Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
Coverages
Mortgagees
Passwords
Online Payments
Completing the Application
Online Viewing
Do I need to be licensed with Ohio FAIR Plan (OFP)?
No agent can be licensed with OFP. However, any Ohio-licensed property
and casualty agent can submit business to the Ohio FAIR Plan. As an
agent, you are obligated to assist property owners apply for coverage.
Non-resident agents must also assist property individuals needing OFP
to apply for coverage, but will receive no commission for doing so unless
they have a resident agent who has assisted the individual.
Resident agents will be paid commission of 10% on commercial policies
and 12% on residential policies.
Does OFP offer any training or continuing education opportunities for agents
regarding the FAIR Plan?
OFP has approval from the Department of Insurance for a 3-hour CEU seminar.
During these seminars, attendees will learn about
the FAIR Plan products, underwriting criteria for each product, procedures
for writing business through the FAIR Plan, etc.
Click here for more information about
OFP seminars. OFP can also provide a speaker/instructor for your meetings.
Click here for further information about
such educational opportunities.
Can I bind coverage?
No. Only a FAIR Plan underwriter approves applications for binder issuance.
Since agents assisting property owners to apply for coverage through OFP
are not FAIR Plan agents, no agent has binding authority. The agent serves
as an agent for the applicant.
When is coverage bound?
The FAIR Plan underwriter can bind coverage as early as the day following
OFP's receipt of the fully completed application and appropriate binder deposit
premium. The binding of
coverage will occur if the FAIR Plan underwriter determines the property
to be eligible for binder coverage.
How can I submit payment with the application?
You will be asked to choose the method of payment near the end of the
application.
To mail in a payment, select the “print coupon and mail payment” option.
After the application is submitted, the coupon will be emailed to you. You
can then mail a check or money order and coupon to our office.
If you would like to submit payment electronically, select the "pay on-line
when the application is submitted" option. You will be redirected to our payment
partner's website after submitting the application. After you submit the
information and receive confirmation of payment, you will be transferred back to
OFP's website. A receipt will be emailed after the payment is made.
How do I get a quote?
OFP's web site provides the ability to get an estimated online quote for
Homeowners and Dwelling Property coverage. You may get a more definite quote
by completing an application and selecting the “Submit only as quote” option.
We will inspect the property and, if the property is eligible for coverage,
a premium quotation will be mailed to all interested parties, including the
agent. The quoted premium must be paid within 40 days. Coverage would be
effective the day following OFP's receipt of the premium.
When is the inspection done?
Properties are typically inspected within 30 days of the binder issuance.
When OFP receives the inspection report, an underwriter will determine
appropriate action. Documents indicating that action will be mailed
generally within 3-4 days of the underwriter's processing of the
inspection. Typically notice of final eligibility (or non-eligibility)
will be mailed within 45-60 days of OFP's receipt of a completed application.
Do you offer coverage on vacant properties?
The only vacant property insurable by OFP is one that is under extensive,
formal renovation, and that coverage must be written under our
Rehabilitation Program.
Do you schedule personal property? Is personal property covered at replacement
cost? How much personal property coverage can be purchased?
We offer coverage for unscheduled personal property on an actual cash value
basis. Actual cash value is the replacement cost of the item less depreciation
based on the age of the item.
Under a Homeowners
policy, Unscheduled Personal Property coverage is available at 40 to 60 percent
of the Dwelling Coverage amount, depending on form eligibility (an appropriate
credit or charge will be applied to the policy premium). Some property, such as
jewelry and coins, is subject to special limits of liability which are clarified
within the contract.
Under a Dwelling Property or
Commercial Property policy, the applicant may select
the desired amount of personal property coverage.
Under a Farm Property policy,
the applicant may select the desired amount of personal property coverage. Some farm property can be
scheduled and covered for the Limit of Insurance shown on the Declarations page.
Do you provide coverage for mobile/manufactured homes?
Yes, we can offer DP-1 coverage for mobile homes and also manufactured homes
that are tied down and affixed to permanent foundation.
When can liability coverage be provided?
We can provide liability for risks that qualify for our Homeowners policies.
No liability is offered on Farm Fire, Dwelling Property, or Commercial Fire
policies.
Can you set up a policy as escrow bill?
If binder coverage is needed, the initial binder deposit premium must be
submitted with the application. However, all requested
balances thereafter will be invoiced to all listed parties on the policy.
Make sure that the mortgagee clause is provided on the application.
Can I get a binder/endorsement faxed to me for a loan closing?
Yes. You can request that we fax a copy of the binder in the Agents
Comments section of the application.
If you need an endorsement dec page sent to you, fax your request to
614-823-6084, write “rush” on the fax, and indicate where the dec
page needs to be faxed. Please be aware that we require 48 business
hours to process such requests.
If a property insured through the Ohio FAIR Plan is re-financed, can I
issue an amended declaration reflecting the new mortgagee?
No, any binder or policy changes must be issued by the
FAIR Plan. If the refinancing requires the issuance of an amended
declaration (policy or binder), a written request must be forwarded to
and received by the FAIR Plan. OFP will issue the amendment to the
contract as soon as possible.
The request may be faxed to us at 614-823-6084. As indicated above,
if evidence of coverage is needed for a closing, OFP will need 48
business hours to underwrite the request, make the necessary change,
and fax the evidence.
Does the FAIR Plan have a premium payment plan?
Yes, OFP offers a premium payment plan for Homeowners and Dwelling
Property policies that need to remain with OFP a second year and thereafter
as long as there is no interruption in coverage. If a policy cancels for
non-payment, the payment plan may not be offered in the future.
What is OFP's "Best" rating? Some lenders/mortgage companies insist
upon an "A-rated" company.
OFP is not listed in the Best Rating. OFP is supported or subsidized by
approximately 800 property insurers doing business in the state of Ohio.
All insurers are members of OFP, must remain members of OFP as a condition
of writing insurance in Ohio, and must "participate in the writings,
expenses, profits, and losses of the association." Those insurers are then
statutory "reinsurers" of OFP and OFP's Best Rating would be as good as
the top-rated insurer(s) in Ohio.
Can multiple staff members in an agency use the same website login ID and
password?
No. Each licensed staff member needs to request his or her own login ID and
password.
How soon can I submit an application after receiving my login ID and password?
Applications may be submitted immediately after receiving your login ID and
password.
What do I do if I forget my password?
If you have forgotten the password you use to access Agent Online Services,
click on the Forgot your password? link, and OFP will reset your password and
email it to the email address associated with your record.
I'm unsure if I have requested a login ID and password. How do I find out?
If you can’t recall if you’ve already requested a login, simply try your e-mail
address on the Forgot your password? page. If you’ve registered with us, a
new password will be e-mailed to you.
What is the online payment process?
For new applications, select the "pay on-line when the application is submitted"
option on the application. Once you finish entering the application information and
click "Submit" you will be redirected to our payment partner's website to complete
the payment transaction. Payments can be made via credit card or bank account.
Payments ranging from $250 to $2500 can be submitted electronically. A receipt will
be emailed after the payment is made.
To make payments for existing business, click on the Ohio FAIR Plan logo at the top
left of this page. Then click on Payment Options on the home page. You will be
redirected to our payment partner's website to complete the payment transaction.
Payments can be made via credit card or bank account. Payments ranging from $250 to
$2500 can be submitted electronically. A receipt will be emailed after the payment
is made.
I left my computer idle and I received an error when
trying to submit a binder deposit. What happened?
After several minutes have lapsed with no computer activity, the connection will
"time out." If this happens, you can return to Agent Online Services, enter your
login or name ID on the Agent Services page to view your data, and find the
application you just submitted under Received Applications Under Review. Then
click the submit binder deposit link to start a new payment session.
Where can I enter additional information about an application submission?
When you are working on the application, you will see an Agent Comments link on
the left side of each page. If you click on this link, you will be able to enter
additional information. For instance, if you ran out of room answering a question,
you can enter the info here. Or, if the client needs proof of coverage faxed to a
mortgage company, Agents Comments is an ideal way to communicate this information to
us. The information you enter will be visible not only on the application once it is
submitted, but also in the system we use for processing applications and policies.
How do the applicant and I sign the application?
The applicant will warrant the application with the last
four digits of his or her Social Security Number. The submitting agent or customer
service staff will warrant the application with his or her Ohio Department of Insurance
license number (not the National Producer Number). If you are unsure what your ODI
license number is, go to the Ohio Department of Insurance website,
www.insurance.ohio.gov
or call ODI at 614-644-2658.
How do I print a copy of the application for my records?
A copy of the application is immediately sent as an attachment to the email address
you have provided in your profile. If you open the attachment, you can print a copy
of the application.
How do I print a copy of the payment coupon?
A copy of the payment coupon and the application are immediately sent to the email
address you have provided in your profile. If you open the attachment, you can print
a copy of the coupon.
How do I save an application and finish it later?
Your application is saved each time you go to another page. There is not a "save"
button for this process, but if you click Next (at the bottom of the page you are
currently working on), the application will automatically save. To retrieve it,
simply log in to Agent Online Services and click Submit New Application. Please
note that an unfinished application will be deleted from our system after 30 days
from the time it was originally started.
How do I view the status of a policy and view documents associated with it?
Log in to Agent Online Services. Under the heading Last 12 Months of Activity,
enter search criteria to locate the binder or policy you need to view. If you click on
the file number, you will see the status of and the basic information for the particular
file. You can also click on the link at the left side of the page to
View Policy Documents associated with the file.
How soon can I see the status of a binder or policy?
Once a binder, policy, or any other coverage change has been issued, the status will
update in real time; however, policy documents will not be available until the day
following the coverage issuance or change.
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