Newswire: California adopts revised NAIC Model Regulation – Updated training requirements

CALIFORNIA ADOPTS REVISED NAIC SUITABILITY MODEL REGULATION

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) revised the Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation 275 in February 2020. California now joins a growing number of states that have adopted the Regulation. 

Revisions to the Model Regulation include:

• Insurance producers and companies must act with a heightened standard of care in the solicitation and sale of annuities. 
• Producers must act in the “best interest” of their customers. 
• The best-interest standard is met by satisfying four distinct levels of obligation:
  • Care
  • Disclosure
  • Conflict of interest
  • Documentation 
• Insurers must establish and maintain a system of supervision to assure that the insurance needs and financial objectives of customers are effectively met at the time of the sale.  

Click here for more details.

How to comply with the revised Model Regulation

To solicit and sell annuities in California, producers must comply with regulations adopted by the California Department of Insurance. Producers doing business in California are now required to complete General Annuity Training continuing education (C.E.) 

The revisions to the Model Regulation require completion of EITHER a 1-hour General Annuity Training C.E. course available to producers who have taken the previous NAIC Annuity Suitability training, OR a new 4-hour General Annuity Training C.E. for those who have not taken it previously. General Annuity Training C.E. must be completed with a training vendor approved by the California Department of Insurance. 

General Annuity Training C.E.

• Access to approved vendors, training dates, times and fees are available on the California Department of Insurance. 
• You must fulfill your General Annuity Training requirement and provide a certificate of completion to EquiTrust prior to soliciting or selling. Send by FAX to 515-226-5102, or email: [email protected].
• For information about General Annuity Training vendors, visit Agents.EquiTrust.com. In the upper right corner, click Licensing & Training. Or, click here.

Carrier Product Training – No additional or new requirement 

To complete EquiTrust Annuity Product Training, visit Agents.EquiTrust.com, then click Licensing & Training in the upper right corner. Or, click here. You may view your personal training history upon login to Agents.EquiTrust.com. 

Avoid potential business delays

Applications received without completion of EquiTrust carrier-specific product training and state-required General Annuity Training C.E. will not be accepted.

California training completion deadlines

Original General Annuity Training

Newly State Licensed            01/01/2012

Currently State Licensed       01/01/2012

2020 Update General Annuity Training

Newly State Licensed          01/01/2025

Currently State Licensed     07/01/2025

Training requirements by state

To see the most current status for each state’s adoption, as well as deadlines for completing C.E. training for both newly licensed and currently licensed agents, visit Agents.EquiTrust.com, then click Licensing & Training in the upper right corner. Or, click here. You will be notified as additional states adopt the new training requirements.