(1) The department shall not grant or issue a license as general lines agent to any individual found by it to be untrustworthy or incompetent or who does not meet each of the following qualifications:
(a) The applicant is a natural person at least 18 years of age.
(b) The applicant is a United States citizen or legal alien who possesses work authorization from the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and is a bona fide resident of this state. An individual who is a bona fide resident of this state shall be deemed to meet the residence requirement of this paragraph, notwithstanding the existence at the time of application for license of a license in his or her name on the records of another state as a resident licensee of such other state, if the applicant furnishes a letter of clearance satisfactory to the department that the resident licenses have been canceled or changed to a nonresident basis and that he or she is in good standing.
(c) The applicant’s place of business will be located in this state and he or she will be actively engaged in the business of insurance and will maintain a place of business, the location of which is identifiable by and accessible to the public.
(d) The license is not being sought for the purpose of writing or handling controlled business, in violation of s. 626.730.
(e) The applicant is qualified as to knowledge, experience, or instruction in the business of insurance and meets the requirements provided in s. 626.732.
(f) The applicant has passed any required examination for license required under s. 626.221.
(2) The department shall not grant, continue, renew, or permit to exist the license or appointment of a general lines agent unless the agent meets the requirements of subsection (1).
History.—s. 256, ch. 59-205; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 75-303; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-116; s. 52, ch. 77-121; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 3, ch. 81-282; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 220, 241, 807, 810, ch. 82-243; s. 29, ch. 82-386; s. 9, ch. 83-288; s. 15, ch. 88-166; ss. 67, 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 240, ch. 97-102; s. 41, ch. 2003-267; s. 34, ch. 2003-281; s. 108, ch. 2004-5; s. 2, ch. 2005-195; s. 23, ch. 2018-102.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 626 - Insurance Field Representatives and Operations
Part II - General Lines Agents (Ss. 626.726-626.754)
626.728 - This part supplements licensing law.
626.729 - “Industrial fire insurance” defined.
626.731 - Qualifications for general lines agent’s license.
626.7315 - Prohibition against the unlicensed transaction of general lines insurance.
626.732 - Requirement as to knowledge, experience, or instruction.
626.733 - Agency firms and corporations; special requirements.
626.734 - Corporations, liability of agent.
626.7351 - Qualifications for customer representative’s license.
626.7352 - Customer representative’s office.
626.7353 - Appointment of customer representatives.
626.7354 - Customer representative’s powers; agent’s or agency’s responsibility.
626.741 - Nonresident agents; licensing and restrictions.
626.742 - Nonresident agents; service of process.
626.743 - Nonresident agents; retaliatory provision.
626.744 - Service representatives; application for license.
626.745 - Service representatives, managing general agents; managers; activities.
626.7451 - Managing general agents; required contract provisions.
626.7452 - Managing general agents; examination authority.
626.7453 - Managing general agents; errors and omissions insurance.
626.7454 - Managing general agents; duties of insurers.
626.7455 - Managing general agent; responsibility of insurer.
626.749 - Place of business in residence.
626.7491 - Business transacted with producer controlled property and casualty insurer.
626.7492 - Reinsurance intermediaries.
626.752 - Exchange of business.
626.753 - Sharing commissions; penalty.
626.754 - Rights of agent following termination of appointment.