The release of the Surplus Lines Stamping of Office of Texas’ (SLTX’s) new online filing system, SMART, will be postponed due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
SLTX said the system was originally scheduled for release in March but will be delayed so that agents and brokers can focus on the health and safety of their staff and business.
Once a new date for the launch has been determined, SLTX will communicate further details about the system.
Following a stay-at-home order issued by local officials in the City of Austin, Texas, where SLTX’s office is located, surplus lines agents and brokers who submit policy filings and stamping fees by mail are strongly encouraged to adopt electronic filing and payment methods.
The order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2020, and will continue until April 13, 2020, unless terminated by the city.
Physical mail sent to SLTX will be collected and processed, but there may be delays in processing due to the city’s new restrictions. Untimely filed policies will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will be calculated based on the date documents were received by the post office.
Agents and brokers who are accustomed to filing policies by mail may file using the SLTX online filing system or secure file sharing software. Information on how to register for the online filing system can be found on the SLTX website.
To access stamping fee invoices electronically, register for the online filing system by completing the System Registration form on the SLTX website. If you need access to the system only to pay invoices, ensure the box marked “I intend to use the Online Filing System to only make ACH/online payments” is checked. SLTX has created a how-to guide detailing the online invoice payment process.
Those who already file policies and remit payments electronically may continue to do so. SLTX will accept filings and receive these payments as expected.
While the stay-at-home order is active, SLTX will deliver all batch and monthly reports through secure electronic methods. If agents and brokers choose to pay stamping fees electronically and/or file using the online filing system, the reports will be delivered through the online filing system. Those who do not pay stamping fees or file electronically will receive reports through the secure file sharing service Sync.com.
Source: SLTX
Topics Texas Agencies Excess Surplus
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