During Florida’s 2008 Legislative Session, significant changes were made to Florida’s Public Adjuster Licensing and CE laws. Senate Bill #2012 addressed numerous areas, some of which related to public adjuster contracts and claims adjusting practices, some of which changed the licensing requirements and created a new class of public adjuster as a condition precedent to licensure (i.e. the public adjuster apprentice), and some of which made significant changes to a public adjuster’s continuing education requirements.  The relevant text of the CE changes which become effective October 1, 2008, are reflected below:

F.S. 626.869 License, adjusters; continuing education.

(1)  An applicant for a license as an adjuster may qualify and his or her license when issued may cover adjusting in any one of the following classes of insurance:

(a)  All lines of insurance except life and annuities.
(b)  Motor vehicle physical damage insurance.
(c)  Property and casualty insurance.
(d)  Workers' compensation insurance.
(e)  Health insurance.

No examination on worker's compensation insurance or health insurance shall be required for public adjusters.     

 (4)(a) Any individual holding a license as a company employee adjuster or independent adjuster for 24 consecutive months or longer must, beginning in his or her birth month and every 2 years thereafter, have completed 24 hours of courses, 2 hours of which relate to ethics, in subjects designed to inform the licensee regarding the current insurance laws of this state, so as to enable him or her to engage in business as an insurance adjuster fairly and without injury to the public and to adjust all claims in accordance with the policy or contract and the laws of this state.

   (b)  Any individual holding a license as a public adjuster for 24 consecutive months or longer, beginning in their birth month and every 2 years thereafter, must have completed 24 hours of courses, 2 hours of which relate to ethics, in subjects designed to inform the licensee regarding the current laws of this state pertaining to all lines of insurance other than life and annuities, the current laws of this state pertaining to the duties and responsibilities of public adjusters as set forth in this part, and the current rules of the department applicable to public adjusters and standard or representative policy forms used by insurers, other than forms for life insurance and annuities, so as to enable him or her to engage in business as an adjuster fairly and without injury to the public and to adjust all claims in accordance with the policy or contract and laws of this state. In order to receive credit for continuing education courses, public adjusters must take courses that are specifically designed for public adjusters and approved by the department, provided, however, no continuing education course shall be required for public adjusters for worker's compensation insurance or health insurance.

To assist in the development of appropriate, effective and accurate training and continuing education programming for public adjusters and those entering the profession, the Association of Property & Casualty Claims Professionals (PCCP) will aggressively move to develop such programs and make them readily available to the Florida public adjusting community.  More to come later…