Flood training
The need for flood training is not a state requirement per se, but it is still needed. Enforcement is handled through market conduct examinations of Write-Your-Own (WYO) carriers and by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) directly (conducting audits and checking on compliance with the federal guidelines).
Applies to: producers who sell flood insurance
How many hours: the Insurance Department's position is that WYO carriers determine what the flood training requirements should be. The requirements tend to follow the federal guidelines of three hours of flood training prior to any sale, solicitation or negotiation of a flood Policy.
Do I need to take the class one time or is it an ongoing requirement? It is up to the WYO carrier. Absent any WYO requirement, the Insurance Department is satisfied with a one-time requirement.
Deadline: it is up to the WYO carrier. The NFIP has been checking compliance & removes producers from marketing referral & coop program. The referral database is purged for producers who are not compliant by a specific deadline (last deadline was Oct. 1, 2008).
Notes:
1) It is important to note that this requirement is treated as "training" and not Continuing Education (CE). However, as long as the course has been filed and approved for CE, the credits will count toward CE completion as well, as general CE credits. IA&B's flood webinar, Understanding Flood Insurance, has been filed and approved.
2) Since it is "training," a burden is also placed on insurers to verify that producers have completed the appropriate course in compliance with the requirement. Producers should expect to receive communication from the insurers with which they do business to ascertain that the training course has been completed. Producers should retain their completion certificates to demonstrate compliance.
3) As indicated above, this is normally a one-time requirement. However, if your WYO carrier mandates that the course be completed every licensing period, then you will need to take the course again. Also note that if you are participating in any Marketing and/or coop program with the NFIP, they require regular training.
