..:: Insurance News & Views ::..

Now is the time to register for the 2006 Big "I" National Legislative Conference & Convention. It’s great if you already booked your hotel rooms, but don’t forget to send in your registration forms! NLC&C will be here before you know it, and in order to properly prepare we need to have an accurate attendee headcount. From the all-star CEO Panel, to the legislative breakfast speakers, to keynote speaker General Colin Powell (USA) Ret., you won’t want to miss a moment of this year’s combined event. Register today!

Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) will speak April 26 at the annual InsurPac-Young Agents Luncheon during the Big "I" National Legislative Conference & Convention.

Jindal, president of the House’s freshman class, will discuss the importance of participation in the political system. Participants also will include agent and broker leaders from Jindal’s home state of Louisiana.

"Congressman Jindal is known as one of the most visible, respected and enthusiastic leaders among the freshman class in the House," says Big "I" CEO Robert A. Rusbuldt. "His election as president of the House freshman class is a testament to his vigor, his intelligence and his ability to build relationships with his colleagues. Our members are eager to hear his thoughts on how they can make their voices heard with their elected leaders in Congress."

Jindal was elected to Congress from Louisiana’s 1st District in 2004, a year after losing a race for governor by a razor-thin margin. He previously served as a senior health policy adviser to President Bush, president of the University of Louisiana system, executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare and secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. The onetime Rhodes Scholar began his public career shortly after finishing his education at Oxford University.

"Congressman Jindal has already accomplished some great things at a young age," says Charles E. Symington, Jr., Big "I" senior vice president of government affairs and federal relations. "He is a rising star in Congress and in the Republican Party, and we know our members will be very interested in hearing what he has to say."

"It is an honor to have a speaker of the caliber of Congressman Jindal," says Nathan Riedel, Big "I" vice president of political affairs. "Not only is he a real mover-and-shaker in Congress, but he is also a Rhodes Scholar with a long record of public service. We welcome him and appreciate his willingness to speak to our members."

Welcome to the 21st century, where times are changing fast. Learn how you and your agency can predict how the insurance industry will change during the next few decades---and how to proactively benefit from the changes.

Join the industry’s "futurist," Al Diamond, president of Agency Consulting Group, Inc., April 28 at 1:30 p.m. for an education session that will help you plan for you agency’s future.

· Consultative selling through the asset protection model;

· Using automation capabilities for growth and profit, not just for processing;

· New internal and external marketing programs;

· Incentive compensation programs that pay employees for productivity;

· The referral tree that helps multiply the revenue from every client; and

· The "virtual insurance agency," which stays small & controlled, but acts like a large agency.

For more information on this and other educational opportunities at the NLC&C, click here.

Take 25 minutes out of your busy day to help shape what your workflows will look like for years to come. By completing the AUGIE survey, you could win a $100 American Express Gift Card! More than 4,000 agency professionals so far have completed the survey, which is designed to find ways to use new technology to leverage free time for industry professionals. Completing the 20-minutes survey will pay off greatly in the long run! AUGIE is especially interested in more feedback from service staff. Users can stop and resume the survey at any point and can return directly to where they left off, even if they did not deliberately save their answers. All participants who complete the survey are entered into a daily drawing for a $100 American Express gift card. Click hereto access the AUGIE Survey and enter to win $100.

Monday marks the beginning of a two-week, Trusted Choice® nationwide TV ad flight. The ads will appear on TV through March 26.

During this initial 2006 ad flight, more than 50 Trusted Choice® ads will air nationally, including in your hometown! Click hereto view the complete March TV ad schedule. Tune in to see the advertising that is promoting your Trusted Choice® agency.

The March flight is just the first one for 2006. Trusted Choice® Month, a month-long concentrated promotional campaign to spotlight Trusted Choice® agencies, will boast nearly 250 nationwide television ads from May 1 to 14 as well as an Internet ad flight that will further drive consumer brand awareness. Click hereto view the May TV ad schedule.

If you already haven’t done so already, you can tie your agency’s advertising activity into the Trusted Choice® Month 2006 flight by ordering or downloading tag-able TV, print and radio ads from the Trusted Choice® Web site and running them in your agency’s marketing area. Each type tag-able ad explains the benefits of using your Trusted Choice® agency and reserves space for adding your agency’s name, contact information and logo.

To get started, go to the "Agents/Brokers" area of www.TrustedChoice.comand click on "Advertising" to access the tag-able ads and to learn how to conduct local TV, radio and print advertising campaigns.

Your local campaign will give your agency twice the exposure for a small investment and help establish your agency as the Trusted Choice® for local insurance and financial services consumers.

Other upcoming advertising activities include two Internet ad flights in May through June and July; targeted business-to-business (B2B) advertising; and a metro Washington, D.C.-area TV ad flight timed with the Big "I" National Legislative Conference & Convention in late April. Additional advertising activities timed for September to the end of the year will be announced this summer.

Additionally, Trusted Choice® is producing a series of new tag-able ads that will continue the "Ways to Choose" theme. These new marketing materials—radio, print, billboard and Internet banner ads—will be available starting next month.

For more information about Trusted Choice® advertising, contact Jeff Myers at 800-221-7917; jeff.myers@iiaba.net. Not a member? Click here to join today!

A new movie starring Robin Williams may provide you with a reason to check out Big "I" Markets. "RV" stars Williams as a disconnected dad who decides to bring his family of the high-tech, low-touch age closer together by renting a recreational vehicle and taking the family on the road. What does this mean to you? An opportunity to discuss RV insurance with your clients. As a Big "I" member, you have access to RV coverage through National Interstate. Most of the big multi-lines p-c companies write RVs, but they put them on a standard auto policy. National Interstate customizes its policy for RVs, so it has coverages that most multi-line p-c carriers do not, such as ability to write vehicles used commercially, total loss replacement/purchase price guarantee, personal effects coverage (won’t have to file HO claim) and extended utility trailer coverage. Profile your book of business by doing an audit to identify segments that fit the RV profile: married, middle-aged, multi-cars. Then let those clients know you can insure their RVs. To help you target this particular group, click here to access a sample letter you can send to customers. You also can download the letter from the product resources section of the RV page on Big "I" Markets. Tailor it to your needs and use it to capitalize on the availability you have to National Interstate's personal and commercial recreational vehicle polices. To learn more, log into www.bigimarkets.com.

Big "I" Advantage is pleased to announce changes in its flood program with Selective Insurance, a National Flood Insurance Program Write-Your-Own company. The new program structure offers member agents new business plan options with Big "I" Advantage and its company partner. Agent can choose to participate as a sub-producer for the Big "I" Flood Program either:

1) By remaining a sub-producer for the program but obtaining a direct contract with Selective. The direct contract grants agent access to Selective’s friendly but sophisticated Flood-On-Line® internet-based flood processing system. If you choose Selective, you will earn 18%, a higher base commission than you can under the current process.

2) By working with our office, where we provide hands-on tutelage and guidance for members who are not familiar with writing flood insurance. This option brings with it a lower commission level of 10% using Big "I" Markets or 8% if asking for quote by fax.

Effective March 14, the www.bigimarkets.com registration site will include the Big "I" Flood Program's Business Plan Options. Make your choice by updating your registration profile as soon as you can after March 14. To update their registration profile, agents can log on to the Big "I" Markets homepage to select the business plan option that best meets their agency’s flood insurance needs. Make your selection on the flood screen. If you are already a Selective Direct agent participating in the program, there is no reason to update or register unless you would like to access other Big "I" Markets products.

Here’s how it works: From the Big "I" Markets homepage, click the animated graphic that reads "Click here to register online." On next screen, click either "Already registered by online profile, take me to the flood screen" or, if you are not registered by online profile or not registered to participate in the Big "I" Flood Program, click on "Ready to register." If updating, the profile will save after clicking on the update tab on the flood screen and exiting. If using the online profile for the first time, continue through all screens until you are advised the registration is complete. Please make sure you have the following information to complete the online registration: Agency license, individual licenses, tax ID and E&O policy information.

If you do not take the time to update or register with your Flood Business Plan Option, we will assume your choice by the way quotes are presented to us, either through Big "I" Markets or by fax. Direct questions about the business plan options or flood program to Alisa Johnson at 800-221-7917; alisa.johnson@iiaba.net.

In today’s competitive marketplace, it is more important than ever to have a variety of skill sets in your toolbox. The Big "I" Virtual University has tools that fit your individual needs. Through an exclusive arrangement with SkillSoft, the premier provider of e-learning today, you can instantly access training anywhere anytime. Skillsoft’s e-Learning courses provide you with a wide range of flexible learning opportunities. Improve your sales, marketing, leadership, or enhance your desktop skills—the possibilities are endless with e-learning.

Agencies of every size need desktop computer skills as a basic building block of success. SkillSoft’s Desktop Courseware Collection provides a broad array of courses to meet your needs. Microsoft Office content teaches the features and navigation of the most popular and recent suite of office applications. The curricula cover the full suite of Microsoft Office versions and applications.

· Microsoft Word courses range from teaching you the basics of getting started to advanced skills of using tables, charts and graphs.

· Microsoft Excel courses provide an introduction to the core concepts in how to create a spreadsheet to more advance skills such as creating formulas and charts.

· Microsoft Powerpoint courses will teach you how to create powerful presentations including slide layout and inserting all types of visuals.

The Big "I" Virtual University has over 40 Desktop Computer Skills Courses that can help your business be successful. Increase your businesses competitive advantage. Add to your toolbox today by logging onto The Big "I" Virtual University.

IIABA, in close cooperation with the National Association of Insurance Women International (NAIW), has established a new scholarship program to further promote and assist insurance agents and brokers’ commitment to excellence.

During NAIW’s upcoming annual convention in June, the Big "I" and NAIW will award the following scholarships toward IIABA’s Accredited Customer Service Representative Designation (ACSR):

· One full scholarship to take all classes required to earn the ACSR personal, commercial or life-health designation; and

· Three scholarships to take one ACSR personal, commercial or life-health class.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with NAIW to offer their members and our own association members the opportunity to continue their education and gain valuable technical and professional training," says Madelyn Flannagan, Big "I" vice president of education and research. "The ACSR Designation is an important one—it promotes and recognizes the professionalism of customer service personnel in the insurance industry."

Scholarship recipients will gain critical professional development skills, improve their customer service tactics, retain accounts and reduce their agencies’ E&O exposure.

Applicants must be current and active members of the NAIW in good standing, work at a Big "I" member agency, be employed full-time and be in the insurance industry for at least one year. Applicants must intend to complete and achieve the ACSR designation within three years or take the ACSR class within one year and expect to continue their career for the next three years in the insurance industry. To obtain an application, which must be postmarked by April 1, 2006, click here.