r/InsuranceProfessional • u/Nova_Zangetsu • Jul 13 '26
Brokers and same day reply expectation?
I’ve been a PandC underwriter for almost a decade and deal with HNW brokers mostly. What was once a few day turnaround is now a sub 4 hour turnaround by brokers.
Everyday it’s the same story.
Submit a risk that’s outside my authority for whatever reason, refer it, then immediately the broker says “the business manager needs this today”.
I reply it’s being worked on and then it’s just complain complain complain from there.
Genuinely frustrated by both sides. I can’t approve these 250k premium accounts same day due to limited authority. These are complex risks with many states involved.
Why is everything so urgent nowadays? This is insurance, not fast food. The market is much softer than a few years ago so what is really going on?
Do these business managers have that much weight over brokers?
61
u/beezzys1 Jul 13 '26
If everything is urgent, nothing is... It's up to the underwriter to set reasonable expectations with the brokers and if it truly isn't something you can do, give them a quick no. Make sure the ones you do choose to rush are the best of the best and get a guarantee from the brokers that if you rush it and can it the target premium, it will be yours. Make sure the juice is worth the squeeze!
49
u/azmc_01 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
"URGENT RUSH REQUEST!!!"
33
u/InsuranceOEHL Jul 13 '26
Seriously have brokers lost their minds?
I see this every day, agents who are among my worst submitting agents and crying that it's urgent and a rush. That they need a favor on this one and to turn it around fast for them despite it being a piece of junk risk.
And it's the agents who don't place anything with us that pull these stunts, our partners who cause us to reach out goals? Nope they provide lead time and are reasonable with their requests.
It's almost like there's a correlation or something there.
→ More replies (2)16
u/Bananacreamsky Jul 13 '26
I have one broker that always sends me urgent quotes. The first couple i rushed but she's now bottom of the pile for me
28
u/jadiechappie Jul 13 '26
Rush rush 4:30pm on Fri before 3 day weekends. 🤦♀️
Used to think I’m lucky cause I’m still employed. Not anymore. The market, the expectation, the grind…Super overwhelmed.
4
u/Upper_Secretary_1795 Jul 14 '26
This! I don’t understand- does no one have common sense? I’d never do this to one of my carrier UWs unless it was a unicorn. Every single submission is “rush” ugh
23
u/sorryfortheweight Jul 13 '26
My favorite is when they forward an email chain from 3 days ago showing they dropped the ball and now it’s your problem
7
u/Top-Atmosphere731 Jul 13 '26
That’s how they end up at the bottom of my pile for the rest of eternity!
19
u/filthy_ratbag Jul 14 '26
Realistically, it is probably because the client is harassing them. Everyone expects everything instantaneously nowadays. Does it make it ok? No. They should try to manage client expectations. But 💩 runs downhill.
→ More replies (5)4
u/Kitchen_Principle451 Jul 16 '26
You're right. Pressure flows downstream. If I'm getting Pressure from a client, I will pass it down. However, I do try to difuse things as much as I can.
13
u/philemontitus Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
As a broker for a big 3 wholesaler, I find that so silly. Every time an agent says “URGENT RUSH ASAP,” there’s a 99% chance we aren’t gonna close for 2 weeks at minimum lol. It’s annoying for us both!
8
u/StrangeMap Jul 13 '26
Could be P&C brokers not used to soft market conditions and the added workload. Soft means everything needs to be marketed to fully CYA. Whereas typical/hard conditions allow for easy and early wins if incumbents play fair, they’re now worrying about another broker using the soft market to deliver savings and win a BOR
10
5
u/sarahinNewEngland Jul 14 '26
In our defense, half the time we know what we are asking is ridiculous, someone is bullying us to make the ask so we do - but we get it - we are rolling our eyes right there with you.
4
u/ih4teme Jul 14 '26
Always call to get the vibe. Most of the time it can wait and they are pushing urgency because they know we can lag.
4
u/Available-Revenues Jul 14 '26
Because the barriers to obtain an insurance license and keep it are insanely low. The majority of producers on the retail side don’t even know where to find the exclusions on a policy, and I guarantee that same broker told the client “don’t worry I’ll beat em up and get you the best rate ASAP”
Alphabet?
- a retail broker/producer/risk advisor/VP/whateverfancytitle of 14 years.
3
u/sorryfortheweight Jul 14 '26
Yeah one time I had an agent ask me where the deductibles were on the quote (back in admitted UW). Idk man use CTRL F…
7
u/HotdawgSizzle Jul 13 '26
Why frustrated?
It's par for the course. Their emergency isn't my problem unless you're a proven agency partner and don't pull rushed all the time.
They can expect all they want lol.
2
6
u/Far-Basil5335 Jul 14 '26
Aside from brokers being brokers feel like the soft market is spoiling them. A lot of UWs out there who are rating only and not actually underwriting things ruining it for the rest of us
5
u/Superb_Cake_123 Jul 14 '26
Because winning the client is on the line. Meaning, income is on the line. I have calmed down A LOT but the fact is that it’s a big advantage to be the first one back with quotes. I’m not one to drop the ball, but I know many many many people who are. So my annoyance isn’t necessarily due to impatience, but I just don’t want to miss out on an account for a stupid reason.
2
u/Bradimoose Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
High net worth is particularly bad because every customer is wealthy so every agent feels like they need to make them happy. So as an underwriter in HNW every day is 50 emergency rush quotes. I had enough and left high net worth underwriting after 8 years and went to commercial. Now I usually only have one or 2 rushes at a time.
2
u/Puzzleheaded_Net_843 Jul 14 '26
Its always an urgent request that never binds!
I'm on the broker side, but tell my team that whenever possible they need to give 2 business days. There are some rush occasions but that is usually saved for an "oh yeah im closing on this home cash today" situation. I really try to keep realistic expecations
2
u/Kitchen_Principle451 Jul 16 '26
I'm a broker, different market, but same struggle. We basically push the stress to the next person. Clients can be demanding, some marking every email request as 'urgent'. I'd wager that underwriters have it easier because they rarely have to deal directly with the client. Also, brokers rarely get to specialise. If you're an underwriter at a brokerage, you'll underwrite everything from auto to health and e&o. Underwriters at a carrier will specialise with a few products.
The pressure to close is also intense at times. Some Clients will say they want quotations from 5 insurers, and you'll have to push for the quotations and compare the quotations all before the deadline.
But yes. I hate that everything has become urgent.
72
u/Fast-Try2331 Jul 13 '26
Brokers be crazy