December 3, 2024
As technology transforms the insurance industry, many companies are adopting digital solutions for risk assessment and coverage management. While Providence Mutual embraces these advancements, we believe that genuine relationships remain at the heart of excellent service. Our commitment to maintaining direct, personal connections between agents and underwriters allows us to go beyond algorithms and ensure that each policy is crafted with care.
For Providence Mutual, customer service is about more than quick responses and competitive rates. It’s about developing strong, trusted partnerships. Our agents have direct lines to underwriters who understand the nuances of their accounts and who go the extra mile to make coverage possible even in challenging cases. This personalized approach is crucial, especially for complex policies that need more than a simple solution.
An example of how the agent-underwriter relationship makes a positive difference can be seen in one of our coverage inquiries. An agent with limited habitational markets was looking to place a policy for an apartment complex that had recent losses.
While the initial review of the request appeared unfavorable, a conversation with our underwriter led to modifications that allowed us to write the policy. This included putting new mitigation measures in place, verifying loss control methods and making recommendations on how to best implement them.
In addition, we suggested renters’ insurance for all tenants and included the Limitation of Coverage to Designated Premises endorsement to exclude liability for a specific location not included.
Maintaining the agent-underwriter relationship at policy renewal is just as important as it is when writing new business. At renewal, there might have been loss activity or a change in the risk, and it is critical to discuss these developments one-on-one. Recently, one of our underwriters and an agent worked together to keep a policy after a rate increase by raising deductibles and adding other modifications of terms to lower the premium.
“I enjoy working with Providence Mutual,” said Gregory H. Thayer, principal at Batchelder Bros. Insurance. “Their underwriters collaborate with you to do everything possible to write the business. Having a direct relationship with the underwriter goes a long way. When there may be a tricky account to place, senior staff will discuss the risk directly with you to help place the business. This extra effort is truly unique, particularly in this hard market.”
Insurance is about protecting people, businesses, and dreams, and we believe that human relationships are the foundation of meaningful protection. Digital tools make our work efficient, but they don’t replace the judgment and empathy needed to create the best possible insurance solutions. By fostering a personal connection between agents and underwriters, we bring humanity back to an industry that can sometimes feel impersonal.
At Providence Mutual, we prioritize understanding the “why behind the risk” because it helps us create policies that offer peace of mind. This approach to customer service not only sets us apart but also reinforces our mission: to humanize the insurance experience for today and tomorrow.
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