HEALTH INSURANCE BROKER CERTIFICATION IN US

The most important piece of documentation for any broker in the United States of America is their certification or license. Each and every person selling insurance needs to have a license as that is required by law. Without a license they cannot sell insurance.

These licenses are usually specific to each particular state and a broker needs to acquire a license for the state they want to practice in. While the requirements are not vividly different from state to state, there are some minor changes in the requirements which is why a broker needs to pass the exam in each state.

What are the certifications required to become a health insurance agent?

The certifications vary from state to state. For example, to become a health insurance broker in California each candidate must first complete a state approved insurance which is mandatory. After that they are required to pass a licensing exam, be fingerprinted, pass a background check and have their application approved by the California Department of Insurance. In order to retain their license they need to keep up with continuing education courses and renew their license after the required period of time. All agents must comply with the code and laws for their respective state.

Is a license the only certification required for a broker?

The world of health insurance is not small by any means and there are many different types of insurances even within a specific realm such as health insurance. Different types of insurances have different requirements for their license. To acquire these licenses the applicant must complete online courses, pass the required exams and submit mandatory agreements.

An agent’s license and certification can be verified by checking the department of insurance of that particular state. Each state has their own department of insurance. For example, California has the California Department of Insurance (CDI). It is necessary for the broker to choose what type of license they want as one does not cover all. The options can include: accident and health, automobile, life and property amongst others.

The coursework the individual has to go through is dependent upon the type of coursework they pick and choose along with if they need a resident license, non-resident license or business entity license. In California, all candidates need to take 12 hours of ethics and California insurance code pre-licensing education. This is mandatory. Another 20 hours of general insurance pre-licensing education is required for the field they picked. If they pick two fields then the number of hours goes up to 40 and so on.

After all this a license is granted but the individual still needs to go through the fingerprinting process and pass the licensing exam. They also need to renew the license before it expires by fulfilling all the requirements set by the state.

This is usually a lot of take in as there are a lot of rules and requirements to follow. Getting the advice or help of a professional is recommended or the individual can depend upon the department of insurance websites of their particular state.