New Markets

Fire and Water Restoration Plus Pollution and Mold Liability for Contractors

Nuts & Bolts: Bonding and Insurance Specialists Agency is offering fire and water restoration contractors general liability plus contractor’s pollution and mold liability. BISA has been a leading independent agency writing insurance and bonds for contractors and consultants with pollution exposures for 20 years.

Dollars: Policy limits are $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate standard. Higher limits are available. Deductibles are $5,000 standard. Minimum premium is $10,000.

Carrier: Rated “A XIV,” nonadmitted.

States Available: Most states.

Contact: Dennis Konieczny (800) 346-1031 or www.bisa-inc.com.

Miscellaneous Medical Malpractice

Nuts & Bolts: NAS Insurance Services’ miscellaneous medical malpractice insurance program has several new features including new deductibles that can be lower than $2,500. The coverage can also now be underwritten with greater rate flexibility. The program features limits of $1 million per claim/$3 million aggregate. It is also available in a combined program with GL and professional liability. Special features include incident reporting, full prior acts, sexual abuse/molestation coverage available by endorsement, plus defense in addition to the limits, up to half of the per claim limit (by endorsement). NAS Insurance Services is an underwriting manager and Lloyds (Bests “A” rated) correspondent.

Dollars: Deductibles start lower than $2,500. Limits of $1 million per claim/$3 million aggregate.

Carrier: Lloyds rated “A” by A.M. Best.

States Available: Undisclosed.

Contact: David Leventhal, (818) 808-4464 or dleventhal@nasinsurance.com.

Small Business Package

Nuts & Bolts: CNA introduced CNA Connect for small business customers that will combine the company’s former business owners’ policy and commercial package policies into one broad flexible product. CNA Connect will provide agents with access to more eligible classes, broader coverages, more optional coverages, flexibility to add or delete coverages, as well as complete online rating and submission for all eligible small business risks. In addition, the new product will provide agents with greater ease of doing business through CNA Central, which has been enhanced and simplified to enable significantly faster quoting and fewer underwriting referrals. CNA Connect is available for small buisness with under $10 million in sales. The minimum premium is $500 in most states. CNA Connect, currently available in 19 states, offers 1,000 eligible classes of business but will add another 1,000 classes by the end of 2006. The product will be expanded countrywide during the spring of 2006.

Dollars: Deductibles up to $10,000. Limits are subject to state. The minimum premium is $500 in most states.

Carrier: CNA financial rated “A” by A.M. Best, admitted.

States Available: Currently available in 19 states to be followed by a countrywide expansion in Spring 2006.

Contact: Local CNA field sales specialist or www.cna.com.

Workers’ Comp

Nuts & Bolts: PointSure Insurance Services launched several new specialty products, broadening its workers’ compensation capabilities and offering standard market coverage for risks often neglected due to size and class restrictions. Eligibility for these new programs encompasses more than 700 business categories, including new ventures, contractors, maritime risks, Alaskan and Hawaiian risks, and larger accounts with USL&H workers’ compensation exposure.

Dollars: The deductibles, limits and premiums vary by program.

Carrier: All coverage is placed with high-quality standard markets rated “A-VIII” (excellent) by A.M. Best.

States Available: States vary by program.

Contact: www.pointsure.com.

Community Banks, Lawyers

Nuts & Bolts: OneBeacon Insurance Group in Boston, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd., is entering the community banking and the lawyers’ professional liability markets. OneBeacon will offer a broad array of professional liability coverages targeting community banks with assets of $3 billion or less and law firms employing fewer than 150 attorneys. The company also targets these customers with its commercial package product. The group will consider business from all states for community banking and select states for lawyers’ professional liability.

Dollars: Deductibles, premiums and limits for community bank policies are directly proportional to the size of the assets of the bank.

Carrier: OneBeacon Insurance, rated “A” by A.M. Best, admitted.

States Available: All.

Contact: Craig M. Collins, ccollins@onebeacon.com.

EPLI

Nuts & Bolts: Excess & Surplus Lines Insurance Brokers Inc. is placing EPLI with or without third party liability. Policies can be written Monoline or as part of the D&O or partnership liability. Both new ventures and long-established firms need this coverage to adequately protect assets. The commission is higher than the average normally paid for EPLI coverage or D&O with EPLI.

Dollars: Policy limits range from $250,000 to $25 million.

Carrier: Four different insurers rated “A,” nonadmitted.

States Available: California, Arizona and Hawaii.

Contact: Rebecca Banks, (818) 990-8860 ext. 204.

Topics AM Best