-course pathway, and understanding that structure matters more than memorizing the expansion of the letters.
This site is built around the piece of that pathway most candidates ask about first: the ICA C1 Medical Aspects of Claims course and exam. If you want a broader orientation before diving into C1 specifics, our companion pieces on What Is ALHC? and ALHC Meaning cover the designation from different angles.
The Credential Behind the Acronym
The International Claim Association is the certifying body behind ALHC. ICA has offered claims-focused professional education for insurance carriers for decades, and ALHC is its associate-level designation for life and health claims professionals - as distinct from claims work in property, casualty, or other lines. McCann Associates administers the online delivery of ICA's courses, including exams, through the Adaptera testing platform.
Because several other credentials in the insurance and adjacent industries also use the letters "ALHC," it's worth being precise: on this site, and in every fact below, ALHC refers exclusively to the ICA's Associate, Life and Health Claims designation. If a source you find elsewhere cites different fees, different exam formats, or a different certifying body under the same acronym, it's describing something else entirely.
What Earning ALHC Actually Requires
ALHC is built from six total courses, not one exam. Candidates need:
- Two approved introductory courses - either LOMA 280 or 281 together with LOMA 290 or 291, or AHIP Parts A and B.
- Four ICA courses - C1 through C4, each with its own study materials and exam.
Introductory course completions earned outside ICA need to be submitted to ICA as external records so they count toward the designation. This two-tier structure - general insurance foundations first, then claims-specific coursework - is why ALHC candidates are typically already working in claims or a related function rather than starting from scratch. For a full breakdown of every prerequisite and how the pieces fit together, see ALHC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
The Four ICA Courses (C1-C4)
Each course in the ICA sequence targets a distinct slice of claims practice. C1, Medical Aspects of Claims, is the one this site focuses on in depth, since it's frequently the entry point candidates start with and the one most searched for by name.
- C1: Medical Aspects of Claims - clinical and medical concepts claims examiners must apply
- C2, C3, C4: additional claims-specific coursework rounding out the designation
If you're trying to map out every topic area tested across the sequence, our ALHC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 0 Content Areas walks through how the content is organized so you can plan your course order intelligently.
Inside the C1 Exam: Medical Aspects of Claims
Because "what does ALHC mean" so often turns into "what will I actually be tested on," it's worth detailing exactly how the C1 exam works - the mechanics are specific and worth knowing before you enroll.
- Format: 75 multiple-choice questions
- Time limit: 150 minutes
- Passing score: 70%
- Delivery: Online, through McCann Associates via the Adaptera platform
- Access rule: You must complete the study materials before the exam unlocks - there's no skipping ahead
- Conditions: Closed book, no outside references, no computer assistance; exiting the exam submits it for scoring, so there's no pausing partway through
- Proctoring: ICA does not require a proctor, though your employer may impose its own supervision requirements
Key Takeaway
Because exiting the C1 exam automatically submits it for scoring, treat the 150-minute window as a single continuous sitting. Plan your schedule, environment, and any restroom breaks around that constraint before you start.
Pricing for the C1 course-and-exam package is US$325 for ICA members and US$550 for nonmembers. That price includes the exam attempt plus one retake, and both must be completed within 180 days of enrollment - after that window, access expires and has to be repurchased. There's no partial credit for time spent on unused study materials once the 180 days lapse, so pacing your course completion matters as much as pacing your study sessions. For the complete cost picture across the whole designation, including how course pricing compares, read ALHC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
| C1 Exam Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Questions | 75 multiple-choice |
| Time limit | 150 minutes |
| Passing requirement | 70% |
| Format | Closed book, no outside references or computer aids |
| Access window | 180 days, includes one retake |
| Member price | US$325 |
| Nonmember price | US$550 |
Want the exact scoring mechanics spelled out in more depth, including how the 70% threshold applies to the 75-question format? See ALHC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass. And if you're wondering how the retake policy and 180-day window interact with your work schedule, ALHC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling lays out the timing considerations.
Who Earns and Uses ALHC
ALHC is aimed at people who process, adjudicate, investigate, or oversee life and health insurance claims - claims examiners, claims analysts, claims supervisors, and adjacent roles at life and health carriers. Because the designation blends general insurance foundations (through the LOMA or AHIP intro courses) with claims-specific technical training (through C1-C4), it signals both baseline industry literacy and applied claims competence to an employer.
The C1 course's focus on medical aspects of claims is particularly relevant for anyone who has to interpret medical documentation, understand diagnostic and treatment terminology, or evaluate medical necessity as part of adjudicating a life or health claim. That's a distinct skill set from general claims administration, which is part of why C1 is often the course candidates start with or search for individually.
How ALHC Fits Into a Claims Career
Because ALHC is a designation built from stacked coursework rather than a single certification exam, it tends to fit naturally into an existing claims career rather than serving as an entry credential completed before you're hired. Many candidates work through the LOMA or AHIP prerequisites and the ICA courses while already employed in a claims role, using employer tuition support or professional development budgets where available.
If you're weighing whether the time and course fees are worth it relative to your career goals, Is the ALHC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and ALHC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis both dig into that question in more detail than fits here. It's also worth browsing ALHC Jobs to see how the designation appears in real job postings and role descriptions.
Preparing for Each Course, Not Just "The Exam"
Because the study materials must be completed before the C1 exam even unlocks, your preparation timeline is really two phases: working through the required coursework, then reinforcing that material before your single scored attempt (plus one retake) inside the 180-day window.
Work Through the Study Materials
- Complete every module - the exam won't unlock until you do
- Take notes on medical terminology and concepts as you go, since C1's focus is medical aspects of claims specifically
Reinforce Before Sitting the Exam
- Re-review weaker sections using active recall rather than passive re-reading
- Since the exam is closed book with no outside references, practice recalling terms and concepts without notes
Sit the 150-Minute Exam
- Block out an uninterrupted window, since exiting submits your answers for scoring
- Pace across 75 questions with the 70% passing bar in mind rather than aiming to perfect every item
For a more detailed, step-by-step approach to studying the material efficiently, see our ALHC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. If you're trying to gauge realistically how much effort this requires compared to other insurance credentials, How Hard Is the ALHC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 and ALHC Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows are useful next reads. Practicing with realistic questions on our ALHC practice test platform before your scored attempt can help you get comfortable with the multiple-choice format under timed conditions. You can also run a few timed sessions on the main practice site specifically to rehearse pacing across 75 questions in 150 minutes, and keep a condensed reference nearby using our ALHC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts while you study - just remember it's for study only, since the actual exam is closed book.
Frequently Asked Questions
ALHC stands for Associate, Life and Health Claims, a designation awarded by the International Claim Association (ICA) after completing two approved introductory courses plus ICA's C1 through C4 courses.
No. ALHC is earned through six courses total - two intro courses and four ICA courses (C1-C4) - each with its own exam. This site focuses specifically on C1, Medical Aspects of Claims.
The C1 course-and-exam package is US$325 for ICA members and US$550 for nonmembers, delivered online by McCann Associates through Adaptera.
Enrollment includes the exam plus one retake, both to be completed within 180 days of purchase. If that window expires, you'll need to repurchase access.
ICA itself does not require proctoring for the C1 exam, though individual employers may impose their own supervision requirements.
For a deeper look at what "ALHC" means as a career credential versus a single acronym, explore What Does ALHC Stand For? and ALHC Certification for related angles on the same designation.