What's happening
This bill allows insurance agent license applicants to meet education requirements through internet, correspondence, or similar courses, not just classroom work.
Why it matters
Expands access to insurance agent careers. by allowing applicants to meet pre-licensing education requirements through online, correspondence, or similar courses, potentially opening the field to more diverse and geographically dispersed candidates.
Promotes educational flexibility. for working adults, career-changers, or those with caregiving responsibilities, who may find traditional classroom attendance difficult or impossible.
May impact quality and consistency. of insurance education, as these new methods can vary in interactivity and oversight compared to in-person classes, raising questions about preparedness for licensure exams and professional standards.
Could accelerate entry into the workforce. for motivated individuals, as online and correspondence courses often allow for self-paced study and faster completion, potentially helping to address workforce shortages in the insurance industry.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Online Insurance Training
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Substituted by A9527A
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1052
- Print number 7634a
- Amend and recommit to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Allow Online Insurance Licensing
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Carrie Woerner
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7634--A
IN SENATE
February 1, 2018
Introduced by Sen. MARCHIONE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to licensing requirements for insurance agents
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (B) of paragraph 2 of subsection (f) of section 2103 of the insurance law, as amended by chapter 687 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
(B) For individuals seeking to qualify to obtain a license under subsection (b) of this section, not more than six types of examinations, each adapted to test the qualifications of an individual with respect to the kinds of insurance business specified in such classification. Every such individual shall be required to pass the type or types of examination prescribed by the superintendent for the line or lines of authority for which the license is sought. No individual shall be deemed qualified to take the examination unless he shall have successfully completed a course or courses, approved as to method and content by the superintendent, covering the principal branches of the insurance business and requiring not less than ninety hours of classroom work or the equivalent in correspondence work, a course offered over the internet or a similar institution, in institutions of learning meeting the standards prescribed by paragraph one of subsection (a) of section two thousand one hundred four of this article; provided, however, with respect to a license issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for a personal line of authority, there shall be required not less than forty hours of such classroom work or the equivalent in correspondence work, a course offered over the internet or a similar institution.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13792-02-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to licensing requirements for insurance agents
Purpose of the bill
The purpose of this bill is to expand the channels through which insur- ance agents can qualify for licensure for property and casualty classes, especially (but not limited to) by taking a course offered over the internet.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends subparagraph (B) of paragraph 2 of subsection (f) of 2 section 2103 of the insurance law to allow those seeking licensure as insurance agents to participate in the equivalent of ninety classroom hours of training through correspondence work, a course offered over the internet, or a similar institution.
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
Justification
Under current statute, pre-licensing coursework for life insurance, annuity contracts, disability insurance, accident and health insurance and related insurances can be taken in either classroom format or equiv- alent correspondence / distance learning formats. Personal Lines insur- ance pre-licensing coursework may only be taken in classroom format. This restriction presents a hardship for those in rural communities that are seeking to be licensed to sell Personal Lines insurance, because of the distance they must travel and the cost of overnight accommodations during the week-long course. This bill ensures greater access to pre-li- censing coursework for all forms of insurance by creating the option for individuals to take these courses over the internet or by other remote methods.
Prior legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.