Safeco UW on warpath in Nevada

[RickyG]

Safeco is in the process of purging as much property as possible in Nevada. Our agency has had over 30 non renewal notices sent to us in the last 4 business days. Pretty much all of them are for roof "issues" that they have found doing aerial satellite image reviews.

Almost all reek of bogus reasons and things such as tree branch over hanging. Now in my 15+ years of working P&C personal lines I have had numerous "please repair and show proof" of tree branch issues. Never once have I been told directly from underwriting that even if the branch is cut down it really doesn't matter because they will not rescind the non renewal.

Do I expect anyone here to be shocked? I just wonder many agents and policy holder are spinning their wheels making repairs to remedy these supposed issues just to be told "no" anyway? Travelers is also guilty of this but in their case, I feel the underwriters actually do rescind non renewals on bogus or repaired issues. Not sure why Safeco doesn't just say- we are non-renewing you because the property doesn't fit our appetite, thanks. I am just a lowly cog in the machine, so I have to assume there are state laws that prevent that because otherwise why the song and dance?

 

[Policy Monkey]

Florida carriers have the convenient excuse of "Hurricane Exposure Management", so they don't have to play those games.

 

[NY independent]

Property capacity is pretty thin countrywide, so carriers are thinning exposure wherever possible (and within state laws..we have a 2% non renewal limit in NY subject to "anniversary dates"). There are only two things you can do (1) let the business runoff, and let another agent deal with it, or (2) find another home for them and do the rewrites. Don't advise to have the repairs done unless the carrier guarantees a reinstatement. "We'll take a look at it" isn't going to cut it. Tough times.

 

[RickyG]

" find another home for them and do the rewrites. Don't advise to have the repairs done unless the carrier guarantees a reinstatement. "We'll take a look at it" isn't going to cut it"
This is the route however if the home is over 5 years old, we only have 5 current options in Nevada as IA's. That;s it. I can recall barely 1 year ago we had around a dozen options. Of those 5, 2 are essentially non starters due to the incredibly high price.