33-17-212. Examination required -- exceptions -- fees. - Montana Statutes

     33-17-212. Examination required -- exceptions -- fees. (1) Except as provided in subsection (6), an individual applying for a license is required to pass a written examination. The examination must test the knowledge of the individual concerning each kind of insurance listed in subsection (5) for which application is made, the duties and responsibilities of an insurance producer, and the insurance laws and rules of this state. The examination must be developed and conducted under rules adopted by the commissioner.
     (2) The commissioner may conduct the examination or make arrangements, including contracting with an outside testing service, for administering the examination. The commissioner may arrange for the testing service to recover the cost of the examination from the applicant.
     (3) An individual who fails to appear for the examination as scheduled or fails to pass the examination may reapply for an examination and shall remit all forms before being rescheduled for another examination.
     (4) Except as provided in subsection (6), if the applicant is a business entity, each individual who is to be named in the license as having authority to act for the applicant in its insurance transactions under the license must meet the qualifications provided for in this section.
     (5) Examination of an applicant for a license must cover all of the kinds of insurance for which the applicant has applied to be licensed, as constituted by any one or more of the following classifications:
     (a) life insurance;
     (b) disability insurance;
     (c) property insurance, which for the purposes of this provision includes marine insurance;
     (d) casualty insurance;
     (e) surety insurance;
     (f) limited lines credit insurance;
     (g) title insurance.
     (6) This section does not apply to and an examination is not required of:
     (a) an individual lawfully licensed as an insurance producer as to the kind or kinds of insurance to be transacted as of or immediately prior to January 1, 1961, and who continues to be licensed;
     (b) an applicant for a license covering the same kind or kinds of insurance as to which the applicant was licensed in this state, other than under a temporary license, within the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application unless the commissioner has suspended, revoked, or terminated the previous license;
     (c) an applicant for a license as a nonresident insurance producer;
     (d) transportation ticket agents of common carriers applying for a license to solicit and sell only:
     (i) accident insurance ticket policies; or
     (ii) insurance of personal effects while being carried as baggage on a common carrier, as incidental to their duties as transportation ticket agents; or
     (e) an association applying for a license under 33-17-211.
     (7) (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (7)(b), an individual who applies for a nonresident insurance producer license in this state and who was previously licensed for the same lines of authority in another state may not be required to complete any prelicensing education or examination.
     (b) The exemption in subsection (7)(a) is available only if the individual is currently licensed in the other state or the individual's application is received within 90 days of the cancellation of the individual's previous license and if the other state issues a certification that, at the time of the cancellation, the individual was in good standing in that state or the state's database records, maintained by the national association of insurance commissioners or any of the association's affiliates or subsidiaries that the association oversees, indicate that the insurance producer is or was licensed in good standing for the lines of authority requested.

     History: En. Sec. 157, Ch. 286, L. 1959; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 44, L. 1969; R.C.M. 1947, 40-3313; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 345, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 211, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 18, Ch. 519, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 409, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 480, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 713, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 25, Ch. 531, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 316, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 31, Ch. 472, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 106, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 427, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 271, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 313, L. 2009.