Contracting Guide

Whether you're new to Medicare or an experienced agent transferring to Phil-Am, this guide covers everything you need. You can manage all of your carrier contracts directly in the Spark platform.

1. Complete Pre-Licensing Course — Take the Life & Health pre-licensing course before sitting for your state exam. Discount available: Visit xcelsolutions.com, select "Enroll Now" under Standard Life and Health, and apply code UIP for a discounted rate of $79.
2. Pass Your State License Exam — Schedule and pass your state's Life & Health insurance licensing exam. Contact us if you need guidance on exam prep resources.
3. Purchase E&O Insurance — Errors & Omissions insurance is required before you can contract with carriers. Medicare requires $1M per claim / $1M aggregate minimum. Get a discounted E&O quote here.
   
   Note for agencies: You can often add your agency name to your personal E&O certificate rather than purchasing a separate agency policy — ask your carrier first, as it can save thousands.
4. Complete AHIP Certification — America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) certification is required every year. AHIP opens annually in June. Completing your 2027 AHIP allows you to sell both current and upcoming plan year products. Take AHIP here →
5. Get Contracted with Carriers — Once licensed, E&O is in place, and AHIP is complete, you're ready to contract. See Section 3 below.

We recommend representing at least 3 major plans to start, then adding more as you grow your business. Use the Data Studio below to see the most popular carriers in your area.

For a full list of carriers, portals, and contact information, visit our Carrier Resources page.

At Phil-Am, we make contracting easy. You don't need to navigate carrier portals yourself — simply fill out our contracting request form and our admin team will submit your contracting on your behalf.

1. Complete our Contracting Request Form — Fill out all required information including your NPN, state licenses, and the carriers you'd like to contract with.
2. Our team reviews your submission — A member of our admin team will reach out to confirm your details and let you know if anything is missing (E&O, release forms, etc.).
3. We submit on your behalf — Our team handles submission through the Spark platform and initiates the appointment process with each carrier.
4. Monitor your status — Once submitted, you'll receive updates from our team as your contracts are processed. See below for what each status means.

Understanding Your Contract Status

After our team submits your contracting request, your carrier status may show as Pending. Here's what each status means:

Step 1 — Complete AHIP

Take AHIP first — once complete, you can upload your certificate directly to each carrier's platform.

Step 2 — Complete Carrier Certifications

After AHIP, certify with each carrier you plan to sell. Step-by-step walkthroughs and certification open dates for every carrier are on our Carrier Resources page.

If you currently have contracts under another top-of-hierarchy and want to transfer to Phil-Am/Spark before AEP, you must complete your transfer before the carrier deadlines below. Each carrier has two deadlines — one if you transfer without a release (a 60–90 day waiting period applies), and a later one if you transfer with a signed release (processed immediately).

For full AEP prep guidance, see: AEP 2027 Contracting Prep: Transferring Your Contract → and the full AEP 2027 Carrier Blackout Deadlines list →

If you're currently contracted under another agency, your top-of-hierarchy (TOH) must release you before your contracts can transfer to Phil-Am/Spark. The fastest way to move is with an immediate release — otherwise you'll face a carrier waiting period.

Two Ways to Transfer

Email Templates

Use one of these templates to request your release. Customize the bracketed fields.

What Makes a Release Valid

• Must be signed and dated by your current top-of-hierarchy
• Must be dated within the last 90 days — outdated releases are rejected
• Must include your name, NPN, and the list of carriers
• Incorrect or missing releases may result in delays or denial

Carrier-Specific Release Forms

Some carriers require their own release form attached to your email. Always include your NPN.

UHC — Intent to Move (Most Structured Process)

UnitedHealthcare requires a formal Intent to Move (ITM) email sent directly to UHC, with Spark's contracting team CC'd. Use this template:

After sending, forward UHC's confirmation email to Spark so the transfer can be tracked. UHC then processes during a ~90-day waiting period and emails you when you're eligible. Exact UHC and Spark email addresses, plus a full walkthrough, are in the UHC Contracting (New & Transfer) guide →

If Your Release Is Denied — The Waiting Period

If your upline won't grant a release, you may still be able to move — but only for carriers whose "without release" window is still open (Wellcare, Devoted, and SCAN as of August 3). Submit your contracting request and the carrier will place you in a 60–90 day waiting period (60 days for Devoted; 90 days for most others). During that time you can still write business, but your previous TOH receives credit until the waiting period ends.

Carrier-Specific Guidelines

Release FAQ

Track & Add Licenses

Export your Producer Report from NIPR to view all your licenses, expiration dates, and carrier appointments — free once per year.

Add new licenses directly on NIPR. If adding 5+ state licenses, we recommend working with Supportive Insurance Services — Phil-Am agents receive a 10% discount.

Setting Up Your Agency

Ready to bring on agents? You'll need to create an agency entity first to receive credit for downline production.

1. Create a business entity (LLC) and register it with your state. See LegalZoom or Stripe Atlas.
2. Get the agency licensed in your resident state via NIPR.
3. Submit resident license application and fees. Approval time varies by state.
4. Add non-resident states as needed (see walkthrough below).
5. Notify Phil-Am so we can get your agency appointed with carriers.
6. Receive your agency writing number and separate carrier login for downline production.

Expanding Into New States

Already have a resident agency license? Adding non-resident states is straightforward — with the exception of California and New York, most approvals come through in under a month.

If you plan to sell annuities or certain forms of life insurance, additional training may be required.