01.02.01 - Excess public and product liability insurance has become easier to place thanks to a new high-tech service combining all the benefits of the Internet with the knowledge and expertise from UK insurer – The Underwriter Insurance Company.

Probroker.co.uk – the first BIBA sponsored fully interactive website for Excess Public and Product Liability – has been launched today (1st February 2001) to make the placement of such business faster and more cost effective than ever before to BIBA brokers throughout the country.

“By harnessing the speed and convenience of the Internet, Probroker.co.uk enables BIBA brokers to transact this type of cover with minimal effort and cost to themselves. Available on any PC with Internet access, Probroker.co.uk is easy to navigate and straightforward to use, and brokers will find that making an application on behalf of a client only takes a couple of minutes. The site provides access for quotations, binding and the issuance of all documentation - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” according to Keith Rutter, Chief Executive of The Underwriter.

By using Probroker.co.uk, brokers can arrange immediate cover for over 200 types of trades and gain direct access to £29m worth of excess layer public and products liability coverage. Furthermore, the site also provides cover for all types of risks from one-day events to annual policies.

All BIBA brokers have been automatically registered on the site and have been issued with a login and password, which enables them to trade instantly on the site without delay and without any further paperwork or authorisation.

When arranging cover, an online application form will need to be completed, which only includes eight questions, by filling in the necessary details of the client to generate a quote. Once the quote is accepted, the Schedule and Policy Wording can be printed out instantly. Furthermore, brokers are able to specify their rate of commission.

Monthly payments can be made by wire transfer and brokers can be reassured that all personal information will be protected by secure server software technology, which means such information is unreadable to anyone else as they surf the web.

Other menu options include billing, claims procedures, insurance conditions and a broker account management facility, which enables brokers to view statements of accounts information, plus make any policy amendments all online. What’s more, brokers will receive an emailed reminder that their client’s policy needs to be renewed 60 days before it expires. If a user has any questions with regards to the site, a dedicated support team is only a phone call away.

“Probroker.co.uk represents a significant advance for BIBA brokers by offering the convenience of the Internet and instant access to people who have familiarity with excess public and product liability underwriting and practice.

In effect, Probroker.co.uk will provide a convenient gateway for BIBA brokers, using technology which will enable them to offer and maintain the highest standards of service, which their clients require, with minimal effort and cost to themselves,” commented Keith Rutter.

Probroker.co.uk was developed and constructed by Wildnet New Media Group. The website marks Wildnet’s thirteenth to date.