Cyber threats are climbing. Climate disasters are getting worse. Businesses are waking up to a brutal reality – without the right protection, they’re exposed. And when things go wrong, waiting isn’t an option.
Miller Insurance Brokers saw the gap and made a decisive move: a 24/7 emergency claims team staffed by their own employees, ready to take the call when disaster hits.
"Claims don’t just happen between the hours of nine to five," said Laura Phillips (pictured), commercial lines sales team lead at Miller Insurance. "We want to make sure that we are available for our clients at the times when they need us most."
It was a straightforward decision – because the alternative was unacceptable. "Customer experience is a main focus of Miller Insurance," Phillips said. "Insurance is a promise that we will be there when you have a claim, and that is what we aim to do with this team. It’s a partnership between our brokerage, our clients and our insurance company partners."
Cybercrime isn’t slowing down. Businesses are getting hit, and many still don’t understand how fast they need to act.
"The insurance landscape is constantly changing, and we strive to keep our clients up to date on all the changes that are happening, and ways they can protect themselves better," Phillips said. "One example would be highlighting services offered through our market partners like accessibility to cyber consultations before an incident occurs."
The biggest mistake? Waiting.
"As soon as a cyber incident is suspected, our clients need to be calling their provider so that action can be taken," she said. "There is a misconception that the first step should be to handle it yourself. Time is money, especially for a business, and the longer you take to involve your insurance company and get their team of experts involved, the more serious the issue can become."
Miller Insurance is pushing digital accessibility further than ever with Miller Express, a self-serve platform that puts clients in control.
"They can log in, report a claim, request a policy change, access liability slips – —it has really put our clients in the driver's seat," Phillips said.
But no matter how advanced the tools get, real people still make the difference.
"In my personal opinion, we need to find ways to leverage technology to create capacity for our team to build connection with clients, after all the root of insurance is people helping people," Phillips said.
Phillips is blunt: businesses that focus only on price are playing a dangerous game.
"We need to be presenting not just on price – coverage enhancements, claims experience with the market, and loss prevention strategies need to be part of the story."
It's a conversation that too often happens too late.
"We've all experienced that frantic Friday afternoon call," she said. "Where the insurance broker has been left out of conversations that a lawyer or another trusted advisor would be involved in, and the client is now in a panic trying to make things happen."
For Phillips, that needs to change. "We can be of greater value to our clients when we are brought in before that Friday four o’clock phone call."
There’s talk of a softening market, but Phillips isn’t calling it a win yet.
"We have seen some wins for our clients that we wouldn't have seen with pricing a couple of years ago. It’s not everywhere, but there is a shift happening," she said.
Despite these wins, underwriting is tightening. Carriers are digging deeper, requiring more documentation, pushing businesses to prove they’re a good risk.
"It can create strain on both the insurance company and the brokerage to navigate these changes," Phillips said. "However, having open lines of communication and working together to find solutions is key.”
Phillips is pushing brokers to step up – not just as policy providers, but as trusted advisors.
That means staying ahead of the conversation, asking the right questions, and thinking about risks before they happen.
"Brokers need to be asking questions, listening and learning from our clients about their pain points, and where they foresee their operations in the future, and keep that in mind to tailor their insurance package, adding value that is unique to each client," she said.
Phillips has seen the industry from both sides – as both a broker and an underwriter. And that perspective is powerful.
"My experience on both sides of the table has been invaluable for me," she said. "I have a level of appreciation of the work each part of the team undertakes, and the pressures that are faced. You can’t really understand that until you've been in both positions."
Her advice? Know your insurance partners.
"We work best with those we trust and know, and while COVID pushed us into our homes and offices, in-person events are happening once again," she said. "These are great ways to build relationships with our company partners and see that we are all working towards the same goal."
The risks aren’t slowing down. Brokers who fail to keep up, learn, and evolve will be left behind.
"This is one industry where you just keep learning. We encourage our team to take advantage of every opportunity they are able to – it could be webinars, events, industry designations or even podcasts – there is always something new to learn or build on," Phillips said.
Even broader economic factors – like tariffs – can impact coverage needs.
"This is another example where we can shine as a trusted advisor.” she said. "We know our clients, and their operations. Knowing a client imports stock from the US, could have them stockpiling items now, and brokers need to raise the topic and ensure limits on their client’s policies are accurate.”
Brokers have a choice: react to risks as they happen – or anticipate them.
"For some scenarios, it just is what it is," Phillips said. "But being able to find ways to be proactive instead of reactive is a great way for brokers to add value to their clients.” Being part of those conversations is what separates a great broker from an average one.
And for businesses? It’s simple.
If you're not having these conversations with your broker before disaster strikes, you're already behind.
