Commercial Lines Seminars

Assembling submissions and sending them to underwriters for quoting (or other reasons) is something senior commercial lines brokers do every day. In general, there is almost a complete absence of professional education about this process . we all seem to have learned our submission skills by exposure and experience. The danger we face is that if our approach is generated without much thought and effort, it.s remarkably easy for a submission to be declined or buried amongst dozens of others in the underwriter.s .to do. pile. The submission is where true broking professionals distinguish themselves to avoid having business declined and to secure the most favourable underwriting terms possible. Your effectiveness in preparing a submission is limited only by your knowledge of the risk and your ability to effectively communicate the details to the underwriter. In this seminar, geared specially towards senior brokers, learn from a highly experienced and successful commercial account specialist the essentials of preparing comprehensive submissions that stand out from the crowd and instil confidence in underwriters and clients, thus helping to improve your new business acquisition and renewal retention rates. Uncover the ways in which your current submissions are working and where they fall short. You.ll be able to examine a concept and method of preparing submissions that has been proven to work exceptionally well in numerous contexts.

This seminar will provide you with an advanced primer on maritime and insurance law issues. The topics covered will include: marine insurance coverage, bodily injury claims in a marine context, arrest of ships and maritime liens, as well as ship source pollution. The facilitators are two partners in one of Canada.s leading boutique maritime and insurance law firms, Bernard & Partners. Bernard & Partners has extensive experience in maritime and insurance lawsuits, including successful trials and appeals in the Federal Court and Court of Appeal, the B.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Broaden your risk management knowledge by gaining a better understanding of the processes involved when physical inspections are performed for your commercial lines clients. The topics to be discussed include: occupancy classes, constructions classes, interior finishes and common hazards (heating/electrical/plumbing). Gain a better appreciation of the special hazards associated with different classes of occupancies such as restaurants (fixed extinguishing systems), automotive garages (spray painting & welding), manufacturing (flammable liquids & compressed gases) and woodworking (dust collection & housekeeping). Take a look at premise liability concerns with special emphasis on slip and fall, means of egress, impact protection, snow removal, and more.

In this half-day seminar, you will come to a good understanding of the different types of commercial building construction, including wood frame, masonry, steel, plus various pre-cast and poured-in-place concrete buildings. You will investigate how a commercial building.s location, age, condition, fire protection, occupancy and other important factors influence the underwriter.s acceptance and rating of the risk. Along the way, you.ll also learn about earthquake and flood zone considerations, special tools for commercial building assessment, plus heritage building construction types and styles.

When you understand commercial claims adjusting processes, you better understand the application of coverages, exclusions and claims services. In turn, you become a better advisor to your commercial clients. Attend this all-day, interactive seminar to take a detailed look and get an in-depth understanding of how various kinds of commercial claims are handled by adjusters. In the morning, you.ll analyze Commercial General Liability (CGL) claims, including typical coverage issues, the triggering of the Duty to Defend, and Environmental Impairment liability losses. You.ll also investigate the intricacies of commercial property claims and claims management, including the broker-adjuster collaborative approach and the proper management of consultants and experts. In the afternoon, you.ll delve into Business Interruption losses to take the mystery out of what is, for many, a confusing class of coverage.

Learn the ins and outs of commercial course of construction (COC) risks and undertake loss control analysis by looking at the four main phases of construction . initial site preparation, initial construction, final stages of construction (the most hazardous stage), and substantial completion. Along the way, you will review hazardous operations including painting, flammable liquids storage, use of torches or soldering devices, plus hazardous situations such as exposed foam insulation, accumulations of combustible wastes within the structure, and the storage of waste materials exterior to the building. You.ll come to understand the installation of major safety features of commercial structures, including sprinkler systems, fire alarms and burglar alarms. And, you.ll review common liability exposures and Wrap-up Liability coverage.

In this seminar, you will take an in-depth look at the specific risks and hazards associated with commercial buildings and, in particular, areas of concern that involve loss control. The topics to be discussed will include: descriptions of various occupancies, hazardous areas associated with these occupancies, and loss control practices that should be initiated to help mitigate future losses. Along the way, you will review commercial building insurance coverage, learn about general housekeeping issues, storage of flammable and combustible liquids, interior and exterior hazards, the importance of inspection, testing and maintenance on fire suppression equipment, emergency equipment and alarm systems, and more. As an added bonus, you will also look at the importance of developing a fully documented inspection program, which you can adapt for use with your commercial clients and underwriters.

When you understand commercial claims adjusting processes, you better understand the application of coverages, exclusions and claims services. In turn, you become a better advisor to your commercial clients. Attend this seminar to get an in-depth understanding of how various kinds of commercial property claims are adjusted. You.ll investigate the intricacies of commercial property claims and claims management, including the broker-adjuster collaborative approach and the proper management of consultants and experts.

In this content-heavy half-day seminar, you will get an overview and update on case law about coverage for construction claims. Topics will include: first party property and third liability claims and coverage; .claims made. under E&O policies; insuring agreements, .accidents., .occurrences. and .property damage.; overlapping coverage between contemporaneous or consecutive (time-on-risk) policies; .known losses. under the IBC 2100 form; duty to defend (including partially covered claims) versus obligation to indemnify; first party exclusion clauses for .faulty design. or .workmanship., inherent vice, etc.; third party exclusions for .defective work. or .product., concurrent causation; contractual liability; breach of conditions or warranties; bars to subrogation against project participants; and related brokers. and agents. E&O exposures.

In this half-day seminar, you will identify directors. and officers. liability exposures, examine the insuring agreement and triggers for coverage, compare alternate wordings, decide which clients need and don.t need directors. and officers. liability coverage, and learn how to decide which policy is best for the client.

Renewals are the life-blood of the insurance business. The more accounts you retain upon renewal, the more profitable your brokerage and your insurers will be. In this seminar, you will learn vital information and skills for putting an effective commercial account renewal plan in place. You will take a detailed and practical look at why commercial renewal reviews are not only necessary but crucial, potential obstacles to success and how to overcome them, the breadth and depth of information to be collected at renewal, what review tools to use and how, what renewal contact methods to employ, and more.

For many businesses, crime, especially crime due to employee dishonesty, is a greater loss exposure than the potential of fire loss. Employee dishonesty may not be discovered for several years, which increases the risk of serious financial consequences for an organization. It is for this reason that brokers must discuss this exposure with their commercial clients towards offering the most appropriate insurance protection, in addition to other security measures. In this seminar, you will learn how to use tools to identify this risk and to determine the best coverage options. Along the way, you will be exposed to employee dishonesty statistics for Canadian businesses and you will analyze example risks for better comprehension.

In this half-day seminar, you will get an overview of liability under the B.C. Environmental Management Act and Contaminated Sites regulation, including cost recovery proceedings for the cleanup of pollution. You will also learn about common law liability, under the law of contract as well as tort. You will consider coverage under both first party property and third party liability policies, including the so-called .absolute pollution exclusion. in homeowners, CGL and E&O policies. Other specific topics will include concurrent causation, triggerage theories and consecutive as well as contemporaneous overlaps in coverage. (Circumstances permitting) you will also learn about insurance products that are specifically designed to assist in the remediation and/or redevelopment of contaminated property.

Without putting much thought and effort into preparing a commercial risk submission, any broker can have a request for quotation declined or buried amongst dozens of others in the underwriter.s .to do. pile. The submission is where true broker professionals distinguish themselves to avoid having business declined and to secure the most favourable underwriting terms possible. Your effectiveness in preparing a submission is limited only by your knowledge of the risk and your ability to effectively communicate the details to the underwriter. In this seminar, learn from a highly experienced and successful broker the essentials of preparing comprehensive submissions that stand out from the crowd and instil confidence in underwriters and clients, thus helping to improve your new business acquisition and renewal retention rates. Uncover the ways in which your current submissions are working and where they fall short. Acquire a method of preparing submissions that has been proven to work exceptionally well in numerous contexts.

The complexities of tort law and the insurance that serves to protect commercial insureds for their legal liability can be confounding, especially for newer brokers. In this in-depth, all-day seminar, you will gain clarity on commercial liability coverages and related issues to better protect your clients and be a well-informed broker. The topics you will explore include: issues of tort, negligence and injury; absolute versus strict liability; contributory and comparative negligence; common classes of commercial liability exposures; the .new. (2005) CGL form, including a detailed look at its key coverages, exclusions and controversial aspects; and much more.

There are many different types of commercial property wordings designed to meet both common and unique insurance needs. Coming to grips with the intricacies of and the differences between the various wordings can be a major challenge for newer commercial lines brokers. In this seminar, you will undertake a detailed analysis of the Commercial Building Equipment & Stock (CBES) form, numerous commercial endorsements and floaters, and commercial package policy wordings to become well versed in their coverages, exclusions, appropriate uses and general complexities.

There are many different types of commercial property wordings designed to meet both common and unique insurance needs. Coming to grips with the intricacies of and the differences between the various wordings can be a major challenge for newer commercial lines brokers. In this seminar, you will undertake a detailed analysis of the Commercial Building Equipment & Stock (CBES) form, numerous commercial endorsements and floaters, and commercial package policy wordings to become well versed in their coverages, exclusions, appropriate uses and general complexities.

In this seminar, you will learn to identify the types of underwriting information and lack thereof that may trigger claims denials, what information is perceived as .material. to insurers, the importance of regular and systematic communication with commercial clients, and how to identify risks that don.t appear on application forms and questionnaires to help avoid errors and omissions.

This is an introductory seminar in which you will learn the basics of maritime and insurance law issues. The topics covered will include: cargo claims, environmental claims, bodily injury claims and insurance in a marine context. The facilitators are two partners in one of Canada.s leading boutique maritime and insurance law firms, Bernard & Partners. Bernard & Partners has extensive experience in maritime and insurance lawsuits, including successful trials and appeals in the Federal Court and Court of Appeal, the B.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

For you to offer a better quality of advice to your commercial building owner clients, this half-day seminar will help you come to grips with the various, sometimes intricate bylaws that govern reconstruction of buildings and to come to a proper understanding of the related processes within the municipal system. Gaining this knowledge will also help assist you in securing appropriate endorsements for the property policy. Bylaws are a continuously moving target . be sure to attend this seminar as it will bring you up-to-date on current information and help you stay conversant on the topic.

What with websites, e-mail, blogs, social networking sites and more, the electronic age is well upon us. With it come a whole host of liability issues. In this seminar, explore these issues and their implications on insurance needs and coverages.

In this half-day seminar, you will focus on an action plan for charting your course in making the transition from personal lines to commercial lines. The areas you will explore include: application forms and information gathering, dealing with underwriters, client communications, market and economic forces impacting commercial insurance, plus an overview of how various coverages fit together. You will also learn how to develop a plan for acquiring technical skills in a logical and user friendly sequence to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Following on the heels of our popular Commercial Property, Commercial Liability and Commercial Package Policy Boot Camps, this seminar is another in our series of Commercial Lines Boot Camps. In this all-day workshop, you.ll receive an introduction (or refresher) to several important commercial coverages, apply the knowledge gained to case study situations, and develop confidence in explaining the need for these coverages to your commercial insurance clients. The topics you.ll explore along the way will include: Business Interruption insurance, Electronic Data Processing Equipment and Equipment Breakdown (also known as Boiler and Machinery) coverages, Contract Surety (a.k.a. Construction Bonds), and how to use a flow chart of business processes to assess and explain insurance coverages to clients.

In this seminar, you will take an in-depth look at specific liability and associated risk concerns located in condominiums, apartments, schools, community halls, and other risks. The topics to be discussed will include: descriptions of various activities and hazardous areas associated with these occupancies, loss control practices that should be initiated to help mitigate future liability concerns, and a review of key liability insurance solutions for these areas. Along the way, you will take a close look at the hazards associated with interior and exterior walkway areas, hallways and means of egress, playground and sports fields, swimming pools and hot tubs, fitness rooms, and more. As an added bonus, you will also look at the importance of developing a fully documented inspection program, which you can adapt for use with your commercial clients and underwriters.

Many brokers decide on a daily basis which business should go to their directly contracted markets and which should go to one of many Managing General Agents (MGAs). There are advantages and disadvantages of going with either. In this seminar, you will explore those advantages and disadvantages plus the many concerns and influences that determine and flow from such placement decisions. The topics discussed will include: the important role of MGAs, relationships versus products, and the efficiencies, capacity, commissions and influences on long term stability of choosing MGAs over the regular market.