38.2-1867 - Insurance continuing education board; approval of credits.
§ 38.2-1867. Insurance continuing education board; approval of credits.
A. An insurance continuing education board, hereinafter called the Board,appointed by the Commission, shall approve all continuing educationinstructors, continuing education courses and programs of instruction, toinclude technical courses or agency management and operations courses. TheBoard shall establish and monitor standards for the education of insuranceagents, approve courses including evaluating credit hours for all courses orprograms offered, and set minimum requirements for course instructors. TheBoard shall have the authority to disapprove or withdraw approval of coursesponsors, courses or course instructors when the established standards arenot satisfied, or where such standards have been violated.
B. The number of credits for each self-study course, correspondence course,or program of classroom instruction shall be determined in a mannerprescribed by the Board. However, for an approved classroom course, a credithour shall be equivalent to a classroom hour providing at least 50 minutesof continuous instruction or participation. No credits shall be granted forapproved classroom courses unless notice to the Board is accompanied by proofof attendance by the course provider. No credits shall be granted for anycorrespondence or self-study course that does not include a test of thesubject matter which shall be successfully completed by each agent requestingcredit. The Board shall have the right to review and approve or disapprovethe proposed test as part of the course approval process.
C. An instructor of an approved continuing education course shall be eligibleto receive the same number of credits as a person enrolled in the course forthe purpose of meeting the requirements. However, agents and instructors mayapply credits for attending or teaching the same course only once during anybiennium.
D. Excess credit hours accumulated during any biennium may be carried forwardto the next biennium only.
E. Members of the Board shall be appointed as follows:
1. One representative from the Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia;
2. One representative from the Professional Insurance Agents of Virginia andthe District of Columbia;
3. One representative from the Virginia Association of Insurance andFinancial Advisors;
4. One representative of a licensed property and casualty insurance companywriting business in the Commonwealth that operates through an exclusiveagency force;
5. One representative of a licensed life and health insurance company writingbusiness in the Commonwealth that operates through an exclusive agency force;
6. One representative of a licensed property and casualty insurance companydomiciled and writing business in the Commonwealth;
7. One representative of a licensed life and health insurance companydomiciled and writing business in the Commonwealth;
8. One representative of a licensed life and health insurance company writingbusiness in the Commonwealth;
9. One representative of a licensed property and casualty insurance companywriting business in the Commonwealth;
10. One representative from the Virginia Land Title Association;
11. One representative from the adult education or higher education field; and
12. One representative from the Virginia Association of Health Underwriters.
F. On and after July 1, 1996, no person shall be appointed to serve as amember of the Board if, in the opinion of the Commission, other than as anincidental part of or unrelated to such person's employment, such personprepares, submits for approval, or teaches insurance continuing educationcourses in Virginia or in any other jurisdiction.
G. No meeting of the Board or any subcommittee of the Board shall be heldunless timely notice of such meeting has been provided to the Commission'sBureau of Insurance. At any such meeting of the Board or any subcommittee ofthe Board, one or more representatives from the Bureau of Insurance shall bepermitted to attend and to participate in such meeting, except that suchBureau of Insurance representative or representatives shall not have theright to vote on any matters before the Board.
H. Actions of the Board shall be exempt from the application of theAdministrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).
(1992, c. 570; 1996, c. 159; 2001, cc. 350, 706; 2004, c. 765.)