ICMIF member Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual (PLM) in the USA has selected the Ask Kodiak digital tool from Ivans to automate appetite communications to the largest network of independent insurance brokers and producers. Ask Kodiak will enable the niche carrier PLM to actively market its products directly in agency-facing systems, enabling a digital experience for its producer partners and increasing visibility for its products.
“Since we operate without agency appointments or premium commitments at PLM, we want to be seen and known by all producers as a carrier with interest in all lumber and building material-related risks,” said Lindsey DiGangi, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual. “Ask Kodiak is exactly the digital tool we need to ensure that we appear in appetite results as soon as producers search available markets for their wood risks.”
Through an online search tool, and application programming interfaces (APIs) into many leading agency systems, Ask Kodiak enables producers to instantly identify carrier appetite when searching for markets to submit new and renewal business. The application enables producers to reduce dependency on traditional, time-consuming methods of identifying appetite, such as reviewing risk guides, visiting websites, or relying on historical agent experience. Agencies can build new business opportunities with appointed carriers and increase visibility into additional prospective carrier and managing general agent (MGA) partners based on lines of business and products.
“As more carriers are adopting technology to automate appetite communications, it allows retail brokers and carriers to leave behind manual, time-consuming processes for simpler digital workflows,” said Reid Holzworth, Chief Executive Officer, Ivans. “What’s great about technologies like Ask Kodiak is it enables niche carriers like PLM to be accessible within the insurance community and reach more insurance producers and expand their distribution pipeline, creating more new and renewal business.”
