Agency partner Greg Lane wasn’t sold on monoline insurance companies. Then he experienced Summit. Lane’s agency, Insurance Management Group (IMG), the Big I Independent Insurance Agency of the Year in Indiana in 2021, has moved a significant amount of its workers’ comp business to Summit over a six-year period.

• Youth Opportunity Center, a nonprofit treatment facility for at-risk youth, located in Muncie, Indiana
• 75-acre campus, community-based services and residential programs
• 400-plus employees consisting of mental health professionals, physicians, and administrative staff
• Client since 2017 with Insurance Management Group, Indiana
• Policyholder with Summit since 2019

Lane saw the toll these incidents were taking on his client and the negative impact on employees and the kids they’re responsible for. The client needed expert attention tailored for its needs, which had been lacking in the past. “Every area of Summit was involved in onboarding this organization,” says Lane. “The underwriter, Robyn Roberts, put together an ideal premium structure, and the loss prevention and claims departments became involved immediately to start reducing injuries, claims, and costs. Summit’s risk management expertise has had such a swift and significant impact,” Lane adds.

Claims Service Specialist Diana Sims assured the new client that Summit would provide claims data and updates. “They were sold on the idea of onsite visits and getting personalized service through regularly scheduled meetings,” says Sims. “We started with quarterly meetings; and recently we learned that the client is so satisfied with the safety program and reduction in claims that we’re cutting back to semi-annual meetings.”

“We find that, on average, 36% of safety incidents occur within the first six months of a worker’s employment,” says Senior Loss Prevention Consultant Randy Evans. “Youth Opportunity Center is about in line with that average. Their newer employees don’t have the experience to protect themselves from injury.” So Summit began helping with de-escalation strategies to prevent situations from becoming physical, along with other measures to prevent incidents and minimize injury severity.

We also identified repairs needed on walking surfaces to prevent trip and fall hazards that have caused other claims. Randy provides quarterly loss prevention visits to assess progress and create new solutions.

“The organization’s mission is close to my heart,” says IMG’s Lane. “I love what this client is accomplishing for youth in the community. It’s been encouraging to see the safety improvements that Summit has established to make sure employees and kids are protected.”

Fewer workers’ comp claims lead to lower premiums. Youth Opportunity Center realized this in a big way after moving its coverage to Summit. “Since Summit first wrote the account, the premium has reduced in excess of 50%,” says underwriter Robyn. The workers' comp experience mod has wavered but is on a downward trend. The mod is expected to continue trending down when another year of improved claims enter the equation.  

Lane says it really comes down to Summit’s meticulous, collaborative approach to each client’s circumstances and the unique personal relationships that result. “There’s a tremendous amount of mutual trust. Summit rarely outsources its services. So I can be confident that everything will run smoothly, without the mistakes or miscommunications that can happen through outsourcing. Our agency has an ongoing relationship with an exceptional underwriter. And our clients develop connections with claims, safety, and premium audit personnel that last for years. Bottom line is that we don’t have to worry if Summit will come through for us on anything related to workers’ comp.”  

*Results may vary.