Arkansas residents interested in becoming an independent claims adjuster working catastrophic claims across the country should strongly consider first obtaining their resident Arkansas adjuster license. Non-residents interested in working claims in Arkansas may be required to obtain this license before being allowed an assignment. Follow these 3 steps to obtain and maintain your adjuster license in Arkansas.

Step 1) Observe the Requirements

Individuals applying for an Arkansas adjuster license must be 18 years of age or older. According to the Arkansas Department of Insurance, if you are a resident of Arkansas you must have “at least one year of experience in claims adjusting or must work under the direct supervision of an Arkansas licensed adjuster for 1 year after licensure to maintain the adjuster license.” Finally, residents must pass an insurance adjuster exam administered by Promissor.

Step 2) Obtain the License

To successfully become a licensed Arkansas adjuster, you will need to fill out and submit the Adjuster Application Form AID-LI-ADJ and accompany it with a $60 licensing fee. Page 5 of the application requires your consent to allow the State Police to conduct a criminal record search and release any results to the Arkansas Insurance Department. This, however, only applies to resident applicants. Arkansas grants reciprocal licensing privileges to non-resident adjusters holding a license in their home state. Unfortunately, if your home state does not require a license to be an adjuster, you must then pass the Arkansas adjuster exam.

Step 3) Maintain the License

Licensed Arkansas adjusters must renew their license once yearly by submitting a renewal application and a $35 renewal fee. There are no Continuing Education requirements mandated by Arkansas for the proper maintenance of the adjuster license.

Summary: Ultimately, residents of Arkansas will want to obtain their resident Arkansas adjuster license – whether you intend to work claims there or not. Independent catastrophic adjusters who work outside the state but have their primary residence in Arkansas should strongly consider obtaining this license. Many states will not allow you to reciprocally obtain their license if you are not licensed in your resident state. This is not your prototypical risk state for disaster, but as it borders the tornado belt, and with frequent hail storms and flooding, non-resident applicant interest should remain stable. For additional licensing information, refer to the complete Arkansas insurance adjuster requirements.

Parents in Arkansas who are involved in a custody situation should learn the laws about custody that will affect them. Knowing these laws can be a great asset to parents, especially as they create a custody agreement and parenting plan. Following the laws when creating the plan can help a mother make the best possible plan for the child, help them work out the proper components, and get the plan accepted by the court. Here is a highlight of some of the laws that affect the agreement.

Chapter 13 Section 101 in Title 9 contains the laws about how the state awards custody. This is an important part of the parenting plan. The state gives no preference because of gender when awarding custody. This means that the father and mother have an equal chance of getting custody of the children, providing that they are both capable custodial parents. The standard for granting custody is what is best for the child. If the parents can work this out before going to court, the judge will respect their wishes. The mother and father figure out the custody arrangement that fulfills the needs of the child and put that in the agreement.

This section also contains a statute that when parents are making a plan, they should the child frequent and continuing contact with both parents. Because of this, the court may award a joint custody agreement when making an order for custody. This also means that when the court is making an order, it is more likely to award custody to the parent that encourages the child to have contact with the other parent.

In Sections 102 and 103, the law makes provisions for other family members to stay involved in a child’s life after the parents separate. Grandparents and siblings can be granted visitation rights to the child. This will happen if there is a close family member to the child, and it is in the child’s best interest to continue a relationship with the person. Parents should consider this as they make their parenting plan. They should make a plan that allows for the child to see and visit with other family members.

Once the court has made a custody order of the agreement, it is a legal document. The state takes custody orders very seriously, and there are consequences for the parent who disregards them. If parent wants to make a change to the plan, they should file a motion with the court and present the modification. The modification will be judged according to how it benefits the child.