Massachusetts Insurance Requirements.

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Continuing Education Requirements

This information is intended to provide answers to commonly asked questions by insurance agents. It is not intended to replace detailed information found in your state’s statutes and regulations. Though we have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information given is reliable and current, we cannot guarantee that it is. For more information please contact your state insurance department. See contact information below.

Producer Credit Requirements
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has enacted changes to the insurance producer’s continuing education requirements. Chapter 139 of the Acts of 2014 (the “Act”) was enacted on June 17, 2014 and makes certain changes to M.G.L. c 175, sec 177E relating to continuing education requirement for insurance producers licensed in Massachusetts. The Act became effective on September 2014. The key changes made by the Act are as follows:
-  The date by which insurance producers licensed in Massachusetts must complete their continuing education requirements will now be the producer’s license renewal date.
- Insurance producers must now complete a program of instruction or attend a seminar on ethics equivalent to 3 classroom hours of instruction and approved under the MA approved Ethics category. This new requirement, however, does not increase the overall number of continuing education credit hours an insurance producer must complete. It only requires that ethics training make up at least 3 hours of the total continuing education credits.
- The total number of required credit hours will remain unchanged. All licensed resident producers in Massachusetts who do not qualify for an exemption must meet the following credit requirements:
• Sixty (60) hours of continuing education instruction is required during the first initial licensing period, which may be less than 3 years in length, but longer than 2 years.. Of the sixty (60) hours, three (3) must be in the category MA approved ethics.
• P&C and Personal Lines producers are required to take a one-time Flood insurance course.
• Forty-five (45) hours of continuing education instruction is required for subsequent thirty-six (36) month reporting periods (a triennium). Of the forty-five (45) hours, three (3) must be in the category of MA approved ethics.

Long Term Care Requirements:
- Any producer who plans on selling Long Term Care (LTC) products must meet the training requirements set forth in M.G.L. c. 176U, §6, including an initial 1-time training course not less than 8 hours and ongoing training not less than 4 hours every 24 months. The training requirements apply to all producers who plan on selling LTC products, even if exempt from CE requirements. 

Annuity Suitability Training:
- Any producer who plans on selling annuity products must also meet the Annuity Suitability training (CE) requirements contained in 211 CMR 96.00 including a completion of an approved one-time program of instruction or seminar equivalent to at least 4 classroom hours of instruction.  
- Individuals who obtain a life insurance line of authority on or after July 1, 2016 may not engage in the sale of annuities until the annuity training course required under this subsection has been completed. The following individuals are exempt: Non-resident producers with reciprocity, and those on military active duty. Grandfather Clause: All individuals licensed prior to April 4, 1983 are exempt from CE requirements as long as they remain continuously licensed. Individuals licensed prior to April 4, 1983 who subsequently amend their license by adding additional lines of authority, which require an examination, are then subject to CE requirements. (211 CMR 50.04(b)).

Public Insurance Adjuster (PIA) CE Credit hours:
 Only Public Insurance Adjusters that are residents of Massachusetts are required to comply with Massachusetts Continuing Education Credit Hour requirements. PIA’s are to complete before the renewal of said license a total of 15 hours of approved Public Insurance Adjuster specific continuing education instruction within three years of initial licensure and every subsequent 3 year period. Calculations are based upon original licensure date and not the renewal date.

Compliance Date

Date of license issuance, triennially

Approved Course Delivery Methods

• Independent self-study online or written courses (passing grade of 70% required on final exam)
• Classroom
• Interactive Online
• Seminar

Exam Requirements

A disinterested third party must monitor self-study exams (i.e. someone with no business or family relationship with the student.)

Course Subject Requirements

At least one hour of credit must be within the lines of licensure held by the agent.

Ethics training must make up at least 3 hours of the total continuing education credits.

Flood Training Requirement: Property and casualty producers who sell flood insurance are reminded that they must comply with the one-time 3 hour training course on flood insurance and the NFIP. The hours may be applied to the overall CE requirement.

Carryover Credits

Excess hours may be carried over to the next reporting period.

Course Repetition

Courses may not be taken for credit more than once in a three-year period.

Exemptions

• Individuals licensed in Massachusetts prior to 04/05/83, except for those persons who, although licensed prior to 04/05/83, amended their licenses after that date by passing an insurance exam for an additional line of insurance, and those persons who were unlicensed for more than a year immediately prior to 04/05/83.
• Individuals, who are auto club agents, travel accident & baggage agents, licensed insurance advisors and/or fraternal agents.

Credit Reporting

Cape School will report credits to Prometric within 10 days of course completion. A course completion certificate is provided for the agent’s record.

Contact Information:

If you have any questions regarding renewal or credits, please contact:

Massachusetts Insurance Division
One South Station
Fifth Floor
Boston, MA 02210-2208
(617) 521-7794
http://www.mass.gov/doi/

Contact Cape:

Cape School, Inc.
P.O. Box 169
Buckingham, VA 23921

Phone: 800-729-7363
Fax: 888-303-1828
Or email us below

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Have Questions? Call us at # 800-729-7363 or reach us by email at info@capeschool.com.