[Life Insurance 101 Series: This series features IMPACT posts that detail the breadth of the industry’s reach and benefits provided to consumers.]
Innovation in insurance producer licensing in the United States has accelerated in the last few decades, and the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) has led the way.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, today’s NIPR is a vital technology company grounded in teamwork, service and innovation—with unsurpassed expertise in the state-based system of insurance producer licensing. Working closely with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the insurance industry, NIPR protects and serves insurance consumers in all 50 states and beyond.
It’s hard to imagine that insurance producer licensing was once accomplished with paper applications and a long process of research and validation. Multi-state producers had distinct application processes, timelines, and fees for each state in which they did business.
To improve this approach, NIPR was formed in 1996 as a unique public-private partnership between the NAIC and the insurance industry. NIPR was founded on the concept that insurance producers and compliance professionals should have access to a “one-stop-shop” for cost-effective, streamlined and uniform licensing across all states and jurisdictions.
Today, NIPR’s Producer Database (PDB) is the single source of comprehensive insurance producer data from all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2021, the insurance industry used NIPR to process more than 42 million credentialing transactions and move $1.1 billion in fees to state insurance departments.
NIPR’s business is led by a board of directors made up of state commissioners, representatives from the insurance industry including the American Council of Life Insurers and NAIC executive leadership — an ideal mix of professionals for coordinated and effective solutions.
Through the past 25 years, NIPR has adapted to meet evolving industry and producer needs, harnessed the power of emerging technology and responded purposefully to change. These efforts have allowed us to humanize our technological offerings, ultimately building trust and a collaborative culture, which has been key to our success.
Producers can access their own license information, apply for and renew their licenses at NIPR.com and use NIPR’s free mobile app to help with the compliance process. Insurance agencies and carriers use NIPR to manage the licensing and appointment process. Growing from a concept to a high-functioning organization emphasizing teamwork, service and innovation, NIPR has supported the industry in its efforts to become more and more efficient and effective while serving and protecting consumers.
To view NIPR’s 25th anniversary commemorative booklet, Celebrating Our Journey, click here or go to nipr.com/about.
Karen Stakem Hornig is the CEO of the National Insurance Producer Registry headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.
