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The pandemic has given pest management pros new challenges and opportunities, and industry insurers are ready to help.
We spoke with three industry insurance suppliers to learn about their custom offerings for pest management professionals (PMPs), and their thoughts on what the future may hold in this arena. Got something to add? Drop us a line at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net.
LIPCA INSURANCE
Andy McGinty
EVP/COO
Andy McGinty
We are completely owned by pest management and lawn care professionals, and we specialize in insurance for both industries. Our offerings include cyber liability, canine mortality/liability and drones. We also offer free loss control, including customer contract reviews. We have good relationships with regulatory departments across the country, and can answer most questions PMPs may have regarding their insurance requirements.
PREDICTIONS: We are seeing some of the carriers (ours and our competition) not write certain coverages for certain pest or lawn services due to losses and new exposures. Also, they are not writing certain coverages in specific states for similar reasons. The insurance market seems to be “hardening,” and we will be very curious to see the pricing and coverages offered over the next few years. Claims most certainly will be an issue.
BROWNYARD GROUP
John Culotta
John Culotta
PCOpro Program Manager
Brownyard’s PCOpro is a state-of-the-art insurance program for today’s pest control operator (PCO). We continually work to make sure our program provides the most appropriate coverage for PCOs’ evolving needs.
PREDICTIONS: Over the next five years, we anticipate continued movement toward green methods of pest control. This includes everything from integrated pest management (IPM) to botanical insecticides and natural oils targeted at specific pests. Also, as the world continues to change and face new challenges, we see more firms extending their pest control operations to meet the changing needs of the restaurant and hospitality industries. We may see an increase in pest control frequency, and perhaps some form of sanitizing services as they relate to pest control. Restaurants and hospitality businesses are putting a greater focus on overall cleanliness and pest-free premises.
SELECT INSURANCE AGENCY
Frank MacDonald PHOTO: SELECT INSURANCE
Frank MacDonald
President
We offer insurance programs with multiple carriers, specifically tailored for the pest management industry. Typically, we write policies for general liability, workers compensation, umbrella liability, commercial property, commercial automobile/fleets, as well as employment practices, crime and cyber liability. We currently insure more than 5,000 pest management companies in 43 states. Growing up with parents who owned a pest management business, I earned both my bachelor and master degrees in business administration while working as a technician. That background helps us help our clients with their specific insurance needs.
PREDICTIONS: Commercial auto insurance will continue to be a very difficult line to insure, because industry loss ratios are not profitable for most insurers, and many have exited the marketplace. PMPs need to take proactive steps to mitigate potential losses to ensure that auto/fleet premiums can be controlled and renewed.
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