(1) The purpose of a license issued under this code to a health agent is to authorize and enable the licensee actively and in good faith to engage in the insurance business as such an agent with respect to the general public and to facilitate the public supervision of such activities in the public interest, and not for the purpose of enabling the licensee to receive an unlawful rebate of premium in the form of commission or other compensation as an agent or enabling the licensee to receive commissions or other compensation based upon insurance solicited or procured by or through the licensee upon his or her own interests or upon those of other persons with whom he or she is closely associated in capacities other than as an insurance agent.

(2) The department shall not grant, renew, continue, or permit to exist any license or appointment as a health agent as to any applicant therefor or licensee or appointee thereunder if it finds that the license or appointment has been or is being or will be used by the applicant, licensee, or appointee not for the purpose of holding himself or herself out to the general public as a health agent, but principally for the purpose of soliciting, negotiating, handling or procuring “controlled business,” that is, health insurance covering himself or herself or family members; the officers, directors, stockholders, partners, employees, or debtors of a partnership, association, or corporation of which he or she or a family member is an officer, director, stockholder, partner, or employee; or members of an association of which he or she is a director, officer, or employee.

(3) A violation of this section shall be deemed to exist or be probable if the department finds that during a 12-month period the premium writings represented by such controlled business insurance contracts signed, countersigned, issued, or sold by the licensee have been, or in the case of an applicant for appointment, probably will be under circumstances found by the department to exist, in excess of premium writings during the same period by the appointee or proposed appointee as represented by health insurance contracts to the general public other than the classes of persons above classified as controlled business.

(4) This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the licensing and appointing of any person employed by or associated with a lending or financing institution, with respect to insurance only, under credit life or disability insurance policies of borrowers from such institution or creditor.

History.—s. 305, ch. 59-205; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 3, ch. 81-282; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 261, 271, 807, 810, ch. 82-243; ss. 108, 206, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 270, ch. 97-102.