COVID-19 Information and Resources

FINANCIAL SERVICES

 

For more information,

visit www.fdic.gov for federally insured banks

visit www.ncua.gov for federally insured credit unions.

 

For the financial services industry: We need your help, and we're here to help too

STATEMENT ON FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS AFFECTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS; REGULATORY ASSISTANCE

For customers: You still have access to your accounts, funds and services
Although banks, credit unions and other financial services businesses may restrict face-to-face access with employees, you can still access your accounts and funds in a variety of ways

Use online, mobile and phone banking services to check your account balances and transactions, pay bills, transfer funds, make loan payments, deposit checks.

Use drive-through teller services, or interactive/automated teller machnies (ITMs/ATMs).

Call your financial institution:

  • to make an appointment to access your safe deposit box
  • to get up-to-date information about their operating hours 
  • to obtain customer assistance

Get help with mortgage or rent payments

Contact your lender or landlord immediately if you do not have enough money to cover your mortgage payment or rent.  Don't wait until you are behind on payments. 

Get help with student loans

Contact your loan servicer as soon as possible and ask about deferment or forbearance options that may allow you to temporarily stop making payments, or that may allow you to switch to a different repayment plan with a lower monthly payment.

Beware of short-term and emergency loans

Consider your options before taking out a high-cost short-term loan.  Talk with your creditors to negotiate more time to pay bills.  Explore low interest loans offered by local banks and credit unions.  If you take out a short-term loan, make sure the lender holds a federal or state license, and only borrow what you can pay back.

Access information about small business assistance and loans

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) works with participating federal and state lenders to offer a variety of forms of relief*:

  • The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) makes forgivable loans available to small businesses to pay emlpoyees, mortgage interest, rent and utility costs over an eight-week period after the loan is made.  Certain requirements and restrictions apply.  To find a participating lender, CLICK HERE.
    • 5/12/2020: PPP podcast from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS): An expert talks about how the program is intended to work and change over time. In a rush against the clock, a small business owner tries to get a loan for herself and for a minority-owned business client. An expert on community banks explains how they fit into the program.
       
  • The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) provides a $10,000 advance to any small business with fewer than 500 employees (including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed persons), private non-profit organizations or 501(c)(19) veterans organizations. 
     
  • The SBA Express Bridge Loan allows a small business that already ha a relationship with an SBA Express Lender to quickly access up to $25,000.

*The SBA programs are subject to the avaiability of funding, and certain requirements and restrictions apply.  To find a participating lender for these program, CLICK HERE.

Review information and assistance avaialble through the Arizona Commerce Authority, from the U.S. Small Business Association and from your local chamber of commerce.

 

INSURANCE CONSUMERS

 

Did your job status change recently?  If you've lost your job or your income has changed:

 

Are you a member of a federally recognized Native American tribe?

Members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shareholders can enroll in a Marketplace plan at any time.  Visit the Healthcare.gov "Health Care for American Indians & Alaska Natives" web page (https://www.healthcare.gov/american-indians-alaska-natives/) for details about various forms of health plan coverage available to you.

Do you need assistance with food, housing, employment or other services? 

Governor Douglas A. Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-07 on March 11, 2020, directing insurance companies to 

  • cover costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing from all qualified laboratories, regardless of whether the laboratory is in the insurance company’s provider network;
     
  • waive co-pays, coinsurance, and deductibles (cost-sharing requirements) related to COVID-19 diagnostic testing; and,
     
  • pass less cost to health plan members for telemedicine visits than for in-person visits, and encourage use of telemedicine during the health emergency. 

The Department of Insurance remains fully staffed to help you with your insurance-related questions or problems. 

  • Visit the CONSUMERS section of our Internet website at https://insurance.az.gov/consumers for information on a wide array of insurance topics.  This is a great first stop for quickly getting answers to questions you may have.
     
  • Visit our “Filing a Complaint” webpage page if you need help with an insurance problem and are considering filing a complaint.
     
  • Send a message to [email protected] or call us at 602-364-2499 if you have insurance-related questions, or are unsure whether you should file a complaint.  Given current advice to the public from federal and state health officials, we recommend you contact us by e-mail or phone rather than visiting our office.
     
  • The Department of Insurance is working with other state and local agencies to respond to fraud and ongoing scams. Our enforcement staff will continue to investigate insurance fraud and work with our law enforcement partners to protect Arizona consumers and businesses.  The following websites provide information about Coronavirus scams. 

INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS/APPLICANTS


TEST CENTER RE-OPENINGS

Prometric is opening pre-license examination test centers across the US where state and local guidelines allow, and plans on opening most test centers (with reduced capacity) May 31.  If you hold a provisional license, you can contact Prometric to make an appointment to take your exam. 

On March 26, 2020, Governor Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-17, which allows agencies to defer certain license-related requirements under certain conditions.  The following three portions of the Executive Order that relate to the Department of Insurance license applicants and license-holders are as follows:

1.  A state agency can defer license renewal if requirements cannot be fulfilled online.   

  • All Department of Insurance license renewal requirements can be completed online; therefore, licensees must complete renewal requirements by or before the expiration dates on licenses.

2.  A state agency can defer continuing education requirements if continuing education cannot be completed online. 

  • Insurance producers may complete insurance continuing education online.  Until social distancing recommendations are lifted, insurance producers do not need to have post-course examinations proctored.

3.  When a pre-license examination is required that cannot be provided via electronic or remote format, a state agency must issue a provisional license to an applicant, unless prohibited by federal law or regulation, if the applicant has met all requirements for a license other than the examination.   

  • Our insurance license examination testing vendor, Prometric, has closed its testing centers in accordance with guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control. 
     
  • Pre-license examinations are not required of non-resident applicants or for business-entity applicants, who can apply for licenses online at any time using the National Insurance Producer Registry (www.nipr.com).
     
  • Because COVID-19 has caused pre-license insurance examinations and fingerprinting services to be unavailable, we have made provisional (temporary) licenses available to Arizona-resident individuals who meet all license requirements other than passing the exam and submitting fingerprints.  In accordance with the Executive Order,
    • a provisional license expires six months after the date issued;
    • once pre-license insurance examinations and fingerprinting services are made available, the Department shall notify each provisional license-holder by e-mail ("e-mail notification"), and a provisional license-holder shall have 20 days after the e-mail notification to pass the pre-license examination that corresponds to the authority held on the provisional license;
    • a provisional license-holder shall have 30 days after the e-mail notification to submit fingerprints to the Department;
    • a provisional license of a person who fails to pass the pre-license examination within 20 days after the e-mail notification shall be automatically suspended pursuant to Executive Order 2020-17, which will require the person to immediately cease conducting business requiring the license;
    • a provisional license (whether active or suspended) shall be converted to a permanent license once the provisional license-holder passes the pre-license examination and furnishes fingerprints to the Department.
       
  • To apply for a provisional license:
    • Use the National Insurance Producer Registry (www.nipr.com) if you are an individual wanting to apply for provisional Arizona-resident insurance producer authority.
       
    • Download, save, complete and submit Form L-PRV if you are an individual wanting to apply for provisional Arizona-resident adjuster or surplus lines broker license.  

Online licensing.  Now more than ever, we are highlighting the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR.com) as the best way to submit a license or renewal application, or to update license information.  While we are fully staffed to process licensing matters, many of our staff members are or will be working from home.  While online licensing through NIPR is always faster and easier, it will be especially so now.  

Continuing education.   As always, we encourage Arizona-resident individuals who are licensed as insurance producers to fulfill their insurance continuing education requirements as soon as possible during their four-year license term.  Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-17, the Department of Insurance has suspended the requirement for examinations after self-study courses to be monitored/proctored. For more information:

Timely license renewal.  We always encourage licensees to fulfill renewal requirements as early as possible (up to 90 days in advance of the license expiration date). Please be prepared and stay ahead.  Renew early to avoid delays or disruptions to your license.