GP Access
Carrier Appointment Process
Another advantage of working with GPAgency
We understand that your time is money. We want to keep the carrier appointment process as streamlined as possible, especially since we work with nearly 50 carriers. If you have never received an appointment through us, please complete our New Producer Appointment Packet.
Through years of refinement, we have developed a form that addresses 99% of the information requested by our carriers for an appointment. If you need a new appointment, we simply refer back to this form to complete new appointment requests. For this reason, please keep us posted on any changes.
When you have completed this paperwork, please email it to us at [email protected] or deliver it to us.
If you have any questions about the appointment process, please call us at (919)834-7937 or (800)283-8376.
We have found this to be the most efficient way of processing appointments. You will complete this paperwork once and, thereafter, it will be used as the basis for future appointments.
Pre-Appointment States
It is important to check the appointment requirements before applying with a new carrier or if you are under contract with one carrier but taking an application in another state. Each carrier has different states they consider to be “pre-appointment” and this list is constantly changing. It is always best to so it’s always good to check with our licensing specialist before your client meeting by emailing [email protected]. More Info
Applications received that are signed prior to the appointment effective date in these states will not be accepted and will be returned.
Concurrent Submission States
These states do not require a financial professional to be appointed prior to submitting the first contract application to the issuing company.
- Please Note: A majority of our carriers follow “just-in-time” appointment procedures. This means, an appointment cannot be processed unless you submit new business for that carrier. However, in Pennsylvania and Montana, appointments have to be pre-approved prior to submitting business
- Please Note: A majority of our carriers follow “just-in-time” appointment procedures. This means, an appointment cannot be processed unless you submit new business for that carrier. However, in Pennsylvania and Montana, appointments have to be pre-approved prior to submitting business
NC CE Requirements
Each licensee in North Carolina must take 24 hours of continuing education, three (3) of which must be in Ethics, by his or her biennial CE compliance date (based on licensee’s month and either an odd or even year of birth).
Excess credit hours may be carried over to the following biennial term, according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance. During the two-year licensing period, a course may only be taken once for credit. To prevent a license lapse, all of the hours must be finished and reported before the license renewal date.
Check Our Events regularly for a list of upcoming programs, which often include CE classes
Confirm Training Requirements BEFORE You Take an App!
The last thing you want is to have an application rejected because you haven’t completed the proper training. Before taking/dating an application, make sure you have satisfied ALL the appropriate training:
- Anti-money laundering (AML)
- State regulatory and product training, particularly in New York
- Carrier-specific product training
For example, for annuities, in addition to carriers’ required training, many states require additional continuing education (CE) annuity certification training to comply with the NAIC Model or the Revised NAIC Model.
The states that have adopted the 2010 NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation require producers to complete an approved four-hour annuity training course (CE) as part of the licensing requirement for the state.
On January 1st, 2020, states began to adopt the NAIC “Revised Model,” which requires agents to complete an additional one- or four-hour annuity training course (CE). New producers licensed after the effective date will be required to complete an approved four-hour annuity training course (CE) as part of the licensing requirement for the state.
Not sure what training is needed? Contact our Contracting/ Compliance department: [email protected] or (919)834-7937.
Need Your CE Transcript?
Check your Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry. You will need your insurance license # (aka, NPN).
Need your NPN? Check with your state’s Department of Insurance.
Note: Regardless of asterisks, you only need to enter first and last names to retrieve your NPN.
CE & Prelicensing Providers
- WebCE.com (Online CE – Nationwide; note: Discount Code is NAILBA)
- BetterCE (Online CE – Nationwide; same day credit hour reporting!)
- InternetCE.com (Online CE – North Carolina only)
- Imperial Training Services (Live online CE – North Carolina only)
- Insurance Educational Systems (Prelicensing: classroom and online – North Carolina only)
- ExamFX.com (Online CE & prelicensing – Nationwide)
NC agents, click on NC’s Insurance CE Licensee Handbook for more information on CE.
LTC Partnership Training
Every day we receive applications from agents who are out of compliance with their LTC partnership training.
- Anyone who sells, solicits, or negotiates Long-Term Care Partnership policies must complete an initial 8-hour LTC Partnership CE course, and then a 4-hour LTC Partnership Review CE every 2 years thereafter.
- The requirement for Partnership CE is different from general CE. It does not coordinate with your birthday, rather, once you complete your initial 8 hours, you must complete a 4-hour review within the next 2 years to remain current.
- For example, if you completed your initial 8-hour LTC Partnership on August 11, 2017, you will need to complete your 4-hour LTC Partnership review by August 11, 2019, to remain compliant.
New York’s Regulation 187 Training
New York’s revised Regulation 187 has significantly changed the standards by which life insurance producers must conduct their business practices. … This course provides a thorough explanation of New York’s revised requirements, highlighting the many new responsibilities and obligations that apply to producers. Also, specific carriers may require product-specific training specific to conducting business in New York.
Need Information on Pre-licensing?
CE Exemptions for North Carolina
As of October 1, 2010, CE exemptions are only issued for military or medical reasons.
CE exemptions based on age (65 years or older), years of continuous licensure (at least 25 years), and professional designation or inactive agent status are NO longer issued. Anyone issued this exemption prior to October 1, 2010, will continue to be exempt from the 24-hour requirement and the mandatory hours in ethics and flood (if applicable).
A number of agents contacted the Agent Services Division and voiced concern that they had never been notified that the Department had eliminated the exemption for AGE. As a result, agents who qualified for the AGE exemption on or before December 31, 2011, were allowed to apply and obtain the exemption.
How can I request a CE exemption (or waiver) for medical or military reasons?
Complete the “Request for Military or Medical Waiver” form found at https://www.prometric.com/en-us/clients/ce/Pages/ncceprod.aspx. Submit the completed form to Prometric with the proper documentation. If you are approved for a medical or military exemption, you are not required to take the mandatory ethics and flood hours. You will receive written confirmation from Prometric advising if the exemption has been granted or denied.
GPAgency Requires E&O Coverage
Learn more about the importance of E&O Coverage
Purchasing proper E&O insurance coverage is crucial to safeguard an agent’s or agency’s valuable assets. Like any other business, if you make a mistake as you perform your professional duties, it could result in costly litigation expenses – which could affect your ability to stay afloat.
Even if the insurance agent or broker never technically makes a mistake, a client may allege that while providing their professional service, they made an error which harmed them in some way. The insurance agent or broker might be found to have done nothing wrong, but the costs of defending their business may outweigh the value of their brokerage.
If an agent or broker does not have insurance to pay an E&O claim, he/she can be sued and his/her personal assets will be at risk.
Some of the most common allegations against insurance agents and brokers are:
- Failure to advise clients about coinsurance penalties
- Negligent misrepresentation of coverage
- Failure to procure appropriate coverage or adequate limits
- Failure to advise of policy exclusions
- Failure to handle claims properly causing carrier denial
If you are looking for comprehensive E&O coverage, we recommend the independent agent E&O insurance program NAILBA.
AgentEOProgram.com
Other E&O Insurance Programs
- National Association of Professional Agents (NAPA):
- https://www.napa-benefits.org/errors-and-omissions
- E&O for Less:
- https://www.eoforless.com/
- Cover Wallet
- https://www.coverwallet.com
Please contact our Licensing Department if you have any questions
Anti-Money Laundering Training
The Patriot Act, which was adopted in response to September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is intended to strengthen U.S. measures to prevent, detect, and prosecute international money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The Act requires insurance companies to maintain anti-money laundering (AML) programs that comply with the minimum standards developed by the Department of Treasury.
Federal law requires agents and brokers to complete AML training if they sell:
- Permanent life insurance, other than group life insurance
- Annuity contract, other than group annuity contracts
- Any other insurance with features of cash value or investment
AML training is required every two years. An insurance company is unable to issue a policy if there is no confirmation of current AML training. Check the status of your AML training at https://aml.limra.com
LIMRA’s Anti-Money Laundering Training Program is fast, easy, and free (though you can pay a fee if you want to take for CE). LIMRA is the only AML training acknowledged and accepted by ALL carriers to fulfill this requirement, CLICK HERE.
Your username is your National Producer Number (NPN). If you do not know your NPN and would like to look it up, CLICK HERE.
The “password” for first-time users is your last name in all lower-case letters. Be sure to include any spaces or special characters like apostrophes and hyphens. If you previously logged into LIMRA’s AML training website, your username is the same. However, your password is the one you most recently created and is no longer your last name. Note: If as a first user you are having difficulties logging in as described above, you may need the insurance company with whom you are submitting your first case to notify LIMRA of your eligibility to take.
Technical questions? Contact LIMRA’s customer support help line at 866.364.2380.
Other questions? Contact GPA at 919.834.7937.
