Why Underwriter's Deserve To Rot In Hell

[shawnmwalker]

UWers and Agents are the Ying and Yang of our industry. There is no alignment of our chi in this industry if one is out of balance with the other.

Ins1982, Center your Chi first and look to your UWer with respect and gratitude for their ability to balance your imbalance.

 

[Arnage150]

That is some BS. You should go over his head. Its a tenant policy. He doesn't own the pool.

Anyone else have Guard? Their underwriters succccckk. They wont write any contractor now that doesn't have a website. Earth to Guard, not every company under the son has a website to verify info. And half of the ones that do exaggerate what they do. Lord I hate that.

 

[cottonland]

Unfortunately, VERY few true underwriters in personal lines or any line for that matter these days. Simply uneducated CSRs with no true understanding of the business other than is the "system" allows them to do it.

Had a similar situation, approached a carrier about a customer that owns 10 pharmacies. One location does compounding. Due to that they would not write the pharmacies. Ok, the property is owned in a personal LLC and then leased to the pharmacies. They wouldnt write the property due to the fact that the tenant did not qualify.

Marketing rep just happens to call that afternoon which was a HUGE mistake. Told him that was the most assinine thing I had ever heard. When i got a real underwriter that understood the business I would be happy to increase production, and as long as I had to deal with the same underwriter, the book roll we had discussed was in No Way going to occur.

 

[GXR2]

Try Met. Underwriters listen.

Many carriers are governed by corporate guidelines and not individual risk assessment.

I once had a client who's dishwasher broke and water damage occurred on the floor. Their carrier set it for 60 day cancellation. We're taking about a great risk - well kept home, responsible.

Called Met and the underwriter listened to the circumstance, evaluated the whole risk, and confirmed all damage was repaired. Met gladly accepted the client. Moved all their business to Met.

 

[pfg1]

I don't do P&C, but totally understand where you are coming from.
Dealing with UW is the same for many types of business, P&C, Life, even mortgages. Often having good underwriters that you have good relationships can make or break your business. I've dealt with some smaller A rated carriers that may not have as big a name as others, but the UW are accessible personally, have common sense, and are willing to discuss situations that you run into. This can mean more than just using a company with big name, size, ratings, etc. When I did mortgages, it was ALL about the relationships with the underwriters.

 

[Placementkid]

The best part is when they go ahead and nonrenew a few classes of business, then a few years later come back in with a list of those accounts and they want them back. Meanwhile, other carriers are stepping up for my tough risks and working with me. You can bet when I get a cherry to quote, I'm going right back to them to return the favor.

I've had a few hab markets that have just been brutal lately. 9/10 accounts written were nonrenewed and then they wonder why I stopped quoting them. The UW has a snarky tone everytime he sends me the results from the inspections and it's to the point where we just cut them off.

 

[insurance1822]

UWers and Agents are the Ying and Yang of our industry. There is no alignment of our chi in this industry if one is out of balance with the other.

Ins1982, Center your Chi first and look to your UWer with respect and gratitude for their ability to balance your imbalance.

Analogous to a civilian never truly understanding what combat is like...you will never understand what operating in the field and procuring insurance is like. And while (of course..) I'm being snarky here...I mean it's true.

 

[Matt37]

The best part is when they go ahead and nonrenew a few classes of business, then a few years later come back in with a list of those accounts and they want them back. Meanwhile, other carriers are stepping up for my tough risks and working with me. You can bet when I get a cherry to quote, I'm going right back to them to return the favor.

I've had a few hab markets that have just been brutal lately. 9/10 accounts written were nonrenewed and then they wonder why I stopped quoting them. The UW has a snarky tone everytime he sends me the results from the inspections and it's to the point where we just cut them off.

That is more the fact that they probably under priced the market and had to back peddle in order to stay floating.

I always said when I was on the carrier side .. lets not go out with low pricing that isn't sustainable because our agents are gong to respect us a lot more if we just come in slightly high in a crazy marketplace but are still there standing once the market adjusts.

The problem is carriers dive in head first into a crazy market and agents flood them with totally unsustainable business.. only a matter of time before that goes Kaboom and you are left holding your jock.

I did my initial training with an E&S carrier way back in the 80s and my boss said there is no risk I wont write, I just will price it my way.

He is 100% correct, that's why E&S carriers loss ratios look fantastic meanwhile *** main street carriers are killing each other to write hair salons and other BOP business for $400/yr.

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Analogous to a civilian never truly understanding what combat is like...you will never understand what operating in the field and procuring insurance is like. And while (of course..) I'm being snarky here...I mean it's true.

Shawn was never a producer?

I do agree with Insurance1822 on this .. whenever I went to seminars, etc. where the presenter was never an agent I walked out.

Was like when my kids were younger I would pass on pediatricians who never had kids.

 

[shawnmwalker]

In the beginning, (for two years) Shawn M. Walker was a producer, in an agency. Too long ago to suggest Ins1233's comment does not have a Percent of merit. (It was long ago)

I have dealt with UWers both from the agency side and the carrier side. I still do, but not daily like ya'll.

I have dealt with UWers that have ruined my relationship with a carrier as a PRODUCER and I never went back to that carrier.

I too have been on the carrier side and have seen UWers ruin my sales momentum in the field. I have been able to fix this in some organizations and in others not so much.

I stick by my comments. We need UWers so Sales guys with perfect imbalance; like ins1987, can be balanced.

It can all be found in/Insurance was founded on these Taoist beliefs.


HAHAHA! Center your Chi ins1901! And take your next snarky comment about "only agency owners have a voice here on the forum" to hell with you! (Deep breath- Center your chi, Shawn, miso soup, meditation on a rock in a river.)

 

[abkclauren]

I don't do P&C, but totally understand where you are coming from.
Dealing with UW is the same for many types of business, P&C, Life, even mortgages. Often having good underwriters that you have good relationships can make or break your business. I've dealt with some smaller A rated carriers that may not have as big a name as others, but the UW are accessible personally, have common sense, and are willing to discuss situations that you run into. This can mean more than just using a company with big name, size, ratings, etc. When I did mortgages, it was ALL about the relationships with the underwriters.

Agree with this 100! I love my district underwriter. I also know the UW guidelines extremely well as they haunt me in my sleep literally so i rarely run into issues but the few times i have i have always presented a strong case to him and kept the business. I'm also captive so i rarely deal with anyone but him.