Partner Spotlight: Danielle Ross, Marsh & McLennan Agency

This is the first in our series, "Beyond the Bind" Stories from Brokers that go deeper than the coverage Shepherd provides —into partnership, speed, and technology. First up: Danielle Ross, National Head of Construction at Marsh McLennan Agency shares her perspective on partnership.

Why Partnership Still Matters

In commercial construction, trust is currency. Projects are complex, timelines are tight, and insurance placements are rarely straightforward. Success requires more than just coverage – it requires partners who understand the stakes, move quickly, and show up consistently.

At Shepherd, we believe the broker-underwriter relationship is one of the most important – and overlooked—factors in delivering better outcomes. That’s why we’re launching this series spotlighting voices across the industry.

Danielle has spent over two decades in construction insurance, first as an underwriter and now as a broker. Her perspective is shaped by experience on both sides of the table. “We’re not one deal deep,” she told us, underscoring how the best brokers think long-term about carrier relationships. For Danielle, consistency, technical understanding, and responsiveness aren’t just nice-to-haves they’re baseline expectations. When carriers delay or overcomplicate the process, clients lose. When they show up prepared, fast, and informed, brokers can deliver the kind of value that actually moves the needle.

Speed, Talent, and Trust

Danielle called out one thing immediately: speed. “Fast responses from carriers are really important to brokers. We’ve got a lot going on. When carriers drag things out, it hurts the outcome.” At Shepherd, we made speed a principle, not a perk. From the beginning, our standard has been 24-hour turnaround, —or faster, —on every submission. But speed only matters if it’s paired with depth. Danielle noted that what sets Shepherd apart is not just how quickly we respond, but the level of preparation and insight behind each time we engage.

That’s a direct result of how we’ve built our teams: with specialists who understand construction inside and out, not just insurance. “They do a great job hiring the right talent,” Danielle said. “Brokers on a national scale have worked with these folks before. We trust them, and we know they understand construction.” That kind of familiarity matters—especially in an industry where so much depends on confidence in who’s sitting across the table. Danielle’s perspective confirms something we’ve believed from the start: great underwriting is personal. And it’s earned through relationships, not just rates.

Danielle also pointed to the value of being able to package multiple lines with a single partner. “When one carrier understands the whole project—builders risk, general liability, excess—it streamlines everything.” With recent product expansions across Casualty and Builder’s Risk, we’re helping brokers simplify placements and reduce friction across complex programs. For brokers like Danielle, that means fewer emails, cleaner execution, and more control over the client experience.

Partnership in Practice

With programs like Shepherd Savings, we help contractors unlock premium discounts by adopting technology that reduces claims – —then stay engaged throughout the life of the policy to ensure that tech is being used effectively. Danielle sees that follow-through as a differentiator: not just offering better terms, but supporting clients through data analysis, ongoing risk reviews, and direct engagement with our team. The result? Long-term broker confidence and better experiences for the end customer.

The construction market will keep evolving. Expectations will rise. But the fundamentals won’t change: brokers will always need partners they can count on. Danielle’s message is a reminder that trust isn’t built in the binder – —it’s built in the way carriers show up, over and over again. That’s what Shepherd was built for.