MSI has officially launched nationwide as of June 30, 2026! MSI's Homeowners E&S consists of two programs. The Retail HO3/HO5 Program focuses on Affluent and High Net Worth CAT-exposed single-family homes used as Primary, Secondary, or Rental residences. Their Mainstreet HO3 Program focuses on less CAT-exposed risks, that are synonymous with traditional E&S business. Earn a commission of 12% on New Business & Renewals with MSI now. Watch the webinar recording below to see how you can leverage MSI for your clients.
MSI ENS Product Expansion
The meeting focused on MSI's nationwide expansion of their ENS homeowners product, with Jake Brandenburg, head of underwriting for MSI Personal Lines, leading the discussion. The product offers flexible underwriting guidelines for complex risks, including older homes, properties with prior losses, and various occupancy types including short-term rentals. Key features discussed included the use of HO3 and HO5 forms across all occupancies, automated underwriting rules that are not hard stops, and a minimum earned premium requirement of 25%. The program is available in most U.S. territories with writing partners Spinnaker Specialty and MS Transverse Specialty, both rated A minus or better.
Underwriting Process Streamlining Updates
Alexander discussed the biggest roadblocks agents face with underwriting, highlighting issues with risk requirements for single-family homes and owner-occupied duplexes, as well as challenges with ineligible electrical panels and Aegis Systems verification. He then outlined a new streamlined business process set to launch in two to three weeks, which includes integrated e-signing and reduced underwriting engagement, while explaining the underwriting referral process for specific risk classes. Alexander also covered the inspection process for new business policies and emphasized the importance of accurately completing information in the quote flow to avoid issues during inspections.
Insurance Claims and Quoting Process
Jacob explained the process for handling open claims in the insurance platform, noting that open liability claims receive a hard decline while open property claims, if only administrative and repairs are complete, may be considered with underwriting referral. He then guided Alexander through the steps of quoting in the Virtual Insurance Platform (VIP), including entering the policy zip code, named insured details, and answering eligibility questions. Jacob emphasized the importance of accurate information entry, particularly regarding property characteristics like roof age, and advised contacting the underwriting team for technical clarifications.
High-Profile Occupation Underwriting Process
Jacob explained the occupation field in the quote flow system, which categorizes occupations into high-profile individuals requiring underwriting pre-approval and all other occupations that don't trigger underwriting rules. He detailed how high-profile occupations include CEOs of publicly traded companies, professional athletes, entertainers, and politicians, with specific coverage restrictions for these clients. Jacob also outlined the final screen of the quote flow where coverage limits, deductibles, and optional coverage options are selected, including the requirement for documentation when applying loss control credits.
Premium Issuance Process Demonstration
Jacob demonstrated the process for obtaining and issuing a premium, including selecting deductibles, rates, and generating proposals, with an upcoming enhancement allowing for direct policy binding without underwriting in 2-3 weeks. He explained the e-signature process using Rpost, which requires both the insured and agent to sign documents, though underwriting can override electronic signatures in specific cases where clients lack email access. Alexander clarified that users can now self-service password resets through the forgot password function on the website.
Property Inspection Process Updates
Jacob explained that agents or designated representatives can meet inspectors for property inspections, but the contact information must be updated in VIP before ordering inspections. He outlined the general inspection triggers based on home size, prior loss history, and age, noting that most cases result in exterior-only inspections under certain conditions. Alexander clarified that MSI is national for HO3 and HO5 but will sunset the Main Street product in 2-3 weeks, merging its capabilities into the HO3 flow. The discussion also covered eligible plumbing types, with PEX, cast iron, and galvanized steel being restricted, while PVC and copper are allowed. Jacob confirmed that underwriters typically waive mandatory engineering inspections (MEP) when canceling for underwriting reasons.