Examination requirement; exemptions.

(1) The department may not issue any license as agent or adjuster to any individual who has not qualified for, taken, and passed to the satisfaction of the department a written examination of the scope prescribed in s. 626.241.

(2) However, an examination is not necessary for any of the following:

(a) An applicant for renewal of appointment as an agent, customer representative, or adjuster, unless the department determines that an examination is necessary to establish the competence or trustworthiness of the applicant.

(b) An applicant for a limited license as agent for travel insurance, motor vehicle rental insurance, credit insurance, in-transit and storage personal property insurance, or portable electronics or eyewear insurance under s. 626.321.

(c) In the discretion of the department, an applicant for reinstatement of license or appointment as an agent, customer representative, or all-lines adjuster whose license has been suspended within the 4 years before the date of application or written request for reinstatement.

(d) An applicant who, within the 4 years before application for license and appointment as an agent, customer representative, or adjuster, was a full-time salaried employee of the department who had responsible insurance duties for at least 2 continuous years and who had been a licensee within the 4 years before employment by the department with the same class of license as that being applied for.

(e) An applicant who has been licensed as an all-lines adjuster and appointed as an independent adjuster or company employee adjuster and who files an application for an all-lines adjuster license with the department within 48 months after the date of cancellation or expiration of the prior appointment.

(f) An applicant for a temporary license, except as otherwise provided in this code.

(g) An applicant for a license as a life or health agent who has received the designation of chartered life underwriter (CLU) from the American College of Financial Services, except that the applicant may be examined on pertinent provisions of this code.

(h) An applicant for license as a general lines agent, personal lines agent, or all-lines adjuster who has received the designation of chartered property and casualty underwriter (CPCU) from the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, except that the applicant may be examined on pertinent provisions of this code.

(i) An applicant for license as a general lines agent or an all-lines adjuster who has received a degree in insurance from an accredited institution of higher learning approved by the department, except that the applicant may be examined on pertinent provisions of this code. Qualifying degrees must indicate a minimum of 18 credit hours of insurance instruction, including specific instruction in the areas of property, casualty, health, and commercial insurance.

(j) An applicant for license as an all-lines adjuster who has the designation of Accredited Claims Adjuster (ACA) from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution in this state; Certified All Lines Adjuster (CALA) from Kaplan Financial Education; Associate in Claims (AIC) from the Insurance Institute of America; Professional Claims Adjuster (PCA) from the Professional Career Institute; Professional Property Insurance Adjuster (PPIA) from the HurriClaim Training Academy; Certified Adjuster (CA) from ALL LINES Training; Certified Claims Adjuster (CCA) from AE21 Incorporated; Claims Adjuster Certified Professional (CACP) from WebCE, Inc.; Accredited Insurance Claims Specialist (AICS) from Encore Claim Services; Professional in Claims (PIC) from 2021 Training, LLC; Registered Claims Adjuster (RCA) from American Insurance College; or Universal Claims Certification (UCC) from Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) whose curriculum has been approved by the department and which includes comprehensive analysis of basic property and casualty lines of insurance and testing at least equal to that of standard department testing for the all-lines adjuster license. The department shall adopt rules establishing standards for the approval of curriculum.

(k) An applicant for license as a personal lines agent who has received a degree from an accredited institution of higher learning approved by the department, except that the applicant may be examined on pertinent provisions of this code. Qualifying degrees must indicate a minimum of 9 credit hours of insurance instruction, including specific instruction in the areas of property, casualty, and inland marine insurance.

(l) An applicant for license as a life agent who has received a degree from an accredited institution of higher learning approved by the department, except that the applicant may be examined on pertinent provisions of this code. Qualifying degrees must indicate a minimum of 9 credit hours of insurance instruction, including specific instruction in the areas of life insurance, annuities, and variable insurance products.

(m) An applicant for license as a health agent who has received a degree from an accredited institution of higher learning approved by the department, except that the applicant may be examined on pertinent provisions of this code. Qualifying degrees must indicate a minimum of 9 credit hours of insurance instruction, including specific instruction in the area of health insurance products.

(n) An applicant qualifying for a license transfer under s. 626.292.

(o) An applicant for a license as a nonresident agent if the applicant holds a comparable license in another state with similar examination requirements as this state.

(3) An individual who is already licensed as a customer representative shall not be licensed as a general lines agent without application and examination for such license.