Indiana Recovery Agent Testing, Pre-licensing and Continuing Education Classes

I received a letter from the Indiana Department of Insurance as to the new requirement of continuing education. This would require me to travel at my expense, miss one complete day of work to spend six hours in this continuing education class. This affects not only me but all bond bondsmen and Indiana recovery agents.

Startled as I was, not at the letter itself but the cost of the class, I knew right away that this would cut a lot of people out of the loop. Bondsmen and recovery agents alike will no longer be able to work.

I made phone calls to the Indiana Surety Bail Agents Association Inc. (P.O. Box 8825, Fort Wayne, Indiana - 1-800-806-9505) After four phone calls, I couldn't reach anyone. On the first call and the first ring, I was able to contact Mary Smith of Smith Bonding and Surety (P.O. Box 1005, Maumee, Ohio, 43537 - 419-865-7300).

Smith was very polite and apologetic at the fact we had to go through this at the demand of the state. Ms. Smith told me she would personally be in Indiana to conduct the classes that she created.

The classes are required by Ind. Code 27-10-3-7 and Ind. Code 27-10-3-3,5 which went into effect July 1, 2005.

Ms. Smith charges $150 for the Indiana Recovery Agent continuing education class, and the Indiana Surety Bail Agents Association is going to charge $250 for the class. I spoke with the people at the Indiana Surety Bail Agents Association and they told me it was time that all bail bondsmen and all recovery agents "kick into the pool."

I urge everyone to contact Ms. Smith and take her class instead of taking the recovery agent class offered by the Indiana Surety Bail Agents Association. It appears to me that they're simply trying to get into our pockets and narrow the pool of available recovery agents in Indiana.

The strong won't survive, but the wealthy will.

As a recovery agent for over ten years, I live at below poverty level and now I'm expected to kick in extra money on top of the $300 I pay to get licensed every two years. (The class is supposed to be taken every year.)

I receive a lot of mail from the Indiana Surety Bail Agents Association, asking me to join their organization, and I never have. Now they'll collect monies from the class if you're a member of ISBAA or not.

If you have any question, contact me.