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How to Structure and Finance the Purchase of an Agency |  It’s Not Too Late to Register | Visit Industry’s Largest Exhibit Hall |  Memorandum Update Addresses Ninth Circuit Decision |  Shhhh…Silent Auction Just Around Corner |  Back-to-School Opportunities |  Build Local Image While Tying Into National Ads |  Industry News

B I G   " I "   C O N V E N T I O N
How to Structure and Finance the Purchase of an Agency

Have you ever thought about buying another insurance agency? If so, attend this early-riser workshop, held Sunday, Sept. 11, from 7 to 8:45 a.m., to learn how to structure and finance the purchase of an agency by examining real-life case studies. Learn what banks look for from the financing perspective of speaker Bob Pettinicchi, executive VP and chief lending officer of InsurBanc. Pettinicchi developed InsurBanc’s loan policies, chairs the bank’s Credit Committee and he designed the bank’s lending products for independent agents. Click here for more information, or contact the Big "I" Convention Department at 800-221-7917. Click here to register.

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It’s Not Too Late to Register

It’s not too late to register for what promises to be one of the most spectacular and meaningful Big "I" meetings on record as thousands of independent insurance agents and brokers and other industry professionals prepare to descend on New York City for the Big "I" Convention.

The convention, the showcase event of the Big "I," will take place Sept. 10 through 12 at the Hilton New York. The Big "I" Convention will feature nationally recognized speakers such as "America’s Mayor," Rudy Giuliani, who revitalized New York City during his tenure and inspired his city—and the nation—to come together and move forward in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The convention also features insightful continuing-education workshops, numerous networking events and the largest trade show in the insurance industry. Hotel rooms are still available. To register for the Big "I" Convention and to find information about other events and programs, click here.

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Visit Industry’s Largest Exhibit Hall

Network with leading insurance company representatives and a wide array of vendors and learn about new products and services in the industry’s largest exhibit hall during the 2005 Big "I" Convention. The convention will take place Sept. 10 through 12 at the Hilton New York in New York City.

The Big "I" Convention Exhibit Hall will feature more than 120 exhibitors representing the industry’s leading insurance companies, automation providers, other technology firms and related insurance services providers, including:

· Advantec

· Afni Insurance Services

· AIG Agency Auto

· AMS Services

· Applied Systems, Inc.

· Applied Underwriters

· Chubb Group of Insurance Companies

· The Citizens and Hanover Insurance Companies

· docSTAR

· Encompass Insurance

· Fireman's Fund Insurance Company

· The Hartford

· Liberty Mutual Agency Markets

· MetLife Auto & Home

· NSM Insurance Programs

· Rackley Solutions

· Safeco Insurance

· Zurich - Small Business Group

· And more!

The exhibit hall is invaluable for agents looking to improve their current operations or to move a step up in what they offer their customers. The exhibitors are there to showcase their products and services that appeal directly to Big "I" Members. For more information, click here.

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L E G A L   A D V O C A C Y
Memorandum Update Addresses Ninth Circuit Decision

The Office of the General Counsel has updated its memorandum titled "Overview of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act and the Drivers Privacy Protection Act" to address the recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concerning adverse action notices required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

To access the memorandum, go to the Big "I" Web site, enter the member’s only portion of the Legal Advocacy section, click on Memoranda and then click FAQs. The information about the above-referenced Ninth Circuit case can be found in Section II D of the memorandum. For questions or additional information, contact Amy Hendricks at 800-221-7917; amy.hendricks@iiaba.net.

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I N V E S T
Shhhh…Silent Auction Just Around Corner

The 2005 InVEST Silent Auction will take during the Big "I" Convention in New York City. Due to space limitations, the event will feature a total of 39 items from the following categories: Great Getaways, Gems & Jewelry and Gizmos & Gadgets.

Auction hours are: Thursday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and final bidding will take place 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Sept. 11. Winning bidders will be alerted and can pick up their items between 3 and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Proceeds support InVEST’s annual scholarships awarded to graduates pursuing higher education with an emphasis on insurance. In May, InVEST distributed $44,000 in scholarships from proceeds generated by the 2004 Silent Auction. As a 501(c)3 educational trust, InVEST relies solely upon tax-deductible contributions.

Our ability to help students develop the skills they need to pursue professional entry-level positions in the industry is a result of your financial assistance. Bidding on the items at the InVEST Silent Auction is a great way to show your support and help raise scholarship dollars to help program graduates succeed. Click here to learn more. For more information, contact Sandra Skipper at 703-706-5437; sandra.skipper@iiaba.net.

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B I G   " I "   M A R K E T S
Back-to-School Opportunities

Students are headed back to campus soon, and most college kids will be packing a laptop computer, cell phone, MP3 player, television and a bike of some sort. That’s why it’s not a bad idea for them also to pack an insurance policy. Parents can choose to cover a child under their existing homeowners’ policies if the child’s primary residence remains the family home. But any claims made by the child will be made against the homeowner policy, which could cause rates to increase, and repeated claims could put the policy itself at risk. If adequate coverage or putting a child on the parents’ homeowners policies’ is a concern, the other option is to get renters insurance for the college-bound kid. The advantage here is that claims won’t affect the homeowners insurance. In addition, the policy can be tailored specifically for a student’s situation to ensure that his or her possessions are adequately covered. Take advantage of the non-underwritten renters insurance program offered by Big "I" Markets through Balboa Insurance Company and make sure your clients with college-age kids know what their choices are. For more information or to register for Big "I" Markets, visit www.bigimarkets.com.

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T R U S T E D   C H O I C E ®
Build Local Image While Tying Into National Ads

Although the Trusted Choice® fall national cable TV advertising campaign is right around the corner, there’s still plenty of time to plan your agency’s local tie-in advertising. Your agency can leverage this nationwide ad flight by running a local ad campaign using the Trusted Choice® customizable "tag-able" TV, radio and print ads. The national ad flight begins Sept. 12 and runs through Sept. 25; click here to view the complete schedule. The tag-able ads introduce consumers to Trusted Choice® and educate them on the valuable services—choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support—provided by your Trusted Choice® agency. With these ready-to-use advertising materials, it is easy to insert your agency contact information and run them in your local media—TV and radio stations as well as newspapers and magazines.

To preview and order the tag-able TV and radio ads, go to www.TrustedChoice.com, log into the "Agents/Brokers" area and click on "Advertising." The print ads can be downloaded directly from the Web site. Also in this section you will find helpful information about how to launch a local advertising campaign and build consumer awareness of your Trusted Choice® agency. You also will find valuable "how-to" information about buying and placing advertising. The print ads are for both personal and commercial lines and are usable for magazines and newspapers.

Maximize exposure by running the 30-second or 60-second radio spots to reinforce your agency’s name, offerings and benefits. Now is the time to take advantage of this opportunity. For a relatively small investment, your agency will achieve double the exposure as the Trusted Choice® for local insurance and financial services consumers. For an added marketing boost, don’t forget to use the Trusted Choice® logo and Pledge of Performance in all your sales and marketing materials. For more information, contact Jeff Myers at jeff.myers@iiaba.net or Stacy Heatherington at stacy.heatherington@iiaba.net; 800-221-7917.

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