I’m an experienced notary signing agent and a tipic, is renewing my nna necessary? I can’t see anywhere that it has benefited me except for the background report and I can get that elsewhere. My membership is about to expire and I’d like to know.
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You can get Background Check and E&O from NNA without being a member. I’ve been doing it for many years.
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Do you mean the basic plan. I don’t get the E&O ins from NNA because it’s for notaries and not for NSA’s.
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I get whatever plan NNA is selling. I’m aware that E&O isn’t really for NSA’s, since it only covers “notary” errors. Regardless, that’s what is accepted and required in the world that we work in, so I never pursued 'NSA" insurance, if such a thing exists. If it does, I’m sure that it’s more expensive than just notary E&O.
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Yes it is more expensive but I think it’s worth it.
Your question, no probably not but there are three types of notaries out there: those that do this for money, a.k.a. loan signers; those that are forced to do this by their employer; and those that do this for public service, a.k.a. mobile notaries. I’ve been a member of the NNA for 25 years. Their yearly membership fee is about the same as surfline.com, which lets me check the surf in locales worldwide. Do I still surf? No. But I’m still an active notary, and in an industry that discourages unions, this is as close to being part of a group of like-minded individuals as I can get. Do I believe they advocate for us? Not really, but they still maintain a hotline. There’s just not enough money left over in this notary business to finance a nationwide organization. Just look at those membership fees and overpriced gear as a donation to keep them afloat.
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I can’t remember which one, but there’s a signing service that wants an active NNA membership to assign orders. I keep the membership for those instances. I buy the background check because it’s accepted by everyone. I get my E & O and my stamps somewhere else. And I have the NNA business cards so I simply believe it’s advantageous to be a member since I hand out a business card that says I am.
JMO.
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I agree because I just received an email from Fidelity to renew my background check at NNA and to let them know. Where do you get your E&O ins? I’m trying to find some that’s not too expensive.
Your bond covers you for Notary errors, and the e&o is secondary to your bond. I found that most hiring services want you to carry $100,000, and that’s pretty expensive. If the NNA was more responsive to signing agents, they would offer a business liability policy that would cover all the laundry list of activities that could go wrong between the initial phone call and the receipt from FedEx after you drop the package.
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@redrobinnotary - I’ve found that the National Notary Association (NNA) offers several advantages for notary signing agents, and I wanted to share three key reasons why I believe it can be beneficial for your business. Firstly, many companies, especially in the loan signing industry, often mandate NNA’s loan signing agent certification as a prerequisite for working with them. This certification demonstrates a certain level of training and adherence to industry standards, which can open doors to more opportunities. Secondly, similar to the certification, numerous companies also insist on an NNA-provided background check as a standard requirement, underscoring the importance of trust and reliability in this field. Finally, the NNA’s hotline service can be a valuable resource for notaries, providing support and answers to questions that may arise during the course of your work. Beyond these core benefits, there’s the added advantage of being listed in the NNA’s database, which can potentially lead to new business leads and connections within the network. Personally, I also value my NNA membership for the access it provides to their notary certificates and their informative blogs and newsletters, which keep me updated on the latest regulations and best practices. I view the membership cost as a strategic investment, a necessary expense to maintain a competitive edge and ensure the continued success of my notary practice.
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I use Western Surety Company and 100K was twice what I paid for $25K so I did it because a lot of the services want the higher coverage.
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Where do you get your stamps from?
The American Association of Notaries
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notarystamps.com The self inking stamps by Excel Mark are great quality.
I have a round one and a very small stamp for the documents the round stamp won’t fit on.
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I have the same but I got my round one from AAN. It’s great and has lasted 4 yrs so far.
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I’ve struggled with this as well. But so many companies want your current certificate with NNA. And honestly, reading their newsletters can enlighten me to even small things I hadn’t yet known.
So I’m staying for now.
Leanne
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Schwabb in Milwaukee wisconsin
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JOT requires NNA NSA/background
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You can order through Amazon as well.
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Excellent response! You hit on all the major drivers behind my decision to renew my NNA membership each year and recertify as an NSA with them. Simply mentioning that I am NNA certified has opened so many doors for me that might have otherwise remained closed.
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