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HB18 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LICENSING FEES AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE FUNDING.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LICENSING FEES AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE FUNDING.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
K. Williams
Last action
2025-05-07
Official status
Signed 5/7/25
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is not specified in the official source material.

Delaware Insurance Licensing Fees and Fund Changes

This act changes how licensing fees for insurance professionals in Delaware are managed, increasing them by $25 and allowing more funds to stay within the Department of Insurance.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases the maximum unencumbered balance that can be kept in the Regulatory Revolving Fund from $1.4 million to $5 million.
  • Requires any amount over $5 million at the end of each fiscal year to be transferred to the General Fund.
  • Allows the Department of Insurance to keep 15% of licensing fees for insurance professionals in the Regulatory Revolving Fund.
  • Increases licensing fees for insurance professionals by $25.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Insurance professionals who need licenses from the Delaware Department of Insurance.

Terms To Know

Regulatory Revolving Fund
A fund where money collected through fees is kept and used to cover costs related to regulating insurance in Delaware.
Unencumbered balance
The amount of money left over after all expenses have been paid from a specific fund.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify when the changes will take effect.
  • Only applies to insurance professionals in Delaware.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-07 Delaware General Assembly

    Signed by Governor

  2. 2025-05-06 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT

  3. 2025-04-09 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology) in Senate with 6 On Its Merits

  4. 2025-03-25 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 2 ABSENT

  5. 2025-03-25 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee in Senate

  6. 2025-03-18 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce) in House with 8 On Its Merits

  7. 2025-01-30 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LICENSING FEES AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE FUNDING.
Section 1 of this Act allows the Department of Insurance to retain a portion of the licensing fees for insurance professionals in the Regulatory Revolving Fund. Section 1 of this bill also increases the maximum unencumbered balance that the Commissioner shall maintain in the Insurance Commissioner Regulatory Revolving Fund to $5,000,000. The previous balance was set by the General Assembly in 2005. Finally, Section 1 of this Act requires that any unencumbered balance in the Regulatory Revolving Fund in excess of $5,000,000 at the end of each fiscal year be transferred to the General Fund.

Section 2 of this Act increases the licensing fees for insurance professionals by $25 and makes certain technical corrections. Sections 3 and 4 of this Act centralize licensing fees within one statutory provision (§ 701).

These changes are necessary to reflect the growth of the Department operating budget and to cover further operating expenses realized as a result of additional statutory duties executed by the Insurance Department. The retention of these funds will ensure that the Department continues providing high-level services to the consumers of Delaware, maintains necessary staffing to satisfy NAIC accreditation standards, and avoids federal preemption.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. K. Williams & Sen. Paradee

Reps. Bush, Ross Levin, Wilson-Anton; Sens. Hansen, Mantzavinos

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 18

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LICENSING FEES AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE FUNDING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Three-fifths of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend § 305, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 305. Office; Insurance Commissioner Regulatory Revolving Fund.

(c)

(1)

All supervisory assessments, examination fees and any rate filing or form filing fees paid by insurers and

All of the following must be

collected by the Commissioner pursuant to this title

shall be

and

deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of said Insurance Commissioner Regulatory Revolving Fund to be used in the operation of the office as authorized by the General Assembly in its annual operating

budget.

budget:

a. Supervisory assessments.

b. Examination fees.

c. Rate filing and form filing fees paid by insurers.

d. 15% of all licensing fees of insurance professionals collected pursuant to paragraphs (23) through (31), (35) through (37), (41) and (42) of § 701 of this title.

(2)

All

Except as otherwise provided by law,

other fees

and/or

and

taxes collected by the Commissioner

shall

may

not be deposited in said Fund but shall be deposited in the General Fund of the State.

(e) The maximum unencumbered balance which shall remain in the Insurance Commissioner Regulatory Revolving Fund at the end of any fiscal year

effective as of June 30, 2005; shall be $1,400,000; and any amount in excess thereof shall cause the Insurance Commissioner to reduce assessments or fees collected in the next fiscal year by an amount sufficient to reduce the Regulatory Revolving Fund fiscal year end balance back to or below $1,400,000.

is $5,000,000. At the end of each fiscal year, the unencumbered balance in the Insurance Commissioner Regulatory Revolving Fund in excess of $5,000,000 must be transferred to the General Fund.

Section 2. Amend § 701, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 701. Fee schedule.

Except as provided herein or otherwise by law, the Commissioner shall collect, in advance, fees, costs and miscellaneous charges as follows:

(23) Insurance producer

(§ 1702(i) of this title)

, limited line credit insurance producer

(as defined in § 1702 of this title)

,

and

limited lines producer (

all

as defined in § 1702 of this title)

and miscellaneous limited lines producer (§ 1708(f) of this title)

.

a. Initial license (resident and nonresident)

100

125

b. Resident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in even years beginning February 28, 2004)

100

125

c. Resident insurance

producer's, limited line credit insurance producer's, limited lines producer's

producers, limited line credit insurance producers, and limited lines producers

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (23)b of this section.

d. Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years beginning February 28, 2003)

100

125

e. Nonresident

producer's,

producers,

nonresident limited line credit insurance

producer,

producers, and

nonresident limited lines

producer

producers

and nonresident miscellaneous limited lines producer's

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (23)d. of this section.

f. One-time appointment of insurance producer, limited line credit insurance producer,

and

limited lines producer

and miscellaneous limited line producer

(§ 1715 of this title), each insurer 50

(24) Amendments to license issued under Chapter 17 of this title

25

50

(25) Surplus lines broker (§ 1912 of this title):

a. Initial license (resident and nonresident)

250

275

b. Resident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in even years beginning February 28, 2004)

200

225

c. Resident surplus lines

broker's

brokers

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (25)b. of this section.

d. Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years beginning February 28, 2003)

200

225

e. Nonresident surplus lines

broker's

brokers

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (25)d. of this section.

(26) Fraternal representative (§ 1702(g) of this title):

a. Initial license (resident and nonresident)

100

125

b. Resident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in even years beginning February 28, 2004)

100

125

c. Resident fraternal

representative's

representatives

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (26)b. of this section.

d. Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years beginning February 28, 2003)

100

125

e. Nonresident fraternal

representative's

representatives

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (26)d. of this section.

f. One-time appointment of fraternal representative (§ 1715 of this title), each society or association 50

(27) Adjuster (§ 1702(a) of this title):

a. Initial license (resident and nonresident)

100

125

b. Resident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in even years beginning February 28, 2004)

100

125

c. Resident

adjuster's

adjusters

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (27)b. of this section.

d. Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years beginning February 28, 2003)

100

125

e. Nonresident

adjuster's

adjusters

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (27)d. of this section.

(28) Motor vehicle appraiser (§ 1702(c) of this title):

a. Initial license (resident and nonresident)

100

125

b. Resident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in even years beginning February 28, 2004)

100

125

c. Resident motor vehicle

appraiser's

appraisers

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (28)b. of this section.

d. Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years beginning February 28, 2003)

100

125

e. Nonresident motor vehicle

appraiser's

appraisers

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (28)d. of this section.

(29) Apprentices (§ 1702(d) of this title) and temporary insurance producer (§ 1711 of this title)

License (initial)

50

75

(30) ”Viatical settlement provider”

and viatical settlement broker

(§ 7502 of this title):

a. Initial license (resident and nonresident)

250

275

b.

Resident license

License

renewal (due

biennially

annually

February 28

in even years beginning February 28, 2004

)

250

275

c.

Resident viatical

Viatical

settlement

provider's

providers and brokers

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific

biennial

renewal period referenced in

paragraph (33)b.

paragraph (30)b.

of this section.

d. Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years ending in the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9

beginning February 28, 2003) 250

e. Nonresident viatical settlement provider's initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in paragraph (30)d. of this section.

(31) Business entity (insurance agency, § 1702(f) of this title):

a.

Initial license (resident and nonresident)

100

125

a.

.

b.

Resident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in even years beginning February 28, 2004)

100

125

b.

c.

Resident business

entity

entities

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in

paragraph (23)b.

paragraph (31)b.

of this section.

c.

d.

Nonresident license renewal (due biennially February 28 in odd years beginning February 28, 2003)

100

125

d.

e.

Nonresident business

entity

entities

initially licensed within 90 days prior to the renewal deadline of February 28 (December 1-February 28) are not subject to the renewal fee for that specific biennial renewal period referenced in

paragraph (23)d.

paragraph (31)d.

of this section.

(35) Bail agent, initial and renewal:

Bail agent

200

225

(36)a. For initial licensing of a discount medical plan organization:

500

525

b. For renewal of discount medical plan organization license:

250

275

(37) Limited lines travel insurance producers (that are registering travel retailers under chapter 17B of this title):

a. For initial licensing of a limited lines travel insurance producer:

1,000

1,025

b. For renewal of a limited lines travel insurance producer license:

500

525

c. Licensing periods,

renewal dates

renewal dates,

and appointments for limited lines travel insurance producers are subject to paragraph (23) of this section.

(41) Rental company limited lines producer license (§ 2006 of this title), each year 325

(42) Portable electronics vendor limited lines license (§ 2057 of this title).

a. Initial license 1,025

b. License renewal 525

Section 3. Amend § 2006, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 2006. Fees.

The fee for this limited license

shall be

$300 per year, per company.

is the fee set forth in § 701 of this title.

Section 4. Amend § 2057, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 2057. Application for license and fees.

(e) Each vendor of portable electronics licensed under this chapter shall pay to the Insurance Commissioner

a fee as prescribed by the Commissioner but in no event shall the fee exceed $1,000 for an initial portable electronics limited lines license and $500 for each renewal thereof.

the fee set forth in § 701 of this title.

SYNOPSIS

Section 1 of this Act allows the Department of Insurance to retain a portion of the licensing fees for insurance professionals in the Regulatory Revolving Fund. Section 1 of this bill also increases the maximum unencumbered balance that the Commissioner shall maintain in the Insurance Commissioner Regulatory Revolving Fund to $5,000,000. The previous balance was set by the General Assembly in 2005. Finally, Section 1 of this Act requires that any unencumbered balance in the Regulatory Revolving Fund in excess of $5,000,000 at the end of each fiscal year be transferred to the General Fund.

Section 2 of this Act increases the licensing fees for insurance professionals by $25 and makes certain technical corrections. Sections 3 and 4 of this Act centralize licensing fees within one statutory provision (§ 701).

These changes are necessary to reflect the growth of the Department operating budget and to cover further operating expenses realized as a result of additional statutory duties executed by the Insurance Department. The retention of these funds will ensure that the Department continues providing high-level services to the consumers of Delaware, maintains necessary staffing to satisfy NAIC accreditation standards, and avoids federal preemption.