Eligible Insurers

Related Information

Eligible Insurers Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Where can I find an application to become an Eligible Surplus Lines Insurer?
  2. What are the required qualifications for foreign surplus lines eligibility?
  3. What are the required qualifications for alien surplus lines eligibility?
  4. What are the annual filing requirements for a foreign Eligible Surplus Lines Insurer?
  5. What are the annual filing requirements for an alien Eligible Surplus Lines Insurer?
  6. Does an applicant need to be sponsored by a licensed surplus lines agent?
  7. Does the sponsoring surplus lines agent have to be a Pennsylvania resident?
  8. Where can I find the companies eligible to provide surplus lines insurance in Pennsylvania?
  9. How often is the eligible surplus lines insurer list published or updated?

1. Where can I find an application to become an Eligible Surplus Lines Insurer?

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2. What are the required qualifications for foreign surplus lines eligibility?

  1. The company must have either engaged in doing the business of surplus lines insurance in one or more jurisdictions for at least 3 years immediately preceding the filing of an application to be an eligible surplus lines insurer; or be an affiliate of an admitted insurer which has been so admitted for at least 3 years immediately preceding seeking approval to do business in this Commonwealth.
  2. The minimum policyholder surplus of the applicant must be $7,050,000. The minimum is greater if the application is an insurance exchange. (See Section 1605(a)(2) of the Insurance Company Law [40 P.S. Section 991.1605(a)(2)].)

If the company meets the above qualifications, please refer to the Qualification and Application Requirements for Surplus Lines Eligibility - Foreign for additional requirements.

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3. What are the required qualifications for alien surplus lines eligibility?

  1. The company must have either engaged in doing the business of surplus lines insurance in one or more jurisdictions for at least 3 years immediately preceding the filing of an application to be an eligible surplus lines insurer; or be an affiliate of an admitted insurer which has been so admitted for at least 3 years immediately preceding seeking approval to do business in this Commonwealth.
  2. The minimum policyholder surplus of the company must be $7,050,000.
  3. The company shall maintain in the United States an irrevocable trust fund in either a national bank or a member of the Federal Reserve System, in an amount not less than that currently required by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' International Insurers Department (formerly known as the Non-Admitted Insurers Information Office). The trust fund is for the protection of all of the company's policyholders in the United States, and such trust fund shall consist of cash, securities, letters of credit or investments of substantially the same character and quality as those which are eligible investments for admitted insurers authorized to write like kinds of insurance in this Commonwealth. Such trust fund will be in addition to the minimum capital and surplus requirements and shall have an expiration date which at no time shall be less than five (5) years. If the applicant is any Lloyd's or other similar unincorporated group of alien individual insurers, it must maintain a trust fund of not less than fifty million ($50,000,000) dollars as security to the full amount thereof for all policyholders and creditors in the United States of each member of the group.
  4. The company shall appear on the most recent quarterly listing of nonadmitted alien insurers which have met the criteria in the plan of operation adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners International Insurers Department, or successor organization.

If the company meets the above qualifications, refer to the Qualification and Application Requirements for Surplus Lines Eligibility - Alien for additional requirements.

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4. What are the annual filing requirements for a foreign Eligible Surplus Lines Insurer?

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5. What are the annual filing requirements for an alien Eligible Surplus Lines Insurer?

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6. Does an applicant need to be sponsored by a licensed surplus lines agent?

  • Each applicant company should select a sponsoring licensed surplus lines agent through whom application is made. The sponsor should handle all correspondence and telephonic communication regarding the insurer's application for surplus lines eligibility.

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7. Does the sponsoring surplus lines agent have to be a Pennsylvania resident?

  • The sponsoring licensed surplus lines agent does not have to be a Pennsylvania resident. The individual must hold a Pennsylvania resident or non-resident surplus lines license.

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8. Where can I find the companies eligible to provide surplus lines insurance in Pennsylvania?

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9. How often is the eligible surplus lines insurer list published or updated?

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