Configure Payment Processing Fees and Disclosures by State

Configure payment processing fees and customer-facing payment disclosures globally or by state, giving insurers the flexibility to meet regulatory requirements and business needs.

Introduction

Carrier administrators use Settings > Payments to configure payment processing fees for credit card, debit card, and ACH transactions, as well as the payment disclosures presented to policyholders. Define a global configuration that applies across all states, then create state-specific overrides where regulatory or business requirements differ. At the time of payment, BriteCore automatically applies the appropriate configuration based on the policyholder's state.

How Payment Settings Work

The Settings > Payments view is organized into two sections. Payment Fees lets insurers configure the processing fee applied to each payment method, while Messaging controls the disclosures and payment preview presented to policyholders during the payment process.

BriteCore applies payment settings based on scope, which can be either Global or State. The Global configuration serves as the default for all states. When a state-specific configuration is defined, it overrides the Global configuration for that state only. Each state configuration is independent and does not inherit settings from the Global configuration, giving insurers complete control over payment fees and messaging wherever state-specific requirements apply.

Each scope defines a fee formula and a description for three payment methods: Credit Card, Debit Card, and ACH / Bank Transfer. The formula is an expression that BriteCore evaluates against the payment amount to produce the fee. The description is the text shown next to the payment method on payment screens. For the full formula syntax, see Configure Payment Method Fee Formulas.

The Test amount field previews the calculated fee for each method without affecting any live setting. Enter an amount to see what each formula produces.

Before You Begin

• Administrator access: Only users with administrator privileges can view and manage these settings.
• Stripe Connect: Payment fee configuration is available only for organizations using Stripe Connect.
• Payment Processor integration: The Payment Processor integration must be installed and configured under Settings > Vendor Integrations. Without this integration, payment fee settings will not be applied.
• Business locations: To configure settings for a specific state, first add the state under Settings > System Wide > Business Locations. Only states configured there are available to select for state-specific payment settings.

Edit the Global Default

The Global default is the configuration BriteCore applies in every state that has no exception of its own.

1. Go to Settings > Payments. BriteCore selects the Global default scope automatically.
2. In the Formula field for each payment method, enter the fee expression.
3. In the Description field for each payment method, enter the text policyholders see on payment screens.
4. Select Save changes.

Note: Keep each description in sync with its formula. The description is display text and does not affect the calculated fee.

Add a State Exception

Add a state configuration when a state requires a different fee or different messaging than the Global default.

1. Go to Settings > Payments.
2. Select Add state.
3. In the Add a state configuration dialog, select the state. Only states without their own configuration appear in the list.
4. Edit the Formula and Description fields for each payment method.
5. Select Save changes.

To switch between an existing state and the Global default, use the Scope dropdown. The banner below the dropdown shows which scope you are editing.

Note: A state inherits nothing from the Global default. Set every value you need on the state configuration.

Preview a Fee With a Test Amount

Use a test amount to confirm a formula produces the fee you expect before you save.

1. Select the scope you want to check in the Scope dropdown.
2. In the Test amount field, enter a payment amount.
3. Confirm the calculated fee in the Test Fee column for each payment method.

Note: The test amount previews the calculation only. It does not change any saved setting or charge any payment.

Set Payment-Time Messaging

The Messaging area controls how fees and disclosures appear to policyholders at payment time.

1. Go to Settings > Payments and scroll to Messaging.
2. Under Preview style, select Standard or New York Compliant.
3. In the Authorization disclosure field, enter the text shown above the consent checkbox. HTML is supported.
4. In the fee disclosure field, enter the text appended to the authorization disclosure when a fee applies. HTML is supported.
5. Use the Live preview to confirm how the messaging renders, then select Save changes.

Preview styles

Preview styles control how payment fees are displayed to policyholders. The fee amount remains the same regardless of the selected style—only the presentation changes.

• Standard shows the fee as a separate line added on top of the payment amount.
• New York Compliant folds the fee into a single inclusive price, so the policyholder sees one combined amount.

The preview style labels describe how the payment calculation is presented to policyholders. They do not correspond to specific states or jurisdictions. Select the style that best aligns with your organization's payment disclosure requirements.

Tip: Use an inclusive-price preview style as a state-specific override rather than your Global default, as this presentation is typically required only in certain jurisdictions.

Note: The preview style affects only what the policyholder sees at payment time. It does not change deliverables such as receipts, invoices, or the pre-authorized payment schedule. To change how a fee appears on those documents, explore creating them as dynamic deliverables.

When a scope uses the inclusive-price style, BriteCore manages the per-method descriptions automatically and the Description fields are read-only for that scope.

Reference

Fee settings

Messaging settings

Fee formula safeguards

See Also

• Configure Payment Method Fee Formulas
• Set up the Payment Processor integration (Settings > Vendor Integrations)
• Add business locations (Settings > System Wide > Business Locations)
• Settings overview
• Administrative Alerts