Last Updated: August 7, 2024
Navigators are federally funded entities and individuals who help consumers determine their eligibility for public assistance programs. They also help consumers compare health insurance options displayed on the federal exchange website after consumers input their preferences. For more information, please refer to
s. 628.90, Wis. Stat.
, s. Ins 6.92, Wis. Adm. Code
,
s. Ins 6.93, Wis. Adm. Code
.
In Wisconsin, a navigator can be an individual who performs any activities and duties related to the navigator program on behalf of the federal exchange and who receives funding to perform such functions on behalf of the federal exchange.
An individual navigator does not include a person acting as an insurance intermediary; however, an insurance intermediary may apply to be licensed as a navigator, provided the intermediary complies with federal restrictions.
No natural person acting as a navigator in this state unless they are licensed as a navigator per
s. 628.91, Wis. Stat.
Individual Navigators
Individuals can look up both prelicensing and continuing education approved courses on the NAIC's State Based Systems Lookup Search tool
.
An additional option to obtain prelicensing education and continuing education credits is through the annual Wisconsin Health Insurance Enrollment Conference. Additional information can be found on Covering Wisconsin's website .
To assist candidates in preparing for the examination, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) has assembled the following materials:
Please note: These materials are not intended to be a complete summary of the statutes and rules about which navigators should be aware.
Navigator licenses renew annually on October 1. The expiration date is a set date per s. 6.93 (2), Wis. Adm. Code
and you will still be required to renew even if your initial license was issued less than a year ago.
- Complete 8 hours of accident-and-health-specific continuing education. See list of courses offered .
- Complete any federally mandated training required under the federal health care exchange.
- Verification of individual affiliation to a navigator entity.
- Renew online at nipr.com or via paper: Individual Navigator Application Renewal fee is $35.
Navigator Checklist A navigator whose registration has been expired for less than 12 months must complete the following:
- Satisfy all training requirements. Both accident and health and federally mandated training.
- Verification of individual affiliation to a navigator entity.
- Reinstate online at nipr.com or via paper: Individual Navigator Application Reinstatement fee is $70.
Navigator Entities
Entities functioning as, or intending to function as, navigators, supervising individual navigators or receiving funds to perform such activities must register with OCI per s. 628.92(2), Wis. Stat.
and s. Ins 6.93, Wis. Adm. Code
.
Initial Application Requirements
To register as a navigator business entity, the entity must:
- Apply online via nipr.com or complete a paper application form: Navigator Business Entity Registration. Please note: The Designated Responsible Licensed Navigator must first be submitted and approved prior to the submission of the business entity application.
- Identify an individually licensed Designated Responsible Licensed Navigator.
- Provide a list of all individual navigators that it employs, supervises, or is affiliated with.
- Pay initial application fee of $100.
Navigator registrations renew annually on October 1. The expiration date is a set date per s. 6.93 (2), Wis. Adm. Code
and you will still be required to renew even if your initial license was issued less than a year ago.
- Apply online via nipr.com or complete paper application form: Navigator Business Entity Registration.
- Provide a list of all individual navigators that it employs, supervises, or is affiliated with.
- Pay renewal application fee of $100.
- Navigator entities must provide OCI with monthly updates, if any, to the list of individual navigators it employs, supervises, or is affiliated with.
Navigator Entities are NOT eligible for reinstatement. Entities must follow initial application requirements above.
You can refer to
s. Ins 6.96, Wis. Adm. Code
for a prohibited acts for navigators, navigator entities, nonnavigator assisters and nonnavigator assiter entities.
Agents that hold an active resident license with the accident and health line of authority and complete the Wisconsin and federal training to be a navigator may apply to be licensed as a navigator.
Agents cannot have active company appointments with a health insurance company and cannot receive commission from the health insurance company.
Agents must be certified by the federal exchange as a navigator and be affiliated with one of the entities that received a federal navigator grant.
Registration Scenarios & Guidance
An individual navigator becoming a Certified Application Counselor (CAC) can allow their navigator license to lapse/nonrenew and is not required to voluntarily surrender their navigator license. A navigator exam is not required.
The affiliated entity only needs to submit the required attestation to our office of the new CAC added to their entity.
An individual navigator can allow their navigator license to lapse/nonrenew and is not required to voluntarily surrender their navigator license.
Agent Licensing Steps
-
Complete 20 hours of prelicensing education. See list of courses offered .
-
Schedule and pass exam through the PSI website at PSI WI exams . Exam fee of $75 for each line of authority.
-
Make a reservation with Fieldprint at fieldprintwisconsin.com for your digital fingerprinting. Fingerprinting information is valid for only 180 days. Use Fieldprint code FPWIOCIINSURANCE when scheduling your appointment.
-
Apply online via nipr.com or an NIPR authorized business partner.
A licensed agent can keep their license active however, cannot have any active accident & health company agent appointments.
A licensed agent must have held the accident & health line of authority and be in good standing with our office.
- Either complete the OCI-DHS Medicaid 1-day training course or annual enrollment conference. If neither are available, complete online Navigator prelicensing education.
- Complete any federally mandated training required under the federal health care exchange.
- Make a reservation with Fieldprint at fieldprintwisconsin.com for your digital fingerprinting. Fingerprinting information is valid for only 180 days. Use Fieldprint code FPWIOCIINSURANCE when scheduling your appointment.
- Must be affiliated with a navigator entity.
- Apply online via nipr.com or via paper Individual Navigator Application.
List of Navigator Entities & Affiliated Navigators
Navigator Entities are required by s. 628.92 (4), Wis. Stat.
upon initial registration to OCI with a list of all individual navigators that it employs, supervises, or are affiliated with.
Look up individual navigators employed, supervised, or affiliated with each navigator entity
.
You must enter the Jurisdiction (Wisconsin), the Search Type (License), and Entity Type (Business Entity). Select Advanced Criteria, choose License Type (Navigator Business Entity) and License Status (Active, agree to the NAIC's Terms and Conditions and then select the Search button.
Select the navigator business entity name and you will find all actively licensed individual navigators listed under the relationships section.