20.2.1 Continuing Education
To remain in compliance and maintain their licensure, all agents are required to fulfill continuing education requirements of 24 hours every two years in basic or higher-level courses approved by the Department. Each licensee except a title insurance agent must complete a five-hour law and ethics update course every two years that is specific to the license held by the licensee. A licensee who holds multiple insurance licenses must complete an update course that is specific to at least one of the licenses held.
After 6 years of licensure, 20 hours of CE every 2 years is required in intermediate or advanced level courses. After 25 years, only 10 hours of CE every 2 years is required.
Each agent must complete, as part of his/her required number of continuing education hours every two years, a minimum of three hours of continuing education on the subject of ethics approved by the Department.
Any person who holds a license to solicit or sell life insurance must complete a minimum of three hours in continuing education on the subject of suitability in annuity and life insurance transactions. A licensee may use the hours obtained under this requirement to satisfy the requirement for continuing education in ethics as well.
Each licensee except a title insurance agent must complete a 5-hour update course every 2 years which is specific to the license held by the licensee. The course must be developed and offered by providers and approved by the department. The content of the course must address all lines of insurance for which examination and licensure are required and include the following subject areas: insurance law updates, ethics for insurance professionals, disciplinary trends and case studies, industry trends, premium discounts, determining suitability of products and services, and other similar insurance-related topics the department determines are relevant to legally and ethically carrying out the responsibilities of the license granted. A licensee who holds multiple insurance licenses must complete an update course that is specific to at least one of the licenses held. Except as otherwise specified, any remaining required hours of continuing education are elective and may consist of any continuing education course approved by the department under this section.
What changes to the insurance licensing process took effect October 1, 2012?
- Applicants may have a third party complete, sign, and submit the application on their behalf, but applicants remain responsible for the accuracy of any information provided.
- Applicants are required to state the specific method used or being used to complete any prelicensing requirements.
- There is a question as to whether the applicant has ever been refused, voluntarily surrendered, or suspended or revoked any insurance license issued in this or any other state.
- Applicants are required to state whether any insurer or managing general agent claims the applicant is indebted to the agent and shall provide the appropriate details and any explanation.
- Applicants are required to provide additional information as requested in the application that shall enable the department to qualify and to classify them for the license requested. The application contains a statement that applicants are not required to disclose their race, ethnicity, gender, or native language and that this information is requested solely for research purposes.
- An applicant for license as an agent, customer representative, adjuster, service representative, managing general agent, or insurance intermediary is required to submit a set of fingerprints to the department and pay the appropriate fee as directed. Examination centers will be equipped to take these fingerprints. These will be used in criminal background checks as a part of the process of verifying the applicant's qualification for licensing.
- All application licensing fees are non-refundable and it is noted that the requirement for providing a Social Security number will be solely for the purpose of conducting child support enforcement. [Sec. 626.171, F.S.]
