No person shall be or act as an insurance producer for the solicitation or sale of variable contracts except while duly appointed and licensed under the insurance code as a variable life and variable annuity products insurance producer with respect to the insurer, and while duly licensed as a security salesperson or securities broker under a license issued by the director of financial institutions pursuant to the securities act of this state; except that any person who participates only in the sale or offering for sale of variable contracts which fund corporate plans meeting the requirements for qualification under sections 401 or 403 of the United States internal revenue code need not be licensed pursuant to the securities act of this state.