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T H U R S D A Y , J A N U A R Y 1 0 , 2 0 0 8
Industry News
IIABA NEWS
InsurPac Posts Big Numbers in 2007
The 2007 calendar year marked another successful campaign for the Big “I” political action committee. InsurPac raised approximately $836,000, eclipsing 2006 numbers by roughly $12,000. This marks the seventh consecutive year InsurPac has grown as it pushes toward its goal to become a $2 million PAC per election cycle ($1 million per year). Throughout the year, InsurPac disbursed approximately $775,000 to congressmen, senators and candidates for federal office. Independent agents and brokers nationwide can be proud that they have a strong political voice inside the halls of the U.S. Congress. Some highlights from 2007 include:
• A total of 29 states reached their InsurPac goal: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
• A record number of people (4,328) contributed to InsurPac. Of this total, 699 were Young Agents.
• North Carolina raised the most money ever by a state with $72,362, and will be awarded the National Championship Trophy at the 2008 Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention.
• Arkansas and South Carolina both eclipsed $100 per agency and will be given InsurPac Eagle Awards at the 2008 Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention.
• 75 Big “I” National Employees contributed to InsurPac.
For more information, contact Nathan Riedel at nathan.riedel@iiaba.net.
ACT
Get the Best ROI for Technology Systems
More agency owners/managers will see a higher return on investment in technology systems if they help employees approach workflow in a new way. Employees must understand how to fully utilize the management system. And they need training and a defined path of work. Agency Consultant Patricia Alexander has some practical advice on leveraging technology and workflow and the best part is most agents won’t need to invest in yet more technology to make changes! To read Alexander’s advice, click here.
BEST PRACTICES
The Five Practices of Highly Effective Leaders
The independent agency system is in an era of transition. Agency principals and managers must constantly learn from and grow with the times. The Five Practices of Highly Effective Leaders is a Best Practices handbook that presents five key practices used by 18 leaders who successfully guided their agencies through periods of change and uncertainty. The handbook will provide real life examples of how these practices can be applied. This 200+ page handbook contains useful worksheets for developing a plan of action and contains countless lists of tips, techniques and key objectives for building effective teams, using teams to identify productivity improvements and much more. Most of the chapters begin with a “Quick Quiz” designed to help determine your current status and where you would like to be. The remainder of each chapter contains information on how you can achieve your objectives. Now you can skip the trial-and-error approach and get four-star results from five proven practices for overcoming new and difficult challenges. Experience is the best teacher and this handbook lets you profit from the experience and success of others. The case studies show how these leaders applied five fundamental practices to accomplish superior results through their employees: (1) engage and empower staff and teams; (2) align employees with the agency’s vision and goals; (3) clarify expectations, (4) support employees’ and teams' needs; and (5) reward progress and results achieved. The Five Practices of Highly Effective Leaders includes tips and techniques to build and lead effective teams, identify opportunities for productivity improvements and cost savings, improve customer service and quality and increase the effectiveness of all employees. Plus, diagnostic tools are provided to help you and your staff put these leadership best practices into action. If you are looking or more information about the Best Practices program, visit www.independentagent.com, and click on the Best Practices link under the member resources section or click here for an order form.
VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY
VU is Free for Members
It’s so hard to find a bargain these days, but the Big “I” Virtual University offers just that to members --- free access to an online gateway of insurance education and information available 24-7.
Simply log in to the Big “I” Virtual University at www.independentagent.com. Find answers to vexing insurance questions and improve yourself and your agency. Consider these VU benefits:
Education: VU offers access to nearly 100 approved continuing education courses. For those looking to brush up on business skills, VU provides a comprehensive curriculum of sales, customer service and agency management courses. Specialized designations, such as Accredited Customer Service Representative (ACSR) and environmental strategist (es),are also available. Member received preferred pricing in most states and CE credit is available in many states.
Research Library: The heart and soul of VU, the Research Library, is growing into the industry’s most comprehensive reference source. If you’re looking for information on an insurance, business or technology topic, there’s probably an article about it in the library.
Ask an Expert: Have a question that’s been bugging you? VU’s team of leading industry minds has answers. Submit your query through VU’s online form and you’ll typically get an answer within 48 hours. The service is a great time-saver and can help you avoid E&O hazards.
Internet Links: VU has the most complete Internet links section of any insurance Web site. Cyberspace is flush with insurance sites and other resources that can help your agency. Consider VU’s links section a helpful navigator through this information universe.
The VUpoint: A bi-weekly, e-newsletter that’s free to Big “I” members, The VUpoint delivers timely content that’s tailored to independent agents. It’s a must-read for more than 25,000 industry subscribers.
The Virtual University is a center of higher learning for insurance professionals. Best of all, there’s no access fee for Big “I” members. Why wait? Log on today!
BIG “I” CAREER CENTERSM
Searching for the Right Employee?
The Big “I” Career Center is the place where insurance employers meet insurance professionals. Once registered, employers are free to search nearly 1,000 resumes as well as set up the resume agent feature, which allows for the creation of an online resume agent that will e-mail qualified candidates directly to your in-box daily. The Big “I” Career Center also offers employers the choice of adding one of the “Featured Employer” packages to their job posting(s). These job posting enhancements enable employers to increase their visibility on the Big “I” Career Center and truly get the most out of their account. Also, the Big “I” Career Center uses interactive GoogleTM Maps technology for all job postings to allow both employers and job seekers to literally pinpoint geographic locations. For more information on how the Big “I” Career Center can help you find your next hire, please visit www.insurancecareerfinder.com or contact Brett Sutch at brett.sutch@iiaba.net.
BIG “I” MARKETSSM
Free Training Webinars Available
Did you recently register for Big “I” Markets? Every Thursday at 2 p.m. EST you can participate in a webinar to show you how to navigate the Big “I” Markets platform, including how to submit a quote. Register for the webinar by sending an email with your name and company name to bigimarkets@iiaba.net. Include “Web Site Navigation Webinar” in the subject line or body of your e-mail. To learn more about Big “I” Markets, IIABA’s online market access program featuring no fees, no volume commitments and competitive commissions, visit www.bigimarkets.com.
InVEST
2008 InVest Scholarship Program is Now Accepting Applications
InVEST awarded $43,000 in scholarships last spring to students participating in a high school or community college InVEST class and pursuing higher education with an emphasis on insurance or a related business field such as finance or marketing.
It is time to rally students to compete for a national InVEST scholarship. Click here to download the InVEST scholarship application and to learn more about eligibility and requirements. Applications and essay entries must be received by April 18. InVEST encourages agents involved in the program to begin promoting the scholarships now to help raise student awareness.
InVEST will also present two other awards this spring: The InVEST Teacher-of-the-Year award, which recognizes an InVEST teacher who has made significant contributions to his or her InVEST students and the Dach Award, bestowed upon an InVEST industry liaison(s) dedicated to their InVEST students. Submissions for both awards are due March 14. Click here for more information.
For more information on InVEST, visit www.independentagent.com and click “InVEST” or contact Amber Williamson at 703-706-5425; amber.williamson@iiaba.net.
A 501(c)3 educational trust, InVEST introduces high school and community college students to insurance and the more than 350 diverse careers available within the industry giving students a new outlook on the future. The program offers insurance agencies, brokers and carriers a diverse and talented group of entry-level recruits.
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