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February 27, 2026
Mandatory Updates to FSLSO SLIP+
and Batch Filing Requirements
Effective July 1, 2026, the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) will implement updated data requirements for SLIP+ and batch filing for both Agents and Independent Procurement filers (IPC). These updates include a new required data element and mandatory version upgrades for batch filing formats.
Beginning July 1, 2026, a Unique Market Reference (UMR) must be provided for all transaction data submissions where Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London (NAIC AA1122000) is the designated insurer.
Diligent Effort Repeal Reminder
As a reminder, House Bill 1549 (2025) was signed into law, officially eliminating the "diligent effort" requirement for agents placing surplus lines insurance in Florida. The bill was effective July 1, 2025.
The bill also added additional language to the surplus lines disclosure that must be signed or acknowledged by the insured before placement with a surplus lines carrier. The disclosure form now includes the language, “surplus lines insurers' policy rates and forms are not approved by any Florida regulatory agency.” FSLSO has updated the sample Surplus Lines Disclosure Form to include the updated language. The new sample form can be found on our website under Forms & Publications.
The FSLSO team has released short videos to help answer the variety of questions our staff received due to Florida's repeal of the diligent effort requirement. The videos include:
Home State Determination
Determining the home state of an insurance policy can be tricky! A common mistake is listing the mailing address of the insured as the home state. Remember, a policy’s home state should be determined by using the definition of home state in the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA):
1. The state where the insured maintains its principal place of business, or in the case of an individual, the individual’s primary residence; OR
2. If 100% of the insured risk is located outside of the state of the risk, the state to which the largest percentage of the insured's taxable premium for the contract is allocated.
Master Policies and Affiliated Groups: If more than 1 insured from an affiliated group are named insureds on a single nonadmitted insurance contract, the term ‘‘home state’’ means the home state, as determined pursuant to Section 527 subparagraph (6)(A) of the NRRA, of the member of the affiliated group that has the largest percentage of premium attributed to it under such insurance contract.
Ensuring accuracy in your home state determination helps maintain compliance and prevents reporting errors. For more information about the NRRA, please visit our website.
AM Best Upgrades Mt. Hawley Insurance Company from A+ to A++
AM Best has increased the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) for Mt. Hawley Insurance Company.
- FSR increased from A+ to A++
- Long-Term ICR increased from aa to aa+
The rating upgrades are reflected by exceptional balance sheet strength fundamentals, the parent company's effective capital management strategies, historically positive reserve development, strong underwriting controls and a quality reinsurance program.
Mt. Hawley Insurance Company
FL DPW:
2024
$239,913,795
2023
$274,081,795
YOY % Change
-12%
TOTAL DPW:
2024
$847,640,350
2023
$794,074,789
YOY % Change
7%
TOP 3 LINES OF BUSINESS | 2024
Allied Lines
$158,187,256
Other Liability - Occurrence
$47,212,933
Fire
$29,818,016
www.fslso.com
Have questions? Contact us at 800.562.4496, option 1 or email agent.services@fslso.com.
