Announcing MAIA’s 2020 Award Winners
We are very pleased to announce the following deserving recipients of MAIA awards for 2020. The awards were presented on Friday, November 6th during MAIA’s Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the virtual Big Event. Distinguished Service Award: Raymond D. Gallant, John F. Koegel, and Michael PangioneThe awards were presented to these outgoing Members of…
Take the Big “I” 2020 Agency Universe Survey
The IIABA (Big “I”) is currently fielding the 2020 Agency Universe Study, “the most comprehensive and important survey of independent agents in the United States,” says President & CEO Bob Rusbuldt. All MAIA/Big “I” members are encouraged to participate. Those who do will receive a copy of the results, and will be entered in a…
UPDATE: New Process for Customer Printing Temporary Docs
MAIA issued a Special Bulletin on 11/2/2020 about the RMV’s new central distribution process for certain plates and registrations ordered through the Registration Drop Off Centers. This notice updates and clarifies that information.
Duplicate Registration Fee Overrides
If a customer contacts the RMV, indicates they did not receive their registration in the mail, and requests a duplicate, the $25 duplicate fee will be overridden if:
Commercial Credentials (CDLs & CLPs) Extended to December 31st
All commercial credentials (CDLs and CLPs) that expired or will expire between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020 have been extended and will remain valid until December 31, 2020. CLP holders will not need to retake the general or endorsement knowledge tests if their permits originally expired during that time and have been extended.
Easing of Certain Annual Renewal Requirements for Retail Alcohol Licensees
Agents will want their liquor liability customers to know that, per Governor Baker’s COVID-19 Order No. 53, effective this Friday, November 6, at 12:01 a.m., all retail alcohol licensees must close their premises to the public by 9:30 p.m. In addition, licensees that remain closed to the public may automatically renew their liquor licenses for…
Add a NEW Revenue Stream to your Agency – Private MA PFML
We are happy to announce that Number One has teamed up with ShelterPoint Life Insurance Company to bring Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), a state-mandated benefit, into the hands of independent agents.
Big Event Starts Thursday! Last Minute Tips!!!
Login Instructions Have Been Sent! If you are registered for the Big Event, you should have received an email with your login instructions this week. If you DID NOT receive the email, PLEASE LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY! Contact Sheron Gagnon or Heather Kramer with the Name, Agency, and Email Address you registered under. Each login…
New Registration Drop Off Central Distribution Process
An RMV Update dated 11/6/2020 clarifies some of the information presented here.Please CLICK HERE for the updated information. Effective Monday, November 2nd, certain plates and/or registrations ordered through Registration Drop Off Centers will be centrally distributed and mailed from the new Lowell Fulfillment Center. Centrally distributed plates will now be sent from both Lowell and…
Watertown Road Tests Temporarily Moved to New Location
Until further notice, due to a facilities issue, road tests scheduled at the Watertown RMV will be temporarily held next to the mall at the Residence Inn by Marriott at 570 Arsenal Street, Watertown.
Lienholder Code List Available on RMV Website
Agents can find an accurate list of lienholder codes on the RMV website, in the RMV Forms & Manuals section under Vehicle Registration Forms. The online list is updated regularly, and agents should use these codes when completing the Registration and Title Application (RTA) for any vehicle with a lienholder.
Homebuyers Getting Flood Information on a New Level
Have you been on the popular home sales website Realtor.com® lately? Realtor.com is now showing the estimated flood risk on every property listing. That’s correct, EVERY property is in a flood zone. It just depends on the level of risk.
New Process for Trailer & Commercial Vehicle Registration Renewals
Effective Monday, October 26th, due to the pandemic, all Commercial and Trailer registration renewals dropped off at a Registration Drop Off Center with Registration Renewal Applications (RMV-2s) will be sent to RMV Headquarters in Quincy for processing. These applications will be prioritized based on expiration date (rather than first in, first out) and, when completed,…
Senior Hours Extended Through November & December
Dedicated Wednesday appointment hours for customers 75 years of age or older to renew their expired license or ID card have been extended through the end of the year. These appointments will be available to customers 75 years of age or older whose driver’s license or ID card expires in September, October, November, and December,…
Tech Talk: The Sudden Surge in E-Bike, Electric Scooter, Moped, and Motor Scooter Ownership
By Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, LIA, CRIS, CPIW — VP of Technical Affairs First …don’t forget our annual convention! MAIA’s Big Event 2020 Conference & Trade Fair is happening November 5th and 6th. There’s a new twist – it’s VIRTUAL! Take a look … some really great stuff you don’t want to miss!
CDL Medical Certificate Waiver Extension
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued an additional waiver for CDL Medical Certificates (DOT Medical Cards). This waiver extends the expiration date of CDL Medical Certificates as follows:
Reservation Alerts on MyRMV Profile
When customers make a service center reservation through their MyRMV profile online, an alert now displays at the top of their MyRMV profile. The alert states “You have an upcoming appointment,” and clicking on the link will give customers their appointment details. Note: The alert will not display if the reservation was made outside the…
RMV’s I-Pay-Tax-Program is Online Only
The I-Pay-Tax-Program is used to report someone who may be evading taxes by registering their vehicle in another state. Effective immediately, complaints can only be filed online at Mass.Gov/RMV. The I-Pay-Tax Complaint Form (REG121) is no longer used and has been removed from the website. If you have any printed copies, please recycle/destroy them. Learn…
New Law Extends NFIP Through Sept. 30, 2021 – A Full Year
President Trump has signed a law extending the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through Sept. 30, 2021. This is good news for MAIA/Big “I” members, as previous extensions to have been much shorter, enacted to temporarily prevent NFIP lapses. The additional time should help Congress build consensus on common-sense reforms to the NFIP. Wyatt Stewart…
Personal Liability Protection for Police Officers from RLI
RLI’s tagline is “Different Works” and we see that again! Not all carriers offer personal umbrella coverage to police officers. We wanted to share that RLI’s underwriting does not restrict personal liability protection for this profession (although the RLI policy does exclude commercial liability, so it will not cover the individual while working). If you…
New Online Duplicate Liquor ID Transaction
Effective immediately, a new duplicate liquor ID transaction is available through the Online Service Center at Mass.Gov/RMV. The transaction name is “Replace My Liquor ID”. Customers can use this transaction to order and pay for duplicate liquor ID cards without needing to visit a service center.
Escalation Process Now in Place at ALL Registration Drop Off Centers
On September 8th, a pilot began in the Haverhill and Wilmington Registration Drop Off Centers for an escalation process for work that was previously submitted, was not completed, and was issued an Application Status Letter. This streamlined the process for runners and agents and ensured returned work is completed in a timely fashion.
RMV Now Doing In-Person License & ID Renewals
The RMV is now processing in person license (all classes) and ID card renewals in all service centers that are open for licensing/ID transactions. Both REAL ID and Standard licenses and ID cards are available during in person renewals. A service center reservation is required.
New Cape & Islands License Plate Prefix
A new plate prefix has been created for Cape Cod and Islands plates. The new plate prefix will begin with “CP” followed by one to four characters. The letters “I”, “O”, “Q”, and “U” will NOT be used.
Tech Talk: Low Interest Rates…New Purchases…Refinancing…and Bank Requests
By Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, LIA, CRIS, CPIW — VP of Technical Affairs First …don’t forget our annual convention! MAIA’s Big Event 2020 Conference & Trade Fair is happening November 5th and 6th. There’s a new twist – it’s VIRTUAL! Take a look … some really great stuff you don’t want to miss!
Resolving Issues with Revocations & Rejected Renewals
The Registry of Motor Vehicles is working on a solution to two issues that may be affecting your reporting of MA auto insurance policies to the RMV and/or your customers. One is an issue with the revocation process that is resulting in the creation of an immediate 10-day revocation notice in error. The other issue…
Registration Drop Off Center Email Address
Effective Monday, September 28th, there will be a dedicated email address for Registration Drop Off Centers: [email protected] Customers should be advised to send an email to this address if it has been more than 4 days since they dropped off their transaction, they have not received an email from the RMV, and they have checked…
RMV Service Center Openings & Changes Happening in October
See updates made 10/14/2020 regarding temporary changes at Greenfield RMV. In October, two RMV Service Centers will open or change their hours, Wednesday appointments for customers 75 or older to renew their licenses/IDs will be extended and expanded, and there will be several changes to Registration Drop Off Centers.
Electronic Signatures on Certain RMV Forms
Effective September 24th, certain RMV and Department of Revenue (DOR) forms can be signed by customers using Electronic Signatures/eSignatures and submitted during dealer sales or casual sales. Note: The RMV is currently evaluating other forms to determine if Electronic Signatures/eSignatures can be accepted on them.
New SinglePoint Functions Can Save You Trips to the RMV
We want to make sure our members are aware that Boston Software’s SinglePoint, which allows agents to complete RMV transactions online, can now handle even more ATLAS functions and transactions, including RMV Lookup, RTA Prefill, RMV Get Ready, and RMV Registration Processing. SinglePoint’s capabilities can save you and your insureds time and frustration by preventing…
New Pre & Post Drop Off Information Sheets at RMV Drop Off Centers
As of September 18th, the MA RMV is using two new information sheets for customers at Registration Drop Off Centers. One for is PRE drop off, to explain how the drop off centers work; and the other is for POST drop off, to explain the next steps.
COVID-19 Creates Need for Workers’ Comp & Home Business Insurance
People’s work, school, and home lives are overlapping more than ever, and many are making lifestyle changes that affect their insurance needs. We’re seeing two COVID-19-related trends in particular: more families hiring private nannies (requiring workers’ comp), and more teachers/tutors working out of their homes (requiring business coverage). Through MAIA’s Number One Insurance Agency, you…
Nantucket RMV Now Open / Worcester RMV to Change Hours
Over the next few weeks, the following RMV Service Centers will either open for certain transactions or change their hours.
RMV Pilots a Drop Off Center Escalation Process
Effective September 8th, the Haverhill and Wilmington Registration Drop Off Centers will pilot a new escalation process for work that was previously submitted, was not completed, and was issued an Application Status Letter. This will streamline the process for runners and agents and ensure returned work is completed in a timely fashion. There will be…
New 7D Registration Requirements in Effect
New requirements have taken effect for school pupil transport (7D) vehicles. These include changes to the vehicle requirements and the registration process.
RMV Gender Designation Change Policy
Applicants requesting a change of gender designation DO NOT need ANY supporting documents. These applicants must be treated with the same respect and courtesy to which any RMV applicant for any transaction is entitled.
Live Classes Return to Milford – Starting Next Week!
Strict safety protocols are in place, our building is sanitized and rearranged for plenty of personal space, and our instructors are ready to inform and enlighten you… in person! MAIA’s gone above and beyond to keep us all as safe as possible as we ease back into live learning. If you’ve been missing the classroom…
RMV Error: Titles Printed Twice
MA RMV customers or business partners who were mailed a Certificate of Title printed on 7/21/2020 received two titles with the same information and title number. The Registry is sending a letter to the 748 affected customers, instructing them to destroy one of the copies of the title. The letter is being mailed to the…
WCRIBMA Adds New Features to Class Code Lookup Tool
Agents who write workers’ comp will appreciate the recent enhancements to WCRIBMA’s Class Code Lookup Tool. In addition to the associated phraseologies and current and historical rating information for each class code, users can now get a full description of the operations covered under each classification; all of the applicable filed and approved footnotes that…
Wednesdays in September for Age 75+ License/ID Renewals
Five of the MA RMV service center locations will be reserving Wednesdays in September exclusively for “Senior License Renewal” appointments. Customers 75 years of age or older whose licenses or IDs expire in September are eligible, including those whose licenses/IDs expired in March, April, or May but were extended until September. Hours and start dates…