Selective - How Big a Deal Are They?

[insurance1822]

How big of a deal are they in the commercial world? I can get an appointment w/ them but I don't do much commercial & I don't want to look like an *** w/ production (that in their eyes..) might not be sufficient.

Is it true that they hulk smash everybody just like Erie can in the commercial world? What's their profit sharing like?

 

[nyc2phi]

How big of a deal are they in the commercial world? I can get an appointment w/ them but I don't do much commercial & I don't want to look like an *** w/ production (that in their eyes..) might not be sufficient. Is it true that they hulk smash everybody just like Erie can in the commercial world? What's their profit sharing like?

I've never come across them in our area and don't even know what they specialize in to be honest.

 

[wow314]

How big of a deal are they in the commercial world? I can get an appointment w/ them but I don't do much commercial & I don't want to look like an *** w/ production (that in their eyes..) might not be sufficient.

Is it true that they hulk smash everybody just like Erie can in the commercial world? What's their profit sharing like?

Get me a sub code and I will help you produce.

 

[Arnage150]

Get me a sub code and I will help you produce.

Yes they will hulk smash everything. I am in NY and they will not write nyc or LI but they will write upstate ny and NJ and they KILL IT. Get the appt. I believe they are a company you can build an agency around. When you get it let me know and I will help you produce (in ny).

 

[nyc2phi]

Yes they will hulk smash everything. I am in NY and they will not write nyc or LI but they will write upstate ny and NJ and they KILL IT. Get the appt. I believe they are a company you can build an agency around. When you get it let me know and I will help you produce (in ny).

What do they like to write?

 

[insurance1822]

yeah what's their deal? they just write everything competitively?

 

[EugeneM]

They are a common commercial carrier on the east coast. Havent run into them in a while - If I remember correctly good for Commercial Auto/ Inland Marine and good for contractors small-mid size.

 

[XdateNotSexDate]

Selective is one of those markets that can and will 'buy' an account with pants down pricing, but not always. They're big in the east, at least PA, and when competing against them I've successfully taken accounts from them and been blown out by them. I suppose they are...selective, but puns aside they tend to be a lot more aggressive on new biz than renewals in my experience, which is now a little dated. I think it has a lot to do with the underwriter and the agent relationship. Selective gives their u/w's a lot of authority, so if the agent has a great relationship, they're probably going to get what they need.

We had 'the pen' with Harleysville back in the mid-2000's and while no one could get new biz written with them I was sneaking up and taking accounts from Erie, Peerless, Selective and even Universal. All because they gave our underwriter a little autonomy and he got along with everyone in our agency.

All that said, never being appointed with them, I have no clue how much personal lines they do, but I can say they're a force in the commercial world...just like Westfield, Berkley or even Penn National though, so I wouldn't give them to much credit...just a normal amount.

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[Arnage150]

What do they like to write?

I had a $400,000 HVAC contractor with them in NJ several years ago. I've seen them on garages, landscapers, masons, street and road...etc.

 

[scinsuranceguy]

Here in SC, Selective is very competitive on the commercial side. As stated earlier, they like contractors, and they also have a competitive municipality program. A lot of the success has to do with the agent/UW relationship. In my area, if I was thinking about growing a commercial lines book, Selective would be on a shortlist of carriers I would want a partnership with.

On a side note, their personal lines policies offer very broad coverage and their pricing seems to be competitive.