EMC News

Athens has had 3,000 years to figure out how to do “iconic.” Now it’s your turn—if you qualify for the 2027 EMC Agent Recognition Trip. 

Before we get to that, we figured we’d make it a little more interesting than just staring at a qualification list.

So, we built something for it.

A quick travel-style quiz that shows you what kind of Athens experience you’re walking into—if you make it.

Are you:

• The “golden hour ruins and history everywhere you look” person
• The “rooftop dinner with Acropolis views and zero interest in leaving early” person
• Or the “turn left, find the best local spot, never tell anyone about it” person

👉 Find your Athens travel style

While you’re here: Let’s talk qualifications 

If Athens is on your radar, now’s a good time to check where you stand.

Visit EMCAthens2027.com to review qualifications and keep yourself on track for the EMC Agent Recognition Trip. You’ll also find details on Athens and Hotel Grande Bretagne—your home base for the week.

Questions? Your EMC Territory Management Team has answers.

2025 was a year that mattered—not just for EMC, but for the agents and partners working alongside us every day.

It showed up in the numbers, yes. But more importantly, it showed up in how we’re operating differently heading into the future.

Our 2025 Annual Report highlights a year defined by strong performance, disciplined execution, and steady progress across the business. That included strengthening our core middle market foundation, launching new business units, and continuing to invest in tools that make it easier to do business with EMC.

Or in plain terms: We spent the year building momentum in ways you should start to feel in how we work together.

A big part of that work continues to be our focus on Keeping insurance human®—not as a tagline, but as a guide for how we show up for agents, policyholders, team members, and communities.

👉 Read the 2025 Annual Report

Construction continues to be one of the most talked‑about segments at EMC—and for good reason.

More than 300 agents and partners joined our April 7 Pump Up the Volume: Construction Deep Dive webinar to dig into where we’re seeing opportunity, how disciplined underwriting is shaping outcomes, and what’s helping contractors succeed in today’s market (if you missed it, scroll to the bottom for a link to watch the full recording). 

But the real value came in the questions.

Here are two of the most popular—and what you should take from them when you’re working construction accounts.

Will EMC consider new ventures with prior experience?

Short answer: Yes—when the foundation is right.

We do see opportunity in new ventures, particularly when ownership brings industry experience, financial backing, and a clear path to operating success.

A common example is a superintendent or project manager leaving a general contractor to start their own firm. In those cases, they’re not just “new”—they’re experienced operators with relationships, technical knowledge, and real jobsite exposure.

That can be a strong fit for EMC when the risk is structured well.

That said, not all startups look the same. Heavy construction startups often require significant capital investment and carry higher volatility early on. In those cases, placement in the E&S market may be more appropriate until the operation stabilizes.

What this means for you: New venture doesn’t automatically mean “no”—but it does mean underwriting will focus heavily on experience, structure, and financial backing.

Can EMC offer higher E&O limits if a contract requires it?

EMC’s Errors & Omissions coverage for construction risks is:

• $1 million per occurrence
• $2 million aggregate

These limits are consistent with standard construction market expectations. When a contractor is being asked to carry higher professional liability limits, that typically signals a different coverage need—often a Contractors Professional Liability (CPL) policy rather than an E&O endorsement.

What this means for you: If you’re seeing higher limit requirements in contracts, it’s a signal to evaluate whether CPL is the better fit—not to stretch E&O beyond its intended structure.

Construction can get messy

We talk a lot about construction at EMC because it’s a core strength for us, but also because it’s an area where details really matter. We know it doesn’t always feel neat and tidy—more like a jobsite after a long week and a little too much rain. That’s why our construction team is built the way it is:

• Underwriters who know the classes
• Claims and Risk Control folks who’ve seen the jobsite side of things
• And support teams who are comfortable saying, “let’s talk through this one together”

The goal is clarity, consistency, and being useful when things get complicated.

Missed the session?

You can watch the full Pump Up the Volume: Construction Deep Dive webinar on demand. 

Watch it now

Stay tuned: Our next Pump Up the Volume session will take a closer look at multiline aggregate retention and how it can be used strategically to support profitable growth across accounts. More details to come. 

BOP Edge is now available for small business accounts in Oklahoma, Nevada, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and Utah. More states are on the way, which means more opportunities to write small business with EMC.

If you’re unsure about Small Business eligibility, start with the online appetite guide in Agent Access. It helps confirm eligibility before you build a quote, so you can focus on the opportunities that are actually in play.

The guide walks you through eligibility before account details are entered. That early check helps confirm fit and reduces the kind of backtracking that tends to happen once time has already been spent on a quote. Bonus: it will also prefill class information based on the business description you select.

The goal is simple: spend less time fixing quotes, and more time moving the right ones forward.

Want to dig into the details? Check out the Small Business toolkit.

Spring brings open windows, busier jobsites, more time on the road—and a few more ways things can go sideways. Which makes it a great time to check in with customers and pass along a few simple ways to stay ahead of risk. 

Loss Control Insights makes that easy with practical tips you can share without adding extra work to your day.

1. Common jobsite hazards—and how to handle them
   As crews ramp back up after winter, the usual risks show up fast—slips, falls, electrical hazards, and more. This guide breaks down what to watch for and how to manage it, without overcomplicating things.
2. What causes rear-end collisions
   Rear-end accidents are one of the most common losses—and one of the most preventable. With more travel, spring conditions, and distracted driving in the mix, this is a good time to reinforce the basics. This resource covers the top causes, key risk factors, and simple ways to help drivers reduce crashes and injuries.
3. The ROI of hiring a safety manager
   Safety investments don’t just protect people—they can have a measurable impact on the bottom line. This piece walks through how a dedicated safety manager can help improve operations, reduce losses, and deliver real financial returns, especially for higher-risk businesses.

Quick to share. Easy to use. Helpful for customers who don’t have time to dig through safety manuals.

👉 Sign up for Loss Control Insights

Construction has always been hands-on, but more contractors are adding something behind the scenes: data.

Telematics—using GPS and vehicle sensors to track driving behavior, equipment use, and vehicle performance—is becoming a practical way to help improve safety, reduce losses, and run a tighter operation.

What it helps prevent (and why that matters)

Auto losses continue to be one of the biggest cost drivers—not just for EMC, but across the industry. For many contractors, it’s also their highest premium line.

Telematics gives real-time visibility into how vehicles are being used, including:

• Speeding
• Harsh braking
• Distracted driving
• Seatbelt use

When paired with dash cameras, it also provides context when something goes wrong—helping identify issues early, support driver coaching, and reduce the severity of accidents over time.

Fewer surprises. Better conversations. Stronger outcomes.

It’s not just safety—it’s positioning

Contractors using telematics have a clearer story to tell.

They can show:

• How risk is being actively managed
• How drivers are being coached and improved
• How operations are being monitored in real time

That kind of visibility doesn’t just improve performance, it can lead to better loss experience, stronger insurability, and a competitive edge when bidding work.

What to know before you bring it up

Telematics can raise concerns about monitoring, but the conversation is shifting.

This isn’t about surveillance—it’s about visibility. It gives contractors better insight into how their business is actually running, so they can make smarter decisions and step in before small issues turn into larger losses.

Getting started 

If you joined our recent Pump Up the Volume session, you heard about vendor options that can help contractors get started more easily.

Both Samsara and Verizon Connect offer free hardware options or preferred pricing. That lowers the barrier to entry and makes it easier to introduce telematics without a large upfront investment.

EMC Claims Solutions is introducing a new look—and a new website to match.

As a third-party administrator (TPA), the team provides claims management with a human touch. They partner with agents and support both EMC policyholders and external clients through flexible, unbundled solutions. That includes working across multiple carriers and underwriting structures, including self-insured programs.

EMC Claims Solutions supports programs across the country and partners with agents like you every day. Their long-tenured adjusters bring deep expertise, steady guidance, and practical insights—so you have clarity, consistency, and a team that understands the realities of risk management.

You’ll find updated resources, improved communication touchpoints and a layout which helps you get where you need to go without the guesswork. It’s a fresh, modern design with broker feedback in mind—and it’s ready for you to explore.

👉 Visit the new EMC Claims Solutions website 

Starting May 21, agents and policyholders will see an updated, easier way to access policy documents in Agent Access and Policyholder Access.

The simplified experience replaces the current policy document screens and helps users get to what they need faster. Documents are organized by account, policy year, and transaction, and they now open in new browser tabs. That means you can review policy forms and auto ID cards, when applicable, without navigating away from the portal.

Policyholders can access documents directly from the homepage by selecting an account and choosing the policy year and transaction they want to view.

Agents will continue using the existing “View Policy Documents” link, which will direct them to the updated experience. When available, agents will also be able to include the common policy declarations page.

The new experience will be available beginning May 21.

And speaking of Agent Access, you’ll now be prompted to change your password every six months instead of every three. So it’s one less thing to manage during the year.

For questions, reach out to your EMC Territory Manager.

Many people put off getting life insurance because of assumptions that haven’t kept up with how the process actually works. They think it will be expensive, that they’re too young to need it, or that employer coverage is enough.

Another common belief is that the application process is complicated—something that involves a long exam, a lot of paperwork, and weeks of waiting for answers.

In reality, applying for coverage is much simpler and faster than most people expect. With advances in technology, many applicants can complete a straightforward online application and receive immediate underwriting results.

To make it even clearer, check out this video from Kirt Till, EMC Life Business Development Consultant, who walks through how straightforward the process really is.