The Difference Between Admitted & Non-Admitted Insurance Companies
The difference between admitted and non-admitted insurance companies lies primarily in the regulations they must follow. These varying regulations result in business models that typically focus on different areas of the market. As a result, you may not be able to get a particular type of insurance from an admitted company that a non-admitted company offers, and vice versa. The status of a company as an admitted carrier isn't based on the financial solvency of the company, which is independently assessed by an outside source.
Admitted Insurance Companies
An admitted insurance company is one that is "admitted" by a particular state to do business as an insurance company. To be an admitted carrier, an insurance company must conform to the regulations of a particular state's Department of Insurance. In addition to meeting minimum regulations for admission, admitted carriers must also file their rates with the state, which the state must approve. One of the benefits of working with an admitted carrier is that the state has the responsibility to pay an insurer's claims, up to state-specified limits, in the event of the company's insolvency.
Non-Admitted Insurance Companies
A non-admitted insurance company is one that doesn't operate under an individual state's insurance laws. As a result, a non-admitted insurance company doesn't enjoy the benefit of having its claims resolved in the event of a bankruptcy. However, non-admitted companies also have much more pricing flexibility, as they don't have to submit their rates to the individual states for review. Consequently, non-admitted carriers can insure higher-risk events, such as earthquakes, or specialty risks, such as professional liability insurance, that admitted carriers often can't afford to cover.
Financial Risk
While it can be a natural assumption that non-admitted carriers are riskier than admitted companies, that isn't always the case. Since non-admitted carriers have greater flexibility in pricing their premiums, they can set rates high enough to fund the additional risks they may take. The financial risk a company takes is reflected not by its status as admitted or non-admitted, but by its financial rating. The AM Best Company ratings agency assesses the risk of insurers and assigns letter grades for easy comparison, with the most solvent insurers garnering a grade of A++ or A+.
Restrictions and Limitations
Since non-admitted carriers have more latitude in setting their rates, insurance is often more expensive with non-admitted carriers than with admitted carriers. Non-admitted carriers also have more latitude in defining the restrictions in their policies, particularly regarding the coverage of pre-existing conditions, which may work against the consumer. Some residents of the U.S. who aren't citizens may not be able to purchase insurance from an admitted carrier and must instead seek out a policy from a non-admitted carrier.
Claim Handling
In certain cases non-admitted carriers may take longer to handle claims since they may not have an in house department to do so. When dealing with Lloyds of London for instance you not only have a time zone barrier but also a communication barrier possibly due to your property insurance may be made up of a few different slips. Slips are the different investors that actually own the policy. Admitted Insurance Carriers usually have local claim handlers or at least all deal with the claim handlers in the USA to handle your claim in a quicker manner. Most cases they are local people in the same city or within the same state.
For questions please give me a call.
Michael Fillers, CPIA, NFIP
Morris Insurance
Agency, LLC
3032 Dauphin Square
Connector
Mobile, AL 36607
D.251-473-5119/F.251-473-6301/C.251-753-8011
How I met JESUS in the flesh
and HE saved me:
Matt 24:46-47-"Blessed is he whom his
master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that
one in charge of all his possessions."
source:http://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-admitted-nonadmitted-insurance-companies-41166.html
