Same great service, Same great people,
Just a new name!

To our valued agents, clients, and underwriters:

I wanted to personally inform you that GIE has joined the Apex Insurance Services team. The synergy between our two companies and the potential to help public entities across America became too great a benefit to ignore. Being part of Apex will allow increased market power and broker access as well as strategic relationships with key markets. Geographically, we will be the Apex West Coast location, but our office will continue to serve our clients around the country. You may notice some minor changes over the next few weeks, but overall you’ll be receiving the same great GIE service from the same great people!

Thank you for your support!

-    Judd L. Feldman

For more information on Global Intermediaries and Apex Insurance, please visit our websites.

www.Globalre-Int.com www.ApexInsurance.com

Excess Liability Market Conditions – Hard or Soft? Select or Not So Select?

Depending on the account, the excess liability insurance market can feel very hard or very soft right now. I know that sounds strange, but it’s true!

Global Intermediaries just worked on a large county in the Northeast where the expiring carrier came back with a 33% increase due to loss activity. We eventually stimulated competition and brought the increase down to 17%, but it was still an increase. On the other hand, one of our recent Northwest accounts received an unsolicited quote from a newer market that didn’t even receive a submission!

The difference here is simple. Both public entities had different account profiles, specifically the loss ratios and the tort environments. It appears that the markets are gaining intelligence and cherry picking the “select”, loss free, accounts and going after them with gusto, whereas loss laden accounts are seeing increases. This new approach is a departure from our old thoughts of risk diversion and adverse selection, where markets applied the same rate to similar accounts, independent of loss ratios.

What does this mean for public entity insurance?

With the help of GIE, public entities and their brokers will need to determine if they fall into a “Select” program or a “loss laden” program. Select accounts will be largely loss free and will benefit from great coverage and a premium decrease. Loss laden accounts will have to work harder, with a more creative approach to the marketplace. No matter where your account stands, Global Intermediaries is here to help you and your agent plan the best marketing strategy; be it Select or Not So Select.

***One of the new items we’re working on is a stable rate product for Select accounts.  If you would be interested in such a product, please contact us and we’ll include your thoughts in our market approach.

Lake Ozark, MO
April 13-15, 2011

Judd Feldman and Nate Simmons will be at KS/MO PRIMA convention at Lake of the Ozarks again this year. We have been loyal sponsors of the KS/MO PRIMA convention for over 13 years, and enjoy paying a visit to our loyal clients and public entities.

Over the years GIE has given away thousands of shirts and we’d love to see them in action! Send us a photo of you or a friend in a GIE (or SIRPRO) shirt and vote for your favorite on our website! Winners will receive a special edition contest shirt!

Check Out The Entries!

Email Photo Submissions to Nate@globalre-int.com

Contest details – Found Here

NYMAGIC Excess WC

Global Intermediaries has seen the expert Underwriters at Midlands Management, the MGA for New York Marine & General Insurance Company’s (NYMAGIC) nationwide Excess Workers’ Compensation program, increase their focus on large public entities around America. What this means for you, the public entity or the public entity broker, is another great choice in carriers!

NYMAGIC performs great on accounts over $100,000 in policy premium and really shines on large accounts where you need an Underwriter to listen to you. From large single self insureds, to JPA’s, to larger pools, the seasoned Underwriting staff at Midlands Management has the expertise to understand your risk and offer creative solutions. If you do not yet have a quote on your Excess Workers’ Compensation account from Midlands Management on behalf of NYMAGIC, don’t hesitate, contact GIE today to see just how good they are!

Click Here or Contact GIE For More Infomation!

541-344-5411

Thanks to everyone who entered our drawing. After a few good shuffles of the cards, Joseph Mazza ended up being our winner! He’ll never be lost again with his new GPS!

Last year, public entities across America saw an increase in their SIR’s and many don’t have the loss reserves to support the higher SIR. This leaves these public entities extremely vulnerable in a large loss situation. Should a large loss scenario occur, the risk manager would have to figure out how to externally fund the higher SIR, either with higher taxes or by floating a bond…Not exactly what a risk manager is excited to face with all the other challenges of today.

To counteract this higher SIR move by the standard public entity companies, we are seeing the emergence of a specialty market that offers “Buffer Layers”. These buffer layers allow the client to keep the same lower SIR they prefer and are funded for.

Here’s your typical Buffer Layer scenario: 2008 SIR set at $2mil, 2009 renewal offered at a $4mil with some sort of discount. The client isn’t funded for the$4mil SIR, so we provide a $2mil X/S $2mil buffer layer. These buffer layers do cost money, but they have a decent payback period of less than 10 years in mostcases. Usually, the client uses the discount from the insurance placement, and other available resources to purchase the buffer layer.

The emerging companies providing the $1mil or $2mil layers are specialized and use a more primary loss pick rating system approach. These buffer layers resemble insurance that you’re more likely to use than the excess insurance of today, which companies are betting you don’t use…With the use of buffer layers, it is really a win / win situation. You get the SIR you financially need at a price you can handle and avoid the funding issue during a large claim which could lead oversight of your department decision making powers.

GIE has been a specialized force in the public entity world for nearly 20 years and always stays top of emerging trends in the insurance world. Call us today to learn more about the use of this emerging “Buffer Layer” technique!

541-344-5411

Sacramento, CA

Stop by booth 218 and catch up! We’ll be holding a scratch lottery for running shirts. If you’re a winner remember to bring your shirt to our PRIMA Fun Run/Walk!

Be sure to attend Bob Penny’s learning session on How to Evaluate Your Carrier’s Ability to Pay Your Claims. More information can be Found Here in section C5.