Are you in need of continuing education credit, but don’t have the time to take classes away from the office? Get connected to online education! Online continuing education provides an opportunity for students to satisfy their educational needs without the constrictions of time and location. Currently, FSLSO offers several online education opportunities designed to provide education to a variety of interested participants.

Continuing Education

The Retail Agent's Role in Florida's Surplus Lines Marketplace
FSLSO's newest two-hour course is designed to give the retail agent an overview of Florida’s surplus lines marketplace. The course qualifies for two hours of intermediate property and casualty continuing education credits. This course will provide an introduction to the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO), including the products and services that it offers. The course provides an overview of Florida’s surplus lines marketplace, including a look at its history and current state. Further exploration of the marketplace is included in a look at the distribution system which focuses on the different individuals that make up the market and their roles in it. The presence of illegal insurance entities in the market is also covered. The course concludes with an overview of the Rules of Practice and the Florida Statutes applicable to the Surplus Lines Law. This course is currently available to Florida licensed surplus lines agents for FREE and available to all others for $40.

Florida Surplus Lines Insurance Rules and Regulations
FSLSO's Rules and Regulations course provides an overview of the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office and its services; surplus lines filing procedures; a breakdown of common submission errors; a declaration page activity; the Rules of Practice applicable to Florida Surplus Lines Law; and a listing of applicable Florida Statutes. This is an intermediate level course, approved by the Department of Financial Services for three hours of property and casualty continuing education credits. This course is currently available to Florida licensed surplus lines agents for FREE and available to all others for $60.

Illegal Insurance Entities; Knowing the Difference
Illegal Insurance Entities; Knowing the Difference provides the student with an understanding of the differences between an unauthorized insurer and an illegal insurance entity. It will also discuss the intricacies of how specific insurance entities are regulated and how illegal insurance entities operate; how to protect oneself from becoming a target for these types of fraudulent operations; and, how the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office provides information regarding eligible surplus lines insurers. This is an intermediate level course, approved by the Department of Financial Services for two hours of property and casualty continuing education credits. The course is currently available to Florida licensed surplus lines agents for FREE and available to all others for $40.

Surplus Lines Insurance Pre-Qualification Credit

FSLSO's Surplus Lines 60-Hour Pre-Qualification course gives agents the opportunity to complete their Pre-Licensing Qualification credits for their 1-20 designation through the convenience of online access and self-study. This course provides assistance and information concerning surplus lines insurance. Understanding Florida’s laws and issues affecting the market, the FSLSO is sharing important and relevant information about the past, present and future of the surplus lines industry. It includes an easy-to-understand overview of the Rules of Practice applicable to the Surplus Lines Law, as well as a list of the actual Florida Statutes for reference purposes. Topics covered within this course include the history of surplus lines insurance, the regulatory process, distribution systems, unauthorized insurance entities and financial accounting aspects.

This program is designed to take approximately 60 hours in its entirety and must be completed within 90 days.  This course is currently available for $495.

Agent Software Training

Certification of Online Agent Software Training (COAST) Program
The COAST program will provide the student with a detailed look at FSLSO’s Agent Software; the program includes interactive sessions that will allow the student to input information into a mock software template, simulating an actual software transaction. The student will also find useful hints for avoiding common pitfalls found within the submission process. This course is currently available to everyone for FREE.

Note: Please be advised that continuing education providers cannot give credit to an individual for a course that he or she has previously taken within a 3-year period as required by Chapter 69B-228.100 Florida Administrative Code. Also, licensees that have been licensed over 6 years in Florida can no longer take a "basic" level course and receive credit for it.  Intermediate or advanced level courses should be taken as required by Section 626.2815(3)(b), Florida Statute.