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GMA November 2016

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GREEN MOUNTAIN AGENT


Green Mountain Agent is a publication of

In This Issue: 600 Blair Park Road Suite 100 Williston, VT 05495 Phone: 802-229-5884 Fax: 802-876-7912 www.viaa.org VIAA Officers President Peter Richards Vice President Erin Odell Secretary/Treasurer Paul Plunkett IIABA & PIA State National Director Ron Bixby

Directors Chip Ams Daniel Rodcliff Alan Kinney

Staff Executive Director Mary Eversole meversole@viaa.org

GMA Publication Design Thorin Markison thorinmarkison.com

November 2016 4 Message from the President 6 VT State Police: Learning From Our Past 8 Thanksgiving Safety 11 Young Agents News Brief 14 Help Wanted

Features 28 Sales Success: Coffee is for Closers 31 E&O: Managing E&O Risks Resulting From M&As

News 34 ACUITY 35 Concord Group


Message from the President Five Stars The fall has brought mountains of colors like we haven’t seen in years with brilliant orange hued sunsets. We’ve even seen some snow falling from the sky in recent weeks. The President’s Message is usually reserved for industry topics or updates on the association’s initiatives. Given that we insure drivers I think it’s appropriate to mention road safety. Vermonters, especially those in the Mad River Valley, woke up to devastating news last month when five teenagers were killed in a wrong-way crash on I-89. It was an unprecedented tragedy in our small, rural state. Sadly, another wrong way crash occurred in Massachusetts just a couple weeks later where more young people lost their lives. The National Transportation Safety Board reports this as one of the most serious highway crashes—collisions involving vehicles traveling the wrong way on high-speed divided highways. About 355 people are killed each year in these types of crashes, with a high fatality rate. There have been 219 major road crashes resulting in 211 incapacitating injuries and 54 fatalities so far this year in Vermont. Those are shocking statistics. I am proud that VIAA is involved with the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance (VHSA). Our Executive Director, Mary Eversole, serves on their board. The VHSA is a network of like-minded private and public organizations working together to minimize the occurrence and severity of highway crashes, and related injuries and fatalities. Lt. John Flanagan, VHSA, Vice Chair and Vermont State Police Traffic Safety Commander has taken the time from his busy schedule to share his thoughts about road safety in this issue and invites us all to take the Vermont Road User Pledge. 4

Insurance is real life not just a policy form. Our clients come to us to help keep them safe on the road in the event a loss occurs while they are behind the wheel. I encourage all of us to do our part and educate our clients on road safety and take the pledge. Stay safe on the roads and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Pete Richards, VIAA President


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Vermont State Police

Learning from Our Past Lt. John Flanagan

to strive toward zero deaths. ANYONE and EVERYONE can do something now!

Despite our best efforts over decades to reduce traffic fatalities on our nation’s roadways, 2015 saw an increase in these deadly crashes. While some point to lower fuel prices and more miles traveled on our highways, we need to find new strategies to reverse this disturbing trend.

Be a leader and take the Vermont Road User Pledge today at http://vermonthighwaysafety. org/pledge/

Lt. John Flanagan

In Vermont, speeding, impaired and Distracted Driving remain critical emphasis areas in our Strategic Highway Safety Plan and need to be a priority for law enforcement and all highways safety advocates. These are both a real and significant threat to all highway users and a large majority of contributing factors in major crashes. Even with thousands of traffic violations issued under Vermont’s hands free law, many drivers are still not complying. The manual, visual and cognitive distractions can bring devastating consequences from a moving vehicle. Drug impaired driving is also on the rise, involving both illegal and prescriptions drugs that impair driver’s metal and physical skills, needed to safely operate a motor vehicle safely. A staggering 48% of Vermont’s fatal crashes in 2015 were related to drugs, alcohol or both. We need to learn from our past or we are certain to repeat. This comes at a time when recent tragedies still remain in our hearts and minds. This is a call for personal responsibility and a commitment 6

Lt. John Flanagan is the Traffic Operations Commander for Vermont State Police, he also serves as Vice-Chair of the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance and State Coordinator of the Vermont Drug Evaluation and Classification Program.

“Even with thousands of traffic violations issued under Vermont’s hands free law, many drivers are still not complying.”


Let’s Talk Turkey Follow these four food safety tips to take the guesswork out of preparing your holiday turkey.

1. Safely Thaw a Turkey Thaw turkeys in the refrigerator, in a sink of cold water that is changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave. A frozen turkey is safe indefinitely, but a thawing turkey must defrost at a safe temperature. When the turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature can creep into the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria can grow rapidly. 2. Safely Handle a Turkey Bacteria from raw poultry can contaminate anything that it touches. Thoroughly wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces to prevent the spread of bacteria to your food and family. 3. Safely Stuff a Turkey Cook stuffing in a casserole dish to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. If you stuff the turkey, do so just before cooking. Use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing›s center reaches 165°F. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165°F, and possibly cause food poisoning. Learn more about how to safely prepare stuffing. 4. Safely Cook a Turkey Set the oven temperature to at least 325°. Place the completely thawed turkey with the breast side up in a roasting pan that is 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Cooking times will vary depending on the weight of the bird. To make sure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F, check by using a food thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing and the thickest portions of the breast, thigh, and wing joint. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing all stuffing from the cavity and carving the meat. Learn more about safe minimum cooking temperatures and how to use and calibrate a food thermometer for turkey and other foods.

Take Care with Leftovers Clostridium perfringens is the second most common bacterial cause of food poisoning. Outbreaks occur most often in November and December. Meat and poultry accounted for 92% of outbreaks with an identified single food source. Refrigerate leftovers at 40°F or below as soon as possible and within two hours of preparation to prevent food poisoning. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Thanksgiving Travel Safety Tips JUST FOR YOU! • Buckle up, slow down, don’t drive impaired. • Be well rested and alert. • Follow the rules of the road. • Use caution in work zones. • Give your full attention to the road. Avoid distractions such as cell phones. • Observe speed limits – driving too fast or too slow can increase your chance of being in a crash. • Make frequent stops. During long trips, rotate drivers. If you’re too tired to drive, stop and get some rest. • Don’t follow another vehicle too closely. • Clean your headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows to help you see, especially at night. • Turn your headlights on as dusk approaches, or if you are using your windshield wipers due to inclement weather. • If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible.

Check the weather along your route and plan for travel around any storms that may be coming. Watch weather predictions for your entire route so you know what to expect along the way.

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CONSIDER THIS: Existing homeowners and auto insurance may not be enough to cover a lawsuit or judgment. A personal umbrella policy will substantially increase your customer’s overall liability coverage beyond the basic coverage provided under homeowners and auto insurance policies. A SMART WAY TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. You’ll find an RLI personal umbrella policy is a good idea. • $1 million in additional insurance • Backed by a financially secure, A+ rated company • Customers keep their current homeowner/auto insurer • Excess UM/UIM available • New drivers accepted — no age limit on drivers • Up to one DWI/DUI per household allowed • Auto limits as low as 100/300/50 in certain cases

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VERMONT

YOUNG AGENTS ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY| NOVEMBER 17, 2016 11 am – 5 pm • Michael Pieciak Vt Department of Financial Regulation • John Hollar Vermont Legislative Briefing • Sale Seminar: Phil Schuman, The Schuman Group • YAC Business Meeting 5 pm • Social Hour Hilton Burlington, 60 Battery Street, Burlington This meeting is exclusively for VIAA YAC Committee Members, YAC At-Large Members and VIAA Company Partners

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VERMONT

Vermont Young Agents Committee Raises $2500 for Make-A-Wish Vermont Members of the Vermont Young Agents Committee laced up their sneakers and walked for wishes on September 4, 2016 at Burlington’s Centennial Field. The YACs did an inter-agency fundraising challenge and NFP P&C won the challenge with a total of $1905 raised. Noyle Johnson Group brought in $370 and The Richards Group contributed $100 in donations for a total of $2,375. VIAA contributed $125 to help the YACs meet their total fundraising goal for this year. “Our goal has been to raise an additional $2500 each year to leverage the $7500 Trusted Choice grant we provide each year through the Big “I”, says Dan Rodliff, Chair, VTYAC Make-A-Wish Sub- Committee. “A wish is $10,000 and this year we hit our goal thanks to everyone’s participation and now a Wish Child will receive their wish!” The Vermont Young Agents Committee presented Vermont Make-A-Wish with a $7500 check earlier this year from the Trusted Choice Grant. Make-A-Wish Vermont grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

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Dan Rodliff, NFP P&C and Jamie Hathaway, Vermont Make A Wish


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HELP WANTED

COMMERCIAL LINES ACCOUNT MANAGER Agency dedicated to superior customer service with employees committed to adding value to every client activity. We offer our clients complete insurance services. We are currently seeking an experienced Insurance Account Manager for our Commercial Lines Division. The position consists of primary day-to-day point of contact with customers and acting as a liaison between the client, the carrier and the sales producer. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: • Professional and prompt customer service including phone, email and walk-in inquiries on new and existing client accounts, including client questions on topics such as coverage, reporting of claims, audits, etc. • Coordinate policy changes, receive and process new claims, and assist as needed on existing claims. • Review prospective new clients’ insurance policies. Develop accurate information for account submissions and analysis. • Prepare applications for quotation. Obtain updated renewal information and have to marketing 120 days out. • Review and quote renewal policies. Policy review – quality control for policies, new or renewal. • Renewals-retains and services existing accounts, maintains direct communications with each client. • Ensure proper account documentation • Monitor financial status of accounts, collect premiums, and adhere to agency collection policies.

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• Travel as needed to accommodate and attend scheduled client visits, company meetings, and continuing education. Education/Experience/ Licenses/Certifications • Highly organized with excellent verbal and written communication skills. • Computer literacy required. • Sharp attention to detail. • Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities, deadlines and technology. • Thrives in both team and independent working environments. • High School diploma required; college degree preferred. • Three to five years in company or agency underwriting a Plus. • Agency experience preferred • Property/Casualty License required Send your resume and cover letter to Robin Bilodeau, CPIW, CISR, Operations Manager at NFP P & C Services, Inc. Email Robin at robin.bilodeau@nfp.com


HELP WANTED

Berrian Insurance Group COMMERCIAL LINES ACCOUNT MANAGER/CSR Berrian Insurance Group works very closely with commercial clients in several distinct niches. We provide the highest level of service and are actively seeking a Commercial Insurance Account Manager/CSR that is capable of delivering at this standard. The position consists of working daily as the point of contact between our commercial clients and our appointed markets. Responsibilities Include: • Customer service via phone & email • Communication between clients & carrier representatives • Prepare new and renewal applications for submission • Coordinating policy changes • Review quotations and insurance policies for accuracy • Claims reporting

Education/Experience: • Prior agency experience preferred (commercial lines) • Must be computer literate • Must be able to focus on detail with the desire to make a difference through helping others • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • Must be willing & able to learn technology (AMS 360) • Property/Casualty Insurance License will be required; if currently not held, will need to be • obtained • Continuing Education units as mandated by the state regulatory guidelines going forward Send your cover letter and resume to Kim J. Berrian PO Box 647, Waitsfield, VT 05673 OR via email at kberrian@bigvermont.com

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HELP WANTED

New England Excess Exchange, Ltd. is seeking Commercial and Personal Lines Producers to join our growing team! NEEE, Ltd. is a family owned and operated E&S brokerage firm, established in 1981, based in Barre, Vermont with 48 employees. The ideal applicant for Commercial or Personal Lines would have a bachelors degree or commiserate insurance experience. That said, we’ve found the most successful underwriters are detail oriented and driven with strong organizational skills while having an analytical mind and welcoming personality. This individual will need to obtain their state Property and Casualty license and maintain the Continuing Education units as directed by state regulatory guidelines, with our aide; but, we will train them in the role and, at least initially, have the renewals and a submission flow from which they can develop professional relationships and the experience needed to grow a book of business. If they can efficiently multitask, while delivering a high degree of accuracy, they will enjoy a very successful and lucrative career here at NEEE, Ltd. These are commission structured positions with a generous draw to allow for livable bi‐weekly pay between quarterly commission opportunities. Primary Expectations:      

Provide superior customer service to our agents and partner companies Develop relationships with agents and markets Accountable for underwriting decisions Manage a large volume of calls and emails with timely responses Ability to work independently and within a team Excellent oral and written communication

Applicants can submit their resume to Renee Grzankowski, rgrzankowski@neee.com.

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Partnership Opportunities

Home Fire Campaign– Help Save Lives A home fire can strike anywhere, anytime—devastating families. On average, more lives are lost to home fires every year than to all other major disasters combined. But, collectively, we can change that. Working together in communities across the nation, the Red Cross, fire departments, houses of worship, businesses, schools, nonprofits, social service agencies, neighborhood leaders and others are forming coalitions to mobilize resources and volunteers to stamp out needless fire deaths. Your organization can become a part of this community-wide Home Fire Campaign. Possibilities include: Make households more safe. Just one working smoke alarm can reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by half, yet about 25% of homes lack even one working alarm. Join the door-to-door community effort to conduct inhome safety visits in one or more ways:

On average, 7 people die every day from a home fire. 60% of home fire deaths occur in homes that lack working smoke alarms. 190 times a day, Red Cross workers help a family affected by a home fire or other disaster. Every year, the survivors of nearly 70,000 disasters rely on the Red Cross for immediate help—the vast majority of these are home fires.

1. identify volunteers or resources to help residents learn home fire safety and create fire escape plans, install life-saving smoke alarms, and document services provided and additional needs; 2. provide expertise about community groups that will most benefit from these services; and 3. lead smoke alarm installation rallies to provide large numbers of homes with in-home safety visits through day-long events. 4. facilitate the installation of smoke alarms and fire safety education for at-risk people your organization serves Engage youth in making our community safer. Youth learn how to be safer themselves and can take that information home. Join the effort to educate youth on disaster safety in one or more ways: 1. identify volunteers to become presenters or presentation assistants for The Pillowcase Project, a program that empowers kids to take preparedness actions and become advocates for preparedness 2. work with local schools, afterschool programs, summer camps, and other groups to schedule and organize fire safety presentations; and 3. promote awareness about youth-oriented, fire safety smart phone apps and a national youth challenge aimed at harnessing the creativity of our local young people to solve the complex problems around home-fire prevention.


Spread the word. Surveys show that many people have misunderstandings about fire safety. Join the community effort to be sure that everyone knows how to be safe in one or more ways: 1. encourage your family and your neighbors to practice fire drills at home—and keep practicing until everyone can get out in under 2 minutes; 2. make sure everyone knows the importance of working smoke alarms on every level of a home, and that alarms need to be replaced every 10 years. Help others in their time of greatest need. Unfortunately, home fires will continue to affect our community. Be there when tragedy strikes to extend hope, compassion, and relief to families in their time of greatest need. Help meet the urgent needs of home fire survivors by: 1. identifying volunteers to become trained Disaster Action Team (DAT) member, which provides support to families immediately after a home fire; 2. providing resources and referrals that expand the services our community can offer home fire survivors; 3. offering your facility as a location to shelter home fire survivors in advance of a multi-unit apartment fire or other disasters Share our Home Fire Safety Appointment program with your clients so they can request a free in-home visit and free smoke alarm installation. Check out our online request form at redcross.org/nhvt or request free information buck slips to share with your clients

By working together on this important issue, we will help save lives and reduce injuries; ultimately strengthening our communityĂ­s ability to be resilient in the face of any disasterĂłlarge or small. To find out more about how you can start getting involved in the Home Fire Campaign, contact Frank.Grima@redcross.org.

More lives are lost every year to home fires than to all major disasters. You can keep your family safe with 2 simple steps.

Learn more at redcross.org/homefires

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VIAA Congratulates

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Sharpen Your Competitive Edge…

Are you struggling to keep up with ISO changes? Do you really know and understand Commercial Property coverages, Causes of Loss Forms, Endorsements, Inland Marine coverages, Time Element coverages, and Businessowners policies? This knowledge is essential when the competitive heat is turned up high. You simply cannot afford to lack confidence or make a mistake!

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Coffee Is For Closers Phil Schuman As Oprah Winfrey says: “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” Nearly 50% of salespeople make no attempt to ask for the sale at the conclusion of their presentation. And 90% of sales are lost if there is no “ask.” The simple fact is that in sales, as in life, if you don’t ask you don’t get! It is in the rarest of circumstances that the prospect will willingly volunteer that they are ready to buy at the end of your presentation. So how do you attempt to close the sale without feeling like a stereotypical salesperson? We know that customers want to feel they’re buying and not being sold, so how to do we ask without sounding too pushy? The good news is there is a process which when combined with a winning personality will help maximize the chances of closing the deal and opening a long lasting business relationship. The golden key to closing is this: do not see the presentation and the close as two separate entities. Rather they are part of the same natural flowing conversation. The way to do this is to obtain mini-agreements from the prospect all the way along your presentation. This not only helps to sound more conversational than pitchy, but the more the prospect is verbally agreeing with the value you are offering, the easier and more natural if will be for them to say yes at the end. Ask open-ended questions after benefits you present to ensure they see the value. “How do you feel about that?” “What do you think?” This lets you know the progress you are making and helps the prospect establish a buying frame of mind. Any concerns they have should be welcomed – it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want to buy; it just means you still need to show more value in that particular area. Throughout the presentation the more you actively listen to your prospect’s needs 28

and encourage them to talk, the more you will be able to match successfully your benefits to their needs. Once you’ve presented several benefits attempt a “trial close” such as “What do you think to this point?” This acts as a barometer to let you know how ready the prospect is to be asked for the order. When the time comes to ask for the sale it will now seem a much more natural conclusion to the conversation rather than a disjointed close following a presentation where the prospect hasn’t been engaged or involved. Unlike the trial close the actual ask can be a close-ended question; your goal is simply for the prospect to say “yes!” Examples could be: “Are you ready to move forward?” or “Can we get started?” The key is not to sound too pushy whilst remaining in control of the conversation. You may need to address some concerns on any particular area and then be prepared to ask for the sale more than once. Your role as a salesperson is to guide the prospect into making the final buying decision. You can give a winning presentation and the customer can be ready to buy, but simply by not asking for the business you’ll be leaving sales on the table and keeping the value that your products offer from your customers. Master the art of closing the sale and you’ll be winning more business, helping more customers and getting more signatures on the line that is dotted! Happy Selling! The Schuman Group empowers sales teams with real world tools through sales training, coaching and consulting services.

www.schuman-group.com


Are you trying to reach Vermont’s Independent agents? Do you have a great ad that represents your company and have nowhere to place it? Are you looking to hire? Place your ad in VIAA’s monthly publication and have the opportunity to advertise and market to Vermont’s Independent Agents.

Questions on how to place an ad? Contact Mary Eversole at meversole@viaa.org for placement options and advertising rates. Vermont Insurance Agents Association ATTN: Advertising/ 600 Blair Park Road/Suite 100/Williston, VT 05495

Perpetuate the Industry? Check.

Don’t wait until the office is empty to find new talent – support InVEST and find new recruits now. InVEST is a free, classroom to career program designed to increase awareness of the insurance industry with high school and college students. And, InVEST has been making huge strides over the last year. With a new student center, career center and more scholarship dollars than ever before, InVEST is touching more and more students daily. InVEST, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, is supported by financial contributions from insurance companies and individuals, in addition to the active involvement of hundreds of insurance professionals. For volunteer and donor opportunities visit www.investprogram.org.


Everything you insure is on your shoulders

Who do you trust to have your back? VIAS offers the most prestigious Errors & Omissions carrier(s) in the country: Westport Insurance Company & Utica National Insurance Group

For a quote or for more information contact Helen Collins at hcollins@viaa.org or 1-844-609-1481

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VIAS is a subsidiary of Vermont Insurance Agents Association viaa.org


Managing E&O Risks Resulting from M&As Barbara Rocco It’s a familiar tale: An agency has enjoyed great success, so its principals decide the time is right to expand their business and acquire another agency. After finding one that will blend in perfectly, they arrange meetings, sign contracts and the deal is done. Nothing left to do but enjoy the payoff, right? Not so fast. The assumption that “bigger is better” can lead to disaster if the agency’s focus is on growth alone, with no attention to E&O risks. What if the agency you’re acquiring made a few missteps that escaped attention? When those mistakes finally come to light, how can you ensure your agency isn’t stuck footing the bill? Here are a few steps to keep in mind. 1. Learn about the acquired agency’s policies and practices as soon as you can. Multiple locations increase exposure to professional liability claims: The larger the agency, the more people involved, and the greater the opportunity for error. 2. Establish a plan regarding each employee’s responsibilities. This should include a review of current responsibilities and training on how to handle business the acquired agency previously procured.

includes indemnification language protecting it from claims related to the negligence of the acquired agency, in case it committed a wrongful act prior to the acquisition. Similarly, the acquired agency should purchase tail coverage for its own protection. 5. Notify your E&O carrier about the acquisition. Acquiring another agency typically means a change in risk, so E&O policy language commonly requires reporting of all mergers & acquisitions within 90 days. But not all E&O policies are created equal: Effective Sept. 1, for example, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions will add an enhancement to its policy which increases the maximum reporting time to 120 days. Bigger can be better, but only if you take the proper steps to learn about the new agency, instill your culture, educate your people and clearly document that your firm is not taking on the liabilities of the acquired agency for past mistakes. Barbara Rocco is an assistant vice president and claims specialist at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and teleworks out of the Chicago office. Insurance products are underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation, a member of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.

3. Actively integrate successful, wellestablished procedures into the merged agency. Meet with new employees and educate them on procedures and expectations. Consistent and uniform utilization of policies and procedures is imperative as an agency grows. 4. Before finalizing the deal, the acquiring agency should confirm that the purchase contract 31


Case Study What might a typical E&O scenario look like in an M&A? Consider the following example: A successful agency, “Buyer,” reaches an agreement to acquire a smaller firm, “Seller,” whose principal is retiring. Some, but not all, of Seller’s employees will move to Buyer. The contract includes indemnification language, and Buyer makes Seller an additional insured on Buyer’s E&O policy, with a retroactive date reflecting the date of acquisition. Seller terminates its E&O policy as of the date of the acquisition, but purchases tail coverage. So far, so good. Here’s what Buyer doesn’t know: Seller had procured workers compensation coverage for a longtime client, Widget Co., which had multiple facilities and locations. At renewal, but before the acquisition, Widget Co. requested a separate workers comp policy for one of its out-of-state facilities. Seller went to the state workers comp pool to procure coverage. Afterwards, Buyer completed its acquisition of Seller. The Widget Co. account had still not been reassigned when, several months later, one of its employees was injured on the

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job. At this time, it comes to light that the pool never issued the policy, but instead returned the premium. The precise timing of the returned premium and notification of “no issuance”—right around the agency acquisition date—is a matter of dispute between the two agencies’ employees. Seller’s employees claim it was Buyer’s responsibility to complete the follow-up and issue the policy, and if not, advise the client. Buyer’s employees disagree, arguing that their agency planned to perform a review prior to the next renewal. Regardless, Widget Co. was never informed that the policy was not issued, much less refunded the premium. The client has little choice but to file a lawsuit against both agencies, after which it will find a new broker. If Buyer and Seller clearly articulated procedures and responsibilities and notified all employees, someone may have caught the fact that the policy was never issued and the premium had been returned, and the agencies could have taken corrective actions in a timely manner. Instead, a client went without coverage—and two groups of employees who are meant to be on the same team ended up pointing fingers at each other. —B.R.


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Company News Acuity Earns ACORD Awards for Technology Leadership Acuity received two ACORD awards for delivering independent agents technology solutions that support real-time business capabilities.

approach that connects the company, agents, and customers, including development of Lead Generation and Quoting and integration with online insurance aggregators.

ACORD Awards are presented to organizations that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in implementation in the past year and recognize business process improvement, individual and organizational leadership, global outreach, and industry community excellence. Since 2000, Acuity has received more ACORD awards than any other property-casualty insurance company.

“Acuity continues to be a leader in the adoption of ACORD standards and in automating insurance processes that make independent agents more efficient and profitable,” said Marcus Knuth, Vice President - Enterprise Technology. “We have been active in developing systems that utilize the ACORD standards since 2000 because of the value they deliver to Acuity, our agencies, and our business partners.”

Acuity earned a Leadership Award and a Case Study Award. The Leadership Award highlighted Acuity’s use of ACORD Standards in ways that have enabled the insurer, independent agents, and trading partners to improve electronic communication and gain operating efficiency. For the Case Study Award, ACORD recognized Acuity’s omni-channel

ACORD is a global, nonprofit organization serving the insurance and related industries. ACORD facilitates fast, accurate data exchange and more efficient workflows through the development of electronic standards, standardized forms, and tools to support their use.

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Agency News VIAA Congratulates T.S. Peck Insurance And HB Denis, Ricker & Brown on Their 40Th Annivesary With The Concord Insurance Group Companies

T.S. Peck Insurance

HB Denis, Ricker & Brown

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IMPERIAL PFS IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH VIAA. ®

IMPERIAL PFS® AND VIAA ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CUSTOMIZE FINANCE PROGRAMS FOR MEMBER AGENCIES. To learn more about special programs for VIAA members, contact Steven Abramovitz at: 617.990.2364 or by email at: steven.abramovitz@ipfs.com

Visit us online at ipfs.com or download our mobile app today using your Android™ or IOS® device to get started.

Imperial PFS is a trade name affiliated with IPFS Corporation (IPFS), a premium finance company. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. IOS is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries.


Helen Collins hcollins@viaa.org


Vermont Insurance Agents Association Partner Program Diamond Partners

Platinum Partners Silver Partners AmTrust North America, Inc. Travelers

Gold Partners Co-Operative Insurance Cos. Hanover Insurance Group Imperial PFS MAPFRE|USA MEMIC

Bronze Partners Berkshire Hathaway GUARD CNA Meadowbrook TPA Associates New England Excess Exchange, LTD NGM Insurance

Patriot Insurance Company

Thank you 2016 Annual Partners


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