Anybody who’s done business with our agency may have noticed the progression of our website in recent years. We’ve added on-line forms, quick message links, this blog, and a few other goodies. In the coming months and years, we’ll be adding ever more functionality to the site. There is so much we can do, but I’d like to here from you our clients. What can we do to make your job easier when dealing with us?

Here are some suggestions:

• Information transmittal online. Is the biggest pain in dealing with us getting all the information gathered and sent to us? We could build a submission wizard, one that would guide you through the submission process. Currently, for our complex coverages, we’ve built online application forms with extensive help and the ability to attach the various document we need to get a policy in place. We can add on-line forms for other products and coverages as well.

• Instant Quotes. Well, in entertainment insurance, for the most part, insurance company underwriters must quote us first. Entertainment is so specialized and small that most companies don’t offer online quotes for it. That makes it impossible for us to provide you with one. BUT, that is slowly changing. For smaller well defined risks, say a policy for a ‘1 day photography shoot’ , we could offer online instant quote and binding of policies.

• Ballpark Pricing. If we can’t provide an actual quote instantly, we can usually provide an indication, an educated ballpark estimate based on some preliminary information. We could add ‘ballpark estimates’ wherever possible. Would it be helpful to always see SOMETHING to give you an indication of what an insurance policy might cost? Would it be helpful to be able to visit the site once, and go away with a ‘rough guess’ without having to do much else beside answer a few questions?

• Accounting. Many of our clients are ‘one shot’ deals, they buy a package of policies for a film production, and when finished they dissolve. But many other of our clients have to repeatedly buy coverage, change coverage, endorse events, declare productions, etc. throughout the year. This can create a complex string of financial transactions. Would you like to have you’re statement online and available 24×7, current and up to date?

That’s all I can think of for now, but I’m sure you’ll come up with more.