Access to Markets | Read Time: 3 minutes

Finding Markets: Turn Wasting Time into Saving Time

September 21, 2017

By: Lori Heemstra

Agencies strive to provide the best products at the right price for customers and prospects. But as an independent agent working with numerous insurer partners, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to find the right insurer for each risk. Manually searching for appetite has traditionally been an inefficient and time-consuming process. In fact, when reviewing a recent IVANS survey, I was not surprised to find that 71% of agents surveyed admitted that they have missed opportunities to place business due to lack of market access.

Agencies need digital tools to improve the process of finding the right insurer appetite at the right time. Enter IVANS Markets, a free online search tool that immediately presents agents with a list of insurers, MGAs and wholesalers with an appetite for the specific risk they are searching for. This simple, automated solution provides agents with greater access to markets, making it extraordinarily easy and much quicker to find the best markets for clients to drive more new and renewal business.

Stay within your daily workflows to get the answers you need

At Berends Hendricks Stuit Insurance, we were hampered by outdated, manual processes and inaccurate appetite information. To access markets more quickly, our agency implemented IVANS Markets and started to experience exponential time savings and growth opportunities. IVANS Markets instantly provides me with a list of insurers who have an appetite for my risk and more specifically, information on who I can contact. Streamlining the submission process saves me hours of work every day. I no longer have to wait days for insurers to respond to submissions. I can get the results I need, when I need them. Through increased market access and insight, we have won new business that we have historically not written.

Continued success in the future

Ultimately, automated search technology like IVANS Markets has completely changed the way I search for insurer commercial appetite. Now we go to insurers we know want the risk, which results in time saved around submission and quoting. I encourage any independent agent looking to grow their business to try IVANS Markets. This free tool provides more access to new markets in less time, which is one of the keys to continued success in the digital marketplace.

Agents looking to leverage this complimentary search tool from IVANS can access it via their agency management system, or by visiting IVANS Markets.


Lori Heemstra

Lori Heemstra joined Berends Hendricks Stuit in 2005 as the Commercial Lines Division Manager. Her duties include overseeing the customer service agents and support staff, training new and existing staff, coordinating technology and developing consistent professional standards. She has over 25 years of insurance experience and is a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC). Lori is a member of the IVANS Agent's Council, Applied Client Network Large Agent Alliance, the Vice Chairman of the Applied Client Network Member Relations Committee and serves on various insurance company councils.