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Bad News, Good News and New Beginnings |  Big "I" in Media Spotlight |  Ohio Big "I" CEO Stepping Down After 25 Years |  Access Web site with Your IIABA Password |  2006 Ad Plans Set |  Trusted Choice® Agencies are Better |  InVEST Announces Newly Revised Brochure |  Unwrap the December Issue | Industry News

B I G   " I "   M A R K E T S
Bad News, Good News and New Beginnings

Sometimes, the end of something that was important to you often signals the beginning of something else that turns out to be even better than what you left behind. The situation with non-standard homeowners insurance on Big "I" Markets definitely falls into that category.

Almost three years ago, Balboa Life & Casualty first approached us about putting their non- standard product on BIM, and we were ecstatic. Non-standard homeowners was by far and away the most-requested product by members in our market development surveys. But, three years later, the product is only available in 28 states and not even at all tiers in those 28.

Late last spring we began looking for a provider in the states where Balboa did not have a presence. In August, Balboa said it would no longer try to expand into other states and that the available product would not be enhanced. We needed to find another market as soon as possible.

There are very few non-standard homeowners providers in the admitted market, and none that we have found with nationwide access. But, based on the recommendation of our Georgia association, we wanted to use Lexington Insurance Company. The challenge, however, is that the company is an excess & surplus provider, and we do not have our excess & surplus license.

In September we met with an MGA in New York City to discuss the feasibility of putting some of its products on Big "I" Markets, on the recommendation of the New York association. We shared with the MGA our quest to find a non-standard market, preferably with Lexington. The MGA’s CEO smiled and said, "Do you want me to talk to Lexington for you?" Turns out he is close friends with some senior management at Lexington. Not only that, the MGA has its excess & surplus license in 48 states, and will have the 49th one soon.

The end result is that last week our board of directors approved our request to move forward with putting Lexington’s non-standard homeowner product on Big "I" Markets. Non-standard will be available in 48 states and the District of Columbia effective the first of the year. We are doing so in partnership with the MGA.

We are in the process of putting marketing materials together and getting the product on the system, and will get you more details as soon as we have them. For now, we know the eligibility guidelines are much more expansive than Balboa’s were. For more information, contact Aimee Fawns at aimee.fawns@iiaba.net.

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I I A B A   N E W S
Big "I" in Media Spotlight

The past two months were extremely busy for the Big "I" national staff. The media turned to the Big "I" for explanation and insight into flood program revisions and for its insight on TRIA—one of the most important pieces of legislation on the Hill today. Members of the media know that the Big "I" government affairs team is always spending time behind the scenes, meeting with Capitol Hill decision makers. So reporters are looking to the Big "I" now than ever as a resource. Big "I" staff members have been quoted more than 20 times since mid-November in national consumer media, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, as well as trade media, including Insurance Journal, National Underwriter, BestWeek and more. Additionally, Big "I" CEO Bob Rusbuldt was interviewed for a consumer news piece on homeowners insurance and the 2003 Big "I" study on insurers cracking down on homeowners with certain types of claims. It was distributed to nearly 60 local TV outlets across the country, airing on local evening newscasts in many major cities including Baltimore, Tampa, Minneapolis and St. Louis. For more information, contact Emily Crane at emily.crane@iiaba.net; 800-221-7917.

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Ohio Big "I" CEO Stepping Down After 25 Years

After serving it for 25 years, Ohio Association of Insurance Agents CEO Tom Hardy is retiring from the association. He joined the association in 1976. The Ohio Big "I" has grown substantially during his tenure, and Harvey oversaw association milestones like the transition to computers. The Big "I" thanks him for all his contributions to the association and to the industry.

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N A T I O N A L   L E G I S L A T I V E   C O N F E R E N C E   &   C O N V E N T I O N
Access Web site with Your IIABA Password

Remember, you need your password to register at the NLC & Convention Web site. Don’t know your password? E-mail logon@iiaba.net and include your name, e-mail address, agency name and location.

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T R U S T E D   C H O I C E ®
2006 Ad Plans Set

There are many highlights in the 2006 Trusted Choice® advertising plan, but none more popular than Trusted Choice® Month. This month-long, concentrated advertising campaign to increase consumer awareness of the brand and its 5,400 participating agencies returns next year by popular demand.

That’s not all the 2006 ad plan features. The overall consumer outreach plan includes a mix of nationwide cable television and online advertising as well as print advertising in targeted professional trade journals.

Advertising activity will occur in each of the first eight months of next year with three TV flights, three Internet flights and print ads from January to August.

The advertising activity will roll out in 2006 on a month-by-month basis:

· January to August: Print ads in targeted business-to-business (B2B) publications.

· February: Four-week Internet ad flight.

· March: Two-week, nationwide cable TV ad flight with nearly 100 spots.

· April: One-week, Washington, D.C.-area ad flight timed with the Big "I" National Legislative Conference and Convention.

· May (Trusted Choice® Month): Two week, $600,000 nationwide cable TV ad flight with hundreds of spots.

· May-June: Four-week Internet ad flight that begins during Trusted Choice® Month and concludes in June.

· July: Four-week Internet ad flight.

Each media was selected for the value it brings in increasing consumer awareness of the brand, driving consumers to the Web site and reaching business owners seeking a trusted insurance counselor.

Cable TV advertising, for example, will drive consumer recognition of the Trusted Choice® logo and by extension its 5,400 participating agencies. Internet advertising, while also building brand recognition, is a great lead generation medium. Online ads will drive consumers to www.TrustedChoice.com where they can find a trusted insurance advisor through the Agency Locator. Last year’s Internet ad campaign on www.homestore.comincreased traffic on the Trusted Choice® Web site and prompted thousands of consumers to use the Agency Locator. The print media for the B2B advertising were selected because business owners turn to their trade associations for help finding a trusted insurance advisor. Ads in a trade journal imply an endorsement by that organization.

To capitalize on these national ad campaigns, Trusted Choice® agencies should begin immediate preparations to advertise in their local communities in conjunction with these national-focused campaigns or to run their local ads immediately before or following a national flight. Doing so will provide agencies double exposure in their community because consumers will not differentiate between the national ads and the local ads.

The brand program offers participating agencies a series of professionally produced tag-able TV, radio and print ads that can be customized with their agency name and contact info to run in their local market. Click hereto preview these effective marketing materials and helpful guides to buying broadcast (TV and radio) and print media.

Start planning your 2006 local advertising activity now to get the best placements and prices. The longer you wait, the higher the chance ad placements you want will be sold or will cost significantly more than if you act now.

For more information contact Jeff Myers at jeff.myers@iiaba.net; 800-221-7917.

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Trusted Choice® Agencies are Better

Are Trusted Choice® agencies stronger market performers than non-Trusted Choice® agencies? Yes, according to new empirical data.

The Main Street America Group, a long-time Trusted Choice® company partner, analyzed its appointed agencies and found that, on average, its Trusted Choice® agencies are stronger performers than its non-Trusted Choice® agencies.

When The Main Street America Group tracked agency results over the past three years, the company identified the following key findings:

· Premium growth: Annual growth for Trusted Choice® agencies is 5% higher than other agencies.

· Profitability: The loss ratio of Trusted Choice® agencies is 4% better than non- Trusted Choice® agencies.

· Retention: Business retention is 2.5% stronger for Trusted Choice® agencies.

· Policy growth: The annual policy growth of Trusted Choice® agencies is 4% higher.

The analysis shows that The Main Street America Group’s Trusted Choice® agencies are the best-performing group of all of its appointed agencies.

"The Trusted Choice® Pledge of Performance demands more from agencies that are part of the brand program," says Kelly Stacy, senior vice president, field operations, for The Main Street America Group. "This strong brand, which MSA Group has invested in since its inception, clearly generates better financial results. Currently, we are using the list of Trusted Choice® agents as our No. 1 source for prospecting new agency appointments."

Approximately 40% of the company’s appointed agencies are Trusted Choice® participants. According to Stacy, the company’s goal is to have 100% of its customers join Trusted Choice®.

For more information, contact Jeff Myers (jeff.myers@iiaba.net) or Stacy Heatherington (stacy.heatherington@iiaba.net); 800- 221-7917.

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I N V E S T
InVEST Announces Newly Revised Brochure

InVEST recently released its newly revised and redesigned "What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?" brochure. Geared towards high school and community college students, the brochure promotes careers in the insurance industry. It is available for free download as a print-ready PDF online. Click hereto download it.

This informational brochure can be distributed in a variety of ways: at career days and in the classroom to promote careers in insurance, during meetings with school administrators to demonstrate the value of InVEST for their student body, and at adult education classes. Don’t forget about the InVEST speaker’s presentation kit, Tools of the Trade, which is also available on the InVEST Web site. This valuable kit contains questions and answers on general insurance topics, a PowerPoint presentation, student handouts and more.

InVEST, a 501(c)3 educational trust, introduces thousands of high school and community college students each year to the hundreds of diverse careers available in insurance and prepares them to assume entry-level positions in the industry.

For more information on how to start an InVEST class in your area, contact Sandra Skipper at sandra.skipper@iiaba.net; 800-221-7917.

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I A   M A G A Z I N E
Unwrap the December Issue

IA’s holiday gift to you is here—the December issue! Here’s a sneak peak of what’s inside: "Break the Cross-Sell Spin Cycle," a primer on using the retirement planning angle for a holistic sales approach; "Fine-Tine Your Training Regimen," a look at how employee training benefits your bottom line; "Picking Up the Pieces," the survival story of an agency devastated by Katrina; and more! The issue also contains a subscription renewal form. Fill it out and send it back to keep IA coming! Rather renew online? Go to   www.IAmagazine.com.

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