News from the Surplus Lines Industry and InsCipher
Please see the important bulletin recently released by the FSLSO regarding the EMPA surcharge enhancement to the Florida SLIP+ System. We are actively working with the state to implement the necessary updates to support this functionality upon the October release.
We are pleased to inform you that effective October 1, 2025, the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) will be implementing enhancements to the FSLSO SLIP+ system. One notable change is the introduction of a new functionality that allows FSLSO SLIP+ users to designate a policy as exempt from the Emergency Management Preparedness and Assistance (EMPA) surcharge for multi-insurer (layered) policies.
It is important to note that this exemption pertains to situations where the EMPA surcharge has already been levied on another participating insurer's policy or transaction within the layered policy structure. Users are reminded to utilize this option selectively, specifically for policies where each insurer holds a distinct policy number and the EMPA surcharge has been applied to another insurer's policy within the same layered arrangement.
Please be advised that the exemption feature must not be misused to evade the payment of the EMPA Assessment. Any misuse or abuse of this option will be subject to investigation and potential repercussions, including but not limited to, referral to the Florida Department of Financial Services, and the risk of suspension or revocation of your insurance license(s).
FSLSO is mandated by Florida Statute 252.372 to collect the EMPA surcharge on all Florida surplus lines insurance policies that meet the assessment guidelines.
We appreciate your attention to this important regulatory update and your continued cooperation in maintaining compliance with statutory requirements.
Detailed instructions for FSLSO SLIP+ Batch and API will be made available in SLIP+ on the Batch Files page under the Batch Submission Documentation section. XML batch filers will be required to change the schema version value to 2.3 with an optional EMPA Exempt field added. There will be an additional mandatory column in CSV, however, the field is optional.
Additionally, instructions for manually updating the policy in SLIP+ will be provided in the SLIP+ Filing Procedures for Agents manual on the Help page. To view the Help page, click the question mark (?) in the upper right corner of SLIP+.
If you have any questions, please contact Agent Services at agent.services@fslso.com or 800-562-4496, option 1.
With further clarification from the Alaska Division of Insurance, we will be updating the portal next week in regards to the Alaska settings. Flat and pro rata cancellations will be based on the invoice date. Additionally, amendments will be required for all filing types, except for zero premium endorsements.
Please take a moment to review this important announcement from the SLAS Clearinghouse concerning SLIP+ for States:
"The SLAS Clearinghouse will officially transition to the new SLIP+ for States platform on Sunday, June 29, ahead of billing processes scheduled for July 1. This early transition ensures there is no system downtime during critical end-of-month activities.
All users who attempt to access the SLIP legacy site will be automatically redirected to SLIP+ for States. If you haven’t yet explored SLIP+, now is the time.
To support this transition, user manuals have been updated to help you quickly get comfortable with SLIP+ and make the most of its new features.
Important Note:
SLIP+ for States is not the same as the Florida-specific filing platform. If you're filing Florida surplus lines policies, continue using SLIP+ for Florida via the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office. Always check the login screen — each platform clearly identifies whether it is for Florida or other states, so you can be sure you're filing in the right place.
We appreciate your attention and preparation as we make this important upgrade.
Alongside this platform upgrade, we’re also retiring the SLAS Clearinghouse brand and transitioning fully to SLIP+ for States. This includes a refreshed visual identity, a new website, and updated contact information. We’ll share those details with you at the point of the change. In the meantime existing contact information and bookmarked links will continue to work following the transition to help ease your adjustment. We’re committed to making this a seamless change and will continue to keep you informed every step of the way.
We’re also hosting a webinar on July 15 to walk users through everything they need to know about SLIP+ for States. This session will cover the updated navigation menu, a basic overview of the filing and billing process, highlight key changes related to the SLIP+, and address some of the most common questions we receive about filings and billing. Whether you’re new to SLIP+ or just need a refresher, this is a great opportunity to get up to speed.
If you have any questions, please contact SLAS staff at 877.267.9855 or by email at info@slasclearinghouse.com."
The SLAS Clearinghouse has issued the following notice regarding the reporting of Surplus Lines policies in Oklahoma. The notice includes several key aspects to be aware of:
June 17, 2025
For brokers that have a current credit balance for Oklahoma taxes in OPTins, when a new invoice is generated from SLAS SLIP, if the SLAS invoice is equal to or less than the refund balance due from OPTins, please send a request to OKSurplusLines@oid.ok.govfor review. Oklahoma staff will review the OPTins credit balance and compare to your SLAS SLIP invoice. If approved, Oklahoma staff will request the tax invoice in SLAS SLIP to be marked as paid and issue a refund of the remaining balance, if applicable. If you have any questions and would like to confirm please reach out to Oklahoma staff at OKSurplusLines@oid.ok.govfor these inquiries.
Surplus Lines Brokers & Agency Policy
Data Reporting Requirements
Do you have questions regarding what broker should be reporting policy data to the SLAS SLIP system?The answer can be found in OAC 365:25-3-13(a)-(c). OAC 365:25-25-3-13(a) provides: "no licensed insurance producer, solicitor, broker or general agent shall place, or cause to be placed with any nonadmitted insurer any policy of insurance upon property and/or any other risks, or any insurable interest therein, having a situs in the State of Oklahoma, except through a duly licensed surplus line broker; and, then, any such policy shall only be procured by strict compliance with the applicable statutes of this State and the Rules issued under the authority of the Insurance Department of the State of Oklahoma."
OAC 365:25-25-3-13(b)(1)-(3) provides: "(1) After procuring any surplus lines insurance, surplus line brokers shall file information relating to the transaction through the electronic database designated by the Commissioner. All required fields shall be completed and accompanied with an attestation under penalty of perjury that the information submitted is true and correct, and all filings shall be in accordance with any instructions provided by the Department. Surplus lines brokers shall retain copies of all filings for a period of not less than three years. (2) In the event any group insurance is determined to constitute a surplus line of insurance, a specific method of reporting additional individual certificates issued or cancelled under such group policy shall be agreed upon between the Insurance Commissioner and the broker concerned. (3) After procuring surplus lines insurance, an insured filing a direct placement shall file information relating to the transaction through the electronic database designated by the Commissioner. All required fields shall be completed and accompanied with an attestation under penalty of perjury that the information submitted is true and correct, and all filings shall be in accordance with any instructions provided by the Department."
OAC 365:25-3-13(c) provides in part: "(1) All taxes due on any insurance policy issued as a surplus line policy, through any non-admitted insurer, shall be collected by the surplus line broker who procures such policy's issuance. Such taxes shall, in each instance be collected in full on or before the issuance of the policy to the insured, except as hereinafter expressly provided for by (a) of this section. All such taxes shall be duly remitted to the State of Oklahoma, through the Insurance Commissioner, on or before the end of each month following each calendar quarter by letter of transmittal accompanying such tax remittance." For additional statutory information and guidance on required application, informational filings, including tax filings and fee and tax payments, please refer to 36 O.S. § 1107.
Oklahoma has received notices and questions from surplus lines carriers who are unable to submit policy data as the correct surplus lines broker is not listed on the policy documentation nor in the SLAS system. Agencies should not be utilizing a single broker’s SLAS SLIP account to submit all business produced by their agency. Each surplus lines broker in your agency that is actively producing business should have their own account to submit the business they are producing.
If a broker of record change has occurred, brokers can reach out to SLAS staff to request a Transfer of Business to move policies to the appropriate broker.
In addition to this information, if the agency has multiple brokers, you can register an Agency account with SLAS SLIP. This will allow each of your brokers to be linked to a single account where users can manage and submit policy data for all individual brokers. The Agency accounts allow agencies to have a single SLIP account where policy data can be accessed and submitted for each broker. If you wish to set up this feature, you will first need to make sure that each of your brokers have been registered with SLAS SLIP. You will register your Agency account, which can be done from the SLAS SLIP Loginscreen. You will then have to have each of your brokers complete the Agent Authorization form (included in the Welcome email from SLIP once registered) and then the brokers can be linked. For further questions on this feature, please contact SLAS staff at info@slasclearinghouse.com.
Oklahoma 2024 Annual Statement
Oklahoma is a zero-reporting state. Even if zero income is earned, a verified annual statement must be filed. Annual reporting for Oklahoma is a statutory requirement. Per 36 O.S. § 1114,
“Each surplus lines licensee or broker licensed or transacting business in Oklahoma shall on or before April 1 of each year file electronically, along with any applicable transaction fees, with the Insurance Commissioner a verified statement of all surplus lines insurance transacted by the broker during the proceeding calendar year where Oklahoma is the home state of the insured.”
Oklahoma requires that an annual statement be submitted for all active license holders, regardless of the amount of business produced. If an Oklahoma licensee held an active license at any time during the given year, the annual statement is required to be submitted for that year. All annual statements prior to 2024 are to be submitted via OPTins. All annual statements for 2024 and after will be submitted in SLAS SLIP.
*Note: If you reported business in OPTins and SLIP during 2024 you will need to submit an annual statement in both systems for the premium submitted in each of the platforms. If you did not submit any business in OPTins, you will not submit an annual statement in that system. All zero business annual statements are to be filed in SLIP for 2024 and forward.
Agencies are required to file zero-business annual statements in OPTins.
If you do not have an active SLIP account, you must register as soon as possible and submit the required annual report. If you have any questions on registering an account, please contact SLAS staff at info@slasclearinghouse.com.
Expired or Surrendered Licenses
If your Oklahoma surplus lines license is set to expire or a licensee plans to surrender their license, please contact the OID as soon as possible at OKSurplusLines@oid.ok.gov. Oklahoma staff will provide information on submitting the broker’s final annual statement. Please do not wait until the annual statement is due to contact Oklahoma staff. Individuals who are no longer licensed but currently need to submit the 2024 annual statement will still need to register an account with SLAS SLIP to complete this requirement.
For assistance or questions for SLAS SLIP, please reach out to SLAS staff at info@slasclearinghouse.com.
Please take a moment to review this important announcement from the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) regarding recent updates related to House Bill 1549 and the Diligent Search Requirement:
June 13, 2025
Governor Signs House Bill 1549: Diligent Effort Requirement Eliminated
House Bill 1549 has been signed into law, officially eliminating the "diligent effort" requirement for agents placing surplus lines insurance in Florida. The bill also adds additional language to the disclosure form that must be signed by the insured before placement with a surplus lines carrier. The disclosure form will now include the language, “surplus lines insurers' policy rates and forms are not approved by any Florida regulatory agency.”
FSLSO will update all relevant forms to reflect this new language in accordance with the legislation.
The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025. We will continue to provide updates as implementation moves forward.
Please take a moment to review the important announcement recently distributed by the SLAS Clearinghouse regarding SLIP+ for States:
June 12, 2025
SLIP Legacy Sunsets July 1:
Make the Move to SLIP+ for States
We hope you've had a chance to explore SLIP+ for States since its release on June 1. If not, please take this opportunity to familiarize yourself our new platform as SLIP+ will fully replace SLIP legacy beginning July 1. At that time, all users will be going to the SLIP legacy site will be redirected to SLIP+ for States.
To support this transition, we’ll be releasing updated user manuals and new tutorials ahead of July 1 to help you get comfortable with the system and take full advantage of its features.
A quick reminder: SLIP+ for States is not the same as the Florida-specific filing platform. If you're filing Florida surplus lines policies, you should continue using SLIP+ for Florida through the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office. Pay close attention to the login screen — each platform displays whether it is SLIP+ for States or SLIP+ for Florida, so you always know where you're filing.
SLAS Clearinghouse to Become SLIP+
Alongside this platform upgrade, we’re also retiring the SLAS Clearinghouse brand and transitioning fully to SLIP+ for States. This includes a refreshed visual identity, a new website, and updated contact information. We’ll share those details with you well in advance of the change, so you’re fully prepared when the new look and contact points go live.
Existing contact information and bookmarked links will continue to work for following the transition to help ease the adjustment.
We’re committed to making this a seamless change and will continue to keep you informed every step of the way.
If you have any questions, please contact SLAS staff at 877.267.9855 or by email at info@slasclearinghouse.com.
Please see this important update from the SLAS: The ACH has now been set up for Colorado tax payments.
Colorado customers may now submit tax payments through both SLIP+ and the legacy SLIP platforms. To ensure proper payment processing, please provide the ACH information listed below to your bank prior to initiating any payments:
Company ID:
5840644739
Company Name:
STATE OF COLORADO
It is essential this information is entered exactly as shown.
As a reminder, all Colorado tax payments must be submitted via ACH through either SLIP+ or SLIP legacy. Check payments will not be accepted.
If you have any questions, please contact the SLIP+ team at 877.267.9855 or email info@slasclearinghouse.com.
Please review the notice below released by the Colorado Division of Insurance regarding their updated Diligent Effort Affidavit Form. Our portal has been updated to include this new form.
The Colorado Division of Insurance has a new Diligent Effort Affidavit Form, revised date 04/15/2025. Please ensure to use the updated form revised 04/15/2025. The new affidavit form can be found on the Division's website as well as on the SLAS Website:
or on the SLAS/SLIP website:
https://slasclearinghouse.com/Documents
First column, last icon
(10-5-103, C.R.S., and Colorado Insurance Regulation 2-4-1)
Before any policy of insurance can be placed by an Individual Surplus Line Broker (Producing Agent) with a nonadmitted insurer, Colorado statutes and regulations require a determination be made that the policy can not be insured with a Colorado admitted insurer. This determination is known as the diligent search.
Due diligence shall be satisfied by documentation attested to by the Individual Surplus Line Broker (Producing Agent). The documentation must demonstrate that the coverage was not procurable after a comprehensive search was made from a minimum of three admitted insurers authorized to and currently transacting that line of business in this state. If there are fewer than three admitted insurers in this state which are authorized and currently transacting the line of business needed, such diligent effort shall be met by searching the lesser market. If the Individual Surplus Line Broker (Producing Agent) can attest in writing that they are familiar with the insurance market and that a particular risk can not be placed in the admitted market, or the Individual Broker has accepted an affidavit by the Retail Agent attesting to such, then the requirement to satisfy due diligence by documentation that the coverage required was not procurable after a comprehensive search was made from a minimum of three admitted insurers shall be waived.
Placing the insurance with a nonadmitted insurer shall not be for the purpose of securing a lower premium rate than that which would be accepted by an admitted insurer unless the premium rate quoted by the admitted insurer is more than 10 percent higher than that quoted by the nonadmitted insurer for comparable coverage.
A written record documenting diligent search efforts shall be maintained by the Individual Surplus Line Broker (Producing Agent) for a period of not less than three years from the effective date of the coverage. The Individual Surplus Line Broker (Producing Agent) may rely upon representations made by an Individual Retail Agent with regard to search efforts made by the Individual Retail Agent.
Given that availability and affordability of coverage is continually changing, the determination of placement and evidence of diligent search efforts, or attestation from an Individual Retail Agent or Individual Surplus Line Broker as outlined must be made each policy period prior to placement of coverage with an eligible nonadmitted insurer.
The SLAS has released the following announcement regarding an update to the upcoming launch of SLIP+ this summer for the states of Colorado, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
SLIP+ Launches June 1: Here's What’s New
SLIP+ for States is coming June 1 and bringing a streamlined user experience to simplify surplus lines filing and taxes. What does this mean for you?
We've implemented several key improvements designed to make your experience smoother and more intuitive. These include:
Streamlined Navigation
The navigation menu has been reorganized for greater clarity, making it easier to find what you need quickly.
Simplified Policy Creation
Adding a new policy is now a seamless one-step process—faster and more efficient.
Enhanced Invoicing & Payments
Managing your invoices and payments is now easier with a redesigned interface:
These updates are part of our ongoing commitment to improve your experience. As always, your feedback helps shape what comes next.
A full list of changes is available in our Intro and Enhancements Guide.
SLIP+ will launch June 1. To ensure a smooth transition, the legacy SLIP platform will remain available for a trial period. This allows customers time to explore and get comfortable with the new and improved filing experience as they fully transition to SLIP+.
Questions? We’re here to help. Please feel free to reach out to our team by calling 877.267.9855 or via email at info@slasclearinghouse.com
The SLAS has released the following announcement regarding the upcoming launch of SLIP+ this summer for the states of Colorado, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Exciting changes are ahead as we move closer to finalizing the development of SLIP+ for States.
SLIP+ will launch for Colorado, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming this summer and offers a streamlined user experience with enhanced features and advanced functionality designed to make filing surplus lines information and taxes easier than ever.
Here's what you can expect:
To ensure a smooth transition, we’ll be offering:
Stay tuned for more details, including your invitation to our webinar and launch updates.
Questions? We’re here to help. Please feel free to reach out to our team by calling 877.267.9855 or via email at info@slasclearinghouse.com.