The Maine Bureau of Insurance has directed its licensing examination vendor, Pearson VUE, to cease administering online-proctored insurance licensing examinations for Maine.

The option of an online insurance examination for certain authorities was initially permitted in response to the COVID public health emergency, which has ended. After a review of security risks with online-proctored licensing examinations in uncontrolled environments, we have made the decision to stop offering licensing examinations via this method.  Over the past year, many other state insurance regulators have ended the online testing option due to similar concerns.

Effective today, no new registrations will be accepted for online insurance examinations. In addition:

Social Security Unlocked: Maximizing Benefits & Guiding Your Clients - Webinar

May 15, 2025

2:00 - 3:00 PM EST

AI is changing the business landscape by the day, and NAIFA is here to keep you current.

Join Jon Seif as he shows how forward-thinking firms are using data and AI to establish relationships and address the needs of their clients. During the webinar, you’ll also see how Catchlight (built in Fidelity Labs) is helping advisors cultivate deeper relationships while cross-selling more of their insurance clients into wealth management.

During Leveraging AI you will:

• Learn key insights about the great wealth transfer and organic growth

• Hear how modern firms are using data and AI to identify, prioritize, and engage with clients

• See a demo of the Catchlight platform (built in Fidelity Investments’ tech incubator, Fidelity Labs)

Congress Is Discussing Your Future.
Shouldn't You Be Part of the Conversation?

If you won't speak up for your business and clients, no one else will.

Decisions made in Washington, D.C., greatly impact your business and clients. Yet, most of our lawmakers are not experts in insurance or financial services or how agents and advisors are critical to the financial security of American families and small businesses.

Our Real Life Stories program has helped motivate people to buy insurance for 20+ years. These stories highlight the role insurance has played in helping families and businesses in times of great financial need, along with the insurance professionals who have helped them. None of the people featured in our stories could have anticipated the challenges they’d face. However, smart insurance planning ensured that emotional struggles weren’t compounded by financial hardship.

The NAIFA Quality Award provides advisors at any career stage the opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to excellence. This includes professionalism through education and earned designations, production-measured performance metrics customized for each practice specialty, adherence to the NAIFA code of ethics, and service to your industry association. Advisors specializing in Life & Annuities, Financial Advising & Investments, Health & Employee Benefits, Multiline Sales, or any combination of these specialties have the opportunity to demonstrate the quality that is the mark of a true professional.

NAIFA is proud to announce that Matthew S. Tassey, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, is the recipient of the 84th annual John Newton Russell Memorial Award. The award is the highest honor accorded by the insurance industry to a living individual who has rendered outstanding services to the institution of life insurance. The selection committee consists of representatives of 11 leading organizations in the life insurance and financial services industry. Tassey will be celebrated and formally presented the award at NAIFA’s Apex 2024, National Leadership Conference, and Belong event Sept. 21 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.

Be sure to attend Apex/The NLC/Belong to congratulate Matt and celebrate his achievement!

Ready to join the action at NAIFA-Maine? Our organization is looking to grow and adapt, and we need your help! Volunteering with NAIFA-Maine is an opportunity to discover fulfillment and develop essential leadership skills as you contribute to our mission.

We're looking for individuals like you to step up and get involved. Whether you're interested in serving on our Board of Directors or lending a hand on one of our committees, there's a place for you here.

Bylaws are an important part of any organization, but sometimes having them available for our members isn't easy. If you haven't read recent changes to the NAIFA-Maine Chapter Bylaws recently, here is your chance.

How many times have you heard it? "The first day of my career, I was handed office forms to fill out, and my NAIFA application."

Merriam-Webster defines Essentiality as: essential nature, essence, an essential quality, property or aspect.  This has never been more applicable or appropriate when used when considering the topic of Protecting your client’s most valuable asset, their ability to earn and grow their Income.

Persons and business entities subject to regulation by the Bureau of Insurance should be aware of the notification requirements related to cybersecurity events. These requirements are found in two Maine statutes - the Insurance Data Security Act (IDSA) and the Notice of Risk to Personal Data Act (NRPDA). Each law requires notification to the Superintendent and to affected customers under certain circumstances and within certain times. This page contains information about submitting the forms required under these laws. Before submitting the forms on this page, you should read our Bulletin 468, Maine Law Concerning Cybersecurity Events, and our FAQs related to NRPDA. Please contact us at CyberSecurity.BOI@maine.gov with any questions.

NAIFA-Maine continues to evolve to meet the challenges faced by our industry and association. These challenges require capable and willing volunteers to help us grow. NAIFA-Maine volunteers work hard but receive a great deal of personal satisfaction and leadership experience.

Interested in volunteering for NAIFA-Maine? We have a place for you, whether you are able to commit to 2 hours per month or 2 hours per year, we will find you a spot! There are open elected and appointed positions on our Board of Directors as well as committee volunteer opportunities. If you wish to know more or are interested in volunteering, please email us and let us know.

June is Annuity Awareness Month! Click the button below to read the letter from Governor Janet T. Mills in support of Annuity Awareness Month.

Bylaws are an important part of any organization, but sometimes having them available for our members isn't easy. If you haven't read the NAIFA-Maine Chapter Bylaws recently, here is your chance. As always, please reach out to info@naifa-me.org with any questions or concerns.

NAIFA-Maine held its annual Sales Congress on September 19th & 20th in Augusta. It was so good to reconnect with each other and catch up after more than two years without an in-person meeting. Please visit our Facebook page to see highlights. Don't forget to "like" our page to stay up to date with all things NAIFA-Maine!

NAIFA-Maine is back IN PERSON for our 2022 Sales Congress! Join us next month as we reconnect face to face for the first time since 2020 and gather with NAIFA friends old and new to network, socialize, and learn.

Timeline for Form/Rate Review
1. When are form and rate SERFF submissions due? The deadline is anticipated to be June 27 with final approval in mid-September. The Bureau will issue a Bulletin shortly to finalize the timeline and filing requirements.

2. Should carriers submit form and rate filings for a merged market assuming CMS approval? Yes, if CMS does not approve the 1332 amendment, carriers will be able to resubmit off-Marketplace individual and all small group plans and rates.  Marketplace plans will not change but the rates may be revised at that time.

On March 28, 2022, Maine's waiver amendment application was deemed to be complete. Federal public comments on Maine's waiver amendment request will be accepted through April26, 2022.The Bureau is anticipating approval within the rate review time-period.

MGARA
3. What assumptions should be used for MGARA? Attachment points to use for rate filings will be announced following the recommendation from the MGARA Board.

4. How will the transition to merged market work for MGARA?  The tail of non-calendar-year 2022small-group plans is expressly excluded by Subsection 6(1) and 24-A M.R.S. § 3958(1)(A-1)–coverage is triggered by issue date under the statute, and status as a “pooled market health plan” under Rule856.  Risk Adjustment is calendar-year rather than policy-year.

Clear Choice Plans
5. May forms may be filed to accommodate small group and individual differences such as applications or certificates? Yes

Rule 851,Paragraph 5(1)(E) states: “differences in the administrative provisions of the policy forms issued to individuals and the coverage documents for the same plan issued to small employers and plan participants, if the variations in contract terms are reasonably related to the differences in the mode of coverage, and do not affect the plan benefits or premium rates except to the extent expressly permitted by this rule or required by controlling law.”  This might include offering an EAP to employers and a different but comparable wellness program to individuals. The Bureau’s suggestion for “right to shop” provisions is required to include it in both individual and group HSA plans, but optional in the non-HSA plans. The” right to shop” must be the same in both individual and small group plans.

6. Are there required naming conventions? Carriers may distinguish individual and small group in that version of the plan name. Clear Choice must specifically state “Clear Choice” and not CC.CSR variation plans must be distinguished.  For example:[Clear Choice Bronze 4500 etc.][company preferred name/branding][CSR 94/CSR 87/CSR 73/CSR 100/CSR LCS].

Did you know that NAIFA-Maine's Lobbyist, Dan Bernier, is tracking a total of 36 bills for us this session? Dan is watching out for NAIFA and for our clients on Main Street.

The Board of Directors for the Maine chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) has been announced.

A notice of a stakeholder meeting is available on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website:

Bulletin 462 - Maine Insurance Data Security Act

On Behalf of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services:

Join NAIFA-Maine VIRTUALLY for our 2021 Sales Congress. Over the course of 3 days, September 14th, 21st, and 28th, we'll hear from 6 wonderful speakers covering an array of topics. Can't wait to see you there! 

Welcome new members who joined NAIFA-Maine this June!

Belonging to your professional association sets you apart from the competition by ascribing to a Code of Ethics, voluntarily investing & participating in a performance-driven networking group, and serving your industry through advocacy and community service.

Yesterday Max Lynds and Sue McKay were invited to join a small group of producers to preview the anticipated move to a State Based Marketplace for 2022. Approval from CMS is expected by mid-August. These are details we wanted to share with members:

Welcome new members who joined NAIFA-Maine so far this year!

Belonging to your professional association sets you apart from the competition by ascribing to a Code of Ethics, voluntarily investing & participating in a performance-driven networking group, and serving your industry through advocacy and community service.

NAIFA-Maine’s virtual Legislative Breakfast on March 9 featured video conference meetings connecting NAIFA members with state lawmakers whose policy decision impact the businesses of insurance and financial professionals as well as the consumers they serve. Legislators in attendance included: