Stuckey & Company Celebrates 20 Years in Business

Good food and fun times were had by all at Kitaro Bistro of Japan thanks to Tracey Hagy-Kelly & Chris Dougherty from The Hartford. They were gracious enough to sponsor and attend our 20^th Anniversary Celebration. Employees surrounding three closely arranged teppan tables enjoyed an entertaining Hibachi lunch prepared and served right in front of us by our very own Kitaro Chefs.

Founded in July of 1991, Stuckey & Company was known exclusively as the Managing General Agent of the HarborGuard marina insurance program. Now, 20 years later, Stuckey & Company is recognized as one of the most innovative niche insurance providers with a portfolio of eight specialty insurance programs tailored to the needs of specialized industries. It works with a network of 8,500 independent insurance agents to provide their clients with reliable, affordable, tailored insurance.

 “We are particularly proud of our HarborGuard marina program, because this was the program that launched our company,” says Kerry Stuckey, chief operating officer of Stuckey & Company and the program manager for the HarborGuard program. HarborGuard was relaunched in 2009 with a rate structure that is very competitive in local markets. “Today, we still offer the most comprehensive program for this specialized market, with tailored liability insurance for a wide variety of businesses, including marinas and boat yards, boat dealers, and marine artisans such as boat repair and supply shops,” Stuckey says.

In 1997, Stuckey & Company launched the SafetyTek insurance program designed for IT contractors. Since then, the company’s Tek Division has expanded to cover the risks of diverse technology professionals. “I graduated from college wanting to be the world’s best computer programmer,” says Dwight Stuckey, chief executive officer, “but then I realized I could combine my knowledge of the insurance industry with my interest in the emerging IT field, where the insurance risks were still undefined.”

And Stuckey & Company doesn’t just insure technology – it also utilized innovative technologies to help licensed agents and insureds get faster service and more accurate quotes. Dwight Stuckey says they redesigned their web site earlier this year to make it easier for people to find the information they need, and enter their information a single time and get multiple quotes from different carriers. “We have numerous online tools available to agents and their clients that streamline the application process and allow them to see more options for coverage,” Stuckey says. “We have redesigned our online application to only include the questions necessary to underwrite, rate and issue the policy and have eliminated any un-needed questions. Our TekDivision Professional Liability application focuses on minimizing workflow bottlenecks and allowing you to gain instant access to our rating engine.”

“We also work with the insurance carriers to make the tools they have developed available to our agents and their clients,” Dwight Stuckey says. Stuckey & Company offers online rating tools for commercial lines, personal lines and professional liability coverage. He attributes his firm’s strong relationships with leading insurance carriers as a major reason Stuckey & Company is still going strong after 20 years.

“We don’t chase trends in insurance,” he says, “but we do pay close attention to emerging industries that have unique insurance requirements, and work closely with top-rated carriers to develop specialty programs that address those underserved markets.” Stuckey says sometimes it takes more than a year to develop the underwriting guidelines and launch a new specialty insurance program for a niche industry. “We spend a lot of time researching emerging industries and understanding the gaps in coverage that a standard policy would carry, and then we find carriers willing to create the programs to address those gaps.”

In addition to the SafetyTek and HarborGuard insurance programs, Stuckey & Company’s branded programs include Aspire A&E Insurance for architects and engineers; the Element Green Insurance Program for sustainable “green energy” businesses; NetProtect Essential coverage for companies that transmit data over the Internet; and ServicerPRO, a comprehensive business insurance package for appliance repair professionals. In addition, it offers Miscellaneous Professional Liability coverage, Commercial Lines insurance, and Personal Lines insurance.

Moving forward, Stuckey & Company hopes to spend the next 20 years continuing to grow with its licensed agent network of 8,500 dedicated insurance professionals and the select group of highly-respected carriers it works with. It wants to remain the predominant resource for “insuring the connection” between independent agents and companies in specialized industries served by its insurance programs.

For more information, contact Dwight Stuckey 

High Value Homes

Property casualty insurance – protection for your homes, cars, fine arts, jewelry, liability and yachts – is a critical part of personal wealth management, yet many successful people still view it as a foot note in their overall plan.  Those who have a lot to protect are wise to choose a provider that can address all of their coverage needs.   Working with one insurer not only reduces administrative hassles, but also helps eliminate gaps or overlaps in protection.  By partnering with Stuckey & Company for your high net worth customers you will have access to the most prominent high value home carriers in the industry.

Personal risk management for the wealthy is a process that involves identifying the potential loss exposures, determining the client’s tolerance for risk and devising customized solutions.  A detailed valuation helps ensure adequate levels of homeowners coverage are in place by identifying exposures that could cause costly damage if left unchecked. 

Here’s an example…..

Bob F. has a lifestyle similar to many successful Americans.  He travels often with his family, enjoys golfing at his country club and sits on the board of a not-for-profit organization.  In addition to his executive income, Bob has approximately $4 million in assets – including a large home, three cars, jewelry, other collectibles and a well-managed portfolio handled by his financial advisor.

Years ago, Bob purchased property casualty insurance directly through a mainstream provider, which he renews annually.  However, his insurance agent never recommended a review to see if his policies were keeping pace with his asset acquisitions.

Fortunately, a business opportunity connected Bob to a senior manager at Chartis, who recommended a “lifestyle review”.  This eye-opening exercise revealed the depth of his vulnerability:

• His homeowners insurance policy would not provide full replacement value for his home.
• He had immense gaps in his liability coverage, especially pertaining to his board participation.
• His liability coverage limits would be significantly less than his net worth if he were sued.
• He employed a housekeeper, but did not have Employment Practices Liability Insurance coverage.

Bob was stunned.  Neither he nor his financial advisor had stopped to consider the role a sound insurance program could play in safeguarding his wealth.

Stuckey and Company, in conjunction with Chartis Private Client Group, can provide your high net worth customers and their financial advisors with objective advice and access to more sophisticated coverage solutions to match their lifestyles. 

When written with a home and auto, the following are some of the coverages available to your high net worth customers. 

• Personal excess liability limits up to $100 million.
• Group personal excess liability insurance programs.
• Broad coverage for Limited Liability Corporations managing personal exposures.
• Kidnap, ransom and extortion insurance coupled with resources to reduce the likelihood that an individual will be targeted in the first place.
• Insurance for family office professionals:  Errors & Omissions, Directors & Officers and Employment Practices Liability Coverage.

One-size-fits-all insurance policies aren’t meant for those with complex assets to protect.  These policies are specially created to address the unique exposures that come with substantial wealth. For more information regarding our high value home carriers please contact our Stuckey Personal Lines Department. 

Marina Insurance - HarborGuard

With boating season fast approaching, what better time to ensure you are covered? Stuckey & Company has over 20 years' of experience managing the HarborGuard marina insurance program, a specialty insurance program for a wide variety of marine businesses, including marinas and boat yards, boat dealers, and boat repair and supply shops. While many businesses in this industry are feeling the impact of the economy, Stuckey & Company has seen very strong activity from insurance agents with clients in need of these tailored coverages. The HarborGuard program includes new features that protect eligible classes, and gives agents more flexibility when writing policies. P

Popular new features include: 
• Waived requirement for primary pollution coverage 
• Now can include water sports liability up to policy limits 
• Now includes Sudden and Accidental Pollution coverage 
• Deductibles as low as $10,000 for docks, including wind/collapse 
• Campgrounds, resorts, and homeowners associations now included
• Now able to write excess/umbrella and auto 
• The program can also include replacement cost on docks, liquor liability, non-owned auto and boat rental.

“We have worked closely with the carrier to ensure the HarborGuard program is a competitive program in today’s insurance environment,” Stuckey says. “We’ve written or been very cost-competitive on every policy we’ve quoted, and agents have confirmed that the changes we’ve made are helping them meet their clients’ needs.” The carrier is rated by A+ (Superior) IX by A.M. Best, and is written non-admitted. The marine industry has very few national carriers with rates that are competitive for local markets. “Based on our 20 years of experience in marine insurance, we are confident that HarborGuard addresses the insurance needs of marinas and marine professionals who have had difficulty finding appropriate, affordable coverage in recent years,” Stuckey says. “For marine businesses that have insufficient liability insurance, or that have thought about reducing coverage to cut costs, our program gives them outstanding coverage at a price they can afford.” So don’t be caught out in the water trying to keep yourself afloat…let us assist you in reviewing your current marina coverage to see if we can improve both cost and coverage.

For more information, please contact Kerry Stuckey at 1-800-828-3452 ext 14