NAIFA Advocacy Is Everywhere the Action Is!

Across NAIFA Nation, NAIFA’s advocacy influence makes a difference. Many important decisions come out of Washington, D.C., but just as many are made in state capitals or in the meetings of interstate policy groups. That’s why NAIFA’s advocacy is always protecting your business wherever the action is.

By Mark Briscoe

Federal

The dust has finally settled following the 2020 elections. A new administration and a new Congress are making decisions in Washington, D.C., that will impact the businesses of insurance and financial professionals and the Main Street families and businesses NAIFA members serve.

The 117th Congress was seated in January with nine freshman senators and approximately 60 new members of the House of Representatives. These are men and women who, in many cases, are completely unaware of NAIFA’s advocacy mission. They have not been in office during a Congressional Conference when NAIFA members filled the halls of House and Senate office buildings. They don’t have a clear understanding of the many ways that

NAIFA is involved with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), groups that produce model legislation and regulations and influence policy nationwide. NAIFA State Chapter Director Julie Harrison is a member of the board of directors of the National Insurance Producer Registry, an affiliate of the NAIC that oversees licensing matters. NAIFA Policy Director Maeghan

NAIFA members and their colleagues serve the insurance and financial needs of their constituents in their home districts, or how the decisions they make may impact the financial security of everyday Americans. The key is building relationships.

How can a NAIFA member build a relationship with a member of Congress? It’s really not difficult. It just requires being motivated, engaged and involved. Several good ways to start include:

• Attending NAIFA’s Congressional Conference, a virtual event May 25-26, to meet via video technology with your senator and their office staff

• Attending local events where the member of Congress will be

• Visiting with the member of Congress or their office staff in-district

• Volunteering to work on a campaign

• Contributing to a campaign or attending a fundraiser

Gale represents NAIFA on the Industry Education Council, an educational partner of NCOIL.

Earlier this year, NAIFA Trustee Chris Gandy spoke at a meeting of the NAIC’s Special Committee on Race and Insurance. NAIFA staff and volunteers regularly provide the NAIC and NCOIL testimony, letters and assistance drafting model legislation and regulations, as well as other resources.

When the NAIC or NCOIL produces a model policy with NAIFA’s backing, our association’s state advocacy teams and grassroots networks go into action. They work to have the model adopted by state governments.

Many NAIFA members know their senators or representatives as neighbors, business associates, members of the same religious communities and volunteer organizations, or through other personal interactions. If you know a member of Congress, please tell NAIFA by reporting the relationship via the NAIFA Advocacy Action Center on our website at www.naifa.org/advocate.

Good relationships are a pillar of NAIFA’s advocacy success. Being politically active and involved is an important part of being a good NAIFA citizen and working in clients’ best interests. After all, laws and regulations that don’t allow agents and advisors to effectively provide vital products, services and personalized advice are not in the interests of clients or consumers. When we have opportunities to change policies for the better, we need to do so.

NAIFA is currently pushing for the adoption of the NAIC’s model rule on annuity transactions in every state. NAIFA had a hand in creating the NAIC model and heading off alternatives that could have disrupted advisor-client relationships. It protects consumers by requiring financial professionals to work in their best interests while at the same time preserving business and compensation models that give consumers choices in the marketplace and broad access to products, services and advice. It’s a win-win.