Claire-ification

IA&B Vice President - Advocacy Claire Pantaloni, CIC, CISR provided this answer. Are you a member with a question? Contact Claire at 800-998-9644, ext. 604 or ClaireP@IABforME.com.

QUESTION:

Do we need to report email address changes to the Insurance Department?

ANSWER:

It depends. Generally speaking, remember that you must report any change of address promptly and should not wait until the next renewal. The state’s Producer Licensing law dictates how much time you have to report a change of address. For Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, the timeframe is 30 days.

In addition, if you are in Pennsylvania, even changing your phone number or email address must be reported within 30 days under that same producer licensing law. Obviously, we are all communicating electronically more than we are via paper, and any communication coming from the regulator generally needs to be addressed without delay. Making sure you update your email address promptly is a best practice, even if your home state is not Pennsylvania.

OTHER ITEMS TO KEEP IN MIND:

▲ If you hold licenses in multiple states, you have to report the change in those states as well. Using a gateway like the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) is the simplest way to handle the requirement, since it will allow you to report the change simultaneously to all applicable states. To do so, log on to NIPR. com and select the “Change” button. The Contact Change Request can be used to update your physical address, email address, phone number, and/or fax number.

▲ As a reminder, changing employers implies that you are changing your business address. This triggers the notification requirement as well.

This document is not a legal opinion and should not be relied upon as such. The intent of this document is to provide a general background regarding the topic or topics discussed, not to provide legal advice. Producers and agencies should consult an attorney regarding specific situations and specific questions with respect to the topic or topics covered in this document. Neither the Insurance Agents & Brokers nor any of its employees shall be responsible for any errors or omissions regarding any statements made in this document, nor any errors or omissions regarding any statutes, regulations, court rules, and/or any other government documents cited in this document.