Best's Review Recognizes Optimum General for Successful Innovation

Optimum General has been recognized for its Green Home Extension in the Innovators Showcase, published in the January 2012 edition of Best’s Review magazine.

To appeal to a growing number of environmentally conscious policyholders, Optimum General developed an endorsement for residential policies called the Green Home endorsement. It is a bundled package designed to reduce the home's carbon footprint and promote the use of environmentally friendly materials as an alternative choice in repair or replacement materials. The package includes a Carbon Offset program to help policyholders offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with their residence by purchasing carbon offsets, based on a rate per square foot and type of energy used.

Innovators Showcase is a forum for recognizing forward thinking among insurance organizations. A panel of insurance industry experts assessed the relative merits of nearly 70 submissions.

Insurance executives who reviewed the submission wrote, "Although the purchase of carbon offsets itself isn't new, the ease of purchase as part of the Green Home Extension, combined with the extra coverage for ‘green’ upgrades as part of the repair of a damaged home, is a clever package. As the submission noted, it has the capacity to have a positive influence on the public’s perception of the company, and, we believe, of the industry in general, especially if other companies develop similar products."

“We recognized that we had a unique opportunity to deliver an environmentally responsible feature in a way that has never been done before”, mentioned Jeremy Green, Regional Vice President for Optimum in British Columbia, where the product was first introduced. “Including Carbon Offsets via Home Insurance provides our policyholders with an easy and effective way to help manage their carbon footprint. We believe that most people want to make a positive environmental impact whenever they can but the option must be easy and accessible. We are proud of the Optimum Green Home extension and hope that other insurers will eventually follow our lead in this area.”

To read about this innovation, visit www.bestreview.com. The January digital edition is available to everyone.

Best’s Review is published by the A.M. Best Co. for insurance professionals, including home office executives, agents and brokers. Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Co. is the world’s oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source.