6/2005                                                              CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

KENTUCKY RESIDENT AGENTS

Who is Affected?

• All individuals licensed as resident agents by the Kentucky Office of Insurance for life, health, variable life and variable annuity, property, casualty and/or personal lines
• Any newly licensed individual with a major lines license who has moved to or is licensed in Kentucky from another state as a resident or home state licensee.  Even if a licensing exam is not required, the agent is subject to continuing education.
• Individuals holding a degree in insurance such as, Certified Life Underwriter degree (CLU), a Certified Property and Casualty Underwriter degree (CPCU) or a Certified Insurance Counselor designation (CIC) are subject to continuing education.

How Many Hours are Required?

• A TOTAL of twenty-four (24) hours of approved continuing education must be completed during each continuing education biennium.  A biennium begins on the first day of the month following your birth month and ends on the last day of your birth month two (2) years later (KRS 304.9-295).
• Of the 24 hours, at least six (6) hours of classroom or correspondence credit must be directly related to any line of authority for which the agent is actively licensed.
• Of the 24 hours, at least three (3) hours of classroom or correspondence credit must be specifically approved as Ethics.  You may view a list of all approved
• At least twelve (12) hours must be classroom credit.  Classroom or correspondence can carry forward, up to 12 hours of credit. (Classroom carryover will be used toward your biennial classroom requirement.)

NOTE:  The 6-hour Line of Authority requirement, the 3-hour Ethics requirement, and the 12-hour Classroom requirement are all part of the twenty-four (24) hour requirement, and are not “in addition.”

• Credit for an approved course may be earned only once within each biennial period.
• Instructors can earn credit for a course they teach, one time only, within a biennium.
• A maximum of 12 hours from correspondence courses will be allowed each biennium.
• Courses completed in another state may be approved in Kentucky.  The provider will be required to file the course with Kentucky using the NAIC Uniform Continuing Education Reciprocal Course approval application before credit can be granted.

When Does Your Biennium End?

If you are licensed as a resident agent with a major line of authority, you must earn 24 hours of approved continuing education credit beginning the first day of the month following your birth month and ending the last day of your birth month two (2) years later, odd or even year, depending on the year you were born.  Example:  If you were born in June of an odd year, your CE Biennium would begin on July 1 (odd year) and your continuing education must be completed on or before June 30 of the next odd year.  Proof of compliance with continuing education will be required in order to renew your license.

What Courses Qualify for Credit?

• Companies that you are appointed to represent may be approved to offer continuing education. Further, there are numerous independent providers of continuing education that are approved.  You must contact the continuing education course provider to determine course dates, locations, fees and availability.
• Only courses that are prior approved by the Executive Director will satisfy the requirement.  To view approved continuing education course providers, please visit the following address: http://doi.ppr.ky.gov/kentucky/search/provider/

How Many Credits Can You Get From One Source?

• Credit for an approved course can only be earned once every biennium.
• An agent can only receive 12 credit hours per biennium for self-study courses completed.
• Any credit hours over 24 earned within a biennium can be carried over, up to 12 hours maximum.

Who is Exempt From Meeting Continuing Education Requirements?

• Adjusters
• Non-resident agents who received their license through reciprocity and who have met the continuing education requirements of their home state
• Limited lines licensees:
• Limited Line Credit, Travel, Crop, Surety

• Agents who receive their license less than one full year before the end of their current continuing education biennium.  (But, these agents are not exempt from the next biennium and thereafter.)
• Agents who have a waiver from continuing education requirements because they are keeping their license for the sole purpose of receiving renewals or deferred commissions and have filed a supporting Affidavit For Exemption From Continuing Education (Form 304) with the Office of Insurance.