# Law No. 7278 of December 10, 1984

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650306](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650306)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7278-of-december-10-1984

## Summary
Law No. 7.278 of December 10, 1984 (Lei nº 7.278, de 10 de dezembro de 1984) is a Brazilian federal statute that amends Article 4 of Law 4.594 of December 29, 1964, which regulates the profession of insurance brokers. Promulgated by President João Figueiredo in Brasília, this legislation modifies existing regulatory requirements for insurance brokerage professionals in Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 7.278, de 10 de dezembro de 1984
- **Also Known As:** Lei nº 7278/1984
- **Type of Legal Instrument:** Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Date of Promulgation:** December 10, 1984
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** João Figueiredo (President of Brazil at the time)
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Subject Matter:** Amends Article 4 of Law 4.594/1964, which regulates the insurance broker profession
- **Main Topics:** Regulation, Professional Practice, Licensing/Concessions, Modifications, Design Requirements
- **Lexml Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-12-10;7278
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 7278/1984
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7278.htm

## FAQs
**What is the purpose of Law No. 7.278/1984?**
This law provides a new wording (nova redação) for Article 4 of Law 4.594/1964, which regulates the insurance broker profession (profissão de corretor de seguros) in Brazil.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President João Figueiredo on December 10, 1984.

**Where can the full text of this law be accessed?**
The official text is available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7278.htm through the Brazilian government's official portal.

## Why It Matters
This legislation represents a specific regulatory modification to Brazil's insurance industry professional standards. By amending Article 4 of Law 4.594/1964, Law 7.278/1984 directly impacts the qualifications, requirements, and operational framework for insurance brokers in Brazil. The law addresses fundamental aspects of professional regulation including licensing procedures (concessão), professional practice standards (exercicio profissional), and design requirements (requisitos). As a federal statute, it carries the full weight of Brazilian law and applies throughout the entire national territory.

## Notable For
- **Regulatory Amendment:** Specifically modifies Article 4 of the foundational Law 4.594/1964 that governs insurance brokerage in Brazil
- **Professional Standards:** Directly affects the insurance broker profession (corretor de seguros), a key intermediary role in Brazil's financial services sector
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during the final year of Brazil's military dictatorship period (1964-1985), under President João Figueiredo's administration
- **Legal Structure:** Represents the statutory manifestation of legal norms in Brazilian jurisprudence, following the formal legislative process

## Body

### Legal Classification and Structure
Law No. 7.278 of December 10, 1984, is classified as a **statute** (statute/lei), which constitutes a formal written document that creates law. As a federal statute (lei federal), it operates at the highest level of Brazilian legislation, applying to all states and territories within the Federative Republic of Brazil. The law functions as a manifestation of statutory law and contains legal norms that govern specific aspects of professional regulation.

### Historical and Political Context
The law was promulgated on December 10, 1984, during the presidency of **João Figueiredo**, who served as the last president of Brazil's military dictatorship period (1964-1985). The legislation was processed through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and published in Brasília, the federal capital. This timing places the law within the final phase of military rule, shortly before Brazil's transition to democracy with the promulgation of the 1988 Constitution.

### Relationship to Previous Legislation
Law 7.278/1984 specifically amends **Article 4 of Law 4.594 of December 29, 1964**, which established the regulatory framework for the insurance broker profession (profissão de corretor de seguros) in Brazil. Law 4.594/1964, enacted shortly after the 1964 military coup, originally defined the requirements and conditions for practicing as an insurance broker in Brazil. The 1984 amendment provides updated language ("nova redação") for Article 4, reflecting evolving regulatory approaches to professional standards in the insurance sector.

### Subject Matter and Regulatory Scope
The law addresses five main subject areas, as identified in official legislative documentation:

1. **Regulation (Regulamentação):** Establishes or modifies regulatory frameworks governing insurance brokerage
2. **Professional Practice (Exercicio Profissional):** Defines parameters for how insurance brokers conduct their professional activities
3. **Licensing/Concessions (Concessão):** Pertains to the granting of professional licenses or authorizations to practice
4. **Modification (Alteração):** Functions as an amendment to existing legislation rather than creating entirely new legal structures
5. **Design Requirements (Requisitos):** Specifies qualifications or conditions that must be met

### Official Identification and Citation
The law carries multiple official identifiers used across Brazilian legal and governmental systems:

- **Full Title:** Lei nº 7.278, de 10 de dezembro de 1984
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 7278/1984
- **Lexml Brazil URN:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-12-10;7278
- **Legislative Type:** LEI (Law)
- **Legislative Number:** 7278
- **Legislative Year:** 1984
- **Promulgation Date:** 10/12/1984 (December 10, 1984, in Brazilian date format)

### Jurisdiction and Application
The statute applies to the entire **Federative Republic of Brazil** as federal legislation. Brazil, the largest country in South America with Portuguese as its official language, maintains a civil law legal system where federal statutes such as this one form the foundation of statutory law. The law was published in Brasília, the federal capital since 1960, which serves as the seat of all three branches of Brazil's federal government.

### Accessibility and Official Sources
The full text of Law 7.278/1984 is publicly available through official Brazilian government channels:

- **Official Portal:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7278.htm (hosted by the Presidency of the Republic's Civil House)
- **Lexml Portal:** https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-12-10;7278
- **Presidential Legislation Portal:** https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7278&ano=1984&data=10/12/1984&ato=6b3MTRE1UeBpWT6a8

### Legal Status and Public Domain
As a Brazilian statute, Law 7.278/1984 falls under the category of official government legal documents. Following standard principles for edicts of government, such legal texts are generally considered part of the public domain, ensuring unrestricted public access to the laws that govern society.

### Context Within Brazilian Legal Framework
This law operates within Brazil's broader legal system, which was undergoing significant transformation during the 1980s. The country's current constitution, promulgated on October 5, 1988, would follow four years after this statute, establishing the modern federal republic structure. Law 7.278/1984 remains part of Brazil's accumulated statutory law, subject to the hierarchy established by subsequent constitutional provisions and potentially modified by later legislation addressing insurance industry regulation.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-12-10;7278)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7278&ano=1984&data=10/12/1984&ato=6b3MTRE1UeBpWT6a8)
3. LexML Brasil