CAARP News of Interest
Introducing CAARP Online Courses via LunchtimeCE (3-10-08)
To become a certified producer with the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP), all licensed agents/brokers in California must fulfill their producer certification seminar requirement within 120 days of becoming certified with CAARP. (Per Section 19.A.4 of CAARP’s regulations)
In conjunction with LunchTimeCE, a leading online CE provider in California, producers can now fulfill CAARP’s certification requirements by completing its online courses. For those producers who wish to take the online courses, you must go to www.lunchtimece.com/CAARP and follow the website’s instructions.
· The CAARP Introduction CE Course is divided into 4 parts.
· Each part is a 1-hour course, approved for 1 CE credit. You must receive a grade of 70% or better on the exam.
· Each course costs $15.00 each. You only pay when you've passed the exam.
The four 1-hour online courses are:
· CAARP Introduction, Part I: What is CAARP?
· CAARP Introduction, Part II: Private Passenger
· CAARP Introduction, Part III: California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (LCA)
· CAARP Introduction, Part IV: Commercial Auto
When a producer completes all four of the 1-hour CE courses and passes the corresponding exams, CAARP will be notified by LunchtimeCE. CAARP will then update the producer’s file showing they have completed their producer certification seminar requirement.
The onsite classroom courses will still be conducted throughout California for the remainder of 2008. For those producers who wish to register for any of the onsite classroom seminars check the Forms Library for the latest schedule and seminar locations. Note, the cost to take the four online courses or to attend one of CAARP’s classroom Introductory Seminars is the same, $60.00.
Producers, choose the best seminar option for you!
NOTICE TO ALL CAARP CERTIFIED PRODUCERS (rev 12-14-07)
CA Insurance Code Section §11629.745 states that producers who conduct business in a county in which a low-cost automobile insurance policy is available “shall inform every new prospective automobile insurance policyholder who requests a minimum limits or basic limits insurance policy, or coverage to meet California's minimum limits automobile insurance requirements, that the low-cost automobile insurance policy may be available for qualifying motorists.”
Certified producers are required to assist these individuals in determining their eligibility for the Program and completing an application if they wish to purchase the Low Cost insurance. Even if you only submit commercial business through CAARP, you as a certified producer must abide by 11629.745. If you as a certified producer have never written a Low Cost application, contact the Plan office for assistance. You can also attend one of CAARP’s Introductory Producer Seminars, where an entire session is devoted to the workings of the CA Low Cost Auto Insurance Program.
When CAARP discovers that a certified producer has refused to comply with the provisions of 11629.745, it will notify the producer and request their written response within 10 working days. Failure to respond or failure to provide an adequate response will result in the producer’s file being referred to CAARP’s Producer Peer Review Subcommittee, as well as to the California Department of Insurance.
On December 10, 2007, the remaining 16 counties went live, making the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (LCA) a STATEWIDE PROGRAM!
Information about the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program can be found at the Program’s website at www.aipso.com/lc. If you need assistance contact CAARP at 800-622-0954 or 866-602-8861. You can also email CAARP at caarp@aipso.com.
CAARP Commercial EASi (9-05-06)
The California Assigned Risk Plan is pleased to announce the introduction of Commercial EASi. As with Private Passenger EASi, it is a simple cost effective way for producers certified by the Plan to complete and submit commercial automobile application data electronically to the Plan via the Internet. The resulting electronic version of the completed application must still be printed, signed and mailed to the Plan together with the premium deposit payment and any other supporting documentation and/or forms required by the Plan.
Effective September 5, 2006, Commercial EASi is available to CAARP’s certified producers. If you already have an EASi username and password, you will use that same username and password to submit commercial applications.
Please note that Commercial EASi will not have any rating or VIN validation at this time. Also Commercial EASi is only available for risks with 5 vehicles or less. If you have a commercial risk with more than 5 vehicles you cannot use EASi.
While there is no rating available, Commercial EASi still has many benefits:
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No more calling the 800-555-0513 number to secure an electronic effective date over the telephone.
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No more hand-written applications.
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A data validation process that automatically eliminates many potential application violations.
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A 400-day storage facility.
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EASi always has the most current version of the application.
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EASi keeps a new business log for the producer. It shows the assignment date and what servicing carrier the application was assigned to.
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Free technical support is available should you need it.
EASi’s website address is http://www.aipso.com/EASi.
NEW CAIP SERVICING CARRIER (3-1-06)
Beginning March 1, 2006, New Hampshire Insurance Company replaces Liberty Mutual as one of CAARP’s two CAIP servicing carriers. All new business commercial applications sent to CAARP will be assigned to either National Continental or New Hampshire. Any existing CAIP business with Liberty Mutual will be in force until the policy’s earliest renewal date. At that time Liberty will send out a statutory notice of non-renewal to all their policyholders. Producers should be advised that if their insured cannot secure coverage through the voluntary market they would need to resubmit a new business CAARP commercial application to the Plan office for assignment to one of the active servicing carriers.
Word From the Director – Introducing EASi - Electronic Application Submission Interface (3-10-05)
The California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP) is pleased to announce the introduction of EASi, the Electronic Application Submission Interface. EASi allows certified producers to complete CAARP private passenger applications on-line, plus it provides a premium estimate for certain private passenger risk types, including non-owners. All individually certified producers and certified agencies should have recently received letters in the mail providing them with their EASi userid and password. Producers are advised to contact the Plan office if they did not receive their letter and they wish to use EASi.
In addition to providing a premium estimate, the EASi on-line application process provides validation of the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN. The VIN validation feature of EASi allows the producer to immediately verify online the make, model and year of an applicant's vehicle. If the VIN entered is valid, the vehicle's year, make & model information will be retrieved and automatically entered into the online application form. If an invalid VIN is entered, the online rating vehicles' page will report that the VIN entered cannot be verified. A certified producer will be able to continue to the rating summary screen, but no VIN information will be returned, and a message that the VIN could not be verified will be printed on the online application.
Step-by-step instructions for EASi Rating, including VIN validation can be found at www.aipso.com/easi. Just hit the HELP link.
Producers will Receive Violations for Not Using the Most Current Applications (01-05)
CAARP revised its Private Passenger and Commercial applications in January 2005, yet many producers continue to use the older versions. Please note that effective February 1, 2005, producers have been receiving "OA-Obsolete Application" violations for every instance an application submitted is not the most current version. There are two ways to get the most current applications:
1. For the fastest service, download applications directly from our website by going to the Forms Library. You can then make a photocopy of the downloaded application for future use. Remember, all photocopies of applications must be clear and legible or producers will receive a “PA– Application Photocopy” violation.
2. You can also order applications from our Home Office, AIPSO. The CAARP Order Form can be downloaded from our website in the Forms Library , or if you choose, a CAARP Customer Service representative will mail or fax you a form. These applications would then be mailed to your office.
Plan Manual Updates (11-04)
In order to receive updates to the Plan manual and Important Notices (such as the revision to the CAARP Private Passenger rates effective November 19, 2004), your subscription to the Plan must be renewed every year. Producers and/or companies who fail to maintain their subscription run the risk of not receiving the above documents. In lieu of maintaining a subscription to the paper manual, you may choose to access and/or download these documents free of charge on this website. You may also choose to sign up for a free automated service that e-mails you whenever AIPSO updates the manual by using the sign-up page provided on this website. Should you need to check or verify whether you are currently signed up to receive your Important Notices or Circulars, you may call Mail Order Management at (401) 942-9799. Please be prepared to provide your name and/or agency name and producer certification number.
Get Assignment Information Over the Phone
The California Application Inquiry System will provide you with assignment information for CAARP and Low Cost applications assigned by the Plan/Program within the past three months.
If you are a certified producer with CAARP, all you have to do is call our automated procedures system at 800-555-0513, and follow the step-by-step prompts. When prompted, choose Option 3, provide the named insured or applicant’s California Driver License Number, and the following information will be given over the telephone:
The California Application Inquiry System will provide you with assignment information for CAARP and Low Cost applications assigned by the Plan/Program within the past three months:
· Assigned Company Name
· Company telephone number
· Effective Date and Time given
· 10-digit Plan Assignment Number
· SR22 filing information (if requested)
You will be asked to enter the numerical part of the license number that is written on the application. If you need information on assignments beyond three months, you will need to contact CAARP's Customer Service Department at 800-622-0954.
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