Kansas: Insurance Continuing Education

Kansas’s state motto is ad astra per aspera, “to the stars through difficulty.” But one thing Kansas doesn’t intend to make overly difficult is its continuing education (CE) requirements to maintain insurance producer licensing – something abundantly clear in the state legislature’s passage of new requirements in 2021.

Granted, the new Kansas insurance license changes don’t solely apply to CE, so, if you’re just dying to dig in on the Wheat State’s changes to licensing, insurance carrier appointments, and various sundry minutiae, go for it! You might also check out our article where we talked with an official from the Kansas Insurance Department, Lee Modesitt, to get a bit of context around the changes.

However, if you’re ready to dive in on just the CE aspects of Kansas insurance producer licensing, buckle up, because it’s going to get LIT.

Of course, while we’ll do our best to cover the facts for the state that brought you Beecher’s Bibles and a solid thirst for Prohibition, you need to do your own due diligence to be sure you’re in compliance with any regulations that apply to you and yours.

What is the due date for Kansas Insurance CE Credits? 

Thanks to the changes to Kansas producer license renewals, CE and renewal fees are due the last day of a producer’s birth month in an odd or even year depending on whether you were born in an odd or even year. 

Previously, CE was due on your birth day. But now, you have until the end of the month. And, in case you are inclined to forget, the state of Kansas will send you a reminder 90 days in advance because they are so thoughtful.

Who’s exempt from Kansas Insurance CE?

If you’re a nonresident Kansas license holder, you don’t have to worry about Kansas CE as long as you are up-to-date on your own CE in your resident insurance license state.

If you haven’t been licensed for a full two years on your first date of renewal, then you will have an additional two years to complete your licensure. For example, let’s consider these folks who obtained their licenses in May 2021:

• Someone born Jan. 3, 1987, will need to complete CE by January 2025.
• Someone born June 3, 1987, will need to complete their CE by June 2023.
• Someone born April 8, 1988, will need to complete CE by April 2024.

How many hours of CE are required for Kansas insurance producers?

Currently, if you’re licensed in life and health insurance or in property and casualty (P&C) insurance, you must complete 12 hours of CE, with at least one hour of ethics and the other hours being relevant to your line of authority (LOA). If you have both life/health and P&C, you must complete 24 hours of CE, with two hours of ethics and your other hours split 50/50 between the two LOAs.

The new regulations that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2022, will change the requirements to 18 insurance CE hours, three credits in ethics and the others in whatever courses a producer wants to take – no limitations to LOA. Additionally, Kansas will remove the requirements that limit the number of agency management courses you can count toward CE.

You can’t roll over credits from one period to another, nor can you take a course twice for credit in the same renewal period. However, you can take some classes for dual credit, such as taking courses for Certified Financial Planner or other professional designations.

Kansas has also discontinued its prior requirement that you have a proctor for remote, online, and self-study exams. Like most states, it is also a member of the NAIC Continuing Education Reciprocity agreement, so producers can access a broad national catalogue of courses.

If you are licensed to sell crop insurance only, you need two hours of CE. If you’re selling title insurance only, you need four hours of CE.

For any Kansas insurance producers who are selling flood insurance, they need to take three hours of a CE course that complies with the National Flood Insurance Program requirements.

Kansas producers selling annuities have to take a one-time, four-hour course about suitability for annuity products. Kansas law stipulates that you also have to take any ongoing training required by any carriers whose annuity products you sell. 

If you sell long-term care insurance in Kansas, you have to take a one-time, four-hour training, and continue to take at least one hour of CE each renewal period to stay in compliance.

For more information about state-specific licensing requirements, or to find out how AgentSync can make it easier to operate across multiple states, check out our state pages.

Kansas Insurance CE FAQs