A. Number of Course Hours
1. Upon the effective date of this Rule, any
non-exempt persons licensed as producers shall, biennially on or before their
birthdays, satisfactorily complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours of
continuing education instruction approved by the Commissioner, which must
include at least three (3) hours of ethics in each two year license renewal
cycle, if the individual is licensed to sell:
a. Life insurance;
b. Accident and health or sickness
insurance;
c. Property
insurance;
d. Casualty
insurance;
e. Variable products
insurance; or f. Personal lines insurance.
2. Upon the effective date of this Rule, any
person who holds an adjuster license shall satisfactorily complete a minimum of
twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education instruction approved by the
Commissioner, which must include three (3) hours of ethics in each two year
license renewal cycle. This provision shall not apply to:
a. An adjuster that is licensed in another
state;
b. The licensing state
requires continuing education; and c. The adjuster has satisfied the continuing
education requirements of the licensing state.
3. If a person is a non-exempt producer
required to obtain continuing education under this Section and a licensed
adjuster, that person shall be required to meet the continuing education
requirements of both licenses.
4.
The continuing education requirements in this section do not apply to title
insurance agents. License renewal and continuing education requirements for
title insurance agents are governed by Rule 87.
B. Biennial Licensing Period
1. Effective until January 1, 2011, all
initial licensees and all renewal licensees for the above-referenced licensees
will continue to be issued on an annual basis, with the continuing education
requirements of eight (8) or ten (10) hours due annually.
2. Effective January 1, 2011, continuing
education will be due biennially under the following schedule:
a. For existing individual licensees born in
odd-numbered years, a two-year license will be issued for the 2011 renewal on
the licensee's birth date, and renewed biennially thereafter. Twelve hours (12)
of continuing education, which must include two hours of ethics, must be
completed prior to the licensee's renewal in 2011. Beginning in 2013, the
continuing education requirements of twenty-four (24) hours, which must include
three (3) hours of ethics, will be due at each two year license renewal cycle
based on the licensee's birth date. The first continuing education requirement
of twenty-four (24) hours, which must include three (3) hours of ethics, is due
by the expiration/renewal birth date in 2013, and at each subsequent two year
license renewal.
b. For existing
individual licensees born in even-numbered years, a one-year license will be
issued for the 2011 renewal on the licensee's birth date. Resident producers
and adjusters will be required to have twelve (12) hours of continuing
education, which must include two (2) hours of ethics, due for license renewal
in 2012. Beginning in 2012, these licensees will renew their licenses for a
two-year period and renew biennially on their birth date thereafter. The
continuing education requirement of twenty-four (24) hours, which must include
three (3) hours of ethics, will be due at the first two year license renewal
cycle based on the licensee's birth date in 2014 and biennially on the birth
date thereafter.
c. For new
individual licensees issued in 2011 and subsequent years, license renewal
periods will not be based on birth year. The initial license will be issued for
a two-year period and renewed biennially on the licensee's birth date
thereafter. The continuing education requirements of twenty-four (24) hours,
which must include three (3) hours of ethics, will be due at each two year
license renewal cycle.
d. The
continuing education requirements for resident adjusters and for those
non-residents who have qualified for an Arkansas Adjuster license by taking the
Arkansas adjuster exam will be 24 hours every two years of which 3 hours must
be ethics. The requirement for adjusters to complete continuing education on or
before their birthday will start January 1, 2012. Non-residents who have
qualified by being licensed as an adjuster in their home state are exempt from
continuing education requirements.
C. Course Approval
Subject to submission and approval of the Commissioner, the
courses or programs of instruction successfully completed which shall be deemed
to meet the Commissioner's standards for continuing education requirements
are:
1. Any part of the Life
Underwriting Training Council Life Courses Curriculum and Health
Courses;
2. Any part of the
American College "CLU" diploma curriculum;
3. Any part of the Insurance Institute of
America's Program in general insurance;
4. Any part of the American Institute for
Property and Liability Underwriters' Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter
professional designated program;
5.
Any part of the Certified Insurance Counselor Program;
6. Any course offered by Certified Health
Consultant;
7. Any course offered
by Registered Health Consultant;
8.
Any insurance related course approved by the Commissioner and offered by an
accredited college or university;
9. Any course or program of instruction,
seminar, or meeting sponsored by any authorized insurer, recognized producers'
association, insurance trade association, or any independent program of
instruction;
10. Any correspondence
courses, including, but not limited to, correspondence courses offered via the
Internet, subject to the following:
a. All
correspondence courses must have a sealed and numbered written examination
which measures the licensee's knowledge of the information. Course providers
may also add oral or electronic correspondence courses, with oral or electronic
examinations. Electronic filings with the Arkansas Insurance Department's
License Division ("License Division") are encouraged and permitted;
b. All correspondence course examinations
must be proctored;
c. Proctors must
provide an affidavit attesting under oath or affirmation that the
correspondence or electronic course examination was proctored, that the
examination was provided in a manner specified by the correspondence course
provider, and that they are not part of or aware of any efforts to circumvent
the requirements of the examination, as provided in Appendix G;
d. Appendix G must accompany the filing of
the Appendix H roster with the License Division. Correspondence course
providers shall maintain all records or electronic copies of records on
proctors and proctored examinations;
e. Any person with no family or financial
relationship to the licensed producer or adjustersjnay proctor an examination
under this Rule;
f. Course
providers' filings must explain how correspondence course exams will not be
duplicated for any two (2) test takers; and g. Correspondence courses approved
and subsequently purchased by the producer or adjuster, prior to the effective
date of this Rule, may be governed by this Rule; however course providers must
contact the License Division to reconfirm credit hours.
11. Any other course or program approved by
the Commissioner.
12. Subject to
approval by the Commissioner, the active annual membership of the licensed
producer or adjuster in local, regional, state, or national professional
insurance organizations or associations may be approved for up to two (2)
annual hours of instruction. These hours shall be credited upon timely filing
with the Commissioner or his designee appropriate written evidence acceptable
to the Commissioner of such active membership in the organization or
association.
D. Course
Hour Valuation
1. The Commissioner shall
assign the number of continuing education hours for which approved courses
qualify.
2. Key Components -
Filings must include and clearly demonstrate:
a. Material that is current, relevant,
accurate, and that includes valid reference materials, graphics and
interactivity;
b. Clearly defined
objectives and course completion criteria;
c. Specific instructions to register,
navigate, and complete the course work.
d. Technical support/provider representative
available during business hours;
e.
Process to authenticate student identity; and f. Method for measuring the
student's successful completion of course material and for evaluating the
learning experience.
3.
Acceptable Procedures to determine Appropriate Number of Credit Hours -Select
and File one (1) of three (3) Methods below per Course:
a. Method A:
i. 600-700 words (standard font size) = one
(1) text page;
ii.
Textbooks/workbooks/other printed material - one (1) credit for every fifteen
(15) pages;
iii. Three (3)
screens with an aggregate total of approximately 600-700 words - one (1) text
page;
iv. Forty-five (45) screens -
one (1) hour of credit;
v. Divide
total screens by forty-five (45) - total number of credit hours; iv. Multiply
number of hours by 1.00 for a basic level course; 1.25 for an intermediate
level; 1.50 for an advanced course for additional study time = total number of
credit hours (fractional hours rounded up if.50 or above and rounded down if
.49 or less).
b. Method
B:
i. Divide total number of words by one
hundred eighty (180) (documented average reading time) = number of minutes to
read material;
ii. Divide number
of minutes by fifty (50) = credit hours;
iii. Multiply number of hours by 1.00 for a
basic level course; 1.25 for an intermediate level; 1.50 for an advanced course
for additional study time = total number of credit hours (fractional hours
rounded up if.50 or above and rounded down if.49 or less).
c. Method C:
Oral Presentations: Providers may use the timed outline method
for speeches and other oral presentations intended for continuing education
credits. Providers should file a detailed description of the proposed subject
of the program or course, including a timed course outline, list of any
resource materials, and list of speakers or instructors or proctors.
E.
Certificates and Evidence of CE Completion
Certificates of Completion (see Appendix E) which were issued to
producers prior to the effective date of this Rule will be valid for filing
with the Commissioner until the expiration date listed on the certificate.
Course providers are no longer required to issue Certificates of Completion.
Instead, filing of CE completion will be evidenced by the course provider upon
filing with the Department either an Appendix G or an Appendix H roster within
ten (10) days from the completion of the course of instruction. Upon specific
request, course providers may continue to issue Certificates of Completion or
other evidence of course completion, but no filing of such is to be made with
the Department.
F. Course
Repetition
Courses may not be repeated within a 2-year period of
time.