Section 33-23-16. Licensing of nonresidents

   (a) Unless denied licensure pursuant to Code Section 33-23-21, a nonresident person shall receive a nonresident agent's license if:

   (1) The person is currently licensed as a resident and in good standing in such person's home state;

   (2) The person has submitted the proper request for licensure and has paid the fees required by Code Section 33-8-1;

   (3) The person has submitted or transmitted to the Commissioner the application for licensure that the person submitted to such person's home state or, in lieu of the same, a completed uniform application or a form prescribed by the Commissioner by rule or regulation for licensure of nonresident agents; and

   (4) The person's home state awards nonresident agent licenses to residents of this state on the same basis.

(b) The Commissioner may verify the agent's licensing status through the producer data base maintained by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, its affiliates, or subsidiaries.

(c) A nonresident agent who moves from one state to another state or a resident agent who moves from this state to another state shall file a change of address and provide certification from the new resident home state within 30 days of the change in legal residence. No fee or application is required.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a person licensed as a surplus lines broker in such person's home state shall receive a nonresident surplus lines broker license pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section. Except as to subsection (a) of this Code section, nothing in this Code section otherwise amends or supersedes any portion of this title.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a person licensed as a limited lines credit insurance or other type of limited lines agent in such person's home state shall receive a nonresident limited lines agent license pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section granting the same scope of authority as granted under the license issued by the agent's home state. For the purposes of this subsection, limited lines insurance is any authority granted by the home state which restricts the authority of the license to less than the total authority prescribed in the associated major lines pursuant to applicable Georgia regulations.

(f) The Commissioner may by rule or regulation implement a renewal process and set expiration dates.
   (g)(1) A nonresident individual agent shall not act as an agent of an insurer unless the agent becomes an appointed agent of that insurer as follows:

      (A) To appoint an individual as its agent, the appointing insurer shall file, pursuant to Code Section 33-23-26, a notice of appointment within 15 days from the date of licensure or before the first insurance application is submitted. An insurer may also elect to appoint an agent to all or some insurers within the insurer's holding company system or group by the filing of a single appointment request;

      (B) Upon receipt of the notice of appointment, the Commissioner shall verify within a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days, that the insurance agent is eligible for appointment. If the insurance agent is determined to be ineligible for appointment, the Commissioner shall notify the insurer within five days of such determination; and

      (C) An insurer shall pay an appointment fee, in the amount and method of payment set forth in Code Section 33-8-1, for each insurance agent appointed by the insurer.

   (2) An insurer shall remit, in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner, a renewal appointment fee in the amount as provided for initial appointments set forth in Code Section 33-8-1.

   (3) An agent who is not acting as an agent of an insurer is not required to become appointed.

(h) Applicants whose home state does not require a license to transact business may be licensed in this state, provided that the applicant takes the examination issued by the Commissioner where required pursuant to this chapter and the applicant submits written documentation from his or her resident state demonstrating the lack of licensing requirement and the state's reciprocity with residents from this state. If the resident state does not license independent adjusters, the independent adjuster shall designate as his or her home state any state in which the independent adjuster is licensed and in good standing.

Code 1981, § 33-23-16, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2830, § 1; Ga. L. 2001, p. 925, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 60, § 33/HB 95; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1040, § 8/SB 203; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1350, § 7/HB 1067.