News from the Surplus Lines Industry and InsCipher
The Alabama Department of Insurance is adopting the SLIP+ for States platform for the reporting and payment of Surplus Lines taxes on all Surplus Lines policies and endorsements on policies effective January 1, 2026 and later. Once additional clarification is received from the state, we will update our tax calculator to accommodate these changes. Please review the bulletin below released by SLIP+ for States:
The Alabama Department of Insurance is adopting SLIP+ for States for the reporting and payment of all Alabama surplus lines premium taxes beginning January 1, 2026.
“Launching SLIP+ for States in Alabama reflects our shared commitment to innovation and service,” said Tiffany Andersen, Director of SLIP+ Client Services. “Our goal is to make surplus lines filings faster, clearer, and more intuitive for everyone involved. Through our partnership with the Alabama Department of Insurance, brokers and regulators alike will have the tools and support they need to simplify filings and strengthen compliance.”
For all Alabama policies effective January 1, 2026, and later, and for all subsequent endorsements to those policies, Alabama surplus lines brokers will report policy information in SLIP+. Surplus lines premium tax invoices will be available for payment in SLIP+ on a quarterly basis beginning April 1, 2026.
Alabama surplus lines policies with effective dates before January 1, 2026, and endorsements to those policies, will continue to be filed through OPTins using the ID-12 form until renewal. New users of SLIP+ for States will need to register prior to making their first filing. Filers already registered with SLIP+ for States do not need to register again.
The SLIP+ team will host a training webinar in January 2026 to familiarize brokers with SLIP+ for States and the associated filing and invoicing processes. Additional training materials and a recording of the webinar will be available at slipplus.com.
“We’re proud to offer a technology solution that simplifies the filing process for Alabama’s surplus lines community, and we’re honored to partner with the Alabama Department of Insurance in this effort,” commented Mark Shealy, FSLSO Executive Director. “As SLIP+ for States expands across multiple states, it creates a more consistent and streamlined experience for brokers, making compliance, reporting, and tax payments easier for our clients and their regulators.”
For more information, please see the bulletin from the Alabama Department of Insurance or contact the SLIP+ for States team at info@slipplus.com or (877) 267-9855, option 1.