Agent News
Angle Q2 2019
Torin Durham, our amazing teammate presiding over the Southeast, recently sat down with us to discuss how he got started at 3CU, what makes this place so special to work and how he spends his free time. We think Torin is absolutely stellar and have no doubt you will too.
‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’
I began my career with Third Coast Underwriters in the spring of 2015. I came from another monoline workers’ compensation carrier after competing with 3CU on a renewal, which was the first time I had heard about the company. I ultimately lost the account, which of course piqued my interest to learn more about the organization. So, I joined the team as a senior business development specialist based out of Atlanta, GA. I primarily handle business in Georgia, South Carolina and parts of North Carolina.
Family strong
I truly enjoy the people I work with. This is the first job I have ever had where it feels like family. We still have a job to do and need to hold each other accountable, but I feel like we always have each other’s backs.
At your service
3CU does a great job of recognizing our areas of expertise and excelling in that space. We focus on writing outside four-wall business because we’re good at it. We don’t try to be all things to all people, which allows us to really focus on our customers and give them the level of service they need.
Driven to take down Goliath
I would say my biggest motivation is winning accounts from the large national carriers knowing we can provide a level of service they haven’t seen before.
Coach D
I have been a youth basketball coach at my church for almost 12 years. I tried to be a high school basketball referee, but discovered that I can only handle one set of parents (my own players) yelling at me instead of the entire gymnasium!
Visit our website to learn more about 3CU’s products and services.
Return to Work programs are designed to alleviate the impact that workplace injuries have on employee recovery, staff morale, business operations and overall claim costs. Learning how to make a return-to-work offer and understanding the impact these programs have to your experience modification is essential. Learn more.
Building off the success of prior years, 2018 was another remarkable year for 3CU and the AF Group enterprise. To learn how AF Group and each of our brands performed, we encourage you to review our 2018 Annual Report.
In the Quarter One newsletter, we highlighted our pay-as-you-go solution, AccuPremium. Recently, we received feedback from you, specifically as it pertains to more access and visibility to the system.
Effective immediately, your agency’s agent inbox email address will be copied on all AccuPremium notifications sent to customers. After issuance, AccuPremium customers receive an email notification to register and will receive additional notifications if their account experiences any of the following:
- Late payroll (never reported/previously uploaded) – sent if payroll is not uploaded by the three-day grace period of their selected reporting date.
- Insufficient funds (first occurrence) – sent when initial draft for payment is unsuccessful – to inform customer we will be drafting for funds one more time.
- Insufficient funds (multiple occurrences) – sent to notify insured that the second draft for funds was also unsuccessful. Customer will need to review and correct any mistakes in banking information on file.
- Bad account – sent when unable to withdraw funds from customer’s ACH draft account – usually when the account is closed or frozen.
- Missing authorization – sent when an attempted ACH draft is returned “not authorized.”
- Account/system error – sent when the account number or routing number is incorrect. Customer will need to review and correct any mistakes in banking information on file.
- Re-attempt to collect – sent to inform customer that we will attempt to draft payment again after prior draft has been returned.
- Corrections – sent to notify customer that a correction has been made to their account.
Customer Tips — AccuPremium Payroll Reporting
To increase customers’ ease of reporting payroll, this help sheet will be included in the welcome email after policy issuance. The included tips can help customers avoid premium due once the audit is complete. Existing AccuPremium customers will also receive the tip sheet via email. To ensure you have the correct email address on file, please contact the AccuPremium team. In addition, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your business development consultant.
A causation investigation is a process that examines and evaluates an injured employee’s work environment, their specific work practices and then relates those risk factors to the injury reported. The purpose is to validate the facts surrounding an injury to avoid significant losses. Learn more in our Causation Analysis and Investigation booklet.
3CU skillfully evaluates complex risks, working closely with agents and customers, to find the right solutions. We insure customers who understand the impact of workers’ compensation costs and are willing to enter long-term partnerships to obtain superior results. Review our loss sensitive flyer to learn how our focused workers’ compensation underwriters serve as account managers and coordinate communications with the rest of the 3CU service team.
LEAD with Comp, our 12-month training and professional development opportunity, was designed with professionals newer to workers’ compensation in mind. This unique program will equip participants with the knowledge necessary to be successful in the workers’ compensation market space and the relationships to do so. Learn more about our LEAD with Comp program, coming to Lansing this September!
At 3CU, our customers are our top priority. Because we specialize in addressing complex operations and challenging exposures, we know the importance of developing unique workers’ compensation solutions. The list below illustrates the varied mix of accounts we have written recently within our core segments. Let us help you deliver successful outcomes for your customers today. For more information, visit 3CU.com, email info@3CU.com or call 866-641-2328.
AGRIBUSINESS
| Contractors Machinery Dealer | $311,638 |
| Farm Machinery Operation | $288,021 |
| Farm: Vegetables & Drivers | $386,938 |
| Florists: Cultivating or Gardening | $164,579 |
| Grain or Feed Milling | $231,660 |
| Hay, Grain, Feed, Or Fertilizer Dealer & Local Man | $129,207 |
| Landscape: Gardening & Drivers | $207,828 – $688,507 |
| Park NOC-All | $206,083 |
| Sawmill | $2,235,722 |
| Sugarcane Plantation & Drivers | $159,364 |
| Tree Pruning, Spraying, Repairing | $234,754 |
| Artificial Insemination of Cattle | $691,994 |
| Farm: Cattle or Livestock Raising | $750,169 |
| Farm: Dairy & Drivers | $277,728 |
| Farm: Poultry or Egg Producer | $363,287 |
| Store Meat, Fish or Poultry Dealer | $738,003 |
CONSTRUCTION
| Airport Construction Paving | $232,370 – $276,501 |
| Boiler Installation or Repair – Steam | $238,097 |
| Boiler Or Steam Insulating | $340,566 |
| Building – Operation Contractos & Drivers | $319,884 |
| Carpentry: Installation of Cabinet Work or Interior | $227,293 |
| Cleaning Or Renovating Building Exteriors | $724,974 |
| Clearing of Right-of-Way Electric | $202,270 |
| Cofferdam Work:-Not Pneumatic All Operations | $198,740 |
| Concrete Construction NOC | $252,097 – $311,498 |
| Concrete Construction – Bridges and Drivers | $193,740 |
| Concrete or Cement Work – Floors, Driveways, Yards O | $153,083 -$ 472,863 |
| Concrete Products Mfg & Drivers | $938,793 |
| Conduit Construction | $825,737 |
| Construction -Project Manager, Construction Execution | $169,583 |
| Contractors Machinery Dealer & Drivers | $226,346 |
| Door And Window Installation | $235,594 |
| Electrical Wiring | $234,205 – $255,928 |
| Electronic Equipment – Installatio, Service or Repair | $394,020 |
| Excavation & Drivers | $180,266 |
| Fixtures Or Furniture Installation – Portable | $584,373 |
| Gas Main or Connection Construction & Drivers | $184,392 – $244,293 |
| Glazier – Away From Shop & Drivers | $214,036 |
| Heating, Ventilation, Air Condition and Refrigeration | $208,959 – $554,525 |
| Household And Commercial Appliances – Electrical | $310,097 |
| Janitorial Services by Contractors | $846,847 |
| Machinery Dealer Noc – Store or Yard & Drivers | $232,814 |
| Machinery or Equipment Erection or Repair | $261,940 |
| Masonry | $219,271 – $348,824 |
| Millwright Work | $207,246 – $269,507 |
| Ore Dock Operation & Stevedoring | $425,821 |
| Painting Noc & Shop Operations, Drivers | $154,183 |
| Plumbing NOC & Drivers | $152,514 – $215,961 |
| Roofing – All Kinds & Drivers | $301,523 |
| Sawmill | $628,860 |
| Shale or Clay Digging & Drivers | $681,390 |
| Sign Installation, Maintenance, Repair, Removal | $155,210 – $444,492 |
| Street or Road Construction Paving or Repaving | $160,557 – $331,985 |
| Wallboard Installation | $154,568 – $596395 |
| Water Main or Connection Construction & Drivers | $165,986 |
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
| Iron Or Steel Scrap Dealer & Drivers | $576,612 |
| Oil Refining – Petroleum & Drivers | $230,494 |
| Rubber Tire Dealers – Wholesale or Retail or Combine | $1,456,545 |
ENERGY/USL&H
| Cleaning Tanks or Tank Cars | $154,286 |
| Nitrogen Injection into Oil Wells & Drivers | $224,597 |
| Oil or Gas Lease Work NOC by Specialist Contractor | $553,010 |
| Oil or Gas Refining Units – Erection or Repair & Drivers | $177,224 |
| Waste Separation at Jobsite No Excavation & Driver | $180,326 |
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
| Clearing of Right-of-Way Electric, Power | $340,817 |
TRANSPORTATION
| Ashes, Garbage, or Refuse Collection & Drivers | $282,832 |
| Automobile Haulaway or Driveway – All Employees | $428,358 |
| Beer or Ale Wholesale & Drivers | $535,669 |
| Building Material Dealer | $453,696 |
| Coffee Service Companies – All Operations & Salespersons | $1,099,615 |
| Freight Handler | $261,098 |
| Furniture Moving & Storage, Drivers | $198,522 |
| Garbage Ashes or Refuse Collection & Drivers | $235,665 |
| Gas Dealer – Liquefied Petroleum Gas | $387,196 |
| Gasoline Station – Retail & Drivers | $234,448 – $294,086 |
| Store Wholesale | $200,799 – $998,990 |
| Trucking – Long Distance Hauling | $170,979 – $488,025 |
| Trucking – Mail, Parcel or Package Delivery | $444,304 |
| Trucking | $413,708 |
| Trucking Noc – All Employees & Drivers | $150,746 – $1,696,176 |
| Trucking Parcel or Package Delivery – All Employees | $696,530 |
| Warehousing Noc | $711,271 |
The workers’ compensation legislative environment is currently calm. Recent rate decreases are at an all-time low, for the first time in more than 20 years. With a healthy marketplace, employers will be allowed to grow their employee base, improving the economy. But as the market prospers, there are pending legislative and regulatory issues currently and on the horizon receiving our attention.
Michigan
Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2019-13 reorganizes a number of state department functions, as well as renames the existing Talent and Economic Development (TED) department to the Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) department while naming Jeff Donofrio new director for LEO. The order takes effect in 60 days (roughly end of Aug.) unless rejected by the Legislature. Among the many changes, those significant to the industry are as follows:
- A three-member Workers Disability Compensation Appeals Commission is being created within LEO, and the existing Compensation Appellate Commission will be abolished.
- The Workers Compensation Agency is being transferred from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to the new entity and will be named the Workers Disability Compensation Agency.
- It remains unclear if the newly elected Governor intends to appoint a new Work Comp Director, the Executive Order remains mute on the topic.
Moving forward, we plan to engage the new Commissioner appointment process, when and where deemed appropriate. Stay tuned for future updates on the impact of this EO.
Federal
The United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs held a hearing recently entitled, “The Reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program.” Witnesses included Mr. Tarique Nageer, Terrorism Placement Advisory and Leader, Property Practice, Marsh, Dr. Howard Kunreuther, Co-Director, Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, and Mr. Baird Webel, Specialist in Financial Economics, Congressional Research Service. Congress made several improvements to the program during the 2015 reauthorization, and it ultimately garnered overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate with a vote of 93-4. The program is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020. AF Group will work with industry allies over the next 18 months to execute a lobbying strategy aimed at securing reauthorization prior to the expiration of the Act.
Wisconsin
Attached is the management and labor proposals shared at the most recent Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council (WCAC) meeting. The WCAC will begin discussions on these as they build this session’s “agreed bill.” Because things are currently so politically heated between the republican led legislature and democratic governor, we don’t anticipate anything of significance to come from the agreed bill process. That said, the political process is unpredictable and we intend to remain very engaged to minimize risk. Any sort of agreed proposal produced by the WCAC won’t be considered by the legislature until the Fall.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma workers’ compensation legislation (HB 2367) has been signed by the Governor. The new law, among other provisions, increases temporary and permanent indemnity benefits for injured workers, provides additional funding for the multiple injury trust fund, requires a study of the medical fee schedule, and specifies use of the sixth edition of the AMA Guides. Through negotiations with industry trade associations, the Chamber of Commerce and other interested stakeholders, adverse provisions were successfully removed throughout the legislative process. These included proposed provisions adding loss of earning capacity into permanent impairment determinations, increasing attorney fees, adding hips and shoulders as scheduled injuries, increasing vocational rehabilitation benefits, and expanding the scope and recovery for mental stress claims. The new law took immediate effect.
