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CA Department of Insurance
CA Department of Insurance
CA Department of Insurance

Cargo Shippers Agent

Authorizing Act:

California Insurance Code (Cal. Ins. Code) Section 1757.1 reads, in part:

A Cargo Shippers' Agent is a natural person or business entity who or which acts as an agent on behalf of cargo owners or shippers, or both, to procure cargo insurance only on behalf of a cargo owner or shipper for whom the agent is also arranging for the carriage of goods.


Qualifications:

  • Minimum Age: 18 years.
     
  • Residency: California residency is required.
     
  • Entity Types: Individual and Business Entity.
     
  • Prelicensing Experience/Education: Not Required.
     
  • Continuing Education: Not Required.

Filing Requirements-Individual:

Additional Documents: The Insurance Commissioner may require such other documents as will aid in determining whether the applicant meets the qualifications for a license.

A Cargo Shipper Agent is not required to have a bond on file to have the license issued. Upon application approval the license can be downloaded or printed by using the CDI Print or Download Your License service. However, you may not act or aid in any manner as an agent on behalf of cargo owners or shippers, or both, to procure cargo insurance only on behalf of a cargo owner or shipper for whom the agent is also arranging for the carriage of goods until one of the following documents is received:

  • A Bond of Cargo Shippers' Agent, form LIC 447-70, in the penal sum of $10,000 by a California admitted surety, completed in the name of the applicant, and signed by the applicant.
     
  • The sponsoring business entity licensed in California completes a Business Entity Endorsement, submitted through Sircon's Maintain Agency Associations.

Examination: Not Required.

Fees - Individual:

  • License filing- two year term: $64
     
  • Fingerprint Processing: Review Fingerprint Processing
     
  • Renewal Fee - two year term: $64

Filing Requirements-Business Entity:

 

Business Entity Application: Go to Sircon's Apply for a License to apply for an insurance license online.

Endorse an individual Cargo Shipper agent - Business entity must name at least one natural person who holds a California resident Cargo Shipper agent license to represent the business license.

Endorsees can be named on the Business Entity Application, during the initial business entity application filing. However, once licensed, a business entity endorsement must be submitted for each new endorsee using Sircon's Maintain Agency Associations.

An application must be submitted at Sircon's Apply for a License from each natural person who does not hold an active California Cargo Shippers' Agent license (individual filing requirements must be met).

Additional Documents: The Insurance Commissioner may require such other documents as will aid in determining whether the applicant meets the qualifications for a license.

The business entity will be able to print a copy of their license from our website upon application approval. However, they may not act or aid in any manner as an agent on behalf of cargo owners or shippers, or both, to procure cargo insurance only on behalf of a cargo owner or shipper for whom the agent is also arranging for the carriage of goods until after one of the following documents determining authority is completed and submitted to the California Department of Insurance (CDI):

  • A Bond of Cargo Shippers' Agent, form LIC 447-70, in the penal sum of $10,000 by a California admitted surety, completed in the name of the applicant, and signed by the applicant.

Fees - Business Entity:

  • License filing - two year term: $64
     
  • Business Entity Endorsement: $32 per endorsement.
     
  • Renewal Fee - two year term: $64. Must have 1 natural person currently named on business entity. 

Note: Natural persons filing an insurance license application, refer to individual filing fees.

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License Term:

Pursuant to Cal. Ins. Code Section 1630, licenses are issued for two year terms. Specifically, the term of the first license begins the date the license is issued and expires the last day of that same calendar month two years later. Any additional licenses issued at a later date will expire at the same time as the initial license. 


Renewal of License:

CDI emails licensees a renewal notification to their email address on record. The email notification includes the license number, license term, license type, and information regarding any continuing education requirements. You can update your e-mail address using Sircon's change an address or email address.

Individuals and business entities who do not receive the email notification will still be able to renew their license online at Sircon's Renewal or Reinstate a License

Sircon's online renewal and reinstatement service is available to insurance agents, brokers, and adjusters who want to reinstate their licenses after the license expiration date has passed. Additionally, the online renewal and reinstatement service is available to insurance agents, brokers, and adjusters who previously used the online renewal and reinstatement service as an on-time renewal but were not able to renew their license because not all of the requirements to renew were met prior to the license expiration date. The online renewal and reinstatement service allows these licensees, once their requirements have been met, to complete the reinstatement of their license by paying the 50 percent late penalty fee.

The online renewal and reinstatement service for late renewals is not available to bail agents, who by law must reapply as a new applicant if their license is not renewed prior to the expiration date.

Any licensees that reinstate their licenses late will be required to pay a 50 percent penalty fee and file new company appointments and/or business entity endorsements or solicitor appointment (if applicable). "Reinstate" is defined as any renewal for which the requirements to renew (for CA residents this includes completing the ethics and continuing education hours) are not met until after the expiration date of the previous license term.

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Additional Information:

Federal law (Title 18 United States Code Section 1033) prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust from conducting the business of insurance unless they have obtained the written consent of the Insurance Commissioner. It is a violation of this statute to conduct business of insurance without the Commissioners written consent. If you have been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust then you must attach a copy of this consent. If you have not obtained this written consent you must do so by filing a 1033 Short Form Application for Written Consent prior to filing your application.

If currently licensed as a resident of another state, upon becoming a California resident, a clearance letter from the former state of residence is required.

Financial security requirements for LLCs are required when applying for an insurance license and once licensed, must also file with the Commissioner an annual confirmation of coverage demonstrating continued compliance with the financial security requirements under Cal. Ins. Code Section 1647.5.

For additional LLC application filing information, annual certification of coverage information, and links to forms that can be used as proof of fulfilling the security requirements please go to the following link: Business Entity Limited Liability Company Requirements.

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To obtain insurance licensing forms by mail, send an e-mail request to: Producer Licensing Bureau.

To obtain insurance licensing information, you may phone the Producer Licensing Bureau at (800) 967-9331.

All fees mailed to the Department must be addressed to:

Department of Insurance
P.O. Box 1139
Sacramento, CA 95812-1139

All filing fees submitted are not refundable, whether or not the application is acted upon or an examination taken.

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