Designing the Future of Construction Underwriting at Central

Expertise matters in construction. With over two decades of experience in commercial and large construction insurance companies, Scott Zemberi, Central’s Director of Construction Underwriting, brings a wealth of insight and expertise to our construction vertical. Zemberi recently shared what brought him to Central, the opportunities he sees for construction, and how building a dedicated construction team sets the stage for mutual growth alongside our agents. 

The Road to Central

Zemberi’s insurance career began at the Cincinnati Insurance Company and spanned several roles, including that of a main presenter for the carrier’s contractual liability workshops for five and a half years.

“I traveled around the country hosting one-day seminars focused on construction liability,” he says. “When you get 50 agents in a room talking about construction challenges, you learn a lot, and you learn fast.”  

When Cincinnati launched its large construction division, Zemberi stepped into a producer role before moving into management. Eventually, Scott received a call from Central about a new opportunity: Director of Construction Underwriting.  

“I’d been with Cincinnati for 20 years, and things were going great. I wasn’t looking for a career change, but the more I thought about joining Central, the more it appealed to me,” he explains. 

“I was second in charge of construction at Cincinnati, and Central presented me with an opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat. I liked the idea of building out their construction vertical and expertise. I’d done something similar at Cincinnati, so I could leverage my experience to help Central succeed. Construction was already our biggest and fastest-growing vertical, so we had a lot to build on—I couldn’t turn down that opportunity.”  

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Rising to the Construction Challenge  

Zemberi’s background has given him a deep understanding of the challenges facing the construction industry. From inflation to rising labor shortages, he has his finger on the pulse of the field, allowing him to pivot easily and adjust to evolving trends before the masses.

When it comes to labor shortages, for example, he explains that “there are plenty of people willing to do the work, but contractors are struggling to find qualified, skilled employees. There’s a lot of talent set to retire over the next few years, and workers new to the industry will fill many of those spots creating some concern about a lack of expertise in construction. If things aren’t built up to standard, we could see problems six or seven years down the road.” 

No matter what challenge the construction industry is facing, Zemberi acknowledges that expertise is the key to success. Rather than relying on insurance generalists, he is building regional, dedicated construction teams solely focused on servicing Central’s larger, more complex construction policyholders. 

Who Makes Up Central’s Regional Construction Teams?

The underwriters that comprise this team understand the challenges our contractors face in the field. They use their expertise in working with our agents to help policyholders choose the right policies and coverage to protect what matters to them. 

What’s more, Central has recently added a dedicated loss control construction specialist to our team, whose primary responsibility is helping contractors prevent accidents and claims by providing a host of value-added services, such as employee training or enhancing job site safety. 

Construction Expertise & The Claims Process

Central’s construction expertise also comes into play when handling claims. “Our team understands how to litigate construction defect claims, and they have experience with contractual risk transfer.”

Zemberi says he’s proud to have such a well-rounded and informed group of experts at Central.

“Establishing dedicated experts and construction resources brings a whole new level of value to the table.” 

The Future of Construction at Central 

In the year ahead, Zemberi’s focus will be growing Central’s construction team, which he plans to have work closely with agents on larger construction accounts.  

“I’m excited to watch our appetite expand beyond the small artisan space to encompass larger construction and heavier civil construction business,” he says. 

“We haven’t had an appetite for these types of accounts in the past because we didn’t have the right team to support them. Now, we have the right players and products in place to go all in.”

As for his approach to this next phase, he says, “We’ll be there to support and train our agents, and we’re excited to get out in the field with policyholders on their job sites. Our goal is to become a presence and proactive partner within the construction industry. We want to make Central synonymous with construction excellence.” 

Learn More

Check out the articles below to learn more about coverage, loss control, and the benefits of an insurance partner with specialized construction expertise. 

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