GUARD New Product Session

Guard Product Launch Meeting

Chris Bone, a director of wholesale regional partnerships at Berkshire Hathaway Guard, led a meeting to discuss the company's new product launch for contractor general liability and inland marine insurance. He introduced the team members and outlined Guard's vision as a leading small business provider nationally, emphasizing their commitment to the agent and broker channel and their focus on small commercial businesses. Chris highlighted Guard's value proposition, including broad appetite, ease of doing business, and strong financial backing through Berkshire Hathaway.

Guard's New Contractor Products Launch

Chris presented Guard's new GL and Inland Marine products for contractors, which launched on June 1st in six states (Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania). The products are designed for small to mid-sized artisans and contractors, offering a streamlined digital submission process with 80% of submissions expected to be digitally decisioned without underwriter intervention. The coverage includes base CGL with optional add-ons like errors and omissions coverage, hired and non-owned auto liability, and a Contractor Plus endorsement bundle, with Guard targeting national expansion for these products in the future.

Inland Marine Product Features Presentation

Chris presented the Inland Marine product features, highlighting its additional coverage options and co-branding capabilities. He explained that the product targets artisan trade contractors, allows for increased limits, and accepts new ventures, with a maximum 75% subcontractor exposure compared to Guard's previous 25% limit. Chris noted that while the product currently covers six states, plans exist to expand to Texas and Florida by the end of 2026, and he briefly mentioned Guard's other multi-line coverage options including workers' compensation, auto, and BOP policies.

Guard Insurance Products Strategy Update

Chris presented Guard's insurance products and business strategy, highlighting strong performance in workers' compensation with an 80% increase in premium in 2026. He announced a significant class expansion for workers' compensation effective August 1st, allowing digital decisioning up to $50K in coverage. Chris also discussed Guard's business owner policy program, commercial auto coverage in most jurisdictions except New York and a few others, and umbrella coverage options, noting that Guard targets small to mid-sized businesses with a preference for multiple smaller locations over single large sites.

Guard's Product and Partnership Updates

Chris discussed Guard's new product offerings and business opportunities across various jurisdictions, with a focus on contractors, automotive services, restaurants, hospitality, office, retail, and habitation industries. He highlighted Guard's sweet spot for smaller premiums under $2.5 million in payroll and vehicle counts under 10 units, though larger deals are considered depending on industry specifics. Chris also introduced Guard's new partner program offering dedicated underwriters to agents and brokers through a portal system.

Guard Underwriting Support Updates

Chris explained that Guard's underwriting team is available to support brokers through dedicated phone lines and email addresses, with someone always available from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday. He described Guard's new collaborative "get-to-yes" underwriting mindset and highlighted their digital enhancements, including a 60-second state-specific appetite checker tool that can quickly assess whether Guard is a potential market for specific risks. Chris also mentioned that further digital improvements are planned for 2027, including streamlined quote-to-buying journeys for commercial auto, BOP, and workers' compensation products.

Guard Portal Resources Overview

Chris presented various resources available on the Guard portal, including an online video library, loss control plan guide, claims resources, and a policyholder service center accessible through mobile app or website. He mentioned the upcoming Good Things newsletter, which will share information about new enhancements quarterly. The session concluded with an option to answer questions or demonstrate a general liability example, though no questions were raised during the meeting.

Guard Insurance Application Process Demo

Chris demonstrated a Guard insurance application process using a Pennsylvania residential remodeler as an example. He walked through the digital integration workflow, showing how the system verifies addresses, collects business information including employee count and payroll requirements, and handles class codes and exposure details. The demonstration highlighted that while Guard currently offers API integration for workers' comp, GL product digital integration is not yet available but is planned for the future.

Guard Insurance Quoting Process Demo

Chris demonstrated the process of quoting general liability insurance with Guard, focusing on new construction for multi-unit residential properties with six or more units. He explained that while Guard does not target tract housing operations, the system allows for additional coverage options like Inland Marine and Contractor Plus packages. Chris noted that while the test environment required referrals, ordinary cases would typically receive quote proposals within 24 hours, and he concluded by thanking the participants and mentioning that presentation materials would be shared with the team.