NNews December 2023

37 December 2023 Continuing education and professional designations matter. Brokerage firms that support the ongoing education of their employees are more likely to have a more knowledgeable and qualified staff to meet their clients’ needs. Check the resumes of your brokerage firm’s staff to see what types of credentials they hold. Brokers receive the same commission dollars from insurance carriers. Knowing this, ask yourself what additional or specialized services your commission dollars are buying you from your current broker. Are you getting your money’s worth? If not, it may be time to shop brokers. Not all brokers have in-house risk management services. Many brokers claim to provide risk management services in-house, but do they really? Carriers provide loss control and claims services, and many brokers promote these services as their own. However, there is a big difference in receiving these services from the broker side. Brown & Brown of Lehigh Valley has a team of experienced professionals dedicated to health and human services organizations like yours. If you would like to see how they can help, please call Lisa A. Bellis, MBA, CSM, ARM, CPG, AIS, CIC, CRIS Senior Vice President, RiskManagement & Loss Control Services 610-348-7986 John Ehresman, AAI Senior Vice President, Insurance and RiskManagement Advisor 610-694-1884 When a representative from a carrier’s loss-control staff conducts an inspection, the hazards outlined in their report go straight to the underwriter. —That’s the person responsible for determining your insurance premiums! Having a broker with in-house loss control means the hazards uncovered during an inspection are brought to your attention and corrected before the carrier ever has knowledge. This can prevent disasters, such as non-renewals, increased premiums and reduced limits. Not all brokers have experience handling complex claims. Select a broker experienced in handling unusual or complex claims because they have seen them before with similar clients. The broker should become your ally in negotiating the best possible resolution with the claims adjuster. Now that you knowwhat to look for, get out there and partner with a broker with whom you can build a long-term relationship!