Procedural Changes to Accept Electronic Resident or Nonresident Application Filings to Obtain an Initial License, or to Renew, Amend, or Reinstate a License, and Changes to Continuing Education Requirements

550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1560, Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3567 Telephone: (907) 269-7900 Fax: (907) 269-7912 Text Telephone: (907) 465-5437 Email: insurance@alaska.gov Website: http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/insurance/ Sarah Palin, Governor Emil Notti, Commissioner Linda S. Hall, Director Division of Insurance BULLETIN B 09-04 TO: ALL LICENSEES AND ADMITTED INSURERS IN THE STATE OF ALASKA AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES RE: PROCEDURAL CHANGES TO ACCEPT ELECTRONIC RESIDENT OR NONRESIDENT APPLICATION FILINGS TO OBTAIN AN INITIAL LICENSE, OR TO RENEW, AMEND, OR REINSTATE A LICENSE, AND CHANGES TO CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS The division continues its efforts to update requirements that bring Alaska into greater conformity with national licensing standards and to streamline processes to be more efficient. This bulletin provides information regarding recent processing changes and a regulation change regarding continuing education. Effective immediately, Alaska accepts electronic applications from residents or nonresidents for most license classes via the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) from a person seeking to obtain, renew, amend, or reinstate a license under AS 21.27. Electronic filings are available through NIPR at www.nipr.com, then select Electronic Licensing or through one of its or one of its Authorized Business Partners at http://www.nipr.com/authorized_business_partners.htm. Electronic filings will occur within 24-48 hours of submission once all application requirements have been received. License types and classes affected are listed below. RESIDENTS License Class: Producer, Surplus Lines Broker, Adjuster License types include business entity (firm), individual, individual in a firm, and designated responsible person (compliance officer): • Initial, renewal, adding a class or line of authority, and reinstatement.* • Surplus Lines – A licensee must hold a property/casualty producer license before issuance of this license class. Note: A person may not apply for both license classes on the same day. • Adjuster – A person must have at least six months experience within the last two years either as an independent adjuster trainee, insurance producer, managing general agent, reinsurance intermediary manager or broker, independent adjuster, or underwriter or claims adjuster employee of an insurer before issuance of this license. License Class: Limited Line Producer License types include business entity (firm), individual, and individual in a firm, and designated responsible person (compliance officer) for title, travel, bail bonds, credit, surety, car rental, or crop authority: • Initial, renewal, adding a class of authority, and reinstatement.* • Individual not affiliated with a firm: car rental and title are not electronically available. • Individual in a firm: car rental and travel are not available. • Firm: title is not electronically available. 2 NONRESIDENTS License Class: Surplus Lines Broker and Adjuster (Producers have been able to apply electronically since 2005.) License types include business entity (firm), individual, individuals in a firm, and designated responsible person (compliance officer): • Initial, renewal, adding a class or line of authority, and reinstatement.* • Surplus Lines – A licensee must hold a property/casualty producer license before issuance of this license class. Note: A person may not apply for both license classes on the same day. • Adjuster – Alaska issues a reciprocal license. If licensed in the adjuster’s home state, upon application, the division will issue a nonresident adjuster license. License Class: Limited Line Producer License types include business entity (firm), individual, individual in a firm, and designated responsible person (compliance officer) for travel, bail bonds, credit, surety, car rental, or crop authority: • Initial, renewal, adding a class of authority, and reinstatement.* • Individual not affiliated with a firm: car rental is not electronically available. • Individual in a firm: car rental and travel are not available. *Reinstatement is defined as a reactivation of an inactive license. If a license has lapsed for nonrenewal and is reactivated within two years after the license lapsed date, a late reinstatement fee is required. If the license was canceled, a late fee is not required. The applicant will be notified if late fees are charged to reinstate a license. Residents: An individual reinstating a producer, surplus lines broker, or adjuster license must be in compliance with continuing education requirements to reinstate a license. A license that is reinstated after more than one year from the license inactivation date requires new examination results for the lines of insurance requested. ALL LICENSEES: Adding a line or class of authority electronically is permitted, but if a licensee wishes to delete a line or class of authority, or cancel a license, it must be filed directly with the division, not electronically. General Business Rules or Information for Applying via NIPR Please thoroughly review Alaska’s state specific requirements on the NIPR web site before submitting any electronic filing. In some instances, additional documentation must be filed with our office to process the application. An individual licensee may find the national producer license number (NPN) by searching the Alaska producer licensing records that are found at http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/insurance/apps/producersearch/InsLicStartStart.cfm. The NPN is referenced as “Producer Number.” Our records currently do not reflect the NPN for business entities (firms). You are encouraged to use this electronic process to expedite your application request wherever permitted. 3 CONTINUING EDUCATION CHANGES Under 3AAC 23.140(2), a licensee was not permitted to take and claim for credit any course, seminar, or program of instruction previously taken unless substantial changes had occurred in the course material. Effective, December 28, 2008, a licensee may repeat a continuing education course, seminar, or program of instruction for credit, as long as the course, seminar, or program of instruction is not taken within the same license renewal period. If you have questions regarding the information in this bulletin, please contact the Licensing Section at (907) 465-2515 (Juneau). Alaska Division of Insurance Alaska Division of Insurance P.O. Box 110805 550 West Seventh Avenue, Suite 1560 Juneau AK 99811-0805 Anchorage, AK 99501-3567 DATE: March 16, 2009 Linda S. Hall Director