1. The department shall not issue a commercial applicator‘s license as required in section 206.6 until the applicant has furnished evidence of financial responsibility with the department. The evidence of financial responsibility shall consist of a surety bond, a liability insurance policy, or an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a financial institution. The department may accept a certification of the evidence of financial responsibility. The evidence of financial responsibility shall pay the amount that the beneficiary is legally obligated to pay as damages caused by the pesticide operations of the applicant. However, the evidence of financial responsibility does not apply to damages or an injury which is expected or intended from the standpoint of the beneficiary. A liability insurance policy shall be subject to the insurer’s policy provisions filed with and approved by the commissioner of insurance. The evidence of financial responsibility need not apply to damages or injury to agricultural crops, plants, or land being worked upon by the applicant.
 2. The amount of the evidence of financial responsibility as provided for in this section shall be not less than one hundred thousand dollars for property damage and public liability insurance, each separately, or liability insurance with limits of one hundred thousand dollars per occurrence and three hundred thousand dollars annual aggregate. The evidence of financial responsibility shall be maintained at not less than that amount at all times during the licensed period. The department shall be notified ten days prior to any reduction in the surety bond or liability insurance made at the request of the applicant or cancellation of the surety bond by the surety or the liability insurance by the insurer. The department shall be notified ninety days prior to any reduction of the amount of the irrevocable letter of credit at the request of the applicant or the cancellation of the irrevocable letter of credit by the financial institution. The total and aggregate liability of the surety, insurer, or financial institution for all claims shall be limited to the face of the surety bond, liability insurance policy, or irrevocable letter of credit.