National Quality Awards Are the Hallmark for Outstanding Client Care

By Ike Trotter, CLU, RICP, ChFC, and Suzanne Carawan

The National Quality Awards were created and launched in 1945 as the National Quality Awards of the National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU, which was the name prior to NAIFA). At its inception, the award was focused on recognizing outstanding performance for life insurance agents, but over the decades, the meaning and scope of the award has been expanded. Regardless of year, the award has always delivered on its pledge to focus on quality of care and not merely annual production of the agent or advisor. The award has been further refined over the years to identify individuals who practice the NAIFA way — adhering to the highest of ethics and providing quality care to both their clients and communities in which they work.

During the 1980s, the award was expanded to have practice categories and now offers National Quality Awards for those advisors who have multiline, financial advising, health, and employee benefits practices, in addition to life insurance. Several key members have supported the evolution of the awards program, including Ike Trotter, CLU, RICP, ChFC (NAIFA-MS and loyal member since 1976) who advances the financial advising practice area, and Matt Tassey who has been instrumental in structuring the health and employee benefits category.

In 2019, work was again undertaken to refresh the award program largely driven by the passion of Trotter, who believes that NQA should be seen as a “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for advisors. Trotter’s passion for the project led him to work with National staff to form a working group to transform the program to being open to agencies that want to recognize their individual agents and companies that want to recognize their advisors. Additionally, NQA underwent a brand refresh as part of the 2020 roll-out of the new unified NAIFA brand. The updated logo, refreshed website, and application process, as well as directory of award winners was released in 2020.

“While we overhauled the program and released a fresh new approach to NQA, the timing was less than ideal,” stated Suzanne Carawan, VP Marketing & Communications of NAIFA. “Our members were focused on their main priority — serving their clients during COVID-19 and likely missed the opportunity to get recognized for their outstanding work by receiving an NQA. However, our hope is that advisors and agents are ready to step back and be recognized for all of their hard work that they put into their practice in 2020 and be recognized this year.” In addition to the overhaul, the deadline for applications for NQA was extended and standardized across all awards so members are more likely to understand award opportunities.

The NQA applications in the areas of life insurance, multiline, financial advising, and health and employee benefits all ask various questions as to production but provide bonus points based on NAIFA involvement, including holding the LUTCF or LACP and holding leadership positions. The intent of the award is to