infoptimum The Optimum Broker Award EDocs at Optimum Optimum s Website The Optimum Group

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1 infoptimum Optimum General Newsletter Vol. 1 - No. 1 / October 2015 The Optimum Broker Award Recognizing our broker partners contribution to our success in Normandy, France EDocs at Optimum What is edocs and how can this process improve efficiency? Optimum s Website Find out how our useful tools, raters and reports can help you! dations, Solid foun ise of a the prom ture fu us ro prospe The Optimum Group Discover more about us, and other Optimum affiliates Stay updated on developments and product offerings at Optimum by subscribing to our newsletter at infoptimum@optimum-general.com

2 The Optimum Broker Award At Optimum, we believe in recognizing brokers whose commitment and contributions are invaluable to our success. Since the early 90 s, qualifying brokers have been rewarded with a week-long trip to our estate in Normandy, France. In 2007, eligibility rules for the award were revised; some of the conditions and criteria to qualify include business volume, profitability and growth, potential for development and high standards of service. A Week at Domaine du Tremblay The trip is mainly based in the Normandy region, home to Optimum s Domaine du Tremblay. Originally a dairy farm owned by the Tremblay family, the residence was occupied by German forces during the Second World War and used as a military treatment centre for wounded German soldiers. Rich in both history and culture, Domaine du Tremblay and the Normandy region offers much to visitors. The 2015 Winners Earlier this year, the recipients of the award, accompanied by a guest, had the opportunity to spend a week in France to discover Normandy s beautiful scenery as well as the charms of Paris. Our broker winners for 2015 are : - Benoit Després Courtier Multi Plus inc., Montreal, Quebec - Sylvie Lambert RGA Assurance, Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec - Normand Langelier Silva, Langelier & Pereira, Montreal, Quebec - Clay Langley Demarco-Lucenti Insurance Brokers Ltd., North Bay, Ontario - Charlene Loui-Ying Growth Financial Corporation, Kelowna, British Columbia - André Lussier Lussier Dale Parizeau, Montreal, Quebec - Kevin Sigouin First Insurance Agencies Ltd., Powell River, British Columbia - Kelly Thompson SurNet Insurance Group Inc., Whitby, Ontario - Curtis Wyatt Wyatt Dowling Insurance Brokers, Winnipeg, Manitoba Congratulations to all and good luck to our brokers for next year s award!

3 What is edocs? edocs is a no-touch process which transmits policy documents in PDF form directly from the insurer s system to the client file in the broker s BMS. This is accomplished by matching data markers between the two systems; this data includes policy number, client ID and policy effective date. Each policy transaction will generate its own edocs file whether it s a new business, renewal, policy change, cancellation or policy rewrite. Optimum and edocs In March of this year, Optimum obtained CSIO certification for edocs as part of our ongoing commitment to improve ease of doing business with our brokers. edocs delivers workflow and cost efficiencies which allows both Optimum and our broker partners to provide excellent service to customers. Furthermore, the significant reduction in printing is an important step towards reducing our carbon footprint. Upon receiving certification, Optimum partnered with the five largest BMS providers to implement edocs. edocs is now available for automobile policies in all provinces and the launch of edocs for our residential policies is planned for the beginning of For those who would like to have edocs As part of an initial test phase, Optimum worked with a small group of brokers to establish a seamless BMS integration process for edocs prior to a full launch. The test phase was successful and we are now ready to expand edocs to our broker force in a staggered rollout. The BMS setup is different for every agency and we want to ensure that our broker partners have the necessary support for a smooth and easy transition. If you wish to receive edocs for your automobile policies, you may contact your Optimum representative who will proceed with the setup and provide assistance with any issues you may encounter. For more information about edocs, you may contact Jonathan Clermont at jclermont@optimum-general.com.

4 Did you know that there are a variety of useful tools available on the Optimum website for our broker partners? In fact, you can find much more than just our newsletters For your underwriting needs, you have access to our most recent manuals, forms, policy wordings and endorsements as well as a series of bulletins and brochures. Training tools and Seminars Our team is developing online seminars to help brokers familiarize themselves with Optimum products and packages, and provide invaluable insurance information. To help you meet your education requirements, a number of these seminars will be accredited by insurance regulatory bodies. This section will be one you definitely want to keep an eye on! Raters In order to provide brokers with pricing solutions, we have posted rating tools offering simplified procedures that will help you quote more quickly. As the raters are built in Excel spreadsheets, they may be saved onto your desktop for quick access; however as we do update these raters periodically with new data such as new rates or vehicle models, it is important that your desktop version is kept up-to-date to avoid any premium discrepancies when quoting. Performance reports If you want to track your agency s performance and monitor your portfolio s progress in terms of premiums, losses, policy counts, retention or commissions, you may access three different reports at your convenience. In fact, you can view your statement of account, your agency s experience as well as your claims registry.

5 Who is Optimum? Optimum Group was founded in 1969 as an actuarial consulting firm. Over the years, we have expanded our business and diversified our activities. In fact, our property and casualty operations are only one of the business sectors in which Optimum operates. Optimum s subsidiaries are also active in life reinsurance, life insurance, consulting and asset management and real estate management. Optimum Group employs more than 500 people throughout Canada, the U.S. and France. Featured below are two of our member companies that are celebrating important milestones this year. Optimum Asset Management Inc. of fostering financial security Optimum Asset Management, founded in 1985, has more than $7.5 billion of assets under management in Canada for an institutional clientele consisting mainly of pension funds, foundations, religious orders and insurance companies. The company also services individual clients in the private wealth management sector. As a leader in fixed-income security management, Optimum Asset Management (OAM) offers strategies based on active management, index management and enhanced index management as well as value added liability-driven investment strategies. Its value-based approach allows it to offer high performance products while emphasizing capital preservation. OAM, who recently opened a branch in Toronto, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Optimum Vie S.A. of presence in France Acquired in 1975, Optimum Vie is the only Canadian owned life insurance company in France. It primarily offers contracts linked to investment, capitalization, savings, and retirement funds, as well as traditional pre-need products. Optimum Vie also works with clients to develop niche or extended range products. Innovation has always been a prime focus for Optimum Vie and its range of products is constantly evolving. By paying attention and actively listening to its partners and customers, Optimum Vie is able to offer them tailor-made solutions. These products are distributed via a network of independent brokers throughout France.