My license isn isn' 't active? You cannot be serious!

Does this sound like you?

"I thought I was going to leave the business, and blew off my CE. A great opportunity has come up, but now my license is inactive... and I need an active license to get the gig!" "I've been so busy writing policies, my CE deadline passed without my knowing it. I'm ready to close a great piece of business, but now I find out my license has been suspended for education, and this might wreck the deal." "I knew I turned my CE in late, but I was told I had a grace period. Now I've received notice from the DOI that my license has been terminated. What gives? I am so upset!"

Since 1994 American Education Systems, LC has been helping Michigan insurance producers with situations just like yours. We have the expertise and courses you need to catch up, get back in compliance and move on. Ready to get started? Let's go!

First, find your license status

To handle license problems, it is absolutely vital that you know exactly what you're dealing with; knowing the proper terms will save you time, money and anxiety. In order to find out the status of your license, along with active appointments, CE review date, and number of credits you may have earned, you will want to go online and navigate to the Michigan DIFS "Search Criteria for Insur Insurance ance Licensees Licensees" " page page. From there, you can search by your last name, last four digits of your Social Security, or System ID number (a.k.a. your insurance license number.)

The link should bring you here ...

Your search will bring up the following categories ...

"Insurance Licensee" (in this case, you) with name, address and contact phone* "System ID Number" (which is your license number) "Status" with information on the following: "Active/Inactive," "Licenses, Qualifications, Appointments" and "Continuing Education"

* HOT TIP: Be sure this information is accurate! If you did not receive notice from the DOI that
there was a problem with your license, chances are pretty good that they do not have the correct contact information. Learn how to update your address here here. .

If your status is "Inactive" ...

... you need to find out why. This is important, because it will guide your next steps, and let you know how quickly you can get back to "Active" status. The place to start is the link to "Licenses, Qualifications, Appointments" and you will be keeping your eyes open for the following codes: "SE" and "TE."

"Suspended for Education"

If your record shows "Suspended for Education," you are in luck...sort of.

Handling SE Issues
"Suspended for Education" status, or SE, means that you did not complete your mandatory 24 credits (3 Ethics, 21 Other) by the first day of your birth month within your current 24 month cycle. A license that is "Suspended for Education" remains in this category for 90 days (i.e. the Grace Period). During this time you may continue to service existing business, but are prohibited from producing new business. If you complete your mandatory CE and -- this is key -- it is submitted by the CE course provider and subsequently posts to the DOI website within the 90 days, your license is automatically reinstated to "Active" status. You have no additional paperwork to complete, and you will receive no additional documentation or communication on the matter from the DOI. Pretty easy, right?

Avoiding SE problems
Pitfalls to avoid when you are in the grace period include the following:

Using a provider that does not file earned credits promptly

Providers legally have up to 30 days to file!

Trying to meet the requirement with a course outside your comfort zone

Expanding horizons or earning a designation are excellent goals professionals should pursue--but NOT when time is of the essence!

Shameless sales-pitch
Taking a self-study course with American Education Systems, LC, will help you avoid the problems and pitfalls that can occur when trying to get out of "Suspended for Education" status. We offer

Prompt grading and same-day filing Monday-Friday Package courses with combined exams to save you time and money Experienced, friendly staff willing to take their time with you

You can learn more at our homepage, www.AmEdSys.com

"Terminated for Education"

"Terminated for Education" (TE)

is the license status that results from not completing the CE requirement within the 90 day grace period. You have 12 months -- one year from the CE due date -- to complete CE and have it filed and posted to keep the license. If you do NOT complete your CE within 12 months, you are "done" -- you have to start the licensing process all over, including PE (that's prelicensing) and passing the State exam.

Handling TE Issues
Following the expiration of the 90 day grace period, you have essentially 9 months to complete your CE requirement to avoid having to take a licensing PE course (again) and passing the State examination (again). There is, however, an important additional "step two" requirement that kicks in following the expiration of the grace period. In addition to meeting CE requirements, you are now required to file a new application and pay the licensing fee -- yes, again. Failure to skip this additional requirement and only complete your CE requirements will NOT avoid having your license "die" once the 12 months from the original CE due date have expired. To complete the "step two" requirement, you will need to visit the NIPR website and complete the Electric Resident License application.

The NIPR homepage looks like the image on the right. To begin your application for reinstatement of your license, you will click on the "Licensing & Renewal Applications" link located in the left sidebar.

At first glance, you would probably think the license application for reinstatement would be done through the "Renewal" tab. This is not, however, a renewal, but a reinstatement, so you will click the "Go to Application" link to the right of "Resident License (RL) FAQ"

Shameless sales-pitch #2
So...if you have determined that your license is "Terminated for Education" and need a self-study course to meet your CE requirements pronto, then check out our course offerings. Visit us online at www.AmEdSys.com or call us toll-free at 1-800-775-6339 1-800-775-6339. Mention this report, and we will provide you with a discount code to take 40% off your first order! We offer

Prompt grading and same-day filing Monday-Friday Package courses with combined exams to save you time and money Experienced, friendly staff willing to take their time with you

You can learn more at www.AmEdSys.com

"Inactive" for 12 months -- the "worstcase scenario"

Okay, we exaggerate ...

...but only by a little. Sure, your license has not been revoked, but it is no longer possible to get it back with just CE, some additional paperwork, and some additional fees. To stay in the industry as a producer, you will need to go back to "start" as far as licensing is concerned.

Steps to becoming licensed ...

... again.

Complete pre-licensing ("PE") education from an approved course provider ... like American Education Systems, L LC! C! You will not be admitted into the exam center without the original, unaltered Certificate of Completion.* The Certificate is valid for 12 months from the course completion date. File an Electronic Resident Licensing Application through www.nipr.com (just like in previous section of this booklet dealing with "TE" status.) The license application fee is $10.00 plus a $5.00 transaction fee. Keep in mind that the application is valid for only 6 months from entry into the NIPR database. Complete the State of Michigan examination with the passing score required for the relevant line of authority (i.e. "Life," "Casualty," etc.) You can learn more about the specific examinations at the Michigan Examination page page.

* If you are taking a combined examination, such as Property and Casualty, you will need two course Certificates of Completion (one for each line of authority--in this example, one for "Property" and one for "Casualty.")

3rd and final shameless selfpromotion ...

Yeah, you guessed it--American Education Systems, LC is also an approved provider of insurance PE programs! Let us know how we can help you ... contact us at:

www.AmEdSys.com 1-800-775-6339

You can find additional resources for your insurance practice at www.AmEdSys.com
Insurance License Rx by Perry Sylvester is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.AmEdSys.com.

AgentBrokerProducer.blogspot.com @AES_Perry www.linkedin.com/in/PJSylvester