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December 30, 2025
New Year’s Holiday Closure and Our Thanks for 2025
FSLSO will be closed on Thursday, January 1, and Friday, January 2. Normal business hours will resume on Monday, January 5.
As we wrap up 2025, we want to take a moment to say thank you for letting us serve you this year. We value the relationships we have built with our agents, insurers, and partners, and we are grateful for the trust you place in us every day.
Your feedback, collaboration, and dedication to your work help drive everything we do, and we are excited to carry that momentum into 2026.
From all of us at FSLSO, we wish you and your families a wonderful, restful New Year filled with good health, success, and new opportunities.
Year-End Filing Reminder for Q4 Invoicing
As a reminder, fourth-quarter invoices will be processed on Thursday, January 1.
To avoid delays, please ensure all filings are complete and your contact information is up to date by Wednesday, December 31.
We recommend reviewing your SLIP+ account to confirm everything is properly filed before year-end. Be sure to check your Compliance Checkup dashboard for any unresolved items, and pay close attention to outstanding TIQs, specifically URP (Unbalanced Returned Premium) and URF (Unbalanced Returned Policy Fees).
If URP or URF TIQs are not cleared by December 31, related credits will not be processed to your account.
SLIP+ Platform Enhancement: Simplified Contact Management in SLIP+
We will be making updates to how contacts (primary, accounting, and compliance) are handled in FSLSO SLIP+ for surplus lines agents linked to agency accounts. When an agent is linked to an agency account, the agent’s contacts will sync to the agency account’s contact information.
The primary, accounting, and compliance contacts will be the same for all agents linked to the agency account, and agents will no longer be able to edit these contacts in their individual SLIP+ accounts. Contact information can only be updated within the SLIP+ agency account while the agent remains linked to the agency.
Please review the contact information in your SLIP+ agency account to ensure it is up to date. To review your contacts:
- Click the user’s name in the upper right corner of SLIP+.
- Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
- Click Contacts in the left menu.
To update any contact, click the Edit link in the upper right corner of the Contacts box, make your changes, and click Save. If you have any questions, please contact Agent Services at: agent.services@fslso.com
Which Fees Can You Charge on a Surplus Lines Policy?
We hear this question from agents at least once a week: Which fees can I charge on a surplus lines policy?
Florida Statute 626.916(2) allows the filing surplus lines agent to charge a reasonable, per-policy policy fee. As the filing surplus lines agent, you are required to list this fee on the policy. The surplus lines agent policy fee is also subject to surplus lines premium tax as defined in Florida Statute 626.932(6). Understanding which fees are permitted can help you avoid compliance issues and unnecessary refunds.
Florida Statute 626.916(3) allows a retail agent to charge a reasonable per-policy fee for the placement of a surplus lines policy. This retail agent fee must be itemized separately to the customer before purchase. However, the statute does not include this fee in the surplus lines taxable premium definition, and it is not required to be shown on the policy.
The statutes are clear regarding the fee that may be retained by the surplus lines agent. Fees such as inspection, survey, or membership fees must be listed on the policy. The surplus lines agent may not collect or retain any fee in excess of the stated amount. For example, if an inspection costs $150 and the surplus lines agent charges the insured $175, even unintentionally, this would be a violation of Florida law.
We have seen policies where a surplus lines agent policy fee, a broker fee, and an agency fee were all charged on a single policy. In these cases, the only permitted fee is the surplus lines agent policy fee.
FSLSO conducts periodic compliance reviews, and policy fee charges are included in this process. These reviews are designed to ensure consistency and protect both agents and insureds. Any invalid fees collected by the surplus lines agent must be returned to the insured, and the agent may be referred to the Florida Department of Financial Services for administrative action.
If you have questions about allowable fees or how to list them properly, our Agent Services team is here to help.
Insurer Update: Rockingham Casualty Company
Rockingham Casualty Company (NAIC#: 42595) is no longer an Eligible Surplus Lines insurer in Florida, per the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Its status has been changed from “Active” to “Withdrawn,” effective November 5, 2025.
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Have questions? Contact us at 800.562.4496, option 1 or email agent.services@fslso.com.
