5 Best Practices for Promoting Your Payment Page

by Business Strategy

“If you build it, they will come.” That worked for Kevin Costner, but for the rest of us, there’s one more step – promote it.

We’ve been helping our clients (insurance agencies, MGAs/brokers and specialty finance companies) promote digital payments for insureds for years. And we want it to be just as easy for our customers as well as yours to start going digital, so you can stop the check chase and bind policies with speed and security. 

People appreciate the convenience of paying via credit/debit card or ACH — they really do. But they need constant reminders that they can pay online (and in some cases, some persuasion). 

Here are five simple actions to announce and remind customers about your new payment options. We’ve also put together a Client Toolkit with ready-to-implement ideas, templates and content to help you spread the good news about accepting digital payments.

  1. Add a PayNow button to your website to let clients access your ePayPolicy payment portal with a simple click of a button. When your clients see “Pay Now,” they don’t consider it a prompt to go get their checkbook. They know they can quickly and easily make the transaction right then and there, online. You can download one of our distinctive, colorful PayNow buttons here, or have your website admin design your own (it’s simple).
  2. Link your invoices directly to your payment page. Clients simply click the hyperlink and voilà — they’re in the payment portal. When clients can “click and pay” instantly, it encourages them to do so instead of postponing payment. If they do file the invoice away to pay later, the hot link instantly takes them to the right place to pay online.
  3. Email your clients to let them know they have the option to pay online. Check out the email template in our Client Toolkit here. Be sure to Include a Pay Now button/email signature badge in your email signature (also found in the toolkit). That way, every email you send becomes a visible reminder that digital payments are just a click away!
  4. Leverage social media. Meet your clients where they’re at and post friendly reminders regularly on your social channels. Our Client Toolkit includes graphics and captions for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram posts. You can even get creative and run polls or contests to engage clients around their intent to use the platform, to measure adoption rates, and to learn what might be holding clients back from converting. Not to mention, clients will rave about their online payment experience, providing quotes you can use across other marketing channels!
  5. Share content. This one should be very familiar, since you’re in the business of selling insurance. You know how to recognize and overcome resistance.

Some clients will be early adopters. Others will be unable to use your payment page because their accounts payable go through a centralized accounting department in another city or state. Still others are “old school” or “tech-averse.” But never say never! We live in an increasingly digital world, and momentum is moving away from checks.

Our Client Toolkit includes a Cost of a Paper Check infographic that breaks down the money and time they will save by switching — not to mention that digital payments through ePayPolicy are safer and more secure than checks. 

Be persistent in your promotion of digital payments, but also be patient. We’ve talked with several ePayPolicy clients about their clients’ response rates. One thing we can say with confidence: agencies that actively promote digital payment see higher conversion rates in the first year than those that don’t. 

Best of luck with your client outreach. Start with our helpful Client Toolkit. If you have questions or need further assistance, contact your Account Manager.

Michigan Agency Binds Policies Faster with ePayPolicy

by Client Spotlight Series

Based in Grosse Pointe Michigan, Noel Selewski Agency, Inc. has been in business since 1979 and is licensed in 47 states. They offer personal and commercial lines, specializing in investment properties.

Kevin Jenkins, the firm’s lead agent, and Paula Rausch, operations manager, shared how ePayPolicy is working for the agency and their clients.

In 18 years at Noel Selewski, Kevin has seen the agency evolve based on client needs. He says, “We’re living in a revolutionary time for insurance. Digital transactions are the future—and it’s happening now.” He and Paula wanted to offer clients the payment convenience offered by larger agencies. But they ran into a stumbling block. Michigan law prohibits insurance agents from passing on credit card fees to their policyholders. But absorbing the merchant account fees was financially unsustainable for the agency.

Kevin did extensive research and was pleased to find ePayPolicy, a payment processing platform specifically for independent insurance agencies and MGAs. Client payments are collected by ePayPolicy, not the agency. The system charges the associated fees directly to the payer. It’s completely legal, and clients are happy to pay for the convenience.

Says Paula, “Most of our policies are time-sensitive. Clients need to show coverage to close on a property. We’re talking high volumes and big sums of money. I get nervous waiting for a check to arrive, especially with the recent postal service delays. There’s a risk the check won’t arrive.Then you have to deposit the check, wait for it to clear, etc.”

With ePayPolicy, she says, “I know immediately when a payment has come in. I get an email. It’s so much faster.”

Kevin’s favorite feature is being able to take payments over the phone or copy and send clients a secure payment link. He says, “It makes binding policies faster and raises the level of client trust. They feel safer knowing the link I share is secure.” (Note: ePayPolicy is PCI Level 1 compliant.)

Paula also mentions these benefits: “It’s much more efficient for our internal filing. It’s a better customer experience, and less hassle for my team than paper checks.”

Advice to Other Insurance Companies

Kevin suggests: “I’d say look at the ease.The payment hits your account. You get a receipt. And you don’t have to wait for checks to clear. When you’re paid faster, you can bind faster, and move on to the next client’s needs. ePayPolicy has contributed to our agency’s growth.”

Paula concurs. “Save yourself the hassle and worry of paper checks and just do this. It’s simple!”

5 Benefits of ePayPolicy Over General Payment Processors

by Digital Payment Processing

Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to offer digital payments and (fingers crossed) wean your clients off checkwriting forever. It should be easy to pick a payment processor for your agency, MGA or premium finance company — right? 

Of course, we think it’s a no-brainer. But many of our clients come to us after starting out with general payment processors like Stripe, Square, Quickbooks, etc. We’d like to save you some of their frustrations. Such companies are perfectly fine. It’s just that they’re industry agnostic. (That’s their fancy way of saying ‘generic.’)

Insurance Is Not a Generic Industry

Your receivables are not a simple matter of collecting premium payments and depositing them as income into your bank account. You have fiduciary responsibilities to your carriers and to your insureds. You’re subject to state statutes and regulations specific to our industry.  

We Know This Because We’re Insurance Experts

It’s true. Co-founder Todd Sorrell actually owned a premium finance company for several years before launching ePayPolicy with Milan Malkani (software developer supreme) in 2015.

ePayPolicy was created specifically as a digital payment processing solution for the insurance industry. 

Here are five benefits of ePayPolicy that (together) you’ll never get from Square (or Stripe, or…):

1. Operating Efficiency

ePayPolicy integrates with today’s most popular agency and broker management systems, including AM360, Applied CSR24 and a growing number of legacy and new systems. Not surprisingly, generic payment processors don’t know or care which management system you use.  And although we encourage integrations, not having one is also perfectly fine.

2. Relevant Features

With generic processors you’re a square (no pun intended) peg in a round hole. Their features are not insurance-specific. Ours are. We know how agencies and MGAs run, so ePayPolicy offers features that apply to you. Not only do we help you take payments, but also send funds across the industry through our network for only 50 cents! Our online dashboard to track and manage payments is also clearly catered to insurance organizations and their accounting teams.

3. Payment Options

Your insureds can pay by either credit/debit card or by ACH,* depending on their financial situation and goals. Some like earning travel miles. Others want to see their bank account timely debited.  

4. Data Safety & Security

ePayPolicy takes security very seriously. We don’t ever save your clients’ sensitive information in our systems (to avoid any kind of fraud). Plus, we’re PCI Level 1 compliant—the highest of four levels based on annual transaction volume. This means we’re subject to the most stringent data security protocols in the payment processing industry. 

5. Transparent Pricing

What you see is what you pay. How easy is that? ePayPolicy subscriptions start at a flat $20/month. No hidden fees or set-up fees. We also pass all transaction fees to the insured, unless you want to absorb them partly or wholly.

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It

ePayPolicy serves some 5,000 clients across the spectrum of independent agencies, MGAs/brokers, carriers and premium finance companies. 

We’re endorsed by more than 70 industry organizations, including 38 Big I state associations. Check out all of our industry endorsements and ask your user group or association why they recommend ePayPolicy as their insurance payment processor of choice.

Take the first step. Get started online or schedule a free demo today. 

*ePayPolicy Canada currently accepts credit card payments only. 

Vertafore Canada Orange Partner Program Endorses ePayPolicy

by CanadaIndustry News & Company Updates

MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2021 /CNW/ — Vertafore® Canada, a leader in modern insurance technology, today announced the launch of the Vertafore Canada Orange Partner Program, providing Canadian brokers the opportunity to take advantage of high-quality, pre-built integrations with strategic third-party technology providers. The program allows brokers to further optimize their processes and enhance the digital experience they offer their customers.

“In today’s competitive landscape, brokers increasingly need to focus on becoming future-ready, and it is essential that we, as solution providers, look for ways to help them achieve this,” said Dimitrios Argitis, vice president and general manager of Vertafore Canada. “We are committed to helping brokers achieve this through improved APIs and high-quality, vetted, strategic partnerships. The introduction of the Vertafore Canada Orange Partner Program is an important step in that direction.”

The Vertafore Canada Orange Partner Program is launching with seven partnerships that, when integrated with the Vertafore Canada SaaS solutions, offer brokers additional opportunities to optimize processes, enhancing the digital experience and complementing their strategic initiatives.

This initial set of partners serves as the foundation from which the program will continue to scale, and they drive significant value to brokers by offering them the following Vertafore Canada SaaS Platform integrated capabilities:

  • ePayPolicy: Brokers can offer their customers secure, quick and easy online payment options that integrate with Vertafore Canada solutions.
  • FIRST Insurance Funding Canada: Brokers can now provide monthly payment plans and full payment options for new business and renewals along with the policy proposal with FIRST PayTM, directly within the SIG.
  • Pathway: Brokers can automate client emails, texts, and document delivery through seamless data integration.
  • BrokerLift: Brokers can make selling insurance on their website easier both for their customers and the brokerage staff.
  • Xenex: Known as eSIGN, brokers can simplify processes by benefiting from this integrated SignatureMaster™ solution.

“These are partnerships that go well beyond just agreeing to work together. They represent a comprehensive arrangement that includes high-quality integrations that have already been developed and comprehensively tested, that collaboratively are being maintained and for which we have testimonials from brokers of their strategic value,” added Stacey Miranda, director of product management for Vertafore Canada. “The Orange Partner Program brings a new level of collaboration between Vertafore and its partners for the benefit of Canadian insurance brokers and their customers.”

For more information, please visit https://www.vertafore.ca/orange-partner-program.

About Vertafore Canada

Vertafore Canada is the expert in Canadian broker innovation and a leader in the BMS (Broker Management Systems) marketplace for insurance and financial services brokers. It offers an integrated suite of products designed to increase revenue through efficient use of technology. Vertafore Canada is the new name for Keal Technology, a leading provider of broker and commercial management systems in Canada, acquired by Vertafore in 2016.

New Specialty MGA is Tech-driven and Open for Business

by Client Spotlight Series

Dan Marzouk is launching a K2 Insurance unit to handle the nuanced coverage needs of vehicle service garages and dealers. “We are focused on a better way to do things,” he says. “K2 Specialty insurance provides exceptional service and excellent technical assistance. The company has significant infrastructure and several units have implemented ePayPolicy into their platforms. We are implementing ePayPolicy into our garage and dealer unit from the get-go.”

How the Relationship Started

A carrier approached K2 Insurance in early 2021 to discuss setting up a niche MGA for vehicle dealers and garages.

Filings were sent to states in May and the technology integration wrapped up as of July.  Dan always planned on using ePayPolicy. He says, “ePayPolicy was one of the easiest integrations. They have a partnership with MGA Systems, so it plugged right into our accounting system.”

Benefits to Retail Agents

With ePayPolicy, K2 provides agents and their accounting teams with a full view of their payables.

“ePayPolicy allows our customers to accept payments directly through our system. They choose which policies they want to pay. Their accounting team can know if there’s money they owe K2 that they may not have billed. Everyone can log in and see all their invoices and all their credits,” Dan explains.

Plus, if an agent happens to have ePayPolicy on their end, that makes it even easier. It’s also a bonus for K2. “When they get paid, we get paid.”

The response during beta testing has been “ecstatic.”

Benefits to the MGA

K2 appreciates ePayPolicy for saving time and streamlining the receivables process. As an example, Dan talks about receiving a wire for $52K with no backup. “We could spend a week going back and forth trying to figure out which account(s) that payment is meant for. Our ‘mega’ agencies have a single accounting team. We may be working with five different offices, but they will send one payment! ePayPolicy makes clear how each payment gets allocated.”

Dan especially likes that ePayPolicy:

  •  fully integrates with K2’s accounting system
  •  enables K2 to invoice multiple accounts simultaneously
  • minimizes energy drain and confusion of chasing down payments
  • saves K2 from having to send out cancellation notices
  • can process both direct bill and agency bill payments

He also talks about collaborating with ePayPolicy to achieve special, nonstandard customization his team needs. “We hopped on a call with the programmers. Everyone looked at the code together and we quickly got it done.”

ePayPolicy Helps with K2 Clients Large and Small

Small to medium-sized agencies without accounting departments can use it for direct pay. Medium-sized to large clients are agency bill. K2 can send all their agencies links so their insureds can pay conveniently online.

“I want to keep it very easy. I don’t have to worry about keeping bank account or credit card info on file. It’s all secure and the system has fail safes,” Dan notes.

In Summary

K2 Specialty Dealer Insurance shares an accounting team of three people with other K2 units. Dan comments: “We had one unit that was hesitant about ePayPolicy, but our accounting team convinced them to reconsider. K2 has a large network of agents across the country. We want to do everything we can to make their lives easier.”

He concludes: ‘People buy based on product, price and relationships. We help our agents build relationships. Individual quotes may come in a little higher or lower. Our value is that they don’t have to worry about billing.”

Advice to Other MGAs

Dan suggests: “If you haven’t thought about it, think about it. If you polled your top agents, likely many of them are using ePayPolicy already. With COVID, your offices may not be staffed. No one is there to accept checks. You don’t always know that a wire came through. You always have proof of payment from ePayPolicy.” 

About K2 Insurance

K2 Specialty Dealer Insurance is part of K2 Insurance Services, LLC, a leading underwriting and distribution franchise in the program insurance market. K2 Insurance is the parent company for 22 — and growing — MGAs focused on individual niches across the U.S. and world, including energy, golf and country clubs, attorney malpractice, wineries, municipalities … and now, garages and dealers. 

Brown & Brown Makes a Customer-Centric Decision

by Client Spotlight Series

Kelton Robinson was new to the insurance industry when he joined Brown & Brown in 2018. He immediately looked for new ways to modernize the agency and knew that enabling payments online was one of the first steps.

At the time, not many Brown & Brown offices offered digital payment options, but those that did recommended ePayPolicy. Being FAIA’s payment processor of choice was also a big plus. 

The ePayPolicy implementation was “seamless,” despite it happening at the same time they were converting to a new management system. ePayPolicy’s integration with Vertafore’s AMS360 was a definite bonus. As Kelton’s team adjusted to learning more about the platform, excitement built up. AutoPay and Invoice Notifications were and are some of their favorite ePayPolicy features.

ePayPolicy Has Modernized the Agency

Not only has ePayPolicy helped Kelton, but his entire Brown & Brown team and their customers have benefited from the switch.

Good Customer Response, Good Timing

Customers now have the option to pay instantly by credit card or ACH. Kelton says, “We haven’t forced it. We’ve simply offered it as a payment option.” He notes that personal lines customers were quick to embrace digital payments. Some commercial lines customers were hesitant at first but are increasingly switching to digital payments. And overall, customer feedback has been very positive.

And the timing could not have been better. Brown & Brown Ft. Lauderdale began offering digital payments in July 2019, which meant that customers could get used to it well before COVID-19 hit in spring 2020. 

Accounting Gets a Boost

Kelton views ePayPolicy as a big win for his team. “We are used to the sales team getting all the fancy gadgets. This was for us, to help us out on the accounting side. Right away it paid dividends.” He specifically called out the speed of managing transactions, the visibility to track the transactions, and the ability to be notified as soon as a customer pays—all of which speed up the time to bind a policy.

Advice to Other Agencies

Kelton suggests that agencies on the fence about digital payments should think first about their customers, who deserve the freedom to pay how they want to pay. 

He further suggests agencies avail themselves of ePayPolicy’s “low entry and high opportunity.” Low entry costs and no contract were major selling points for him. It’s a very low-risk investment that agencies can try out and “adopt as they see fit.”

In summary, Kelton offers his experience as a guide to success: “The product has been so great, the adoption has been steady, and benefits seen immediately.”