Procedural Updates

The November 2021 SMART release includes updates to existing Broker Search/Edit components, such as creation and maintenance of insurer contracts and an improved layout for online filing user maintenance. Additionally, users may now utilize the SMART system to reset passwords instead of using the System Password Reset Request form from SLTX’s website. In most cases, users may now utilize the “Forgot Password?” link from the SMART landing page instead of submitting a password reset request through SLTX. Most significantly, November’s SMART release includes Manual Filing (or Data Entry) transactions. Users may now enter New Policy or New Binder filings in SMART, utilizing the Transaction Entry User Guide as necessary.

We encourage you to contact SLTX’s TechSupport team to schedule an individualized discussion on how existing SMART features can improve your agencies online filing experience. Additionally, TechSupport can schedule in-depth SMART trainings for you and your agency based on your processes, workflows, and lines of business.

For your convenience, previous SMART releases  API, Report, Advanced Search, and Export capabilities are attached. Testing is underway for External Filing to include additional manually input transactions within SMART. The following transactions are expected in the December release: Renewal Policy and Binder, New and Renewal Policy Replacing Binder.

Note: All current processes and procedures in EFS remain available and will work concurrently with SMART until all features are fully delivered in 2022.

With each new release or significant deployment, additional notifications will be sent to all Electronic Filing System (EFS) users. These notifications may also be found on our website under News>Procedural Updates.

SMART’s Agent User Guide is updated with each release and may be obtained directly from SLTX’s TechSupport team for any agency ready to utilize SMART’s features. Contact SLTX Tech Support by email or phone (512) 531-1880 or (800) 681-5848 with any questions.

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) adopted a rule change for 28 TAC 1.1301 & 1.1302 which requires individuals, agencies, and companies regulated by TDI to designate an email address for official communications from TDI. The rule also allows electronic submissions to TDI in most cases where a paper method was previously required.

The text of §1.1302 has been changed by adding subsection (f). Subsection (f) makes the requirement under subsection (c) that all regulated persons provide to TDI an email address designated for receipt of official communications applicable beginning January 1, 2022. This is intended to give regulated persons time to prepare for the shift to receiving electronic communications from TDI.

(c) Except as provided by Subsection (e) of this section, all regulated persons must provide an email address that is designated for receipt of official department communications. Regulated persons should provide the email address as specified on the department’s website. If communications may no longer be received at the designated email address, the regulated person must notify the department and designate a new email address within 10 business days.

(d) Notice or service sent by email under this section satisfies any notice or service requirements unless a different method of notice or service is required by statute or §1.90 of this title.

 (e) If a regulated person does not have the technological capability to maintain an email address designated for official department communications, or for good reason does not wish to receive communications by email from the department, the regulated person should notify the department as specified on the department’s website regarding address changes.

Please utilize the Agents, adjusters, and agencies link to update or change names, addresses, or emails through the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). Contact TDI for further questions or concerns regarding this rule change.

Because of the nearly week-long power outage in mid-February, SLTX did not have a SMART release during that month. The March 2021 SMART release primarily includes a Report Landing page which will be available for all External Filers through the SMART application. This will allow those users to directly obtain the following monthly reports: Monthly Invoice, Detail Policy Activity Report, Policy Transaction Activity Report, and when appropriate, the Outstanding Ineligible Report, and Duplicate Policy Report. You will also be able to pay invoices, via credit card or ACH payments, through the SMART application. Online filers will continue to receive their reports via the existing Electronic Filing System (EFS) portal in the original format. Please note that all current EFS processes and procedures will continue to be available and both systems will remain functional and work concurrently until the entire suite of features in SMART are fully delivered which is expected to be in 2022.

Additionally, improvements were made to various reports to reduce overall spacing and to better handle specific data-related scenarios. The March 2021 release also includes features which are specific to SLTX’s Internal Filing (work assignments relating to and the processing of mailed transactions), additional search capabilities, as well as various bug fixes relating to previously released features.

As work continues on the Internal Filing features, SLTX is looking forward to the release schedule which will include External Filing (or the ability to manually input transactions within SMART). As we enter the planning stages, SLTX will resume round table or focus group discussions with current users of SLTX’s Electronic Filing System (EFS). Please stay tuned and be on the look-out for additional communications within the next few weeks regarding this schedule and feature sets to be discussed.

As a reminder, SLTX has already released portions of its new online filing system, SMART. This includes filing features that are specific to automated or “programmatic” filers as these filing methods make up the largest majority of the transactions filed with SLTX. Beta testing is ongoing and feedback by automated filing broker users is strongly encouraged as broker testing is the primary mechanism to ensure data-related scenarios are handled effectively and efficiently. If you, as an automated filer, have not requested the updated Technical Reference and User Guides or are ready to resume beta testing, please contact the SLTX Tech Support team by email.

With each new release or significant deployment, additional notifications will be sent to existing users of SLTX’s Electronic Filing System (EFS). These notifications may also be found directly on our website under News>Procedural Updates.

Please contact the SLTX Tech Support team by email or phone at (512) 531-1880 or (800) 681-5848 with any questions.

SLTX does not automatically apply open credit balances to any balance due.

If there is a balance due that includes one or more credits, you must contact SLTX’s Accounting department to request that the credit(s) be applied. Once that is complete, you will be able to pay your net amount due.

If there is a credit balance with no balance due, you must contact SLTX’s accounting department to request a refund check be issued.  Once issued, the check will be mailed to the address on file for the corresponding agency.

To contact SLTX’s Accounting Department, you may use SLTX’s “Contact Accounting” form. Please be certain to include your surplus lines license number with your request.

As a reminder, SLTX accepts payments via credit card or Automated Clearing House (ACH) through its Electronic Filing System (EFS). Once logged in to EFS, the “Pay Invoices” button will be visible on the left navigation menu. The payment portal will then open a new, secure tab in the browser. For step-by-step instructions, SLTX has created a how-to guide on the online invoice payment process. This guide is located on the SLTX Broker Forms page of the SLTX website.

The Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX) is pleased to announce upcoming updates to numerous coverage and class codes.  After significant analysis, changes were necessary to provide online filing users with a code selection the more accurately coincides with current industry language and products; with the goal to make the code selection a more obvious choice that more clearly matches policy documentation. The following SLTX Coverage and/ or Class codes have been added or have had updates to their description.  All other existing coverages and classifications remain unchanged unless specifically noted below.

SLTX will provide additional online learning materials, as necessary. SLTX tech support is currently working with automated filers to ensure their product code mappings are updated appropriately.

Primarily, these new codes will be available to use beginning January 1^st, 2021.

If you need assistance with the new coverage/ class codes, or you would like to schedule an individual training based on your agency’s lines of business, please contact the SLTX Tech Support team directly by email or phone at (800) 681-5848 (option 2).

The stamping office is here to provide aid and excellent customer service to all in our industry. If there are any questions or concerns, please utilize our  “Submit your Questions” page on our website.