Florida Law and Ethics Update (220 2044 440 442 233)

This course provides licensees in general lines insurance with the four hours of continuing education mandated by the state of Florida. The material covered will help students review and clarify the regulatory structure for insurance in the state, deepen their knowledge of ethical standards enforced in Florida with regard to insurance, and refresh their understanding of their responsibilities and of the professional standards to which they are held. Most importantly, the class also covers major federal and state changes enacted during the end of 2022 and into 2023, with a focus on the law updates and changes for 2023, readying the licensee for the balance of 2023 and the year 2024.

Some of the topics covered include the following:

• Regulatory awareness, including the various departments in Florida that administer financial services and insurance;
• Licensing requirements, including appointments, contact information, agency licensing, transferring, surrendering and terminating licenses, grounds for compulsory or discretionary refusal of a license, as well as suspensions and revocations for individuals and agencies;
• Other requirements by law will explore advertising and record-keeping mandates;
• New insurance laws are discussed for both Florida and on a federal level, including recent legislation enacted by the federal and state government;
• Ethical requirements are thoroughly discussed, and include the state’s Code of Ethics, the NAIFA ethical code, marketing and regulatory environments that require ethical actions and additional ethical guidelines for Florida licensees;
• Suitability of sales to consumers and required elements that make a sale suitable for the customer;
• Unfair methods of competition and unfair and deceptive practices by insurers, agents, agencies and claims personnel;
• Understanding required premium discounts;
• An exploration of recent violations and enforcement actions with an emphasis on how to perform within expectations and within ethical and legal guidelines;
• New and important terminology that applies to Florida insurance professionals; and
• The future of insurance in Florida

During the course, there will be in-text questions to help the licensee gauge their knowledge while moving through the class, to test their knowledge as they go. There is also a final exam of 25 questions at the end of the class.