Code of Maine Rules › 02 - DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION › 031 - BUREAU OF INSURANCE › Chapter 542 - EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS › Section 031-542-5 - Course and Vendor Approval

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A.
Approval required.
No person may falsely represent that a course of
				instruction has been approved for education credit in Maine or misrepresent the
				number of credit hours for which a course has been approved. A course which is
				intended to be given for credit may not be offered until the Superintendent has
				notified the vendor that the course has been approved.
B.
Fees for Vendor Registration and
				Course Submission.
As a condition of approval of its course or
				courses, each vendor shall pay a $100 vendor fee upon submission of its first
				course application and biennially thereafter on or before October 1 of each
				even-numbered year. Each registered vendor shall pay a $20 course fee upon
				submission of each course application or such other fees as may be provided in
				 24-AM.R.S.A.
				§601(23), as amended
				from time to time.
C.
Application process.
The Superintendent shall make available an
				application form for course approval. For each course, the vendor must file an
				application, accompanied by the course fee and, if applicable, the vendor fee,
				all course descriptions, outlines, promotional brochures, and other similar
				material which may be helpful in describing the course. If an examination is to
				be given, a copy of the examination(s) must be submitted, along with the
				proposed passing grade. If a course includes optional review sessions, the
				course description must include a description of the review sessions and any
				materials used in conducting or publicizing the review sessions.
D.
Scope of approval.
A
				course approval is valid only if it is given as described in the application.
				If the course is modified in any manner, it is considered a new course and may
				not be offered until a new application and fee have been submitted and the
				modified course has been approved in accordance with this Section.
E.
Review of applications.
Each application for course credit, other than applications for credit by
				reciprocity pursuant to SubsectionI below, shall be reviewed by the Continuing
				Education Advisory Committee established pursuant to
				 24-A M.R.S.A.
				§1481 and by the Superintendent of
				Insurance. The Superintendent may require the applicant to submit further
				information deemed necessary to evaluate the eligibility of the course for
				credit.
F.
Advisory
				Committee.
A member of the Advisory Committee must recuse himself or
				herself completely from the review of any application in which he or she has an
				interest or bias and may not use information obtained in the course of service
				on the Committee for personal gain or other improper purposes. Before taking
				office, each must file a written statement with the Superintendent agreeing to
				comply with the requirements of this Rule and fully disclosing any employment,
				ownership, or other affiliation with or interest in any continuing education
				vendor. Members must update their disclosure statements within 10 days after
				learning of any inaccuracy or change in circumstances.
G.
Standards for approval.
Courses which impart substantive knowledge relating to the field of
				insurance and are otherwise in compliance with this Rule will be approved for
				credit. Courses in related fields, such as other segments of the financial
				services industry, will be approved for credit to the extent that they are
				otherwise in compliance with this Rule and are shown to improve the abilities
				of students to act within the scope of their licenses. The following types of
				subject matter do not qualify for credit:
(1)
				Technical office skills, such as typing, speed reading, and the operation of
				office machines and equipment;
(2)
				Motivation, psychology, sales promotion, time or stress management, or
				communications;
(3) Office
				management, customer service, or the operation of the student's business, if
				the course is general in focus and is not specifically directed towards the
				business of insurance; or
(4)
				Courses which primarily instruct the student in the promotion or sales of the
				products of a specific company. However, courses which primarily convey general
				insurance knowledge through instruction in the design and appropriate
				application of products of specific companies may be considered for
				credit.