How to check an insurance agent's license in Hawaii

Look the agent up in Hawaii

1. 1

   Ask for their full name and NPN

   Every licensed agent has a National Producer Number. A real agent will give it to you without hesitation.
2. 2

   Open the Hawaii Insurance Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA)'s license lookup

   Hawaii agent license lookup. Hawaii uses the national lookup run by NAIC, the association of state insurance regulators. Choose Hawaii as the jurisdiction, "Licensee" as the search type and "Individual" as the entity type, then accept the terms and search.

3. 3

   Check four things

   The status is active, the license is for Hawaii (resident or nonresident), it includes a health line of authority (in Hawaii it's listed as "Accident and Health or Sickness"), and it hasn't expired.

What the results mean

Active

The license is current. This is what you want to see.

Inactive, expired or lapsed

The agent can't legally sell insurance in the state right now. Don't enroll through them.

Resident or nonresident

Resident means their home office is in Hawaii. Nonresident means they're based in another state and licensed to work here. Both are fine.

Line of authority

The kinds of insurance they can sell. For Medicare plans, look for Accident and Health or Sickness. Life-only isn't enough.

Regulatory or disciplinary actions

Some lookups list fines or other actions. One old, small action may not mean much; several, or a revoked license, is a reason to look elsewhere.

Extra steps for Medicare plans

A state license is the first check. For Medicare plans, two more things apply:

• Appointment: the agent must be appointed by the insurance company whose plan you're choosing. Ask which companies they represent in Hawaii.
• Yearly certification: agents who sell Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans must complete each plan's training and testing every year.

Agents who sell for more than one company must also tell you, before discussing any plan's benefits, how many companies and plans they represent in your area. None of them works for Medicare.

Medigap if you're under 65 in Hawaii

Required. In Hawaii, if you have Medicare before 65 (for a disability or kidney failure), you can buy any Medigap plan an insurer sells, with no health questions, if you apply within 6 months after your Part B starts.

If you have Part B when you turn 65, you get a new 6-month Medigap open enrollment then. See every state's rule for people under 65.

If something looks wrong

• License not found or inactive: don't share your Medicare or Social Security number, and contact the Hawaii Insurance Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) at 1-844-808-3222. You can also file a complaint online.
• Someone claiming to be from Medicare: hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048).
• A listing on this site looks wrong: report it and we'll look into it.

Free, unbiased help in Hawaii: Hawaii SHIP

Every state has a free Medicare counseling program. In Hawaii it's the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program (Hawaii SHIP). Its counselors are trained, don't sell anything, and can help you compare your options or check what an agent told you, for free.

Common questions

Keep reading

• How to choose a local Medicare agentQuestions to ask, warning signs, and the dates to know.
• Medicare agent vs. broker: what's the difference?Agent, broker, producer: what the words mean, the one difference that really matters (how many companies they work with), and how to tell before you meet.