The Producers page is where registered producer profiles are stored and managed by agency admins.
This page lists ALL active registered producers alphabetically in the default view. Anytime a producer completes self-registration or is added to your SureLC account from the Producers page, the new producer profile will be created and listed here. Review the information in each section below to learn how to use the Producers page and the related functions.
HOW TO'S:
1. How to Access the Producers Page
2. How to Register a Producer (▶ video included)
3. How to Reset a Producer Password
4. How to Review & Update Producer Profiles
5. How to Send a Contract Request Review to a Producer
PRODUCER PROFILE SHORTCUTS:
1. How to Access the Producers Page
Login to your SureLC admin account using your web browser. The Producers page will be loaded by default. Or, if you're already logged in, select Producers in the navigation menu to access this screen. Select any Producer name in the first column to open their profile. Each producer row shows additional information about the producer. Review the information in each section below to learn more about how to use the producer page.
2. How to Register a Producer
Step 1: Login to SureLC for Agencies as an admin and go to the Producers page. This is the default landing page.
Step 2: Select the +Add Producer button on the top right.
Step 3: Enter the required information (SSN, last name, and DOB). Once entered, SureLC will check with NIPR to make sure the agent is licensed. Once located in the NIPR database, enter the producer's email address and phone number. You can also assign an affiliation (group label) and enter upline information when needed. You can also decide whether or not you want to send the producer their account activation email using the check box at the bottom of the screen. If you don't want to send the producer the password activation email now, simply uncheck the box. The password activation email can be sent at a later time from the Producers page -> Actions list. Select the create account button to add the producer to your SureLC account.
Please note: ONLY licensed agents with a valid NPN # and active state license can be registered. For new Producers, you will have to wait a couple of days for their information to be completely updated with NIPR before they can be registered in SureLC.
Once registration is complete, the new producer profile will be opened automatically for review.
Step 4: Producers who are successfully registered will receive a SureLC account activation email. They will use the link in the email to activate their account and to create their login password, as shown in the example below. Please note that if the password activation email was disabled, then this email will not be sent.
3. How to Reset a Producer Password
Step 1: Login to SureLC One as an Agency Admin. From the Producers page, locate the producer profile using the search field.
Step 2: Select the actions button to the right, and then select Send Password Reset Email.
Step 3: Review the information shown in the Reset Password dialog box. It's important that the producer knows which email address they used when they registered for their SureLC account. This email is used as their login user id and is also where they will receive their password reset email.
Select Reset Password to send them the reset password email.
4. How to Review & Update Producer Profiles
Use the search field to locate the producer profile. Once found, select the producer name to open the producer profile.
Producer Profiles
Producer profiles store information about each producer, which is used to fill out carrier contracting forms. Profiles are made up of multiple pages or tabs, as shown in the following example. Use the tabs at the top of the profile to switch between the pages that make up the profile. Initially, after a producer registers with an agency, their data is imported from the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
Notification Indicators
Red Dots - Indicate if there is something missing within the producer profile. In the example above, the producer has not provided the background questions, EFT info (bank info), and E&O insurance. These issues will need to be resolved BEFORE the agent will be able to submit any new carrier contract requests.
Yellow Dots - Indicate incomplete information; however, it will not block producers from submitting new carrier contract requests. These issues may need to be resolved at a later time.
Agency View
Producer View
Please note all producer profile information is available to producers within the "SureLC for Producers" web interface. The following example shows the producer's view of their profile. The main difference between the agency view and the producer view is how the profile is navigated. In the agency view, all of the pages are listed at the top. In the producer's view, they are to the left.
The initial information shown in the producer profile is imported from NIPR upon registration (when the producer's account is added to the SuranceBay system). If the producer already has an active account with another agency, their information will be pulled from the SuranceBay system. Most of the information in the profile is universal across all of the producer's accounts except for how they are doing business with each agency (DBA tab) and the contracts processed with each agency (Contracts & Contracting Requests).
Select any of the links below to review the information and settings on each page:
PROFILE TAB
PROFILE TAB
This tab shows the producer's personal and contact information. Review the details below for more information about the information contained in each section.
1. Full Name - This section shows the producer's first, middle, and last name.
2. Personal Information - This section shows the producer's SSN, NPN#, date of birth, gender, and marital status. Please note you can click on the eye icon to view the full SSN. Please note the SSN, NPN, and date of birth were imported from NIPR and are read-only.
Synchronize WITH NIPR - Select to pull updated DOB and/or last name changes from the NIPR database into the producer profile. This is useful when there is a name change due to marriage or when the producer's DOB needs to be updated. Please note that the information must be updated with the state DOI and NIPR BEFORE the changes can be pulled into the SureLC profile.
3. Contact Information - This section shows the producer's contact information that will be used on the contracting forms. This includes their contact email, phone, fax, and cell numbers.
Email - This value is unique per producer and is set to the contact email provided during producer registration. This email address field is not used on contracting paperwork. The email address in the producer's DBA tab is applied to carrier contracting paperwork. This email value is where the producer will receive email correspondence from the SuranceBay system.
4. Driver's License - When producers add their driver's license information to their profile, it will be shown here. Please note this information is optional.
5. Address Information - This section shows the producer's residential, business, and mailing addresses.
Residence (No PO Boxes) - This is the producer's residential address that is on file with NIPR.
Business Address - This is the business address NIPR has on file. The business address on this tab is not populated on carrier contracting paperwork. The business address in the producer's DBA tab is applied to the producer's carrier contracting paperwork unless your settings in Agency Setup override these settings.
Mailing Address - This is the mailing address NIPR has on file. The mailing address on this tab is not populated on carrier contracting paperwork. The mailing address in the producer's DBA tab is applied to the producer's carrier contracting paperwork unless your settings in Agency Setup override these settings.
DBA TAB
This information on this page tells the system how the producer will be doing business with your agency. The selection chosen will determine which contracting forms will be filled out, along with state and product selections for the producer's carrier contracts. It also affects how commissions are paid to the producer.
1. Doing Business As - The option chosen will determine how the producer will be doing business with your agency. One of the following selections MUST be chosen to complete the DBA setup.
Individual - Select when you want carrier commissions to be paid directly to the producer. When selected, the producer receives commissions directly from the insurance company at the set commission rate. The producer will receive a 1099 from the insurance company with their SSN at the end of the year.
Business Entity - Select when the applicant is an Owner or Officer of a business entity that has an Employer Identification Number and commissions are paid directly to the Business Entity's bank account.
License Only Agent - Also known as "Solicitors". Select when the producer will be soliciting business for another individual or business. This selection is for the applicants who:
- Need to be appointed by a carrier
- Do not receive commissions directly from the carrier
- Are not an Owner or Officer of a Business Entity
When selected, commissions will be paid to the producer by the business or individual they are soliciting for which will happen outside the SuranceBay system. Please also note that bank account information will not be collected for license-only agents.
Institutional - By default, Institutional is not available for all agencies. Only those agencies that need this option will see this option. Contact support@surancebay.com for more information on adding this selection.
Please note: Unless your Agency Setup configurations override the producer's values, the phone #, fax #, mailing address, business address, email address, etc., information applied to the carrier's contracting forms are obtained from the producer's DBA tab.
2. Additional options -
Has solicitors - Select when the producer will have license-only agents soliciting for them as either an individual or business.
Assigning commissions - This option can be selected when a producer as their DBA is set up as an individual and wants to pay their commissions to a beneficiary.
3. Contact Information for Contracting - This section shows the producer's contact information which will be used for new carrier contract requests and populated onto the required carrier forms. This included the producer's phone, fax, email, and addresses. Please note this information is pulled from the My Profile page by default but can be edited as needed.
QUESTIONS TAB
The Questions page is used by Producers to provide information about their background. This information provided will be included with ALL new carrier contract requests for carrier review. While there are 19 background questions that producers must answer on this page, only the background questions that are required by each carrier will be included with the contract request. Any questions answered 'Yes' MUST include an explanation as shown with question 3 below.
LICENSES TAB
The Licenses tab automatically receives information from the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), either daily (when NIPR alerts are enabled) or weekly (on Sundays). For more information about these guidelines, Click Here.
This tab is for informational purposes only and requires no entries. The default tab shows the producer's active state licenses.
1. Add Manually - Select to add a state license to the producer profile manually. Please note that state licenses are updated the next day (if your agency uses NIPR Alerts) or weekly on Sundays (when not using NIPR alerts). Normally, license information does not need to be manually added. This option is only used as a temporary workaround when the license information has not yet been added to the SureLC profile. This action is only necessary when license information is not yet available within the National Insurance Producer Registry database.
2. License Cards - The licenses section shows a list of ALL active state licenses. Licenses are listed alphabetically by state and license number at the top. Additional details are provided below which include license class, lines of authority, effective and expiration date at the bottom.
3. Become Submitter - Select when you want to set yourself up as a submitter. Once authorized, a submitter can process license renewals on behalf of the producer. When enabled the "Renew" button will be added to the license page to be used to process license renewals for eligible licenses.
Please note this feature is only available when "Agency manages licenses" is enabled within Agency Setup.
4. Application Status - This option will be shown next to the Become Submitter button when there is a state license in the process of being renewed via SureLC. Use this option to check the status of pending license renewal orders processed through SureLC.
FINRA TAB
FINRA registration is required when producers will be selling variable products. When not selling variable products, they should simply answer 'No' to the FINRA question. When selling variable products, they will answer 'Yes'. When 'Yes' is selected, the system will attempt to locate the producer's CRD# via the BrokerCheck website. Once located, producers will need to confirm their CRD# on the FINRA page within the producer profile. Once confirmed, this information will be included with new carrier contract requests that have variable products selected.
Please note: When FINRA is set up as a validation rule, FINRA registration will be required BEFORE producers will be able to submit any new carrier contract requests.
EFT TAB
The Electronic Fund Transfer tab is where banking information is added to the producer profile. The carrier will use the bank info added here to pay their commissions. This tab will only be shown for producers doing business as either an "Individual" or "Business Entity" (on their DBA tab), as they're the only ones who will be receiving commissions from the carrier. This tab will not be shown for license-only producers. Please note in the producer profile view, this page is called "Bank Info" and is where your producers will provide their bank account number, bank routing number, account type, and voided check or bank letter.
1. Bank Info - When an agent or agency admin adds the producer's banking information (routing number and account number) to their SureLC profile, it will be shown here. Select to add banking information to the producer profile. Select view check to preview the voided check, or select edit to update the banking information.
2. Send form - Select to send the bank info form to the producer via email. This is only needed when the producer doesn't have access to a voided check.
3. View Form - Select to view the blank EFT form.
CONTRACTS TAB
This tab shows all of the active/completed carrier contracts that were processed via your SureLC agency account for the producer. Existing contracts that were active before the producer profile was added to your SureLC agency account will not be listed here but can be manually recorded here for reference.
1. Contract Example 1 - This contract example shows an Accendo contract that was completed on 12/20/2021. Once a pending contract is marked completed on the contracting requests tab, it will be listed on the contracts tab. The information shown includes the carrier name, products, agent number, and start date. By default, details are collapsed. Select the carrier row to review the contract details.
2. Contract Example 2 - This second contract example shows an AIG contract. Notice how the row is collapsed. If there is a problem with the assigned agent number, the text will be shown in yellow text. Select the row to expand the view to see additional contract details.
3. Record Existing Contract- Select to add an active contract to the producer profile that was in place prior to the producer registering a SureLC profile with your agency.
4. Actions - Select the options button when you want to edit or terminate an active contract within the SureLC profile. Please note terminating a contract in SureLC does not have any impact on the carrier contract or send anything to the carrier.
HISTORY TAB
The History can be used to provide the Producer's last seven years of their employment and residential history. The History Tab purposely omits the red/yellow dots validation because the information entered here is used for state licensing purposes. You may enter as little or as much information into this tab as required. When a producer applies for or renews a state license, and the History Tab is not completed, you are prompted to enter the required information during the state license application process.
1. Employment Records - This section is used to review or add the last 7 years of employment history for the producer.
2. Address History - Select to review or add the last 7 years of residential history for the producer.
3. Add Employment - Select to add past employment information.
4. To/From - Shows past employment with the company name, position, and address, along with the date from and to. date the producer was employed from and to for the entry.
5. Edit/Delete - Select the pencil icon to edit the information shown or the trashcan icon to delete the entry.
TRAINING TAB
This tab is used by producers to provide proof that they took an appropriate training course needed to get appointed with their carriers. Training courses can be Anti Money Laundering, Best Interest, Annuity State, LTC State, or AHIP Medicare, which must be added to the appropriate section when required by the carrier for contracting. There are two tabs on this page, certifications and course history. The 'Certifications' tab shows if the producer or agency admin added any current training courses to their profile which will be included with new carrier contract requests when required. The 'Course History' tab shows a list of training courses the producer has taken over time from public sources such as SBS, Sircon, and more.
1. Training Concierge - With the producer's permission, the training concierge can be used to automatically import training course information from any of the supported provider websites and added to the producer profile automatically. This is the best option to ensure the producer's training information remains up to date over time. The SuranceBay system will check for updates to training information with each new contract request to ensure the most recent information is included with each new carrier contract request when required. To use the features, Producers must provide the login user id and password for the desired training provider web portals, which will be used to import their training information.
2. Anti-Money Laundering - This section is used to add any anti-money laundering courses that the producer completed. Select the header row to expand this section. Most carriers require a supported AML course to be completed within the last two years before the producer can submit new business. This section will show any AML course info added to the producer profile. Agency admins can also use it to add AML course info to the profile. Select the Add Certification button to add AML course info to the producer profile.
Add Certification - Use this button to manually add AML course information and certificate to the producer profile.
3. Best Interest - This section is used to add Best Interest & NY Reg187 training certification to the producer profile. Select the State the course was completed for. Then Add Training to add this information to the producer profile. Reciprocity will be shown when applicable.
4. Annuity State - This section is used to add annuity state training certification to the producer profile. Select the State the course was completed for. Then Add Training to add this information to the producer profile. Reciprocity will be shown when applicable.
5. LTC State - This section is used to add LTC state training certification to the producer profile. Select the State the course was completed for. Then Add Training to add this information to the producer profile. Reciprocity will be shown when applicable.
6. AHIP Medicare - This section is used to add AHIP Medicare state training certification to the producer profile. Select Add Training to add this information to the producer profile. Reciprocity will be shown when applicable.
7. Fed Marketplace -This section is used to manually add Federally Facilitated Marketplace training information. Click the "Add Training" button to add and upload proof of your FFM training course and details.
8. Designations - SureLC automatically searches designationcheck.com for the producer's name and adds any possible matching results to the list of possible designations, which will be displayed in this section. Producers can select each designation icon to see more information about that possible designation and to confirm whether it is a correct match or add them manually using the Add Designation button.
E&O TAB
This tab stores the current copy of the Errors and Omissions insurance policy information and declaration page for the producer. Any group policies assigned to the producer will be added automatically. Individual E&O policies can be added by the producer or agency on this page. To add an E&O policy to the producer profile select "Add Existing Policy".
Next, upload the E&O policy declaration page (this should only be a couple of pages max). Once uploaded make sure the policy information in the fields provided matches the policy and then select Save & Exit to update the producer profile.
Once added, the E&O policy will be shown at the top of the page:
Group Policies
Please note that if a group policy has been added via Agency Settings and applies to the producer profile it will be added to the producer profile automatically and shown at the top of this page.
Blanket Policies - Active blanket E&O master group policies will automatically be added to the producer profile when applicable (if the policy is active).
Certificate Policies - Policy info will automatically be added to the producer profile, with the exception of the E&O certificate declaration page. With certificate policies, the producer or agency must add the group policy certificate to the group policy on this page.
SIGNATURE TAB
All producers must review and sign the SuranceBay signature authorization form. This form gives SuranceBay and your agency permission to fill out the contracting paperwork on your producer's behalf. It also provides a copy of the producer's digital signature that will be stored in their profile and applied to the required contracting forms when they complete their contract review at the end of the contract submission or request review.
1. Send Form - Select to send an email to the producer with the signature_authorization_form as a .pdf attachment. The producer can print the form and sign it, then upload it to their profile directly.
2. View Form - Select to view SuranceBay's signature authorization form.
3. Upload It Now - Select to upload a signed signature authorization form provided by the producer.
DOCUMENTS TAB
This tab houses all of the files added to the producer profile. The active tab shows all of the files that will be used when required for new carrier contracts (this includes AML, E&O, Signature Authorization, Voided check, etc.). The Archived tab shows all of the documents which have been archived and will no longer be used for contracting.
1. Filters - Use the sort by and filter by to resort the documents by date, category, or document type.
2. Add New Document - Select to upload a document to the producer profile.
3. Active Forms - This section shows all the active documents that will be included with new carrier contract requests when required by an insurance carrier.
4. Form Options - Select to view form options such as download, change type, and archive.
5. Full-Screen Document View - Select any document thumbnail to view the form full screen.
CONTRACTING REQUESTS TAB
1. Stage Filter - Select this filter to view contracts by stage. Stages are:
All Open - This is the default option that shows a list of ALL contracts that are pending at their respective stages (At Producer, At BGA, At Carrier, etc.).
At BGA - Select to see a list of all pending contract requests at the agency stage. These contract requests are ready to be reviewed and processed by your agency.
At Carrier - Select to see the contract requests that have been processed and sent to the carrier. These requests should be updated with either completed + the agent code or discarded based on what you hear back from the carrier.
At Upline - Placeholder. This option will be coming in a future update.
At Producer - Select to see the contract requests started by your producers which have not been reviewed & signed.
At Direct Upline - Placeholder. This option will be coming in a future update.
Completed - Select to see a list of all of the contract requests that have been completed that are no longer pending.
Discarded - Select to see a list of all of the contract requests that have been discarded.
Withdrawn - This is the status that is assigned to a contract request sent by the producer to the agency that is later removed by the producer before being processed by the agency.
2. Search by carrier - Use this field to search for all of the contract requests by carrier name.
3. Producer Phone - Producer contact phone number.
4. Create Request - Select to create a new carrier contract request to send to the producer to complete, review, and sign.
5. Pending Contracts - This section lists all of the pending contract requests by submission date listed from newest to oldest.
6. Actions - Select to access different options to apply to the pending contract request. These are:
Change Stage - Select to change the contract request stage from the current stage to a different stage of the contracting process.
Mark Completed - Select after checking in with the carrier and receiving confirmation that the request has been approved and when the agent received their code. Marking requests completed here moves them to the carrier contracts tab within the SureLC for Producers web interface.
Remind - Select to send a reminder email to the producer to complete the request review. When sent, the subject is changed to urgent.
Open - Select to open the contract request to start the review process.
5. How to Send a Contract Request Review to a Producer
Step 1: Login to your SureLC One admin account and go to the Producers page. This is the landing page for admins. Using the search field, locate the producer. Select their name to open their profile.
Step 2: Select the Contracting Requests tab. This is the last tab on the top right.
Step 3: Select the Create Request button.
Step 4: Select the carrier from the list and then 'Contract' as the request type. Click Next to continue.
Step 5: Select the products the producer wishes to sell (one or more) and the states where they would like to be appointed by the carrier (one or more). Please note ONLY the states where the producer is actively licensed will be listed. After making these selections click next to continue.
Step 6: Select the Request Review button at the bottom of the page. Please note that you can fill out the hierarchy & commission information now if you would like or after the producer completes their contract review and signs the contracting forms.
Step 7: Select the Request Producer Review button to send the contract request to the producer. The producer will receive an email with a link to the contract review. From there, they can complete the contract review and apply their signature at the end of the review process.
For compliance reasons DO NOT change the producer's email address to your email address.
** IMPORTANT **
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are agencies allowed to complete the producer request review and sign the paperwork for their producers. You jeopardize your agency's ability to continue using SureLC, and you may be subjected to dealing with carriers' compliance departments.
Example Request Review Email Received by the Producer
Producer's who receive a request review email for a contract will receive an from the SuranceBay system with a link to the contract request waiting for their review. From here the producer will select the "Start Your Review at SureLC" button to access the pending contract.
Simplified Login
From here the producer can enter the last 6 digits of their SSN + their DOB to start their contract review.
After producers complete their contract review and sign the paperwork your agency will get notified via email to make you aware the contract is ready to be reviewed and processed. Processed contracts will be listed in the WorkInbox and on the contracting requests tab within the producer profile.
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