Wisconsin Issues Designations Bulletin

A state is warning insurers and insurance producers to take care when using professional designations and titles.

The Wisconsin Office of the Insurance Commissioner has put out a bulletin discussing Wisconsin regulators’ views of use of designations in life insurance and annuity marketing programs that target older consumers.

“The use of titles, with words such as ‘certified,’ ‘accredited,’ ‘retirement planner,’ ‘senior advisor’ or ‘senior consultant,’ implies special training or education for selling specialized products to seniors,” Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Sean Dilweg writes in the bulletin.

Under Wisconsin law, use of designations in life insurance and annuities advertising is considered to be part of the advertising of the product, Dilweg writes.