The US Mail Delay Leading To Late Insurance Invoices: What You Can Do & How To Make Sure You Aren’t Late
The Coronavirus strikes again in throwing off our daily lives. While we expected mail delays during the holiday season, we did not think the surge of virus cases would also influence our mail, and then influence our insurance coverage. Many people with business insurance and personal insurance were supposed to receive their invoices in the mail this December and January, but many people haven’t received them due to the delay. This is where we come in to inform you about insurance premium payments, due dates, grace periods, and insurance termination.
What Strickler Insurance Is Doing About The Insurance Invoice Delay
Noticing this problem arising throughout the insurance industry we quickly made contact with our insurance providers to see what could be done on our end. While there is typically a grace period on the insurance premium payments, you want to make sure your payment has gone through well before that timeframe. We also informed all of our existing clients over email on Wednesday, January 13th. This is an example of Strickler Insurance’s Comp 365 detailed and team-minded efforts to make sure your insurance experience is the best it can be in our account handling. Below is a copy of that email:
Hello (Client Name),
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is experiencing unprecedented volumes of mail, resulting in delays in postal deliveries. As a result, we know that some of our customers are receiving their invoices late, and we are seeing an increase in the number of late payments received.
In response to this interruption, we have met with our carriers, and we are proud to say that they have remained dedicated to providing support to our customers by extending due dates, being flexible with payments, and ensuring that coverage remains in force when possible.
We also want to remind you that the fastest way to get a payment processed is to go online – visit our website for more details. Our carriers have a variety of payment options available, including EFT, online credit or debit card payments, or payments over the phone. Our team is available to discuss your options.
Thank you for your continued trust as we overcome the challenges faced by COVID -19.
Be safe and stay well.
Immediate Actions You Should Take To Make Sure Your Insurance Invoice Is Paid On Time:
- Check To See If You Already Paid Your Insurance Premium: If you have already paid your insurance, then you don’t have to worry. Here is how you should check if your insurance premium was paid on time:
- Check Your Bank Account: If the money was withdrawn your payment went through.
- Login To Your Provider’s Payment App: Most of our providers have an online payment option as indicated in the email. See all of our providers here and log in to yours today.
- Contact Your Agent: We may not be able to access your payment information directly, but because we care about you as our customer, we want to help you in any way we can. We are receiving a lot of concerned emails about this and that is why we put this together to help provide a resource for you.
- If You Haven’t Paid Your Insurance Premium Yet: Whether you have the invoice sitting on your coffee table or it is still stuck at the post office with the heaps of mail, this is what you should do to make sure your payment is on time. Ways to pay your invoice without using the U.S. postal system:
- Pay Online Your Insurance Online: Using the online applications most insurance providers have, make your payment online with a credit card or bank account. This is the fastest way because you won’t have to be put on hold since many providers are experiencing an influx of phone calls as they are dealing with this dilemma.
- Pay Over The Phone: Call your insurance provider directly and pay with your credit card over the phone.
- If You Missed Your Payment Deadline: If you already missed your insurance payment deadline do not get stressed, it is time to take action. What you should do is:
- Email Your Agent: Email us directly and let us know you missed your payment and are reaching out to the provider to get the payment taken care of.
- Try To Make The Late Payment: Attempt to make the payment through one of the above steps mentioned.
- Call Your Insurance Provider: Calling them directly if you aren’t able to make the payment due to it being late.
Knowing If Your Payment Was On Time
I’m sure your first question is, “I received my invoice and sent my payment in, was it on time!?”. If you already paid your insurance it is likely there is nothing to worry about. Not every insurance provider was affected by this. You can quickly find out if your payment went through by checking your bank accounts balance or logging into your provider’s online payment dashboard and checking your balance there.
What You Can Do To Make Sure You Don’t Miss Your Insurance Payment
As mentioned in our email most of our insurance providers have an online payment option. Setting up your login is typically easy as long as you know your personal information. If you have a previous insurance invoice you can get any additional info you need and create your login. If you haven’t sent your payment yet, log in to your insurance provider’s account and pay it online. You’ll save on postage and won’t have to worry about being late on your insurance payment.
You May Be In Your Insurance Grace Period
What is an insurance grace period? An insurance grace period is a set amount of time after a missed insurance payment that you still have insurance coverage. Once you pass your insurance grace period, your insurance policy is canceled and you are no longer protected. Insurance grace periods come in a wide range and is specified in your insurance policy. It can be anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days of time where you are still protected.
Get Protection From Strickler Insurance
At Strickler Insurance we want to provide you with the best insurance coverage possible and the best insurance experience possible. We are located in Lebanon Pennsylvania and serve in many locations. From personal insurance to business insurance and benefits. Contact us for a free insurance quote today!
