CHARLOTTE, N.C. Banks that do not sell property and casualty insurance are making a mistake, said David Fried, president of HSBC Insurance Agency Inc.
Insurance is only as difficult as you want to make it, Mr. Fried said at a Financial Institutions Insurance Association meeting Monday.
The insurance subsidiary of HSBC Bank USA of Buffalo gets 1,100 leads a month from mortgage originators, Mr. Fried said. About half of the leads obtain a quote, and 24% eventually buy homeowners insurance, he said. HSBC gets these results while contacting about 55% of the leads. And were just getting started, Mr. Fried said.
He added that HSBC plans to cross-sell title and auto insurance to its homeowners customers, though he acknowledged the banks market for auto coverage is small. Our mortgage book is broad. Our auto lending isnt.
