4.4 Kansas Licensing and Continuing Education

Obtaining and maintaining a Kansas Property and Casualty insurance license requires meeting specific education, examination, and ongoing compliance requirements. These standards ensure producers have the knowledge and skills to serve Kansas consumers effectively.

Pre-Licensing Requirements

Education Requirements

Course Content Areas

Pre-licensing courses must cover:

• Insurance fundamentals and terminology
• Policy forms and coverages
• Underwriting principles
• Claims processes
• Kansas insurance laws and regulations
• Ethics and professional conduct

Application Process

1. Complete Pre-Licensing Education

   • Attend approved course provider
   • Pass course examination
   • Obtain certificate of completion

2. Submit Application

   • Complete NAIC Uniform Application
   • Submit through NIPR (National Insurance Producer Registry)
   • Pay application fees

3. Fingerprinting and Background Check

   • Schedule fingerprinting appointment
   • FBI background check conducted
   • Complete waiver agreement

4. Tax Clearance

   • Obtain Kansas Department of Revenue tax clearance
   • Confirms compliance with state tax obligations

5. Schedule and Pass Examination

   • Wait minimum 5 business days for application review
   • Schedule exam through Kansas Insurance Department eServices
   • Pass the Kansas P&C licensing examination

Kansas P&C Licensing Examination

Exam Structure

Content Areas

The Kansas P&C exam covers:

Property Insurance:

• Homeowners insurance (HO forms)
• Commercial property insurance
• Inland marine and ocean marine
• Farm and crop insurance
• Kansas property insurance laws

Casualty Insurance:

• Auto insurance (personal and commercial)
• General liability
• Workers' compensation
• Professional liability
• Kansas casualty insurance laws

General Knowledge:

• Insurance terminology
• Policy structure and provisions
• Underwriting and rating
• Claims procedures
• Ethics and regulations

Continuing Education Requirements

Biennial Requirements

Approved CE Topics

• Insurance policy analysis
• Coverage updates and changes
• Kansas regulatory updates
• Risk management
• Claims handling
• Ethics and professional conduct
• Industry trends and developments

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Course

First Renewal Period Requirement:

• 3-hour NFIP course required
• Only for producers selling flood insurance
• One-time requirement
• Counts toward 18-hour CE total

License Maintenance

Keeping License Active

To maintain an active Kansas producer license:

Grounds for Disciplinary Action

The Kansas Insurance Department may discipline producers for:

• Violating insurance laws or regulations
• Fraud, dishonesty, or misrepresentation
• Misappropriation of funds
• Failure to maintain competence
• Conviction of felony or related crime
• Failure to pay child support
• Non-compliance with tax obligations
• Failure to respond to Department inquiries

Disciplinary Actions

Professional Development

Beyond Minimum Requirements

Successful Kansas producers pursue ongoing professional development:

• Professional Designations - CPCU, CIC, AAI, ARM
• Industry Conferences - State and national events
• Trade Associations - PIA, Big "I", NAIFA
• Specialized Training - Product-specific education
• Leadership Development - Management and sales skills

Exam Tip: Remember the key numbers for Kansas licensing: 12 hours pre-licensing per line, 18 hours CE every 2 years including 3 ethics hours, and complete NFIP course by first renewal if selling flood insurance.

Becoming Licensed in Kansas

A resident producer seeking a Kansas Property and Casualty license must pass the state licensing examination administered by the testing vendor, submit fingerprints for a criminal background check, and file the license application with the Kansas Insurance Department along with the required fee. Kansas does not impose a mandatory classroom pre-licensing hour requirement for most lines the way some states do, so candidates self-study to the exam outline; the gatekeeper is the 70 percent passing score, not a seat-time mandate. After passing, the producer must also be appointed by at least one insurer to place business with that carrier.

The Biennial Continuing Education Cycle

Kansas resident producers must complete continuing education on a two-year (biennial) cycle to renew the license. The standard requirement is 18 hours of approved CE per biennium, of which at least 3 hours must be in ethics. CE must be completed and reported before the renewal due date; courses are pre-approved by KID, and credit does not carry forward in unlimited fashion, so producers cannot bank years of excess hours to skip a future cycle. Long-tenured producers and certain designations may qualify for limited exemptions, but the 18-hour/3-hour-ethics structure is the figure to memorize.

Renewal, Lapse, and Reinstatement

A producer who fails to complete CE or pay the renewal fee by the deadline will see the license lapse. Kansas allows reinstatement within a limited window, typically with a penalty fee and proof that the CE deficiency has been cured; once that window closes, the individual must re-qualify as a new applicant, including re-examination. Continuous appointment is also required to keep writing for a carrier, and a producer must notify the Department of administrative actions, criminal convictions, and address changes within statutory timeframes (generally 30 days), because failure to report is itself a violable offense.

Grounds for Discipline

The license is a privilege the Commissioner can suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew for cause. Statutory grounds include providing false information on the application, misappropriating premium or fiduciary funds, using fraudulent or dishonest practices, demonstrating incompetence or untrustworthiness, violating any insurance law or Department order, and having a license denied or revoked in another state. Disciplinary actions can be paired with civil penalties and restitution.

On the exam, link a described misconduct (commingling funds, forging a signature, misrepresenting coverage) to both the prohibited-practice statute and the licensing-discipline consequence, because Kansas enforces them together.