For Retail Agents

Your E&S desk, start to finish

Black Shore acts as the agent of record on every placement and takes full ownership of the work — so your job ends where ours begins: at the submission. Here is exactly what happens after you hit send.

Step by Step

The lifecycle of a Black Shore submission

1

Send the submission

Email the dec page — or just the risk details — to our submissions inbox. Loss runs, prior policies, statements of values, inspection reports: send whatever you have. Everything you provide travels with the submission and helps the underwriter say yes faster.

2

Same-day intake review

We review the file immediately and confirm what's needed. If anything essential is missing — square footage, building update years, an operations description — you get one consolidated request, not a string of piecemeal emails. If the class of business calls for a supplemental application, we identify the exact form up front and send it to you. A completed (unsigned) supplemental is all we need to get quotes moving; signatures are only collected at binding.

3

We prepare every application

ACORD prep is on us. Our team builds the complete application package in-house — commercial property, general liability, excess, package, or homeowners — accurately and typically the same day. Every form carries Black Shore as agent of record, which means responsibility for getting it right sits with us, not you. Prefer to send your own completed applications? Always welcome — just never required.

4

Your risk goes to market

We present the account to our wholesale market partners — each one receiving its own complete, individually prepared submission with the full underwriting file attached. No portals, no batch blasts, no thin one-line emails. Underwriters get everything they need to quote on the first pass, which is why our submissions come back faster and cleaner.

5

Quotes become a presentation-ready proposal

When quotes arrive, we compare the options and prepare a clean, professional proposal for you to put in front of your client. Surplus lines tax and stamping are itemized exactly as quoted — never estimated — so the number your client sees is the number they pay. Proposals always go through you; we never go around our agents to the insured.

6

Binding made simple

When your client is ready, one short authorization form starts the bind. We assemble the full binding package — the signed application, the Florida surplus lines disclosure, the terrorism coverage election, the no-known-loss letter, and any class-specific forms — and your insured signs everything electronically in a single sitting. No printing, no scanning, no chasing pages.

7

We collect the premium — directly

Black Shore collects premium straight from the insured by secure electronic payment and pays our markets directly. If the account needs premium financing, we coordinate that too. Your agency never invoices, never fronts money, and never makes a collection call. Once payment is confirmed, we request the binder and deliver it promptly.

8

Policy service that keeps pace

Certificates of insurance are typically issued the same day you ask — just send the certificate holder details. Endorsements, additional insureds, mid-term changes, renewals, audits, and cancellations are all handled by our office, logged, and confirmed back to you in writing.

The Division of Labor

What you do

  • Own the client relationship
  • Email us the dec page and risk details
  • Have your client complete a supplemental when the class requires one
  • Present our proposal and tell us when to bind
 

What you never do

  • Prepare a single ACORD — unless you'd rather send your own
  • Log into carrier or wholesaler portals
  • Calculate surplus lines tax or stamping
  • Assemble binding documents or chase signatures
  • Invoice the insured or chase premium
Getting Appointed

Producer onboarding

Onboarding is straightforward and usually completed within days. To get appointed as a Black Shore producer, we'll ask for:

  • A signed Producing Agency Agreement
  • Our short producer onboarding form
  • A current W-9
  • A voided check for commission direct deposit
  • Proof of active E&O coverage meeting our minimum limits
  • An active Florida 2-20 license (or equivalent) for the lines you'll submit

Commissions are paid by direct deposit on a regular schedule, with clear statements — you'll always know what's been paid and what's pending. Compensation details are provided in your Producing Agency Agreement at onboarding.

Pro Tips

How to get the fastest quote

Property submissions

Include the insured's full legal name, requested effective date, total insured values, year built, construction type, protection class, number of stories, roof type, and square footage. Building update years (wiring, plumbing, heating, roof) help too — markets ask for them on nearly every older building.

Liability submissions

A solid description of operations is the single most valuable thing you can send. Add gross sales, employee count, subcontractor usage, and any prior claims, and your quote comes back days sooner. For homeowners, wind mitigation and inspection reports speed everything up.

FAQ

Common questions

Who is the agent of record?

Black Shore acts as the agent of record on every placement. That structure is deliberate — responsibility for accurate applications, correct disclosures, and proper surplus lines tax and stamping rests with us, while you keep full ownership of the client relationship.

What do I send to get a quote?

The dec page — or just the risk details — plus whatever you have: loss runs, prior policies, statements of values, inspection or wind mitigation reports. If anything essential is missing, you get one consolidated request, not a string of piecemeal emails.

How fast are quotes?

Intake review is same-day, and application packages are typically built the day they arrive. Quote timing depends on the market, but complete files consistently come back faster — that's why every submission goes out with the full underwriting file attached on the first pass.

Do I handle any compliance paperwork?

No. Surplus lines tax and stamping, state disclosures, the terrorism coverage election, the no-known-loss letter, and every other required binding document are assembled by Black Shore, and your insured signs everything electronically in a single sitting.

How do my clients pay?

Black Shore collects premium directly from the insured by secure electronic payment and pays our markets directly. If the account needs premium financing, we coordinate that too. Your agency never invoices, never fronts money, and never makes a collection call.

Can I send my own ACORDs?

Yes — agents who prefer to send their own completed applications are always welcome to. It's simply never required: most agents send the dec page and let us build the package the same day.

Have a risk in mind right now?

Don't wait on the paperwork — send us the dec page today and we'll tell you the same day what we can do with it.

Submit or Get Appointed