Fireman’s Fund Unveils New Software for Middle-Market Business

Fireman’s Fund Insurance has developed a new software program, designed specifically to help agents better serve their customers. The software, iCustomer Series, is targeted at middle market businesses concentrated in six specific industries: leisure (including restaurant, hotels and country clubs), manufacturing, real estate, services, wholesale operations and retail stores. Set to debut consecutively over Fireman’s Fund’s five Commercial Business regions in the next coming months, the software consists of six CD-ROM’s designed specifically for the industry that they serve, as well as a business solutions CD to aid the producer in introducing and assisting this new state-of-the-art technology to their customers.

The software includes tools and services that provide interactive information and industry training in the many areas encompassing the insurance industry. Some of these tools include on-line loss reporting to Fireman’s Fund, Web links to medical providers for workers’ compensation, and on-line access to extranet sites relating to each industry.

The six industry specific CD’s offer three key areas that provide further links to the information: claims, loss prevention and solutions. “All of the subtopics that are under those general categories are all the exact by-products of what customers specifically asked us for. They asked us for easier on-line claims support. They asked us for an easier way to actually file claims,” said Joe Beneducci, senior vice president, Commercial Insurance, Fireman’s Fund.

The subtopics, which include claim kits, claims handling, slip and fall checklists and liability, all provide links to exclusive extranet sites. “Access to the extranets give the customer 24-hour access to claims infor-mation, filing claims, loss control information, loss prevention information, and all those things that they would have probably had to either call their agent (for), or try to get a hold of their company. And that includes an on-line library of hundreds of what we call insides, which are safety bulletins, and access to various business solutions. It’s really a huge offering of information, all based on what the customer says they would like,” according to Tom Alteri, director of product development.

“These discs are really portals to the extranet sites that are dedicated to each one of the industries,” said public relations director John Kozero, for Fireman’s Fund.

Among the offerings through the extranet sites are web-based training programs such as “Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls, designed to assist customers in reducing claims resulting from this major cause of loss. Other features include a library of loss prevention materials and common insurance forms that customers may order at no additional cost. “You need not fill out a single form on paper anymore by using this service. Everything can be done from a PC, allowing you to record everything you send to us and perform the paperwork effortlessly,” added Kozero.

The CD-ROM’s also feature information and articles regarding current, important issues that face each specific industry. The links to the extranet sites bring the customer to a section allowing them to connect with others in their industry that are also insured by Fireman’s Fund.

While many customers will find this new software innovative, groundbreaking and deliverable in terms of easing the insurance process, Kozero warned that it is not for everyone. “One of the parameters we put on the customers are that they have a maximum of $250,000 in premiums. We don’t want to spread this into the very large risks, at least until we fully service the customers we’re targeting now.”

The software was developed after extensive research conducted by Fireman’s Fund in an effort to better serve their quality-driven customers. Focus groups were conducted nationwide consisting of customers and agents to find out what services would help make the insurance process more bearable. “We found that customers simply don’t like insurance,” said Beneducci. “Having heard that from customers over and over again, what they really wanted was a greater level of simplicity and ease from the insurance process. And they asked us some very specific things about deliverables by way of how we can make them more effective risks managers within their own operation and thereby make their own environment as a customer safer for their own employees as well as managing risk.”

“As the agents go, just having these available for the customers gives the agents a unique advantage not only in marketing but also in servicing their customers,” said Alteri. “This offering, as much as it focuses on end deliverables for customers, re-positions the agent and differentiates them in the eyes of the customer and helps make them more effective,” Beneducci added.

“We train to use this as a marketing tool to penetrate a class of business, which has, up until now, been somewhat elusive,” added Kozero. “The small to medium-size businesses, for the most part, until now, has been a very undefined part of American business. Many insurance agents want to develop a foothold in that area of business, but it’s not easy to do so without an insurer’s assistance. It breaks down a grouping of industries out of all the industries that are possible within the small to medium-size line and makes it more understandable, more governable.”

Alteri continued, “What we did was we took the input from this focus groups and actually used that to design and develop what you see on the CD and further industry-specific extranet sites out there on the internet that the customers can go to on a regular basis and find solutions, the information specific to their industries. It’s exactly what they asked for. We answered their needs.”

The iCustomer Series will allow customers to obtain discounts through specific on-line vendors through the extranet sites. The first of these services to be offered will be through EVault, a national provider of on-line data back-up services. According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Report, 93 percent of companies that suffer a significant data loss are defunct five years after the event.

“One of the very common problems that small and medium-sized businesses have is backing up their business data in a way that is cost efficient and fully effective to their needs. So that if there is any type of accident or fire or destruction of their computer hardware, or perhaps even a virus in their software that would wipe out their disk they would be able to quickly retrieve the essential elements of information needed to carry on their business. Now one way of protecting the information is to subscribe to a vendor like EVault,” said Kozero.

The discount is the first to be offered through the iCustomer Series, with other vendors connecting in the future, allowing them to work with Fireman’s Fund to reach this class of customer. Beneducci added, “By teaming together with some of these partners, we can actually utilize a lot of the services and products that we have to offer. And then grant our customers a discount to benefit again their loss prevention and their safety.”

“This is a way of allowing customers to assist in their own risk management needs. It does not replace the essentials of service that an agent provides. The agent is there as an expert. There are many times when a customer wants to have access to a very wide variety of insurance capabilities, and here before, they’ve always had to call their agent first. This empowers the customer, by taking some of the services that would have been translated through the agent, the agent still could have a part of it, but it brings more power to the customer itself,” offered Kozero.

Beneducci concluded by adding, “I think what we’ve done here is truly something revolutionary, and something we’re very excited about, because it really does put our customers in the drivers’ seat. It really better positions them in the marketplace in a very simple, technology friendly way, focusing specifically on what customers have asked for. It’s a very unique opportunity.

Topics Agencies Commercial Lines Business Insurance Pricing Trends New Markets