National Builders Insurance Services by North American Constructors Journal

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Heavy Construction Insurance Specialists NationsBuilders Insurance Services has established itself as the premier insurance provider for construction equipment across the country in less than 20 years. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino

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s a specialist in commercial insurance programs for crane and rigging, concrete pumping, and specialized transportation industries, NationsBuilders Insurance Services (NBIS) has established itself as the premier insurance provider for construction equipment across the country in less than 20 years.

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“One of our primary objectives as an insurance company is to provide the finest insurance coverage available while improving the risk profile of our policyholders. The changing safety, regulatory and technology landscapes give us opportunities to both educate and provide coverage,” says company President and CFO Bill Tepe. “And we’re constantly looking for new ways to provide our clients with options to manage their risk – not simply a one-size-fitsall product.” I like to say that the company that insures you doesn’t matter until all of the sudden it does,” he adds. In Tepe’s view, insurance is largely a commodity until a claim occurs – and then it very much matters which company is insuring you. If your insurer doesn’t know the ins and outs of your particular business and industry, how can they possibly know how to put together a solid defense on your

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behalf? And how can they possibly know which risk management tools you should be using? And to take it one step further, how could they possibly know how to defend you and your industry?” NBIS was founded in 2002 as a provider of insurance for residential builders in California. NBIS expanded its portfolio in 2006 with the purchase of Special Risk Services (SRS), a nationally endorsed provider of insurance through the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA). “The residential builder program

eventually went away because larger markets dropped down into that space,” explains Executive Vice President Billy Smith, who has been with the company for 15 years and is its primary Crane and Rigging specialist. “Since then, NBIS has been fully committed to the crane and rigging, specialized transportation and concrete pumping industries.” The company maintains two main offices – headquarters in Atlanta and a Risk Management unit based in Baltimore. It employs

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approximately 75 individuals, is licensed in all 50 states, is the largest insurer of members of the Specialty Crane & Rigging Association (SC&RA) and is endorsed by the American Concrete Pump Association (ACPA). NBIS employs claims and risk management professionals who all work near major transportation hubs across the country, allowing them to move quickly and meet with clients in the event of a catastrophe. “We’re the largest insurer of

“We all want to see this company succeed. We may have different paths we’d like it to go down but every single person really has what’s in the company’s best interest at heart.” - Bill Hebron, Specialized Transportation Manager www.nbis.com

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SC&RA companies. That’s a relationship you develop through respect, integrity and commitment,” Smith notes.

and I have been there and done that. That’s where the respect is earned and why there is integrity of the program,” Smith says.

Leveraging Industry Expertise

“For me it’s ‘I was in your role and I understand, so what can we do to help you?’” Hebron offers. “For example, we’re working with a client now on camera installation. Those cameras are relatively expensive, so we’re looking at three cameras initially. We’re also working with our current insureds and looking at what we can provide and how we can navigate some of the new challenges facing

Program Managers Smith, Bill Hebron (who handles the company’s Specialized Transportation program), and Kyle Rask (who handles the Concrete Pumping Program) all began as operators in the field. “NBIS maintains retention with a lot of its partners because Bill, Kyle,

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the transportation industry.” Since NBIS is a relatively small company, everyone wears multiple hats to provide clients with the best possible service – ranging from analysis of new customers for the Underwriting Department to collaborating on Risk Management and collecting and handling claims across all markets.

forward in a better direction and membership allows us to do workshops and presentations. We’re able to talk to people about our products and services and we’re involved with everything from litigation to legislation,” Smith says. “We also sit on all the association committees of Safety and Training and governing bodies.”

The company’s affiliation with the SC&RA – the largest industry association for crane, rigging, and specialized transportation companies – has been invaluable.

Collaboration Yields Success

“We’re trying to move the industry

“We all want to see this company

Hebron believes the company’s collaborative culture is a key component of its success.

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“

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“We look to partner with firms we believe are progressive and can move the needle forward but they have to be a credible vendor.” - Bill Smith, EVP Risk Management

succeed. Every single person really has what’s in the company’s best interests at heart. The relationships that we have internally, I have never had at any of my other jobs. We all have that mutual respect for each other and what we bring to the table,” he explains. The company has invested in technology from the start and has moved all of its platforms to the AWS cloud platform so employees

can work from anywhere. Its new RMSS portal provides user access to an array of tools to take proactive steps towards managing risk more effectively. As a Managing General Underwriter of Insurance, NBIS is able to quote, bind, and issue the policy as well as handle claims for their A rated insurance market partners. “We look at partners that will allow us to do the underwriting within a defined box but have the freedom of flexibility in doing so,” Smith says. “We look to partner with firms we believe are progressive and can work with us to move the needle forward.”

Building Solutions to Manage Risk Proud to Serve the Construction Industry At USI, our Heavy Equipment insurance specialists combine proprietary analytics, broad experience and national resources to create customized insurance and risk management programs including contract, claims, and litigation management strategies, to improve your total cost of risk. Let us show you how the right plan and the right partner can help protect your most valuable assets. USI Insurance Services Jeff Haynes, National Practice Leader 201 Alhambra Circle Coral Gables, FL 33134 786.454.2020 | www.usi.com

Property & Casualty | Employee Benefits | Surety

However, it’s an automatic dealbreaker if a prospective partner won’t allow NBIS to handle the claims, Smith says, “simply because we bring industry experts who were in the field to work with their programs and to advise on claims.” Rask believes the long-term relationships the company has with its customers go a long

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way toward closing the deal with vendor/partners.

An Experienced Team NBIS is extremely fortunate to have well-known industry experts, including Smith, Rask, and Hebron, on staff. Having started their careers as field operators, their ability to “talk the talk” and the depth of their combined knowledge has been an unquestionable asset to the company. Smith and Rask serve their industries as members of the ASME B30 Standards Committees – B30.5 – Mobile & Locomotive Cranes and B30.27 – Material Placement Systems, respectively. ASME B30 Standards Committees keep pace with advancements in technology, reflect the current state of industry practice, promote public safety, and are relevant in accordance with regulatory and market needs. Hebron is unabashed in his love of the trucking industry and says, “each job that I took groomed me to be where I am today.” Hebron’s work experience includes senior leadership positions with several U.S. and Canadian transportation companies. He has spent over 20 years in the transportation industry.

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The same is true for Smith, who went from field operator to union business agent to training director to crane safety specialist with the Federal Government before arriving at NBIS.

“What I would say to anyone is that whatever you’re into and whatever you do, do it with passion. Love what you do and when you go to work every day, earn respect and have integrity. Everything I did in the past prepared me for where I am today,” he concludes.