626.732 Requirement as to knowledge, experience, or instruction.
626.732 Requirement as to knowledge, experience, or instruction.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), no applicant for a license as a general lines agent or personal lines agent, except for a chartered property and casualty underwriter (CPCU), other than as to a limited license as to baggage and motor vehicle excess liability insurance, credit property insurance, credit insurance, in-transit and storage personal property insurance, or communications equipment property insurance or communication equipment inland marine insurance, shall be qualified or licensed unless within the 4 years immediately preceding the date the application for license is filed with the department the applicant has:
(a) Taught or successfully completed classroom courses in insurance, 3 hours of which shall be on the subject matter of ethics, satisfactory to the department at a school, college, or extension division thereof, approved by the department. To qualify for licensure as a personal lines agent, the applicant must complete a total of 52 hours of classroom courses in insurance;
(b) Completed a correspondence course in insurance, 3 hours of which shall be on the subject matter of ethics, satisfactory to the department and regularly offered by accredited institutions of higher learning in this state and, except if he or she is applying for a limited license under s. 626.321, for licensure as a general lines agent, has had at least 6 months of responsible insurance duties as a substantially full-time bona fide employee in all lines of property and casualty insurance set forth in the definition of general lines agent under s. 626.015 or, for licensure as a personal lines agent, has completed at least 3 months in responsible insurance duties as a substantially full-time employee in property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes;
(c) For licensure as a general lines agent, completed at least 1 year in responsible insurance duties as a substantially full-time bona fide employee in all lines of property and casualty insurance, exclusive of aviation and wet marine and transportation insurances but not exclusive of boats of less than 36 feet in length or aircraft not held out for hire, as set forth in the definition of a general lines agent under s. 626.015, without the education requirement mentioned in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) or, for licensure as a personal lines agent, has completed at least 6 months in responsible insurance duties as a substantially full-time employee in property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes without the education requirement in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b);
(d)1. For licensure as a general lines agent, completed at least 1 year of responsible insurance duties as a licensed and appointed customer representative or limited customer representative in commercial or personal lines of property and casualty insurance and 40 hours of classroom courses approved by the department covering the areas of property, casualty, surety, health, and marine insurance; or
2. For licensure as a personal lines agent, completed at least 6 months of responsible duties as a licensed and appointed customer representative or limited customer representative in property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes and 20 hours of classroom courses approved by the department which are related to property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes;
(e)1. For licensure as a general lines agent, completed at least 1 year of responsible insurance duties as a licensed and appointed service representative in either commercial or personal lines of property and casualty insurance and 80 hours of classroom courses approved by the department covering the areas of property, casualty, surety, health, and marine insurance; or
2. For licensure as a personal lines agent, completed at least 6 months of responsible insurance duties as a licensed and appointed service representative in property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes and 40 hours of classroom courses approved by the department related to property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes; or
(f) For licensure as a personal lines agent, completed at least 3 years of responsible duties as a licensed and appointed customer representative in property and casualty insurance sold to individuals and families for noncommercial purposes.
(2) Where an applicant’s qualifications as required in paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c) are based in part upon the periods of employment at responsible insurance duties prescribed therein, the applicant shall submit with the application for license, on a form prescribed by the department, the affidavit of his or her employer setting forth the period of such employment, that the same was substantially full-time, and giving a brief abstract of the nature of the duties performed by the applicant.
(3) An individual who was or became qualified to sit for an agent’s, customer representative’s, or adjuster’s examination at or during the time he or she was employed by the department or office and who, while so employed, was employed in responsible insurance duties as a full-time bona fide employee shall be permitted to take an examination if application for such examination is made within 90 days after the date of termination of his or her employment with the department or office.
(4) Classroom and correspondence courses under subsection (1) must include instruction on the subject matter of unauthorized entities engaging in the business of insurance. The scope of the topic of unauthorized entities shall include the Florida Nonprofit Multiple-Employer Welfare Arrangement Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, 29 U.S.C. ss. 1001 et seq., as it relates to the provision of health insurance by employers and the regulation thereof.
History. s. 257, ch. 59-205; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 3, ch. 81-282; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 221(1st), 241, 807, 810, ch. 82-243; s. 16, ch. 88-166; ss. 68, 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 241, ch. 97-102; s. 37, ch. 98-199; s. 3, ch. 2002-84; s. 23, ch. 2002-206; s. 956, ch. 2003-261; s. 43, ch. 2003-267; s. 36, ch. 2003-281; s. 21, ch. 2004-374.