Affirmation Process

Reference Guides and FAQs

Affirmation Process

Affirmation FAQs

What is affirmation?

Affirmation is the process where agents must electronically confirm compliance with the accreditation, eligibility and retention requirements of ARC agreements (e.g., ownership status and other personnel requirements) at least annually, as determined by ARC.

What information is being affirmed?

All relevant accreditation information, including agency address, ownership information, essential personnel, contact information, etc.

Who will be receiving the Affirmation notification?

The agency’s My ARC primary administrator

Who from the agency has access to affirmation, and who can affirm?

The My ARC primary administrator and anyone with access to the accreditation tool.

When will the agency be notified their Affirmation is due?

The My ARC primary administrator will be notified approximately 60 days prior to the agency’s ARC anniversary month. For example, if your anniversary month is February 2025, you will be notified December 2024.

For home office locations (HOL) with branches, how will the participation date be applied across all locations?

The HOL's participation date will be used and applied to all branch locations.

Is the information collected at a branch level?

While we will apply your HOL's anniversary date to all associated branch locations, affirmation is required for each location.

Is there a way to import a file to streamline the process for HOLs with multiple locations?

For now, there is no option to import a file. Affirmation needs to be done for each location.

When I initiate the affirmation process, will I receive a case number?

No case number is generated after completing your affirmation if no changes are requested. A case number is only generated when a request to change agency information, such as the agency’s legal name or ownership, is made.

When and how often does an agency need to affirm?

Affirmation usually needs to be completed annually. Agencies are notified by email when the affirmation period begins, and they must complete it by their participation anniversary date.

Is there an automatic way to affirm?

Currently, the affirmation process may not be fully automated and will require manual review and confirmation by an authorized person.

Is there an automatic way to confirm information each year if my agency still needs to make a change?

There is no plan to automate this process as of now.

When was Affirmation relaunched?

November 2024

What happens if my agency does not complete the affirmation requirements?

Your agency could have limitations in accessing ARC tools and services.

We encourage you to complete the affirmation process within the provided timelines. If additional time is required, you should contact ARC to request it. We are here to support you.

What is ARC doing with the information captured? (data privacy)

Improved Engagement: The data helps tailor communication, such as sending relevant emails, risk alerts, TAC messages, system updates/outage messages and product recommendations.

KYC (Know Your Customer): In certain industries like finance, businesses are legally required to verify customer identities to prevent fraud or money laundering.

Risk Management: Affirmed customer data is essential for identifying suspicious activity and mitigating potential risks.

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)/CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), etc.: Businesses must comply with regulations governing customer data collection, storage and use. Affirmed data helps ensure compliance by maintaining accurate records of customer consent and communication preferences.

Will training be available?

Yes, ARC will have recorded videos and other training tools available for you to reference prior to starting your affirmation.

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) FAQs

What is a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)?

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is the Agreement signature page by which the Agent and ARC consents to be bound by the terms of the Agent Reporting Agreement (ARA). The latest version of the Agent Reporting Agreement (ARA) can be found here: Agent Reporting Agreement (ARA)

Why do we need to sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)?

To ensure we have the most up-to-date agreement for the agency.

Who can sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) contract?

A current owner or officer on record of the agency.

Why isn’t an owner or officer listed on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) contact page?

The owners and officers shown on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Contact page reflect the information currently on file with ARC. If the details are outdated or incorrect, an ownership change or officer update will need to be submitted.

Additionally, if you updated any owner or officer information in the Affirmation process, that individual will no longer appear on the MOA contact page. In this case, please select “None of the Above” and manually enter the correct MOA contact information.

Is a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) needed every year?

Once you complete the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), your agency will not need to sign again in future years unless otherwise requested by ARC.

Who will be receiving the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) contract?

The owner or officer designated during the Affirmation process will receive an email containing the contract. Reminder emails will continue to be sent until the contract is signed