We always get such questions from insurance companies. All are same but asked in a different way

1. How long must insurers keep copies of their long-term care advertisements for possible inspection by the commissioner?

2. How long do you have to keep your advertisements?

3. After advertisements are last used, insurers are required to keep copies of the ad on file for how many years?

4. An insurer must keep advertising materials and records for at least how many years?

5. For how many years must a US insurance company maintain all necessary records?

6. How long do car insurance companies keep records?

7. An insurer must keep advertising materials and records for at least how many years?

8. How long must insurers keep copies of their long-term care advertisements for possible inspection by the commissioner?

Why Retention Matters

Insurers in the United States are subject to regulatory oversight not only for their underwriting, claims, and financial practices — but also for their marketing and advertising materials. Regulators require insurers to retain specimens or copies of every printed, published, or otherwise prepared advertisement, along with documentation about how the advertisement was distributed. This ensures that, during a regulatory examination or audit, the insurer can demonstrate compliance with advertising laws and show exactly what consumers saw.

How Long Must Advertisements Be Retained - It Depends on the State

Because regulation of insurance is largely handled at the state level (not by a single federal standard), there is no uniform national rule that applies to all U.S. insurers. Instead, each state determines how long advertising records must be preserved.

• For example, under the rules in 50 Ill. Admin. Code § 909.90, an insurer must maintain a file containing a specimen copy of every advertisement disseminated in Illinois for four years — or until the filing of the insurer’s next regular report of examination, whichever is longer.

• Other states have different retention periods. The matrix compiled by National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) shows a variety of timeframes — often three to four years — for keeping advertisement records, with the retention requirement typically tied to “either four years or until the next examination report, whichever is longer.”

• Some states may set longer periods, depending on their history of examination cycles or other statutory requirements.

Hence, the duration for which an insurer must keep advertising materials is state-specific rather than federally standardized.

Broader Record-Retention for Insurance Companies

While advertising materials have their own retention rules, insurers are also required to maintain broader records — such as policy files, underwriting documents, claims history, complaints, financial records, etc. For example, in 11 NYCRR § 243.2 (New York’s regulation), insurers are required to keep policy, underwriting, marketing, and other relevant records for six calendar years after a policy is no longer in force (or until after the next examination report) — unless a longer period is mandated.

These varying requirements underscore the importance of robust record-keeping practices across all aspects of insurer operations, including advertising.

Bottom Line

There is no single federal “time-to-retain” rule for advertising materials of U.S. insurers. Instead, retention obligations are state-specific, and insurers must comply with the particular timeframe mandated by each state where they operate. Commonly, this period ranges from three to four years, often extending until the next regulatory examination if that occurs later.

How Comply helps: A platform like Comply simplifies this complexity by offering insurers a centralized system to catalog, store, and track all advertising materials and associated distribution records - across multiple states. Comply enables insurers to maintain compliant retention schedules, retrieve archived ads on demand for audits or examinations, and ensure that they meet state-specific requirements without manual spreadsheets or disparate filing systems.