Texas Department of Insurance

Huda means “guidance” and is the name for the founder in interest of E-CHOICE INSURANCE GROUP, INC. (henceforth E-Choice).

Though there are no guarantees that historical precedence will set the grounds of our future, well positioned “risk-aversion policies”–namely, insurance products–historically and now have been the cornerstones of prudent and safe portfolios.

The heart that drives wise interest holders in life and health insurance–a/k/a risk aversion– counselor’s license is to detect and avert related risk exposures. Once realized policies’ risks are averted, what should remain are manageable, expected and or pleasant surprises.

Each State regulates its own professionals’ licenses via its own specialty regulatory bodies. In Texas state, for example, engineers are required to be licensed in order to “legally perform or offer to perform engineering services for the public” via the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. Medical doctors are often required to be licensed via Texas Medical Board before they can practice in the public. And, likewise, insurance brokers and counselors are licensed via the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). [Attorneys, unfortunately, do not seem to have license issued by the original jurisdiction state.] Among Texas licensed professionals, only Life and Health Insurance licensed counselors can legally offer independent counseling services for the public in matters relating to general contracts/policies’ provisions linked to life and health, including and not limited to their underwriting practices.

According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI),

§. 4052.051. LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not act as a life and health insurance counselor unless the person holds a license issued by the department under this chapter.
§. 4052.052. EXAMINATION.
- (a) An applicant for a life and health insurance counselor license must take an examination administered under Chapter 4002 that includes the following:
  - (1) fundamentals of life and health insurance;
  - (2) group life insurance, pensions, and health insurance;
  - (3) law, trust, and taxation;
  - (4) finance and economics; and
  - (5) business insurance and estate planning.
(b) The department may not issue a life and health insurance counselor license to a person unless the person has passed each part of the examination.

What can life and health insurance counselors do? TDI defines the role of “insurance counselors” as follows,

§ 4052.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, “life and health insurance counselor” means a person who:
- (1) for compensation,** offers to examine or examines a life, accident, or health insurance policy, a health benefit plan, or an annuity or pure endowment contract to give advice or other information regarding:
  - (A) the policy, plan, or contract terms, conditions, benefits, coverage, or premiums; or
  - (B) the advisability of:
    - (i) changing, exchanging, converting, replacing, surrendering, continuing, or rejecting a policy, plan, or contract; or
    - (ii) accepting or procuring a policy, plan, or contract from an insurer or health benefit plan issuer;
- or
- (2) in any public manner:
  - (A) uses as a title
    - (i) “insurance adviser”;
    - (ii) “insurance analyst”;
    - (iii) “insurance counselor”;
    - (iv) “insurance specialist”;
    - (v) “policyholders’ adviser”;
    - (vi) “policyholders’ counselor”; or
    - (vii) any other similar title; or
  - (B) uses any other title indicating that the person gives or is engaged in the business of giving advice or other information to an insured, a beneficiary, or any other person having an interest in a life, accident, or health insurance policy, a health benefit plan, or an annuity or pure endowment contract.

Note that “insurance advisers” or “insurance counselors” specialize in guaranteed monetary policies–both financial and health-care policies–while “financial advisers” or “financial counselors” who are not licensed insurance counselors are not legally qualified to independently review, advice and/or recommend on financial and healthcare policies’ risk aversion and safety-nets.

In addition to Huda’s personal qualifications, we also have direct access to then insurance carriers’ product experts and a host of independent field experts to add a treasure of experience while still remaining completely independent to serve you best.

As your brokerage firm, our value-based service is often at no additional cost to you.

Part of our core ethics is to extend our merciful wings towards those with injured or broken wings whenever possible.

Track records speak volumes of any one entity or individual. We have a track record of selfless acts of wisdom, kindness, humility and integrity. Among many of Huda’s community outreach ventures, she has volunteered at a Veteran’s hospital and the Peace Corps.

Support all businesses with visions to nurture a world that extends its wings of mercy for a sustainable and joyful humanity and ecosystem. Support E-Choice, where the ‘E’ represents our Ethical-Choice of business practices.

We encourage you to review the credentials of anyone you seek for a guidance in matters to policies that are related to your life and health via state’s department of insurance.

Leave the research to us;

Insure your choice!

**It is important to note that TDI prohibits “dual compensation”.

This mandate reads:

§. 4052.055. DUAL COMPENSATION PROHIBITED. A life and health insurance counselor is not entitled to receive compensation for the same service provided to the same client if the counselor:
- 1. holds a license under Chapter 4054 [a general lines of life and health insurance agent license]; and
- 2. receives compensation for the service as an agent licensed under that chapter.

There is one really rough and tough advertising restriction on life and health policyholders’ counselor. That is:

§ 4052.054. LIMITS ON ADVERTISING. A life and health insurance counselor may not advertise in any manner and may not circulate materials indicating professional superiority or the performance of professional service in a superior manner.