2.2 Qualifying for Licensure: Exam Exemptions and the Primary Appointment
Key Takeaways
- All-lines adjuster qualifications are set by F.S. § 626.866; F.S. § 626.865 is the different statute governing public adjuster qualifications and the public adjuster bond.
- F.S. § 626.221(2)(j) waives the state examination for any of twelve department-approved adjuster designations, and § 626.221(2)(h) adds the CPCU.
- DFS also waives the examination for a current all-lines public adjuster license, a current 2-20 general lines agent license, an insurance degree including at least 18 semester hours of property, casualty, health and commercial insurance credit, or a letter of clearance for an adjuster licensed at least one year in another state who applies within 90 days of becoming a Florida resident.
- Under F.S. § 626.112 a license alone confers no authority to adjust; the licensee must have an active primary appointment from an insurer, an adjusting firm, or by self-appointment as an independent adjuster.
- F.S. § 626.860 exempts members in good standing of The Florida Bar from having to hold an adjuster license within the scope of legal practice, but does not exempt an attorney who applies for a license from the examination.
Statutory Qualifications for Licensure (F.S. § 626.866)
All-lines adjuster qualifications are set by F.S. § 626.866 (§ 626.865 governs public adjuster qualifications and the public adjuster bond — a frequently tested distinction). To qualify for a Florida 6-20 Resident All-Lines Adjuster license, an applicant must satisfy all statutory prerequisites before submitting an application to the DFS:
| Requirement | Statutory Standard |
|---|---|
| Age | Must be at least 18 years of age |
| Residency | Must be a bona fide resident of the state of Florida (for 6-20) |
| Citizenship | United States citizen or legal alien with valid employment authorization from USCIS |
| Character | Must be trustworthy, competent, and possess a business reputation of integrity |
| Criminal Background | Electronic fingerprinting submitted via Livescan to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) |
| Knowledge / Exam | Must pass the Florida state adjuster exam OR complete an approved designation course waiver |
Waiving the State Examination (F.S. § 626.221)
Most Florida 6-20 applicants never sit for the Pearson VUE examination, because F.S. § 626.221 exempts an applicant who arrives with a qualifying credential. Knowing the exemption routes — and knowing that they are statutory, not discretionary — is regularly tested.
Route 1: An Approved Adjuster Designation — § 626.221(2)(j)
The statute names twelve designations whose curriculum and final examination the department has approved. Each is delivered by a specific provider, and the certificate must come from that provider:
| Designation | Provider |
|---|---|
| Accredited Claims Adjuster (ACA) | An accredited Florida postsecondary institution |
| Accredited Insurance Claims Specialist (AICS) | Encore Claim Services |
| Associate in Claims (AIC) | The Institutes (Insurance Institute of America) |
| Certified Adjuster (CA) | ALL LINES Training |
| Certified All-Lines Adjuster (CALA) | Kaplan Financial Education |
| Certified Claims Adjuster (CCA) | AE21, Incorporated |
| Claims Adjuster Certified Professional (CACP) | WebCE, Inc. |
| Professional Claims Adjuster (PCA) | Professional Career Institute |
| Professional in Claims (PIC) | 2021 Training, LLC |
| Professional Property Insurance Adjuster (PPIA) | HurriClaim Training Academy |
| Registered Claims Adjuster (RCA) | American Insurance College |
| Universal Claims Certification (UCC) | Claims and Litigation Management Alliance |
The prelicensing designation courses most Florida candidates take (the ACA, CA, CALA, CCA and PPIA programs) run 40 classroom-equivalent hours and end in a proctored examination. That 40-hour figure describes those particular courses, not the statute — the AIC and the CPCU, for example, are multi-course professional designations with no 40-hour standard. A UCC applicant must additionally document completion of the precertification course and its examination.
Route 2: The CPCU — § 626.221(2)(h)
An applicant holding the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation is exempt under a separate paragraph of the same statute.
Route 3: The Remaining Statutory Exemptions
The exemptions in F.S. § 626.221(2) are a closed list of paragraphs (a) through (o). Three more of them reach all-lines adjuster applicants:
| Route | Citation | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance degree | § 626.221(2)(i) | A degree from an accredited institution including at least 18 credit hours of insurance instruction covering property, casualty, health and commercial insurance; an official transcript is required |
| Return within 48 months | § 626.221(2)(e) | An applicant previously licensed as an all-lines adjuster in Florida who reapplies within 48 months after the cancellation or expiration of the prior appointment |
| License transfer from another state | § 626.221(2)(n), applied through § 626.292 | The applicant must have been licensed in the other state for at least 1 year immediately preceding the date of becoming a Florida resident, must file a certification from the home state showing the license type and good standing, and the department must receive the completed Florida application within 90 days after the applicant became a Florida resident |
Exam Trap: A Public Adjuster Licence Is Not an Examination Exemption
Holding a Florida public adjuster license does not waive the 6-20 examination, and it could not: F.S. § 626.864(2) bars the same individual from being concurrently licensed as a public adjuster and an all-lines adjuster. A 2-20 general lines agent license is not on the § 626.221(2) list either. Only the paragraphs the statute actually names produce a waiver.
An applicant who fits none of these routes takes the state examination. A passing score is valid for 1 year; the department will not qualify the license until the testing vendor reports the passing result.
Exam Trap: Attorneys Still Take the Exam
F.S. § 626.860 exempts a member in good standing of The Florida Bar from having to hold an adjuster license when adjusting within the scope of legal practice. It does not exempt an attorney who chooses to apply for an adjuster license from the examination. Bar membership is a licensure exemption, not an examination exemption.
The Primary Appointment Requirement (F.S. § 626.112)
One of the most critical legal concepts on the Florida licensing exam is the distinction between a license and an appointment.
Key Legal Distinction:
- The License: Certifies that the individual is educated, tested, vetted, and legally qualified to be an adjuster. A license grants competence credentialing.
- The Appointment: Authorizes the individual to act on behalf of a specific insurer or adjusting firm. An appointment grants legal operating authority.
Under F.S. § 626.112, an adjuster holding an active license CANNOT lawfully adjust claims until they have secured an active primary appointment filed with the DFS.
- A company adjuster is appointed by their employing insurance company.
- An independent adjuster working for an adjusting firm is appointed by that adjusting firm.
- A self-employed independent adjuster must pay the statutory fee to self-appoint as an independent adjuster.
If an adjuster leaves their employer and their appointment is terminated, their license remains valid (subject to CE compliance), but they have zero legal authority to adjust claims until a new primary appointment is filed.
Statutory Exemption: Attorneys at Law (F.S. § 626.860)
Under F.S. § 626.860, regular members in good standing of The Florida Bar are exempt from the requirement of obtaining an adjuster license when handling, negotiating, or settling insurance claims within the regular scope of their legal representation of a client. However, this exemption applies strictly to legal counsel representing a client—an attorney who wishes to operate an independent claims adjusting firm or act as a commercial public adjuster must obtain the applicable adjuster license.
An individual successfully completes an approved 40-hour Accredited Claims Adjuster (ACA) designation course and receives a 6-20 All-Lines Adjuster license from the Florida DFS. Under Florida law, when is this licensee legally authorized to begin investigating and settling claims on behalf of insurance carriers?
An applicant for a Florida 6-20 All-Lines Adjuster license wishes to waive the state licensing examination administered by Pearson VUE. Which of the following satisfies the statutory waiver requirement under F.S. § 626.221?