Industry Magazine Grand General Agency Spring 2016 | Page 7

“WE WORK THE WAY YOU
WANT TO WORK, WE’RE HERE
TO HELP YOU”
through companies rated A- or higher! Jeff also indicated that Grand General has more products
available than they can effectively list on the website, so even if you don’t see it there, give them a
call. If they don’t have it now, they’ll try to get it for you quickly. All products are usually available
on a stand-alone basis. Most are admitted, but Grand General also has access to products that can
only be found through an E&S market.
4. Relationships
I remember “back in the day” when underwriters actually had some authority and they wanted
to help you issue every piece of business you brought to the table. You could actually build a
relationship with an underwriter and toss some “what ifs” at them in an attempt to get an indication.
Today, many underwriters just navigate a computer program and if your square peg won’t go into
the computer’s round hole, you’re pretty much out of luck. I was very pleased to learn that although
Grand General cannot write everything, they will work with you individually and try to find a way to
write the business, rather than find a way not to write the business.
When I was explaining my feelings about underwriters to Susan, she said something very simple,
yet remarkable for the 21st century general agency. “We work the way you want to work, we’re here
to help you”,

5. Call Them
This is a test. A very simple test. Stop what you’re doing, set the timer on your smartphone and
call your wholesaler and then answer the following questions:

Who Answered? Phone Tree [ ] Person [ ]
Now, ask to speak with a commercial auto underwriter (or any commercial
underwriter)
Did you get? Voicemail [ ] The underwriter [ ] An assistant underwriter [ ]
Hang Up and do the same thing with Grand General Agency [phone].
I just did this with well-known wholesalers and then Grand General Agency.
MGA #1 – Phone Tree
MGA #2 – Phone Tree
MGA #3 – Phone Tree
Grand General Agency – Andy answered the phone
Certainly, having a person answer the phone may not be an indication that they will be all things
to all retail agencies. But it is indicative of a culture within that company. A culture where their
staff members and managers care about your experience with them. They care that you need to
speak with them and get a question answered or a problem solved. They care that because of their
ability to serve you, you can then serve your customer. As Susan told me and then Jeff repeated,
“We work the way YOU want to work. We’re here to help”.

SPRING 2016

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