Florida Extends Continuing Education Deadline for Insurance Professionals

Licensed insurance professionals working in the Florida Panhandle have been granted an extension of continuing education deadlines in an effort to help accelerate Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in the region, according to a statement from Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

Continuing education deadlines are set by the licensee’s birthday month, and any licensee with a deadline in October, November, or December will receive a three-month extension to complete their continuing education requirements, per the Florida Department of Financial Services. October 31 deadlines will be extended to Jan. 31, 2019; November 30 deadlines to Feb. 28, 2019; and December 31 deadlines to March 31, 2019.

As of Nov. 28, more than 125,000 insurance claims had been filed following Hurricane Michael, totaling estimated losses of more than $3.4 billion. Of those claims, 56,000 remain open, which DFS said further proves the necessity of allowing insurance agents, adjusters and customer representatives to focus on their post-storm work.

“When insurance professionals can continue their work in the field – instead of stopping to complete office work – more Hurricane Michael insurance claims can be paid out faster,” Patronis said. “We will keep looking for ways to get government out of the way and help Floridians get back on their feet and back to normal as quickly as possible.”

The extension applies to all insurance professional licensees that require continuing education, including insurance adjusters, agents and customer representatives. No form or application process is required to be approved for this extension. CFO Patronis’ Division of Insurance Agent & Agency Services is updating its online database to automatically reflect the updated deadline.

Source: Florida Department of Financial Services

Topics Florida Training Development