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By David Bateman
Nearly every profession requires at least some regimen of continuing education, and the insurance industry is no exception. Because federal and state laws are ever changing, and industry trends are continuously evolving, the insurance agent is faced with the challenge of ‘keeping up’ with all of those changes in order to provide his/ her client with accurate information and dependable service. State mandated ‘CE’ is one way our society has chosen to accomplish this. Our aim in this article is to briefly outline Florida’s insurance continuing education requirements.
The state of Florida requires that both Life and Health insurance agents (holding 2-14, 2-15, 2-16, and 2-18 licenses) and Property and Casualty insurance agents (holding the 2-20 license) who have been licensed less than 6 years must earn 24 hours of CE credits every two years. These agents who have been licensed 6 years or longer must earn 20 hours of CE credits during their two year ‘compliance period’. The two year compliance term ends on the last day of the licensee’s birth month. For licensees born in even numbered years, the deadline occurs each even numbered year. Likewise, licensees born in odd numbered years have a deadline occurring each odd numbered year.
Although agents may choose their courses from a wide range of topics relevant to their individual interests or market, Florida has specific course requirements depending upon the agent’s license or products sold. Agents selling life insurance must include 3 hours of ‘Senior Suitability’ (9911). Florida recently enacted this requirement in order to provide the state’s ‘senior’ consumers greater protection. All other agents must take 3 hours of ‘Ethics’ (9908).
Before selling LTC insurance including partnership policies, producers must complete an 8-hour state approved LTC Partnership training course. After completing this initial mandated 8-hour training course, producers who continue to sell LTC insurance products must complete a 4-hour ongoing training course every twenty four months from the date of the last training course.
Property and Casualty agents also have specific course requirements in addition to their ethics requirement. They must include 1 hour of Premium Discounts and Hurricane Mitigation (9910) each compliance period. In addition, all ‘P&C’ producers who sell federal flood insurance policies must complete a one-time 3-hour course relating to National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) training.
Florida requires Customer Representatives (4-40 agents) to complete 10-Hours of CE including 3 hours of Ethics (9908) and 1 hour of Premium Discounts and Hurricane Mitigation (9910) each compliance period. Adjusters (3-24) must complete 24 hours of CE including 10 hours of law and policy and 2 hours of ethics.
In Florida, up to 24 hours of excess CE can be carried over to the next license term. Courses that are carried forward will not be counted as duplicate if taken 3 calendar years after the initial completion date.
In days gone by, the classroom setting was the only place agents could meet their state requirements. Course availability was limited and the location was not always desirable. Today, agents in Florida can meet their requirements online. This option not only provides a greater selection of courses, but enables the agent to determine his or her own schedule and select their preferred location (home, office, or anywhere with an Internet connection). Most online course providers allow students to study at their own pace, log in and out of their courses at will and print their own certificates upon completion. These providers generally allow test retakes at no extra charge and handle all of the reporting.
Because state and federal laws regulating insurance continuing education are ever changing, agents should make a habit of visiting their department of insurance website for the most current updates in CE requirements. Florida agents may get the latest information by visiting the Florida Department of Financial Services website at www.MyFloridaCFO.com, or by calling (850) 413-3134.
About the Author: David Bateman is co-owner and President of
Bateman Learning Inc
, a provider of continuing education and training for career professionals. Bateman Learning is the parent company of multiple education websites including
MyCEonline.com
.
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=1013069&ca=Education