In October of this year, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance will convert its current Agent Licensing computer system to COSMOS. This product has been purchased from innovative IT solutions (iITs) and is the companion to software available to companies called SIRCON. In anticipation of the conversion, several changes will take place that will affect your company.
Annual Company Appointment Billings
In previous years, companies were billed annually for appointments processed during the previous billing year and renewal appointments for the forthcoming year. While a similar process will continue, the month your company is billed will change. Beginning with July, all companies will have their billing month moved to January of each year. Therefore, companies currently expecting their billing in July, August, September, October, November or December will not receive it until January of 2002. Companies previously billed in February, March, April, May and June will also receive their annual billing in January of 2002. Invoices will be adjusted to prorate the annual renewal fees up or down, depending on your company's previous billing date. More specific information will be included with the billings mailed in January.
Appointment and Termination Forms
Due to our conversion to the COSMOS system, additional information will be required in order to appoint or terminate agents. You will now be required to provide each agent's social security number as well as the line(s) of authority requested for each individual appointment.
If your company is a SIRCON client, you will be able to electronically appoint and terminate agents using that system. Until that option is available, all companies must begin using the attached forms immediately to accommodate the new system. These forms are also available at our website. Log on to http://oci.wi.gov/ociforms.htm. SIRCON clients will be notified by innovative IT solutions when the electronic access is available in Wisconsin. Companies using other outside vendors to accomplish electronic appointments through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) should contact those vendors directly to determine when access is available.
Further information will be provided to insurers regarding our conversion once it becomes available. Please refer to our quarterly
Wisconsin Insurance News for additional updates as well. If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact me at (608) 267-1238. If you have questions regarding innovative IT services please contact them directly at (877) 876-4450.
Forms
OCI 11-001 Resident/Nonresident Agent Appointment
OCI 11-011 Notice of Termination