The department shall require all new applicants for license as a property broker-agent, casualty broker-agent, limited lines automobile insurance agent, personal lines broker-agent, life agent, or accident and health or sickness agent to meet prelicensing education standards as follows:

(a) Require a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite to qualification for a property broker-agent license. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. Any additions to the minimum requirements provided by this section shall be approved by the curriculum board pursuant to Section 1749.1 and certified by the department.

(b) Require a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite to qualification for a casualty broker-agent license. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. Any additions to the minimum requirements provided by this section shall be approved by the curriculum board pursuant to Section 1749.1 and certified by the department.

(c) Require a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite for qualification for a personal lines broker-agent license. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. Any additions to the minimum requirements provided by this section shall be approved by the curriculum board pursuant to Section 1749.1 and certified by the department.

(d) Require a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite for qualification for a life agent license. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. Any additions to the minimum requirements provided by this section shall be approved by the curriculum board pursuant to Section 1749.1 and certified by the department.

(e) Require a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite for qualification for a limited lines automobile insurance agent license. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. Any additions to the minimum requirements under this section shall be approved by the curriculum board pursuant to Section 1749.1 and certified by the department.

(f) Require a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite for qualification for an accident and health or sickness insurance agent license. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. Any additions to the minimum requirements under this section shall be approved by the curriculum board pursuant to Section 1749.1 and certified by the department. This curriculum shall also include instruction in workers’ compensation and general principles of employers’ liability.

(g) In addition to the 20 hours of prelicensing education required to qualify for a license as a property broker-agent, casualty broker-agent, personal lines broker-agent, a life agent, or an accident and health or sickness agent, or the 20 hours of prelicensing education required to qualify for a license as a limited lines automobile insurance agent, the department shall require 12 hours of study on ethics and this code. On and after March 1, 2023, that 12-hour ethics course shall include one hour of study on insurance fraud. If an applicant seeks a license for more than one of the following license types: a property broker-agent license, a casualty broker-agent license, a personal lines broker-agent license, a life license, or an accident and health or sickness license, the applicant shall only be required to complete one 12-hour course on ethics and this code, which shall include one hour of study on insurance fraud on and after March 1, 2023. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval.

(h) An applicant for a life agent license, an accident and health or sickness license, a personal lines broker-agent license, or a limited lines automobile insurance agent license, who is currently licensed as a nonresident in this state shall be required to complete only the 12-hour course of study on ethics and this code, as required by this section. On and after March 1, 2023, the 12-hour ethics course shall include one hour of study on insurance fraud. Additionally, any applicant for that license holding one or more of the designations specified in subdivisions (a) to (p), inclusive, of Section 1749.4 shall be exempted from any requirement for courses in general insurance that would otherwise be a condition of issuance of the license.

(i) An applicant for a property broker-agent or casualty broker-agent license who is currently licensed as a nonresident in this state shall be required to complete only the 12-hour course of study on ethics and this code, as required by subdivision (g). On and after March 1, 2023, the 12-hour ethics course shall include one hour of study on insurance fraud. Additionally, any applicant for a license holding one or more of the designations specified in subdivisions (a) to (p), inclusive, of Section 1749.4, shall be exempted from any requirement for courses in general insurance that would otherwise be a condition of issuance of a license.

(j) An applicant for a property broker-agent or casualty broker-agent license or both who is licensed as a personal lines agent shall complete a minimum of 20 hours of prelicensing study as a prerequisite for each of these licenses. The curriculum for satisfying this requirement shall be approved by the curriculum board and submitted to the commissioner for final approval. The applicant shall not be required to repeat any prelicensing requirements completed as a prerequisite to being licensed as a personal lines agent.

(k) Review and approval of prelicensing courses not conducted in a classroom, as referenced in subdivisions (a) to (j), inclusive, shall include an evaluation of the safeguards in place to ensure that the student completing the course is the person enrolled in the course, methods used to monitor the student’s attendance are adequate, methods for the student to interact with the entity providing the training exist, and methods used to record the times spent completing the course are adequate.

(l) Prelicensing certificates of completion expire three years from the completion date of the course, whether or not a license is issued.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 424, Sec. 14. (SB 1242) Effective January 1, 2023.)