September 2022
Agent Newsletter
Aloha Agency Partners,
We are now well into the second half of the year, and I am pleased to inform you that our Personal Lines core system project is going well. Due to the extraordinary effort by our employees, excellent teamwork, and superb project management, the project is on time and on target to launch in early 2023. We look forward to showing you the new systems’ capabilities in early 2023 through a series of “tradeshows” where you will have hands on experience with the new functionalities and enhanced features of our new system.
DTRIC sold its first auto insurance policy on October 1, 1992, and this year, we commemorate our 30th anniversary. Recently, we held presentations at agency partners’ offices to recognize their customers who have auto insurance policies with DTRIC since 1992. A special mahalo to them for being there alongside their customers in the last 30 years. To you, we would like to express our sincere appreciation for your support of DTRIC over the years.
Mahalo,
Takuya ‘Taku’ Mitsueda
President and CEO
A Sneak Peek at the New Agency Portal
When our core systems project was launched in late 2021, we announced that it will deliver new products, services, and user experiences to you. With the new Personal Lines system, you will have a new agency portal with the ability to quote, bind, issue new polices, process policy changes, make payments, and report a claim in real time online or via a mobile app. You will also see new products and various enhancements to our existing product features and discounts. Your clients will have access to a new customer portal to manage their policies online or using a mobile app.
For a sneak preview, here are just a few screen shots that you’ll be using when the new system is launched in the first quarter of 2023. We look forward to seeing you at the “tradeshows,” where you’ll have hands on experience using our new system!
Dennis Rae
Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer
Mahalo to Our 30 Year Customers
As part of DTRIC’s 30th anniversary celebration, we recently recognized a very special group of customers who have been with us since we started in 1992. All honorees were presented with commemorative plaque and limited-edition 30th anniversary t-shirts.
On Hawaii Island, DTRIC EVP Dennis Rae honored Walter Jaeckle and his son, Jacob. Walter started his auto insurance with DTRIC on October 28, 1992, and Jacob joined the ‘ohana on September 1, 2004. We are honored that DTRIC auto insurance has been passed on to the next generation. Though Walter wasn’t able to be with his son at the event, their agent Christina Gumbs of Pyramid Insurance Center, Ltd., joined in the celebration.
On Kauai, DTRIC Personal Lines Manager Shannon Van Gieson celebrated two 30-year customers. Domingo Lutao, who started his auto insurance with DTRIC on October 1, 1992, was joined by Pyramid Insurance’s Senior Marketing Advisor Tony Abad and Kauai Agent Emie Tanimoto.
The second presentation was to Nelson and Duelane Rita. The Nelsons started their auto insurance with DTRIC on December 12, 1992. While Nelson was unable to attend, Duelane was joined by Pyramid’s Tony Abad and Pyramid Insurance Kauai Agent Wayne Medeiros.
In Honolulu, DTRIC recognized Joyce Tanabe, a client of American Mutual Group. She started her auto insurance policy with DTRIC on November 14, 1992 and has since been a loyal customer. As Joyce was unable to receive the award in person, American Mutual Group’s President Russell Hoota and Agent Gerald Yamane received the recognition on her behalf from DTRIC’s President & CEO Taku Mitsueda.
We are grateful for the privilege of serving these customers for the past three decades, and we are even more honored the trust in DTRIC Insurance has been passed from generation to generation. In the remainder of 2022, we will continue to recognize the 30-year customers during throughout our anniversary.
Martha Nobriga
Vice President of Agency Relations
Christina Gumbs, Jacob Jaeckle, Dennis Rae
Tony Abad, Duelane Rita, Wayne Medeiros
Tony Abad, Emi Tanimoto, Domingo Lutao, Shannon Van Gieson
Martha Nobriga, Taku Mitsueda, Russell Hoota, Gerald Yamane
Reminder: Commercial Lines Temporary Reduction of Minimum Account Requirement
As we announced in late July, DTRIC will temporarily reduce the minimum account premium requirement from $10,000 to $5,000 for eligible commercial lines businesses. This promotion will run from August 1, 2022, until December 31, 2022, and includes effective dates through January 30, 2023.
Just a reminder that this promotion does not change DTRIC’s underwriting appetite, eligible classes of business, or current guidelines and restrictions for commercial lines. This is not applicable to monoline business, and all newly bound policies during this promotion must be on direct bill payment method.
Thank you all for your positive responses so far. We hope this will help to enlarge your clientele and bring you additional business.
Tawana Scott
Vice President of Commercial Lines
Risk Management Self-Help Tools
Does your client need a little help with assessing a company’s risk? Not sure where to start in creating a risk consulting plan? Want some tips to prevent slips, trips, and falls? To get your clients started, the DTRIC Insurance Risk Consulting team has created a few self-help tools and loss prevention PDF handouts by insurance lines of business.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about these self-help tools, please contact me at chadl@dtric.com.
Chad Lindsey
Risk Consulting Services Manager
Say Aloha to James Warneck, Senior Claims Examiner - Property
We are pleased to announce that James (Jim) Warneck has joined the DTRIC team as our Senior Claims Examiner – Property. Jim brings more than two decades of experience in the insurance industry in claims, product, agency distribution, and management to his new position. Most recently he was the Vice President of Claims at John Mullen & Company and previously held various managerial positions at Allstate Insurance on the mainland.
Jim received both his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Master of Arts in Organizational Management from Ashford University. He also has years of construction experience and completed his certification from HAAG in Commercial Roofs, Residential Roofs, Wind and Hail Damage Assessment and Electrical and Lightning Surge. Jim was also the President of the Hawaii Insurance Claim Managers Association in 2021.
In his spare time, Jim volunteers with the Aloha United Way, Helping Hands Hawaii, Special Olympics, and Lanakila Meals on Wheels. He has been recognized as a community service leader multiple times by the United Way.
Mike Mishima
Vice President and Chief Claims Officer