Vincent C. Santorelli, president of The Schinnerer Group, Inc., emphasizes the complementary nature of the Crump/Schinnerer combination, which is made up of Victor O. Schinnerer & Co. and the Crump Group.
The affiliation of Victor O. Schinnerer & Co. and Crump Group created a one-stop shop for agents looking to place basic and specialty lines of coverage. Schinnerer, as one of the leading underwriter managers in the country, provides a wide variety of programs, while Crump, a large wholesaler, provides a wide range of markets, expertise in hard-to-place business and strong relationships with all major E&S markets, including international markets. Schinnerer's programs range from complete coverage needs for architects, engineers and construction industry professionals, professional and general liability for security guards to specialty programs such as kidnap and ransom coverage, public entity liability and much more. Mary Jefferson, vice president of Corporate Marketing for Schinnerer, points out that "for a specialty insurance provider like Schinnerer, there is great opportunity in being able to access a national wholesaler--just as there are opportunities for Crump to access specialty insurance programs from Schinnerer."
Where one company may provide program expertise for professional liability, the other provides protection from exposures for difficult property, casualty and financial services risks. Agents who are familiar with the expertise of Schinnerer may send a submission that is better placed with Crump. Schinnerer has a program for Miscellaneous Construction Consultants. It includes coverage for many specializations inherent in the construction industry--acoustical engineers, facility managers, lighting designers and more. Because of its reputation for writing non-typical services, Schinnerer often gets submissions that go outside its programs. Then, with the knowledge and approval of the independent agent, the business is referred to Crump.
Collectively, the two companies are committed to providing exceptional service to their customers. "We have worked hard to anticipate change and develop strategies to produce the differentiation required to be successful," says Vincent Santorelli, president of the Schinnerer Group. "Our service standards, infrastructure and our systems are built with just one thing in mind--how we can better serve independent agents and brokers," he continues, adding that the group "subscribes to the concept that implementing better strategies leads our businesses, and consequently our clients' businesses, to evolve and prosper. Those strategies and ideas come from each employee at the two companies, individually and collectively."
The companies offer a wide mix of talents that can help agents provide value-added service to their clients. Employees at Schinnerer include architects, engineers and attorneys who bring a personal perspective to the problems experienced by their colleagues. "Our greatest asset is our people," notes Marie Solomon, managing director at Schinnerer. "We attract and develop professionals who care deeply about our business and the service of our customers."
Schinnerer Group executives are (left to right) Vincent Santorelli; Mary Jefferson, vice president-corporate marketing; Catherine V. Brown, senior vice president; Joel Berrian, CPCU, chief executive officer of Crump, and Lorna Parsons, managing director.
The complementary nature of the Crump/Schinnerer combination gives independent agents the opportunity to place their business in the market they feel is most appropriate. The companies work closely with their agents to decide on placement. If the agent agrees that the best opportunity for the customer lies within Crump, the business is sent there. If the coverage is best suited for Schinnerer, then the business is placed with Schinnerer.
Other important value-added services are loss prevention and risk management. Schinnerer has developed numerous loss prevention and risk management programs for its specialty programs. Lorna Parsons, managing director, says Schinnerer is "dedicated to helping brokers add value for their clients. We provide publications, seminars, business advice, risk management and statistics that complement whatever level of expertise the broker brings to the table. Our biggest success is assisting brokers and our mutual clients in managing risk and growing their business profitably." Parsons also emphasizes that Schinnerer provides broad coverage and outstanding claims services so brokers don't have to worry about their E&O exposures.
Joel Berrian, CEO of Crump, agrees that the "greatest strength of the group lies in the quality and experience of our people and our ability to respond quickly to the needs of the independent agent and broker. Our clients have repeatedly confirmed that the single most important factor in choosing an insurance wholesaler is responsive expertise. Other important factors are market access, relationships, coverage and price. Our mission is to provide unparalleled service to the agents with whom we work. We believe our technical expertise makes the Crump difference."
He points out that a key differentiating factor for Crump is its ability to act as an advisor to independent agents. Knowledge of products, market trends and successful submission strategies are key components used to identify the best plan for a particular risk.
Stephen Conner, president of Crump, believes that "service to our independent agents is not just the ability to place a single piece of business but to deliver consistent performance. When choosing a wholesaler the goal--that is, placing a particular risk with the best possible market, terms and price--is simple. Access to the appropriate markets is crucial. Crump provides immediate access to more than 100 leading domestic and international markets."
The companies are organized to work closely with independent agents, though each uses its separate strengths to provide a combination of service, innovation and expertise to independent agents. However, they also have combined services where appropriate in order to maximize service to their agent customers. In some instances, the two companies have business in the same arenas, but one complements the other. Some examples:
An agent can place public entity liability coverage with Schinnerer and access Crump for property and excess limits.
Crump can provide workers comp coverage for armed security guards, and Schinnerer can take care of E&O and GL for these firms.
Schinnerer offers E&O to real estate firms while Crump can provide property and casualty coverage for hard-to-place commercial properties.
Ease of access
The Web sites for both companies have recently been revised and development is ongoing. Brokers have access to information on products and markets any time they want. The Schinnerer Web site is organized by product line, while the Crump Web site is organized by region. Both sites include contact information and applications.
The Schinnerer Web site includes applications, insuring agreements, claims resources, risk management information, frequently asked questions and related organizations for each industry--and will soon launch a Broker Account Section. According to Mary Jefferson, "We want to allow our agents and brokers access to real-time information about their accounts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Starting this summer, we're giving brokers a place on the Web site to view a cross-section of information about all their clients--a list of their insured firms, basic account information and data from the application. Brokers will be able to log on to find out if an application has been received, if a quote has been mailed or if a policy has been sent. The new account section of the Web site should create greater efficiencies for our agents and brokers."
The newest Crump Web site, due to launch in early summer, will provide continually updated market information. Brokers who work with Crump will be given a name and password for the site so that they can access various applications online.
The hard market
Crump and Schinnerer both recognize that agents need to have solid, reliable relationships in a hard market. And both companies have professional experience working in a hard market. Crump can project coverage availability, estimate premiums and help independent agents develop an effective marketing strategy. Schinnerer's underwriters can help tailor coverage to the clients' needs. Both companies also advise agents to send submissions in advance of deadlines as underwriters take longer in dealing with submissions in a hard market. Both companies also strongly discourage going to a large number of markets to place business because it lessens credibility. Loyalty becomes a key factor during a hard market.
Santorelli concludes that: "We build relationships based on win/win strategies. We expect our markets to support us during difficult times and to provide coverage and terms that will benefit our clients. Our trademark is consistency." *
For more information:
The Schinnerer Group, Inc.
Phone: (301) 961-9850
Web site: www.schinnerer.com