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Illinois license lookup

How to check an insurance agent's license in Illinois

Before you share your Medicare number or sign anything, take two minutes to confirm the agent is licensed in Illinois. Here's where to look, and what you should see.

Last reviewed October 26, 2026. General information, not advice about any plan.

Look the agent up in Illinois

  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. Open the Illinois Department of Insurance's license lookup

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

  3. Check four things

    The status is active, the license is for Illinois (resident or nonresident), it includes a health line of authority (in Illinois it's listed as "Health"), and it hasn't expired.
Agents with our Verified badge have had these checks done by a person on our team, against the state's own records, and the badge shows the date. How we verify

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 Illinois. 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 Health. 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 Illinois.
  • 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.

Switching Medigap plans in Illinois

Birthday rule. If you're 65 to 75, for 45 days starting on your birthday you can switch to equal or lesser benefits, but only with your current insurer or an affiliated company.

This applies to people who already have a Medicare Supplement policy. See every state's Medigap switching rule.

Medigap if you're under 65 in Illinois

Required, with limits. In Illinois, if you are under 65 and on Medicare because of a disability, insurers cannot turn you down and must offer every plan type they sell to people 65 and older, if you apply within 6 months after your Part B starts; the law does not mention kidney failure (ESRD).

Price: Can't be more than the insurer's highest rate for the same plan for people 65 and older.

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

Free, unbiased help in Illinois: SHIP

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

Free help that isn't an agent

Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048), or Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-252-8966.

Common questions

What license does an agent need to sell Medicare plans in Illinois?

A Illinois insurance license with a health line of authority (often called "Accident & Health" or "Health"). To sell a particular company's plans, the agent must also be appointed by that company, and agents who sell Medicare Advantage or Part D plans must complete the plan's training and testing every year.

Can an agent from another state help me in Illinois?

Yes, if they hold a Illinois license. Agents based elsewhere get a "nonresident" license for each state they work in. It shows up in the Illinois Department of Insurance's lookup the same way, marked nonresident.

Does it cost anything to check a license?

No. The lookup is free and open to the public, and you don't need an account.

What if I can't find the agent?

Check the spelling, try their National Producer Number (NPN) instead of their name, and ask whether their license is under a different legal name. If you still can't find an active license, don't share your Medicare number or sign anything, and contact the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Nearby states

Agents often work across state lines. Check that they're licensed in the state where you live.

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