Use Of UCAA Producer Application Forms Exclusively In The State Of Arkansas; Request To Companies To Destroy, And To Cease Using Or Filing, Old Forms With Arkansas

November 3, 2003 BULLETIN NO. 9-2003 TO: ALL LICENSED INSURANCE COMPANIES, LICENSED HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS, LICENSED HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS, LICENSED FARMERS’ MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATIONS AND COMPANIES, LICENSED FRATERNAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES LICENSED RESIDENT INSURANCE AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUAL PRODUCERS, AGENT AND COMPANY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS, AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FROM: ARKANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT RE: USE OF UCAA PRODUCER APPLICATION FORMS EXCLUSIVELY IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS; REQUEST TO COMPANIES TO DESTROY, AND TO CEASE USING OR FILING, OLD FORMS WITH ARKANSAS Arkansas Act 1203 of 2003, effective July 16, 2003, has more closely conformed Arkansas laws on license procedures for insurance producers, agents and brokers with other states; and with this and earlier legislation, Arkansas has made substantial progress in our goal of reciprocity with other states. We now mandate use of the Uniform Certificate of Authority Application (UCAA) forms for insurance producers to apply for various insurance licenses, resident and non-resident; and for companies to use in appointment of their representatives. The purpose of this Bulletin is to advise all users to discontinue use of older insurance licensing forms and instructions; they are not reciprocal and are now obsolete. One of the problems with older forms is that they often require disclosure by the applicant or producer of his Social Security number without regard to new privacy laws and procedures. The new forms allow for limited and confidential display of the sensitive personal data. In this and other ways, the older forms are not uniform with Arkansas’ new streamlined license procedures, nor reciprocal with other states’ forms and procedures. For all these reasons, the Commissioner will ask and expect companies, license vendors and assistance bureaus, and various service companies to discontinue use of old, inactive Arkansas producer license applications, forms and instructions. Please restrict your usage to those forms and instructions that are modern and newly revised, and which appear under the License Division or other links on the Department web site at www.accessarkansas.org/insurance 2 Additionally, Department staff will ask Promissor or other vendors to disclose the names and addresses of local company managers who are submitting the old, obsolete applications, so that we can contact them to stop usage. Mr. Fred Stiffler, Director, Agent License Division, is sending them a letter to advise that the Department will no longer accept old producer application forms; and he will enclose copies of the new application for future use. Any questions regarding this Bulletin may be directed to Ms. Jean Langford, Chief Counsel, Legal Division, at 501- 371-2820 or jean.langford@mail.state.ar.us, or to Fax 501-371-2639; alternately, contact Mr. Fred Stiffler, Director, Agent License Division, at 501-371-2750, or fred.stiffler@mail.state.ar.us, or to FAX 501-683-2604. Thank you for your prompt cooperation. Please direct this Bulletin to all in-house and consulting licensing personnel and managers. _______________________________ MIKE PICKENS INSURANCE COMMISSIONER STATE OF ARKANSAS _______________________________ DATE