12 Hours of Study on Ethics and the California Insurance Code and Continuing Education Information

In addition to requirements information on obtaining a Life Agent license the California Department of Insurance (Department) has also published below a list of frequently asked questions regarding the Life Agent license and Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license.

• License Application and Fees
• Types of Coverage
• Educational Objectives
• Prelicensing Requirements for a Life Agent and/or an Accident and Health or Sickness New License Applicants
• Continuing Education for a Life and/or an Accident and Health or Sickness licensees
• Long-Term Care Training Requirements
• Annuity Training Requirement
• 24-Hour Care Coverage
• Miscellaneous Questions

License Application and Fees

The license application is available at sircon.com for both resident and nonresident applicants to apply for an insurance license online. This link takes the applicant to the procedures of how to file an application online. 

What will the filing fee be if I want to apply for a Life Agent license?

The filing fee is $188 when an applicant applies for this license.

What will the filing fee be if I want to apply for an Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license?

The filing fee is $188 when an applicant applies for this license.

What will the filing fee be if I want to apply for a Life Agent and Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license at the same time?

The filing fee is $188 when an applicant applies for both licenses at the same time (the full life agent license).

Please note that the applicant must check both the Life and the Accident and Health or Sickness license types on the initial submission of the individual license application.

What will the filing fee be if I apply for the Life Agent license now and then later, I apply for the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license (a full life agent license)?

The filing fee is $188 for the Life Agent application. There will be an additional fee of $188 filing fee for the Accident and Health or Sickness license application at a later date.

If I am licensed as both a Life Agent and an Accident and Health or Sickness Agent, will I need to pay a separate renewal fee for each license?

No, the fee is $188 to renew the Life Agent and/or Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license.

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Types of Coverage

What type of coverage may I sell if I hold a Life Agent license?

The Life Agent is entitled to transact insurance for the following risks: human lives, benefits of endowment and annuities, death benefits or dismemberment by accident and benefits for disability income (life policies offer riders for death or dismemberment by accident and benefits for disability income; therefore, the Life Agent may sell these products).

What type of coverage may I sell if I hold an Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license?

The Accident and Heath or Sickness Agent may transact coverage for sickness, bodily injury, accidental death and benefits for disability income.

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License Examination Objectives

Are there materials available for a Life Agent and an Accident and Health or Sickness Agent to study for the license examination?

The License Examination Objectives are available on the Department’s website at the following links:

• Life Agent Educational Objectives
• Accident and Health or Sickness Agent Educational Objectives

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12 Hours of Study on Ethics and the California Insurance Code Requirements for Life Agent and / or Accident and Health or Sickness Agent

What is the 12 Hours of Study on Ethics and the California Insurance Code education (12-Hour PRE) requirement for an applicant who applies for the Life license?

The 12-Hour PRE course includes 12-hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code course, which includes one hour of study on insurance fraud. This is a 12-Hour PRE course requirement that must be completed for this license (California Insurance Code sections 1749(a)(1) and (2)).

What is the 12-hour PRE requirement for an applicant who applies for the Accident and Health or Sickness license?

The 12-Hour PRE course includes study of ethics and the California Insurance Code prelicensing course, which includes one hour of study on insurance fraud. This is a 12-Hour PRE course requirement for this license (California Insurance Code sections 1749(a)(1) and (2)).

What is the 12-hour PRE requirement for an applicant who applies for both the Life and the Accident and Health or Sickness license?

The 12-Hour PRE course includes study of ethics and the California Insurance Code prelicensing course, which includes one hour of study on insurance fraud. This is a 12-Hour PRE course requirement for these licenses.

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Continuing Education for Life and/or Accident and Health or Sickness licensees

What are the continuing education (CE) requirements for a Life Agent and/or the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent?

The Life and/or Accident and Health or Sickness licensee is required to complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) credit prior to the renewal of each license.

• Life - This licensee will be required to complete 24 hours of CE instruction, which includes three (3) hours in ethics. The ethics portion must include one hour of study on insurance fraud. The 24 hours of CE must be completed each two-year license term (California Insurance Code section 1749.33(a)).
• Accident and Health or Sickness - This licensee will be required to complete 24 hours of CE instruction, which includes three (3) hours in ethics. The ethics portion must include one hour of study on insurance fraud. The 24 hours of CE must be completed each two-year license term (California Insurance Code section 1749.33(b)).
• Life Agent and Accident and Health or Sickness Agent - This licensee will be required to complete 24 hours instruction, which includes three (3) hours in ethics. The ethics portion must include one hour of study on insurance fraud. The 24 hours of CE must be completed each two-year license term (California Insurance Code section 1749.33(c)).
• Ethics Continuing Education - Please note the Life and/or the Accident and Health or Sickness licensee will need to complete three (3) hours of ethics CE as a part of, and not in addition to, the required 24 hours of CE each license term before their license can be renewed. The ethics portion must include one hour of study on insurance fraud.

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Long-Term Care Training Requirements

Would the Life or the Accident and Health or Sickness licensee be authorized to sell long-term care insurance?

The licensee who holds both the Life and Accident and Health or Sickness Agent licenses or only the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license are authorized to sell long-term care insurance.

Accelerated Death Benefit Provisions - An agent that only holds a Life license is authorized to sell long-term care insurance if the life agent is transacting accelerated death benefit provisions or riders that require the provision of personal care services to a chronically ill insured. However, the life agent is not authorized to sell long-term care insurance if the accelerated death benefit or riders do not require any provision of personal care services to an insured. (California Insurance Code sections 10234.93(a)(4) and10295.1)

Note: The Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensees or only the Accident and Health or Sickness licensee must complete the long-term care training requirements stated in California Insurance Code section 10234.93 (a)(4)(A) prior to selling long-term care products. Specifically, any Life and Accident and Health or Sickness licensees (full life license) or the Accident and Health or Sickness licensee must complete eight (8) hours of long-term care training in each of the first four 12-month periods that they transact long-term care insurance and, thereafter, complete eight (8) hours of long-term care training prior to each license renewal. For resident licensees, this requirement shall be a part of and not in addition to the CE requirements stated in California Insurance Code sections 1749.33 (b) and (c).

In addition, the Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensees or only the Accident and Health or Sickness licensee marketing a Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance Policy or Certificate must complete eight (8) hours of education on long-term care in general that meet the requirements of California Insurance Code section 10234.93 and eight (8) hours of training eight (8) hours of training in a live classroom setting on California Partnership for Long-Term Care, California Code of Section 58056.

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Annuity Training Requirement

Would the Life Agent or the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent be authorized to sell annuity products?

The agent who holds both the Life, Accident and Health or Sickness Agent licenses or only the Life license will be authorized to solicit individual consumers in order to sell annuities. However, a licensee that only holds an Accident and Health or Sickness license is not authorized to negotiate, transact, or sell annuities.

Note: The Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensee or the Life licensee must complete the annuity training requirements stated in California Insurance Code section 1749.8. Specifically, any Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensee or Life licensee must complete an initial eight (8) hour annuity training course prior to selling annuities. Thereafter, that licensee must complete four (4) hours of annuity training prior to each license renewal. For resident licensees, this requirement shall be a part of, and not in addition to, the CE requirements stated in California Insurance Code sections 1749.33(a) and (c).

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24-Hour Care Coverage

Would the Life Agent or the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent be authorized to sell 24-Hour Care Coverage?

The agent who holds the Life, Accident and Health or Sickness license or the Accident and Health or Sickness license can be authorized to sell 24-Hour Care Coverage. However, a licensee that only holds a Life license is not authorized to negotiate, transact, or sell 24-Hour Care Coverage.

Note: The Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensee or the Accident and Health or Sickness licensee must complete the 24-Hour Care Coverage CE requirements stated in California Insurance Code section 1749.33. Specifically, any Life, Accident and Health or Sickness licensee or Accident and Health or Sickness licensee who wishes to sell 24-Hour Care Coverage, as defined in California Insurance Code section 1749.02, shall complete a course, program of instruction, or seminar of an approved CE provider on workers' compensation and general principles of employer liability, which shall be completed by examination approved by the Commissioner as part of the CE course, program of instruction, or seminar prior to selling this coverage.

The required number of instruction hours shall be equal to but no greater than that required by the Curriculum Board for the CE requirements of a Property or Casualty-Agent on these subjects. For resident licensees, this requirement shall be a part of, and not in addition to, the CE requirements stated in California Insurance Code sections 1749.33(d).

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Miscellaneous Questions

Will the "Variable Life and Variable Annuity" authority be displayed on the Life Agent's license if the Agent has this line of authority?

Yes, the Variable Life and Variable Annuity authority will be listed on the Agent’s Life license when the Life Agent license is printed. In addition, the Variable Life and Variable Annuity authority will also be shown when viewing the License Agent's license using the Department’s Check A License online service.

Is it possible for someone to be an Accident and Health or Sickness Agent, Property, and Casualty Agent? If so, how many hours of the 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code are required for new license applicants?

Residents only: If an individual would like to be licensed as an Accident and Health or Sickness Agent, Property, and Casualty Agent, that individual can apply for these three license types. The applicant would need to complete the 12-hour study on ethics and the California Insurance Code requirements, which includes one hour of study on insurance fraud, for the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent, Property, and Casualty Agent. This applicant would also need to pass the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent, Property, and Casualty Agent license examinations to be licensed as an Accident and Health or Sickness and a Property and a Casualty Broker Agent.

If an individual holds an Accident and Health or Sickness, Property and Casualty Agent license, what are that agent’s CE requirements?

Residents only: The required CE hours for the Accident and Health or Sickness Agent, Property, and Casualty Agent is 24 hours of CE. The 24 hours of CE includes three (3) hours of ethics, which must include one hour of study on insurance fraud, as a part of (and not in addition to) the required 24 CE hours each two-year license term before the license can be renewed.

If an individual holds a Personal Lines Agent license in addition to the Life, Accident and Health or Sickness license, what are that agent’s CE requirements?

Residents only: The CE requirement for a Personal Lines Agent that also holds a Life, Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license is 24 hours of CE each license term. The 24 hours of CE includes three (3) hours of ethics, which must include one hour of study on insurance fraud, as a part of (and not in addition to) the required 24 hours of CE each two-year license term before the license can be renewed.

If an agent holds a Personal Lines Agent license and a Life and/or Accident and Health or Sickness license, what type of classes can the agent take?

A Personal Lines Agent, when combined with a Life, Accident and Health or Sickness Agent license, may complete a Property Agent, Casualty Agent, Life Agent, Personal Lines Agent or Limited Lines Automobile Insurance Agent course for CE credit.

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