After an investigation, what procedural step must occur before the Insurance Commissioner may take disciplinary action against a Georgia licensee?

Why D is correct

Under O.C.G.A. § 33-6-6, disciplinary action follows notice of a hearing and an opportunity to be heard; the Commissioner may not simply fine or sanction a licensee without this process. The safeguard protects licensees and gives them a real chance to rebut the Department's evidence before any order issues, so a licensee who receives such a notice should treat it as the start of a contested proceeding.

Why the other options are wrong

• A) Any monetary penalty comes only after the hearing process, never as a prerequisite to it.
• B) An investigation may arise from examinations or other information; sworn customer complaints are not required.
• C) Discipline is an administrative matter; criminal conviction is not a prerequisite.

Memory hook

Notice, then hearing, then order — Georgia discipline keeps that order.

Why D is correct

Under Georgia law, disciplinary action against a license — including suspension or revocation for obtaining the license by misrepresentation — may be taken by the Insurance Commissioner only after the licensee is given notice and an opportunity for a hearing, consistent with the hearing requirement reflected in O.C.G.A. § 33-6-9. The criminal process runs separately and is not a precondition to losing the license.

Why the other options are wrong

• A) A criminal felony conviction is not a prerequisite; the Commissioner can suspend or revoke the license through the administrative notice-and-hearing process alone.
• B) Suspension does not occur automatically on mere suspicion — due process requires notice and a hearing before the license is taken away.
• C) Disciplinary authority rests with the Insurance Commissioner; an insurer complaint may prompt review but a notarized insurer filing is not what authorizes discipline.

Memory hook

No hearing, no discipline — Georgia due process comes first.