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Volume 88, May 2015

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New Products Enhancements Contact Changes Misc Company Info Archive

VFIS Enhances Coverage for Emergency Services Organizations

February 16, 2015 - York, Pa. - VFIS, the largest provider of insurance, education and consulting services to Emergency Service Organizations including fire departments, ambulance and rescue squads, and 911 centers, introduced coverage enhancements to both its Property & Casualty and Accident & Sickness benefits coverage.

The Property & Casualty enhancements are automatically liberalized and applied to any existing, in-force VFIS policy at the current premium rate. The enhancements include property, crime, business auto, portable equipment and management liability coverage in nearly every state.

  • Nearly 20 property enhancements
  • The addition of funds transfer fraud to computer fraud coverage
  • Physical damage enhancements for business auto
  • Coverage to replace obsolete portable chargers and theft of portable equipment by a member
  • Five management liability enhancements

"Our clients are used to VFIS delivering on our promise to be their most trusted provider of insurance and risk management solutions, and we're excited to provide Property & Casualty enhancement and many new benefit options for our Accident & Sickness coverage," said Troy Markel, VFIS president.

Accident & Sickness benefit enhancements are available in 25 states with approval in most other states expected during the next few months. The benefit enhancements feature many new options, including additional benefits to restore the average weekly wage during the first 28 days of disability, and total disability benefits to be payable to age 70.

Agents and brokers seeking more information should contact VFIS President Troy Markel at tmarkel@vfis.com or 800-233-1957.

About Glatfelter Program Managers
Glatfelter Program Managers is a strategic business unit dedicated to Glatfelter Insurance Group's program business. Based in York, Pa., GPM is one of the premier program managers and recognized specialists of niche markets in the country. GPM manages and markets several specialty programs, including Glatfelter Healthcare Practice for skilled care, assisted living, independent living, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), personal care and group homes, hospice, home health care agencies and other private homecare agencies; VFIS for fire departments, ambulance and rescue squads, and 911 centers; Glatfelter Public Practice for educational institutions, municipalities, independent school bus contractors and water/sewer entities; and Glatfelter Religious Practice for churches, synagogues, temples and other religious institutions.


NAS Introduces Enhanced E&O for Healthcare Consultants

In response to healthcare facilities’ increasing demands on their consultants to carry comprehensive E&O insurance, NAS Insurance Services has enhanced their E&O program with more robust coverages. The E&O product for Healthcare Consultants now includes:

  • Cyber liability coverage
  • First-dollar defense coverage
  • Defense costs outside the limit
This comprehensive E&O coverage is available at a low, minimum premium of $1,750, making it accessible to a broad range of professionals in the growing healthcare consulting business.

“Medical professional liability insurance is focused on patient care. As consultants, however, healthcare professionals need coverage beyond Med Mal when they’re not treating patients,” remarks Rolanda Bell, Senior Underwriter at NAS Insurance. “Case Management, Medical Record Reviews and Disability Evaluations are additional exposures for healthcare consultants and now covered within our E&O program.”

NAS is a product oriented, independent underwriting manager of specialty insurance with full binding authority to underwrite on behalf of Lloyd’s, London and other highly rated carriers. NAS offers innovative specialty products for a broad spectrum of industries and distributes products as insurance and reinsurance.

NAS Insurance Services is located at 16501 Ventura Blvd., Suite 200, Encino, CA 91436, telephone (818) 382-2030, fax (818) 382-2040, website www.nasinsurance.com. For more information on Healthcare Consultants E&O, contact Rolanda Bell at (818) 808-4462 or rbell@nasinsurance.com.


National Interstate Expands Its Tow Truck Insurance Product into Additional States

Richfield, Ohio – August 6, 2012 – National Interstate Insurance Company, a leader in transportation insurance since 1989, announced that it is expanding its tow truck insurance product into the Midwest, North Central and Pacific Northwestern states. The product is offered exclusively through a network of appointed agents/brokers and general agencies.

Originally launched in 2004, National Interstate’s tow truck product offers a full range of coverages, including on-hook and garagekeepers, and the company intends to continue expanding this portfolio with additional offerings throughout the year. The product features competitive rates and commissions, as well as highly-specialized customer service.

“Our tow product has been distributed in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and South Central regions, and we look forward to increasing our appetite for this business in additional states,” said George Skuggen, Assistant Vice President of Truck Products. “We have a strong history of providing insurance solutions, including traditional insurance and innovative alternative risk transfer options, to this specialty niche. In addition, our team truly understands the needs of tow operators, and we have the expertise to provide the highest level of service. For example, we have adjusters with specific experience in handling tow truck claims.”

“National Interstate has grown its tow truck business by working with high-quality long-term partners,” said Terry Phillips, Senior Vice President. “In order to reach new geographic markets, we are exploring marketing relationships to accommodate our growing customer base in the Midwest, North Central and Pacific Northwestern states.”

For more information about National Interstate’s tow truck program, contact George Skuggen, at george.skuggen@natl.com, or 800-929-1500 ext. 1142.

About National Interstate
National Interstate Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Interstate Corporation, is a specialty property and casualty insurance company with a niche orientation and focus on the transportation industry. We differentiate ourselves by offering insurance products and services designed to meet the unique needs of targeted insurance buyers. Products include insurance for passenger, moving and storage, and truck transportation companies, alternative risk transfer, or captive insurance programs for commercial risks, specialty personal lines consisting of insurance products focused primarily on recreational vehicle owners and small commercial vehicle accounts, and transportation and general commercial insurance in Hawaii and Alaska. National Interstate and its insurance subsidiaries, which include Vanliner Insurance Company and Triumphe Casualty Company, are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Founded in 1989, we are headquartered in Richfield, Ohio with operations in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and Fenton, Missouri.


Appalachian Underwriters, Inc

Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. hires three new brokers, adding to its Property and Professional practice groups

Oak Ridge, TN - Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. (AUI) has increased its Brokerage division by hiring 3 new commercial brokers. Shane Holden, ARM joined the company on January 3, 2012. He comes to AUI with over 20 years of insurance and risk management experience in the retail agency, risk management and wholesale brokerage fields. Shane began his insurance career as a retail property & casualty broker at Alexander & Alexander of NY, Marsh NY and AON Atlanta for a total of 12 years. He then moved into the risk management field as the property risk manager at Panasonic North America (NJ) and compliance officer /insurance manager for Nomura Securities NY for a total of 4 years.

Shane moved to wholesale in April 2007 when he joined Colemont (now AmWINS) as a property broker. He has worked on all size property placements from small ground up placements to large layered national property schedules and catastrophe business. He has been involved in traditional E&S insurance placements, as well as captive/reinsurance programs. In addition to being involved in the marketing process, Shane was responsible for preparing detailed coverage analysis, customized account mapping, limit/concentration analysis, RMS hurricane and earthquake modeling, and manuscript policy and endorsement wording. Shane's primary wholesale focus at AUI will be Property. You can contact him at Shane.Holden@appund.com or by calling 866-984-3251, ext 5013.

Charlotte Adams Finver also joins Appalachian Underwriters as a commercial broker as of January 9, 2012. Charlotte's expertise is in professional liability. She comes to Appalachian with over 25 years of experience in the professional liability brokerage field. Charlotte began her insurance career at The Insurance House in Atlanta, Georgia in 1985. In 1991 she moved to Florida and began the professional liability department for Continental Agency of Florida, Inc. Charlotte's experience includes marketing and placing of all lines of professional coverage. Her expertise includes nonprofit, condo/homeowner and for profit directors and officers liability, employment practices liability, all classes of miscellaneous professional liability, lawyers professional, and allied health and specified medical liability. You can contact Charlotte at Charlotte.Finver@appund.com or by calling 866-984-3251, ext 5015.

Dale Borer has been active in the insurance industry in various capacities for over 30 years. She comes to Appalachian Underwriters as a commercial broker focused primarily on professional liability. Dale is a licensed insurance agent and surplus lines insurance broker in the state of Georgia, and holds non-resident licenses in many other states.

Her insurance career began in New York City as an underwriter in 1972. In 1979 she ventured into excess & surplus lines property and casualty underwriting while working for AIG in New York City. One year later, she and her family relocated to Atlanta, and shortly thereafter she joined an insurance brokerage firm as a broker for all commercial lines of business. In 1988, she joined Caperton Special Risks, a specialty lines brokerage operation owned by the McDonough Caperton Insurance Group. It was there that she decided to devote her career entirely to professional liability coverage. She is still specializing in this area and speaking on these subjects today. Dale is a licensed insurance instructor for the Georgia Insurance Department and is also Chair of the SE Chapter of the Professional Lines Underwriting Society and Past President of the Georgia Surplus Lines Association. She is also a member of the Professional Insurance Agents of Georgia, the Metro Association of Independent Insurance Agents Association, and the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia and of Cobb County. You can contact Dale at Dale.Borer@appund.com or by calling 866-984-3251, ext 5016.

"The hiring of these three brokers adds to the expertise we have on our practice groups for property and professional liability. Their extensive knowledge and experience in these fields make them a vital part of our organization," said Mark Arnold, Director, Brokerage Division, Appalachian Underwriters, Inc.

Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. is a full-service MGA and wholesale insurance brokerage, providing independent agents a national outlet to multiple specialized markets for Workers' Compensation, Commercial Specialty, and Personal Lines of insurance. To learn more about Appalachian Underwriters, Inc., please visit www.appund.com.


Victor O. Schinnerer & Company

New Enhancements to Schinnerer's General Liability Policy for Architects, Engineers and Surveyors

Chevy Chase, MD - Victor O. Schinnerer & Company makes significant upgrades to its general liability policy for architects, engineers and surveyors.

"We've ramped up our general liability policy to address the needs and wants of our policyholders," said Corrine Nunley, Vice President and manager of Schinnerer's property & casualty program for design professionals. "With over two dozen enhancements we're giving our design professional clients a superior insurance product tailored to their unique, changing industry."

The numerous enhancements - offered by endorsement - broaden coverage in many areas of the policy. A few of the most significant enhancements include:

  • Aggregate limits per project and aggregate per location apply the general aggregate limit separately to each project and location.
  • Includes nine miscellaneous additional insured categories such as state or political subdivisions, lessors of leased equipment, managers or lessors of the premises, mortgagees, and many other entities.
  • Contractual coverage for railroads covers contractual liability for operations performed within 50 feet of railroad property.
  • Blanket waiver of subrogation waives right of recover if the insured has waived such right in writing prior to loss.

Schinnerer's general liability policy is admitted and available in all 48 contiguous states. Policies are distributed through licensed, independent insurance agents and brokers.

Schinnerer offers professional liability, property & casualty and management liability insurance to a wide range of architects, engineers, construction managers, construction consultants and environmental consultants. The coverage is provided by A rated insurance carrier, CNA. Most policies offered are admitted and available in all states, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

About Schinnerer
Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. is one of the largest and most experienced underwriting managers of professional liability and specialty insurance programs in the world. Schinnerer now serves more than 46,000 insureds in various specialty industries through independent insurance agents and brokers.

Learn more at www.Schinnerer.com.


Insurance Noodle

Insurance Noodle Expands Online Quoting Platform

ACE Partnership Offers Immediate, Bindable Quotes for Directors & Officers, Errors & Omissions

CHICAGO, IL, September 1, 2011 - Insurance Noodle, part of Willis North America, a unit of Willis Group Holdings plc (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced that its online quoting platform for small commercial accounts has added the management and professional liability products of ACE Commercial Risk Services® to its offerings.

ACE Commercial Risk Services, the U.S.-based small business division of the ACE Group, now provides immediate, bindable D&O and E&O quotes to insurance agents through the Insurance Noodle online "hub." Management and professional liability insurance is provided by Westchester Fire Insurance Company, an A.M. Best A+ rated carrier, or in some states, other insurers within the ACE Group or its allied distribution associates. Ace joins Insurance Noodle's six other platform carriers who provide business owners policies (BOP), general liability, auto liability and workers compensation coverages.

"The strategic alliance with ACE Commercial Risk Services allows us to bring management and professional liability coverages to the quoting hub, allowing agents to expand solutions they offer their insureds," said Ralph Blust, Executive Vice President of Willis Commercial Network. "Agents can now get quotes for E&O, D&O along with primary coverages. This is a time savings for agents and provides improved service to their insureds," Blust said.

Speaking on behalf of ACE Commercial Risk Services, David Lupica, Division President said, "We're pleased to collaborate with Insurance Noodles' team of experienced professionals to further extend the availability of our specialized management and professional liability products and services to the Insurance Noodle network of producers. ACE is one of the only carriers offering online processing of management and professional liability products. The online submission process offered through Insurance Noodles' new quoting hub provides agents with an efficient, cost-effective and simple method for a complete rating, quoting and binding solution."

Insurance Noodle launched its new quoting hub on July 5, 2011, signing up over 1,000 agents in its first three weeks in operation. The hub allows agents to access seven national, admitted carriers for bindable multi-line quotes from a single online application point, within minutes. Insurance Noodle is the distribution vehicle for the Willis Commercial Network North America, which provides products and services to small insurance agents and brokers. More enhancements to the network are in development and a personal lines platform is expected to launch by year end. Agencies interested in signing up for Insurance Noodle 2.0 can visit www.insurancenoodle.com, call 888-466-8868 or email membership@insurancenoodle.com.

About Willis Group Holdings
Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world.

Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com. For more information about Insurance Noodle, visit www.insurancenoodle.com or call 888-466-8868.

About ACE Group
ACE Commercial Risk Services is an operation with the ACE Group that is dedicated to providing specialty insurance products that offer solutions for small business insurance needs in North America. ACE Commercial Risk offers its products through retail agents and brokers, wholesale brokers and wholesale producers, program agents and other alternative distribution models. Additional information can be found at www.acecrs.com. The ACE Group is a global leader in insurance and reinsurance serving a diverse group of clients. Headed by ACE Limited (NYSE: ACE), a component of the S&P 500 stock index, the ACE Group conducts its business on worldwide basis with operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries. Additional information can be found at www.acegroup.com.


NAS Insurance Services

NAS' MANAGED CARE FACILITY INCLUDES NETGUARD COVERAGE

NAS Insurance Services announces an enhanced feature of its Managed Care Errors and Omissions facility. A $25,000 sublimit for NetGuard™ Plus, NAS' Network Security product, is included for no additional premium. Increased limit offerings are available.

NAS Insurance Services is an underwriting manager located at 16501 Ventura Blvd., Suite 200, Encino, CA 91436, telephone (818) 382-2030, fax (818) 382-2040, website www.nasinsurance.com.


Instec

Instec Releases Businessowners and General Liability Multistate Rules and Rates Changes

Rates and Rules Support Delivered Over One Hundred Days Ahead of Effective Date

Naperville, IL, June 6, 2011 - Instec, a leading provider of software and services to the Commercial Property and Casualty insurance industry, announced inclusion of ISO's revision to the Businessowners Multistate Rules, which contains the introduction of separate Building and Business Personal Property Relativities.

In conjunction with supporting separate Building and Business Personal Property Relativities for the Businessowners Multistate Rules, Instec's quicksolver 3 also includes revisions for:

  • Liability Relativities
  • Increased Limit Factors
  • Rate Number Relativities
  • Construction Relativities
  • Public Protection (Fire) Classification Relativities
  • Sprinklered Factors
  • Loss Costs

State adoptions were implemented with an ISO Effective date of August 1, 2011. Instec delivered these changes to clients on April 15, 2011, which was 105 days prior to the effective date.

Additionally, Instec also released the ISO General Liability Multistate revisions to support new alternative energy and nanotechnology classifications. Instec's support for the ISO General Liability Multistate Classification Table revisions includes new alternative energy and nanotechnology classifications. These were implemented with an ISO effective date of September 1, 2011. Instec delivered these revisions on April 15, 2011, which is 108 days prior to the effective date.

"We're a long-standing ISO partner, and we make sure our clients receive the updated rates, rules, and forms so they have lead time to analyze the impact on their book of business and ensure their compliance," said Kevin Mason, VP of Product Development and Maintenance for Instec.

About Instec
Instec is a leading provider of software and services to the Commercial Property and Casualty insurance industry. Founded in 1982, Instec's flagship product, quicksolver, is a best-of-breed rating and policy administration solution that supports the full lifecycle for all major lines of business, in all 50 states, and with native bureau rate, rules, forms, and statistical content. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Instec delivers insurance software solutions that enable our clients to drive competitive advantages in rating, issuing, and reporting to maximize profitability.

For more information, visit www.instec-corp.com. Media Contact: Carey Straetz, Instec, cstraetz@instec-corp.com, 630.799.6485


Markel Corporation

Markel Corporation Releases Updated DataBreachSM Policy

Richmond, VA, June 20, 2011 - Markel Corporation has announced a timely update to their DataBreachSM cyber liability policy amidst recent reports of increased hacking activity.

The new form will offer broader coverage and higher limits while maintaining the current structure, which is ideal for small to medium-sized accounts. The Breach Mitigation Expense coverage has been expanded in two key areas. First, the amount of coverage automatically included in the policy has increased to $250,000, while remaining outside of the limit of liability and not subject to a deductible or co-pay obligation. The second key enhancement to the Breach Mitigation Expense coverage is the inclusion of data compromise at a third party or outside vendor. Markel will continue to offer the option to purchase higher Breach Mitigation Expense coverage. Other policy enhancements include a $250,000 dedicated fines or penalties sublimit, forensic costs specifically included in the first party coverage option, and available policy limits as high as $10 million.

Target classes include medical facilities, insurance agencies, regional banks, and Internet-based companies; however, underwriters welcome submissions for all classes.

"We're very excited to bring our updated DataBreach policy to the marketplace. It's uniquely suited to meet the needs of all organizations with a particular focus on small and middle market firms by providing broad coverage in a straightforward, easy to understand structure. The policy is backed by a powerful combination of our underwriting and information security expertise at Markel," said Jake Kouns, Markel's director of cyber security and technology risks.

Kouns joins Inga Goddijn, Markel's managing director of Miscellaneous E&O, in leading the Markel DataBreach product line team. Jake joined Markel in 2005 in Information Security and has more than ten years experience in information systems. As a recognized expert in the field of data security, Jake has presented at various information security conferences, co-authored two books on security and risk management, and was interviewed by CNN regarding the recent Epsilon security breach. Inga has been underwriting professional liability risks for Markel for 13 years, the past five in a product management role. Kouns, Goddijn, and a team of seasoned underwriters put Markel in a unique position in the industry, providing both solid underwriting expertise and technical, real world knowledge of data security.

Markel DataBreach coverage is accessible through Markel's network of appointed wholesale brokers, which can be found on markelcorp.com under "Find a Broker."

ABOUT MARKEL CORPORATION
Markel Corporation markets and underwrites specialty insurance products and programs to a variety of niche markets. In each of these markets, the Company seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the Company are to earn consistent underwriting profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value.

 


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