Outstanding Payments

Overview

Outstanding payments are policies where the full premium has not been collected. This can happen when an insured makes a partial payment, a check is returned, or a finance installment is missed. LAMS tracks outstanding balances and provides a follow-up queue to manage communication with producers and insureds until the balance is resolved or the policy is cancelled.

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Outstanding Payments Queue

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Outstanding payments smart table showing policy number, insured name, producer, amount due, original due date, and days outstanding

Outstanding payments smart table showing policy number, insured name, producer, amount due, original due date, and days outstanding

1. Navigate to Accounting > Outstanding Payments.
2. The queue lists all policies with an open balance.
3. Columns include: policy number, insured name, producer, balance due, original due date, and days outstanding.
4. Sort by Days Outstanding to prioritize oldest balances.

Payment Follow-Up Queue

The follow-up queue manages scheduled and completed communication attempts for outstanding policies.

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Payment follow-up queue with tabs for Pending Follow-Ups, Completed Follow-Ups, and All, with columns for follow-up date, contact method, and result

Payment follow-up queue with tabs for Pending Follow-Ups, Completed Follow-Ups, and All, with columns for follow-up date, contact method, and result

1. Navigate to Accounting > Payment Follow-Ups.
2. Use the tabs to switch between Pending, Completed, and All follow-ups.
3. Each follow-up shows: policy number, producer, balance, next contact date, and last contact result.

Sending a Follow-Up Notice

1. From the Outstanding Payments queue, click the policy row to open it.
2. Click Send Follow-Up.
3. The follow-up dialog opens with the producer’s email pre-populated.
4. Review the default follow-up email body, which includes: policy number, insured name, balance due, and due date.
5. Customize the message if needed.
6. Click Send.
7. The follow-up is logged in the policy’s activity history with the date and sender.

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Follow-up email dialog showing pre-populated recipient, subject, and email body with balance and due date details

Follow-up email dialog showing pre-populated recipient, subject, and email body with balance and due date details

Note

Follow-up emails are logged automatically and appear in the Activity tab of the policy record. You do not need to copy yourself on follow-ups — the system retains a complete record.

Resolving an Outstanding Payment

When the balance is received:

1. Open the policy from the outstanding payments queue.
2. Click Record Payment.
3. Enter the payment amount, payment date, and payment method.
4. Click Save.
5. If the full balance is now paid, the policy is removed from the outstanding payments queue automatically.
6. If the payment is still partial, the remaining balance stays in the queue.

Writing Off a Balance

For small balances that are not cost-effective to collect (typically under $5):

1. Open the policy record.
2. Click Write Off Balance.
3. Confirm the write-off amount.
4. Select the write-off GL account (your administrator configures this).
5. Click Confirm Write-Off.

Caution

Write-offs require approval from the accounting supervisor. Confirm your authorization level before processing write-offs.

Escalation Rules

If a balance remains unpaid after the standard follow-up period, the system escalates:

Days Outstanding	Action
1–15 days	Appears in Outstanding Payments queue
16–30 days	First automated follow-up email sent
31–45 days	Second follow-up; notification sent to underwriter
46–60 days	Supervisor notified; cancellation process may begin
60+ days	Review for cancellation for non-payment

Escalation thresholds are configured by your administrator and may vary by product line.

Policy Cancellation for Non-Payment

If a balance cannot be collected, the policy may be cancelled for non-payment. See Cancellation for the full process, including notice periods and effective dates.