(1) The department shall deny an application for, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew or continue the license or appointment of any applicant, agent, title agency, adjuster, customer representative, service representative, or managing general agent, and it shall suspend or revoke the eligibility to hold a license or appointment of any such person, if it finds that as to the applicant, licensee, or appointee any one or more of the following applicable grounds exist:
(a) Lack of one or more of the qualifications for the license or appointment as specified in this code.
(b) Material misstatement, misrepresentation, or fraud in obtaining the license or appointment or in attempting to obtain the license or appointment.
(c) Failure to pass to the satisfaction of the department any examination required under this code.
(d) If the license or appointment is willfully used, or to be used, to circumvent any of the requirements or prohibitions of this code.
(e) Willful misrepresentation of any insurance policy or annuity contract or willful deception with regard to any such policy or contract, done either in person or by any form of dissemination of information or advertising.
(f) If, as an adjuster, or agent licensed and appointed to adjust claims under this code, he or she has materially misrepresented to an insured or other interested party the terms and coverage of an insurance contract with intent and for the purpose of effecting settlement of claim for loss or damage or benefit under such contract on less favorable terms than those provided in and contemplated by the contract.
(g) Demonstrated lack of fitness or trustworthiness to engage in the business of insurance.
(h) Demonstrated lack of reasonably adequate knowledge and technical competence to engage in the transactions authorized by the license or appointment.
(i) Fraudulent or dishonest practices in the conduct of business under the license or appointment.
(j) Misappropriation, conversion, or unlawful withholding of moneys belonging to insurers or insureds or beneficiaries or to others and received in conduct of business under the license or appointment.
(k) Unlawfully rebating, attempting to unlawfully rebate, or unlawfully dividing or offering to divide his or her commission with another.
(l) Having obtained or attempted to obtain, or having used or using, a license or appointment as agent or customer representative for the purpose of soliciting or handling “controlled business” as defined in s. 626.730 with respect to general lines agents, s. 626.784 with respect to life agents, and s. 626.830 with respect to health agents.
(m) Willful failure to comply with, or willful violation of, any proper order or rule of the department or willful violation of any provision of this code.
(n) Having been found guilty of or having pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a crime punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of the United States of America or of any state thereof or under the law of any other country, without regard to whether a judgment of conviction has been entered by the court having jurisdiction of such cases.
(o) Fraudulent or dishonest practice in submitting or aiding or abetting any person in the submission of an application for workers’ compensation coverage under chapter 440 containing false or misleading information as to employee payroll or classification for the purpose of avoiding or reducing the amount of premium due for such coverage.
(p) Sale of an unregistered security that was required to be registered, pursuant to chapter 517.
(q) In transactions related to viatical settlement contracts as defined in s. 626.9911:
1. Commission of a fraudulent or dishonest act.
2. No longer meeting the requirements for initial licensure.
3. Having received a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration for his or her services with respect to viatical settlements that involved unlicensed viatical settlement providers or persons who offered or attempted to negotiate on behalf of another person a viatical settlement contract as defined in s. 626.9911 and who were not licensed life agents.
4. Dealing in bad faith with viators.
(2) The department shall, upon receipt of information or an indictment, immediately temporarily suspend a license or appointment issued under this chapter when the licensee is charged with a felony enumerated in s. 626.207(2). Such suspension shall continue if the licensee is found guilty of, or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, the crime, regardless of whether a judgment or conviction is entered, during a pending appeal. A person may not transact insurance business after suspension of his or her license or appointment.
History.—s. 240, ch. 59-205; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 12, ch. 71-86; s. 160, ch. 73-333; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 21, ch. 78-95; s. 3, ch. 81-282; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 204, 217, 807, 810, ch. 82-243; s. 28, ch. 82-386; s. 13, ch. 88-166; s. 49, ch. 90-201; ss. 55, 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 47, ch. 91-1; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 14, ch. 92-146; s. 10, ch. 92-318; s. 236, ch. 97-102; s. 28, ch. 98-199; s. 12, ch. 2001-142; s. 59, ch. 2002-206; s. 947, ch. 2003-261; s. 45, ch. 2004-390; s. 11, ch. 2005-237; s. 17, ch. 2014-123; s. 26, ch. 2017-175.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 626 - Insurance Field Representatives and Operations
626.016 - Powers and duties of department, commission, and office.
626.025 - Consumer protections.
626.0428 - Agency personnel powers, duties, and limitations.
626.141 - Violation not to affect validity of insurance.
626.172 - Application for insurance agency license.
626.173 - Insurance agency closure; cancellation of licenses.
626.175 - Temporary licensing.
626.181 - Number of applications for licensure required.
626.191 - Repeated applications.
626.202 - Fingerprinting requirements.
626.211 - Approval, disapproval of application.
626.221 - Examination requirement; exemptions.
626.231 - Eligibility; application for examination.
626.241 - Scope of examination.
626.2415 - Annual report of results of life insurance examinations.
626.251 - Time and place of examination; notice.
626.261 - Conduct of examination.
626.266 - Printing of examinations or related materials to preserve examination security.
626.271 - Examination fee; determination, refund.
626.2815 - Continuing education requirements.
626.291 - Examination results; denial, issuance of license.
626.292 - Transfer of license from another state.
626.301 - Form and contents of licenses, in general.
626.321 - Limited licenses and registration.
626.322 - License, appointment; certain military installations.
626.331 - Number of appointments permitted or required.
626.341 - Additional appointments; general lines, life, and health agents.
626.342 - Furnishing supplies to unlicensed agent prohibited; civil liability.
626.371 - Payment of fees, taxes for appointment period without appointment.
626.381 - Renewal, continuation, reinstatement, or termination of appointment.
626.382 - Continuation, expiration of license; insurance agencies.
626.431 - Effect of expiration of license and appointment.
626.441 - License or appointment; transferability.
626.451 - Appointment of agent or other representative.
626.461 - Continuation of appointment of agent or other representative.
626.471 - Termination of appointment.
626.511 - Reasons for termination; confidential information.
626.536 - Reporting of administrative actions.
626.541 - Firm, corporate, and business names; officers; associates; notice of changes.
626.551 - Notice of change of address, name.
626.561 - Reporting and accounting for funds.
626.571 - Delinquent agencies; notice of trusteeship.
626.5715 - Parity of regulation of insurance agents and agencies.
626.572 - Rebating; when allowed.
626.581 - Commissions contingent upon adjustment savings; prohibition.
626.591 - Penalty for violation of s. 626.581.
626.593 - Insurance agent; written contract for compensation.
626.601 - Improper conduct; inquiry; fingerprinting.
626.602 - Insurance agency names; disapproval.
626.6115 - Grounds for compulsory refusal, suspension, or revocation of insurance agency license.
626.6215 - Grounds for discretionary refusal, suspension, or revocation of insurance agency license.
626.631 - Procedure for refusal, suspension, or revocation of license.
626.641 - Duration of suspension or revocation.
626.6515 - Effect of suspension or revocation upon associated agencies.