New Jersey agents: Important details on BOP policy conversion

Existing BOP policies to be phased out and converted upon renewal, subject to eligibility

With the introduction of our new BOP-Pro businessowners product at ufgagent.com, UFG Insurance will begin the state-mandated process of phasing out our existing businessowners policies over a 12-month period. 

This includes all ArtisanPro® and PremierPro® policies currently in force in New Jersey, which have been written through our subsidiaries, Mercer Insurance Company and Mercer Insurance Company of New Jersey.

Subject to eligibility, we will be converting your customers’ ArtisanPro and PremierPro policies to our new ISO-based BOP-Pro policy at renewal. The renewal policy will be written through United Fire & Casualty Company.

Key details

CheckmarkBOP conversion dates: 3/1/2023 through 3/1/2024.

CheckmarkBOP policies impacted:
ArtisanPro®, PremierPro®. 

CheckmarkNew BOP product: BOP-Pro.

The new BOP-Pro features over 35 property and liability coverages, including business income, electronic data, outdoor property, accounts receivable and more. In addition, BOP-Pro policies are issued through our robust new Pro-Quote platform, delivering enhanced quote proposals, policy decs and billing statements for your customers.

Conversion eligibility: BOP-Pro

UFG is committed to converting the vast majority of ArtisanPro and PremierPro policies to our new BOP-Pro product. However, circumstances may arise in which an existing account is not eligible for BOP-Pro. In this event, we will reach out to you directly to discuss options.

Conversion timeline: what to expect

CheckmarkAt least 60 days prior to the policy expiration date, the impacted policyholder will receive a letter from UFG explaining that their policy will be converted to our new BOP product upon renewal. Included with the letter will be a “notice of nonrenewal” for their current policy and any applicable supporting coverage lines written through Mercer Insurance Company and Mercer Insurance Company of New Jersey. This is a required step in the discontinuation of our ArtisanPro and PremierPro product lines. 

CheckmarkBetween 30 and 45 days prior to the policy expiration date, your customer will be offered a renewal policy through United Fire & Casualty Company, subject to eligibility. The renewal policy will reflect comparable coverage as part of our BOP-Pro product. 

Conversion process: frequently asked questions

As a trusted advisor for your customers, we ask that you inform impacted policyholders of this upcoming change in advance. Please assure them that the “notice of nonrenewal” is a required step in the discontinuation of our ArtisanPro and PremierPro product lines and is in no way a reflection of their insurability. 
Yes. Please click here to preview the letter and nonrenewal notice that will be sent to impacted policyholders.
Yes, similar to all other notices, it will be available for you to access on our ufgAgent website. 
Please reach out to your UFG marketing representative if your agency is interested in a list of policies converting. 
Your insured’s BOP-Pro policy will reflect comparable coverage; however, we encourage you to review our detailed coverage comparison carefully to be aware of all differences. There are two versions of the coverage comparison that your client could receive based on their policy: BOP only and BOP with umbrella.
Premiums may vary by class, as well as individual risk characteristics. Some insureds may see a decrease in premium, while some may see an increase.
Yes. Policies converted to BOP-Pro will be issued in our new Pro-Quote platform and have an 11-digit policy number that begins with the numeral “100” followed by the original eight-digit policy number. If a policy is converted to a package policy, the eight-digit policy number will begin with the numeral “60.” Please be sure to update the policy number in your agency management system following conversion.
All converted policies will remain accessible at ufgagent.com. When searching for a converted policy on ufgAgent, please note that you must enter the new policy number — the previous policy number will no longer be valid.
No. The UFG Billing Customer Service team will work directly with our third-party payment provider, Paymentus, to ensure that current payment arrangements are automatically transferred over to the converted policy. Please reach out to UFG Billing Customer Service at 800-637-6309 between 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday with any additional questions. 
As we transition from our legacy system to our new Pro-Quote platform, there will be some temporary short-term inconveniences on the journey to long-term ease and convenience:
  • Different policy/account numbers and billing statements
    Policyholders will have two different policy/account numbers and receive two different billing statements if they have separate policies issued in the legacy system and the new Pro-Quote platform.
  • Driver lists and vehicle lists
    These will not be available to view online for commercial auto policies issued using the new Pro-Quote platform. You should contact your UFG underwriting team directly for this information.
Please send all change requests to doingbusiness@unitedfiregroup.com. 

UFG thanks you for your understanding as we take these steps to convert your customers’ policies to our new BOP-Pro product. We are committed to working with you to make this conversion as simple as possible for both you and our mutual customers. If you have any questions, please reach out to your UFG marketing representative or underwriter. 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please reach out to your UFG marketing representative or underwriter.

Karen Fulfaro

Marketing Representative
kfulfaro@unitedfiregroup.com
609-947-4893