EPIC Broker Maron Impagliazzo Recognized as a 2019 Transportation Power Broker
Maron Impagliazzo, Vice President, EPIC
Despite the legalization of recreational marijuana in California, growers and distributors have a hard time building their businesses, because few insurers want to take on their commercial auto exposure. The potential for theft combined with federal prohibition of cannabis makes transporting the goods a risk endeavor.
But Maron Impagliazzo and his team “don’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” said Scott Heirshberg, VP of Operations for cannabis distributor Rise Logistics.
“We are required to obtain a motor carrier permit and as such are required to find commercial auto insurance willing to do a filing with the state.”
Most underwriters balked, but Impagliazzo and his team “ended up finding us a policy through the Assigned Risk Pool. They held our hand through the application process, which was much more difficult than your typical auto policy, and were able to get a filing and by extension a permit.
We are now among the first distributors in the state to receive one,” Heirshberg said.
When Barnett Transportation, a heavy-haul trucking company, wanted to purchase a construction company early in 2018, Impagliazzo made sure insurance didn’t stand in the way.
“He went over and above transferring the insurance from the old owner to us, and we couldn’t have done it without him,” said Nicole Barnett, VP and controller, who is also impressed with Impagliazzo’s deep knowledge of the transportation industry. “He accompanied me to a safety workshop to get a sense of the risks and how we approach them. He has an excellent understanding of our company and the industry in general.”
2019 Transportation Power Broker Winners and Finalists
A Risk & Insurance Power Broker® is an individual who stands out among their peers for the exceptional client work they delivered over the past year. While brokers play many key roles in the insurance industry and risk profession, a Power Broker® award recognizes problem solving, customer service and industry knowledge.
Our goal is to broadly recognize and promote outstanding risk management and customer service among the brokerage community.
Who selects the winners?
Power Brokers are selected by Risk Managers based on the strength of the testimonials they provide to a team of 15 Risk & Insurance editors and writers.