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May 1, 2026
2026 Stamping Office Reports Available
The January and February 2026 assessments for the U.S. Stamping Offices are live.
In addition to the fifteen U.S. Stamping Offices, FSLSO has included its SLIP+ and SLIP Legacy clients. View the full reports by clicking on the button below.
Catastrophe Contact Information Due May 31
It is critical to update your catastrophe contact information before hurricane season begins on June 1.
This information serves as a valuable resource to FSLSO staff and state regulators when assisting policyholders following a natural disaster.
Even if you have filed previously and your contact information hasn’t changed, you must acknowledge that your current information is correct. We ask agents and insurers to update their information on an annual basis.
To update your catastrophe contact information, log into SLIP+ and click Catastrophe Data under the Compliance tab.
30-Day Filing Requirement
As a reminder, all premium bearing policy transactions placed with a surplus lines insurer, taxable or non-taxable, must be electronically submitted to FSLSO via SLIP+ or Batch within 30 days of the transaction’s effective date.
The 30-day countdown begins on the transaction’s effective date (the effective date is considered day one). For example, a policy with an effective date of December 1 would need to be filed no later than December 30.
For a more detailed explanation of agent filing requirements, refer to the Agent Procedures Manual.
Policy Fee – Who’s Allowed to Charge it
& How it Should be Filed
Since the passing of HB 301 in 2019, surplus lines agents are now allowed to charge a “reasonable” fee on surplus lines policies instead of the previous $35 fee. However, we’ve recently noticed some confusion about who exactly is eligible to charge the policy fee.
When placing a surplus lines policy, only the filing surplus lines agent (the agent who files the policy in FSLSO SLIP+ or Batch) may charge the policy fee.
Per F.S. 626.916(2), “a reasonable per-policy fee may be charged by the filing surplus lines agent for each policy certified for export. This per-policy fee must be itemized separately to the customer before purchase and enumerated in the policy.”
When reporting policy information in SLIP+ or Batch, any fees associated with your policy, such as insurer policy fees, membership fees, inspection fees, etc., must be reported in the Premium field. The only exception to this rule is the surplus lines agent policy fee, which must be reported in the SL Agent Policy Fee field next to the Premium field. All fees charged in consideration for the insurance contract are taxable and therefore must be reported in SLIP+.
If you still have questions about the surplus lines agent policy fee, FSLSO is here to help! Contact our Agent & Insurer Services department at 800-562-4496, option 1 or email agent.services@fslso.com for further assistance.
On-Site Compliance Reviews Returning
As part of our statutory responsibility to monitor the surplus lines marketplace, FSLSO has the authority to conduct on-site compliance reviews. While remote and desk reviews became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are excited to resume on-site visits where appropriate.
If you have questions about compliance reviews exams, contact our Compliance Review team at 800-562-4496, option 1 or email compliance.review@fslso.com.
We look forward to seeing you in-person in 2026!
FSLA Under 40 Leadership
Scholarship Opportunity
We are excited to partner with the Florida Surplus Lines Association (FSLA) and launch the Under 40 Leadership Scholarship, providing a new leadership experience at the FSLA Annual Convention designed specifically for excess and surplus lines professionals under the age of 40.
This experience provides selected participants with access to convention programming, direct interaction with senior leaders, and opportunities to build meaningful connections within the excess and surplus lines marketplace.
Selected participants will receive:
- Complimentary registration to the 2026 FSLA Annual Convention, provided by Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO), which includes full access to all educational sessions, networking events, and official convention programming hosted by Florida Surplus Lines Association (FSLA).
- Recognition as a selected Under 40 Leadership Scholarship participant.
Learn more about this opportunity and apply by May 31st by clicking the button below.
AM Best Updates Ratings for Three Companies
AM Best has updated the ratings for three companies. SiriusPoint Specialty Insurance Corporation received an increased rating, while Medical Security Insurance Company and American Safety Insurance Company received decreased ratings.
SiriusPoint Specialty Insurance Corporation - Read the Article
-Financial Strength Rating (FSR) increased from A- to A
-Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs) increased from a- to a
Medical Security Insurance Company - Read the Article
-Financial Strength Rating (FSR) decreased from A to A-
-Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs) decreased from a to a-
American Safety Insurance Company - Read the Article
-Financial Strength Rating (FSR) decreased from A to A-
-Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs) decreased from a to a-
Florida Surplus Lines April Speaker Series Recap
In partnership with the Florida Surplus Lines Association (FSLA), our Director of Agent and Insurer Services, Bryan Young, joined an expert panel to present to the students in the FSU Dr. William T. Hold/The Alliance's Program in RMI.
Alongside Tonya Rivera, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Florida region of Johnson and Johnson, and Valdir Gonsales Serra, Market Development Executive for the Americas and Head of the Caribbean, the panel shared their distinct career journeys and perspectives on the opportunities within the industry. Students heard firsthand about the E&S market and the various paths available, highlighting just how diverse and dynamic a career in insurance can be.
Events like these help inspire and encourage students to pursue careers in our industry. With so many paths available, there’s truly a role for everyone. Watch our teaser video below.
www.fslso.com
Have questions? Contact us at 800.562.4496, option 1 or email agent.services@fslso.com.
