Marsh McLennan Agency Compensation Guide for Clients User Guide

Marsh McLennan Agency Compensation Guide for Clients

Specifications

• Product Name: Marsh McLennan Agency:
  Compensation Guide for Clients

• Manufacturer: Marsh McLennan Agency LLC
  (MMA)

• Focus: Insurance needs with local service
  excellence

• Commitment: Transparency and Compliance

Product Information

• About Marsh McLennan Agency: MMA is dedicated to serving the insurance needs of clients with a focus on local service excellence, offering outstanding products and solutions tailored to unique needs.
• Commitment to Transparency and Compliance: MMA prides itself on transparency and compensation disclosure, ensuring clients understand how they are paid and the services provided in exchange for compensation. They engage both on their behalf and as agents for non-US affiliates.
• Comprehensive Compliance Program: MMA’s commitment to ethical business practices includes experienced compliance specialists, detailed procedures, training, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms to uphold industry standards.
• Benefits for Clients: Clients benefit from a clear understanding of fees, and services provided, and the ability to evaluate potential conflicts of interest.
• Compensation Methods: MMA receives compensation through commissions, fees from insurance companies, and fees from clients, with various methods of payment and engagement terms.

Product Usage Instructions

• Understanding Compensation Transparency
  • Review the disclosed information about how MMA is compensated to understand the fees and services provided.
• Requesting Information
  • If needed, request additional information about compensation, services, or potential conflicts of interest from MMA.
• Evaluating Services
  • Evaluate the services provided by MMA based on the disclosed compensation and information to ensure alignment with your needs.

Marsh McLennan Agency: Compensation Guide for Clients

ABOUT MARSH MCLENNAN AGENCY
Marsh McLennan Agency LLC ( MM ) is dedicated to serving the insurance needs of all our clients, with a focus on local service excellence, and outstanding products and solutions that meet their unique needs.

OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND COMPLIANCE
MMA prides itself on being an industry leader including in the area of transparency and compensation disclosure. We believe you should understand how we are paid and understand the services we are providing for the compensation we receive. We are committed to compensation transparency and to disclosing to you information that will assist you in evaluating potential conflicts of interest.

As a professional insurance producer, MMA and its subsidiaries facilitate the placement of insurance coverage on behalf of our clients. As an independent insurance agent, MMA may have the authority to obligate an insurance company on behalf of our clients and as a result, we may be required to act within the scope of the authority granted to us under our contract with the insurer. By industry custom, we are compensated either through commissions that are calculated as a percentage of the insurance premiums charged by insurers, or fees agreed to with our clients.

MMA engages with clients on behalf of itself and in some cases as an agent on behalf of its non-US affiliates concerning the services we may provide. For a list of our non-US affiliates, please visit https://mma.marshmma.com/non-us- affiliates. In those instances, MMA will bill and collect on behalf of the non-US Affiliates amounts payable to them for placements made by them on your behalf and remit to them any such amounts collected on their behalf.

We are committed to setting the industry standard for ethical business practices and client service. To fulfill that commitment, we pledge to our U.S. clients that we will:

• disclose the role(s) we perform in insurance transaction(s);
• disclose the types of compensation we may receive from insurers or others (see below);
• disclose, upon our clients’ request all quotes and premium indications we receive from insurers on our client’s behalf;
• disclose, upon our client’s request, the amount of our compensation from insurers and other third parties about placements made on our client’s behalf; and
• promptly respond to client requests for additional information about our compensation

We have reinforced this commitment with a comprehensive compliance program that includes:

• experienced compliance specialists;
• detailed compliance procedures;
• ethics and compliance training;
• regular transaction monitoring and auditing to make sure we live up to our standards;
• regular reports to our board of directors; and
• a hotline for any questions or complaints.

These initiatives translate into many benefits for our clients, including:

• a clear understanding of how much you are paying us;
• a clear understanding of what you are paying us to do; and
• the ability to evaluate our services and any potential conflicts of interest, much as you
• evaluate services you purchase from other professionals.

OUR COMPENSATION

We are compensated in a variety of ways, including commissions and fees paid by insurance companies and fees paid by clients. MMA may receive compensation through one or a combination of the following methods:

• Retail Commissions – A retail commission is paid to MMA by the insurer (or wholesale broker) as a percentage of the premium charged to the insured for the policy. The amount of commission may vary depending on several factors, including the type of insurance product sold and the insurer selected by the client. Retail rates can vary from transaction to transaction. If MMA places business through an affiliated wholesale broker or managing general agent, MMA will advise the client of this at or prior to placement.

• Client Fees – Some clients may negotiate a fee for MMA’s services instead of, or in addition to, retail commissions paid by insurance companies. Fee agreements are in writing, typically under a Client Service Agreement, which sets forth the services to be provided by MMA, the compensation to be paid to MMA, and the terms of MMA’s engagement. The fee may be collected in whole, or part, through the crediting of retail commissions collected by MMA for the client’s placements.

• Contingent Commissions – Many insurers agree to pay contingent commissions to insurance producers who meet set thresholds for all or some of the policies the insurance producers place with the insurer during the current year. The set thresholds may include volume, profitability, retention, and/or growth metrics. Because the amount of contingent commission earned may vary depending on factors relating to an entire book of business over a year, the amount of contingent commission attributable to any given policy typically will not be known at the time of placement.

• Supplemental Commissions – Certain insurers and wholesalers agree to pay supplemental commissions, which are based on an insurance producer’s performance during the prior year. Supplemental commissions are paid as a percentage of the premium that is set at the beginning of the calendar year. This percentage remains fixed for all eligible policies written by the insurer during the ensuing year. Unlike contingent commissions, the amount of supplemental commission is known at the time of insurance placement. Like contingent commissions, they may be based on volume, profitability, retention, and/or growth.

• Wholesale Broking Commissions – Sometimes MMA acts as a wholesale insurance broker. In these placements, MMA is engaged by a retail agent that has a direct relationship with the insured. As the wholesaler, MMA may have specialized expertise, access to surplus lines markets, or access to specialized insurance facilities that the retail agent does not have. In these transactions, the insurer typically pays a
  commission that is divided between the retail and wholesale brokers under arrangements made between them.

• Medallion Program and Sponsorships – Under MMA’s Medallion Program, participating carriers sponsor educational programs, MMA events, and other initiatives. Depending on their sponsorship levels, participating carriers are invited to attend meetings and events with MMA executives, have the opportunity to provide education and training to MMA colleagues, and receive data reports from MMA. Insurers may also sponsor other national and regional programs and events.

• Other Compensation – From time to time, MMA may be compensated by insurers
  for providing administrative services on behalf of those insurers. Such amounts are typically calculated as a percentage of premium or are based on the number of
  insureds. Additionally, insurers sponsor some MMA training programs and/or events. MMA may also have arrangements with vendors who compensate MMA for referring
  clients for the vendor’s services.

• Other Benefits: MMA may, from time to time, participate in insurance company promotional events or employee training and development provided by insurers. Sometimes, MMA is reimbursed by insurers for its costs related to promotional marketing. Where legally permitted, MMA earns interest and other income on premium accounts, as paid to us by the financial institutions where insurance premiums are held before remittance to insurers. MMA may also be compensated for assisting its clients in obtaining premium financing.

Our Contractual Arrangements with Insurers

MMA has agreements with certain insurers under which MMA provides services to them and for which MMA is compensated to the extent permitted by law and regulation in each country in which MMA operates. Examples include captive management services, claims administration services, claims management software and associated services, managing generalagentst,t and managing general underwriter services. MMA is also party to agreements with insurers that facilitate insurance transactions, including agency agreements, agreements to administer facilities, and agreements to operate internet-based insurance placing facilities.

MMA also routinely enters into various types of agreements with insurers that are ancillary to the insurance broking process, or other services performed on behalf of clients. Examples include confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements for the release of data relating to insurance placements, claims handling and loss control programs, nondisclosure and/or non-competition agreements relating to the development and disclosure of new insurance products and services, and licensing agreements governing access to and use of data management systems and databases.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Marsh McLennan Companies, Inc. and its subsidiaries own equity interests in several insurers or reinsurers. For further information regarding these interests, please visit:
https://www.marsh.com/us/about-marsh/leading-the-way-in-transparency.html

AFCO Premium Credit LLC is a joint venture between Marsh USA Inc. and AFCO Credit Corporation that provides premium financing services to insurance buyers.

STATEMENT REGARDING ALTERING COMPENSATION
MMA is prohibited by law in most states from altering the amount of compensation received from an insurer based in whole or in part on the sale of an insurance policy.
This disclosure is mandated by New York State Insurance Department Regulation No. 194 (11 NYCRR 30) §30.3(5). We interpret this provision to refer to the various anti-rebating insurance laws throughout the country, such as New York Insurance Law §2324 which prohibits insurance companies, agents, and brokers from sharing or rebating commissions as an inducement to making an insurance contract. MMA makes the above statement based on that interpretation.

QUESTIONS? JUST ASK
We encourage you to ask questions regarding any aspect of your relationship with MMA. Please feel free to ask a member of your account team.
If you wish to raise issues, express concerns, or file a complaint regarding compensation paid or payable to us by insurers or any other third parties, please contact our Ethics & Compliance line at 800-381-2105, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

FAQ

• Q: How can I request information about the compensation received by MMA?
  • A: You can request information about MMA’s compensation by contacting them directly or visiting their website for more details.
• Q: What are the benefits of MMA’s commitment to transparency and compliance?
  • A: Clients benefit from a clear understanding of fees, services provided, and the ability to evaluate potential conflicts of interest, enhancing trust and informed decision-making.

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)  >>

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>