DOI Allows Temporary Insurance Producer Licenses with No Exam
With insurance producer license exams suspended due to COVID-19, some eligible applicants were unable to obtain a license in Massachusetts. In response, the MA Division of Insurance (DOI) has authorized the issuance of temporary individual insurance producer licenses without requiring an exam. The temporary policy is effective immediately and will extend until after the State…
2020 Big ‘I’ Virtual Legislative Conference – Let’s ALL Register Today!
MAIA is urging ALL members to register for the Big “I” Virtual Legislative Conference May 12-15, 2020. It’s free, it’s important, and the more registrants, the stronger the message to our lawmakers that these issues are important! Each day at 2:00 p.m., you can tune in for a 45-minute session and hear from insurance legislators,…
FFCRA & CARES Act: Resources for Independent Agents
FFCRA & CARES Act: Resources for Independent Agents The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act open up many new avenues of assistance to help prevent more workers from losing their jobs and small businesses from going under. These resources will help you understand and benefit from…
SD.2888 and Other Proposed Legislation to Cover COVID-19 BI Claims
SD.2888 and Other Proposed Legislation to Cover COVID-19 BI Claims As the legislative and regulatory landscape continues to shift day by day, MAIA and our national association, The Big “I,” are working hard to ensure that independent agents are well represented. Many of you have reached out with questions about the highly publicized bills being…
Yes, the Governor Deemed Insurance an Essential Business – No, That Does Not Mean Your Agency Must Stay Open
Yes, the Governor Deemed Insurance an Essential Business – No, That Does Not Mean Your Agency Must Stay Open In our March 23rd Special Bulletin, we reported Governor Baker’s decision to include “insurance services” among the list of “essential” businesses that are exempt from his mandatory shutdown order. This announcement generated many questions from members,…
Gov. Baker Files Coronavirus Response Bills
Gov. Baker Files Coronavirus Response Bills MA Gov. Charlie Baker has filed a suite of legislation related to the COVID-19 crisis. Most relevant to independent agencies, S.2598 would eliminate the waiting period for unemployment benefits (currently one-week) paid to workers impacted by COVID-19.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act – H.R. 6201
Families First Coronavirus Response Act – H.R. 6201 We want to call your attention to a piece of pending legislation — Families First Coronavirus Response Act, (H.R. 6201) — which will have implications to employers of fewer than 500 employees, so it will be very relevant to most MAIA member agencies.
Updates on MAIA’s Legislative Priorities for 2020
Updates on MAIA’s Legislative Priorities for 2020 When’s the last time you visited the Massachusetts State House? 6th grade field trip? Not to worry. MAIA President & CEO Nick Fyntrilakis and MAIA’s advocacy team are pretty well known under the golden dome on Beacon Hill. Nick recently discussed MAIA’s legislative priorities with state legislators at…
Massachusetts Breaks InsurPac Record!
Massachusetts Breaks InsurPac Record! THANK YOU, Massachusetts, for once again showing the nation how it’s done! The 2019 InsurPac figures are in, and our little state was one of the first two states to EVER top six figures ($111,293) in total contributions! MA took the Presidents Cup for highest contributions from past and current state…
Year-End Brings 3 More Federal Wins for Independent Agents!
Year-End Brings 3 More Federal Wins for Independent Agents! 2019 was a banner legislative year for independent agents, largely thanks to the federal advocacy team of our national association, the Big “I.” The year started with the huge win giving independent agencies access to significant tax relief, and ended with a trifecta of longtime priorities…
Give to InsurPac by December 31st
Give to InsurPac by December 31st As one of the most respected non-partisan industry PACs in the country, InsurPac-funding gives our Big “I” lobbyists in DC the credibility and power to influence legislative and policy matters on behalf of independent insurance agents. InsurPac gives every MAIA member a voice, and we ask every MAIA member…
Victory – No More Duplicative Anti-Arson Forms
Victory – No More Duplicative Anti-Arson Forms Dear Members: I am pleased to report a significant win for our Association and the independent agents, carriers, and consumers of the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance (DOI) has removed the requirement to complete a supplemental (and duplicative) anti-arson form when applying for fire insurance. (Read DOI…
MAIA President Testifies in Support of Compulsory Auto Insurance Bills S.368/H.118
MAIA President Testifies in Support of Compulsory Auto Insurance Bills S.368/H.118 Last week, MAIA President & CEO Nick Fyntrilakis testified at the State House on our members’ behalf, requesting support for the increased compulsory auto insurance limits in Bills S.368 and H.118. These bills propose increasing the compulsory bodily injury insurance limit for injury or…
Reminder: PFML Deadlines Are Fast Approaching
Reminder: PFML Deadlines Are Fast Approaching Time flies! MA employers have just a few weeks to meet their responsibilities under the new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law. The effective start date for required MA PFML payroll contributions is October 1, 2019. And MA employers must notify their workforce about the benefits and protections…
MA Extends Open Enrollment Period for Benefit Year 2020
MA Extends Open Enrollment Period for Benefit Year 2020 The open enrollment period for the 2020 benefit year in Massachusetts will extend from November 1, 2019, through January 23, 2020 (well beyond the standard end date of December 15.) The MA DOI issued information on this special enrollment period in Bulletin 2019-03, Guidance Regarding Open…
Short-Term Rental Update: New Tax Rules Take Effect July 1
Short-Term Rental Update: New Tax Rules Take Effect July 1 The time has come. As of July 1, 2019, short-term rental operators in MA will need to register with MassTaxConnect, and begin collecting and remitting the required 5.7% tax. In the June DOR newsletter, Commissioner Christopher Harding spelled out the requirements and gave links for…
PFML Update: Implementation Delay & Rate Increase
PFML Update: Implementation Delay & Rate Increase Implementation of the MA Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) has been delayed for three months. While this gives MA employers a little extra time to meet their new responsibilities under the law, it also means the withholding rate will increase from .63% to .75%, as the state has…
Proposed MA Millionaire’s Tax is a Tax on Your Retirement Fund
Proposed MA Millionaire’s Tax is a Tax on Your Retirement Fund Supporters of MA House Bill No. 86 and Senate Bill No. 12, the proposed Fair Share Amendment (a.k.a., millionaire’s tax), want to add a 4 percent surtax on income over $1 million. What they neglect to mention is what it will mean for non-millionaire…
5 Things MA Employers Need to Know about MPFL TODAY
5 Things MA Employers Need to Know about MPFL TODAY By Joseph J. Lawler, CEBS
And the Award Goes to… Massachusetts Agents!
And the Award Goes to… Massachusetts Agents! L-R: Nick Fyntrilakis, Joe Leahy, John Koegel, Ray Gallant Massachusetts again received the National Championship Award for the most contributions of any state to InsurPac. John Koegel, Chairman, MAIA; Ray Gallant, National Director and InsurPac National Chairman; and Nick Fyntrilakis, MAIA President and CEO accepted the award on…
MAIA Meets with MA Congressional Delegation at Legislative Conference in DC
MAIA Meets with MA Congressional Delegation at Legislative Conference in DC A contingent of more than 20 MAIA members has returned from the 2019 Big “I” Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, with renewed excitement and determination. The group visited the offices of our Massachusetts delegation to discuss Big “I” legislative priorities. Pictured are MAIA board…
Priority Bills for the 2019-2020 Legislative Session
Priority Bills for the 2019-2020 Legislative Session It has been a busy and productive start to the 2019-2020 Legislative Session. MAIA’s priority bills (listed below) were filed by our legislative allies, we worked to sign on cosponsors in support of our legislation, and all our bills have now been officially assigned to committee.
Big “I” Agent Encourages Congress to Modernize and Reauthorize the NFIP
Big “I” Agent Encourages Congress to Modernize and Reauthorize the NFIP
Chair of Big “I” Flood Task Force Testifies Before US House on March 13th
Chair of Big “I” Flood Task Force Testifies Before US House on March 13th Big “I” Flood Task Force Chair Chris Heidrick will be the only insurance witness testifying at a hearing titled, “Preparing for the Storm: Reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program” before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. The hearing…
Our Voices Were Heard: Over 60 Legislators Co-Sponsored Our Bill
Our Voices Were Heard: Over 60 Legislators Co-Sponsored Our Bill Thank you and congratulations to everyone who took prompt action last week when MAIA sent out the call to action! Your efforts urging legislators to cosponsor HD1011 / SD919, “An Act Relative to Fair and Accurate Motor Vehicle Insurance Quotes,” yielded a terrific response —…
Big Tax Win for Pass-Through Owners & Shareholders
Big Tax Win for Pass-Through Owners & Shareholders The IRS issued its final regulation governing Section 199A of the IRS tax code, and the insurance community has been buzzing. The new rule makes owners and shareholders of pass-through entities eligible for a tax deduction of up to 20% on qualified business income! This is a…
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