We would like to inform you that ELANY has released Bulletin 2026-07. This bulletin provides important updates and guidance impacting excess line placements and related regulatory requirements.

Please review the full bulletin at the link here.

Please take a moment to review the below SLIP+ for States Bulletin outlining an upcoming enhancement currently in development. This enhancement will provide flexibility in how the SLIP+ Transaction Fee is managed.

COMING SOON – Pay SLIP+ Transaction Fees by State

We heard your feedback, and we're happy to announce this upcoming enhancement. SLIP+ for States customers will soon be able to pay SLIP+ transactions fees by state rather than as a lump sum total. Customers will still have the option to pay all SLIP+ transaction fees with a single click or will have the ability to pay transaction fees by state. All SLIP+ transaction fees will be due on the following schedule:

Listing the Producing Agent on the Policy

In accordance with state statutes, all policies and endorsements must be reported under the surplus lines agent that wrote the policy. Each producer in

your agency must be licensed, and the corresponding business must be reported under the producer who bound the coverage. The surplus lines

licensee who bound the coverage should also be listed on the policy’s declarations page.

Reporting under a single agent will result in non-compliance with state statutes and increase the number of premium reconciliation inquiries. Agencies

reporting for multiple agents should create an agency account on the SLIP+ for States registration page. For more information on agency accounts or for any questions, please contact info@slipplus.com for assistance.

Annual Report FAQ

One of the questions we receive most frequently is “Why don't all transactions effective in 2025 appear on my 2025 annual filing report?"

The SLIP+ for States platform organizes filings based on the date they were filed in SLIP+, not the policy effective date. Because of this, policies with effective dates in 2025 that were filed in SLIP+ during Q1 of 2026 will appear on the 2026 annual filing, not the 2025 annual filing. Likewise, transactions effective in 2025 that are submitted in 1Q2026 invoiced will be invoiced following the end of the first quarter on

the first business day in April.

Tips to Avoid Data Accuracy Requests

• Policy Numbers
  Always report the policy number exactly as it appears on the declarations page. Do not add or remove prefixes or suffixes.
• Transaction Effective Dates
  Use only the transaction effective date for each submission. Keep in mind that endorsements typically have different effective dates than the original policy.
• Premium Reporting
  For quota-share policies, report only the insurer’s share of the premium—not the full amount.
• Home State
  Submit premium only for the insured’s home state. Exclude premium associated with non-U.S. risk locations; only U.S. premium should be reported.

Understanding Home State Determination

Correctly identifying the home state of an insurance policy is essential for compliance, but it can also be confusing! A frequent mistake is using the producer’s location or the insured’s mailing address. Instead, remember that the home state must be determined using the Non-Admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) definition:

1. The state where the insured maintains its principal place of business, or for an individual, their primary residence, OR

2. If 100% of the insured risk is located outside that state, the home state is the state where the greatest percentage of the insured’s taxable premium is allocated.

Master Policies and Affiliated Groups

For policies covering multiple named insureds within an affiliated group, the home state is the home state of the affiliated group member with the largest

percentage of premium under the contract, as outlined in NRRA Section 527(6)(A).

Accurate home state determination supports regulatory compliance, helps prevent reporting discrepancies, and reduces the number of premium

reconciliation requests. To learn more about the NRRA, visit the NRRA Legislation page.

If you have any questions, please contact SLIP+ staff at 877.267.9855 or by email at info@slipplus.com.

The CA Department of Insurance requires all brokers to digitally sign your 2025 California Surplus Lines Annual Tax Filing.

You should have already received an automated email alerting you that your Annual Filing is ready for signature.

Step 1 — Log In

Go to the PTPS Logon Page and enter your username and password. If you do not have your password, please contact InsCipher and we may be able to help.

Step 2 — Locate Your Filing

After logging in, you will land on a page titled “Insurance (Premium) Tax Forms.”

Scroll near the bottom to the section labeled “Active Tax Returns.”

You will see your 2025 Annual Filing with the status “Pending Signature.”Click “Upload Signature.”

Step 3 — Review Filing Details

The next screen displays the details of your tax return. If you believe any information is incorrect, please contact us before proceeding.

Step 4 — Complete Certification

On this page:

1. Scroll to the bottom to “Surplus Lines Broker’s Certification.”
2. Check the box for “Surplus Lines Certification.”
3. Complete the certification fields.
4. Click “Submit.”

Step 5 — Confirm Submission

You will be asked if you want to continue. Click “Yes.”

Final Screen

The next screen confirms completion.You may close the window or download a copy for your records.

Please complete this process at your earliest convenience to ensure timely filing compliance. The due date for this is no later than March 1st.

Please review the FSLSO Bulletin 2026-01 outlining the requirement to include the UMR# on the declarations page for applicable filings related to Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London submissions. This requirement will be effective July 1, 2026. InsCipher will be implementing a system update to capture this information, with availability aligned to the effective date. Please ensure your teams and insurers are prepared to meet this requirement.

Please review the important announcement below from SLIP+ for States regarding an update to the timing of when the SLIP+ Transaction Fee will apply to Kansas policies in connection with the upcoming transition to filing in SLIP+ for States. We have updated our system to align with this most recent guidance provided. As additional details from Kansas and SLIP+ for States become available, we will continue to update the portal accordingly.

Kansas Implementation Update: SLIP+ Transaction Fee

This update applies only to Kansas filings.

For Kansas policies, the SLIP+ transaction fee will not be applied to any policies with an effective date prior to May 1, 2026. This timing reflects a 90-day period following the release of the Kansas bulletin and is intended to support a smooth transition.

For Kansas policies with an effective date of May 1, 2026, or later, as well as any endorsements associated with those policies, the SLIP+ transaction fee will apply.

We appreciate your attention to this update and are available to answer any questions or provide additional clarification as needed.

For additional information and ongoing updates, please visit the Kansas state page on slipplus.com

We would like to share information regarding a nationwide operational change implemented by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) related to how postmarks are applied to mailed items.

Overview of the Change

• USPS has modified how and when postmarks are applied to mail.
• Unless a customer specifically requests a postmark at a USPS retail counter, mail is no longer postmarked upon initial receipt at the local post office.
• Postmarks are now typically applied later in the process at regional distribution centers during automated sorting.

Additional details regarding this USPS change can be found in the Federal Register at the link here.

Please be advised that the Kansas Department of Insurance (KDOI) has adopted SLIP+ for States as the system for reporting and remitting Kansas surplus lines premium taxes. The announcement below provides detailed guidance on applicability, transition filing requirements, and associated taxes and fees:

The Kansas Department of Insurance is adopting SLIP+ for the reporting and payment of all Kansas surplus lines premium taxes beginning April 1, 2026.

For all Kansas policies effective January 1, 2026 and after, and all subsequent endorsements to those policies, Kansas surplus lines brokers and independently procured coverage filers will report policy data in SLIP+ for States beginning April 1, 2026.

A 3% surplus lines tax and a 0.175% SLIP+ transaction fee will apply to all Kansas surplus lines policies effective on or after January 1, 2026, and to any subsequent endorsements to those policies. The surplus lines tax and SLIP+ transaction fee are credited pro-rata for any return premium, cancellation, or reversal (backout) transactions.

All Kansas surplus lines policies, endorsements, audits or cancellations with an effective date of January 1, 2024 and after that were not previously reported to the Kansas Department of Insurance will also be filed through SLIP+ for States. The applicable surplus lines tax will apply. Policies and endorsements with an effective date prior to January 1, 2026 will not be charged the SLIP+ transaction fee.

Following are filing examples for the transition to SLIP+:

Example One: A policy has an effective date of January 1, 2026.

• This policy should be reported in SLIP+ for States after April 1, 2026.
• The 3% surplus lines tax and the 0.175% SLIP+ transaction fee will apply.

Example Two: An endorsement has an effective date of April 15, 2026, on a policy with an effective date of October 1, 2025.

• The new/renewal policy effective October 1, 2025 should be reported to the Kansas DOI using the Kansas Surplus Lines Tax Filing System on or before the March 1, 2026 filing deadline.
• The April 15, 2026 endorsement should be reported in SLIP+ for States.
• The 3% surplus lines tax rate will apply to the endorsement.
• The SLIP+ transaction fee will not apply because the policy effective date is prior to January 1, 2026.

Example Three: A new policy with an effective date of January 1, 2025 and was not previously reported to Kansas DOI in the March 1 annual filing.

• After April 1, 2026, the policy should be reported in SLIP+ for States.
• The 3% tax will apply.
• The SLIP+ transaction fee will not apply because the policy effective date is prior to January 1, 2026.

Example Four: A new policy with an effective date prior to January 1, 2024, or an endorsement on a policy effective prior to January 1, 2024, that was not previously reported to Kansas DOI in a March 1 annual filing.

• The policy or endorsement should be reported directly to the Kansas DOI using the Kansas Surplus Lines Tax Filing System. Contact KDOI.ExLines@ks.gov for further instructions.

Additional information and training regarding filings and payments in SLIP+ will be provided prior to implementation on April 1, 2026. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact info@slipplus.com or call (877) 267-9855, option 1. You may also contact the Kansas Department of Insurance at (785) 296-7844 or via email at KDOI.ExLines@ks.gov for questions on surplus lines reporting and tax filing requirements.

In response to recent changes implemented by VA regarding the Maintenance Assessment Fee increase effective January 1, 2026, for 2025 calendar-year policies, the portal has been updated accordingly.

• Beginning 1/1/26, the portal will no longer collect the Maintenance Assessment Fee upfront per filing.
• The Maintenance Assessment Fee will instead be calculated annually at year-end, based on all applicable business written during the calendar year. Additional enhancements are planned for later this year as part of the 2026 Annual Task.

ELANY has issued the following bulletins regarding 2025 Excess Line Premium Tax Statement filing requirements:

• Bulletin 2026-02: Early electronic filing guidance for Zero Tax Filers submitting Excess Line Premium Tax Statements.
• Bulletin 2026-04: General reminder regarding 2025 Premium Tax Statement filing requirements.

For questions or clarification, please contact ELANY directly, as instructed within the bulletins.

The California Department of Insurance has issued a notice dated January 9, 2026, containing important information regarding the filing of the 2025 Annual Premium Tax Form. If you have any questions or require clarification regarding this notice, please contact the California Department of Insurance directly via email at PremimTaxAudit@insurance.ca.gov for further assistance.