What training or certification is required to sell through Ethos?

What training or certif

To sell through Ethos, agents must complete specific contracting and licensing requirements. While there is no mandatory "Ethos certification" course to start, Ethos provides a Resource Center with interactive demos, a comprehensive Agent Playbook, and product-specific training videos to ensure you understand the platform and underwriting guidelines.

1. Core contracting requirements

To be eligible to sell any Ethos product, you must provide the following during onboarding:

Active Life Insurance License: A valid license in every state where you plan to sell.
National Producer Number (NPN): Your unique identifier for license verification.
Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance: You must maintain at least $1 million in coverage.
W-9 Form: A completed tax form must be on file with Ethos.

2. Carrier-specific contracting

Ethos functions as a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for top-tier carriers. Contracting is handled differently depending on the specific product and carrier partner:

TruStage (Whole Life & Term Choice): Contracting is typically just-in-time, meaning it is automatically initiated at the time of your first policy sale.
Ameritas (Ethos Choice Term): No formal pre-contracting is required; you are appointed in the applicable state at the time of your first sale.
Ameritas (Ethos Protection IUL): Unlike the term product, the IUL often requires manual initiation. You can start this process through your agency or directly within the Ethos Agent Portal.
North American (Accumulation IUL): Contracting is typically triggered automatically after you submit your first application. However, you can also manually initiate it through the Agent Portal to be appointed before writing business (required if licensed in Pennsylvania).

3. Specialized training & certifications

While core term products don't require specific training, advanced products and certain states have extra rules:

Indexed Universal Life (IUL)

Anti-Money Laundering (AML): You must have a current AML training certificate (completed within the last two years) to sell IUL products.
State-Specific IUL education: California and Iowa require agents to complete a specific IUL education course and hold a certificate before submitting applications.

4. Licensing exceptions for referrals and overrides

Ethos offers specific arrangements for agents or agencies whose roles do not involve direct selling:

Referral Fees: Agencies may have agents who are not life-licensed. These agents can refer clients to Ethos and receive a referral fee (often used by P&C partners like Goosehead), but they are strictly prohibited from selling, soliciting, or negotiating life insurance.
Override Compensation: Non-writing agents can receive overrides on their downline's production without a life license in 39 states: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, TN, UT, VT, WA, WY
Mandatory Licensing for Overrides: A life license is mandatory to receive overrides in the following 11 states: FL, GA, MT, NM, PA, SC, SD, TX, VA, WV, and WI.
Split Compensation: To receive a portion of a split, an agent must be licensed in the state where the policy is issued.