ALASKA ADJUSTER INFORMATION
License Types
Independent Adjuster
Independent Adjusters are licensed in Alaska.
Licence Types:
Individual - a natural person required to be licensed under AS 21.27.010.
Individual in a Firm - a natural person required to be licensed under AS 21.27.010 who is employed by a firm.
Compliance Officer - a licensee under AS 21.27 who is responsible for a firm’s compliance with Alaska insurance laws
Firm - a corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity.
Public Adjuster
At present, Alaska's insurance code does not require licensing of "public adjusters" or adjusters who handle claims on behalf of insured, not insurance companies. The Alaska Division of Insurance does not have jurisdiction to either authorize or prohibit such activities in this state except to the extent such activities involve unfair or deceptive trade practices under Chapter 36 of Alaska's insurance code (AS 21.36.125, Unfair Claim Settlement Practices).While public adjusters are not licensed under the insurance code, licensing may be required under other provisions of Alaska law. In particular, public adjusting may constitute the practice of law, and thus, may require a license to practice law depending on the nature and scope of the activities performed in the state. See Christiansen vs. Melinda, 857, P .2d 345 (Alaska 1993) addressing the definition of "practice of law for civil and criminal purposes".
Staff Adjuster
Alaska does not licence staff adjusters
EXEMPTION: If you are a staff adjuster and adjust claims on behalf of your employer, an admitted insurer, you do not need an independent adjuster license.
Unlicensed Adjuster Single Loss or Catastrophe
Pursuant to AS 21.27.860(a), a non-resident independent adjuster not licensed by this state who is licensed by and in good standing with its home state may act as an adjuster and adjust a single loss in this state during a calendar year, or may act as an adjuster and adjust losses arising out of a catastrophe as declared by the director, if, within 10 days after the start of the investigation or adjustment under this section the nonresident adjuster has advised the director in writing of the adjustment. He must be licensed as independent adjuster in home state. If catastrophic loss, the event must be declared by the Director of Insurance
Trainee Adjuster
The trainee adjuster shall be at all times be working at the direction and supervision of the supervisor and all insurance activities shall be done in the name of the supervisor.
Exclusions
The following categories or activities do not require an Alaskan insurance license under the conditions listed:
Group Plans
No license required if a person is employed on salary or hourly wage by a person licensed under Alaska Statute (AS) 21.27 to sell group insurance and only secures and forwards information, issues certificates, or otherwise assists in administering the group plans and does not receive a commission for performing administrative services related to group life insurance, group property and casualty insurance, group annuities, group or blanket accident and health insurance; enrolling individuals or issuing certificates under the above-listed group plans; or performing administrative services related to mass-marketed property and casualty insurance. The plan must be a true group insurance plan in which an employer sponsors the plan and the employees are provided the option of enrolling in that plan. But, if the person sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance coverage in addition to the group benefits offered by the employer, the person must have an insurance producer license.
Multi-State Commercial Risks
No license required if a person is not a resident of Alaska and sells, solicits, or negotiates a contract of insurance for commercial property and casualty risks to an insured with risks located in more than one state insured under that contract, and if that person is licensed as an insurance producer in the state where the insured maintains its principal place of business and the contract of insurance covers risk located in that state.
Insurance Consultant
Alaska does not issue licenses to consultants. But a person acting in the capacity of a consultant and whose consultation leads to the placement of insurance must have an insurance license. A person who is acting as an agent or consultant for an insured (as a broker) does not need an appointment. General Agent who receives override commissions
No license required if a general agent receives only a commission override for business produced by persons the general agent solicited as producers and the general agent has no involvement in the sale, solicitation, or negotiation of insurance. But a general agent who has direct contact with a client or receives applications or receives premiums must obtain a license and company appointment as that general agent would be selling, soliciting, or negotiating insurance.
Licensee Customer Service Representatives
No license is required if a person is employed on salary or hourly wage by a person licensed under AS 21.27 solely for the performance of accounting, clerical, stenographic, and similar office duties. Company Customer Service Representatives
No license required if an employee of an insurance company who provides customer service is not directly compensated based on the volume of premiums that may result from the services performed by that person and the person does not transact insurance. Officer, Director, or Employee of an Admitted Insurer
No license required if an officer, director, or employee of an insurance company does not receive a commission on policies written or sold if the person’s functions are executive, administrative, managerial, clerical, or a combination of these and are only indirectly related to the transaction of insurance; relate to underwriting or loss control; or are in the capacity of an agency supervisor where the activities are limited to providing technical assistance to insurance producers and whose activities do not include transacting insurance.
Risk Managers
No license required if a risk manager is a salaried full-time employee who only counsels or advises the risk manager’s employer regarding the insurance interests of the employer or of a subsidiary or business affiliate of the employer and the risk manager does not sell or solicit insurance or receive a commission.
Advertising
No license required if a person’s activities in this state are limited to advertising without the intent to solicit insurance in this state through communications in printed publications or other forms of electronic mass media (Internet), whose distribution is not limited to residents of this state, as long as the person is not selling, soliciting, or negotiating insurance in this state.
Group “Credit” Insurance
Some insurers have filed their credit insurance programs as a “group” insurance product in which a master policy is issued to the lending institution and the consumers that are sold credit insurance are issued a participating certificate rather than an original policy.
This concept does not qualify for the “enrollment of benefits in a group plan” exemption as there is no employer-employee relationship between the lender and the borrower and the exemption was intended only for a true group enrollment in a plan sponsored by an employer on behalf of its employees.
Licensing Requirements
Requirements
To become a licensed independent Alaska insurance adjuster, individuals must:Have six (6) months' experience within the last two calendar years as any of the following:
- Independent adjuster
- Independent adjuster trainee
- Insurance Producer
- Managing General Agent
- Reinsurance intermediary manager or broker
- Underwriter or claims adjuster employee of an insurer EXEMPTION: If you are a staff adjuster and adjust claims on behalf of your employer, an admitted insurer, you do not need an independent adjuster license.
Other Requirements
Fiduciary Account Requirements
A licensee has a fiduciary responsibility for the money the licensee collects for premium taxes and fees, premiums, or return premiums and the money must be accounted for promptly and paid to the appropriate party. AS 21.27.360
Bonds
Insurance Producers - Effective January 1, 2002, an insurance producer acting as a broker or collecting insurance premiums is no longer required to file and maintain a $10,000 bond.
Surplus Lines Brokers - As of January 1, 2002, a surplus lines broker is no longer required to maintain a bond in any amount unless the director by regulation requires a bond in a particular amount.
Limited Title Producer Licenses
A requirement to hold a limited title producer license is to have the sole purpose to be appointed by and act on behalf of a title insurer. Although an appointment is no longer filed with our office, an insurer and producer are required to maintain a list of all their appointments and must be able to respond within three days to an inquiry made by the director regarding the appointment.
Fingerprint Requirement
A resident applying for an insurance license is required to submit one fingerprint card to the division in order that state and national criminal background checks on the applicant can be performed.
Fingerprinting is not required for non-residents.
Eight lines of authority have been established that are consistent with those listed in the NAIC Producer License Model Act and the division issues a qualified applicant a license for one or more of the lines of insurance coverage. AS 21.27.115
Life insurance coverage - on natural persons, includes benefits of endowment and annuities; and may include benefits in the event of death or dismemberment by accident and benefits for disability income. AS 21.27.115(1)
Health insurance coverage - for sickness, bodily injury, or accidental death, and may include benefits for disability income. AS 21.27.115(2)
Property insurance coverage - for the direct or consequential loss for damage to property of every kind. AS 21.27.115(3)
Casualty insurance coverage - against legal liability, including that for death, injury, or disability or damage to real or personal property, including surety insurance as defined in AS 21.12.080. AS 21.27.115(4). Variable life and variable annuity products insurance coverage. AS 21.27.115(5)
Personal lines property and casualty insurance coverage sold to individuals and families for primarily noncommercial purposes. AS 21.27.115(6)
Credit insurance - includes credit life, credit disability, credit property, credit unemployment, involuntary unemployment, mortgage life, mortgage guaranty, mortgage disability, guaranteed automobile protection insurance, and any other form of insurance offered in connection with an extension of credit that is limited to partially or wholly extinguishing that credit obligation that the director of insurance determines must be designated a form of limited lines credit insurance. AS 21.27.900(17)
Crop insurance - includes crop insurance coverage for damage to crops from unfavorable weather conditions, fire or lightning, flood, hail, insect infestation, disease, or other yieldreducing conditions or perils provided by the private insurance market, or that is subsidized by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, including multiperil crop insurance. AS 21.27.115(8)
Surety insurance - includes surety insurance as defined in AS 21.12.080 and AS 21.27.115(9).
Limited lines - any insurance for which a limited lines license may be issued under AS 21.27.150. Effective July 1, 2004, limited lines insurance authority has been expanded to include crop and surety insurance authority. These lines of authority were added for consistency with national standards. AS 21.27.115
Reciprocity and Non Residents
Alaska grants reciprocity to adjusters holding an adjuster license from their home state. However, if your home state does not require a license, and even if you have another state's license, you will be required to take Alaska's state exam admistered by Peason Vue.
Reciprocity with Texas license
Reciprocal with Texas License? Yes. Alaska only grants reciprocity to those holding a Texas resident license.Pre Licensing Education
If you are an Alaska resident or reside in a state that does not have a licensing requirement, you must observe the experience criteria stated above and successfully complete the Alaska exam administered by Pearson-Vue before obtaining your adjuster license. If you have an adjuster license from your home state, the exam requirement is waived. The 24 hour resident continuing education requirement can be completed online.Bond Requirement
Adjuster bond not required for licensing.How to Apply
Apply for a license online with NIPR.com or CLM TrackerApplication Fee plus the Fingerprint Card Evaluation Fee of $51.50 to the state department and a $15 service charge to MorphoTrust (formally known as L-1 Solutions) Schedule exam before contacting MorpoTrust (previously L-1 Solutions) Once exam is scheduled, fingerprinting can be schedule by contact MorphoTrust at 1.800.761.8069 or online.
Examination Results (valid one year from administration date) Fingerprinting is not required for non-residents.
NOTE: None of these application need to be notarized..
For Non-Residents of States having an adjuster licensing requirement:
Apply online with NIPR.com or CLM Tracker
Fingerprinting is not required for non-residents.
Check the status of your license here.
NOTE: None of these applications need to be notarized.
Maintaining Your License
Renewal
This license is considered as a two year license that is renewable on the applicant's birthday. In order to renew, submit:Licensee renewal form, available online with NIPR for residents and non-residents.
CLM Tracker subscribed users can renew the licenses via CLM.
• Renewal period begins sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date through the expiration date.
• Renewal period occurs biennially based on birth date (license expiration date is the last day of birth month).
• Residents are required to complete 24 hours of continuing education credits per 2 year reporting period.
• Non-residents have no CE requirements as long as you submit evidence that you have satisfied any CE requirements in your home state.
• Address change can be made at NIPR.com or by change form. A $50 fee will be charged to any change form filed manually that could be filed electronically. Failure to notify change within 30 days will be accessed a penalty fee between $50-$200.
Continuing Education
All resident individuals licensed in Alaska are required to comply with the CE requirement unless the licensee qualifies for an exemption of the CE requirement. Nonresident adjusters who qualify for licensure by taking the Alaska adjuster examination are also required to comply with the CE requirements. 24 CE credit hours are required to renew a license. Of the 24 CE credit hours required for renewal, at least three must be in ethics and no more than eight credits may be in the subject area of management, marketing, sales, and training. Also, no more than eight credits may be carried over from a previous renewal cycle.See below for renewal fee.
NOTE : CLM Tracker subscribed users can track the CE credits via CLM.
License Termination or Lapse
ResidentsIf the license is not re-activated within one year of the lapse or cancellation, the adjuster needs to retake the exam.
License will be lapsed if the adjuster doesn’t meet the CE requirements and submit the information to the division.
How to Reinstate the license
Apply via NIPR, under the section that applies, select apply for a new license and then begin the application process
Paper: Submit the NAIC Uniform Renewal Application Form, fees, including the renewal, reinstatement and $50 processing fee (when filing an application that may be filed electronically), indicate REINSTATEMENT at the top of the application. You may access forms at http://www.naic.org/paper_licensing/maps_paper_licensing.htm
The fee schedule is accessible at http://commerce.alaska.gov/dnn/Portals/7/pub/Licensing/Forms/08-214.pdf. All Submittals: You must file the Business Transaction Form for Producers (Form 08-270) or the Business Transaction Form for Adjusters (Form 08-307) which indicate whether or not any Alaska insurance business has been transacted from the date of expiration/lapse to the date signed before the notary. A delayed renewal penalty fee of: a) 1 to 60 days after the license lapses, $100; or b) over 61 days after the license lapses, $200 (3 AAC 31.060(a)(5)). This fee is collected electronically when reinstatement is submitted through NIPR. If submitting a paper filing, your check will need to be made payable to the State of Alaska.
Fees
License Fee | $75 |
Resident Applicant Fingerprint Card Processing Fee | $51.50 |
Renewal Fee | $75 |
Reinstatement Fee | $100(if 1-60 days expired), Note :Reinstatement Fee is in addition to the license fee above) |
Reinstatement Fee | $200(if over 61 days expired) |
Contact
PO Box 110805, Juneau, Alaska 99811 Phone: 907.465.2515, Fax: 907.465.3422, Email: insurance@commerce.state.ak.usLink to Website