US Assure’s New XPressBIND Issues Residential Builders Risk at “Record Speed”
Agents can obtain a policy in just minutes
Jacksonville, FL (June 15, 2020) – US Assure, the exclusive program administrator for the Builders Risk Plan insured by Zurich, has launched a new online application called XPressBIND – an easy and rapid way for agents to issue residential builders risk policies.
The simple-to-use application allows agents to quote and issue a policy without any underwriting holds in a matter of minutes, making it the fastest way to obtain builders risk insurance for residential, one-to-four family new-home construction valued up to $500,000.
“XPressBIND combines ease of use, speed and nationwide availability to revolutionize the way builders risk is issued for residential construction,” says Steve Bristow, US Assure’s senior vice president and head of operations. “Agents can have a completed policy ready to go in just two minutes or less after answering a few basic questions about the project.”
US Assure is the nation’s top stand-alone provider of builders risk insurance and writes the Zurich-insured program in every state. The Jacksonville-based company specializes in course-of-construction coverage for all types of projects, backed by more than 40 years of underwriting expertise in builders risk and distributed through an extensive network of independent and captive agents and brokers.
“XPressBIND is a prime example of how agent feedback can lead to a best-of-class solution,” says Bristow. “Agent input drives our quality improvement process, and our customers have said they would love to see an even faster, more streamlined way to issue builders risk insurance. We’ve taken those comments to heart and created a user-friendly application that can bind residential policies with record speed compared to the way most policies are written today.”
What makes XPressBIND unique is that it not only provides a quote, but it also binds the policy once an agent has entered the property address and answered just six questions. “Agents have told us they don’t like having so many questions on an application, and they’d like to know what those questions are up front. So, we’ve gotten them down to just a handful for XPressBIND,” Bristow says. Those questions include:
- Is this a single-family dwelling with a total completed value of $500,000 or less?
- Does the contractor have at least two years of project-related experience?
- Is the home more than 30% complete?
- Is this a modular home?
- Is the protection class 9, 10 or ending in X?
- What is the effective date?
Even if your construction project doesn’t meet the criteria for XPressBIND, US Assure has other quick and intuitive solutions to quote and issue commercial and residential new construction, remodeling and installation projects valued up to $75 million.
Producers who already do business with US Assure can access XPressBIND when they log into the company’s website, usassure.com. New agents can also quickly register on the site to get instant access. There is no minimum volume commitment, paperwork or long approval process to get access. “Whether an agent sells one policy a month or 100, every insurance professional can benefit from XPressBIND,” says Bristow. “And, we offer coverage in all 50 states.”
According to Bristow, US Assure wrote about 60,000 residential builders risk policies in 2019 that fit the XPressBIND model. “XPressBIND is going to be a boon for agents in this market,” he says. “It’s so easy to qualify a lead, get a quote and issue a policy. It generates everything they need, including a quote proposal, certificate and PDF of the policy to print or email to your client. Then, US Assure direct bills the premium invoice. It frees up agents to be more productive and focus on serving their clients.”
About US Assure
US Assure distributes, underwrites and services construction and property insurance products across the U.S. for A-rated carriers — and they’ve done so for more than 40 years. US Assure’s expertise lies in builders risk coverage, exclusively backed by Zurich. From single-family homes to commercial projects valued up to $75 million, US Assure provides protection from physical loss and damage that occur during building, remodeling or installation. US Assure supplements this coverage with products for premises liability, vacant structures and rental homes. For more information, visit usassure.com.
About Zurich
Zurich North America is one of the largest providers of insurance solutions and services to businesses and individuals. Our customers represent industries ranging from agriculture to construction and include more than 90 percent of the Fortune 500. We’ve backed the building of some of the most recognizable structures in North America — from the Hoover Dam to Madison Square Garden to the Confederation Bridge. We employ approximately 9,000 people in North America and have offices throughout the U.S. and Canada. Further information is available at www.zurichna.com.
Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 55,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 215 countries and territories. Zurich’s customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information is available at www.zurich.com.
SOURCE: US Assure
Tags: home insurance, Quote and Bind, United States (USA), Zurich
Read the original article at Insurance-Canada.ca