Interview with Your Exec

Best’s Review Special Section 12

COMPANY FOCUS: ENVIRO RE provides analyses for captive owners, either as part of a feasibility study or a reserve study or a financial projection, the basic underlying actuarial principles are the same, regardless of the domicile. In many cases it starts with a basic question: Is it better to be offshore or onshore? Often, the answer is tax-driven, but it also may be influenced by a particular domicile catering to a particular type of captive.

WHAT’S CHANGING? Companies are taking a hard look at all areas of their business where in the past they may have focused on a more common line such as workers’ compen-sation, general liability and auto liability. Employee benefits like group life and long-term disability are getting more and more attention, as is health insurance. Property insurance is also finding its way into more captives.

LEADING STRATEGY: We expect our clients to provide us with historical claim information, aggregated by policy year and also on a claim-by-claim basis for large losses. We also expect some kind of measure of the size and breadth of the client: payroll, sales, property values, the number of vehicles insured. As actuaries we like to have as much data as possi-ble, so 20 to 30 years is not uncommon to see in our reports. We expect our clients to provide us with historical claim information, aggregated by policy year and also on a claim-by-claim basis for large losses. We also expect some kind of measure of the size and breadth of the client: payroll, sales, property values, the number of vehicles insured.

WHAT’S NEXT? Work-force reductions do tend to affect workers’ compensation claim counts, but not in a way that many might think. Claim frequency actually tends to decrease in a down economy. When the economy is hum-ming, companies are hiring more people, often with limited experience. These people are more likely to be injured on the job, and more likely to be first to go when the economy contracts. Work-force reductions do tend to affect work-ers’ compensation claim counts, but not in a way that many

Special Advertising Section

This page includes highlights from an interview Best’s Review conducts with a company executive of your choice. The Q&A format is an opportunity to position your company executive as a thought leader about business trends or a specific initiative.

PHIL CAMERONChief Marketing Officer, SPARTA

“One place where value has not started to be dredged out until recently is the interaction between underwriting and claims. I expect this to change significantly over the next one to two years.”

Headquarters:n CITY, STATE

Number of Employeesn --,----

Primary Businessn MANAGING GENERAL AGENTS

Listen to the full interview or share this edition at www.bestreview.com/issuesanswersarchive.asp.Digital viewers: Click the play button for content.

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Interviewed Inside:

Leading carriers, providers, MGAs and experts in specialty lines discuss how to simplify placing difficult risks and how to find the right program for unusual risks.

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ISSUES & ANSWERS:SPECIALTY LINES

Wayne BriggsPlatinum Supplemental Insurance

Calculate your risks...don’t take them

Calculate your risks...don’t take them

You can’t always eliminate risks, but you can prepare for them. As a leading provider of exclusive supplemental insurance policies like our Cancer, Heart Attack & Stroke, Long-Term Care and

Accident & Disability products — Platinum can help you prepare.

Learn more about us at pltnm.com

137 Main Street • Dubuque, IA 52001 • (563) 557-2504 • (800) 765-1454Products are underwritten by third party insurance carriers.

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Focused on Wellness, Not Risks

About Platinum Supplemental Insurance: We’re a Midwest-based insurance agency that has become one of the leading and most innovative marketers of exclusive supplemental insurance products designed to meet consumer needs for Cancer, Heart Attack and Stroke, Long-Term Care and Accident and Disability Insurance. Platinum’s growth is a direct reflection of its commitment to exceed customer expectations with excellent service and affordable products that are underwritten by highly rated companies.

Why clients are choosing Platinum: Platinum is by no means a “one size fits all” solution to a customer’s needs. Our product is unique enough that there are no real “apples to apples” comparisons when it comes to competitors. We stand out because we work hard to fill a great need, and we do it by meeting people face-to-face and building personal relationships and trust with our customers.

How technology is impacting the industry: Customers want a response and they want it “now.” We’ve always made our customers a priority. Embracing cutting edge technology is enabling Platinum to implement straight-through processing, which will allow policyholders to get approvals quicker. Technology touches our policyholders, representatives and our employees, allowing them access to accurate information immediately. The addition of mobile devices is enhancing our ability to react quickly and provide the personal contact on which we pride ourselves.

What’s next for Platinum: Recently we rolled out a new Cancer, Heart Attack and Stroke product that is now available to individuals and through the workplace. Partnering with employers strengthens our ability to form beneficial alliances with companies who are looking for more benefits to offer to their employees. As a result, our focus on wellness and preventive health care has become an important part of our product’s development strategy in an effort to encourage screening and early detection.

Wayne Briggs, President and CEO of Platinum Supplemental Insurance, says “We focus on providing our customers with the best insurance products and services possible. More than half of the total cost of a major illness is non-medical, so we design our products to offset the out-of-pocket expenses caused by these catastrophic illnesses. We are excited to announce that, with recent policy improvements, we now offer wellness screening benefits.”

WAYNE BRIGGSPresident and CEO, Platinum Supplemental Insurance

“Our focus has been primarily on rural markets and now we’re venturing into the workplace, offering products that are specifically designed to promote wellness. Platinum never sits back. Our research never stops. Even with each new product launch, we continue to look for ways that we can make benefits more valuable to the consumer.”

n Established 1995

Headquarters:n Dubuque, IA

n Custom Designed Products

Watch the video at http://www.bestreview.com/v.asp?v=platinum912

Best’s Review September 2012

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