The Wyoming Department of lnsurance (Department) is requesting certain information regarding the nonadmitted insurance that was written in Wyoming for the year 2024 and going forward. This data is necessary to reconcile the premiums written by non-admitted insurance companies with the premiums reported by the Wyoming non-admitted filers (surplus lines agents/brokers, direct procurement filers, and risk purchasing groups).

Wyoming follows the "Home State" taxation and regulatory requirements that are outlined in the Non-Admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) as required under W.S. 26-77-178.

Surplus Lines Brokers that transact business with non-admitted insurers where Wyoming is the home state are required to file tax reports with the Wyoming Department of lnsurance and remit taxes and fees on all Wyoming non-admitted insurance business through the Surplus Lines lnformation Portal (SLIP). As a surplus lines insurer doing business in Wyoming, you currently file your business written report to the Wyoming Department of lnsurance via a paper filing. The Department is modernizing this filing to be an electronic filing via the SLIP system, which will no longer require the paper filing.

lnsurers will submit policy data to the Wyoming Department of lnsurance via the SLIP system. The SLIP website can be accessed via https://www.slasclearinghouse.com or https://slip.slasclearinghouse.com/Common/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f. All surplus lines insurers will be sent an email when their company's SLIP account is created. However, if you do not receive an email, insurers can register for a SLIP account on the SLAS SLIP login page.

lnsurers have the following options for data submissions via SLIP: (1) manual data entry or (2) multiple policy submission through an XML batch process. lnsurers reporting a relatively small number of policies are ideal candidates for the manual data entry in SLIP, while insurers reporting numerous policies may prefer to submit data in XML batch format. Please contact the SLAS staff at batchfilins@slasclearinghouse.com to request more information on the batch filing process.

The Wyoming Department of Insurance is monitoring the impact of the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attack that occurred on February 21, 2024. Change Healthcare is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that also operates as Optum Solutions. This attack has created challenges for insurers, health plan members and health care providers including hospitals, individual practitioners, outpatient facilities and pharmacies in Wyoming.

Consumers who are experiencing concerns related to this cybersecurity incident should first attempt to resolve those issues with their health insurer or care provider directly. If a resolution cannot be reached, contact the Wyoming Department of Insurance at 307-777-7402 or file a complaint online here.

The Department would also warn individuals and providers to beware of possible scams during this time. Change Healthcare, United Healthcare and Optum Solutions will not reach out to you and offer to reimburse you money you may be due by requesting card information or account information. If you receive calls like this, please contact the Department. Consumers are strongly encouraged to continue personal cybersecurity best practices such as complex passwords, avoiding suspicious links in emails, or speaking to an unknown medical provider or hospital seeking personal information.

Updates on Change Healthcare’s efforts to address the cybersecurity attack can be found at UnitedHealth Group's cyber response page ↗.

On February 1, 2024, the Wyoming Department of Insurance (“Department”) will email the Annual Appointment Renewal Invoice and the Detailed Appointment List to each insurer. Appointments will retroactively expire effective January 31, 2023, unless the renewal invoice is paid in full on or before the due date of March 31, 2023. Pursuant to W.S. § 26-9-213 ↗, each producer acting as an agent of the insurer must be appointed and each insurer shall remit the annual appointment renewal fee to the Department. 

The last day to terminate an appointment and avoid the renewal fee is January 31, 2024. Once invoices are generated, the invoice may not be altered and must be paid in full to renew the company’s appointments. Be aware that if the invoice is not paid on or before March 31, 2024, the appointments will terminate effective January 31, 2024.

All 2024 Wyoming Company Annual Appointment Renewal Invoices should be paid via Sircon’s electronic payment portal (www.sircon.com). This process enhances efficiency, reduces costs and improves customer service with the Department. You will be able to submit payment for all Appointment Renewal invoices for your company in a single transaction through this service without having to pay each invoice separately. To use this service, you must be a Sircon account holder.

If you do not have a Sircon account, go to www.sircon.com/products/carriers/signup/ ↗ and follow the instructions to establish your Sircon account. If you already have a Sircon account, no action is required by you until you receive your invoice. Access to the Pay State Invoice Service for the Wyoming Appointment Renewals will be available on February 1, 2024.

Payments will be made through an Automated Clearing House (ACH) process using Vertafore’s Sircon Solution. There will be a $10 service fee for each invoice paid. Payments can be made with checking, savings, or corporate checking accounts. To submit these payments, the account must be authorized to accept ACH transactions. 

We recommend notifying your bank no later than January 14, 2024, with the following information:

1. ACH Payment ID is: F742470776

2. Payment Processor: Vertafore, Inc.

If you have any questions regarding your Sircon account or this payment service, please contact Sircon at https://sirconwalkup.vertafore.com/apex/sc_ContactSupport ↗ or by phone at (877) 876-4430.

To access the Pay State Invoice service, go to www.sircon.com ↗ and log into your business account. Under the Administration menu click on “Pay State Invoices” to process payment.

Updating Insurer Appointment Renewal Contact Information

Appointment Renewal Invoices will be generated and emailed on February 1, 2023 to the Appointment Renewal address/contact on record with the Department. The Appointment Renewal address/contact shall be reviewed and updated using the Wyoming Company Address Change Portal.

Questions regarding use of the Company Contact Address Change Portal should be addressed to Joyce Aitken at wyinsdep@wyo.gov or by phone at (307) 777-7401.

Important Dates to Remember for your Appointment Renewal

• 1/31/2024:  Appointment renewal contact updates due via the Department’s Company Address Portal.

• 1/31/2024:  Last day for terminations of appointments not to be renewed.

• 2/1/2024:    Appointment renewal invoices sent via email.

• 3/31/2024:  PAYMENT DUE by 11:59 pm MT.  Be aware, if the invoice is not paid on or before March 31, 2023, the appointments will be terminated on April 11, 2023. 

• 4/1/2024:    Payment service closes and payments will no longer be accepted.

Disputed Invoices

Any insurer having a dispute regarding a specific appointment must submit an email to the Department and provide documentation to verify that an appointment was terminated by the insurer prior to February 1, 2023.  Invoices must be paid in full and may not be altered.

Questions

Questions concerning the Annual Appointment Renewal Invoices may be sent to Lisa Hastings, Licensing Supervisor at doi-appt-renewals@wyo.gov or by phone at (307) 777-7344.