Limited Lines of authority do not have their own license, they are lines of authority that can be held on a Producer license. To apply for a limited lines of authority you will need to follow all the same steps as a producer, except the attestation page needs to be submitted in lieu of pass slips.
Please note, limited lines are covered under the Causality or Personal Lines of authority. We will not issue an additional limited line if you hold the major line which covers it in Idaho or the limited line is not listed by name on your home state license.
The Idaho Department of Insurance Limited Lines Producer Pre-Licensing Manual contains in depth information regarding specific Limited Lines licensing requirements, Idaho Code and definitions. We recommended that you bookmark the manual for future referenced and review for limited line information.
Idaho Legal Code
§41-1003 (Definitions)
§41-1004 (License Required)
§41-1005 (Exceptions to Licensing)
§41-1006 (Examination)
§41-1007 (Licensing Requirements)
§41-1008 (Lines of Authority, Reinstatements, Military, 30 day Address Change Requirement)
§41-1009 (State to State Address Change and Reciprocity)
§41-1011 (Refusal of License)
§41-1012 (Exemption from Exam and 90 day rule)
§41-1013 (Renewal/Reinstatement and late CE penalty requirements)
§41-1014 (DBA’s)
§41-1017 (Commissions)
§41-1018 (Appointments)
§41-1020 (Reciprocity)
§41-1021 (Reporting of Actions)
§41-1026 (Conditions of Suspension and Revocation)
§41-1028 (Inactive Status)
§41-1036 (Record Retention)
§41-1314 (Rebates – Illegal Inducements)
§30-21-801 through §30-21-810 (Use of a DBA/Assumed Business Name)
Title 30:
§30-21-801 through §30-21-810 (Use of a DBA/Assumed Business Name)
Rules:
18.03.01 Suitability in Annuity Transactions
18.06.02 Producers Handling of Fiduciary Funds
18.03.03 Variable Contracts
18.02.03 Certificate of Liability Insurance for Motor Vehicles
18.03.04 Replacements of Life Insurance and Annuities
18.01.02 Schedule of Fees, Licenses, and other Misc. Charges
18.06.03 Disclosure Requirements for Insurance Providers when Charging Fees
18.06.04 Continuing Education
Bulletin 11-01 Money Handling and Fiduciary Funds
Definitions
For a full list of insurance licensing terms please click here.
Limited Line Types
In Idaho, limited lines include but are not limited to:
- Credit insurance: Credit life, credit disability, credit property, credit unemployment, involuntary unemployment, mortgage life, mortgage guaranty, mortgage disability, guaranteed automobile protection (GAP) insurance.
- Pet insurance
- Travel insurance: Transportation baggage insurance, transportation ticket policies covering personal accident insurance. The travel limited line is only required of wholesale entities, along with their designated responsible licensed producer. Travel producers must report at application, and annually thereafter, the retail outlets and individuals authorized under the wholesaler’s license, along with Idaho annual written premium for travel insurance, which can be submitted on the Department approved form.
- Portable Electronics: Portable Electronics is only available to business entities. Please review the Portable Electronics portion of our website for more information regarding this license type.
There is no examination required for the above lines. However, reading the Limited Lines Producer Pre-Licensing Manual and sending the signed attestation with application is required.
- Travel limited line licensing is only required of wholesale entities, along with their designated responsible licensed producer. Wholesalers must report at application, and annually thereafter, the retail outlets and individuals authorized under the wholesaler’s license, along with Idaho annual written premium for travel insurance, which can be submitted through a portal on the limited lines page.
Surety
Surety is also considered a Limited Line, although the licensing requirements for these lines of authority are different.
Surety (if carried alone without the Casualty major line of authority) requires an examination prior to licensure. Please review Idaho Code 40-507 for more information regarding Surety.
Surety also requires Continuing Education before renewal.
Travel
Travel limited line licensing is only required of wholesale entities, along with their designated responsible licensed producer. Retail outlets and individuals selling to the consuming public are not required to be licensed as travel producers, but are restricted in their activities, per Idaho Code §41-1092.
Travel limited line producers must submit a list at the time of application and annually thereafter, every March 1st, to register the travel retailers and individuals offering travel insurance under their license authority. This list shall include name, address and contact information of the travel retailer, an officer or person who directs or controls the travel retailer’s operations as well as travel retailer’s federal tax ID number and shall certify that the travel retailer complies with 18 U.S.C. section 1033. The limited lines travel insurance producer shall also report its Idaho written premium to the director on an annual basis.
Travel Agency Annual Report
Travel Producers must report retail outlets and individuals authorized under the Wholesaler’s Producer Limited Lines Travel license at initial application. This report must be sent on the Department approved form if adding the line of travel to a license or applying for the producer license with the Travel line of authority.
An updated report must be submitted each year by March 1st on the Wholesale Travel Retailer Annual Report.
A retail outlet, whose license is not covering other retail outlets is not required to report.
This report will require the following information per travel retail outlet:
- Name
- Address
- Contact information
- Officer or person who directs or controls the travel retailer’s operations.
- Travel retailer’s federal tax ID
- Will certify travel retailer complies with 18 U.S.C. 1033 law.
- Annual report of written premium for Idaho
How to Apply
Resident Application Process
Step 1: Read the Attestation page from Limited Lines Pre-Licensing Manual. If applying for Surety you will also need to test.
Step 2: Have your fingerprints taken for a background check. For more information on fingerprints click here.
Step 3: Apply online via NIPR. There is a non-refundable fee of $80.
Step 4: Email the following documents to agent@doi.idaho.gov or upload them to the Documents Warehouse.
- Copy of the attestation page from Limited Lines Pre-Licensing Manual
- CHRI Request and Release form
- A copy of the fingerprint receipt from Pearson Vue
- If the applicant is not a citizen of the U.S, but is residing in Idaho and applying to become a resident producer, the application must be accompanied by a copy of a current work permit visa/Green Card. A student visa is not valid for the purposes of this license.
Non-Resident Application Process
Step 1: Hold a Producer License in your home state which has the same lines you are applying for.
Step 2: Submit an online application via NIPR. There is a non-refundable fee: $80.
Renewal Information
Producer licenses need to be renewed every two years. A renewal may be applied for up to 90 days prior to the expiration of your license.
The Department considers the renewal of the license to be the responsibility of the licensee.
The Department recommend applying for renewal at least a week before your expiration date, in case of system issues.
Late renewals, previously referred to as reinstatements, are available up to one year past the expiration of the license via NIPR.
If more than one year has passed since the expiration of a license it can no longer be re-instated. After one year a new license will need to be applied for, including fingerprinting and testing.
Resident License Renewal
Step 1: Submit a renewal application via NIPR. There is a non-refundable renewal fee of $60 (plus vendor processing fee) if renewing electronically prior to the expiration date.
IMPORTANT RESIDENT LICENSEE INFORMATION: If at any time during the two-year license period you carried a full line of authority or the Limited Line of Surety, 24 hours of Continuing Education is required to be completed and posted to the PDB before you can apply for renewal.
Non-Resident License Renewal
Step 1: Hold a Producer License in your home state which has the same lines you are applying for. The limited line of authority must be held in the licensee’s home state by name.
Step 2: Submit a renewal application via NIPR. There is a non-refundable renewal fee of $60 (plus vendor processing fee) if renewing electronically prior to the expiration date.
Resident License Late Renewal
Step 1: Submit a renewal application via NIPR. There is a non-refundable late renewal fee of $120 (plus vendor processing fee) if late renewing electronically prior to the expiration date.
IMPORTANT RESIDENT LICENSEE INFORMATION: If at any time during the two-year license period you carried a full line of authority or the Limited Line of Surety, 24 hours of Continuing Education is required to be completed and posted to the PDB before you can apply for renewal. If the CE was not complete before the expiration date the non-refundable renewal fee will be as follows:
- $220.00 if CE is completed within 30 days of the expiration of the license.
- $320.00 if CE is completed between 31 and 60 days of the expiration of the license.
- $420.00 if CE is completed between 61 and 90 days of the expiration of the license.
- $80.00 if the CE has is completed between 90 and 365 days of the expiration of the license. You will also be required to retest for the any main lines of Authority you carry and/or Surety.
Non-Resident License Late Renewal
Step 1: Hold a Producer License in your home state which has the same lines you are applying for. The limited line of authority must be held in the licensee’s home state by name.
Step 2: Submit a renewal application via NIPR. There is a non-refundable renewal non-refundable late renewal fee of $120 (plus vendor processing fee) if late renewing electronically prior to the expiration date.
Resources
FAQ
Where can I get a copy of my license?
You can get a free copy of your license from the SBS License Manager.
What is Travel insurance limited to?
Travel insurance covers risks with planned travel, including, but not limited to:
1. Interruption or cancellation of the trip or event
2. Loss of baggage or personal effects
3. Damages to accommodations or rental vehicles
4. Sickness, accident, disability or death occurring during travel.
Travel insurance does not include major medical plans, which provide comprehensive medical protection for travelers on trips lasting six months or longer, such as those working overseas as ex-patriot or military personnel deployed overseas.
How is travel insurance defined in code?
Travel insurance covers risks with planned travel, including, but not limited to:
1. Interruption or cancellation of the trip or event
2. Loss of baggage or personal effects
3. Damages to accommodations or rental vehicles
4. Sickness, accident, disability, or death occurring during travel.
Travel insurance does not include major medical plans, which provide comprehensive medical protection for travelers on trips lasting six months or longer, such as those working overseas as ex-patriot or military personnel deployed overseas.
If I am an individual or retail agency currently carrying a Travel producer license, what do I need to do with that license now that I no longer need to be licensed?
This license can be allowed to lapse at its normal expiration date if it only has the Travel line of authority. If listed as a line of authority on a producer license with other lines of authority, it can be cancelled using our form—while maintaining the other lines(s) of authority in the normal course. See website Forms and Links page under Licensed Professionals.
Do I have an option to maintain my travel producer license in order to continue to sell, solicit, negotiate insurance to the consuming public and not be restricted to activities as outlined in current law that do not require a license?
Yes, the law still requires a Designated Responsible Person (DRP) for each wholesale producer for travel limited lines, so the individual license continues to be available. As long as you carry a producer license with the travel line of authority, you retain the authority to sell, solicit and negotiate travel insurance directly to the consuming public and are not restricted to activities of an unlicensed individual in a travel retail outlet as outlined in the current code.
If I am an individual in a retail travel agency. What activities am I allowed to participate in as it pertains to the sale of travel insurance if I do not carry a producer license?
The code outlines activities the retail agency and individual may now participate in as it relates to travel insurance sales, if unlicensed, per Idaho Code §41-1092(4)(a-c). Additionally: Per (4) A travel retailer’s employees or authorized representatives who are not licensed as insurance producers may not:
- evaluate or interpret the technical terms, benefits and conditions of the offered travel insurance coverage;
- evaluate or provide advice concerning a prospective purchaser’s existing insurance coverage; or
- hold him/herself or itself out as a licensed insurer, licensed producer or insurance expert.
Additionally, they can include a description of coverage and price but cannot answer technical questions about terms and conditions of the insurance offered.
How does the Department of Insurance track who is authorized as a retail outlet or individual or representative authorized under the direction of a wholesale travel producer license?
The Wholesale limited line travel producer must submit a list of all registered retail outlets and the authorized individuals and representatives acting under their authority at time of application and every year on March 1st on a form prescribed by the Director. This registration is necessary for receipt of related compensation by the retail operation. This information can be submitted through an online portal on the limited lines page.
Does the authorized individual or representative require training in order to offer travel insurance?
Yes, the retail outlet and its authorized representatives must be trained in, at a minimum:
• instructions on types of insurance offered
• ethical sales practices
• required disclosures to prospective customers
• must explain that the travel insurance is not required to purchase any other product or service of the travel retailer Additionally, the retailer and its authorized representatives can:
• offer brochures or other written materials that provide identity and contact information for insurer and licensed limited lines travel producer
Where can I find information about limited lines other than travel?
We review the Limited Lines Manual for more information about Limited Lines.
How long does it take for an application to be processed?
There are many factors that go into the processing time of an application. The department can typically process a non-resident individual license application within 1-2 business days of receiving all documentation.
Many factors can increase the processing time, including but not limited to:
• Fingerprints. Processing time does not include the time waiting for fingerprints. Your application is not considered complete until the fingerprints are processed and returned to the DOI. For more information on fingerprinting click here.
• Background Issues. If you have criminal offense that needs reviewed your application will be on hold while it is reviewed. You can speed up this process by ensuring that all needed documents are submitted with your application or are already uploaded to the NIPR Document warehouse. For more information on Criminal Offenses and licensing click here.
• Applying by paper instead of online. While there are licenses that must apply via paper most can be applied for online. Applying by paper process can add upwards of 4-7 days, not including shipping time to the turnaround time.
• Inaccurate information. Make sure that everything is correct in your application, including addresses, before submitting.
• Missing Items. Ensure that you have everything on your Application Checklist completed and ready to submit together with the application. Ensuring that all documents are submitted together will help speed the process.
How long is my license good for?
Your license will expire after two years if you do not apply for and are granted a renewal.
Individual Licenses expire on the last day of your birth month.
Business Entity Licenses expire on the first day of the month of issuance.
How do I change the name on my individual license?
In order to change the name on your license you will need to submit the Name Change Form along with proof of legal name change, to the Department. Examples of accepted forms are Marriage Certificates, Divorce decree (showing a court ordered name change), Driver’s License, Passport or Legal Order. DO NOT SEND YOUR SOCIAL SEUCIRTY CARD.
How do I change the contact information (address, phone number, email address) on my individual license?
Click here to change your contact information. Once updated, allow 24 hours for the updated information to appear on our website.
How long does it take for the website to reflect changes made by the Department of Insurance?
Any changes to your record are usually reflected within 24-48 hours of the change
How do I switch my license from Non-resident to Resident?
Click here for a step-by-step guide to changing your non-resident license to resident.
How do I surrender/cancel my license?
There is no negative consequence or penalty in Idaho for allowing your license to lapse for failure to renew. However, if you want to voluntarily surrender your license, you may submit the appropriate Voluntary Surrender Request form. The form can be found on the Departments Forms/Links page.
Have more questions?
Contact the Licensing Team