360 Risk Partners and BBSI Partner to Provide White-Glove Workers’ Compensation Insurance Coverage

Since 2012, Bret Fair and 360 Risk Partners' collaboration with BBSI has resulted in safer workplaces, happier employees, and lower costs. These results have helped Bret achieve a stellar client retention rate of over 90%.

Executive Summary >> About Bret Fair and 360 Risk Partners >> The Challenges of Managing Workers’ Compensation Coverage >> Mutual Goals, Mutual Results >> Looking to the Future with 360 Risk Partners and BBSI >> Take the Next Step >>

Executive Summary

Since the founding of 360 Risk Partners, Bret Fair has worked with BBSI to pursue his mission of solving workers’ compensation coverage challenges for small to mid-sized businesses struggling with frequent claims and high X-Mods.

Through constant review and analysis, 360 Risk Partners seeks to identify the root causes behind their clients’ frequent claims. They also work with clients to implement successful action plans to prevent claim recurrence. 360 Risk Partners’ impressive track record has earned Bret substantial recognition in the Sacramento community.

Since opening in 2012, 360 Risk Partners has:

Achieved over a 90% client retention rate during 10 years of partnership with BBSI.
Named BBSI their preferred partner for clients seeking a local PEO for hands-on business support.
Secured workers’ comp coverage for hundreds of high-risk clients.

About Bret Fair and 360 Risk Partners

Bret Fair opened 360 Risk Partners in 2012 after discovering a lack of support in the workers’ compensation market for small to mid-sized businesses, particularly those considered high-risk.

“Nobody was looking out for the small and mid-sized businesses,” says Bret. “That's why 360 came about.”

Based in Sacramento and licensed in all 50 states, 360 Risk Partners is one of the few nationwide consulting brokerages specializing in workers’ comp today. In addition to providing innovative workers’ compensation insurance solutions, 360 Risk Partners helps manage and oversee clients’ open claims, including claims filed prior to a client’s partnership with them.

Today, 360 Risk Partners manages over $10M in premiums annually.

The Challenges of Managing Workers’ Compensation Coverage

Before founding 360 Risk Partners, Bret was well aware of the challenges business owners faced in the comp market, especially in high-risk industries.

In his prior roles as an insurance broker at other agencies, Bret had trouble finding carriers to offer his clients the coverage and terms they needed. The challenges often resulted from the client's frequent claim history, significant losses, or poor claims management. Rather than directing his clients to state funds, Bret sought coverage through atypical relationships, such as staffing companies and other non-traditional carriers.

How BBSI Helped Bret and 360 Risk Partners

Bret began working with BBSI in 2009 as an insurance broker. Bret knew BBSI’s goals for its clients aligned with his own, and they would be a beneficial partner for solving his clients’ workers' comp challenges. BBSI was one of Bret's first phone calls when he started 360 Risk Partners, and the relationship has grown steadily ever since. BBSI and 360 Risk Partners now partner on a book of over 30 clients.

From claims management review to in-depth safety culture analysis, Bret and his team seek to determine the root cause of high X-Mods and rising premiums that affect his clients. Based on this analysis, Bret works with BBSI to recommend best practices in HR, risk, and safety to help business owners mitigate those issues.

"My clients feel that I am not just a broker; they also think I'm an HR specialist and an attorney,” Bret says. “So, they call me and ask for everything under the sun. And I do my best to answer it, but I'm not an expert in many of those things. Having BBSI there, they're going to call and talk to whoever they need to talk to for whatever the issue is. I don't even have to worry about taking that phone call, because it doesn't come to me, which is great."

Mutual Goals, Mutual Results

BBSI has become an integral partner for Bret and 360 Risk Partners’ team, alleviating his workload and ensuring his clients have a local support network of professionals to turn to.

Bret recommends BBSI to his clients with confidence because, compared to other PEOs, the BBSI team is hands-on and often more cost-effective.

“We probably have business with 10 to 15 different PEOs, and we’re also a broker on the master policy for a few. So, I know the space very well,” says Bret. “Sometimes we're in front of a client with two PEOs on the table, and one's BBSI."

"I always have to be honest with my client: if you want a hands-on, local presence and white-glove service, you go to BBSI. Nine times out of 10, they're also the most cost-effective option.”

360 Risk Partners and BBSI maintain over a 90% mutual client retention rate. Bret attributes this mutual success to BBSI’s strategic client approach. BBSI’s local teams believe that diligent claims management, strong safety culture, employee happiness, and administrative efficiency are key to helping businesses achieve their goals.

“I think it's hard to develop a relationship with a company where you feel completely confident in handing off the reins of a client — whether they’re brand new or one of your longest-standing clients and best friends,” Bret says. “It speaks volumes that I have absolutely no problem putting BBSI in touch and letting them take over that business, because I have no qualms that they're ever going to do anything to tarnish that relationship. I'm always confident that BBSI will do the right thing by the client, and by me.”

Looking to the Future with 360 Risk Partners and BBSI

Being recognized by the Sacramento Business Journal in 2017 and 2018 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the region has encouraged 360 Risk Partners to remain focused on one goal for the future: continued growth.

To accomplish this, Bret seeks to further solidify the company’s impact and leadership within the Sacramento market. With their mutually beneficial partnership with BBSI, it’s clear Bret and his team are on the right path.

What is Bret's advice for insurance brokers looking to grow and strengthen their book of business?

“Talk to your local BBSI rep and hear them out. Then, really think about your clients and the pain points that some bring to you,” Bret says. “What have you done to fix those issues in the past? What if you had a solution that actually solves the problems your clients are having? It's mutually beneficial for everybody that's involved.”