FSLSO BILLING PROCEDURES TO CHANGE OCT. 31
FSLSO has recently changed its month-end/quarter billig procedures to now take place on the first business day of the following calendar month/quarter.  Submissions will be imported up until midnight on the last reporting day of the each month.  Members enrolled in electronic invoicing will not receive their invoices until the first business day of the following month.

OIR: EMERGENCY ORDER EXPANDS POLICIES COVERED BY PROHIBITION OF CANCELLATIO

Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty issued an Emergency Order prohibiting insurers from canceling or nonrenewing policies covering commercial or residential property, automobile, health, life, health maintenance organizations and continuing care retirement centers in 20 counties damaged by Hurricane Wilma.

Effective for 30 days, the order includes policyholders in Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Lucie and Sarasota counties.

The order, effective Oct. 19 through Nov. 19, permits insurers to pay claims by debit card or any other form of electronic transfer in order to expedite necessary emergency funds to policyholders. Electronic transfer of payment is authorized for additional living expenses and personal property contents.

The order does not apply to new policies issued on or after Oct. 24.

The order also calls for insurers that become impaired or insolvent due to Hurricane Wilma or the operation of subsequent rules and orders to report the resulting financial condition to the Office as soon as possible.

A pdf copy of Emergency Order 83836-05-EO is available by visiting:
http://www.fslso.com/goto.aspx?ID=42

FSLSO EMPA COLLECTION PROCEDURES

The collection of the Emergency Management Preparedness Assistance (EMPA) Trust Fund surcharge by FSLSO will take effect January 1, 2006.  While the EMPA fee is not a new surcharge, the 2005 Legislative Session did amend Section 252.372 through House Bill 1813 to authorize FSLSO to collect the EMPA fee. 

The EMPA fee is $2.00 for residential coverage codes and $4.00 for commercial coverage codes.  Florida surplus lines agents and IPC filers will begin to see the assessment through an additional invoice sent in at the end of each calendar quarter.  Payments should be mailed to:

State of Florida Department of Community Affairs
P.O. Box 850001
Orlando, FL 32885-0149

The EMPA fees is only applicable to certain coverage codes, noted in the list below:

APPLICABLE COVERAGE CODES

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
1000 - Commercial Property
1001 - Builders Risk
1003 - Apartments (Commercial)
1005 - Commercial Package
1006 - Condominium (Commercial

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
2000 - Homeowners-HO-1
2001 - Homeowners-HO-2
2002 - Homeowners-HO-3
2003 - Tenant Homeowners-HO-4
2004 - Homeowners-HO-5
2005 - Condo Unit-Owners-HO-6
2006 - Homeowners-HO-8
2007 - Dwelling Builders Risk
2009 - Dwelling Property
2010 - Farm Owners Multi-Peril
2011 - Mobile Homeowners

For additional information, please feel free to contact FSLSO at (800) 562-4496 or visit our website at www.fslso.com.