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Some people have a passion for cars but I have a passion for the road; it doesn’t matter much to me whether I am in a car, truck or on a motorcycle. Driving long distance is good thinking time and opens my eyes to what is going on around me.

On a recent trip to the ‘Queen City’ of Cincinnati, I was reflecting on the huge number of automobile brands I saw while driving down the interstate. In fact I am pretty sure I saw more Kia, Hyundai and Scion on the road than Ford, Chrysler or GM. I am more passionate about getting a great deal on a car than I am about driving a particular make or model. Just take a look at the vehicles parked in my driveway! Where my father made buying American cars a principle, I am more likely to value shop. So I had to ask myself, how did the big 3 American car manufacturers go from a predominate position to just ‘being in the mix’ with the competition? It doesn’t take long for me to switch lanes and wonder if there is a lesson to be learned for our industry.

Has the ability to purchase insurance online changed the value proposition in the mind of the consumer? It would seem that ‘ease’ and ‘speed’ come before quality and stability? Frankly, I believe the value we deliver has to be experienced by the consumer otherwise it is just a low-ball price game.

As insurance professionals we have to be careful not to fall into this trap, in fact, I am convinced it is completely avoidable. It is because of high-quality insurance professionals like you that I think our industry will overcome commoditization. Insurance agents provide professional and personal service and offer expert advice. When the consumer walks out the door, your job is not over! Certainly the bar on service has been raised because of the ‘on-demand’ society we live in. But there are also plenty of customers who value the personal touch you bring to the transaction. So, I thank you for what you do every day and we here at Tuscano would love to help you continue to do it.

One area where you may need some help is the hospitality insurance market. Carriers continue to tighten or shut down programs. Assault and Battery coverage can be difficult to nail down as well. Tuscano has markets that will offer this coverage. We love to write Bar & Tavern business and our expert team will help you navigate the markets to get you the coverage your customer needs.

One last thing. We are still in high season for motorcycles, collector cars and all the other sorts of motorized vehicles – for water or land. Give our Personal Lines team a call; You’ll find they are responsive and fast to get you a quote.

I hope your summer is going well. We’ve had our fill of rain here in Western PA so we’d be happy to send it your way!

Have a sunny day!