Acuity

Carrier appetite summary

Operational appetite and underwriting guidance for Acuity, A Mutual Insurance Company, based on currently published public/agent-facing material: GEOGRAPHIC & GENERAL NOTES - Operates primarily in ~28 states (Midwest, Plains, and select other states). Availability and specific coverages vary by state; all products are subject to state-specific underwriting and regulatory criteria. - All coverages are underwritten by Acuity, A Mutual Insurance Company, except personal auto in Texas, which is written via Acuity TX MGA / Home State County Mutual and follows that company’s underwriting rules. - Product and feature availability is subject to underwriting criteria and may not be available in all states; agents should confirm state eligibility and forms on each submission. COMMERCIAL LINES – CORE TARGET SEGMENTS Acuity positions itself as a broad, main‑street and middle‑market commercial carrier with emphasis on packages. Primary target industries (all typically written with package/BOP + auto, WC, and umbrella where needed): - Restaurants and Food Service: Fine dining, family restaurants, fast food, bakeries, cafes, ice cream shops, delis, bars/taverns, caterers, and food service contractors are all specifically listed as insured classes under the restaurant offering. - Restaurants commonly placed on Bis‑Pak® (businessowners policy) with optional commercial auto, workers compensation, property, and excess/umbrella. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/business/restaurant-insurance)) - Retail: Wide variety of retail risks are eligible, including grocery stores, sporting goods, hardware stores, and other typical main‑street retail. These are typically written on Bis‑Pak plus auto/WC as needed. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/business/restaurant-insurance)) - Trucking / Transportation: Acuity explicitly advertises a broad, stable appetite for trucking, including long‑haul and regional operations, with dedicated trucking guidelines and a two‑tier program (standard vs. Acuity Edge) that relaxes certain criteria when justified by underwriting. Trucking is commonly written with commercial auto, cargo/inland marine, general liability, umbrella, and often workers comp. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/sell-acuity---trucking-guidelines)) - Construction / Contractors, Manufacturing, Offices, Service Businesses, Wholesale & Distribution, Auto Repair, and Landlord & Rental Properties are all promoted industry focuses with packaged coverage options (Bis‑Pak or commercial package plus auto/WC/umbrella). ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/sell-acuity---trucking-guidelines)) Preferred commercial account characteristics (inferred from appetite messaging and tools): - Main‑street to mid‑size accounts where Acuity can write multiple lines (package + auto + WC + umbrella), especially in target industries listed above. - Stable operations with conventional exposures (no highly specialized or catastrophic exposures outside published niches), good safety practices, and insurable loss history consistent with class. - Trucking fleets that fit the trucking guidelines brochure for MVR standards and operational profile (e.g., professional drivers, acceptable radius/commodities, and safety culture) – standard program for clean/typical fleets, Edge program for otherwise desirable accounts that fall outside one or two standard criteria. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/sell-acuity---trucking-guidelines)) COMMERCIAL LINES – RESTRICTED / DECLINED THEMES Because Acuity publishes high‑level appetite but not full public UW manuals, detailed class‑by‑class eligibility is inside agent resources. Operationally, you should assume the following are commonly restricted or declined unless your underwriter confirms otherwise: - Highly hazardous or severity‑prone classes outside core segments (heavy industrial, energy, large habitational portfolios, long‑haul trucking with poor loss history, high‑crime/urban property with poor protection, etc.). - Trucking accounts that fail updated trucking guidelines (e.g., poor driver MVR, unacceptable commodities, or unstable operations) even under the Edge program. The blog directs agents to the “Trucking Guidelines brochure” and “Commercial Lines Secret Files” for detailed class/MVR rules, implying active gate‑keeping on non‑standard or distressed fleets. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/sell-acuity---trucking-guidelines)) - Accounts where Acuity cannot be the primary package/auto/WC market (they repeatedly emphasize multi‑line relationships and may be less interested in isolated monoline placements unless supporting an existing book). WORKERS COMPENSATION – SPECIFIC UNDERWRITING POINTS Acuity provides explicit workers compensation guidance via a public “Workers’ Compensation Cheat Sheet” used for digital partners and agents. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/binaries/content/assets/acuitycms/4m-presentations/insureon-workers-compensation.pdf)) Key operational rules: - No‑Employee Policies If Owners Want Coverage: - Acuity is not a market for workers compensation policies where there are no employees and the owner(s) want to elect coverage under the policy. - Ghost Policies (No Employees, Owners Excluded): - Acuity is generally not a market for unsupported “ghost” WC policies where the risk has no employees and all owners are excluded. - Exception: they may consider this if an existing Acuity insured needs a certificate of insurance strictly for audit/contract purposes AND: - Supporting lines of coverage are already written by Acuity; and - The nature of the business is otherwise acceptable for workers compensation. - One‑Employee Risks: - Acuity is generally a market for risks with only one full‑time employee covered. - They are generally not interested in WC for risks that rely predominantly on part‑time employees or on short‑term/temporary employees. - Submission Requirements for WC: - The owner of an entity is not considered an employee for WC counting purposes. - FEIN/SSN information must be included on submissions prior to binding. - Depending on state rules, officer/owner inclusion or exclusion forms are required and may need to be filed with the state as part of binding or post‑bind processing. - Broader WC appetite: - WC is promoted for contractors, trucking, offices, manufacturing, retail, wholesalers/distributors, service businesses, restaurants, auto repair shops, and landlord/rental risks – aligning with Acuity’s broader commercial appetite. These are generally target WC classes when part of a multi‑line relationship. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/business/commercial-insurance-coverages/workers-compensation?utm_source=openai)) COMMERCIAL PROPERTY & PACKAGE (INCLUDING BIS‑PAK) - Bis‑Pak® is the primary small commercial BOP form and is positioned as the default for “smaller businesses” in target segments (restaurants, retail, offices, etc.). It packages building, contents, liability, and automatic business income in one policy. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/business/restaurant-insurance)) - Standard commercial package is used for larger or more complex accounts (more locations, higher limits, specialized coverages, or classes outside Bis‑Pak eligibility) and can be combined with inland marine, crime, cyber, equipment breakdown, and umbrella. - Property appetite is best for normally protected, code‑compliant risks with non‑catastrophic construction and occupancy in ordinary territories (ISO protection classes consistent with main‑street risks). Highly catastrophe‑prone, unprotected, or distressed property risks are typically limited or declined subject to territory underwriting. COMMERCIAL AUTO / TRUCKING - Acuity markets itself as an “active market” with a broad, stable appetite for trucking and commercial auto, particularly noting that its appetite has remained consistent amid industry contraction. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/about/media-center/in-the-news/2018/acuity-sets-growth-records-in-2017?utm_source=openai)) - Trucking Guidelines Brochure & Secret Files: Agents are directed to an Acuity Trucking Guidelines brochure and to “Commercial Lines Secret Files” for detailed MVR standards and class eligibility. - Standard Program: For accounts that fully meet core underwriting criteria (driver histories, radius, commodities, safety controls). - Acuity Edge Program: Extends eligibility to some otherwise ineligible accounts, subject to underwriter review, where overall risk quality supports a yes. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/acuity-gives-you-the-edge-in-the-trucking-market?utm_source=openai)) - Operational expectation: Provide detailed driver lists, MVRs, vehicle schedules, radius/commodities, and safety information with submissions, especially when asking for Edge consideration. EXCESS / UMBRELLA - Acuity offers excess liability (umbrella) designed to sit over auto, general liability, and employers liability, extending limits for both commercial and personal clients. It is most readily available when Acuity writes all underlying lines. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/business/commercial-insurance-coverages/workers-compensation?utm_source=openai)) - Expect requirements for: - Adequate underlying limits and acceptable loss history. - All underlying to be with Acuity in most standard cases. PERSONAL LINES (HOME, BOAT/WATERCRAFT, CONDO, RENTERS, PERSONAL UMBRELLA) - Acuity writes a full personal property and vehicle portfolio: homeowners, condo, renters, landlord, boat & yacht, personal watercraft, motorcycle, ATV, RV, snowmobile, and personal umbrella. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/sell-acuity---trucking-guidelines)) - Appetite is oriented to standard‑to‑preferred personal lines risks with solid property condition, acceptable prior insurance, and normal occupancy patterns (owner‑occupied primary homes, standard seasonal/landlord uses). - Personal auto in Texas is handled through Acuity TX MGA / Home State County Mutual with its own underwriting criteria; agents in Texas must use that program’s specific rules. ([acuity.com](https://www.acuity.com/the-focus/agent/sell-acuity---trucking-guidelines)) SUBMISSION & PRODUCER OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS - Independent‑agent distribution: Acuity relies on independent agents and emphasizes partnership and multi‑line placement; they encourage consolidating commercial and personal coverage with Acuity where possible. - For WC submissions (especially small accounts and those with unique structures): - Clearly indicate number of employees vs. owners and whether owners are electing coverage. - Include FEIN/SSN and any required state inclusion/exclusion forms before binding. - Avoid submitting no‑employee owner‑only or ghost‑policy risks unless there is existing Acuity supporting business and a clear certificate requirement. - For trucking and more complex commercial accounts: - Refer to (and, internally, pull) the latest Trucking Guidelines brochure and Commercial Lines Secret Files. - Pre‑screen driver MVRs against brochure thresholds before submission; highlight any Edge‑candidate exceptions with rationale. - In general, Acuity prefers: - Complete ACORDs and supplemental questionnaires. - 3–5 years of currently valued loss runs for mid‑size accounts. - Clear description of operations, payroll/receipts, and any unusual exposures. BROKER / PRODUCER NOTES - Acuity positions itself as having accessible underwriters and a stable appetite, particularly in trucking, contractors, manufacturing, and restaurant/retail – agents are encouraged to call or email underwriters and territory directors with borderline accounts instead of assuming a decline. - Agent resources (Trucking Guidelines brochure, Commercial Lines Secret Files, and line‑specific marketing sheets) contain the detailed class lists, minimums, and exception authority; producers should rely on those internal tools plus direct underwriter communication for placement decisions. Practical takeaway for placement: - Lead with Acuity on small to mid‑market multi‑line commercial accounts in their promoted industries (restaurants, retail, trucking, contractors, manufacturing, services, landlords, auto repair, wholesalers) and on standard personal lines property/auto/umbrella. - Avoid stand‑alone, owner‑only, or ghost WC; instead, pair WC with package and auto for full‑account strategies. - Pre‑screen trucking and WC accounts using internal Acuity tools for driver/employee structure and discuss Edge candidates with underwriting before marketing to the insured.

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