How to check an insurance agent's license in North Dakota

Look the agent up in North Dakota

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 North Dakota Insurance and Securities Department's license lookup

   North Dakota agent license lookup. North Dakota uses the national lookup run by NAIC, the association of state insurance regulators. Choose North Dakota as the jurisdiction, "Licensee" as the search type and "Individual" as the entity type, then accept the terms and search. In North Dakota, an agent's license number is their NPN.

3. 3

   Check four things

   The status is active, the license is for North Dakota (resident or nonresident), it includes a health line of authority (in North Dakota 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 North Dakota. 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 North Dakota.
• 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 North Dakota

Not required. North Dakota does not require Medigap companies to sell to people under 65; people on Medicare because of a disability get their guaranteed six-month open enrollment only when they turn 65.

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 North Dakota Insurance and Securities Department at 701-328-2440. 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 North Dakota: SHIP

Every state has a free Medicare counseling program. In North Dakota it's the North Dakota State Health Insurance Assistance Program (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

Nearby states

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

• Check a license in Minnesota
• Check a license in Montana
• Check a license in South Dakota
• All states

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.