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Industry News

Trusted Choice^®
Marketing Your Trusted® Choice Agency Just Got Easier

Recently, Trusted Choice^® created a tri-fold brochure that highlights why a consumer needs a Trusted Choice^® independent agent. The document offers a comparison of captive versus independent agents, explains the benefits of an independent agent and includes the Trusted Choice^® pledge of performance. This marketing tool is now available, with a few clicks of a mouse, from Mines Press. You can customize this brochure with your agency name, contact information and logo. Once customized, you can order printed copies to use in your marketing efforts. Keep your agency top of mind with current clients by sending the brochure with a merged cover letter. Conduct a direct mail campaign to prospects; follow up with an e-mail, phone call or letter. Have the brochure available in your reception area, at chamber events or trade booths. Provide copies to members of your networking groups. The opportunities are limitless. To check out the brochures and the Mines Press interface, visit the www.TrustedChoice.com agents/brokers section or click here. (You will need your user ID and password.)

Trusted Choice^®
Donate to the Trusted Choice^® Disaster Relief Fund

With Hurricane Ike projected to hit the Texas Gulf Coast and damage from Hurricane Gustav still being tallied, the Big “I” is meeting members’ disaster assistance needs through the Trusted Choice^® Disaster Relief Fund.

The Trusted Choice^® Disaster Relief Fund was established by the IIAA Educational Foundation of the Big “I” to assist those who have suffered losses due to natural or man-made disasters. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity and all contributions are tax deductible.

The fund makes cash grants to those in the insurance industry, including Big “I” members and their agency staffs, and others to pay for immediate or ongoing financial needs when other funding sources (such as insurance and other grants) are not available, to fill the gap until other funding sources can be accessed and to provide insurance agents with supplies and resources to assist with disaster relief efforts to aid victims and surviving family members in their communities.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to the fund or to apply for a grant, go to www.independentagent.com and click on “About Us” and then “Trusted Choice^® Disaster Relief Fund.” To contribute via check, send a check payable to the “Trusted Choice^® Disaster Relief Fund” to:

Attn: Lillian Carter
Trusted Choice^® Disaster Relief Fund
127 S. Peyton St.
Alexandria, VA 22314


IIABA News
Big “I” Agents Take National Media Spotlight

Big “I” Immediate Past Chairman Alex Soto was a recent special guest on CNN’s “Open House” program. He taped an interview in Miami with anchor Gerri Willis that aired several times last weekend on CNN and its sister network, Headline News. Soto discussed hurricane prep and recovery, wind and flood insurance and offered advice for homeowners in the paths of this latest spate of hurricanes.

In addition, Trusted Choice^® agent Mike McCartin of Joseph W. McCartin Insurance in College Park, Md. is currently being featured in a national TV news story about college student insurance issues, including renter’s coverage, auto policy changes and health insurance for students studying abroad. That report was distributed by Fox News to its local affiliates around the country. Most stations will use it over the next couple of weeks on their “Fox News Edge” programs.

For more information about these news segments, contact Sue Nester, IIABA broadcast media director, at 703-706-5448; susan.nester@iiaba.net.


Big “I” Markets
Sit Back and Let Met Handle Your Agency’s Life Sales

Through the Big “I”’s partnership with MetLife, members have access to a full range of some of the most flexible and competitive life products on the market. Members can also earn a 50% commission on new life sales without ever selling to anyone. Simply identify clients who are interested in discussing life insurance and let the trained professionals at MetLife’s call center contact them. The call center representative will walk a client through a needs analysis and make the sale for the member. The agents also call on the member’s behalf, identifying themselves as the member’s agency. This is an easy way to add commission dollars to an agency’s bottom line. How much? Members get paid 50% of the first year premium for all UL and whole life policies and 40% for 10-15-20-30 year term policies.

Members can also earn up to 80% commissions on term insurance and 100% on universal life if they make the sale themselves. This is how the process works:

Option A: Go to Big “I” Markets and from the Offline Products menu select Eagle Met. Go through the “Request a Quote” process. Once approved, you will have access to all MetLife Auto & Home product lines, both property-casualty and life.

Option B: If you have a variety of life markets available --- great! If not or if you need another one, schedule an appointment with MetLife by calling Sara Holder at 800-486-5003 ext 5811 or emailing her at sholder@metlife.com. Holder will walk you through the appointment process while over the phone. By the end of the call you will be ready to begin using Met’s online rater. At your request, Holder can also arrange for a local MetLife manager to visit your office to provide additional assistance. Just remember, you get paid 80% of the total premium for all term policies written and 100% of premium for all universal life policies. This process is for life insurance only.

Option C: If you don’t have the expertise to personally sell life you can still make sure your customers have the opportunity to buy it while you still get paid. How? By taking advantage of MetLife’s call center. The center is staffed with trained life specialists who will call customers on your behalf and complete a life insurance needs analysis with them. If they are successful at selling a policy, you will be paid 40% of premium on term life sales and 50% of premium for sales of universal or whole life products. All you have to do is email a list of the customers you want called to the manager of the life call center.

Your list will be distributed to a trained life specialist. You will receive via e-mail a status summary of the outcome of each call and because the calls are made by the life call center, Met will not try to cross sell other personal lines products to your customers. There are no p-c licensed agents in the life call centers. If a customer inquires about other lines of insurance, the life specialist refers them back to you.

To learn more, visit www.bigimarkets.com.


Big “I” Markets
Habitiational Market Offers Guaranteed Replacement Cost

In today’s marketplace, agents are looking for an advantage when it comes to servicing their clients. Most know what their clients want, but sometimes struggle to deliver what they need. Attributes such as great service, being in business for a long time and representing numerous markets don’t make agents different --- they make them the same. The true competitive edge lies in being different. So how do agents separate themselves from the pack? They position themselves as experienced professionals who stand out from the competition.

Take MiddleOak Specialty^®’s guaranteed replacement cost loss settlement option for example. Most commercial insurance policies provide replacement cost but limit the maximum payable with a percentage cap. Other insurance companies offer blanket and/or agreed value with a statement of values filed with the company. In essence, limiting what the insured can collect from the carrier if a disaster should happen. Most agents believe these are adequate solutions. But what if the loss is above and beyond the blanket limit?

With guaranteed replacement cost coverage, there is no percentage cap and/or maximum limit set. So agents and their insureds will have the peace of mind knowing that, after a devastating loss to their business, this loss settlement option will truly bring them back whole even if the loss goes above the scheduled limit on the policy. MiddleOak Specialty^® will figure the value of the buildings at policy inception. All MiddleOak Specialty^® requires is that agents insure to that value and advise them of any future improvements to the building that exceed $25,000. MiddleOak Specialty^® will guarantee the replacement of the building regardless of the cost at the time of the covered loss. For example, if MiddleOak Specialty^® insures the building for $2.5 million and the loss is $3 million, it’s covered. With so many different insurance contracts in use, there are just too many variables to consider when setting a replacement cost limit. For more information, visit www.bigimarkets.com.