View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/services/newswire/2016/04/01/404033.htm
April 1, 2016- If you are an insurance agent trying to survive in today’s competitive marketplace, you may have dipped your toes in the flood insurance waters, so to speak. If you have not, get ready to jump in, because there’s a “perfect storm” of opportunity ahead.
As of today, flood insurance is a vastly underpenetrated market. According to a recent PIF report from FEMA, approximately 10 percent of U.S. residential property is located in areas where flood insurance is required for federally-backed mortgages, yet fewer than half of these homes carry the coverage. In a market that comprises about 95 million residential structures, total penetration in that space is less than seven percent.
Seven percent penetration is compelling when you think about the prospective flood universe. Every single state in the country has suffered flood losses. So the question becomes: How do we leverage the opportunity to expand flood insurance beyond those seven percent?
When you consider the current state of the industry and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the climate is ripe for change: the federal program is upside-down by $23 billion resulting in additional fees and charges, and the Biggert Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 followed by the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act injected new complexities into the NFIP. These and related conditions have created a “perfect storm” of opportunity to grow the number of homes that buy flood insurance.
Taking Advantage of Emerging Private Flood Options
Legislation has paved the way for private flood insurance, which has come in response to different markets having different views and different appetites for risk, and additional measures pending in Congress further clarify the critical role of private flood insurance. Those diverse interests or private markets call for the independent development of product and service solutions to address various flood insurance needs and differentiate their programs from others. The resulting innovation and product specificity directly benefits consumers. Accordingly, the conversation around flood has really evolved from what is private flood – to why now private flood.
One significant challenge for agents will be helping consumers understand that flooding, unlike earthquakes or hurricanes, is the only natural disaster where people actually influence the event itself. Whether through urbanization, the clearing of land for agriculture or artificial levee systems, we influence where floods happen and the severity of floods when they happen. Areas that were not in danger yesterday are exposed today. Private industry has an opportunity to help educate Americans on how these changes drive future flood risk through modeling techniques and data analytics.
We need to help homeowners understand that yesterday’s safety does not necessarily equate to safety today. This is a pivotal role I see private industry playing in helping educate homeowners on their true risk of flood.
Getting an Edge in a Competitive Marketplace
Moving forward, education remains a critical charge for insurance agents who want to obtain an advantage in this evolving market. Agents want loyal customers, and a flood insurance solution represents one more policy agents can deliver to deepen existing relationships. From my perspective, there are fundamental strategies to employ to your advantage.
Every state has been touched by flood, so the risk is widespread. By familiarizing yourself with the history of floods in the areas where your agency is operating, you will better understand the potential impact to your customers.
Does your customer have a built-out man cave in the basement? Is your customer living in a high-value home? Is your customer in a home that is not elevated or exposed to flood more so than other homes? Is your customer at risk of being displaced for weeks or months at a time if flood happens? That knowledge will help an agent determine what is appropriate for a client and then go match those specific needs with product options in the private market.
Take advantage of tools that enable independent assessment of flood risk outside of FEMA flood maps. For example, through www.floodtools.com, agents and homeowners can learn about their potential exposure to flood. By entering an address, they receive an easy-to-understand visual representation of where they are positioned with respect to floodwaters and flood plains.
New, more relevant private products are becoming available every day. Staying informed in the changing product environment will help improve your ability to meet the diverse needs of customers with contemporary offerings such as:
There is an abundance of capital looking for new business to write. Know who is backing the product and the capital structure supporting the private program. Consider the financial strength and financial rating of the insurer, and inquire as to flood underwriting experience.
Setting Course for the Challenges Ahead
We are seeing a lot of interest in the flood space and the emergence of a host of new products. Many employ a so-called “coupon” approach by offering a percentage discount on the NFIP premium but haven’t changed the experience at all. Agents still need to manage extensive applications, an elevation certificate and property photographs.
NFS Edge has taken a different approach with its private flood solution. “EZ Flood has changed the experience by offering a different model to what is required by NFIP,” says Keith Brown, president and CEO, Aon National Flood Services. “It offers an improved economic solution, and we are saving an agent time. And the response has been favorable.”
Are there opportunities for agents to sell flood insurance on a larger scale? Certainly, but more work is necessary to make that happen. When it comes to flood insurance, we need to find solutions attractive to both agents and homeowners for the purpose of increasing overall participation. We need to address the existing challenges. Constituents entering this space cannot solely focus on a price-to-coverage configuration angle. Ultimately, without product and service innovation, we can’t expand the market.
John Dickson is President at NFS Edge Insurance Agency, Inc., a subsidiary of Aon National Flood Services (NFS), the largest processor serving insurance companies participating in the NFIP. NFS Edge offers a suite of private flood products: EZ FloodSM, FloodWrapSM and Excess Flood. To learn more, please visit www.nfsedgeinsurance.com or contact John at (888) 888-2169 or john.dickson@nationalfloodservices.com.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide individualized business, insurance or legal advice, You should discuss your individual circumstances thoroughly with your legal and other advisors before taking any action with regard to the subject matter of this article. Only the relevant insurance policy provides actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions, and exclusions for an insured.