Mississippi's insurance law is in Title 83 of the Mississippi Code, with the Department's regulations in Title 19 of the Mississippi Administrative Code. Producer licensing is in 83-17, unfair practices in 83-5-29 to 83-5-51, and rebating in 83-3-121. The Mississippi questions on every exam come from the same core: the elected Commissioner, licensing and appointments, CE, premium handling, unfair practices, fraud and the guaranty associations. This guide covers those rules with citations. General concepts are in the national Insurance Regulation guide.

About the exam

Mississippi's licensing exams are delivered by Pearson VUE. The passing score is 65% for the life and health exams and 70 for the property and casualty exams.

Before and after the exam

• Prelicensing: 20 hours per line of authority, so 40 hours for property and casualty combined (83-17-251).
  • Since 2024, applicants for the life line only are exempt from prelicensing. They still take the exam.
  • Designation holders are exempt for their lines: CLU, ChFC, CFP, FLMI or LUTCF for life; RHU for accident and health; AAI, ARM, CIC or CPCU for P&C.
• The candidate handbook requires the exam to be passed within 2 years of the license application.
• A candidate who fails or misses the exam must reapply and pay again (83-17-59).
• The variable line requires a FINRA Series 6 or 7 registration in addition to the life license.

The regulator

• The regulator is the Mississippi Department of Insurance. It was renamed from the Mississippi Insurance Department by HB 939, effective July 1, 2026, according to the Department's 2026 legislative summary.
• Its head is the Commissioner of Insurance. The Commissioner is elected statewide for a 4-year term and may be re-elected (83-1-3). The Commissioner must meet the same qualifications as the Secretary of State.
• The Commissioner is also the State Fire Marshal (45-11-1).
• The Commissioner may examine anyone in the insurance business for unfair practices (83-5-37).
  • Refusing to produce books on demand is a misdemeanor (83-5-65).
  • Insurer employees and agents must answer the Commissioner's written inquiries promptly. The penalty is up to $10,000 and 1 year (83-24-13).

Orders and penalties

• Cease and desist orders may issue with or without a prior hearing (83-1-51).
  • The recipient of an order issued without a hearing may request reconsideration within 20 days.
  • Disobeying the order is a misdemeanor with fines up to $5,000 per violation.
• Unfair practice hearings are set at least 10 days after the charges are served (83-5-39).
  • Fines are up to $5,000 per violation (83-5-41).
  • Violating a resulting order costs up to $1,000 per violation, plus possible license suspension or revocation. Appeals go to the Hinds County circuit court, First Judicial District (83-5-49).

Insurers

• Domestic = formed in Mississippi. Foreign = formed under another state's or government's authority, with its home office outside Mississippi (83-5-5).
• A foreign insurer must have done business at least 2 years in its home state before getting a certificate of authority (83-21-3).
• Foreign fire and casualty insurers pay a 3% premium tax (27-15-103).
• Rates must not be excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. They may not be classified by race, color, creed or national origin (83-2-3).
  • Under the flex rating rule, an insurer may change rates in the aggregate by up to 15% without prior approval. The change is reported within 30 days, and only one is allowed every 12 months (Rule 45).
• Surplus lines (83-21-17, 83-21-19):
  • Available only through licensed surplus lines producers with P&C or personal lines authority.
  • Placed with insurers on the Commissioner's annual eligible list, with capital and surplus of at least $15 million.
  • Policies carry a 10-point bold notice that they aren't protected by the Mississippi Insurance Guaranty Association.
  • An insured who buys directly from a nonadmitted insurer reports it within 30 days.

Producer licensing (83-17)

Who needs a license

• No one may sell, solicit or negotiate insurance without a license for that line (83-17-55).
• Exempt (83-17-57):
  • insurer employees who only inspect, rate or classify risks
  • people who only advertise without soliciting in Mississippi
  • a salaried employee advising his or her own employer without commission
• Writing business outside your license leads to a revocation or suspension hearing (83-17-41).

Getting licensed

• Applicants must be at least 18 (83-17-61).
• A business entity designates a responsible licensed producer.
• Nonresidents are licensed reciprocally (83-17-65).
  • A move is reported within 30 days.
  • If the home-state license is suspended or revoked, the Mississippi license follows without a hearing.
• Moving to Mississippi: apply within 90 days and no prelicensing or exam is needed for lines already held. The same applies within 90 days of an old license's cancellation, if it was in good standing (83-17-67).
• Temporary license: up to 180 days, no exam. It can go to a survivor or representative of a deceased or disabled producer, or to the designee of a producer entering military service (83-17-69).

Renewal and CE

• Licenses run 2 years and expire on the last day of the birth month. The first term runs 13 to 24 months.
• Report an address change within 30 days (83-17-63).
• A lapsed license can be reinstated within 12 months without an exam, with a late penalty. After that, initial licensing requirements apply.
• CE (83-17-251):
  • 24 hours, including 3 in ethics, for a license term of more than 18 months. 12 hours for a term of 18 months or less.
  • The Department says courses can't be repeated within a term and hours don't carry over.
• CE exemptions:
  • Individuals 65 or older with 25 continuous years of licensure as of April 17, 2023, by affidavit.
  • Nonresidents meeting home-state CE.
  • Nonactive agents, who may collect renewals but not solicit or service (83-17-1).
• Long-term care sales require the accident and health line (Department FAQ).

Discipline (83-17-71)

• Grounds include:
  • felonies
  • using notes on the exam
  • forgery
  • misappropriating or withholding money
  • knowingly accepting business from an unlicensed person
  • ignoring a child support order
  • not paying state income tax
• Holding several appointments is lawful.
• A denied applicant may demand a hearing within 10 days. It's held within 30 days.
• Civil penalties are up to $1,000 per violation.
• After revocation, no new application for 1 year.
• Surrender or lapse doesn't end the Commissioner's authority.
• Report another jurisdiction's administrative action within 30 days of final disposition. Report a criminal prosecution within 30 days of the initial pretrial hearing (83-17-81).

Appointments and terminations

• A producer must be appointed before acting as an insurer's agent (83-17-75).
  • The insurer files the appointment within 15 days of the agency contract or first application, whichever is earlier.
  • The Commissioner verifies eligibility within 30 days.
• Termination: notify the Commissioner within 30 days, for any reason (83-17-77).
  • The producer gets a copy within 15 days. A for-cause copy goes by certified mail or overnight carrier.
  • The producer may comment within 30 days.
  • Good-faith reporters are immune.

Commissions and controlled business

• No commission may be paid to a person who must be licensed and isn't. Renewal commissions may go to someone licensed at the time of sale (83-17-73).
• Commissions may go to a deceased agent's surviving spouse or heirs (83-17-7).
• A one-time, nominal, fixed-dollar referral fee is allowed if it doesn't depend on a sale and isn't paid to the prospect.
• Controlled business: a violation is presumed when commissions on the agent's own, family or business interests exceed 35% of total commissions over any 24 months (83-17-1).
• Commissions to incorporated agencies may be paid only to licensed agents or solicitors (Reg. F&C 71-1).

Premium handling

• Premium checks must be payable to the insurance company, not the agent (Reg. 79-001). The agent gives a receipt on the company's approved form.
• An agent whose failure to remit causes a nonpayment cancellation faces an immediate show-cause hearing on revocation (Reg. F&C 60-1).
• Producers hold premium as fiduciaries. Misappropriation is a ground for license action (83-17-71(1)(d)).

Unfair trade practices (83-5-29 to 83-5-51)

Rebating (83-3-121)

• Giving or receiving any rebate or special favor not in the policy is prohibited. Bundling insurance free or at a discount with other goods is rebating (Reg. LA&H 52-1).
• Allowed: dividends and savings paid to policyholders, commissions to licensed agents, and an agent advancing a premium.

Fraud and privacy

• Insurance fraud (7-5-303) includes knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact and fraudulently denying a claim.
• Report suspected fraud to the Department or the Insurance Integrity Enforcement Bureau of the Attorney General's office.
• Privacy notices go out when the customer relationship begins and annually afterward (19 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 1, Ch. 28).

Replacement and illustrations (life and annuities)

• Regulation 99-2:
  • The producer reads the Notice Regarding Replacement no later than when the application is taken.
  • The replacing insurer notifies the existing insurer within 5 business days and gives a 30-day free look.
  • Documents are kept 5 years.
  • Using existing values from 4 months before to 13 months after the new policy's date is evidence of a financed purchase.
  • Penalties include forfeiting the commission.
• Regulation 98-2: a signed basic illustration goes to the insurer with the application. A revised illustration is signed by delivery if the policy issues differently.

Guaranty associations

The guaranty association's existence may not be used to sell insurance (83-23-235).

Common exam traps

• The Commissioner is elected, serves 4 years, and is also the State Fire Marshal.
• The agency is the Mississippi Department of Insurance as of July 1, 2026.
• CE: 24 hours (3 ethics) for terms over 18 months, 12 hours for shorter terms. No carryover.
• Life-only applicants are exempt from prelicensing since 2024.
• Appointment: 15 days. Termination: 30 days. Denial hearing demand: 10 days.
• Controlled business presumed over 35% in 24 months.
• Premium checks are payable to the insurer.
• L&H exam pass: 65%.