Minnesota Effective 8/25/2026, Minnesota is adding/revising their travel license requirements for residents and non residents as follows:
"Limited lines travel insurance producer" means any of the following:
a. a licensed MGA or TPA;
b. a licensed insurance producer, including a limited lines producer; or
c. a travel administrator.
"Travel administrator" means a person who directly or indirectly underwrites, collects charges, collateral, or premiums from, or adjusts or settles claims on Minnesota residents in connection with travel insurance. The following persons will not be considered travel administrators:
a. a person working for a travel administrator, to the extent the person's activities are subject to the travel administrator's supervision and control; b. an insurance producer selling insurance or engaged in administrative and claims-related activities within the producer's license scope; c. a travel retailer offering and disseminating travel insurance that is registered under a limited lines travel insurance producer license; d. an individual adjusting or settling claims in the individual's practice or employment as an attorney who does not collect charges or premiums in connection with insurance coverage; or e. a business entity that is affiliated with a licensed insurer while acting as a travel administrator for the affiliated insurer's direct and assumed insurance business.
"Travel insurance":
a. means insurance coverage for personal risks incident to planned travel, including, but not limited to: I. trip or event interruption or cancellation; II. loss of baggage or personal effects; III. damages to accommodations or rental vehicles; IV. sickness, accident, disability, or death occurring during travel; V. emergency evacuation; VI. repatriation of remains; and VII. any other contractual obligation to indemnify or pay a specified amount to a traveler upon determinable contingencies related to travel, as approved by the Commissioner; and
b. does not include: I. major medical plans that provide comprehensive medical protection for travelers with trips lasting 6 months or longer, including those working overseas as an expatriate or military personnel being deployed; or II. a product requiring a specific insurance producer license.
The Commissioner may issue a limited lines travel insurance producer license to an individual or a business entity.
a. Applicants must file the required license application in the Commissioner-prescribed form and manner. b. The limited lines travel insurance producer must be licensed to sell, solicit, or negotiate travel insurance through a licensed insurer. c. No person may act as a limited lines travel insurance producer or travel retailer unless properly licensed or registered.
A travel retailer may offer and disseminate travel insurance under a limited lines travel insurance producer business entity license if:
a. the producer or travel retailer provides to the travel insurance customers: I. the actual material terms of insurance coverage or a description of the material terms of the insurance coverage; II. a description of the claims filing process; III. a description of the review or cancellation process for the travel insurance policy; and IV. the insurer's and limited lines travel insurance producer's identity and contact information;
b. the limited lines travel insurance producer keeps a register of each travel retailer that offers travel insurance on the producer's behalf;
c. the limited lines travel producer: I. designates an employee who is a licensed individual producer as the designated responsible producer (DRP), responsible for the business entity's compliance with Minnesota's insurance laws and rules; II. pays the applicable insurance producer licensing fees; and III. requires each of the travel retailer's employees and authorized representatives that offer and disseminate travel insurance to complete a training program, which is subject to the Commissioner's review and approval, that covers: (1) the types of insurance offered; (2) ethical sales practices; and (3) required disclosures to prospective purchasers; and
d. the DRP, president, secretary, treasurer, and any other officer or person who directs or controls the producer's insurance operations complies with the fingerprinting requirements applicable to insurance producers in the limited lines travel insurance producer's resident state.
The register discussed in above must:
a. be created on the Commissioner-prescribed form; b. be maintained and updated by the limited lines travel insurance producer; c. include: I. the name, address, contact information, and federal tax identification number of the travel retailer; II. the name of an officer or person who directs or controls the travel retailer's operations; and III. certification that the travel retailer complies with 18 USCA § 1033; and
d. be submitted to the Commissioner within 30 days of request.
Limited lines travel insurance producers and travel retailers are subject to MN ST § 60K.43(Subd.1,3,4).
The travel retailer must make brochures or other written materials available to prospective purchasers that have been approved by the travel insurer. The material must:
a. provide the insurer's and limited lines travel insurance producer's identity and contact information; b. explain that purchase of travel insurance is not required to purchase any other product or service from the travel retailer; and c. explain that an unlicensed travel retailer may provide general information about the offered travel insurance, including a description of the coverage and price, but is not qualified or authorized to: I. answer technical questions about the insurance terms and conditions; or II. evaluate the adequacy of the customer's existing insurance coverage.
A travel retailer's employee or authorized representative who is not licensed as an insurance producer may not:
a. evaluate or interpret the technical terms, benefits, or conditions of the travel insurance coverage; b. evaluate or provide advice concerning a prospective purchaser's existing insurance coverage; or c. hold himself/herself out as a licensed insurer, licensed producer, or insurance expert.
As the insurer designee, the limited lines travel insurance producer:
a. is responsible for the acts of a travel retailer; and b. must use reasonable means to ensure that the travel retailer complies with MN ST § 60K.383 and Chapter 65C.
Any producer licensed in a major line of authority as an insurance producer may sell, solicit, or negotiate travel insurance.
A property and casualty insurance producer is not required to be appointed by an insurer in order to sell, solicit, or negotiate travel insurance.
Travel administrators are subject to the requirements below.
a. To act or represent itself as a travel administrator for travel insurance in Minnesota, a person must: I. be a licensed property and casualty insurance producer in Minnesota for activities permitted under that producer license; II. hold a valid MGA license in Minnesota; or III. hold a valid TPA license in Minnesota.
b. A travel administrator and its employees are exempt from the licensing requirements of Chapter 72B for travel insurance the travel administrator administers.
c. An insurer is responsible for: I. the acts of a travel administrator administering travel insurance underwritten by the insurer; and II. ensuring that the travel administrator maintains all books and records relevant to the insurer, to be made available by the travel administrator to the Commissioner upon request.
