Alan Miller, senior vice president of sales

Can you give me a bit of your company history? How did you become involved in the Tire & Wheel category?

CNA National has been in the vehicle service contract industry for over three decades, so developing a tire and wheel product was a natural progression. We had significant demand from dealers because they already were highly satisfied with our vehicle service contract coverage and service levels. It was important that we developed a product with the award-winning service and quality coverage that we are known for within our industry, and we have been successful in doing so since introducing our product to market.

What makes your product different from others on the market? How do you differentiate it?

There are numerous features that separate our product from competitors. There is no aggregate limit on the amount paid or number of claims, and our road hazard coverage is more extensive because we do not exclude common roadway hazards, including damage that occurs at construction sites. We expanded our curb and cosmetic coverage so we can repair or replace a tire without any time limit restrictions, or needing to know the details of the incident that caused the tire damage. Run-flat tires are also included with no additional surcharge.

We also pay retail cost on tires and wheels, allowing our dealers to use their tire and wheel inventory for replacement. Dealers can also sell our tire and wheel product on the service drive. Finally, our high-quality claims department handles our tire claims, so the same award-winning service dealers receive with our service contracts is provided for our tire-and-wheel product.

What is your primary sales channel? How do you market to that channel?

We market all of our products through our professional, independent agent base across the U.S. When dealers hear about our improved tire and wheel product from an unbiased agent, instead of a CNA National employee, there is an increased level of credibility and anticipation. When dealers see the enhanced coverage on a daily basis at their dealership, they are even more pleased with our product.

How has technology impacted Tire & Wheel in the last year, if at all? Do you see it having an impact in the future? Why or why not?

Technology has made it easier for our dealers to report and submit business to us. We added our tire and wheel product to our e-commerce platform of services, making it easier to report results for higher volume of sales.

In your opinion, where is the greatest growth potential for the Tire & Wheel category?

We see steady growth across U.S. markets. The product is still evolving, and in the future there will be additional variables on the product to make it even more consumer-friendly. We anticipate steady demand from a national consumer base that is just now using this product on a widespread level and getting to know the real value of a high-quality tire and wheel product that features expanded coverage.