Before you contract
Licensing & certification requirements
Every line of business has its own license and certification path. Here's what's required to write each one — and roughly how often you have to redo it.
Medicare (MA, PDP, Med Supp)
License required
Resident Accident & Health license, plus non-resident licenses in every state you write.
- AHIP Medicare Training — FMO discount
Required for Medicare Advantage and Part D. Accepted by most carriers; use the FMO discount link below for the reduced rate.
Annually (releases late June)
Carrier product certifications
Each carrier adds product, compliance, and marketing modules on top of AHIP before releasing a writing number.
Annually (typically July–September)
Medicare Supplement
No AHIP requirement — a health license and carrier appointment are enough in most states.
One-time per carrier
ACA / Under-65 Health
License required
Resident Accident & Health license, plus non-resident licenses for each marketplace state.
FFM registration (CMS MLMS)
Marketplace training plus the required agent agreements. Your NPN must appear on the CMS registration completion list before carriers will appoint you.
Annually (opens late summer)
State-based marketplace training
States running their own exchange (e.g. CA, NY, PA) have separate certification in place of or in addition to FFM.
Annually
Ancillary (Dental/Vision/Hearing, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness)
License required
Resident Accident & Health license.
No standalone certification
Most ancillary carriers require only a health license and their own short product module during onboarding.
One-time per carrier
Life Insurance (Final Expense, Term, Underwritten)
License required
Resident Life license (most states issue Life & Health together), plus non-resident states.
Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) training
Required by nearly every life carrier. LIMRA is the most widely accepted provider.
Every 2 years (some carriers annually)
Background and vector check
Life carriers review credit, criminal, and industry (Vector One) history during contracting. Disclose issues up front.
At contracting
Annuities
License required
Resident Life license. Variable annuities additionally require FINRA Series 6 or 7 with a broker-dealer.
Annuity suitability training
State-approved four-hour course covering annuity suitability standards.
One-time (state-specific)
Best-interest (NAIC Model 275) update
A one-hour supplement adopted by most states for agents who completed suitability training before the rule change.
One-time
Carrier product training
Required per carrier, and often per product series, before an application can be submitted.
Per product launch
Voluntary Group Benefits
License required
Resident Life and Accident & Health licenses — worksite products span both lines of authority.
Group appointment authority
Some carriers issue a separate group writing number in addition to your individual appointment.
One-time per carrier
Enrollment platform training
Carriers using a worksite enrollment system require platform training before your first case.
One-time
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