Rogue Underwriter / How to Handle

[insurance1822]

We issued a dwelling fire & the carrier's UW department changed the units from 1 to 4 after inspection (without calling us or the insured to ask.) We followed up & explained it's a single family rental. It has 2 entrances from front/back so I can see how an inspector may think that, but we explained this in detail to the UW. We even offered to have the insured provide a signed statement to confirm this as he's a licensed realtor.

The UW basically said this was the inspectors report & the inspector even "interviewed" a tenant there who said it was a 4 unit. The UW basically told us to pound sand. I started to question how this alleged tenant's comment is somehow more so "proof" then god damn tax records & a real estate listing! That's absurd!

We wrote back & CCed the insured advising him to open a complaint w/ the Department of Insurance against the carrier. We provided documentation & in lieu of this the carrier is still (in our opinion) criminally charging a consumer extra money. We exhausted ALL options & this was the only route we saw fit.

We got a call from the UW who was furious, although...... they changed the units back to 1. They said they would like more "courtesy" next time! Are you kidding me? How about a phone call before you jack the premium? Not to mention you're basically calling us liars when we refute the inspection report and you basically say "nope...inspection stands."

Only when we stuff tax records in their face & threaten the DOI do they back down. I hate to butt heads w/ the UW's but in this situation I have no idea what else we could have done except allow our insured to get steam rolled by a rogue UW.

 

[VolAgent]

Did you ever speak with a supervisor or your marketing rep?

 

[insurance1822]

Did you ever speak with a supervisor or your marketing rep?

No. We didn't bring on the marketing rep & maybe we should have. The bottom line is what this underwriter was doing was flat out wrong (so we figured it was time to take off the gloves.)

In retrospect it may have been more political to involve our marketing rep or escalate the concern to the head of underwriting. I'm just completely sick & tired of this carrier's underwriter's. They're pri*ck b*astards all the time & it disgusts me the way they take INSTANT unilateral action on policies as they so choose.

 

[VolAgent]

No. We didn't bring on the marketing rep & maybe we should have. The bottom line is what this underwriter was doing was flat out wrong (so we figured it was time to take off the gloves.)

In retrospect it may have been more political to involve our marketing rep or escalate the concern to the head of underwriting. I'm just completely sick & tired of this carrier's underwriter's. They're pri*ck b*astards all the time & it disgusts me the way they take INSTANT unilateral action on policies as they so choose.

I'm with you on that it was completely wrong.

That said, you went nuclear on him, threatening to bring in the DOI. Any time you threaten to bring in an outsider, that is going nuclear in my opinion and should be reserved for when you completely want to cut ties with a company. Because they may just do it for you.

Next time, go to your marketing rep or head of underwriting. I fight for my clients as well, but stuff like that can just as easily backfire on you.

 

[UW Guy]

Yeah, I'm with you that you were fighting for your client but telling your client to get DOI in this is like a 20 lb sledgehammer for a horsefly.

It's one thing when an agent goes around me to my boss or administration but I get in on some cases. I usually despise this statement because it's blindingly obvious but... both sides could have done some things differently.

 

[insurance1822]

These UW must be reminded that they aren't invincible & consequences exist for their decisions. They need to be reminded they're accountable to forces outside of their company. Otherwise they'll just step on agents & insureds every chance they get.

This UW needed a shot over the bow to check his dictatorship

It's my intentions to meet face to face & flat out call out the fact he's a level 1 turd & I earn his salary in 6 weeks. These underwriter driven carriers need to be corralled

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Maybe next this prick will realize he doesn't rule the roost & there's boundaries that exist

 

[UW Guy]

These UW must be reminded that they aren't invincible & consequences exist for their decisions. They need to be reminded they're accountable to forces outside of their company. Otherwise they'll just step on agents & insureds every chance they get.

This UW needed a shot over the bow to check his dictatorship

It's my intentions to meet face to face & flat out call out the fact he's a level 1 turd & I earn his salary in 6 weeks. These underwriter driven carriers need to be corralled

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Maybe next this prick will realize he doesn't rule the roost & there's boundaries that exist

Take a page out of Britt McHenry's recent tantrum and maybe lose the income bit . Otherwise I can't argue with much of what you're saying.

So no phone call that they were going from a 4 unit to 1 unit on a renewal?

 

[insurance1822]

It was a new business inspection and not a phone call or anything. Inspection comes in..dictator immediately changed policy & immediately returns to his torture chambers to harass other agents.

 

[VolAgent]

Again I am left to ask, why are you looking to create an unnecessary enemy?

Not just this particular underwriter, but your marketing rep and the head of underwriting as well?

I'm all for fighting for your client, I do it too. But I'm well aware of the old saying, "You get more flies with honey than vinegar." A simple call to your marketing rep or the head of underwriting would have solved this. You can bet they got notified of your threat and look at you differently now. And it isn't in a positive light.

At this point, I would seriously consider sending an email to all involved. I would thank them resolving the situation and probably say something to the effect, "You are right, I should have followed procedure and given others inside the company a chance to rectify the situation before considering going to the DOI."

I want my underwriters to fight for me, not against me.

 

[insurance1822]

^ You're right & I will do that..

This is an underwriting driven company. The marketing rep will openly admit there's nothing he can do w/ underwriting & they make it pretty clear that their underwriter's have the final say. But again (and I partially knew this going into it..) that would have been the most political course of action.

This is one area in my career where I need to improve, I have zero tolerance for ignorant fools. I need to stop...and wait before I fire off these emails. These UW's just make it so easy!