If Defender Risk Management and Insurance (Defender RMI)was a superhero franchise instead of an insurance agency, JasonHorner and Daniel Lindberg would be its men of steel—steelrecycling, that is.

Defender RMI insures small to middle market businesses withinfour related niche industries: recycling, waste hauling, deliveryand manufacturing. It has vertically integrated from just scrapmetal to all companies within the landfill diversion space. It haslocations in Lexington, Winston-Salem and Charlotte, N.C., andemploys 22 people. Along with its partner, GW Mountcastle, DefenderRMI's gross revenue is more than $3 million, and the agency derivesmore than 70 percent of revenue from commercial lines.

The agency grew out of Horner and Lindberg's previousexperience. Horner's family has been involved with the steel andsalvage industries for four generations, and he built his firstcompany, Metal Recycling Services Inc., from the ground up.President George W. Bush recognized him as National Entrepreneur ofthe Year in 2005, and Metal Recycling Services was named one of2007's fastest growing businesses by Forbes. After selling thebusiness in 2008, Horner continued as an independent recyclingindustry consultant.  

Related: Read another success story by NicoleZwartz “Once Upon a Client.”

Daniel Lindberg's career as a program development director foran insurance agency in North Carolina took a turn in 2001 when hestarted working with a scrap metal dealer and noticed that existinginsurance programs were failing to meet its needs. Lindbergswitched his focus to insuring recyclers in the Southeastern regionand was successful locally, which encouraged him to take hisrecycling program to the national market.  

When Horner and Lindberg joined forces with GW MountcastleInsurance owners Walt Rouse, Chris Call, Pete Schantz and AndyCalvert to create Defender Risk Management and Insurance LLC in2010, they successfully dovetailed their dual specialties. Togetherthey have more than 25 years of experience in the landfilldiversion sector. 

Proactive Protection

Defender RMI is dedicated to recycling industry services such asauto salvage dealers, scrap metal, electronics, plastic and paperrecyclers. Waste hauling involves refuse haulers, collectioncenters, portable toilet companies and transfer stations. Deliveryincludes auto and cargo insurance. Manufacturers can gain insightfrom Defender RMI, which is a certified workers' comp advisor, tolower costs associated with employee management and increase profitand productivity. “The recycling industry is in our DNA—it's wherewe come from, it's who we are,” Horner said.

The agency's main insurers include TowerInsurance, Companion, Cincinnati and Travelers. Defender RMI offersa wide variety of coverage, including general, professional,D&O and employment practices liabilities, business incomeprotection, commercial umbrella coverage, business auto coverage,property coverage, workers' compensation, surety and crimeinsurance. Defender RMI can create unique programs in response toniche industry needs in order to ensure complete coverage forindividual clients. 

Read the sidebar “Defender's DependableAlly.”

“Our current program adapts to market conditions and newregulations to ensure that our clients always have proper coveragein place,” Horner said. He and Lindberg work together with clients,using an enterprise-wide risk management approach and tapping intoresources on the front end to analyze risk exposure in key areas.Then they study existing insurance policies and current corporateoperations. “The emerging policy and operational recommendationslead to decreased risk exposure, more cost effective insurance andstreamlined, effective operations,” Lindberg said. 

Exec Experts Supply Sage Advice

The agency uses Facebook and Twitter to inform clients aboutwebsite posts and news items that might influence coverage, such asa new law targeting employers without workers' comp in NorthCarolina. Its website updates frequently with advice fromexecutives. “The Indirect Costs of Reactive Risk Management” tellsa personal story from Horner's past as owner and manager of arecycling business that becomes anecdotal evidence for Defender RMIclients to become proactive about risk management.

At Horner's first company, an employee was badly burned in aflash fire incident. The post explains that when employees arehurt, it indirectly lowers morale as well as costs time and money.However, Horner realized he would be able to improve morale andproductivity with one simple action: embedding safety into theculture of his workplace. When his company avoided injury oraccident for a month, Horner compensated his workers with money hesaved by avoiding costs related to workers' comp. He believes thatmorale and safety of the workplace improved drastically—drivingproduction to unexpectedly high levels—when employees felt theirwell-being was as high of a priority as production.

Lindberg also imparts wisdom via blog posts. In “The Economicsof Workers' Compensation Insurance,” he relates how businesses cancalculate workers' comp rates and premiums, putting to rest thebelief that companies can't control them. Instead, he works themthrough the ways they can be proactive about managing risk andkeeping their workplaces safe in order to potentially influenceregulator decisions to increase or decrease premiums.

Not Your Average Provider

Lindberg and Horner may not be able to see through walls, butthey can spot holes in coverage—and fix them. A prospective clientcame to Defender RMI after an equipment breakdown left them withoutcoverage, even though the previous insurer claimed to have createda specialty program to cover it. The client hired Defender RMIafter the team found the policy language the clientoverlooked. 

“We are proud to say that once we take on aclient, we become partners rather than just a service provider,”Lindberg said. “We take a team approach with our clients and use anenterprise-wide risk management approach with each clientengagement, spending significant resources on the front end toanalyze risk exposure in key areas.” 

Related: Read the the success story “OperationTurnaround” by Nicole Zwartz.

Businesses concerned about the impending hard insurance marketare taking risks when seeking coverage, and as a result, they arenot getting what they want, Lindberg said. Local agents are writingrecyclers at a discount while the market is soft, but they lackknowledge about the specialty. When something goes wrong, they callDefender RMI—and they have been calling more lately. “No longerenticed by a cheaper policy, they are looking for industry experts,are willing to invest in our recommendations and pay a premium tobe covered correctly,” Lindberg said. 

To keep a competitive edge, Defender RMI has hired talented,experienced members from insurance and recycling industries. Ituses Keystone Risk Management for cases that involve hands-onassistance. Lindberg and Horner are members of the Institute ofWorkComp Professionals, which gives them access to software theycan use to educate and audit their customers to make sure they arenot being overcharged. 

Related: Read “Insurance Office of America: GameName” another agency success story by Nicole Zwartz.

“We are obsessed with changing the view of our industry. Insteadof just buying a commodity, we want them to understand that theyare teaming up with trusted advisors,” Horner said. Comparingprices should cease to be a factor when prospective clients takethe time to get to know what Defender RMI offers them. “We feel itis our responsibility to show clients we can do much more to helpthem put money on the bottom line than just sell thempolicies.” 

Lindberg and Horner have some advice for aspiring recyclingsuperheroes: Care for the customer, educate yourself and work hard.“There are no tricks. Hard work is what will make you successful,”Horner said. His advice proves true, especially when examining thepath Horner and Lindberg took and are taking Defender RMI now. Thebottom of the agency's website reads, “Defender: protector, guard,supporter—a person who cares for persons or property.” It's not farfrom a superhero's mantra.