Our new Leadership Q&A series talks with the leaders of Kinetic, and sheds light on their specific areas of expertise. This edition features Vice President of Distribution Ronnie O’Dell.
We sat down with Ronnie, who leads Kinetic’s national appointment and distribution strategy and brings more than 20 years of workers’ comp experience to his role. In this interview, we talked about the way Kinetic works with its appointed agents, some key benefits of the workers’ compensation program, and Ronnie answers some often-asked questions about the Kinetic tech.
Q- You joined the Kinetic Insurance team last year as VP of Distribution, tell us a bit about your role and your experience.
A – I’ve had the opportunity, over the past nine months, to help assemble a limited network of forward thinking high-value brokers that specialize in the industries where our wearable device delivers exceptional results, like last-mile delivery, auto dealerships, warehousing and health care.
Prior to Kinetic, I was vice president of distribution for CopperPoint California, a $380M mono-line workers’ compensation business unit of Copperpoint Insurance Companies. I’m also a California licensed commercial insurance agent.
Q – What is Kinetic’s approach to working with brokers, and how is it unique?
A – We work with a select group of brokerages that share our proactive approach to risk control.
These brokers are on the cutting-edge of innovation in workers’ comp, providing superior risk mitigation consultation to their clients. Our approach with our distribution network centers around a commitment to add value as a true risk management partner. We do this by offering something no one else offers – policies that include wearable tech that helps clients to prevent losses!
Kinetic is dedicated to developing and maintaining strong relationships with our appointed agents, so they can have the confidence to provide their clients the right policy to protect them from risk. Being responsive and easy to do business with is a top priority for our entire team, from underwriting to account management. And the Kinetic partnership with Nationwide plays a significant role, as it offers deep claims expertise and exceptional customer service that further strengthens our value.
Q- What success have you had in growing Kinetic’s distribution network?
A – We have an experienced distribution team dedicated to growing our partner network from coast to coast. Together, they hold decades of experience in commercial insurance and financial services. Since launching last November, we’ve grown to have 55 retail brokerage partners nationally, with over 175 branch offices. The premium value of submissions from our channel partners exceeds $50m per month in premiums, and is growing.
Q- What key benefits of Kinetic’s workers’ comp program do you think brokers and policyholders find most attractive?
A – What makes our offering really advantageous – and unique – is the free wearable tech included with our policies. It’s been proven to reduce strain and sprain injuries by 55% and claims costs by 50%. This is the same tech Fortune 500 companies trust to keep their workforces safe, and we’re including it at no cost, which is a significant benefit.
Our broker partners and customers also appreciate that our program is backed by a national brand like Nationwide – this means they receive A+ rated paper, best-in-class claims handling, and a host of specialized services and resources including loss control, online account access, a 24/7 nurse triage hotline and more.
Finally, I’d say the premium savings and our dividend program are another key benefit. Because our provided tech helps reduce workplace injuries, policyholders can expect premium savings over time with an improved Experience Modification score. And companies that experience a “lower than expected” loss frequency can earn a sizable dividend as well.
Q – What are a few of the most often asked questions from brokers about the Kinetic program, and your responses to those questions?
A – Broker questions often center around our provided tech. A few frequently asked questions include:
Is the Kinetic device included in the price of the insurance?
Yes. There is no extra charge for the wearable devices.
Is your insurance going to be priced higher than competitors to pay for the device?
No, our underwriting and pricing will be based solely on the risk attributes of the account.
Is the client required to use the technology to do business with Kinetic?
No, the policy holder is not required to implement the Kinetic wearable devices to bind business with us.
Is the device HIPPA compliant, and is the data private and safe from being hacked?
Yes. The device is GDPR certified. Kinetic operates a secure encrypted data infrastructure following best industry practices. Kinetic personnel are trained to securely handle any customer data.
Does the device track by GPS, track productive time, collect biometric or health data, or have a microphone or camera?
No to all, the device only tracks improper bending, overreaching, twisting, jump detection, number of steps, and wear time. It has no GPS tracking capabilities, and no microphone or camera functionality.