act of authorization:
cal. in s. code section 14021 says, in part:
an insurance adjuster is a person other than a private investigator who, for any consideration, is engaged in the business of conducting an investigation for the purpose of obtaining information in the course of adjusting or participating in the disposition of any claim in connection with with an insurance policy or is engaged in soliciting insurance adjusting business.
qualifications:
The person in charge of the business (owner, partner, employee or administrator) must meet the following requirements:
- minimum age: 18 years old
- Residence: Pursuant to Ins. Code section 14029(a), each licensee’s business must be operated under the active direction, control, charge or management of a designated qualified manager. This may be the licensee (individual) or another person who has qualified to act as the licensee’s manager by passing the California insurance adjuster licensing exam. The qualified manager is not required to be a California resident, must meet the supervisory requirements pursuant to section 14029(a) above.
- entity types: individual and business entity.
- Pre-Licensing Experience/Education: Individuals must have two years of certified experience in the insurance adjusting field, which equals 4,000 hours of compensated time in the adjusting field.
- continuing education: ins. Code section 14090.1 establishes a 24-hour CE requirement, including 3 ethics hours during each two-year license period for a California resident independent insurance adjuster.
- individual – go to sircon, nipr, or lic form 041-a.
- business entity: go to sircon, nipr or lic form 042-a.
- license application – two year term: $311 per qualified manager.
- exam: $79. this fee will be collected when the exam is scheduled using the psi exam scheduling service.
- branch certificate: $52
- Fingerprints: Please review the fingerprint processing link for fees.
- select the hyperlink above to register employees of independent insurance adjusters.
- set up an account.
- under “employee registration”, select “create a new list”.
- select “add” to insert an employee’s full name and information and save. select “add” to insert additional employee names.
- select “download employee list” to print the list of employees that were sent to cdi.
- A pocket identification card will be issued to the individual licensee, each qualified manager, each officer or partner.
- A branch must be a bona fide place of business.
- A change in qualified manager, branch manager, officer or partner must be reported to the department within 30 days of such change. a personal identification, form lic 31a-9 must be presented for each new qualified manager, officer or partner. The pocket ID issued in the name of the aforementioned qualified manager must be delivered.
- In the case of a business entity, any change in the officers, partners, shareholders holding 10% or more of the company’s shares, directors or controlling persons must be reported immediately to the department by providing the full names, residence address and social security number.
submission requirements:
1. Take and Pass a Candidate Information Bulletin Examination The person in charge of the business (qualified manager) or license applicant must pass a license qualification examination administered by the department. Study Material: Insurance Adjuster (Independent) Exam Objectives were developed as a study guide to aid in exam preparation.
2. apply and pay fees.
3. Post a bond An insurance adjuster’s bond, form lic 31a-14, if applicable (see “bond” note below), in the penal sum of $2,000 executed by a surety admitted in California and signed by the principal. if the applicant is a business entity, the business entity must be named as principal. Filing can be done electronically as an attachment to an application submitted on sircon.com or through the NIPR Store. 4. send fingerprint impressions
5. submit a 2 x 2 passport photo. 6. additional documents:
a. Branch Certificate: If the applicant intends to conduct business from anywhere in California other than the principal place of business, a branch certificate must be obtained by filing an application for a branch certificate, lic form 31a-13 and fee. b. the insurance commissioner may require other documents to help determine if the applicant meets the requirements for a license. c. federal law (18 united states code section 1033) prohibits any person who has been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or breach of trust from conducting insurance business unless consent has been obtained in writing from the insurance commissioner. To obtain written consent, he must submit an application for an abbreviated form 1033 for written consent before submitting his application.
** Bond: Applicants for California Independent Insurance Adjusters who are only adjusting claims on behalf of a qualified licensed insurance adjuster, qualified manager, an association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation of insurance adjusters. independent insurance that has posted a surety bond or a certificate of insurance with the department is not required to post a $2,000 adjuster’s surety bond. all other independent insurance adjusters must meet the $2,000 bond requirement. The Qualified Person or Business Entity must file a list of California Employee Independent Insurance Adjusters and Unlicensed Adjusters, CDI-183, to eliminate this bond requirement for their California Licensed Independent Insurance Adjuster employees.
rate information:
license period:
Insurance adjuster licenses are issued for two-year terms. the term of the license begins on the date the license is issued and ends on the last day of that same calendar month two years later.
education requirements:
Licensed independent insurance adjusters must complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education each two-year license period, of which 3 hours must be in ethics. Licensed Independent Insurance Adjusters can use the California Department of Insurance (CDI) Education Provider and Course Search to locate courses required to complete their continuing education requirement (Cal. Ins. Code Section 14090.1).
cdi annual notice and guide to adjusting property claims in california after a major disaster
in January of each year, the cdi notice of important california laws in effect as of the date of such notice relating to residential property insurance policies, including those relating to a declared state of emergency, and the cdi guide adjusting property claims in california after a major disaster event (guide) will be distributed to licensed independent insurance adjusters, qualified managers, and admitted insurers in the state of california. this adds to the required lime. in s. Code Sections 790 to 790.15, Fair Claims Adjustment Practices Regulations, and Title 10, California Code of Regulations (10 Cal. Code Rules), Sections 2695.1 – 2696.14, Training for all Claims Adjusters. all claims adjusters must complete fair claims settlement practices training and certification by September 1 of each calendar year (10 cal. code regs. section 2695.6).
Important Note: After a state of emergency, as defined in California Government Code Section 8558, is declared by a public official, licensed adjusters and qualified managers must require employees under their supervision to read and understand the most recent cdi notice and cdi guide no later than 15 calendar days from the date the employee began claim adjustment activity in california (cal. ins. code section 14022(a)(2 )).
license renewal
cdi emails licensees a courtesy renewal notice to their registered email address approximately 90 days in advance. email notification includes license number, license term, license type, and information including continuing education requirements. you can update your email address using sircon or nipr online services.
Individuals and business entities who do not receive the email notification should renew their license online following the directions of the sircon renewal and reinstatement service or the nipr license center.
If the license or certificate is renewed after its expiration, a late fee is also required (ins.code sections 1718 – 1720).
back to top
online insurance adjuster registration and certification services
Online independent insurance adjuster registration and certification services are available for qualified licensed insurance adjusters, adjusting firms and qualified managers to electronically register their employees. The full name and social security number of any employee hired or terminated after the filing of the original license application must be submitted to CDI within 30 days of such occurrence.
how to register
emergency situation declared by the insurance commissioner
In the event of an emergency situation declared by the Commissioner of Insurance, registration and certification links in the Declared Emergency Situation section of the CDI Adjuster Online Services will be available for insurers to register unlicensed adjusters. in California and for qualified insurance adjusters, adjusting firms, and qualified managers to register their employees who are authorized to adjust claims during a declared emergency situation in California.
Important Note: Work performed by employees of independent insurance adjusters and unlicensed adjusters in California must be under the active direction, control, charge or management of a licensed adjuster, qualified manager or insurer authorized to do business in california (ins. code sections 14022.5(a)(1) and 14029(a)
additional information:
license change notification requirement
All fees and documents mailed to the department should be sent to:
California Department of Insurance Attn: Unit of Adjusters P.O. box 1139 sacramento, ca 95812-1139
contact the appraisal unit
[email protected] phone (916) 492-3085
All filing fees submitted are non-refundable, whether the application is acted upon or the exam is taken.
back to top
