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The Compact team has been processing requests to add North Dakota, the 47th Compact Member jurisdiction, for about a week now. In this weekly tip, we will refresh key steps for adding a state to your filing submissions. 

First, please refer to detailed instructions for How to Add a State on the Industry Resources page of the Insurance Compact website. Before adding North Dakota to your Compact filings, consider the following: 

• Annual registration – A company must be currently registered with the Insurance Compact to add North Dakota to a filing. If your company is not registered for 2023 and you wish to add North Dakota, you must first submit an Annual Registration Filing submission. If you do not intend any other filing activity this year, you may utilize the Update-Only registration option.  Once the registration is processed, then you may add North Dakota to the filing submissions that are “Closed-Approved” given that the company is licensed in North Dakota.   
   
• Licensing – If the company is licensed in North Dakota, please send a Note to Reviewer stating so within the Annual Registration Filing, no Certificate of Authority attachments are required. We will not reopen Annual Registration Filings as we have a process in place to verify company licensing with the North Dakota Department. 
   
• Status of filing – States may only be added to submissions that are either “Closed-Approved” or currently pending review with the Insurance Compact. North Dakota may not be added to filings that are “Closed-Withdrawn."
   
• Type of Insurance - North Dakota is not eligible to add to a long-term care or disability income insurance filing. In its legislation, North Dakota opted out of long-term care insurance, and the Commission granted North Dakota a stay of effectiveness for disability standards. 
   
• For life insurance filings, please also review the Filing Announcement issued July 20, 2023, pertaining to how to demonstrate compliance with North Dakota’s 1-year maximum suicide exclusion period. This is a labor-intensive part of the Compact's review when North Dakota is added. Don't wing it!
   
• Filing fees – The North Dakota filing fee is retaliatory. Please remit accurate filing fees for all the forms included in the filing, even if your company will not use all the forms in North Dakota. There are no Insurance Compact filing fees for North Dakota to be added to a filing submission. As a reminder, the Insurance Compact charges a 5% EFT return fee on any returns. We strongly encourage you to check your company’s daily limits to avoid a return.
   
• Mix and Match - Only request a closed filing to be reopened if you intend to add North Dakota forms to the Statement of Intent. Otherwise, a filing does not have to be reopened to add a state. The Compact reviewer needs to know if you intend to mix and match Compact forms with North Dakota forms.

1. If the company intends to mix and match Compact forms with North Dakota forms, submit a Note to Reviewer requesting to reopen the filing and update the SOI with North Dakota forms. A filing can begin to use mix and match with the addition of North Dakota if needed. 
    
2. If the company will not mix and match Compact forms with North Dakota forms, send a Note to Reviewer indicating that the SOI does not need to be updated. 

The addition of North Dakota to mix and match filing submissions will not be acknowledged until the foregoing information pertaining to the SOI is provided; failure to provide this information will delay acknowledgement from the Insurance Compact and accordingly the ability to market and issue the Compact-approved forms in North Dakota. 

For more details regarding North Dakota joining the Compact, please see the Press Release. 

If you have any questions regarding how to add North Dakota to a Compact filing, or about the Insurance Compact in general, please contact the Insurance Compact Office.