Billing Program Billing Information for Agents

Transcription

1 Cmmercial & Persnal Lines Billing Prgram Billing Infrmatin fr Agents A Guide t Understanding Merchants Insurance Grup s Billing Prgram

2 Table f Cntents Click n ne f the titles belw t be taken directly t that sectin. Sectin Page(s) Accunt Bill Descriptin 3 Payment Plans, Depsits and Service Fees 4 6 Accunt Billing Hw It Wrks 6 9 Billing Invice 9 13 Payment Prcessing and Cash Applicatin Smartphne example pages Billing Inquiry Website Autmated Integrated Vice Respnse (IVR) System 35 2

3 Accunt Bill Descriptin The Accunt Bill payment prgram is a cnvenient way fr yur custmers t pay their cmmercial r persnal lines plicies with ne bill. Accunt bill was designed t bill multiple plicies n ne bill. The issuance f plicies fr the same insured may nt be written at the same time, with the same effective dates. Therefre a single plicy may be issued as Accunt Bill in rder t initiate the accunt. As subsequent plicies fr the insured are issued, the accunt number established must be applied t each plicy when entered. Accunt Bill Benefits N limit t the number f plicies that may be part f an accunt. An itemized billing invice is generated n the same day f each billing cycle fr the premium due fr all plicies within the accunt. Plicies will appear n the billing invice when there is an installment due fr the plicy. Each bill will allw at least 20 days befre payment is due and will be due the same date each billing cycle. Each invice will include ne service charge fr all plicies with the accunt. Accunt bill can be easily updated when adding anther plicy t the accunt fr new business r renewal. Payments n all invices will apply n an accunt level. Allws flexibility f cncurrent r nn-cncurrent plicy effective dates. Allws varius payment plans fr each plicy within the accunt, allwing the custmer t chse individual payment plans fr each plicy in the accunt. Fr example, they may chse t pay their Wrkers Cmpensatin plicy quarterly and their Cmmercial Aut plicy in ten installments. Plicy Requirements Accunt bill may be used fr a single cmmercial r persnal lines plicy r fr multiple plicies. Hwever, cmmercial and persnal lines plicies may nt be part f the same accunt. All plicies in the accunt must have the same 10-digit accunt number. This is what ties a plicy t an accunt. Escrw-billed plicies will cntinue t bill separately t the respective financial institutin and will nt be part f the accunt bill invice. Endrsement, cancellatin r audit activity will prcess n a plicy level basis. Credits will reduce/satisfy the accunt balance befre a refund is issued. N refunds are issued within the accunt bill system until all plicies are satisfied with the exceptin f audit transactins. 3

4 Where applicable a Legal Ntice f Cancellatin will be issued n a plicy level basis when n payment r insufficient payment has been made. The legal cancellatin ntices are based n varius state requirements. When issuing a legal ntice fr nn-payment f premium, a $20.00 late payment fee is assessed t the plicy and will be billed n the next billing invice fr applicable plicy. Exceptin: Fr New Jersey n late payment fee is assessed. Payment Plans, Depsits and Service Fees Payment ptins may change peridically, but with the persnal and cmmercial lines Accunt Bill Prgram, we fcus n prviding affrdable, easy-t-understand payment plans. Depsits are required n all new business submissins. If n depsit is received, billing may include the depsit plus the next installment amunt depending n when the new business is prcessed. Annual Plan One payment, paid in full at time f plicy inceptin. Fr New Yrk Persnal Aut nly, a 2% discunt applies at the plicy level befre expense fees fr paid-in-full (full pay plan) payment. Tw Pay Plan 60% dwn. The 40% balance is due 60 days frm the plicy effective date. This plan is available fr 6-mnth Private Passenger Aut, shrt term Cmmercial Umbrella and MAP Cntractrs plicies. Three Pay Plan 40% dwn. Balance is divided between tw remaining installments f 30% t be due in 90 days and the remaining 30% due in 180 days. This plan is available fr shrt term Cmmercial plicies that are 7 t 11 mnths in term. Quarterly Plan 25% dwn. The balance is divided int three equal installments billed at 90-day intervals. Late issued plicies may bill in billing cycles ther than 90- day intervals. Fr this reasn the quarterly pay plan is nt recmmended fr high vlume transactin accunts. Ten Pay Plan 20% dwn. Balance is divided int 9 equal installments. Fr the 10 pay plan there is n payment due in the last tw mnth f the plicy. Twelve Pay Plan 20% dwn. Balance is divided int 11 equal installments. At renewal the premium is equally divided fr each mnth. The twelve pay plan is nly available with EFT. Therefre, if an insured des nt want t be n EFT, the twelve pay plan is NOT available. Electrnic Funds Transfer (EFT) is available fr all f ur payment plans. The twelve payment plan is nly available n EFT. All plicies n EFT shuld have their payment deducted frm the same accunt number at the same financial institutin. Available EFT withdrawal dates are frm the 1 st thrugh the 28 th f the mnth. Fr New Yrk Persnal Aut nly, a 2% discunt applies at the plicy level befre expense fees fr EFT payment. Service fees are assessed n each billing invice. Service fee is $7.00 fr cmmercial 4

5 lines accunts and $5.00 fr persnal lines accunts. There are n service fees assessed t individual plicies unless a plicy is written as a separate direct bill plicy and nt part f an accunt. A $1.00 EFT/installment fee is assessed t each plicy billing n EFT. Late payment fees - If the amunt due is nt received n r befre the date the payment is due as indicated n the accunt bill invice, a ntice f pending cancellatin fr nn-payment may be issued if equity has expired n any plicy within the accunt. Once a cancellatin ntice is issued, a late payment fee f $20.00 will be added n t the next billing invice. Exceptin N late payment fee applies t the state f New Jersey. Returned Items - Shuld a payment be returned by the financial institutin, a $25.00 returned item fee will be assessed t the plicy r accunt at the time we charge back the returned payment. Fr returned items, a past due billing ntice will be generated adding the returned item fee alng with the amunt f the returned item fr immediate payment. Fr New Jersey the returned item fee is $8.00 Changes t payment plans If a change in payment plan is desired, Merchants can make the requested payment plan change n the current term up t 5 mnths int the plicy. If a payment plan change is requested after 5 mnths, Merchants will make the change at the next renewal. Payment plan changes can be requested by calling ur tll free billing number,

6 Accunt Billing Hw It Wrks Merchants Accunt Billing system was designed t be a billing prcess. A billing invice will issue nly n its established bill date each billing cycle. Once the accunt has billed fr that mnth, n ther transactin entering int the accunt will generate an additinal billing invice. This means that any manual adjustments, endrsements, additinal new business, renewals, etc. created after the billing date has past will nt appear until the next billing date is reached t be billed. New Business When submitting a new business plicy n Merchants website, the plicy will default t direct/accunt bill unless therwise instructed. Depsits are required fr all new business. Fllw the prmpts n the new business submissin screens t make a depsit nline fr the new business entered. Our nline system will autmatically match the depsit with the plicy upn issuance f the plicy. The agent may enter less than the required depsit if nt enugh mney was cllected at time f sale. If depsit is less than required, Merchants will bill fr the remainder f the depsit alng with the next installment when next invice is generated. The depsit due will be calculated separately fr each plicy within the accunt and added tgether t generate the ttal depsit required fr the accunt. 6

7 Nte: If the required depsit is nt received, the insured will be billed fr the remaining depsit plus the next installment n their first billing invice. When submitting a manual applicatin fr plicy issuance, simply indicate n the applicatin direct bill/accunt bill and the payment plan desired. If n depsit is received, Merchants will bill fr the dwn payment n the first billing cycle when the accunt is due t bill. Nte: If a depsit is nt received, the insured culd be billed fr the depsit plus the next installment n their first billing invice. When submitting an entire accunt as new business, the first plicy entered n the accunt will determine the accunt billing cycle dates. The due date is the effective date f the first plicy issued. When submitting new business where yu are adding t an already established accunt, the new business added will be billed n the billing date fr the accunt. All invice due dates fr all installment billings are 20 days frm the invice billing date. Renewals The accunt will autmatically renew n the same payment plan as the expiring accunt. Fr the twelve pay plan, the renewal will be issued in 12 equal installments. T change a payment plan cntact ur tll free billing number ( ) t speak t a billing custmer service representative. Billing f Endrsement Premium When an endrsement is prcessed n an Accunt Bill plicy, the premium resulting frm the change will initially remain n the plicy. Hw the premium is handled in the billing system depends n whether there are unbilled installments remaining n the plicy and whether the endrsement premium is a debit r credit. Endrsement Debit Premium If there are unbilled installments remaining n the plicy, the full amunt f the endrsement premium will be divided equally amng the remaining unbilled installments. Example: A $ endrsement prcessed n a plicy having fur unbilled installments will divide the endrsement equally ver the fur installments resulting in an increase f $25.00 t each installment. If a plicy is paid in full, a bill will nt be issued until the next scheduled billing date fr the accunt due in 20 days. 7

8 Endrsement Credit Premium If there are unbilled installments remaining n the plicy, the full amunt f the credit endrsement will be divided equally amng the remaining unbilled installments. Example: A $ credit endrsement is prcessed n a plicy having fur unbilled installments f $ The endrsement credit is divided equally ver the remaining fur installments, reducing each installment by $ If the credit endrsement exceeds the amunt f the unbilled installments, a credit is created fr the amunt f the difference and is used t ffset any billed but nt paid premium n that plicy. If the remaining plicy balance is a credit, it will be treated as excess credit and will be used t ffset any utstanding balances due fr plicies within the accunt. Additinal Premium Audits Additinal premiums develped by audit will cntinue t bill in full thrugh a separate billing invice and will nt be included in the accunt billing fr that accunt. Return Premium Audits Return premium audits will be returned t the insured, r they may be applied t the accunt balance per the insured r agents request. Cancellatins Nn-Payment Cancellatin - If the amunt due n the invice is nt paid it may affect the equity cancellatin dates fr any plicy(s) within an accunt. A nnpayment cancellatin ntice will be generated nly n the plicy(s) where equity cancellatin may be affected. Plicies will cancel individually n their wn merit - By placing multiple plicies within an accunt n the accunt bill plan, individual plicies will cntinue t calculate equity n their wn. Nn-pay cancellatins are issued when the plicy equity has been depleted. The cancellatin ntice will then be issued, giving the apprpriate state required minimum number f days fr the insured t pay and keep the plicy in frce. Cancellatins are issued at the plicy level - A ntatin will be displayed n the back f the invice fr a plicy within an accunt that is in pending cancellatin. Please see a sample f an invice displaying a plicy in pending cancellatin in this manual n pages Once a plicy is cancelled, the plicy is remved frm the accunt billing invice. If the plicy is reinstated, the plicy will be added back n the accunt bill invice. Agents will receive a cpy f the cancellatin ntice s they may cntact the insured in an effrt t retain the accunt. In additin, an nline cancellatin 8

9 reprt fr the agent prvides an immediate ntificatin f plicies that have generated a nn-pay cancellatin ntice. The amunt due indicated n the cancellatin ntice must be paid prir t the effective date f cancellatin fr the plicy t remain in effect. Reinstatements A reinstatement ntice will autmatically be issued n plicies where the apprpriate payment is received in advance f the cancellatin effective date. Under certain cnditins, plicies may be reinstated after the cancellatin effective date, based n apprval frm Underwriting. Please cntact yur reginal ffice s underwriting department fr apprval. Billing Invice The plicy/accunt bill invice was designed t be easy t read and understand. We have highlighted the amunt due, the due date and the accunt balance fr ease f use. Please see a sample f a cmmercial lines invice n the next tw pages. The accunt billing activity sectin f the invice prvides the balance and amunt due fr each plicy within the accunt. The bttm f the billing invice is the remittance cpy. Fr prmpt and accurate prcessing it is imprtant that this sectin is returned with the insured's payment in the prvided envelpe. The custmer shuld ntify Merchants f any change f address by cmpleting the back f the remittance ntice, as an endrsement is required t change an address. We will frward these frms t the Underwriting department fr prcessing. The back f the plicy/accunt bill invice prvides the payment schedule f amunts due fr each plicy within the accunt, the payment plan each plicy is n and the ttal amunt due fr future installments. The accunt activity summary prvides the summary f all activity prcessed fr each plicy within the accunt since the last bill was sent. The explanatin f terms prvides a descriptin f thse items that appear n each billing invice. Our nline billing infrmatin prvides the capability fr yu r yur custmer t print a cpy f the billing invice. Yu can als call the tll free billing number ( ) and speak t ne f ur billing custmer service representatives t request a cpy f the billing invice. 9

10 Cpy f a Cmmercial Lines Invice 10

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12 Cpy f Cmmercial Lines Invice in a Pending Cancellatin Status 12

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14 Payment Prcessing and Cash Applicatin Payment Methds Merchants Insurance Grup wrks hard t make paying yur premiums easy. We accept the fllwing payment methds: -Mail yur payment via check r mney rder t Merchants Insurance Grup, P.O. Bx 4031, Buffal, NY Phne: Call Our Autmated Phne System is available 24 hurs a day, 7 days a week. T speak t a billing analyst, call between the hurs f 8:00am - 5:00pm, Mnday Thursday and 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Friday. -Online: We accept echecks and credit cards nline. Please visit and click n Plicyhlder Sign In t set up a user ID and passwrd. -EFT: An Electrnic Funds Transfer payment ptin directly frm yur insured s financial institutin accunt is available when submitting a new business applicatin n ur website r by cmpleting a Merchants Insurance Grup Electrnic Funds Transfer Payment Frm, which is lcated nline at All plicies placed n EFT need t have their payment deducted frm the same accunt number and same financial institutin. Available EFT withdrawal dates are frm the 1 st thrugh the 28 th f the mnth. -Smartphne: Plicyhlders can als make payments with their iphne r Andrid smartphne. The Merchants Mbile app may be dwnladed frm the respective app stre. Users will then lgin with their user ID and passwrd t make a payment and access payment histry. On the fllwing pages are Billing screens the plicyhlder will see displayed n their iphne r Andrid smartphne as ptins t make a payment t Merchants. Please nte that the Plicyhlder must be a registered user n t use this applicatin. The first step the plicyhlder will d is LOGIN. This functin will ask the plicyhlder t enter their User ID and passwrd. Please see Example 1 n the fllwing page. 14

15 Example 1. Intrductry and lgin screens fr Merchants Mbile app Once the plicyhlder is lgged in, they will see their accunt/plicy number displayed n the screen. Please see Example 2 n the next page. -If the plicyhlder has a plicy that is in a pending cancel status fr nnpayment, their plicy number will appear separate frm the rest f their accunt and will be displayed in red. -If the plicyhlder has already made their payment and/r their accunt/plicy is paid in full, their accunt/plicy number will be displayed in green. Please Nte: The plicyhlder must pay at least the minimum due which is in the Pay Amunt field. The plicyhlder then has the ptin t fill in their bank data using their savings r checking accunt t make a payment. Als, credit card payment may be made, but a cnvenience fee will apply fr this ptin. The cnvenience fee is NOT charged by Merchants; it is a fee assessed by ur credit card payment prcessr. 15

16 Example 2. Accunt Infrmatin The Plicyhlder als has the ptin t view their payment histry by clicking n the Histry buttn lcated in the upper right hand crner f the screen. Please see the examples n the fllwing page. 16

17 Example 3. Payment Histry and Payment Details screens fr the billing app Payment t Yur Office fr Nn-Pay Cancellatins If accepting payments frm the insured fr nn-pay cancellatins, we make it easy fr yu t accept payments in yur ffice until the cancellatin effective date. Yu can enter the payment n ur website as lng as payment is received befre the cancel date. Plicyhlders can als make payments with their iphne r Andrid smartphne. Or yu can call the tll free billing number ( ) t advise Merchants yu have received the payment. Yu then need t fax a cpy f the check t ur Billing Department fax advising us that payment has been received. If yu chse t fax a cpy f the check, ur billing representatives will place a ten day hld n the accunt giving yu time t send the payment t ur ffice. 17

18 Reinstatement ntice(s) will autmatically be generated when we prcess the payment. With the permissin f the insured, we encurage the agent t make the payment nline t avid hlding the accunt fr the ten day perid. Returned Checks All reinstatements are issued under the cnditin that the financial institutin frm which the check is drawn hnrs the check being presented fr payment. In the event that the check is returned t Merchants Insurance Grup fr any reasn, the reinstatement will be rendered vid and the plicy cancelled back t the riginal effective date f cancellatin. Payment Prcessing All payments are prcessed at the address listed belw. Merchants Insurance Grup P.O. Bx 4031 Buffal, New Yrk Payment Psting Times Payments received by Merchants Insurance Grup are prcessed the same day and psted t the accunt in the nightly prcessing. Cash Applicatin Rules fr Premium Received Checks with stubs are prcessed thrugh a scanner and are upladed t ur billing system at the end f the business day. Stubs are srted by tw types: Persnal size checks and legal size checks Multiple stubs received with ne check (if nt n accunt bill) Checks received with n stub and n plicy/accunt number: Our Premium Accunting Department will perfrm an internal verificatin int the plicy writing system by name t retrieve the plicy r accunt number. Our Premium Accunting Department will manually key the check int the billing system. Checks received with n stub, but that have a plicy/accunt number identified: Our Accunting Department will manually key the check int the billing system and distribute the premium accrding t the amunt billed fr each plicy. 18

19 Checks will be returned t the insured: If we receive a check and are unable t identify a plicy/accunt number fr it. If the plicy has cancelled and there is n mney due, and n reinstatement. If a check is received and is nt made payable t Merchants Insurance Grup, the check will be sent back t the insured t be made payable t Merchants. Cash Applicatin Rules fr Autmatic Distributin f Accunt Premium: If the payment f an accunt bill is crrect, premiums will apply t the system as per invice generated and each plicy will be credited with the payment made. If the payment f an accunt bill is shrt f the amunt due, premiums will apply as fllws: Any current fees fr plicies n the accunt will be paid. Funds will be applied t plicies n the current bill prprtinately up t the amunt paid in full fr current plicies. This will be based n percentages charged fr each minimum due amunt. Overpayment f accunt bill: The same infrmatin as stated abve except we will nt apply any mney beynd the paid in full amunt fr any plicy. Any remaining mney will be distributed prprtinately t the ther plicies within the accunt. Fr any remaining credit balance as a result f all plicies being paid in full, a return premium check will be sent t the insured. Billing Inquiry Website Our nline billing inquiry system has been designed t prvide the agent with the tls t manage their custmer s accunts fr all billing transactins. The fllwing prvides a brief explanatin f the tabular tl bar as yu navigate thrugh the web screens: 19

20 Welcme t Billing Inquiry Screen At this screen, yu will be able t enter the accunt number, plicy number r name f insured. Illustratin One will use accunt number A Click the magnifying glass t cntinue. 20

21 Accunt Summary Screen When entering the accunt number the accunt billing summary will be displayed as fllws: Example 1. Accunt with all active plicies. Accunt Status Displays Active if all plicies within the accunt are in active billing status r One r mre plicies pending cancel r cancelled. Accunt Balance Displays the ttal utstanding balance fr all plicies within the accunt including thse that are in a nn-pay pending cancellatin status is due. Last Payment Date Displays the date the last payment was received fr the accunt. Min. Due Frm Last Invice Shws the minimum amunt due frm the last invice. Due Date Displays the due date fr the minimum due. Invice Balance Shws the invice amunt due r Paid if payment has been received. 21

22 Make Payment When clicking n the Make Payment ptin, the make payment screen will appear, displaying the accunt name, number and the dllar amunt prefilled n the screen. By selecting Make Payment yu are making a payment fr the entire accunt. See Example 3. NOTE: Payment ptins include payment by Plicyhlder echeck r Agent echeck, r payment by credit card. Plicies fr This Accunt Displays the list f plicies that are either actively billing, in pending cancellatin status r that have been cancelled. Active Plicies Displays the plicy number, type f plicy, payment plan, EFT if applicable and minimum amunt due. Example 2 belw illustrates what an Accunt Summary Screen lks like when plicies are in varius mdes, such as an active plicy, a pending cancellatin status, r a cancelled plicy. Example 2. Accunt Summary Screen fr Active, Pending Cancellatin r Cancelled Plicies Status within the accunt. Pending Cancellatin Status Displays a plicy(s) in pending cancellatin, the amunt due, the payment due date and a pay nw buttn t pay the cancellatin amunt. 22

23 Nte: Plicies in a pending cancellatin status require payment t the plicy. Cancelled displays plicy(s) that have been cancelled. Fr any plicy(s) in a pending cancellatin r cancelled status, the payment must be made t each individual plicy. There is a Pay Nw buttn fr payment, and when selecting Pay Nw, the make payment screen will appear with the plicy number and dllar amunt f the cancellatin amunt due prefilled n the screen. See Example 3 fr display f the make payment screen. Fr any plicy(s) in active status, the Make Payment buttn will display the make payment screen with the accunt number and dllar amunt f the payment due prefilled n the screen. Nte: When bth cnditins as stated abve exist n the accunt summary, payment must be made separately fr each plicy in a pending cancellatin status and separately fr the accunt payment. Example 3. Make a Payment Screen 23

24 When making a payment using a credit card, the fllwing set f screens will appear. 24

25 When the credit card payment is cmpleted, the message belw will appear and the user will be transferred back t the Make a Payment Screen. The user may then hit cancel t return t Merchants billing. Plicy Detail Screen When navigating t the plicy detail screen, there is a Pay Nw buttn fr use by the agent when making a payment fr the insured nly when the insured cannt make the full accunt payment. The agent will have the ability t decide the amunt t apply t each plicy and can verride the dllar amunt in the make payment screen. Nte: This ptin is nly available t the agent. 25

26 Example 4. Plicy Detail Screen Pay Nw When clicking n the Pay Nw ptin, the make payment screen will appear displaying the plicy number and the dllar amunt filled in n the screen. By selecting Pay Nw yu are making a payment fr the plicy nly. When using this ptin, payment t each plicy within the accunt is paid separately. Nte: This ptin shuld nly be used when making a payment fr the insured IF the insured cannt make the full accunt payment. The fllwing pages display the remaining tabs n the billing inquiry tl bar as fllws: Transactin Histry Screen We have added a Transactin Histry Screen t give yu a quick and easy view f the accunt. Features f this new screen include the fllwing: Chrnlgical view f all premium, invice and payment activity fr all plicies within the accunt fr the past 24 mnths. The ability t filter by plicy, transactin type and date. 26

27 The ability t access an invice r plicy transactin by clicking n the View buttn next t each transactin. A PDF f either the invice r plicy transactin will appear. The ability t print transactin histry. The example belw displays the varius features f the transactin histry. Example 5. Transactin Histry Screen. The example n the next page shws a PDF pp up if a user clicked n View. 27

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29 Belw yu can see an example f multiple filters within the Transactin Histry fr an accunt. Filtering can be dne by plicy number, date range and transactin type. The Transactin Histry cntains 24 mnths f transactin activity fr all plicies within the accunt. A Billing Histry reprt can be btained n plicies in effect mre than 24 mnths by selecting Greater than 24 mnths in the Date Range Clumn. The examples n the next tw pages detail the Installment Schedule tab and the Payment Details tab, respectively. 29

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32 Billable Party Screen The billable party screen will display the name the accunt is billed t. This culd be the insured, third party r mrtgagee, etc. 32

33 Invices Screen The Invices Screen displays all types f invices generated under the accunt/plicy number. Invice types include: Installment, Past Due Ntice (NSF), Cllectin, Nn-Pay Cancellatin Ntice, Unpaid Prir Balance, and Audit Invices. Clicking in the View Invice clumn fr ne f the invices will bring up a PDF dcument such as the ne shwn n the fllwing page. 33

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35 Autmated Integrated Vice Respnse System (IVR) Accessing Dial fr access t Merchants Insurance Grup s billing inquiry and payment infrmatin system. Fr Yur Cnvenience Autmated vice respnse is available t prvide current status, 24 hurs a day, seven days a week, fr all persnal and cmmercial lines direct bill and accunt bill plicies. The autmated IVR system prvides immediate balance, payment and status infrmatin n the plicy and accunt level. The infrmatin is updated daily and will reflect all transactins that have been prcessed n ur system thrugh the last business day. Yu als have the ptin f speaking t a billing analyst at any time during nrmal business hurs, Mnday Thursday 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Friday, EST. Any payments made after 8 p.m., n weekends and hlidays, will be credited the next business day. Yu can make payments n a plicy r accunt fr yur insureds directly frm their checking r savings accunt by using the telephne keypad. Yu nw have the ability t make a credit card payment via the telephne keypad by chsing ptin #3 and being transferred t ur credit card payment prcessr. Thank yu fr chsing Merchants Insurance Grup! M