BULLETIN 2003-1 

  To:            All persons and entities engaged in, or contemplating being engaged in the business 
                   of insurance within the State of Utah. 

FROM:      Utah Insurance Department 

RE:            Electronic Submission and Processing of Initial Non-resident Producer 
                   Licenses, Initial and Terminated Insurance Company Producer 
                   Appointments, Insurer Verification of Producer Licensing and Appointment, 
                   and Lists of Current and/or Terminated Appointments  

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform all persons and entities that electronic submission and processing is the preferred method for handling initial non-resident producer license applications, initial and terminated insurance company producer appointments, insurer verification of producer licensing and appointment, and providing lists of current and/or terminated appointments.  Sufficient vendors now exist to enable the Department to declare electronic submission and processing for these transactions to be the preferred method. 

Paper submissions for these transactions will be processed after all electronic submissions have been processed.  Every attempt will be made to provide timely service for paper transactions; however, the service will not be as fast as the service via electronic submission and processing. 

The National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) (www.nipr.com.) has ten authorized business partners available to you to electronically submit these transactions.  NIPR offers organizations the option of programming their own portal into NIPR or of using the portals provided by its authorized business partners. Innovative IT offers electronic submissions through its SIRCON subsidiary (www.SIRCON.com).  Additional vendors providing similar electronic submission services will be identified on the Department's web page as they become available.  This Bulletin does not endorse any particular vendor. 

Electronic Processing of Initial Non-Resident Producer Licenses 

       ·    Individuals and agencies may apply and pay for their initial non-resident license  
             directly through NIPR's Internet web page, through NIPR's authorized business partners 
             or through SIRCON. Individuals and agencies are able to pay the Utah license fees and 
             the vendor's service fee by credit card.

·    The department will begin charging an additional fee for paper submissions of initial non-resident producer licenses as early as May or June 2003. The amount of the fee is as yet undetermined.  

Electronic Processing of Initial and Terminated Insurance Company Producer Appointments 

     ·   NIPR and its authorized business partners currently provide this service.

     ·   The department will begin charging an additional fee for paper submissions of initial and     
          terminated insurance company producer appointments as early as May or June 2003. The 
          amount of the fee is as yet undetermined. 

Electronic Insurer Verification of Producer Licensing and Appointment

     ·   NIPR provides this information through direct access to its Producer Data Base (PDB).

     ·   Electronic verification through NIPR will be faster and more efficient than 
          telephonic verification through the Department because the Department is not staffed to 
          provide this service.

Electronic Processing of Lists of Current and/or Terminated Appointments

     ·   NIPR and its authorized business partners currently provide this service.

     ·   The Department can provide these lists, however, the service will be slower than through 
          NIPR. The Department charges a minimum of $50.00 for a list of 1-500 records and $10  
          per record for every record over 500 to a maximum fee of $500. 

All affected persons and entities are encouraged to take advantage of the timesavings offered by use of this new technology. Additional information regarding electronic processing services is available on the Department's web page at www.insurance.utah.gov. Inquiries concerning this Bulletin should be directed to Tom Brasher, Director, Producer Licensing Services Division, at tbrasher@utah.gov or (801) 538-3645. 

DATED this 9th day of January 2003

                                                                                                   
                                                                           ___________________________________
                                                                                      MERWIN U. STEWART
                                                                                        Insurance Commissioner