Specials Feature for Premier Firms

What's new for mid-sized A/E firms? Premier!

Premier responds to the needs and growth patterns of mid–sized firms. It includes broader coverages and features designed for emerging architect and engineering firms — firms that are growing in size, direction and/or specialties. Premier provides added services for claims handling and risk management — areas that are in high demand since most firms do not have the resources to provide these services internally.

How are firms classified as mid–sized?

These firms have billings that range from $500,000 to $5 million. So now you'd probably like to know what's different about Premier. . .

And what services are included?

There's a free contract fax line, special editions of our risk management newsletters, periodic bulletins concerning practice issues, free admission to a regional seminar and faster contract reviews. As a Premier insured, you can take the comprehensive self–study program, VEP, free of charge.

Claims services provides you with a more individualized approach with a free dedicated claims fax number and e–mail address. These two options, plus a claims specialist, makes it much easier to do business with CNA/Schinnerer. Do you still need more info? Give us a call at 301-951-9746.

Getting the Best Price for Your Professional Liability Coverage: Money–saving Tips for Completing the Premier Application

How can you be sure that you are getting the coverage you need at the best price? CNA/Schinnerer would like to help you get the lowest premium possible. Yes, you read that correctly, an insurance company is trying to lower your premiums! Here are some insights into how your premium is determined. If you use these tips while filling out the application, you will get the lowest rate possible for your firm. Open up your Premier application and follow along with us. If you need an application, call CNA/Schinnerer or your broker and we'll get one faxed to you right away!Or download the application now!

Question #7 is one of the most important questions on the application. We use an average of the billings for the past two completed years for rating purposes. This allows us to see how your firm is evolving rather than looking at only a 'snapshot' in time.

• Section A - Projects currently covered by specific project policy:

  Only billings from a specific Project Policy covering your services should be shown on line 7(A). Our new 1999 insuring agreement provides coverage on an excess basis for your liability arising from a project insured under a specific project policy. Depending on the limit of liability carried under the project policy and the size of the project your billings may either be left out or substantially discounted in the rating process. Be sure to provide the project name, project construction values, location and the specific project policy's liability limit on a separate sheet.
  
  

• Section B - Feasibility studies, master plans, reports, opinions, non–structural interior design, abandoned projects, landscape architecture, land surveying, drafting services and forensic services:

  The services included in this section create considerably less exposure to liability for the design professional; therefore, billings for these services are adjusted to take into account the reduced exposure. Billings recorded in this category are discounted 75%! Projects in this category that are performed by consultants should be reflected on this line also (the rest of your consultants' fees will go on line 7(C).
  
  

• Section C - All other billings:

  Billings from normal design and construction phase services create the full exposure anticipated by the established rates. Therefore, 100 percent of the fees received for services rendered in this category are utilized in the rating formula. Further examples included in this section are fees from construction management, inspections, project management, and telecommunication consulting.
  
  

• Section D - Direct Reimbursables:

  Travel costs, per diem, long distance phone calls or reproduction costs for which your client reimburses you (over and above your professional services) are examples of what to report in this section. These are subtracted from the net billings.

Question #8 determines the class of liability for you.
Pay particular attention to the work performed by your firm and give an accurate breakdown of all the services you provide throughout the year. This information may reduce the cost of your coverage.

Question #10 gives us an overall perspective of your firm. Look carefully at the business and determine the approximate percentage of projects in each category.

Question #11 should be completed by firms providing or subcontracting services for environmental exposures. Please provide the percentage of your firm's billings derived from each project category and provide details of services on a separate sheet.

Question #14 addresses quality control procedures and processes. If you can answer "yes" to the majority of these questions, the firm may qualify for up to 7% in additional premium credits.

Two final notes of interest:

• A circumstance, legal action or claim may not necessarily count against you. Your firm may still be considered a good risk, for example, when a problem was solved through mediation.
• To be considered for full Prior Acts coverage, be sure to complete questions #22 through #24.

"Premier" Support for Premier Firms

As your firm continues to change and grow to meet the demands of your clients, you need to manage risk more effectively. Expanded risk management opportunities provided by the Premier program include many services free of charge. There's a toll–free contract fax number for fast and easy contract reviews. Knowledgeable advice is available so take advantage of our many years of expertise in this field. And recognizing the unique levels of energy, growth and services offered by mid–sized firms, we created a free risk management newsletter exclusively for Premier insured clients.

Free pre–claims assistance is also available and may help to avoid litigation. This program may be accessed toll–free at 1-877-732-5444. You will discover that this service can help settle the dispute and avoid a time–consuming and costly lawsuit. Finally, for a comprehensive risk management program, guide and home study course, please read the exciting information below on the Voluntary Education Program (VEP) offered exclusively by CNA/Schinnerer to our insured firms.

Free Home Study Course

One of the hottest new developments available free of charge to Premier insureds is the publication of a dynamic and comprehensive home study course for design professionals. As its name implies, Understanding and Managing Risk: A Guide and Voluntary Education Program for Design Professionals is intended to be used in several different ways by design professional firms insured by CNA/Schinnerer. It is a comprehensive reference guide for professional liability risk management. Your firm can also use the program to develop your own customized, in–house risk management educational programs. And finally, it's a Voluntary Educational Program, VEP, administered by Schinnerer in association with an independent educational testing agency.

About The Course

The course provides a method for mid–sized firms to take advantage of Schinnerer's expertise by providing valuable risk management education to participants free of charge. The VEP includes two levels of instruction. Level 1, Introduction to Risk Management, is aimed at project managers, project manager candidates and above. Level 2, Selected Topics in Risk Management, is aimed at managers or principals with office or firm–wide contracts or risk management responsibilities. Individuals are eligible to receive continuing education credits for their participation in the VEP. For more information on VEP, please call our client services department at 301-951-9746.

Why Premier is the Ideal Fit for Mid-Sized Firms

Premier addresses the individual needs and growth patterns of mid–sized firms (firms with billings that range from $500,000 to $5 million). With increased services in claims handling and risk management, plus comprehensive coverage changes, Premier brings an individualized approach to you as an insured. Take a look at the differences between the newly filed Premier program and your current policy. We're sure you will agree Premier includes the coverages and services required of your growing firm.

More importantly, Premier will continue to respond to your needs. The uncommon advantage of Premier is our singular and dedicated approach to provide continual enhancements to the coverages and services included in the program. Our recognition of the unique levels of energy, performance and growth characterized by mid–sized A/E firms requires a creative and non–standard approach for state–of–the–art professional liability coverage. So keep tuned, we're just getting started!

Going International?

Mid–size A/E firms are venturing overseas with increasing frequency. If your firm is interested in pursuing international opportunities, Premier offers unique opportunities. Strategic marketing information is key to establishing a successful international presence. Already, many of our clients have gone global with great success. They tend to promote their expertise in specific niches such as project design, project management and in some cases, project development, operation and maintenance. They also develop creative approaches to risk, financing and services.

In addition, these firms open offices overseas, acquire interests in international companies and form partnerships with local firms. These clients realize that future growth in the construction industry will come from overseas markets. While the U.S. construction market may currently be booming, many developing nations have built only 15% of their infrastructure and opportunities will be plentiful well into the 21st century. Premier clients can take advantage of the CNA/Schinnerer International Initiative. Premier clients gain access to information enabling them to enter a new market, expand international market share and help turn geographic, regulatory and cultural barriers into bridges of opportunity.

And when your firm starts doing international business, CNA has a range of insurance products designed to protect your company against suits brought overseas. CNA Worldwide focuses on servicing the international property and casualty insurance needs of U.S. based companies expanding their operations into overseas markets. Coverage is available for overseas subsidiaries, joint venture partners and franchises.

Passport coverage, for companies whose international exposures are incidental or secondary to their U.S. operations, includes Workers' Compensation to fill in any gaps that exist with travel outside the U.S. Among other features, it includes 24–hour coverage for an employee traveling overseas on business, as well as hired and non–owned auto in excess of the local collectible insurance. Please call your broker or underwriter for more information on international insurance needs.