Chubb’s Contractors Equipment Express

October 17, 2005

The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies created an online system designed to make it easier for agents and brokers to quickly obtain a rate, quote or binder for contractors’ equipment risks with schedules up to $5 million.

Contractors Equipment Express is available to agents and brokers through @chubb, the secure Web site that provides agents and brokers access to multiple products and services. With CEQ Express, agents and brokers can: obtain a competitive quote any time; access saved quotes for new and existing risks; bind insurance, subject to system approval; arrange for endorsements or request cancellation of existing policies; process renewals or non-renewals; print quote letters, binders and client invoices; access CEQ Express specimen contracts and fact sheets; and receive policies within 72 hours of binding. CEQ Express is the sixth online inland marine quote-binding system available through @chubb.

Web site: www.chubb.com/@chubb.

The Hartford Works With XDimensional

Agents who use Nexsure agency management system from XDimensional Technologies Inc. to place personal lines business with The Hartford can now link directly to The Hartford ExpressWay personal lines quoting tool. Nexsure is a native XML .NET application. The Nexsure-to-Expressway link is now available and requires no training or installation.

Web sites: www.xdimensional.com, www.thehartford.com.

Kemper Auto and Home Enhanced Site

Kemper Auto and Home, a Unitrin Company, recently unveiled renovations to its customer Web site, including a fresh new look, more intuitive navigation, enhanced functions and more helpful resources.

In addition to a customer’s ability to make a one-time payment electronically via eCheck and sign up for automatic bill payments from a checking account through Electronic Funds Transfer, customers may now sign up to receive billing and policy alerts via e-mail or text message. In 2006, KAH plans to release more enhancements to the site, including the ability to view and print policies securely online, a feature that displays a specific customer’s agent contact information upon log-in, and the convenience of downloadable auto ID cards, which allows a customer to access their card securely and print it traditionally or download it to their personal wireless device. To date, more than 14,000 policyholders are registered on the KAH Web site, and more than 800 alone have registered since the new site’s introduction on Aug.14.

Web site: www.KemperAutoandHome.com.

NAILBA’s New Web Site

The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies has created www.AgentResources.com, a Web site that offers training, sales support, and program discounts, such as E&O insurance-without a membership requirement. The programs and services available are designed to help life and health agents, property and casualty agents, bank agents, CPAs and other financial services professionals achieve three goals: sell more life insurance and related products; gain a “hassle-free” profit center; and protect their practice. The site offers an exclusive agent E&O plan through A.J. Gallagher, LOMA agent training, continuing education programs, non-resident licensing, expert practice management articles and LIFE sales aids. Agents also benefit from a directory of over 340 life brokerage general agencies to assist them with their career growth. It also provides significant discounts on business resources through its affiliate relationships with OfficeMax, DHL Express, and Lenovo/IBM computers. More agent benefit programs are currently in development.

Web site: www.nailba.org.

Best’s Online Aggregates & Averages

Web-based versions of both the Property/Casualty and Life/Health editions of Best’s Aggregates and Averages-United States and Canada, presenting all exhibits in Excel spreadsheet format, were released by A.M. Best Co. in mid-September 2005. Best’s Aggregates and Averages Online will contain the same information as the print Life/Health and Property/Casualty editions that are currently being shipped. The 2005 Property/Casualty and Life/Health editions of Best’s Aggregates and Averages-United States and Canada, include data drawn from Best’s Statement File and are particularly useful for benchmarking a company’s performance against the rest of the insurance industry or a group of its peers. The exhibits can also be used for studying industry-wide trends in balance sheets, expenses, investments and more.

Web site: www.ambest.com.