FEbRuARY 2014
Transcription
FEbRuARY 2014
AGENCY FOCUS page 4 • EMPLOYEE FOCUS page 6 • rating precision in personal lines page 14 TIMELY NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM ACUIT Y february 2014 Bright future INDEPENDENT AGENTS CONTINUE TO SHINE page 2 w w w.acuity.com ACUITY puts our trust IN INDEPENDENT AGENTS— AND FOR GOOD REASON For nearly 90 years, independent agents have been the cornerstones of ACUITY’s business model. “We will continue to invest our resources, energy, and capabilities in building strong partnerships with independent agents,” says Wally Waldhart, Vice President - Sales and Communications. “We put our trust in the future with them.” That trust is well placed. Every so often, an industry pundit will predict the demise of the independent agent channel, and every time those predictions have been proven wrong. There are four key reasons independent agents are going to not just survive, but thrive. Independent agents produce better business. “We believe the best business in both commercial and personal lines comes from independent agents, and that is proven by our financial results and profitability, year after year,” says Ben Salzmann, President and CEO. It’s also supported by research. In a study of personal lines growth and profit leaders, Conning Research found that a full two-thirds of leading insurers were independent agency companies—including ACUITY. “When you combine both growth and profit as defining characteristics—not just one or the other—the results definitely favor the independent agency channel,” says Alan Dobbins, Vice President at Conning Research. That doesn’t surprise Ed Felchner, Vice President - Personal Lines. “We see a lot of business going to the direct marketers that is very price sensitive—minimal-coverage, low-limit, single-term policies with poor retention and no relationship building. As far as we’re concerned, they can have that business,” he says. Consumers trust independent agents . . . It’s true that more and more consumers are using the internet to explore insurance options, but many choose an independent agent when it’s time to purchase coverage. Even tech-savvy individuals who start the process online get frustrated with the complexity of insurance, presenting a great opportunity for agents to educate consumers and make a difference. “People are taking the time to do a lot of research online, but somewhere in the process the independent agent becomes important to the consumer,” says Dobbins. . . . And so do insurers. Conning points out that independent agents are a valuable resource for insurers as well, providing risk assessment and prescreening functions as well as geographic and market-specific knowledge. Agents are also better suited to handle complex product lines and are positioned to help build relationships in the claims process. “From the insurers’ standpoint, there is also the advantage of scalability,” Dobbins says. “The independent agency channel provides both a flexible and a scalable client acquisition platform, helping companies grow.” Independent agents’ market share is strong. Independent agents write a whopping 78 percent of commercial lines premiums. In personal lines, they write over a third. Additionally, independent agents’ market share is increasing in personal lines. Since 1995, their market share has grown more than 2 percentage points. Compare that to the captive agent channel, which has seen its market share drop by more than 10 points. “Obviously, direct marketers have gained market share in recent years in personal lines, but they are taking it from the captive agent channel, not from independent agents,” says Felchner. “We love writing business with independent agents,” adds Salzmann, “and we see continued momentum in the years ahead.” • nfocus INDEPENDENT AGENTS Personal lines market share Commercial lines market share 3.3% Direct/Other Response 35.7% 18.3% Exclusive Agents 78.4% Independent Agents 33.5% 1995 Today Source: IIABA Property-Casualty Insurance Market Find the Despite the cold weather, our January was toasty warm thanks to its placement on the ACUITY mukluks on page 10. We received many responses from readers who had found the icon, and the winners of $100 chosen from correct entries are: Melanie L. Watson Leavitt Group Four Corners Ins Durango, CO Bonnie Hallsted First Western Insurance Hot Springs, SD Brittany Murray W F Roemer Insurance Toledo, OH To enter this month’s contest, find the hidden elsewhere in this issue, then send an email with its location to contest@acuity.com by February 28, 2014. This contest is open to agency staff only. • F e b r u ary 2 0 1 4 PAG E 3 WALLACE, COOPER & ELLIOTT IS THE ONE-STOP SHOP f o r c usto mers’ ins urance ne e ds Since its founding in 1947, Wallace, Cooper & Elliott grew steadily, serving customers in Richland County, Wisconsin, and surrounding areas. Original owners Warren Wallace, Willis Cooper, and Robert Elliott took great pride in providing outstanding service and quality to their customers. But despite the agency’s overall growth and success, President Sheila Troxel always believed the agency had the potential to take its business to the next level. Sheila, who began her career with the agency in 1978, acquired ownership of the firm with her business partner Mike Edwardson in 1989. “We were very proud to be locally owned and operated,” Sheila says. When Mike retired in 2010, Sheila asked her staff to take a hard look at ways the agency could improve its services. “We realized we were very busy with P&C business, but we needed to expand into other lines and offer more to our customers,” she says. “We needed to be a one-stop shop.” The agency made the decision to expand into health and life. Sheila’s son, Aaron Troxel, and Dan Schwinefus, both New York Life career agents, connected with the agency to help it offer all types of life, investment, and financial products. Aaron’s wife, Kathy Troxel, joined the team as a receptionist. “All these changes were a big commitment on our end, and a risk as well,” Sheila says. But the risk paid off. Not only has the agency expanded in new lines of business, but its “one-stop-shop” approach has led to cross sales. The agency’s growth spurt prompted a 2012 move to a new location in downtown Richland Center after 54 years at the original headquarters. Community Commitment Wallace, Cooper & Elliott offers customers a broad product portfolio along with the expertise delivered by experienced staff. Producers Pat Elliott, Ralph Torgerson, Deb Fontana, and Carol Strang are all long-term employees of the agency and lifelong residents of the community. The agency also has a strong community presence, with its staff involved in many Seated, left to right: Carol Strang, Kathy Troxel Standing, left to right: Pat Elliott, Deb Fontana, Ralph Torgerson, Sheila Troxel, Aaron Troxel, and Dan Schwinefus charitable organizations, foundation nfocus boards, civic groups, and youth sports. In 2011, Pat was named Wisconsin Assistant Coach of OF THE the Year for his work with the Richland Center High School girls’ basketball team. This year, Aaron and Kathy cochaired Rotary Lights in the Park with the Rotary Club of Richland County, bringing holiday magic to many families while collecting food for the local food pantry. “Richland Center is a great place to call home, and we believe in supporting it,” Sheila says. This year marks the agency’s 50th year of business partnership with ACUITY. “We have had the privilege of working with outstanding company personnel, and that is why ACUITY is one of our top companies,” says Sheila. AGENCY MONTH Growth Goals Wallace, Cooper and Elliott is looking to expand its operations and grow in all lines of business. Bringing in new agents and having a mix of products will enable that goal, as will having staff who are willing to do whatever it takes to deliver outstanding customer service. “Our staff is very dedicated and will go the extra mile for their customers and coworkers,” Sheila says. “We believe in teamwork, and we feel we have the people and companies to take the agency to the next level.” Above all, the staff at Wallace, Cooper & Elliott will strive to continue the deep tradition of excellence, dedication, and commitment that prior agency owners believed in and valued. “We owe a debt of gratitude to them,” she adds. “We have the deepest appreciation for all our customers for their trust and loyalty through the years.” • nfocus ACUITY Named Easiest Company to Do Business With by Independent Agents ACUITY was recently recognized as the easiest company in the nation for independent agents to do business with by Deep Customer Connections (DCC). More than 7,000 independent agents assessed the performance of over 270 property and casualty carriers in the compilation of DCC’s annual Top 10 P&C Performers list. “ACUITY has made a commitment to provide the tools, technology, and staff expertise to enable agents to do business with us efficiently and effectively,” says Ben Salzmann, President and CEO. “Being recognized as the top carrier in the nation to do business with by independent agents confirms that we are meeting that commitment.” In the survey, agents rated the importance of 11 unique performance factors, including acting on agents’ needs, underwriting responsiveness and flexibility, issuing quotes without rework, effective technology, insurance and marketing expertise and support, fast and fair claims handling, and others. According to DCC, 99 percent of the agents and brokers surveyed in 2013 reported that how easy it is to do business with competing carriers is “critically important” in deciding where to write business. DCC also noted that a carrier’s performance substantially affects agency productivity and profitability as well as the quality of agents’ work lives. “The leaders of this year’s Top 10 companies deserve to be commended,” says Deep Customer Connections CEO Nort Salz. “This achievement requires on-going dedication to excellence across all agent touchpoints throughout the organization. In our experience, that requires everyone, from the CEO on down, to focus on making it easy for agents to do business with them.” • GARRETT BOECKELER “DELIVERS” OUTSTANDING CLAIM SERVICE On a Monday morning in late November, Garrett Boeckeler, Special Investigator, was startled when a vehicle crashed into a guardrail near his Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, home. Fortunately there were no injuries, but the vehicle’s driver, an OB/GYN at Froedtert hospital in Milwaukee, needed to get to the hospital to tend to some urgent patient needs. Garrett offered to drive the doctor to the hospital, getting him to his rounds on time. And in the process, Garrett also learned that the doctor is insured with ACUITY, helping him report the loss and begin the claim process. Now that’s what we call great service delivery! • fe b r u ary 2 0 1 4 PAG E 5 Brent Olson LIFE IS SWEET FOR BEEKEEPER BRENT OLSON In over three years’ experience keeping bees, Brent Olson recalls being stung only one time. That might sound incredibly low, but it’s actually fairly typical for beekeepers to avoid being on the receiving end of a stinger. “Usually, the bees are too busy doing what they need to be doing—taking care of the eggs, the larvae, the honey— to worry about what you’re doing,” Brent says. “If they do come at you, they will go for your head, so you have to always wear a hat and net,” he adds. “You could go into the hive with bare hands and they won’t sting your hands.” Getting Started Brent is a Field Claims Representative in Saint Louis, Missouri. He joined ACUITY in 2013 and has over 20 years’ experience in insurance claims. Beekeeping has been gaining in popularity in the state several years. “People have gotten more into organic foods and generally just wanting to know where their food comes from,” Brent says. He learned more about beekeeping after going to a meeting of the Saint Louis Beekeepers a few years ago with a friend. “I found it interesting, so we just kept going to meetings for the better part of a year, learning about the process and what was required to keep bees,” Brent says. “It’s important to know what you’re doing before starting a hive.” Brent received his first batch of bees in 2010 from a supplier in New Orleans. “It’s pretty exciting when you get your first shipment,” he says. “You literally dump them into their hive and put the queen in her ‘queen capsule.’ It doesn’t take long before the workers start building combs so the queen can lay her eggs, and the hive begins to grow.” Harvest Time The busy time for beekeeping is summer. “You have to be actively involved, checking regularly for problems such as wax moths, mice, hive beetles, and other things that can get in the hive,” Brent says. Harvests take place once a year in late summer. The harvesting process involves removing the wax- and honeyfilled frames from hive boxes and spinning the honey out using a centrifugal machine, borrowed from the local beekeeping club. “It’s a simple process, but quite messy,” Brent says. Care must be taken to leave enough honey in the hive to ensure the bees’ survival through cold months. “Bees cluster during the winter, vibrating their wings so it stays about 90 degrees inside the hive. They will die if their bodies get too cold,” Brent says. Growing Hobby Brent started with two hives in his backyard. This season, after expanding to four hives, he relocated his bees to Iron County in southern Missouri. Brent enjoys working with the bees and says that people could learn a thing or two from the insects’ unselfish social behavior. “Bees always share what’s in the hive equally, and no bee will eat all the honey that’s left, even if the hive is running out of food,” he says. “You quickly come to realize how much bees depend on and share with each other.” • nfocus marcus knuth named technology vp Marcus Knuth is promoted to Vice President - Enterprise Technology. In his new capacity, he will direct and oversee all of ACUITY’s technology initiatives and staff. Marcus began his career at ACUITY in May 1992 as a Management Trainee and became Unit Supervisor in Services later that year. Two years later, he was named Procedures Analyst, and he was promoted to Senior Procedures Analyst in 1996. In 1998, Marcus received the title Business Consultant, and he was subsequently promoted to Senior Business Consultant in 2001. The following year, he was named Director of Information Technology. In 2006, he was promoted to Area Manager Information Systems. Marcus earned bachelors degrees in computer science from Lakeland College and in finance from UW-Whitewater. He lives in Kohler, Wisconsin, with his wife, Karen, and their children Alex, Lucas, and Carter. On the • Move ACUITY congratulates the many staff members who have earned promotions! ACUITY Names New Commercial Underwriting manager Mike Dietz is promoted to Manager - Commercial Underwriting at our Milwaukee office. He joined ACUITY in June 2009 as a Senior Commercial Underwriter after gaining more than 10 years of underwriting experience with other insurance companies. Mike graduated in 1998 from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and lives in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Mike Dietz fe b r u ary 2 0 1 4 PAG E 7 ACUITY Names New Claims Managers ACUITY Announces New Director - Human Resources Lorna Johnson is Tonia Gibeault named Manager - Central is promoted to Director - Claims at our corporate Human Resources at our headquarters. She corporate headquarters. began her career with Tonia joined ACUITY in 2000 ACUITY in January as an Inside Claims 2001 as a Marketing Representative and Analyst I. In January was promoted to a 2003, she was named a Senior Inside Claims Marketing Analyst II. She Representative three Lorna Johnson Tonia Gibeault years later. Lorna holds a joined the human resources department in October 2004 as a Human Resources Specialist. She was promoted to Senior bachelor’s degree from Lakeland College in business Human Resources Specialist in June of 2010. administration and marketing. She lives in Cleveland, Wisconsin. College with a bachelor’s degree in business management Joe Balcaitis is hired as Manager - Central Claims at our corporate headquarters. After beginning his career at ACUITY in 1982 as a Claims Representative Trainee, Joe spent nearly 28 years working for Joe Balcaitis General Casualty. There, he started as a Claim Examiner and earned promotions to Territory Claim Manager and Unit Claim Manager. Most recently, he was a Home Claims Supervisor for Ameriprise Auto and Home Insurance in Green Bay. Joe earned a bachelor’s degree from Lakeland College in journalism and theatre. He also has earned his Associate in Claims (AIC), Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), and Certificate in General Insurance (INS) designations. Joe currently resides in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but is relocating to Sheboygan. Tonia graduated in December 1999 from Silver Lake and earned the professional in human resources (PHR) designation through the Human Resources Certification Institute. She is the Secretary for the Wisconsin Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) State Council. Tonia lives in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. nfocus ACUITY Adds New Managers in Information Systems Lori Lacy True Vang is promoted to Manager - is promoted Information Systems to Manager - at our corporate Information Systems at our corporate headquarters. He joined headquarters. ACUITY in research and development in May 2001. In 2013, he was promoted to Senior Systems Architect. True Vang True earned electronics Lori Lacy In 1982, Lori joined ACUITY as a Programmer. She was promoted to Programmer Analyst I in May 1984, to Senior Programmer Analyst in October 2000, and to Systems Architect in December 2012. Lori earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics engineering technology and computer information systems degrees from DeVry University. He lives in Sheboygan, with a minor in computer science from the University Wisconsin. of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She lives in Sheboygan, Chris Hoffman is named Manager - Information Wisconsin. Shayne Noffke is named Manager - Systems at our corporate Information Systems headquarters. at our corporate In June 1998, Chris joined ACUITY as a headquarters. Programmer Analyst. He Shayne was promoted to Senior joined ACUITY in June 2001 as a Programmer Analyst in Programmer and August 2001, to Systems Chris Hoffman was promoted to Architect in January 2003, and to Programmer Analyst Senior Systems Architect in January 2006. Chris graduated in 1998 from the University of Shayne Noffke Programmer Analyst in January Wisconsin-Green Bay with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. in January 2003, to Senior 2007, and to Systems Architect in July 2012. Shayne earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in management information systems and marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and lives in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. fe b r u ary 2 0 1 4 PAG E 9 Tyler Raulin is promoted to Manager Tyler Raulin Information Systems at our corporate headquarters. In June 2003, Tyler joined ACUITY as a Programmer. Nathan Weiler He was promoted to Programmer Analyst in June 2005, to is promoted to Manager - Senior Programmer Analyst in July 2009, and to Systems Information Systems Architect in July 2013. at our corporate Tyler graduated in 2003 from St. Norbert College with a headquarters. computer science degree. He lives In June 2003, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Nathan joined Adam Thill ACUITY as a Programmer and is named Manager - was promoted to Information Systems at our corporate Nathan Weiler headquarters. Adam joined ACUITY in January 2004 as a Programmer. He was Adam Thill promoted to Programmer Analyst in July 2005, to Senior Programmer Analyst in January 2008, and to Systems Architect in July 2012. In December 2003, Adam graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Programmer Analyst in 2005, to Senior Programmer Analyst in 2009, and to Systems Architect in 2012. Nathan graduated in 2003 from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. He lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. • nfocus IT’S A THIN GRAY LINE. WHERE DO YOU STAND? IT COURSES ERIES OF CE CRED NEXT IN A NEW S 2014 COMING WINTER For All That Matters ACUITY y u . c o m w w w . a c u i t OLD FAITHFUL’S cole geyser revisits THE FUR TRADE ERA In the early nineteenth century, the fur trade was one of the biggest businesses beyond the East Coast. Today, fur trade reenactors meet at encampments across the Midwest to provide a taste of what it would have been like to live and work in that once-vital industry. Cole Geyser, CEO at Old Faithful Insurance in Waukesha, has been a fur trade reenactor for over 25 years. “I represent a ‘free trapper’—an independent operator who sold his furs to whoever would give him the best price,” Geyser says. Wearing period-style clothing made of fur and buckskin, Geyser is also a camp cook, performing demonstrations for fellow reenactors and the general public. Geyser was introduced to reenacting after volunteering at the Indian Summer Festival, held each year at the Summerfest Grounds on Milwaukee’s lakefront. “From the very start, I have enjoyed practicing and demonstrating skills that have been lost in everyday life—starting a fire with flint and steel, cooking over an open flame, and being self-sufficient in the outdoors,” he says. • fe b r u ary 2 0 1 4 PAG E 1 1 t ACUITY ANNUAL REPORT POPS INTO COLLECTION In the nearly 30 years he has been collecting pop-up books, Francis Gagliardi of Plainville, Connecticut, has amassed over 900 items that span centuries and continents. His collection includes our 2010 Annual Report, “ACUITY’s Storybook Year.” Gagliardi, retired Associate Director of the Burritt Library at Central Connecticut State University, recently shared his items at a presentation on popups at the Wood Memorial Library & Museum in South Windsor. The presentation was featured in the Reminder News, and a link to an online version of the original article is available at http://bit.ly/1aDEVUl. Photo courtesy of Brenda Sullivan Word of Mouth Being a fan of ACUITY’s Facebook pages isn’t just a great way to learn about news you need to know and to network with colleagues—it’s also a chance to gain advanced access to great content. The digital version of the !nfocus is posted prior to distribution of the hard copy and agents who like ACUITY on Facebook got a sneak peek at the latest ACUITY U offering, Ethics: Three Agents in Prison. • • tech tips nfocus Agents can now save, sort, and filter loss run data The Loss Run Request screen has been updated to give agents the choice of receiving a loss run report as a PDF or CSV file. CSV files can be opened in many spreadsheet formats, allowing for sorting and analysis. Simply click the desired format. A dialog box indicates that the report is being emailed. Click the question mark icon to receive additional information regarding report types. • Bridget Markin, Commercial Producer at General E WEHWEOR R IN TH Insurance Services, Inc. in La LD IS Porte, Indiana, recently visited ACUITY? Fort Myers and Sanibel with her husband, Travis. She took in some parasailing—and took her pair of ACUITY mukluks with her! Would you like to win $100? Email a picture of you or your family with ACUITY logo gear visiting an interesting location to infocus@acuity.com and include a brief description of Where in the World ACUITY has been. If we use your picture, we’ll send you $100! This offer is open to all employees of ACUITY and our independent agencies. • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 PAG E 1 3 AREA inSIGHT RATING PRECISION HELPS AGENTS COMPETE IN PERSONAL LINES Charging rates that are accurate, fair, an entire territory— and competitive helps agents write personal lines business typically a county— while keeping ACUITY profitable. ACUITY continues to was assigned the look for ways to make our pricing even more precise by same location adding new pricing factors and elements into the equation. factor. In recent months, we have added two important, The Location innovative pricing elements. The first is longevity, which Insight tool reflects the length of time a new policy is predicted to stay analyzes numerous with ACUITY. variables at a specific Longevity is important as a pricing factor because there location, including are many expenses that take place at policy inception, weather, topography, including ordering MVR reports, financial responsibility and infrastructure. scores, CLUE for auto and home, and home inspections. This tool then scores The longer a customer stays with ACUITY, the longer the location for the likelihood of a loss. Each score period of time over which these expenses can be recovered. generates a location-specific premium. The rating Our longevity pricing element considers factors that combinations are almost endless! predict how long a customer will stay with ACUITY, ACUITY’s precision pricing initiatives have already led such as length of time with the prior carrier, the limits to sophisticated, tiered rating programs that offer literally being requested, and whether an account is a package or millions of rate combinations and valuable discounts monoline policy. Accounts with greater expected longevity based on our analyses of positive correlations. We will receive more favorable annual pricing. continue to refine our pricing to maintain a rating structure The other major significant pricing element is Location that is fair and flexible, maximizes our profitability, and Insight, added for home in 2013 and planned for makes ACUITY your most competitive option to offer implementation in auto in 2014. Before Location Insight, customers. • BY SHAWN CHRISMAN – Actuary nfocus Q. Every year after the premium audit, I get a bill. How can I avoid this? A. With the economy rebounding, many policies have seen increases in payroll, subcontractor costs, and sales. Be sure to update policy estimates to actual amounts from a recently completed premium audit to minimize additional premium due in the future. Q&Acuity Q. I use subcontractors that are independent contractors. Will I be charged for them on my workers’ compensation audit? A. Most states have requirements that must be met in order to avoid being charged for “independent contractors” on the workers’ compensation audit. Check with your state’s department of labor. Most will have a brochure or listing of the requirements on their website. Q. Payroll on the premium audit report for general liability (or Bis-Pak) exceeds the payroll for my employees. Why is that? A. For general liability (or Bis-Pak), any active principal of an entity is included at a flat amount set by the state, regardless of whether or not a principal takes wages. • MPOSSIBLE inSURABLES Storage Wars The application said that the insured’s premises included a “storage facility.” However, this isn’t exactly the type of facility we had in mind. It might be a good location for an episode of American Pickers, but this junkyard isn’t suitable for insurance with ACUITY. • fe b r u ary 2 0 1 4 PAG E 1 5 LAURIE MIGNANO INSPIRES CONFIDENCE IN CUSTOMERS Customers of The Hartwell Corporation can they need, and offer risk be confident in the service of Laurie Mignano, and for management options good reason. to meet those needs,” Laurie says. “Being “Both the clients and insurance companies that Laurie works with recognize her abilities,” says Todd Mary, agency available when clients Producer. “She is very professional, confident, knowledgeable, call, responding quickly, and detailed in her work. Her abilities have helped her develop lasting relationships with her clients, and she is valued and appreciated by her colleagues.” Laurie is a Commercial and knowing your clients’ business are also important.” Laurie enjoys working with customers and underwriters and adds that all the staff at The Hartwell Corporation are committed Account Executive and has to outstanding service. been with the Idaho Falls-based agency for eight years. She a team,” she says. “We know each others’ clients and are says that good customer service able to help out when someone is not available. Having team “We have a great group of people here, and we work as OUTSTANDING begins with listening. “You need to take the time to listen to clients, understand what support strengthens our client relationships.” Congratulations to Laurie Mignano, an Outstanding Service Professional! •