T H U R S D A Y ,   J U L Y   2 3 ,   2 0 0 9

 Industry News

IIABA News
National and Trade Media Cover Historic Health Care Fly-in

Dozens of television, radio, print and online media outlets reported on last week’s unprecedented agent/broker fly-in addressing health care reform. 

Although the fly-in had been planned for weeks, health care happened to be the hot topic in the House, Senate and White House on the day agents visited Capitol Hill. As almost 1,100 fly-in participants met with legislators, major developments were occurring on the very bills the fly-in participants were in town to discuss. 

Click here for a list of media highlights and quotes. Please note that you must be logged in to www.independentagent.com to do so.


ACT
ACT Unveils New Web Site

The Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT) is committed to providing agents and the industry with practical information and tools to help them use technology more effectively and to become more productive. Now ACT has made it a lot easier for agents to access this information by giving its Web site a major facelift.
 
On the new site, agents will find quick links to multiple articles and reports on Real Time, going paperless, agency security, Commercial Lines Download and more. Here is what the site has to offer:

• Articles on the benefits agencies are deriving from Real Time, with a gateway to www.getrealtime.org for more success stories and the Real Time Implementation Guide.

• The Commercial Lines Download Implementation Guide, compliments of AUGIE (ACORD User Group Information Exchange), another practical implementation tool developed by agents for agents. 

• The Best Practices Guide to Agency Business Processes and Electronic Information Management developed by ACT and the noted workflow consultant Laura Nettles to help agents implement more advanced agency workflows and become an electronic agency rather than a paper-based one.

• Several tools to help agencies establish effective security procedures, including guidance on the implementation of secure e-mail using TLS. Agents will find a report outlining the key issues to consider in protecting customers from identity theft, along with the Independent Agent’s Guide to System Security, which provides a sample security policy.

• Several articles on building effective agency Web sites, how agencies can improve their search engine positioning and what agencies are doing today to take advantage of social networking tools to enhance their online presence and generate “virtual” referrals.

• Checklists to help agencies develop their disaster plans based on actual agency experiences.

• The latest ACT opinions on key technology and societal trends that will affect the independent agency system and what the industry must do to respond effectively to them.

These are just a few of the features on the new ACT Web site – check it out at www.independentagent.com/act. For more information about ACT, contact Jeff Yates, ACT executive director, at jeff.yates@iiaba.net. 


Meetings & Events
2009 Fall Leadership Conference Approaching

The Big “I” Fall Leadership Conference will be held Sept. 8-13 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel in New Orleans. Register now for the event, which includes the Installation of Officers Luncheon on Sept. 12 for the induction of Big “I” Chairman-Elect, J. David Daniel. Book your hotel room before Aug. 1 to receive a $20 discount on the group rate each night.  On Aug. 2, the single/double room rate changes from $159 to $179/night. For more information, including discount transportation and restaurant recommendations, visit www.independentagent.com/events. Direct registration questions to Lauren Batch at lauren.batch@iiaba.net and hotel questions to Janis Mann at janis.mann@iiaba.net.


Legal Advocacy
Foremost Agency Agreement Review Completed

The Big “I” Office of the General Counsel (OGC) has completed a review of the most recent Foremost Insurance Company Agency Agreement. The review is posted for members who log in at www.independentagent.com and select Legal Advocacy and then Contract Reviews.

Agency appointment contract reviews are a valuable tool for members seeking information about the terms of agency appointment contracts, and they include information not available from any other sources. The contract reviews focus on issues specific to the insurance industry, enabling agency owners to better understand and consider the business implications of various contract provisions.  

The OGC has developed a wealth of knowledge in this area from extensive work with carriers and agents on appointment contracts over many years. The OGC is often asked by carriers for guidance and input on appointment contracts as they are revised and updated, allowing the Big “I” to advocate for the needs of members in ways that also serve the interests of the carriers, setting the foundation for continued strong relationships between insurance companies and their independent agents. For more information, contact Debra Perkins, Big “I” executive vice president and general counsel, at debra.perkins@iiaba.net.


Big “I” Markets
Worlds Apart^® Affordable Housing Apartment Program Available

Affordable housing is receiving more attention than in recent years due to the current housing slump. That hasn’t really transferred to attention from insurance companies, however. Affordable housing can be tricky to place since it’s not an occupancy class many habitational carriers want to write. Fortunately, the Big “I” habitational partner, MiddleOak^®, welcomes this class of occupancy.

This Big “I” Markets program is designed for property owners and managers who specialize in affordable housing, which is aimed at providing affordable and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families. MiddleOak^® defines affordable housing as privately owned public housing operating under the 1986 Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) or any other tax credit programs for Affordable Housing. The LIHTC is a tax incentive intended to increase the availability of low income housing.

Also included is public housing, which is apartment housing owned and operated by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Public Housing Authority (PHA) or the state or local government. Agents will often find the term “subsidized” used to describe affordable housing. Subsidized housing refers to housing financed by government funding. In addition, low-income tenants may utilize the Section 8 rental voucher program. These are all acceptable within the Worlds Apart^® Apartment program. The target market continues to be the successful professional property owner who has developed the management skills necessary to secure responsible tenants and maintains his/her buildings in a safe manner.

Eligibility Requirements:

• No minimum or maximum number of rental units in most states.
• Any property age with updates in the last 30 years.
• Property owner/manager with experience in renting affordable, low income properties.

Ineligible:

• Armed security

For more information on this market and to see if it is available in your state, log on to www.bigimarkets.com. If you have specific questions about a risk, contact Rob Keller at MiddleOak Specialty^® at 860-638-5115; rob.keller@middleoak.com.


Big “I” Flood Program 
Check Out New Flood Marketing Tips

The Big “I” Flood Program recently released eight critical marketing ideas for marketing flood insurance. Click here to download and view the list. To learn more about the Big “I” flood program, visit www.independentagent.com/flood or contact Linda Mackey at linda.mackey@iiaba.net.


InsurBanc 
New Remote Deposit Scanner Introduced

InsurBanc's remote deposit system allows business customers to electronically submit checks for deposit without leaving the office. In a secure environment, remote deposit makes the delivery of check deposits faster and is available 24 hours a day. All you need is a PC with an Internet connection and a small desktop scanner.

Choose from remote deposit solutions that suit both small and large businesses. In addition to the large-scale scanner, InsurBanc offers a more compact scanner to accommodate small business deposits with 50 or fewer checks per day. The compact scanner is an economical way to enjoy the benefits and convenience of remote deposit regardless of an agency’s size.

“Our new scanner is a single feed scanner with a compact design. The low cost and ease of use makes the technology that has been available to larger agencies an economical choice for smaller depositors,” said Mary Grazen, chief operations officer at InsurBanc.


An example of InsurBanc's remote deposit scanner

For more information, call 866-467-2262 or visit www.insurbanc.com.


Big "I" Markets
Want to Increase Cross-line Sales? Grill Your Customers!

In 1993, Thermos introduced the Thermal Electric grill. It combined the high temperature capabilities of gas and charcoal grills with the convenience of electric grills. The grill disrupted the marketplace and added significantly to Thermos' revenues. Thermos did an extraordinary amount of research before bringing the grill to market. It convened focus groups and videotaped customers using grills. Thermos also knew its core business. It applied expertise in insulation and heat transfer to the effort, which ensured that the grill could achieve the necessary high temperatures. If Thermos had forgotten what business it was in, and if it hadn't gotten to know its customers, it might have created just another big, ugly barbeque. What about you? Do you really know your customers? Click here to read more and find out how this example applies to your agency’s business.