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Insurance agents, brokers, and /or producers have a lot to worry about these days. Insurance itself has become more complicated, and the standards expected of agents by the consumer continue to dramatically increase. One might think that personal lines insurance is uncomplicated and is driven solely by price. All too often, we are bombarded by advertisements about how we can save money with one insurance company over another. That mistaken approach implies that all policies are the same, which we know is not true.
Personal line agents may find that issues of coverage are just as complicated today as any commercial policy can be and sometimes even more so. The real question is how you approach the challenge, and more importantly, how you document what you did and why.
The insurance industry has always been cyclical, going through periods of “soft” and “hard” market conditions that can last several years. Today’s agents have been thrust into what the insurance industry has historically called a “hard market.” However, this market cycle seems a bit different than those in the past and perhaps may not soften as quickly as we’ve seen in some cycles.
Colby Allen is a consultant with Agency Brokerage who has over 10 years of industry experience in finance, operations, analytics, and project management. During that time he has worked with regional agencies, national agencies, and a regional carrier. Notable projects include refinement of agency finance and operational reporting processes as well as assist in acquisitions…
“By investigating a case aggressively at the outset, it was often possible to have a developed factual matter for analysis within 90 days, maybe as long as 6 months, depending on the cooperation of any third‑party claimant and other sources of information. By having that development, one could set accurate reserves earlier. The insurer would know where it stood, and actuaries could also have access to that data and reassess a particular book of business or a particular program to see how profitable it may be over time and make adjustments, rather than canceling a program as unprofitable, should development and accurate reserve setting take longer, such as years versus months.
Another important function was the interaction between claims handlers and underwriters. The two go hand in hand. Underwriters have a certain view of the world and ways they want to approach coverage, but it’s the claims people who must handle the result and keep up to date with the latest case law affecting liability and/or coverage. Such teamwork results in tighter and more successful programs including decisions as to whether or not policy language needs to be changed or the need to add additional exclusions based on developing appellate decisions that might create new perils. That level of communication was important, especially for innovative insurance companies. Where the intent is to cover something as communicated to the applicant, the claim department might not be aware of it, resulting in a claim denial.”
I am an unique risk management and insurance professional, having worked in all three main sectors of the industry, insurer, broker, and risk management. More particularly, I have been a risk manager for a Fortune 50 company, an insurance broker, twice albeit in different roles in addition to being a wholesale insurance broker, and a…
Lezlee Liljenberg, entered the insurance business in 2004 as she started her first agency from ground zero, growing the business to over $6 million in revenue in less than 12 years. Ms. Liljenberg holds a BA in Journalism/Public Relations and a MA in Political Science/Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is…
This article discusses some of the physical risks adjusters face in fieldwork and the emotional risks they face in an increasingly stressful claims arena. It offers tips and solutions for both adjusters and those who manage a claims team.
