Traits of a Carrier That Help Agents Win Business – Q&A with Rich Garner
Choosing a workers’ compensation carrier involves more than comparing rates and appetite. Rich Garner, president of IMA Carolinas, has spent his professional life in the insurance industry. In this Q&A, he shares what he values in a workers’ comp carrier and why trust and personal service continue to matter.
“You can build new business, but you have to keep it. With Summit, we get support on both sides.”
– Rich Garner, President, IMA Carolinas
Q. What separates an exceptional workers’ comp carrier from the rest?
A. It’s a combination of expertise, accessibility, and trust. It’s important to have people who answer the phone, listen to the circumstances surrounding an account, and work through challenges. That kind of collaboration from a carrier has become increasingly rare.
Q. Why do relationships with a carrier still matter?
A. The insurance industry has changed, and personal relationships don’t always carry the same weight they once did. But being able to call someone you know and trust remains incredibly valuable to me, and to our agency.
Our relationship with Summit began more than 20 years ago with business developer Ed White. Ed has been a consistent presence and asset to our agency, but the relationship extends beyond one person. We’ve spent time with specialists from all key departments and participated in roundtable discussions with Summit’s leadership where we could express our opinions and feel that our agency had a voice.
Q. What are the benefits of working with a monoline comp carrier?
A. For me, a monoline carrier should offer a significantly higher level of expertise and value by focusing on one line.
There are times when placing workers’ comp with a package carrier makes sense. There are also times when we recommend separating it from the package so the client can benefit from the specialized knowledge of a monoline carrier such as Summit. Being able to rely on that pure expertise is an important part of the conversation we have with our clients.
Q. How can an underwriter help an agency grow its workers’ comp business?
A. A strong underwriter listens to the full story behind an account. Data is important, but agents often want an opportunity to explain the client’s business, provide context, and address questions, which is in everyone’s best interest.
Summit’s underwriters have consistently been willing to hear those stories. There is mutual trust: We trust their workers’ compensation expertise, and they recognize that we know our clients and are thoughtful about the business we bring to them.
That willingness to have meaningful conversations has helped us identify opportunities and grow our workers’ comp book.
“We’ve always been able to call an underwriter for help, and in our experience, that’s unique to Summit.”
– Rich Garner, President, IMA Carolinas
Q. Why is an accessible claims staff important to agents and their clients?
A. When communication slows or questions go unanswered, a claim can seem like it disappeared into a black hole. That’s a deal breaker for us. Accessibility and speed of response matter.
The Summit claims team is proactive and detail-oriented, so having any issue is rare. But when we do have a concern, we can reach knowledgeable people and learn what’s happening. The collaboration and communication are easy, even when the issue itself is not.
Q. How can a carrier’s claims team help an agency retain business?
A. Underwriting can help an agency build its book, but strong claims support helps the agency keep it. When an issue arises, we need to know that the carrier will be available.
With Summit, we can ask for a call to help the client understand an issue, and the answer is always yes. That helps us serve clients and maintain the relationships we worked hard to build. That’s a true testament to the carrier relationship.
See how these qualities have shaped IMA Carolina’s relationship with Summit for more than 20 years.