HOMEOWNERS NEW BUSINESS

We have re-opened binding authority to homes built 40 years and newer. Please note that homes built 26 years or older will require a minimum dwelling amount of $200,000. Homes built 41 years or older will require a satisfactory 4-point inspection submitted to the Underwriting department prior to binding coverage. Please email 4-point inspections to leog@westpointuw.com or kathyk@westpointuw.com for review. Additional zip codes have been re-opened in select areas.

MOBILE HOMEOWNERS RATE INCREASE

Effective July 11, 2012 all new business and renewal mobile home policies will be subject to a statewide rate increase of approximately 3%.

REMINDERS

Please do not email policy change requests to individual Underwriters. Send all requests to endorsements@westpointuw.com unless you need something processed immediately for a closing.

Please be sure to indicate the year the roof was updated on page 5 of the application regardless of the year of home. Composition shingle roofs must have been replaced within 15 years for the homeowners program. A licensed roofer’s inspection will be required for roofs which are 15 years old certifying the roof has at least three years remaining in its life expectancy to be written as new business or renewed.

If a manufactured home is titled as Travel Trailer it does not qualify for our park model program.

The water control device discount is available for our homeowners and mobile home program. This credit can save customers 3%-5% on their annual non-hurricane premium. For more information regarding the water control device or to become a distributer please contact Ted Jerger at 727.804.9583 or visit http://jergerllc.com/.

 

 

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

“Protect Your Business This Hurricane Season”

Posted on May 29, 2012 by

Join the SBA and Agility Recovery for this free webinar on the 2012 Forecast and ways to prepare your organization.
Register Now

On Tuesday, May 29th at 2:00pm EDT, renowned hurricane forecaster, Dr. Gerry Bell of the NOAA Climate Prediction Center will share with us the official NOAA Forecast for the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Dr. Bell is a recognized expert on Atlantic hurricane variability and the climate factors controlling hurricane activity. He has appeared on numerous national news & weather network programs including CNN, FoxNews, The Weather Channel and more.

Following Dr. Bell’s 2012 forecast, we will learn from Bob Boyd, Agility President & CEO, as he shares the best steps for preparing your organization for the storms. The 2012 season is already underway so the time for preparation is now.
Register Now for “Protect Your Business This Hurricane Season” (May 29th – 2pm EDT)

This is the fifth webinar of 2012 in a series of monthly events designed to help America’s businesses prepare for and recovery from disaster. For more information visit http://www.preparemybusiness.org

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Cypress P & C Insurance Co. & Bankers Insurance Co Vector GL Progam – FAQ’s

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

Cypress Property & Casualty Insurance Co. has partnered with our friends at Bankers
Insurance Company to provide a replacement policy option for Bankers’ expiring Vector
artisan contractor general liability policies. Here are the most common questions we
are asked about this partnership:

What Vector policies from Bankers are affected?

All of them – Bankers will begin non-renewing Vector business starting in July 2012.
Cypress P&C will offer replacement policies for eligible Vector policies as they expire.

How will Cypress P&C handle the policy transfers? Is it a book roll?

We will provide written replacement premium indications to each eligible Insured based on info in Bankers’ current file. This replacement indication will be sent by Bankers to eligible Vector renewals along with their own non-renewal notice. We will send a copy to the agency of record at the same time.

When will this start – do I have to wait?
Replacement indications will begin going out early in May for eligible Vector policies with
July 1 expiration dates…. but you can write new artisan contractor liability policies with
Cypress P&C right now!

My agency is already appointed with Cypress P&C – what must I do to participate?
Nothing – as an existing Cypress P&C agency, you already have Cypress quoting system
access and can write new contractor GL policies right now!

My agency is not appointed with Cypress – what do I need to do?
Most likely you are already in Cypress P&C’s system for quoting access – you should have
received your system login and initial password by mail. If you did not receive it, please call us at 1-877-560-5224 for assistance. Formal contracting paperwork will be released from Cypress P&C to all new agencies shortly.

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FLORIDA BUSINESSES HAVE SEEN THEIR FAIR SHARE OF DISASTERS

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

It seems like every time you turn on the news, mother nature (or man) is throwing us another curve. From wildfires to tornadoes and hurricanes, it’s been a busy few years for disasters.
To help businesses prepare, plan and recover from a disaster, Agility Recovery has compiled several easy to implement checklists.

Wildfire Preparedness Checklist. Click to Download.
Tornado Preparedness Checklist. Click to Download..
Hurricane Preparedness Checklist. Click to Download.

 
For more than 20 years, businesses have relied on Agility to plan for and recover from the unthinkable. We are proud partners with hundreds of organizations across North America, including:

 
• The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)
• The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”)
• The Credit Union National Association (CUNA)
• The American Hospital Association (AHA)

 
For more information about Agility call 866.364.9696 or visit www.agilityrecovery.com

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ANOTHER ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON IS ON THE HORIZON

Posted on May 2, 2012 by

Webinar: “Protecting Your Business This Hurricane Season”. Click Here to register.

Hurricane season officially starts June 1st. To help businesses prepare, Agility Recovery is hosting a FREE webinar on May 9th at 2PM EDT. Agility welcomes Chris Hebert, lead hurricane meteorologist from ImpactWeather, to discuss the 2012 Forecast and share the best steps for preparing your organization for the storm. Chris has over 32 years of forecasting experience, and speaks regularly at hurricane conventions and seminars around the country.

We have all witnessed the devastating effects a hurricane can have on a community. And as we edge closer to the start of the 2012 season, the time for preparation is now.

For more information about Agility Recovery call 866.364.9696 or visit www.agilityrecovery.com

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RLI’s RESPONSE TO CITIZEN CHANGES

Posted on May 2, 2012 by

In response to changes to the Homeowners policies announced by Citizens, we are working with RLI on a solution to allow the $100,000 limits for an additional premium. Their filings have recently been approved by the State of Florida and RLI will be announcing those changes soon. Their new application with add a question about whether the underlying limits are $100,000 or $300,000. If they are $100,000, there will be an additional premium charge of $185. Renewal questionnaires will also reflect this change. The change will be effective 9/1.

In the meantime, the insured will need to pick up a gap policy for the $200,000 limits. We have an arrangement to work with USLI. They have set up an exclusive FAIA direct toll free number for FAIA members at 1-866 355-4936.

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**IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR RLI PERSONAL UMBRELLA**

Posted on February 22, 2012 by
With changes in the Personal Lines marketplace, RLI takes this opportunity to remind you that RLI has required and continues to require MINIMUM LIMITS OF LIABILITY coverage to be maintained as a condition of coverage.  For Personal Liability exposures, those requirements are set forth below and can be found in applications, renewal applications and the policyholder declaration pages:

$300,000 per occurrence Homeowners or Comprehensive Personal Liability or Farm Owners Liability (where applicable) on Primary Residence; 

$300,000 Premises Liability or Comprehensive Personal Liability on Seasonal, Secondary or Rental Properties;

$100,000 Combined Single Limit per occurrence for unlicensed Recreational Vehicles not covered by a Homeowners or Personal Liability policy. 

The failure to maintain these MINIMUM LIMITS OF LIABILITY coverage can either result in a significant gap in coverage or, in some instances, completely negate coverage under the Personal Umbrella Liability policy. 

Please continue to be mindful of these requirements and urge your insurance producers to be aware of them as well, paying particular attention to the language contained in Part III What We Will Do and Part IV What Is Not Covered—Exclusions. 

 

RLI  PUP APPLICATION

 

The PUP New Business Application Version PUP 276 (01/12) is the required application in All States effective 01/01/2012.

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Brevard and Clay County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

Residents of Brevard County, Fla. and Clay County, Fla. are invited to look at newly revised preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for the county at three public open houses February 6-8, 2012. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and are used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.

Brevard County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

Clay County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

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“I SIMPLY DON’T KNOW IF OUR COMPANY WOULD SURVIVE A DISASTER.”

Posted on January 18, 2012 by
“I SIMPLY DON’T KNOW IF OUR COMPANY WOULD SURVIVE A DISASTER.” Sound familiar? Although you might not say it out loud, you’re probably thinking it. The truth is, you cannot prepare for every disaster your organization may face. But you don’t have to face the unknown alone and empty handed.

With over 20 years of experience recovering businesses, Agility Recovery has learned a few things along the way, and they are constantly sharing this information for free. They produce a number of webinars each month on key topics related to disaster recovery and the issues facing specific industries as it relates to preparedness.

Click here for a complete listing of upcoming events.

They hope you can join them!
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The Clock Is Ticking – Renew Your Membership Today!!

Posted on January 18, 2012 by

 

Dave Burt

As we start a new calendar year we at FAIA Member Services have reviewed our non-renewing membership list.   Article III, Section 4 of the FAIA Constitution states that any member in arrears in the payment of dues for sixty (60) days shall be subject to termination. With that termination comes the suspension of the agent’s appointments with our program partners.

Recently Bankers Insurance Group and United Property and Casualty Insurance Company sent out notices of suspension and of possible termination of appointments if the membership with FAIA is not re-instated.

We understand that this time of year is challenging with schedules, year-end bills and the holidays.  Out of consideration we have allowed many non-renewing agents to continue to utilize the programs.

In both Bankers and United case, if your membership has not been reinstated by January 20, 2012, your appointment with these companies will be terminated and your policies will be non-renewed in accordance with Florida statutes.  In the case of Bankers, No reinstatements will be honored.

We work very hard to provide programs and services that assist our member agents.  These programs and services are a big piece of the puzzle here at FAIA and FAIA Member Services.  In most cases, the commission received through these programs more than pays for your membership dues.  Why wait – renew today and continue to reap the rewards of your membership dollar!

If you have any questions regarding the status of your membership and payment options, please contact David Burt, Managing Director of FAIA Member Services, directly at 850.893.4155 ext. 353 or dburt@faia.com for assistance.

 

Posted in Bankers, Market Solutions, United | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment