| E-newsletter of Sagamore Insurance Company | October 2011 |
Sagamore Small Fleet Trucking Agent Success Story Sagamore Insurance Company would like to thank our Small Fleet Trucking agency base. We appreciate your loyal partnerships and look forward to seeing our agents’ success this year. Sagamore has an exceptional relationship with American Continental Insurance Services, located in Dublin, Cal. We spoke with Raman Kailey, owner of the agency, about his Small Fleet Trucking relationship with Sagamore. Prior to opening American Continental in 2006, Mr. Kailey had written with Sagamore for another agency. He was so happy with Sagamore, that he immediately pursued a new appointment upon opening his agency. While American Continental writes a wide variety of business, including personal and commercial lines, and life and health insurance, its primary focus is on trucking, specifically long-haul operations. When writing business with Sagamore, Mr. Kailey focuses his prospecting efforts on trucking insureds in the Central Valley of California and around the Sacramento and Yuba City areas in the north. Additionally, he looks to the Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield areas in the south for competitive business, while avoiding the Bay Area and Los Angeles, where rates are less competitive. He targets dry freight and refrigerated goods haulers. Historically, American Continental has written very profitable business with Sagamore, a phenomenon that Mr. Kailey attributes to his underwriting efforts. His focus is on liability-only risks and finds our rates to be very competitive for these policies. He has found that physical damage claims often undermine loss ratios, while liability claims tend to be minor and seldom. When he underwrites potential business, Mr. Kailey verifies driving experience and previous employment histories through referrals. He prefers to write drivers over the age of 30, who have at least four years of experience. Mr. Kailey has always enjoyed doing business with Sagamore. He likes the straightforward nature of working with us and knowing what to expect. Our rates are very competitive for the new venture business he pursues and he appreciates that they are based on average mileage, while other companies have radius restrictions and will not always provide coverage in Canada. Finally, Mr. Kailey thanked us for the great relationships he has built with the Sagamore staff and particularly appreciates the great customer service he receives. When asked what advice he has for other Small Fleet Trucking agents hoping to find success writing with Sagamore, Mr. Kailey suggested that agents look beyond their current books of business but not to work with individuals they do not feel entirely comfortable with. He emphasized that his retention rate with Sagamore is very good, especially for his larger accounts that see the inherent value in Sagamore’s excellent customer service and A+ rating from A.M. Best. |
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