Q: What type of insurance license is needed to offer Medicare plans in Alabama?
Health Insurance Producer License
Q: What are the Licensing Steps in Alabama?
Step 1: Complete a prelicensing course that has been approved by the Department of Insurance. We recommend using ExamFX. Once you have completed your course, ExamFX will issue a certificate of completion which you may download and print from your online ExamFX account.
Step 2: Schedule your exam with your state’s testing provider, the Alabama Department of Insurance in partnership with the University of Alabama. Registration must be completed online at https://training.ua.edu/index.php . Remote testing may be available for certain exams.
Exam Fee: $50
Testing sites are located in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Gadsden, Alabama.
Once registered, a testing appointment may not be cancelled. The exam fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable. You must go back online and reregister for the exam.
You may register for the exam before completion your prelicensing course; however, you must bring with you the certificate of completion issued by ExamFX upon completion of the course.
Step 3: Take and pass your state licensing exam. On the day of your appointment you must bring with you one valid form of government issued identification (driver’s license, passport, military I.D., etc.) that must contain your name and photograph. You must also bring with you your certificate of completion. You will not be able to take your exam if these requirements are not met.
Licensing fee: $80
Once you have completed your examination you will be made aware of your results. Examination results may take up to three days to appear on the Alabama Department of Insurance’s website.
Step 4: Apply for your license. Alabama resident applicants must use the online application service at www.nipr.com . Additional licensing application guidance may be accessed on the NIPR website.
The state of Alabama requires fingerprinting. You should seek to get fingerprinted after passing the state exam and one day before applying for the license. Schedule your reservation at https://www.aps.gemalto.com
Fingerprinting Fee: $48.25.
Q: How do I study for my health insurance license exam in Alabama?
Must complete a prelicensing course of study for the lines of authority for which the person is applying- consisting of 20 classroom hours per line of authority, or equivalent of individual instruction, on the general principles of insurance for that line of authority. Must successfully complete the examination for the lines of authority for which the individual has applied.
**Your license will not be issued until this documentation is received. If information is not received within 10 days your application will be rejected.
Q: How do I schedule to take my health insurance exam in Alabama?
Schedule your exam with your state’s testing provider, the Alabama Department of Insurance in partnership with the University of Alabama. Registration must be completed online at https://training.ua.edu/index.php . Remote testing may be available for certain exams. Testing sites are located in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Gadsden, Alabama. Once registered, a testing appointment may not be cancelled. The exam fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable. You must go back online and reregister for the exam. You may register for the exam before completion your prelicensing course; however, you must bring with you the certificate of completion issued by ExamFX upon completion of the course.
Q: Are there different parts to the health insurance exam?
Prelicensing education courses can be taken online during which a minimum of five hours must be dedicated to the discussion of Alabama Law.
Each licensing exam is made up of two categories of topics: general knowledge and state law.
- General – Life and Health Insurance
- Health Foundations
- Medical Expense Policies
- Disability Income Policies
- Uniform Individual Health Policy Provisions Law
- Group Health Insurance
- Medicare, Medicaid, and Limited Health Insurance Policies
- Alabama Insurance Law Common to All Lines
- Alabama Insurance Law Pertinent to Accident and Health (Disability) Insurance.
Q: How do I apply for a nonresident health insurance license in Alabama?
Applicants must be in good standing and hold an active license in their resident state for the same lines of authority for which they are applying.
Effective July, 2013 for those non-residents who hold the Baggage LOA in their home state, they will need to apply for Travel here as Baggage falls under the Travel definition in the Producer law that went into effect January 1, 2013.
If the Non-Resident holds Surety in your home state, you will need to apply for the new LOA entitled “Non-Resident Reciprocal – Surety”.
Nonresident License Fee: $80
Q: How do I renew my health insurance license in Alabama?
All individual producers must renew their license online.** Click HERE to renew your license.
Remember you cannot change your address during the renewal process. Individual producers renew their license based on their month and year of birth. A notice will be sent by the DOI to all producers approximately 90 days prior to their month of birth. Producers born in odd-numbered years will renew for two years in the odd years. Producers born in even-numbered years will renew for two years in the even years.
Producers must be CE compliant to complete the renewal process.
Individual Producers now have the ability to update their e-mail addresses online for Alabama through SBS Online tools. The state website allows producers click on Print Your License or View Your CE Info and that takes you straight to SBS and it will be under Email Maintenance or go to Nipr and click on CCR.
Renewal Fee $80
Biennial License Renewal Fee – $70
Late Fee – $50
Q: What do I do if my health insurance license has expired in Alabama?
A producer’s license expires when the license is not renewed in the producer’s birth month. There is a 30 day grace period following expiration, during which time the producer can renew with a $50.00 late fee plus the renewal fee. If the license is not renewed at this time, the license expires and all company appointments are cancelled.
A producer may have their license reissued within 12 months of expiration without having to be re-examined by going online at www.nipr.com. Once the license is reissued, the producer must also be reappointed.
When former producers have been without a license over 12 months, they must take the prelicensing course, retest, and get fingerprinted before again applying for license online at www.nipr.com.
REINSTATEMENT PROCEDURES
Please follow these instructions to reinstate a license previously suspended due to nonrenewal:
Write a letter asking for the suspension to be lifted. Be sure to include the producer’s name, address and social security number. A Settlement Agreement and Order will be mailed with a cover letter indicating the amount due and further instructions. The Producer will need to sign and date the Settlement Agreement and mail it back in with any monies due and continuing education or letter of certification, if applicable.
Q: What do I do for Continuing Education to keep my health insurance license in Alabama?
Continuing Education (CE) is required to maintain the eligibility to receive a renewal license unless exempt. CE can be done by classroom, self-study, online instruction, and/or seminar obtained from an approved provider. CE credits are given for successfully completing an approved course given by an approved provider.
Individuals licensed in the state of Alabama who are not exempt must satisfactorily complete courses as may be approved in accordance with regulation in the minimum number of 24 hours per biennial reporting period. Beginning January 1, 2013, excess credit hours earned in the previous biennial renewal period cannot be carried over to the next reporting period. Any excess is lost.
Credit will not be accepted for any approved course more than once in any reporting period. Individuals licensed for less than twelve months at the time of their first renewal are not required to complete the educational requirements, but must claim the CE exemption during renewal through NIPR.
Any person teaching an approved course of instruction or lecturing at an approved seminar or program shall qualify for the same number of hours as would be granted to a person taking and successfully completing such course and/or seminar.