The Florida Surplus Lines Service Office announces its 2006 continuing education schedule. The Tools for Success in Florida's Surplus Lines Market is an intermediate level course which has been approved by the Department of Financial Services for four hours of property and casualty credit (Course ID# 56860).

This course is designed to help students better understand Florida's surplus lines insurance market by exploring topics such as: the differences between admitted and non-admitted insurers; avoiding illegal insurance entities; the distribution system; and agent responsibilities when accessing the market. The course will also introduces the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office; its mission, goals and values; and the products and services it offers to better aid the industry including SLIP and the Agent Software. Lastly, the class will conclude with a look at the hot topics affecting the industry and a roundtable discussion.

This course will be taught in four locations throughout 2006:

May 17
Crowne Plaza at Sawgrass Mills
13400 West Sunrise Blvd.
Sunrise, FL

June 28
Holiday Inn Express
2620 West International Speedway Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL

September 19
Embassy Suites Tampa (Airport)
555 North Westshore Blvd.
Tampa, FL

October 25
Crowne Plaza West Palm Beach
1601 Belvedere Road
West Palm Beach, FL

Class registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. with class starting at 9:00 a.m. and lasting until 1:00 p.m. A continental breakfast will also be available during registration. This course is free for all Florida-licensed surplus lines agents who may also bring up to two members of their staff at no charge.  All others must pay a nominal fee of $60. Early registration is encouraged as classes do fill up quickly. You may register online by visiting http://www.fslso.com/education/index.aspx. For additional information, please contact FSLSO's education section at (800) 562-4496 x 109.

...FSLSO also offers online continuing education courses!  Technological advancements have afforded FSLSO with a means of expansion to its education programs, in particular, its online education offerings. Online continuing education provides an opportunity for students to satisfy their educational needs without the constrictions of time and location. Currently, FSLSO online educational offerings include: a 60-hour Surplus Lines Pre-Licensing Qualification course, Rules and Regulations, a three-hour C.E. encompassing the rules and regulations of Florida’s surplus lines industry, Illegal Insurance Entities; Knowing the Difference a two-hour C.E. that delves into the differences between an illegal insurance entity and an unauthorized insurer, and the Certification of Online Agent Software Training (COAST program.

All continuing education classes are free to surplus lines member agents while all other participants pay a nominal fee. Interested participants may access any of the available online programs by visiting the Service Office’s online education website at http://www.fslso.com/education/index.aspx. For more information regarding these and other C.E. opportunities, please contact the FSLSO education section at (800) 562-4496 x 109.

In an effort to deliver timely information to its customers, the FSLSO has recently enhanced its website to include a Legislative Page. The Legislative Page includes a listing of the 2006 Insurance Bills with links to their official sites on the House and Senate sites. These links provide direct access to information regarding the specific bill you select with a general description of the Bill, the text of the Bill, Bill history, information on related Bills, and other pertinent information.

To view this new page, please visit www.fslso.com/statutes/leg/2006/2006.bills.asp.

Disaster can strike at a moments notice. Will you be prepared? While hurricane season is less than two months away, the time to begin preparing your organization for any and all types of major disasters should begin today. As your office is your livelihood, you should be ready to protect it and plan for the unexpected. The first step in preparing your office for any type of catastrophe is building a disaster plan.

After the 2004 hurricane season, the FSLSO developed a catastrophe manual that was designed to serve as a basic template for agents to develop their own catastrophe plan. Disaster Planning and Recovery: An Agency's Guide to Building a Disaster Plan is an educational guide that provides a step-by-step approach for building an agency disaster plan

This manual was edited and updated in 2006, and features new statistical information, along with a more “user-friendly-feel" for disaster plan development. This complimentary resource is available for download on the FSLSO website at http://www.fslso.com/publications/manuals/index.aspx.

Disasters can occur with little notice for preparation.  A majority of preparation work can be done far in advance through the development of a disaster plan. Take a few moments to look through this free educational guide and remember...Be prepared!