View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-newmarkets/2006/12/10/153066.htm
Monoline Auto Classes, Small Commercial Businesses
Nuts & Bolts: Zurich’s small business agents now have more than 500 monoline auto classes to sell. The company announced it has opened 257 existing America Premier classes for monoline auto and added 238 primary monoline-only classes. The new monoline-only classes consist of service, wholesale, office, manufacturing and trade market segments. Combined with Zurich’s 40 existing construction classes, more than 500 monoline primary auto classes and nearly 1,300 subclasses are now available for small commercial auto agents. To further aid agents’ penetration into the trades, manufacturing and wholesale market segments, the company is expanding underwriting guidelines for heavy and extra-heavy trucks, from the current 20 percent of all vehicles to 50 percent (maximum of 10 vehicles per policy with heavy and extra heavy).
Dollars: Primary auto, $1 million; umbrella, up to $10 million.
Carrier: Rated “A” by A.M. Best. Admitted or non-admitted.
States: Ala., Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Kan., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mich., Minn., Mo., Miss., Mont., N.C., Neb., N.D., N.H., N.J., Nev., Ohio, Okla., Ore., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.D., Tenn., Utah, Va., Vt., Wash., Wis., W.V. (Delaware and Arkansas available by year-end).
Contact: Gerald Chiddick, 410-261-2247 or e-mail Gerald.chiddick@zurichna.com.
Retail Furniture Store Program
Nuts & Bolts: San Antonio, Texas-based Argonaut Group’s Select Markets segment launched a new program for the retail furniture store marketplace. Highlights of the Retail Furniture Store Insurance Program include property coverage with optional deductible levels and business income coverage valued at actual loss sustained. Optional additions include retail furniture advantage endorsement that offers several broad property coverages on one convenient form. The program also offers workers’ compensation guaranteed cost plans, general liability, earthquake and computer coverage. Preferred clients for this program include stores with excellent property maintenance, strong financial indicators, and willingness to implement loss prevention recommendations.
Dollars: Up to $1 million per occurrence; $5 million aggregate.
Carrier: Rated “A” by A. M. Best. Admitted.
States: All, except Alaska, Fla., Hawaii, La., and Miss.
Contact: David Edison, 503-833-1696 or e-mail dedison@argonautgroup.com.
Accident Site and Public Response
Nuts & Bolts: AIG Specialty Excess, an umbrella and excess casualty underwriting unit of the AIG Companies, has added Accident Site Advisor and PublicResponse to its excess liability insurance. The built-in enhancements, catering to construction and public entity classes of business, will give policyholders access to funds and professional support needed to respond to a serious casualty crisis at no additional cost. AIG Specialty Excess has designed Accident Site Advisor for the construction industry and PublicResponse for public entities, to help policyholders in these high-risk sectors address a major casualty crisis and minimize damages to their finances and reputation. In the event of a significant accident or crisis, a 24-hour toll-free hotline provides access to the crisis management support of AIG Companies’ claims specialists and response service is activated. Accident Site Advisor and PublicResponse advance up to $250,000 of the policy limit to immediately defray the costs of covered damages following a crisis. The value-add enhancements also provide a separate limit of $50,000 for the fees of a public relations or crisis management firm to help execute a strategic public response and protect the business reputation of the insured.
Dollars: Up to $20 million, varies per risk.
Carrier: Multi-carriers, AIG rated “A+” by A.M. Best. Admitted or non-admitted.
States: All.
Contact: Lea Spacek at 212-458-2696 or lea.spacek@aig.com.
Artisan Contractor GL Program
Nuts & Bolts: Builders & Tradesmen’s Insurance Service Inc. has entered into an agreement with an “A” X rated carrier providing an exclusive national program for its online artisan contractor general liability program. The program is available for approximately 50 classes of artisan contractors performing new residential or commercial construction, and service and repair.
Dollars: Minimum premiums vary by state, but the lowest is $750. Limits of $1 million to $2 million are available. Deductible is $1,000. Commission is 15 percent.
Carrier: “A” rated carrier, admitted.
States: The program will be admitted in all states. The initial states include Arizona, California, Nevada and Oregon. Upcoming states include Colorado, Florida, Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Washington.
Contact: Paul Hohlbein, 877-649-6682, phohlbein@btisinc.com.