2013 Maryland Code
INSURANCE
§ 10-404 - Qualifications of applicants

§10-404.

(a) To qualify for a license, an applicant must be:

(1) an individual who meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section; or

(2) a business entity that meets the requirements of subsection (c) of this section.

(b) (1) An individual applicant must be trustworthy and competent to transact business as a public adjuster so as to safeguard the interests of the public.

(2) An individual applicant must have been employed regularly by the Administration as an employee or by an insurer, adjuster, insurance producer or public adjuster for a period totaling at least 1 year:

(i) during the 5 years immediately preceding the date of application; or

(ii) for a member of the U.S. armed forces, during the 5 years immediately:

1. preceding the date of entrance into the armed forces; or

2. after discharge.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, an individual applicant shall:

(i) pass a written examination given by the Commissioner under this subtitle in order to determine the competency of the applicant to act as a public adjuster;

(ii) pay the application fee required by § 2-112 of this article; and

(iii) after receiving notification that the applicant has passed the examination or is otherwise eligible to be licensed, pay the applicable license fee required by § 2-112 of this article.

(4) The examination requirement of paragraph (3) of this subsection does not apply to an individual who was licensed as a public adjuster in the State on June 30, 1985.

(5) An individual applicant who fails an examination may not take another examination until at least 14 days after the date of the last examination that the applicant failed.

(c) A business entity applicant must:

(1) be trustworthy and competent to transact business as a public adjuster so as to safeguard the interests of the public;

(2) employ one or more individual licensed public adjusters; and

(3) pay the applicable license fee required by § 2-112 of this article.