Forward Mutual Insurance Company

Carrier appetite summary

Operational guidance is based on Forward Mutual’s public product descriptions and annual report; the carrier does not publish a detailed agent underwriting manual or appetite guide on its public site. Treat the following as directional and confirm specifics with the underwriter. Preferred / target business - Personal lines home risks in Wisconsin: owner-occupied primary residences (dwellings, condos, mobile homes) and renters exposures, written in partnership with local independent agents. - Well-maintained homes and farms with standard construction and no unusual loss activity. The company emphasizes protecting “home and farm owners throughout Wisconsin,” suggesting a long-term, relationship-based rural/small-town book. - Accounts that package property and liability with Forward Mutual, with optional inland marine/scheduled personal property and equipment breakdown add-ons. - Home-based businesses only when the primary residence is insured with Forward Mutual and the exposure is eligible for the home-based business extension. Restricted or declined classes (inferred from product scope and consumer guidance) - No personal auto is written by Forward Mutual; auto is placed with Grinnell Compass, so do not submit stand‑alone auto or expect Forward to quote personal auto directly. - Commercial risks, stand-alone business policies, and larger or complex commercial farms/business operations are likely outside appetite unless specifically discussed with underwriting. - Significant home-based business operations or home offices that exceed the home-based business endorsement scope should be placed under a separate business policy, not under the homeowners contract. - Non-owner-occupied dwellings, vacant homes, or rental properties are not clearly described as eligible; these should be treated as non-standard and pre‑cleared with underwriting. Geographic notes - Forward Mutual serves home and farm owners “throughout Wisconsin” and lists Wisconsin agency locations only. Treat appetite as Wisconsin-only for new business. - Local independent agents are the distribution channel; business should flow through contracted agencies in the state. Coverage / product structure notes (home) - Home-Guard homeowners program provides: personal liability; dwelling and other structures; personal property; and additional living expenses. Optional coverage is available for valuables (jewelry, collections, antiques) via inland marine/scheduling. - Renters coverage is positioned as a stepping stone to future homeowners coverage, with emphasis on building insurance history to simplify underwriting and potentially lower rates when converting to homeowners. - Condo coverage assumes the association policy insures building/common elements and association liability; agents must align unit-owner coverage with the association’s master policy. - Home-based business coverage is available only as an extension when the primary residence is already insured with Forward Mutual and only for eligible small home-based operations. - Homeowners equipment breakdown coverage is offered as an endorsement to cover mechanical/electrical breakdown of major household systems; the insured chooses the repair contractor. Recent underwriting / risk management signals - The 2024 Annual Report notes continued pressure from rising reinsurance, claims, and inflation and states that property rates and deductibles were increased during 2024. As of October 2024, the wind/hail deductible was raised to $2,500. Expect heightened sensitivity to wind/hail and property-cat exposure, and anticipate higher wind/hail deductibles on new and renewal homeowners and farm business. Consumer-facing risk and usage guidance (useful for underwriting conversations) - Forward Mutual expects the insured to: (1) occupy the home they own (owner-occupied assumption); (2) notify the agent/company if they stop living in the home so the policy can be rewritten; (3) notify the agent if they start working from home or open a home-based business so coverage can be adjusted or a business policy written; (4) report changes in cohabitation, acquisition of high-value items (jewelry, guns, antiques, collections), association/HOA guideline changes for condos, significant remodeling or value changes, and any purchase of new homes/vacation properties/rental or hunting land. - These expectations imply heightened concern about proper occupancy status, undisclosed home-based business operations, adequacy of personal property limits and scheduling, and proper classification of secondary/vacation/rental locations. Submission / agent process notes - Forward Mutual writes exclusively through independent agents; consumers are directed to contact a local agent for quotes, coverage questions, and changes. There is no direct online binding. - All new business and changes should be submitted via appointed agencies; the public site does not outline specific documentation requirements, photos, or binding authority. Agents should rely on internal Forward Mutual manuals and their assigned underwriter’s instructions for eligibility, documentation (e.g., inspections, photos), and binding limits. - For auto placed with Grinnell Compass through Forward agents, underwriting is controlled by Grinnell; any auto/home discount or package consideration is subject to each carrier’s rules. Broker/producer instructions (public) - No public appetite grid or producer manual is posted. Agents are repeatedly instructed to have insureds call when occupancy, use, or property characteristics change, and to consult Forward Mutual when there is home-based business, new high-value property, association changes, or major remodeling. - Underwriting and risk management posture is conservative, with emphasis on rate/deductible adjustments and reinsurance cost pressures; expect underwriters to be cautious on property condition, prior losses, and cat-prone exposures, and to prefer clean risks with good maintenance and straightforward owner-occupied use. Because there is no publicly available detailed underwriting guide, producers should treat this summary as directional and confirm specific eligibility (occupancy type, farm classes, home-based business types, deductibles, and documentation) directly with Forward Mutual underwriting.

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