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July 28, 2025
Got Questions About Diligent Effort? We’ve Got Answers.
Florida’s repeal of the diligent effort requirement brought big changes — and plenty of questions. To help, our FSLSO team rounded up the questions we hear most often and turned them into a series of quick, easy-to-understand videos.
Each video is just 1–2 minutes long and features our very own McKinley Champeau, walking you through what you need to know.
Our video series include:
- Diligent Effort is Out: What You Need to Know
- The Surplus Lines Disclosure: Who Needs It and When
- Compliance Requirements and What’s Still Required
Whether you’re looking for clarity or just a quick refresher, we’ve got you covered.
For any questions, feel free to contact our Agent & Insurer Services team at 800.562.4496 x 1.
On-Site Compliance Reviews Returning
This is a reminder that FSLSO has authority to conduct on-site compliance reviews as part of our surplus lines marketplace monitoring responsibilities. While remote/desk reviews became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now resuming on-site visits where appropriate.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we return to standard compliance review procedures.
Reinsurance Doesn’t Need to Be Reported to FSLSO
When submitting policies, there are many requirements to keep in mind—but reinsurance is not one of them. Reinsurance reporting is not required with FSLSO. If you have any questions about reporting requirements, our team is always here to help.
EMPA Surcharge Exemption Recap
As a reminder, effective October 1, 2025, the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) will be implementing enhancements to the FSLSO SLIP+ system regarding the Emergency Management Preparedness and Assistance (EMPA).
A new functionality will be available that allows FSLSO SLIP+ users to designate a policy as exempt from the EMPA surcharge for multi-insurer (layered) policies. It is important to note that this exemption pertains to situations where the EMPA surcharge has already been levied on another participating insurer's policy or transaction within the layered policy structure. Users are reminded to utilize this option selectively, specifically for policies where each insurer holds a distinct policy number and the EMPA surcharge has been applied to another insurer's policy within the same layered arrangement.
Please be advised that the exemption feature must not be misused to evade the payment of the EMPA Assessment. Any misuse or abuse of this option will be subject to investigation and potential repercussions, including but not limited to, referral to the Florida Department of Financial Services, and the risk of suspension or revocation of your insurance license(s). FSLSO is mandated by Florida Statute 252.372 to collect the EMPA surcharge on all Florida surplus lines insurance policies that meet the assessment guidelines.
Detailed instructions for FSLSO SLIP+ Batch and API will be made available in SLIP+ on the Batch Files page under the Batch Submission Documentation section. XML batch filers will be required to change the schema version value to 2.3 with an optional EMPA Exempt field added. There will be an additional mandatory column in CSV, however, the field is optional.
Additionally, instructions for manually updating the policy in SLIP+ will be provided in the SLIP+ Filing Procedures for Agents manual on the Help page. To view the Help page, click the question mark (?) in the upper right corner of SLIP+.
If you have any questions, please contact Agent Services at agent.services@fslso.com or 800-562-4496, option 1.
Bankers Specialty Insurance Company Increases from B+ to B++
As of July 21, 2025, Bankers Specialty Insurance Company received increased ratings from AM best for Financial Strength Rating (FSR) and Long-Term Issue Credit Rating (ICR). The rating increases are reflected by their strong balance sheet strength, marginal operating performance, limited business profile, and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).
BANKERS SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
FL DPW:
2024
3,506,808
2023
3,370,864
% Change YOY
4%
TOP LINE(S) OF BUSINESS 2024:
Commercial Multiple Peril
3,506,808
FSLSO Is Headed to Conventions Near You!
We’re bringing the FSLSO experience to a city near you with two upcoming convention stops you won’t want to miss!
LAAIA Convention
Stop by Booth 76 to refresh and recharge your surplus lines knowledge. We’ll be talking industry stats, market trends, and everything E&S. Come say hello — and let’s talk shop!
FSLA Convention
FSLSO Executive Director Mark Shealy will take the stage to share insights on the E&S market in 2025, including performance so far and predictions for how the year may close.
Don’t miss your chance to connect, learn, and stay ahead. We can’t wait to see you!
www.fslso.com
Have questions? Contact us at 800.562.4496, option 1 or email agent.services@fslso.com.
