NEWSWIRE: Revised NAIC Suitability Model Regulation – New General Annuity Training CE and Form Requirements

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NAIC Revises Suitability Model Regulation

Adopted by Arizona, Iowa & Rhode Island;  

More States to Follow

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) revised the Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation 275. Since finalized in February 2020, three states have adopted the Regulation: Arizona, Iowa and Rhode Island. More states are in the process of adopting now. We will update you as other states adopt. 

Revisions to the Model Regulation include:

• Requires insurance producers and companies to 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 detail

How to Comply with the Revised Model Regulation

To solicit and sell annuities, producers must comply with regulations adopted by the state in which they write business. The previous version of the Model Regulation required Carrier Product-Specific Training as well as a 4-hour General Annuity Suitability CE. 

As states adopt the Revised Regulation, producers doing business in those states will be required to complete additional General Annuity Training CE. 

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

General Annuity Continuing Education (CE) –

• Access to approved vendors, training dates, times and fees are available on the state Insurance Department websites. 
• 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 Agent Training. Or, click here.

Carrier Product Training – No additional or new requirement 

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

Avoid Potential Business Delays

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

Training Requirements By State

See the most current status for each state’s adoption status deadlines for completing CE training for both newly licensed and currently licensed agents visit Agents.EquiTrust.com, then click Agent Training in the upper right hand corner. Or, Click Here. You will be notified as additional states adopt the new training requirements.

Training Completion Deadlines in States Which Have Adopted the Revised Model Regulation

Arizona

Iowa

Rhode Island

Revised Forms – Effective Now in All States/Required 1/1/21

As announced previously, EquiTrust updated the Financial Needs Analysis (FNA) and Disclosure and Comparison of Annuity Contracts forms to comply with the revisions to the Model Regulation.   

• The revisions to the FNA form help agents collect information required under the revised Model Regulation, including additional customer profile information, agent-compensation disclosure, and disclosure of products the agent is authorized to sell.
• If applicable, customers are required to acknowledge their refusal to provide complete information, or if they choose to purchase a product not recommended by their agent.
• The revised forms are effective now and required January 1, 2021 for all agents in all states.
• For more information about form revisions, click here.
   

Products underwritten and issued by EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, West Des Moines, Iowa. Products distributed by EquiTrust Insurance Marketing Services; in California doing business as EQT Insurance Marketing Services.