Below is some information about Agent Continuing Education Requirements from the Texas Department of Insurance website.
Agent/Adjuster Continuing Education Information
DISCLAIMER: TDI does NOT suggest or recommend courses by certifying them; nor is the quality of a course assured because it is certified. We strongly suggest that when you take a poor course, e-mail us, and tell your associates. Please do the same with the good courses. Use this email link: CE@tdi.state.tx.us
Interactive list of certified continuing education courses, to look up a provider, to get a course list for a specific kind of course, or to check a particular course’s information.
List of adjuster pre-license providers (not for public adjusters).
Requirement for Most Licensees: In general, most licensees holding any combination of licenses for LAH, PC, MGA, LH Counselors, and adjusters of all types including public adjusters, must receive credit for at least 30 hours in each two year renewal cycle. Courses must be taken from the course lists referenced on this site, or be an otherwise certified course or a qualifying courses. Only 15 of the hours may be self study, and 2 must be in ethics/consumer protection. Holders of limited lines and county mutual licenses must complete 10 hours per two years with 2 hours of ethics. Only 5 hours may be self study. At this time, TDI does not have the means to track credits earned by individual licensees. It is the licensee’s responsibility to retain certificates of course completion in case of audit.
Please note that to maintain your license, whether or not you are using it, you must meet your continuing education requirements.
There is no continuing education “grace period”. Once the expiration date has passed, a violation exists. CE cannot be made up after the expiration date. The fine for not doing the required continuing education is $50 per deficient hour. Call 512.322.3503 for a payment voucher to accompany your payment, which will clear the violation.
Before consulting a general course list, you may wish to see if any company you represent or a professional association you belong to is a provider. Passing a part of many professional designation programs is a way to earn credit. A professional designation program is defined in the rules. It is (A) nationally recognized in the insurance industry, and is (B) issued by an entity that maintains a not-for-profit status and has been in existence for at least five years.
Up to four hours of continuing education credit can be earned by an agent who is an active member of a state or national insurance association. For information about how the credit can be earned, you can review Chapter 4004.0535 of the Texas Insurance Code and §19.1011 and new §19.1020 of the Texas Administrative Code. The rule adopting the new provisions can be viewed from the following location on our website: http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/rules/2005/1229C-059.html.
“Qualifying” courses, not certified by TDI, may also be used for credit. Qualifying courses are insurance courses that are: (A) offered for credit by accredited colleges, universities, or law schools; or (B) part of a national designation certification program; or (C) approved for classroom, classroom equivalent, or participatory credit by the continuing education approval authority of a state bar association or state board of public accountancy; or (D) certified or approved for continuing education credit under the guidelines of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
The following table summarizes the continuing education requirements for license holders:
| License | Requirement per renewal period |
|---|---|
| General Lines – Life, Accident, Health, and HMO (LAH) | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| General Lines – Property and Casualty (PC) | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| Life/Health Insurance Counselor | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| Adjusters and Public Adjusters | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| MGA | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| Limited Lines (LAH, PC, others) | 10 hours, including 2 hours of ethics |
| Insurance Service Representative (ISR) | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| Full Time Home Office Employee | 30 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection; courses submitted to TDI for approval by insurer prior to use |
| Funeral Prearrangement | none |
| Life Insurance Under $15,000 | 10 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
| County Mutual | 10 hours, including 2 hours of ethics / consumer protection |
TDI USING PEASON VUE / SIRCON FOR CE SERVICES
*All Licensees: At least half the hours must be classroom or “classroom equivalent”. There are only two topic groups, “General” and “Ethics/CP”. Any licensee may take courses from these two groups. Courses are not divided by license type.
Full Time Home Office Salaried Employees: 30 hours a renewal period of CE are required with 2 hours of ethics training. Insurers whose plan of operation contemplates the use of these employees are responsible for their training. If insurer wishes to do the training in house, it must be a registered provider.
Exemptions from, and extensions of time for a licensee to do CE are possible, under very limited circumstances. The key to an extension being granted is proper documentation of a circumstance described in the rule that is beyond the licensee’s control. Examples might be long term illness, and military service in a theater of war. Reasons related to business or work load are never acceptable. Documentation is also important when claiming an exemption from continuing education if our records do not show current eligibility.
A major change became effective 12/31/2002. The 20 years of licensure needed to qualify for an exemption now must be CONTINUOUS (no breaks greater that 90 days) and the license must be held under the Texas Insurance Code.
Click here to download the Licensee CE Exemption and Extension Form
Several other useful links for Agents and Adjusters:
- The current rules relating to the Continuing Education Program and Adjuster Prelicensing Training (28 TAC §§19.602 and 19.1001-19.1018);
- A copy of the CE rule indexed by topic
- A list of adjuster pre-license providers (not for Public Insurance Adjusters);
- Ask a question, complain about a provider/course, or comment about this page CE@tdi.state.tx.us
- Get help in viewing or downloading files from this site.
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