Ohio Plans May 5 Switch to Electronic Licensing System

Ohio insurance regulators will soon make a switch to an electronic system for agent licensing.

Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Director of the Department of Insurance Mary Taylor said transition to the new system will begin at close of day on May 5 and continue through May 16. The system is designed to help the department implement the state’s new licensing laws under House Bill 300.

During the implementation period, there will be limited online access to licensing pages on the Department of Insurance Web site. The department will resume accepting and processing applications and service requests beginning May 16.

Once implemented, the new computer system improves efficiency at the department by storing all the collected information in one place. That information includes CE credits, criminal back ground check results, examination results, pre-licensing education information, and appointments.

The new system also will increase the speed in which a license is approved by utilizing an automatic approval process. The average time will decrease from 2-to-5 days down to 1-to-2 days. The new system also will allow for enhanced email communication with agents potentially saving the department $80,000 per year in mailing costs.

The department will release phase II of the system in July which creates a Web portal for agents to access and manage their personal information and monitor their CE credits and appointments. It also enables agents to print their own license and certification letters.

HB300, signed in February of 2010, requires licenses to be renewed every two years. An agent license will expire on the last day of the agent’s birth month on the year it’s renewable. In addition, the continuing education requirement has increased by 4 credits to 24 with three of those credits required to be ethics credits.

Source: Ohio Department of Insurance

Topics Agencies Ohio