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mArkelfIrstCompunVeIlsneWnAmeneWAgentportAlAVerAgeCommerCIAlp-CrAteholdsAt4JulyWasthirdmonthinaroWForthe4aVerageratecommercialProPertyratesaloneWere6MarkelandFirstComphaveannouncedanewbrandx13MarkelFirstCompx13andanewindependentagentportal.Foundedin1997FirstCompwasthesmallbusinessworkersx19compensationinsurancearmofAspenHoldings.Itfocusesonsmalltomedium-sizedmainstreetbusinessesthattypicallyhavefewerthan10employees.Itdoesbusinessin33stateswithabout240milliongrosswrittenpremium.InOctober2010MarkelacquiredFirstCompandthecompanyhasbeenoperatingunderthenameFirstCompsincethen.TrentCooksleydirectorofstrategyandmarketingforFirstCompinOmahaNeb.saysinternallythecompanyhasbeenreferredtoasMarkelFirstCompforsometimebuttheannouncementofthenewlyenhancedFirstQuoteratingportalisthe2rsttimethenewbrandhasbeenacknowledgedpubliclysincethemerger.In2001FirstCompcreatedtheoriginalFirstQuoteagencyportalwhichCooksleysayswasstateoftheartatthetime.Thecompanyhasmadeenhancementstotheportalsincethenbutthemostrecentchangesaremoresigni2cantthansomeofthepreviousonessaysCooksley.Theyincludemoreef2ciencyfasterquotingandeasieraccesstoinformationaswellasresourcesincludinginsurancenews.Cooksleysaysthechangesarebasedonwhatagentssaidtheywantedfromthesite.Hesaystheywantedthesitetofocusonx1ceaseofusex1dandserviceinadditiontosellingcoverage.x1cWemadeasigni2cantamountofchangesatonetimeandchangedsomeofthelookandfeeltotheportalwhichwehadnx19tdoneinaboutsixyears.Wehadtomakesurethatagentswerecomfortablewiththechangex1dhesays.ThemergingofFirstCompandMarkelprovidesagentssomeof3inebene2tsaswell.Cooksleysaysitsagentsnowhaveanewmarketforothertypesofbusinesstheywrite.ThroughaseparateappointmentFirstComphasalsomadeavailabletoitsworkersx19compagentsMarkelISObasedcoveragex19sintheadmittedmarketwithspecialcoverageforms.x1cThereisanopportunitynowforagentstodobusinesswithMarkelandthetypesofproductstheyofferx1dhesays.x1cIftheycometousandwouldliketowriteproductsotherthanworkersx19compthroughMarkelwecanputthemintouchwiththeappropriateavenues.x1dCooksleysaysFirstCompisalsolookingintomovingintootherproductareasbutonlythosethattargetitssamecustomerbase.Theworkersx19compensationcoverageiswrittenoneitherFirstComporMarkelpaperdependingonthestate.AllothercoveragesarewrittenonMarkelpaper.AmyOx19ConnorisassociateeditorofMyNewMarkets.compage16APublicationofIndependentInsuranceAgentsofWVTheaveragerateincreaseforcommercialproperty-casualtyinsuranceremainedat4inJulythethirdconsecutivemonthforarateofthatsizeaccordingtothelatestmarketscoutBaroxbeterreport.Commercialpropertyhadthegreatestrateat6MarketScoutCEORichardKerrsaysinthemonthlyreport.Itincreasedby1percentagepointfromJunex19srateof5.Inadditionothercommercialcoveragesexperiencedx1cmonthonmonthrateincreasesx1dof1percentagepointincludingbusinessinterruptionbusinessownerspolicyexcessliabilityautodirectorsof2cersandemploymentpracticesliabilityKerradds.Smallcommercialaccountsthatare25000orlesswereup5whilejumboaccountsofmorethan1millionwereup2accordingtoMarketScout.EachincreasedbyonepercentagepointfromitsrespectiveJunerate.Byindustryclasspublicentitiesexperiencedthegreatestrateincreaseby2percentagepointsfrom1inJuneto3inJulyaccordingtothereport.Itwasfollowedbytransportationwhichincreasedfrom4inJuneto5inJulyandenergywhichroseby3to4.Meanwhiletheaveragerateincreaseforperx10onallinex10was2accordingtoMarketScout.Julywasthesixthconsecutivemonthforanaveragerateincreaseofthatsize.x1cThemarketdidnx19tmovemuchfromJunetoJulyasthecompositerateremainedat2x1dKerrsays.x1cTheonlymovementwasinpersonalarticle3oaterswhichwereupfrom2to3.x1dInadditionratesforpersonalautoandhomeownerswereup2accordingtothereport.VictoriaGoffisIAonlineeditor