Richard Mintzer

My first and major responsibility was sales and marketing followed closely by risk acceptance (underwriting) and claims processing on behalf of the companies we represented. My successful risk selection over the years was probably the largest single factor contributing to the success of our agency. The balance of my duties dealt with the management of a regional property and casualty general agency with special attention to company- agency disputes, producer issues, insurance industry procedures and standards, coverage consultation, sales management, and marketing.

Aside from underwriting duties, as our agency grew, I spent most of my time on agency company relations and supervision of our production team. Keeping our agents and our agency out of trouble was my special project. My duties included agent and agency responsibility, avoiding claims, ethics, and standards and practices of agents and insurers. As evidence of my attention to these issues, no agent or our agency was ever involved in a civil suit or a reprimand from any regulatory agency.

The St. Paul Producers Council and the Home Insurance Quality Agents Committee were formed specifically to serve as a liaison between agents and the company. The purpose of the each committee was to deal with the problems on a territory wide basis similar to those that I dealt with on an every day basis at my agency. My selection as President of the St. Paul Producers Council and the Home Insurance Quality Agents Committee was not only industry recognition of my success at this task but also honed my skills relating to the duties and problems and liability of an insurance agent and the underwriting and claim process in general.

At my agency, I was responsible for all of the Property and Casualty underwriting activities. We had remarkable success as underwriters. As a result, the companies the agency represented gave us very high limits of binding authority. Very often, our binding limits exceeded the authority of the line underwriters that we dealt with on a day-to-day basis.

Median Agency

Median Agency was a wholly owned subsidiary of Martin Brokerage Co. specializing in pension plans, individual and group life and health coverage. The marketing of these products was used to further the financial and employee benefit goals of our personal and corporate clients. My role with this organization was similar to that of Martin Brokerage Co. except for the fact that I was not involved in any binding underwriting activities.

K and C Agency

The scope of my consultancy was to recruit, contract and train a sales force and enhance my clients' access to the marketplace. This is industry jargon for obtaining underwriting authority from various insurers. The reason that I was retained for this assignment was my record of underwriting success at my own agency

Community College of Aurora

I created this department and I was responsible for all facets of the program. My duties included curriculum creation, instruction, student recruiting, faculty selection and marketing. In addition to my administrative duties, I taught the following courses:

• The licensing course required of all new insurance producers. Approximately 50% of the time spent in classroom was devoted to standards and practices, ethics and problems faced by retail agents on a daily basis.
• AIC 33 The Claims Environment. This course focused on the duties and responsibilities of claims adjusters. This course was one of a three part series leading to the professional designation Associate in Claims.
• AMIM 121 and AMIM 122 This course focused on marine insurance (Hull, Cargo and P&I) and providing underwriters with technical skills and underwriting techniques. These courses were two of a three part series leading to the professional designation Associate in Marine Underwriting.
• The State of Colorado requires every licensed producer to have 24 hours of continuing education every two years. I designed and taught a series of courses to meet the state requirement in various subjects including ethics, e&o, standards and practices, the duties of an insurance agent and underwriting procedures and techniques

Richard Mintzer Associates LLC

As an outgrowth of my career at the community college, I have been asked to participate in various matters relating to the insurance industry as a consultant and expert witness. While equipped to handle most insurance issues I place special emphasis on the underwriting process, standards and practices, agent company disputes, agent responsibility and liability and the general area of the claims environment.

When I started my firm, I expected most my assignments would deal with coverage issues. My actual experience is that more than 90% of my assignments have dealt with standard of care issues relating to underwriting and claims for insurers and agents, agent and agency issues