Washington Insurance Exam Changes

To All,
Washington State and Pearson VUE (the testing service used by Washington to deliver insurance licensing exams) has recently changed its test content outline. I am going through this outline to determine the changes to it and will post another blog on that topic soon.
Jerry

Wyoming Requires Insurance Producers to Receive Long Term Care Partnership Training

To All,

Wyoming has joined about 33 other states in enacting legislation to authorize the sale of Long Term Care insurance policies known as Partnership plans. The Medicaid program in Wyoming (EqualityCare) is now making available the ability of insurers to offer these unique and special policies that offer asset protection/disregard for EqualityCare qualification purposes and for asset recovery purposes.

In order to market these special policies in Wyoming, all agents and brokers must have completed the required intitial training and ongoing training. The initial training must be completed by July 1, 2010. To view the training requirement memo issued by the Wyominig Department of Insurance, go here. For a consumer handout for individuals considering purchasing these special policy forms, go here.

I have developed an 8 hour initial Long Term Care Insurance Partnership training course as well as the 4 hour ongoing training course and plan to make these courses available to producers in Wyoming. For more information or to have me offer a live course to health insurance producers in Wyoming, contact me to discuss.

Best,

Jerry Furniss
The Licensing Guy

Wyoming Switches to PearsonVue Exams for Insurance Licensing

To All,

Wyoming has switched from the Thompson Prometric insurance exams to the PearsonVue insurance exams for the licensing of insurance producers in Wyoming. The PearsonVue insurance exams are considered a bit tougher, but I personally feel that the exams can be mastered if producers properly prepare. So, for those prepping for life, health, property, casualty, or surety exams, make sure that your prep material is designed for the PearsonVue exams, instead of the former Prometric versions.

I have experience assisting over 10,000 aspiring insurance agents master the PearsonVue insurance exams and have prep materials available that gets the job done. Email me for details of what I have available and I would be happy to steer you in the right direction.

Best,
Jerry Furniss
The Licensing Guy

3 Hour Ethics Courses Mandated for Insurance Producers

To All,

Many states, including Montana and Illinois, are requiring a three hour ethics course as part of an insurance producer's continuing education requirements. Montana's ethics course requirement takes effect for producers entering into their two year reporting cycle beginning January 1, 2010 or later. It is my understanding that the Illinois requirement is that the three hour ethics course must be taken as a live course, as opposed to online or self-study.

I recently worked with a company in Illinois to develop a three hour ethics course designed to meet that state's requirement and I am completing work on a course for Montana insurance producers as well.

If you are in the market for such a course or would like to share content on ethical dilemmas faced by insurance producers, please contact me. I am also traveling a bit and delivering a few live courses for other insurance schools and CE providers.

Jerry Furniss
The Licensing Guy

Long Term Care Partnership Plans

I recently wrote an article for the Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research on an overview of how new partnership policies (as authorized by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) operate vis a vis Medicaid. While this article was written for new long term care insurance partnership plans in Montana, the article is generally applicable to the 34 states that now have partnership laws in place. To view a pdf of this article go here.

Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Training

Montana just joined 29 other states in the U.S. to authorize the creation of Long Term Care Insurance partnership plans. Effective July 1, 2009, Montana authorized insurers will be allowed to submit policy applications. One of the requirements of the law is to require all health insurance producers to complete initial 8 hour Long Term Care training and then to complete a 4 hour ongoing training course every two years thereafter.

I recently developed 8 hour and 4 hour courses that are available for Montana continuing education credit and that meet the partnership training requirements. I also just developed a course for a prelicensing education in Illinois to meet that state's requirement. And, I plan to offer my services to any group of agents or associations or insurers that need live training. Just give me a shout to discuss the details.

When my new article on Long Term Care Partnership Plans becomes available in July, I will post a link to it- if you are new to partnership plans, it should be informative.

Jerry Furniss
The Licensing Guy

Washington State Insurance Licensing Rule Changes

Effective July 1, 2009, Washington State is allowing individuals seeking an insurance license in life, disability, property, and/or casualty to meet the state's prelicensing education requirement with a self study course instead of a live course. This change will bring on a number of exam prep and prelicensing options for those preparing for their insurance exams.

I will keep you posted on the details of the implementation of these new rules.

Jerry Furniss
The Licensing Guy