Prior Insurance
Definition and Impact on Premiums
Proof of Prior insurance (POP) shows that the named insured
has proof of prior private passenger automobile liability
insurance, and the policy:
1.
Covered the named insured or spouse; and
2.
Provided six months continuous coverage*; and
3.
Was not insured with a Bristol West Company**;
and
4.
Did not have a lapse greater than 30 days at the
end of the policy period and prior to the Bristol
West effective date; and
5.
Had liability coverage at specified limits over the
six months continuous coverage (limits needs to
be shown on the proof of prior insurance
documentation).
Prior insurance is very important. It affects rates through
several rating factors including Tier and Tier related
discounts.
*Exception for Military Personnel Returning
from Overseas Deployment:
•
Military Personnel whose prior policy has lapsed
or canceled due to an overseas military
deployment will be considered as having valid
prior insurance with no lapse in coverage provided
the insured meets all POP qualification guidelines
prior to the date of deployment.
•
Please provide Transfer orders with the dates of
overseas deployment and valid proof that a prior
policy was in force at the time of deployment.
**Exception to prior insurance with a Bristol
West Company:
•
Insured is moving to a new state (please contact
Bristol West for applicable discount).
•
Insured was originally listed on another Bristol
West policy that has been in force for at least six
(6) months, where the other Bristol West policy is
remaining in force and is a parent’s policy, a
child’s policy, or a separated/ divorced spouse
policy.
•
Insured’s prior policy lapsed or canceled due to an
overseas military deployment (see above).
Processing Proof of Prior Insurance
1.
For your convenience, when you run consumer reports,
Bristol West Insurance Group MS
Bristol West will attempt to confirm proof of prior
insurance. You will receive a message indicating if
proof was verified.
2.
If POP was not verified at point-of-sale, you will need
to fax proof to Bristol West immediately following
upload.
Please obtain required POP documentation from
your customer at the time of application.
Review the information provided for accuracy prior
to upload.
Fax complete proof to 888-888-0070 using the prefilled Bristol West fax cover sheet that prints with
the application. You must use a Bristol West fax
cover sheet to ensure accurate and timely
processing.
If we receive incomplete proof (i.e., insufficient
proof to confirm the length of continuous coverage,
lapse days, coverage limits, prior carrier), we may
contact you directly to discuss any additional
material required.
3. A reminder notice will be mailed out after 5 days to the
insured and we post a reminder for you (the producer) on
www.bwproducers.com if no proof has been received.
The notice to the insured advises them that their
immediate response is required to maintain the discount
for having prior automobile insurance, and directs them to
fax information in or contact their producer and provide
any necessary information if they have not yet done so.
The producer notice directs you to fax in the information
if you have not yet faxed in complete proof. Both notices
reference a special fax number that expedites processing.
You can review your reminders by running the
Underwriting
Letter
report
accessed
through
www.bwproducers.com:
Producer
Reports/Bristol
Mail/Underwriting Letter. Please be patient with regards
to the customer reminder. Situations may occur where
you have faxed in proof and the memo has been sent
before we confirm receipt of the fax.
4. We recognize that there are times when you may not have
complete proof at time of upload.
Quickly follow up to obtain necessary documentation
to confirm accuracy, and fax required documentation
to Bristol West.
Failure to submit complete valid proof within 15 days,
may result in an increase in premium.
Remember, when submitting proof you must use a
Bristol West fax cover sheet to ensure accurate and
timely processing. If you still have it, you can use the
pre-filled fax cover sheet that printed out with the
application. Alternatively you can print a blank fax cover
sheet from OneStep Raptor™, using the select print
option or complete and fill one from
www.bwproducers.com: FORMS. If you print a blank
cover sheet, you must fill in the producer name,
producer code, and policy number.
New Rates Effective 12/30/2005
Acceptable Proof of Prior Insurance
THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE
PRIOR POLICY IS EQUAL TO THE
BRISTOL WEST NEW BUSINESS
EFFECTIVE DATE.
Renewal Notice; or
Non-Renewal Notice; or
Declaration Page; or
Company Issued ID Card; or
Company Issued Letter of Experience; or
Screen Print from Carrier’s System or
Agent Management System.
The prior policy expiration date must
match the Bristol West new business
effective date.
THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE PRIOR
POLICY IS NOT EQUAL TO THE
BRISTOL
WEST
NEW
BUSINESS
EFFECTIVE DATE.
In order to confirm prior policy status we need any one
of the items on the left,
PLUS any one of the following:
Invoice within 30 days of the Bristol West
policy inception date; or
Company Cancel Notice; or
Other Company Documentation of Policy
End Date.
Unacceptable Proof of Prior Insurance
A boat or motorcycle policy
A Copy of an Application
Acord forms including lost policy releases (LPRs)
Producer issued ID card
A policy from the named insured’s employer
Producer issued letter of experience/certificate of insurance
Insurance binder
Commercial policy*
*Commercial policies are unacceptable as proof of prior insurance unless the named insured is specifically listed on the commercial
policy.
Bristol West Insurance Group MS
New Rates Effective 12/30/2005
Frequently Asked Questions About Prior
Insurance
Q1: If the prior policy has a mid-term lapse of 1-30 days,
does this qualify as 6 months continuous coverage?
A1: No. We allow a lapse of 1-30 days only after 6 months of
continuous coverage.
Q2: If an insured canceled with BRW for non-payment of
premium, can BRW be used as prior insurance when writing a
new policy?
A2: No.
Q3: Can a commercial policy be used as prior insurance?
A3: No. The only exception to this rule is if the commercial
policy specifically listed the name of the insured.
Q4: If the prior insurance policy was physical damage only
(no BI limits), does it qualify as prior insurance?
A4: No. The prior policy must have had liability coverage.
Q5: When is it necessary to provide an end date for proof of
prior?
A5: When the prior policy effective date is not equal to the
Bristol West new business effective date. We need this to
confirm prior policy status.
Q6: Is it always necessary to include the Bristol West POP
fax coversheet when submitting proof of prior insurance?
A6: Yes. Using a completed Bristol West fax cover sheet
ensures timely and accurate processing of proof.
Q7: Where can I obtain a Bristol West POP fax coversheet ?
A7: A pre-filled POP fax coversheet will print with the
application if POP has not been verified at point of sale.
Alternatively, you can print a blank coversheet using the select
print option in OneStep Raptor™, or complete and print from
www.bwproducers.com: FORMS. Remember - if you use a
blank cover sheet, you must fill in the producer name,
producer code, and policy number.
Q9: Is a reminder sent to the producer or the insured at any
time regarding proof of prior insurance?
A9: Yes. After 5 days if we have not received any proof a
reminder notice is mailed to the insured and the producer
indicating that POP proof has not been received and that proof
is required to avoid an up-rate. The notices directs the
producer to fax in the information if they have it, and directs
the insured to fax in the information or contact their producer
and provide them with the information if they have not yet
done so. Please be patient with regards to the customer
reminder. Situations may occur where you have faxed in
proof and the memo has been sent before we confirm receipt
of the fax. The reminders were recommended by producers
and are sent to help the customer, producer and the Company.
Q10: Why is it that for some carriers POP is never verified at
time of load (Point of Sale)?
A10: Point of sale verification uses data provided by insurance
carriers, some of which do not share their data with our data
provider. POP can be verified only for those carriers that
submit data. Please review the list provided on the next page
for details on which companies can be verified.
Q11: Why is it that sometimes POP may not verify for a
carrier that has verified in the past?
A11: There are several potential reasons. The two most
common reasons include: (i) the customer information does
not match the information provided by the carrier (e.g. mailing
address), and (ii) the carrier has not yet submitted information
for that policy/time period to our data provider. Carriers
update information, daily, weekly, or monthly.
Q8: Is the producer notified at time of upload (Point of Sale)
that proof of prior insurance needs to be submitted?
A8: Yes. The producer receives notification via an edit that
POP must be submitted. In addition a fax cover sheet prints
with the application indicating any items that need to be
submitted to Bristol West.
Bristol West Insurance Group MS
New Rates Effective 12/30/2005
Prior insurance can be verified at time of upload for the following companies:
Company Name
Company Name
AAA Missouri
Interstate Insurance
Agency Insurance Company of MD
Leader
AIGM
Kemper Direct
Allied
Mendota
Allstate
Merchant's Mutual
American Family
National Farmer's Union
ANPAC
Nationwide
Brethren
NJ Skylands
Cameron Mutual
Nodak Mutual
Cornerstone National
Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Countrywide
Oklahoma Farmer's Union
CSAA (California State Auto Assn)
Parkway
CSE (Civil Service Employees)
Peninsula
Direct Response
Preferred Mutual
Electric
Progressive
Encompass (CNA)
Providence Washington
Esurance
State Farm
Farmers Alliance
Unigard
Farmers Insurance Group (except CA policies)
Unitrin Direct
Farmers Mutual of NE
Unitrin Financial Indemnity
GMAC/Integon
Unitrin Kemper Direct
Hartford Insurance Group
Unitrin Specialty (Charter)
High Point (formerly Prudential NJ)
Vesta
ICW/Explorer
Victoria
IFA
Virginia Farm Bureau
IMT
West Bend
Bristol West Insurance Group MS
New Rates Effective 12/30/2005