Diversifying Insurance Offerings: Securing Future Growth

by Business Strategy

In an ever-evolving landscape of risks and uncertainties, insurance companies face the pressing need to re-evaluate their value propositions to ensure long-term profitability and sustainability. As traditional models of insurance become increasingly challenged by emerging risks and changing consumer expectations, companies must adapt by expanding their coverage options and venturing into new markets. 

The Need for Diversification

Insurance companies traditionally operate within well-defined sectors such as life, health, property, and casualty insurance. However, as the world becomes more interconnected and risks become more complex, the demand for specialized coverage is on the rise. From cyber threats to climate change-related perils, there’s a growing recognition that traditional insurance products may not adequately address modern risks.

Stagnant growth in mature markets and increasing competition have also compelled insurers to explore new avenues for revenue generation. Diversification offers insurance companies the opportunity to tap into underserved markets, differentiate themselves from competitors, and mitigate concentration risk.

Expanding Coverage Options

One of the most effective strategies for diversification is expanding coverage by developing innovative insurance products tailored to specific industries, professions, or lifestyle choices. Insurers can introduce policies covering cyber liability, reputation management, or even pandemics.

When certain policies do not cover an entire claim or casualty, there is opportunity to offer customers a marketplace of complementary services at lower prices to acquire substitute products. In this way, businesses can better serve customers while obtaining a new revenue stream.

According to a recent Deloitte study, more business insurance customers are seeking greater levels of flexibility in their insurance products and policies. A significant portion express the desire to adjust coverage and premium rates periodically throughout the year, contingent upon business conditions. The traditional models of annual reviews and one-time coverage modifications are no longer considered viable.

The primary motivations behind desiring such flexibility do not revolve around cost reduction. Instead, respondents expressed a greater interest in optimizing their coverage. An example is having the ability to deactivate insurance coverage during periods of inactivity, such as with pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation policies. This approach enables adjustments to coverage when a company undergoes layoffs or experiences a seasonal downturn. 

Entering New Markets

Expanding into new geographic markets or demographic segments offer immense growth potential, driven by rising incomes, urbanization, and increasing awareness about the importance of insurance protection in emerging economies. 

Targeting underserved demographics such as millennials or gig economy workers can be lucrative, as these groups often have unique insurance needs and preferences, necessitating tailored products and distribution channels.

Insurance organizations should also look at rising trends within their markets, like electric vehicles and ride-sharing in the automotive industry, to assess opportunities for growth.These trending markets carry high avenues of expansion with possibly low competition. 

Re-evaluating Value Propositions

In the quest for diversification, insurers must re-evaluate their value propositions to align with changing customer expectations. This involves emphasizing transparency, simplicity, and customer-centricity. Transparent pricing, devoid of hidden fees or complex terms, fosters trust and enhances the perceived value of insurance products.

Furthermore, educating customers about risk mitigation strategies is paramount in today’s risk-prone environment. Insurers can leverage digital platforms, interactive tools, and personalized advice to empower customers to proactively manage risks and reduce potential losses. By positioning themselves as risk management partners rather than just providers of financial protection, insurers can deepen customer engagement and loyalty.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the opportunities presented by diversification, insurers must navigate several challenges. Regulatory compliance, cultural differences, and operational complexities can pose hurdles when entering new markets. Moreover, developing innovative products requires substantial investment in research, technology, and talent.

Insurers must strike a balance between diversification and maintaining underwriting discipline. Overextending into unfamiliar territories or offering overly complex products can expose insurers to undue risks and erode profitability.

Implementing Diversification

Expanding coverage options, entering new markets, and re-evaluating value propositions are key strategies for meeting the evolving needs of customers and securing future growth.

By embracing innovation and transparency, as well as prioritizing customer-centricity, insurers can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace and build a resilient business model capable of withstanding the challenges of tomorrow. In doing so, they not only safeguard their own profitability and sustainability but also contribute to the overall resilience of the societies they serve.

eBook: How Technology is Changing Insurance in 2023 [Free Download]

by Uncategorized

What are insurtech leaders focusing on in 2023?

The insurance leaders that can most quickly and effectively transform their processes will become more efficient and will be able to offer their customers the experiences they want and are asking for.

This moves the burden to you, as leaders, to future-proof your insurance technology, promoting business scalability and continuity.

But how?

Throughout this eBook, we will go over the three key ways that technology is changing the insurance industry:

  1. Digital Transformation
  2. Organizational efficiencies
  3. Customer experience

Each of these areas has seen significant shifts post-pandemic, seeing once niceties become necessities.

About ePayPolicy

Built by insurance professionals for the insurance industry, ePayPolicy is the fastest, easiest and most secure way to move money for insurance. ePayPolicy’s products bring insurance payments up to speed for agencies, carriers, MGAs and PFCs, with secure online payment pages and automated check processing, with CheckMate. 6,000+ insurance companies trust ePayPolicy to handle their payments every day. Learn more: ePayPolicy.com

Gary Vee Does Insurance

by Business Strategy

Gary V Insurance
We recently ventured to the Big Apple for an incredible podcast session at Vayner Media world headquarters with the one and only Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee). Bradley Flowers and Scott Howell, aka The Insurance Guys, led the interview, and Andy Priesman of Cover Desk and Todd Sorrel of ePayPolicy added some commentary around the impact of InsurTech across the industry.

With the focus around personal branding, innovation, and strategy, this 40-minute podcast is a must for all the independent agents out there. Here are just some of our takeaways from the in-depth discussion.

The insurance agent of the future (not to mention every day, right now) should be high tech and high touch. That combination is a win/win strategy.

What do we mean by high touch? High touch means engaging in human to human interaction that builds trust. Since you’re selling a product that protects people, it’s important to genuinely like people. (Of course you do, but if you have anyone in your agency who doesn’t like people, perhaps this is not the field for them.)

You should give without strings/expectations. Gary Vee pointed out the difference between authentic selflessness vs. selfish selflessness. Selfish selflessness is verboten in Gary’s world, and ought to be in yours.

A practical application of high touch is to follow up after binding a policy. Not with any agenda – just to check in. Mention something personal you remember about your customer: ask about a pet, a hobby, a family member. Show you’re not just there to make the sale and move on.

I think of branding as residing in both realms. It is the linchpin between high touch and high tech. And it is essential. Note that branding is a key theme in my post about seeking inspiration outside of the industry. When you are marketing something you’re not in control of, you are not in control. While this part of the discussion centered mainly on captive agents, it’s still a truism of all branding. If you don’t control your brand, it will be controlled for you.

Now here’s something I suspect many of you have either never considered –or have spent hours worrying about. Or, you may already be doing it. If so, that’s awesome. Per branding maestro Gary Vee, one way everyone should be putting themselves out there is by creating content. For those who are not comfortable doing a vlog, do a podcast, or write articles for LinkedIn. This is not optional. If you’re not differentiating your brand through content, you’re becoming irrelevant.

Inevitably, the conversation turned to high tech and its profound influence on our industry.  Gary Vee pointed out that Amazon is entering the insurance market in a big way. They’ve hired more insurance actuaries than any other company. Should you be afraid? Gary says no. He said Amazon entering the industry should not be scary — unless you’re not willing to put in the work.
What else? Imagine customers asking Alexa or Siri for an insurance agent. Will Alexa or Siri pick you?

Next, the subject of buying insurance online came up. Just like we at ePayPolicy advocate that customers should be able to pay for insurance however it’s most convenient for them, Gary Vee says we should let consumers buy insurance online if they want to. It’s all about being customer centric.

Finally, the topic turned to outsourcing. Gary’s all in favor of outsourcing functions that are not your core competencies. This goes for administrative functions like payroll and virtual support (nod to here to Cover Desk). It goes for payment processing. It could also involve seeking outside expertise and tech channels to build your brand through social media.  If these are not core competencies that you possess within your agency, by all means seek out experts to help you build and manage your brand.

In summary: Insurtech is exploding. We’re witnessing a true revolution. These tools are there to make your life easier and your office more efficient. But never forget you’re  selling to people. When you put your customers’ needs first, when you seek to delight them and spread love instead of fear, everyone wins.

These are the highlights that jumped out at us. Be sure to tune in to the podcast for the full interview. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the spirited discussion and valuable business insights.

A Business Guide to Surviving Any Natural Disaster

by Business Strategy

A Business Guide to Surviving Any Natural Disaster
2017 was a catastrophic year full of devastating storms. Harvey, Irma, Maria, Jose. The list of last year’s now-infamous hurricanes unfortunately goes on.

And as the rain and wind in 2018 continue to hammer down (many are still suffering setbacks of Hurricane Florence), it’s more important than ever to educate and prepare for inclement weather.

As a business owner, it can seem like spending time preparing for something out of your control is a waste of time. Or trivial. Especially in comparison to bringing in leads, serving customers, and improving general business.

But having a plan of action for natural disasters could be the difference between an organization sinking or swimming. Without a doubt, it is something any good business leader should have but hope to never use. Here are a few tips to help protect you from even the rainiest of days.

When it comes to being prepared for Mother Nature, checklists are your best friend.
 

1. Be Proactive
This is so important. Don’t wait until the eye of the storm is over your business to start reacting. Take charge. Make a preparation checklist. Check the weather reports regularly, especially during peak hurricane season. Purchase any gear or groceries you need BEFORE stores start to run out of everything and mobs of people begin fighting over bread, water, and generators.

2. Protect the Property
This one is a given. It’s in your best interest to do everything within your power to reduce property damage (and thus hopefully reduce repair costs). This can include sandbagging areas that have a high flood risk or installing shutters or plywood to windows and doors. You may also want to consider removing surrounding tree branches that could potentially fall on your building.

3. Protect the Gear
Inclement weather hardly ever equals good news for hardware. Whether you’re preparing for a flood, hurricane, tornado, or an earthquake, one thing remains constant: protect your gear.
Electronics are valuable, fragile, and expensive to replace. Take precautions as early as possible to avoid having to buy your whole staff brand new desktops. Move gadgets to an elevated area if you’re expecting floodwaters. Put them in the safest room in your office (one with no windows is ideal). Make sure to shut down computers and unplug machines, cables, and power surges.
Certain tech like external hard drives often hold lots of valuable and irreplaceable information and data. Which brings us to our next, very important, tip.

3. Back Up Data
Boy, is this a big one. Even if you are lucky enough to suffer no property damage, there is always a huge risk of losing important company data, customer insights, contact information, contracts, etc. And while it is challenging to recover from physical damage, losing crucial business documentation could be the end of your organization.

The easiest and most secure way to backup electronic data is by saving files to an external hard drive and then keep that hard drive with you. Do not leave it at the office. Wherever you go, the hard drive goes, too.

What data can your business absolutely NOT function without? Find out, then be sure to back it up on your hard drive.


4. Digitize Everything
Insurance is an old-school business. The industry is changing as insurtech continues to explode, but there will always be a few folks who still don’t do everything electronically. For the most part, this isn’t a problem. But where inclement weather is concerned it can be a huge issue.

If you have valuable paper documents, scan them ASAP and then save those files to the hard drive mentioned in tip #3. It’s still wise to place the physical documents in a Ziploc bag and store them in a dry area while you ride out the storm. But if they get swept away with the rain/wind/whatever, it’s not the end of the world…as long as you have a digital copy on your hard drive, of course.

—
Companies are constantly at risk. They are at risk of losing money, stagnant business, fierce competition, and on and on the list goes. Sometimes risk is outside of our control, but being proactive and preparing for the worst of Mother Nature is totally and completely within our power. There are no excuses.

According to an August 2017 article by the Associated Press, Hurricane Harvey damaged nearly 700 business in Texas alone. Each natural disaster means every business in the storm’s path is on the chopping block. So it’s up to you as your business’ leader to heed our advice and weather each storm before they arrive at your office door.

Higginbotham Insurance Makes The Switch To Digital Payments

by Client Spotlight Series

ePayPolicy Case Study: Higginbotham Insurance

Executive Summary
Tony Haas, Controller at Higginbotham Insurance, noticed that customers were frequently asking for electronic payment options to pay their insurance policies. While Higginbotham did accept credit cards, it did not offer the choice to pay via ACH. Haas began searching for a more robust processor and finally stumbled upon ePayPolicy. Signing up, he said, was a must.

“We were getting requests from clients to pay electronically, and after seeing ePayPolicy’s demo, the ACH solution was a much better solution than a wire solution,” said Haas. “A client could either set up a wire account and send money to us, or they could just pull up ePayPolicy and pay us right there. It’s a much easier process,” he said.
“The simplicity of it made it a no-brainer.”

The Goals
Offer clients electronic payments
Integrate with management system, Sagitta
Speed up receivables
Bind policy faster
Streamline reconciliation process

The Results
ePayPolicy Co-Founder Todd Sorrel met Hass for the first time at NetVU 2017, and shortly after, the Higginbotham payment page was live.

After Higginbotham was up and running, it was immediately able to offer clients the option to make electronic payments. Now, the insurance company is able to accept both credit cards and ACH, with payments seamlessly integrating into its management system Sagitta (powered by Vertafore). The technology has allowed them to bind business much faster.

“As soon as customers make payments, we’re getting email notifications to let us know that a transaction is in process,” said Haas. “We can bind things immediately and move onto the next project, instead of waiting a few days.”

Haas said the processor has cut down the reconciliation process by two business days and that ePayPolicy & its ability to integrate with Sagitta has streamlined Higginbotham’s overall process.


“Anytime you can do electronic payments, versus sending an actual check, it makes the whole process easier,” said Hass. “Handling checks is old school.”

The Extras – Hig Helps Page
After Hurricane Harvey tore through Houston last year, Higginbotham reached out to ePayPolicy for help in setting up a donation page for those affected by the storm. Harvey had completely devastated the homes of several Higginbotham team members, and the organization wanted a way to help them through the rebuilding process.

“It was fantastic what ePayPolicy did to help us get that page up and running. We raised about $150,000,” said Haas. “It was a big help to get money and help out to our employees that were hurting.”


Higginbotham Insurance offers risk management and financial services, providing access to commercial and personal property/casualty coverage, employee benefits, retirement plans, life insurance, and executive compensation plans through more than 250 regional and national carriers. As of 2017, the company is ranked #18 on Insurance Journal’s annual list of Top 100 Property / Casualty Agencies. There are over 25 Higginbotham offices in the state of Texas.

Do something great with the ePayPolicy InsurTech Award!

by InsurTech Award

Do something great with the ePayPolicy InsurTech Award!

We’re less than a month away from closing applications for the ePayPolicy InsurTech Award!
ePayPolicy believes that great technology can change the insurance world. That’s why we are committed to recognizing the agency that has best adapted and leveraged technology to grow and improve their sales, marketing, and customer service in 2018.

Additionally, each applicant will receive an Insurance Technology Adoption Score (i.e. an “ITA Score”), a subjective measure of an agency’s tech adoption in the insurance space, along with comprehensive reporting including feedback, tips, and opportunities to improve that score.
If you haven’t entered yet, there’s still time!

Apply now to win $7,500 in prizes, including:

– A $1,000 cash prize
– $1,000 toward an insurance conference of winner’s choice
– Two FREE years of ePayPolicy’s Custom Plan
– Consulting time with Mike Stromsoe and Chris Paradiso
– Website services with Alicor Solutions
– A gift basket stocked with local treats from AustiNuts
– BRAGGING RIGHTS!

Do something great,
apply for the ePayPolicy InsurTech Award today.

Modern Mobility

by Business Strategy

Modern Mobility

“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

This is a common phrase people use to convey that if something works at least somewhat well, then leave it alone. It’s good enough.

This is sound advice for some things, like if you have a perfectly good car but want a new one, just because.

However, this practice falls short in other areas of life. Take insurance for example. Insurance is an industry that places heavy emphasis and value on tradition. And in this case, tradition dictates that business practices remain largely the same, and adopting new tech isn’t necessary since, after all, what’s already in place is good enough.


“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
Not so fast. Let’s talk payments.
Insurance professionals everywhere have been accepting paper checks since the dawn of the modern insurance industry. The practice reigned supreme for a long while, and for some agencies, it is still the preferred way to accept payments from insureds. However, paper checks, and its cousins wire transfers and cash payments, come with a slew of caveats and complications.
Both paper checks and cash have to be snail-mailed or handed off in person. Wire transfers are costly, require a ton of manual work, and both of the participating banks require representation on the phone to initiate the transfer.

What if an agent is pressed for time and needs those funds immediately? Every insurance professional has been there — when it’s 4:45 PM on a Friday, the banks are closing soon, and there’s nothing to do but watch the clock tick by while waiting on the insured, impending doom hanging overhead.

“Inconvenient,” is an understatement.

Traditions are great. But even good ones need updating every once in a while.
That’s where electronic payments come into play.


According to a Federal Reserve Payments Study, paper checks have been on a staggering 6% yearly average decline since 1999, and by 2014, only 3% of consumers said they preferred to use paper checks.

Conversely, and unsurprisingly, the preference for electronic payment options has been on the rise, with the Federal Reserve Study reporting that credit card payments were recorded as the “highest growth rate” (at a 10.2% increase) among core payment types from 2015-2016.

At the end of the day, e-payments are undeniably more convenient and easier to track than old-school methods.

“In our space, if you don’t have an electronic payment solution, you’re way behind the times,” said Russ Goldstein, President of Agile Premium Finance.

It’s truly astonishing what a little mobility can do to help a business’ overall bottom line.
For insurance professionals and customers, the entire process of making and accepting payments has flipped on its head. Funds can be remitted in seconds and deposited into a bank account just as quickly.

This instantaneous gratification may seem the norm in 2018, but a few years ago this was still unheard of.

More and more, insurance professionals everywhere want a more seamless, end-to-end solution for tracking and reconciling payments. Paper checks, wire transfers, cash, and the like may not be broken, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best option.

With mobile payments, the question isn’t “why?” it’s “why not?”

ePayPolicy is the simplest way to collect insurance payments online. The processor allows insurance professionals to accept electronic payments via credit card and ACH, while also allowing agents and brokers to pass on transaction fees to the insured. ePayPolicy serves over 800 national clients and continues to expand its growing list of independent association endorsements and management system integrations each day. To find out more, visit www.epaypolicy.com.

Accelerating with NetVU

by Industry News & Company Updates

Accelerating with NetVU
If the yearly conference circuit is equivalent to the NFL’s football season, then NetVU’s Accelerate is the insurance industry’s Super Bowl. And like any good Super Bowl, Accelerate 2018 was exciting, buzzing with energy, and an absolute blast!

In the months leading up to the much-anticipated show, the entire ePayPolicy team worked with our heads down, toiling away on prepping our booth, swag, travel plans, and more. When it was finally showtime, Todd and I were more than itching to get to Atlanta.

Anyone in the insurance space knows that Accelerate is all about taking advantage of opportunities. Whether your goal is to build relationships, spend time with customers, network, pitch, or just have fun, opportunity is there for the taking.

Luckily for us, all of those aforementioned things were goals of ours, and I’m proud and pleased to say we were successful in hitting each of those goals — and then some.

Any chance we have to spend time with current or potential customers, as well as the Vertafore team, is a chance to build and solidify relationships, which is the most important thing for us at ePayPolicy.

And it might be the most important thing for anyone in the insurance industry, for that matter.
Todd, myself, and the rest of the team are all still coming down from the adrenaline high of last week. (Is it too early to start thinking about Accelerate 2019?) Thanks to all that stopped by our booth to learn about our payment processor (and grab some swag, which we completely ran out of!).

And an especially big thank you to NetVU for hosting the insurance event of the year, Vertafore for chatting, laughing, and sharing meals with me and Todd, and all of our amazing clients that stopped to snap pictures with us.

Cheers!