(a) Every life agent who sells annuities shall satisfactorily complete eight hours of training prior to soliciting individual consumers in order to sell annuities.

(b) Every life agent who sells annuities shall satisfactorily complete four hours of training prior to each license renewal. Completion of the eight-hour annuity training required by subdivision (a) does not satisfy the four-hour annuity training required by this subdivision. For resident licensees, this requirement shall count toward the licensee’s continuing education requirement, but may still result in completing more than the minimum number of continuing education hours set forth in this section.

(c) The training required by this section shall be approved by the commissioner and shall consist of topics related to annuities, and California law, regulations, and requirements related to annuities, prohibited sales practices, the recognition of indicators that a prospective insured may lack the short-term memory or judgment to knowingly purchase an insurance product, and fraudulent and unfair trade practices. Subject matter determined by the commissioner to be primarily intended to promote the sale or marketing of annuities shall not qualify for credit toward the training requirement. Any course or seminar that is disapproved under the provisions of this section shall be presumed invalid for credit toward the training requirement of this section unless it is approved in writing by the commissioner.

(d) The training requirements set forth in this section shall not apply to nonresident agents representing an insurer that is a direct response provider.

For the purposes of this section, “direct response provider” means an insurer that meets each of the following criteria:

(1) The insurer does not initiate telephone contact with insureds or prospective insureds.

(2) Agents of the insurer speak with insureds and prospective insureds only by telephone, and at the request of the insureds or prospective insureds.

(3) Agents of the insurer are assigned to speak with insureds or prospective insureds on a random basis, when contacted.

(4) Agents of the insurer are salaried and do not receive commissions for sales or referrals.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 321, Sec. 19. (AB 1391) Effective January 1, 2014.)