California agents-brokers face new rule

The California Department of Insurance has issued new ethics regulation requiring all fire and casualty broker-agents and life agents to complete a four-hour “ethics approved” course each renewal period starting Jan. 1, 2007. The regulation also requires all personal lines broker-agents to complete a two-hour course every license term.

The new requirement does not increase the total continuing education hours required, but rather requires that at least four of those hours must be in an approved ethics course.

The new rule will apply to all agents and brokers whose license term expires on or after Jan. 31, 2007. According to the Department, if a producer already has renewed his or her license in 2006 and subsequently takes the ethics-approved class, the class will be counted as the “ethics approved” course for the 2008 license renewal.

Approved ethics continuing education courses are show on the Department’s web site: www.insurance.ca.gov. To review the courses, drop down the “Quick Links” menu and click on “Producer Licensing,” then click on “Current Licensee Information,” then click on “Continuing Education – Individual Licensee Information.” When that page opens, click on “Education Provider and Course Search” and fill in the requested information.

For more information, contact the Producer Licensing Bureau Education Section at 916-492-3064

Topics California Agencies Training Development