The Connection Magazine AIM MUTUAL Spring 2020 | Page 26

PEOPLE BEHIND THE POLICY
THE PEOPLE BEHIND
THE POLICY
YOU MIGHT think workers’
compensation coverage is pretty
straightforward, and you’d be right—to a
point. A nursing home in Massachusetts
with 100 employees has similar, though
not identical, coverage to one across the
border in New Hampshire.
Where those points diverge is on the
law and the regulations that frame it.
No two states are alike. Back in 1911,
when Wisconsin was rolling out the
first workers’ compensation system in
the country, no one could predict how
coverage would evolve.
Given the inner workings, it’s no
surprise the people behind the policy
play such a key role. As a workers’
compensation specialist, A.I.M. Mutual
has been providing coverage and services
for more than 30 years. With more than
18,000 policies to produce annually, that’s
a tall order.
“Whether it’s a quote, endorsement,
renewal, or reinstatement, we rely on our
production staff to review and process
each request that comes across their
desk,” said Abi Troy, Vice President of
Operations. “That reflects a certain level
of experience and dedication that we
really appreciate, and it has allowed us to
meet and often exceed standards across
the board.”
Today all New England states require
employers to have workers’ compensation
insurance in place, regardless of whether
the business is large or small. Meeting the
statutory requirements is the employer’s
responsibility, yet policyholders often
look to their carriers for help.
Once underwriting has done its job,
the policy production team takes over,
processing all policy transactions. The
clock starts ticking right away since
turnaround times are mandated. That’s
all in a day’s work for Rating, Statistical,
and Office Services, where everyone is
accustomed to meeting service requests
on demand.
Like a puzzle, each production
department is a piece that touches
another. When the pieces click into
place, so does the successful start of
another coverage period. Brokers and
policyholders know they can get sameday
answers to questions ranging from
certificate requests to policy information.
The Processing Hub
Rating is where the policy changes
happen, and they come from all directions.
Brokers, policyholders and state bureaus
forward their requests through any
number of channels.
Some states, like Massachusetts,
have their own bureau responsible
for setting workers’ compensation
requirements. More often, though,
states defer to National Council on
Compensation Insurance guidelines. If
a business operates in more than one
state, it can easily find itself dealing with
very different rules. Consider too the
involuntary market has a set of standards
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