e-Insight - April 2021

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Advertising - Tami Hubbell

April 2021

CONTENTS 14 GOLDEN SALES TIPS

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24

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12 13 14 16 20 24 26 29 30 32

Big “I” Virtual Legislative Conference Insurance Industry Legislative Do You Have a Brain for Sales... and Success in Life?

By John Chapin

The 7 P’s of Agency Success

By Brent Kelly

20 Golden Sales Tips for Insurance Agents

By Fran Majidi

The Absolute Secret to Building a Great Sales Team

By Randy Schwantz

De-Myth-ifying Workers’ Compensation 10 Myths Busted - Part Two

By Shawn-Michael Hall, Sr.

Errors and Omissions: Technology Technicalities

By Donna Asta

The Game Has Changed: What Do Customers Expect from Salespeople?

By John Graham

2021 EDGE Conference

In This Issue

The Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL) has been providing members with a sustainable competitive advantage since 1899.

7 9 10 19

President’s Message Brett’s Two Sense Trusted Choice

34 37 38

Associate News IIA of IL News Classifieds

e-Insight

info@iiaofil.org | www.iiaofil.org | (800) 628-6436 or (217) 793-6660 | Fax: (217) 793-6744

2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2019 • 2020

Insight is the official publication of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL). The magazine is published monthly for the members of the IIA of IL, with the office located at 4360 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, Illinois 62711-7009; Consumer Website: www.ChooseIndependent.com. The IIA of IL welcomes letters discussing concerns of the insurance industry, articles, editorials, other matters of interest to the membership. The editor reserves the right to edit and select submissions for publication. Address submissions for review to Rachel Romines at rromines@iiaofil.org. For advertising information, contact Tami Hubbell at thubbell@iiaofil.org.

Board of Directors Executive Committee

Chairman of the Board | Bill Wirth (618) 939-6368 | billw@wirthagency.com President | George Daly (708) 845-3311 | george.daly@thehortongroup.com President-Elect | Jay Peterson, AFIS, LUTCF (217) 935-6605 | jay@peterson.insurance Vice President | Kevin Lesch (630) 830-3232 | klesch@arachasgroup.com Secretary/Treasurer | Bennie Jones (312) 960-6206 | bjones@rmsoa.com IIABA National Director Gregory A. Sandrock, CIC, AFIS (815) 438-3923 | gregsandrock@2cornerstone.com

Regional Directors

Region 1 | James Sager (618) 548-2796 | james@kaneinsurance.com

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APPLIED UNDERWRITERS

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UNITED FIRE

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WEST BEND MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.

Region 2 | Joseph Heneghan (618) 639-2244 | joe.heneghan@hwcrins.com Region 3 | Christopher Leming (217) 321-3185 | cleming@troxellins.com Region 4 | Bart Hartauer, CIC (815) 223-1795 | hartauer@hartauer.com Region 5 | Nick Gunn, CIC (309) 691-1300 | nickgunn@nixonagency.com Region 6 | Thomas Evans, Jr. (779) 220-6564 | tevans@crumhalsted.com Region 7 | Jason House (708) 597-8731 ext. 131 | jhouse@insxchg.com Region 8 | Andrew Allan (773) 891-8000 | aallan@lakeviewins.com Region 9 | Ed Boltz, JD (630) 443-7300 | eboltz@crumhalsted.com Region 10 | Christopher Bassler, CLCS (847) 480-0800 | cbassler@basslerins.com At-Large Director | Amiri Curry (847) 797-5700 | acurry@assuranceagency.com At-Large Director | William Durkin (312) 629-0725 | durkinb@danielandhenry.com At-Large Director | Michael-Charles Hilson (708) 333-3378 | mhilson@gbgins.com At-Large Director | Allyson Padilla (618) 393-2195 | allyson@blanksinsurance.com At-Large Director | Patrick Muldowney (312) 595-7192 | patrick.muldowney@alliant.com

Committee Chairs

IIA of Illinois Staff

Budget & Finance | Bennie Jones (312) 960-6200 | bjones@rmsoa.com

Director of Information and Technology Shannon Churchill - (217) 321-3004 - schurchill@iiaofil.org

Director of Government Relations Evan Manning - (217) 321-3002 - emanning@iiaofil.org

Education | Teresa Fleming, CIC, CISR (815) 849-5219 | tess@leffelmanassoc.com

Director of Education and Agency Resources Brett Gerger - (217) 321-3006 - bgerger@iiaofil.org

Office Administrator Kristi Osmond - (217) 321-3007 - kosmond@iiaofil.org

Accounting & Admin Services Tami Hubbell - (217) 321-3016 - thubbell@iiaofil.org

Director of Communications Rachel Romines - (217) 321-3024 - rromines@iiaofil.org

Director of Human Resources, Board Admin Jennifer Jacobs - (217) 321-3013 - jjacobs@iiaofil.org

Director of Membership Services Tom Ross, CRIS, CPIA - (217) 321-3003 - tross@iiaofil.org

Sr. Vice President/Chief Financial Officer Mark Kuchar - (217) 321-3015 - mkuchar@iiaofil.org

Products & Services Administrator Janet White, CISR - (217) 321-3010 - jwhite.indep12@insuremail.net

Chief Executive Officer Phil Lackman - (217) 321-3005 - plackman@iiaofil.org

Director of Prof. Liability & Ins. Products Carol Wilson, CPIA - (217) 321-3011 - cwilson.indep12@insuremail.net

Farm Agents Council | Randy Jacobs (309) 365-3231 | rjacobs@mtco.com Government Relations | Patrick Taphorn, CIC, CSRM (309) 347-2177 | ptaphorn@unland.com IIAPAC | Dustin Peterson (217) 935-6605 | dustin@peterson.insurance Planning & Coordination | Cindy K. Jackman, CIC, CISR (800) 878-9891 x8745 | cjackman@arlingtonroe.com Technology | Ryan Hite (309) 688-7316 | ryan.hite@eaglerockins.com Young Agents | Renee Crissie (224) 217-6577 | renee@crissieins.com

Central/Southern Marketing Representative Lori Mahorney - (217) 415-7550 - lmahorney@iiaofil.org

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Sr. VP, Claims Management Services Mike.Castro@ipmg.com 630.485.5895

VP, New Business Development Bob.Spring@ipmg.com 630.485.5885 april 2021

president's message | INSIGHT

Virtual Events = More Opportunities April already? It still seems like April should be months away! If time is going by as fast for you as it is for me, April has snuck up on you. And three of the best industry events are right around the corner.

First up is the Big “I” Virtual Legislative Conference.

Normally, each spring, the IIA of IL sends roughly 25 members to Washington, D.C. to meet with Congress and listen to keynotes from industry and Congressional leaders.

It was an opportunity to see first-hand the amazing work our Big “I” Capitol Hill team does for our industry. As with most events during this pandemic, this conference has shifted to a virtual event - held April 13-16 at 1:00 pm (CST) each day for less than an hour. Attendees that may not have been able to attend in years past because of travel will have the opportunity to get up to speed on the many legislative, regulatory and legal challenges our profession is experiencing right now. This event is free for IIA of IL members. I encourage you and your staff to register to witness the excellent work our national association does on behalf of independent agents around the country. Big “I” recently announced Bill Hemmer, co-anchor of America’s Newsroom will be the featured speaker on Friday, April 16.

View detailed conference information on page 12.

The 2021 EDGE Conference, held April 21-22 virtually, is one of the highest regarded events powered by Young Agents in the country, winning multiple awards over the years. The EDGE Conference is focused on furthering leadership skills, sales practices, and personal and professional growth. This year’s line-up of speakers and topics is top-notch! The opening session features a presentation that will capture your heart and open your mind while inspiring you to achieve your dreams and goals while living the life that is truly life. In this highly energized presentation, John Nichols will give a motivating performance featuring his personal stories about overcoming obstacles (spoiler: a near-death experience left him paralyzed from the neck down) and persevering to become a regular on the marathon scene.

This event, which includes up to eight hours of IL CE, also features topics on receiving referrals… without asking (sign me up for that!), learning how to maximize our full potential for success, and how to set ourselves apart from the competition by being different. Plus, something everyone in our offices could use lately: tips to stay productive. You’ll find all the details on page 32 of this issue. And, to see if you are paying attention, register using code “GeorgeIsAGreatPresident” and you’ll receive $20 off your $60 registration fee!

Last but certainly not least, Insurance Industry Legislative Day has turned into “days,” with this year’s event being held virtually on the afternoon of April 26 and the morning of April 27. As you know, our legislative team at the IIA of IL has had their work cut out for them this year.

Evan Manning, Director of Government Relations for the association, has been working tirelessly on moving IIA of IL sponsored bills through the necessary channels, navigating the legislative sessions remotely (or following COVID protocols), and keeping up with all of the Governor’s Executive Orders that have affected Illinois independent agents. All the while, Evan has maintained a great working relationship with the House and Senate Insurance Committees’ Chairs, and, along with Brett Gerger, IIA of IL Director of Education and Agency Resources, and Phil Lackman, CEO, has continued to work closely with key contacts at the Department of Insurance (DOI).

It has been a whirlwind of a year, and I invite you to hear all about it at this year’s event. For just $20, plus the opportunity to receive four hours of IL CE, you will get a full update from Legislators, the acting director of the DOI, and participate in a roundtable discussion with association leaders. This is your industry. It is essential to listen to all the details that go into fighting for you and your business every day. Detailed information can be found on page 13. I encourage you to register right away.

I wanted to present these events to you and encourage you to participate. The IIA staff is truly the best in the entire country at organizing and implementing these conferences.

These events represent the best of what your association offers to all members. By attending, you will see first-hand the major legislative issues impacting our livelihood on a federal and state level. By registering, you will experience the EDGE conference presented by our wonderful award winning young agents group that includes so many topics that are relevant to the success of your agency. After reading this article and the additional details within Insight, I urge you to take a few minutes and register to attend virtually. If you attend, please feel free to send a message and let me know what you found most valuable.

Have a great April.

George Daly - IIA of IL President - (708) 845-3311 - george.daly@thehortongroup.com april 2021

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Pamper your customer’s business with a policy from West Bend.

Your customer’s business is their pride and joy. Now help them nurture it. An insurance policy from West Bend is the best way to keep it happy, healthy, and profitable.

So wrap it in the cozy warmth of the Silver Lining®.

Commercial Policy 30% Law Guidance This Law is a direct result of advocacy by your Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of Illinois) governmental affairs staff for its members. In the 1980s, the market was hardening, and agent’s clients were receiving huge increases in premiums and changes in policy provisions such as deductibles and coverages that dramatically altered the previous coverage. This was done with little to no notice (as this was not a non-renewal) and left the agent and client stuck with much more expensive or less desirable coverage due to not having time to shop the risk around to other carriers.

I know what you’re thinking, the 1980s, was there even color television back then? Yes, there was, but a big screen television was 27” and weighed 150 pounds. Those of you over forty can attest to that statement.

The advocacy for this law also predates Phil which many of you don’t know of a time where Phil was not with the IIA of Illinois (not that Phil is old). In the 1980s we saw gas shortages (huge lines), 20%+ home loan rates and the commercial insurance market hardened. The IIA of Illinois stepped in to provide you, the agent, a little protection and time in order to find a different solution to your client’s needs. Just like tight rolling your jeans, mustaches, and mullets have come back in to style, so do insurance trends such as hardening of markets.

Tell me that was not a great mustache. Well done Phil.

Why are we bringing up this aspect of the insurance laws now? As some of you may have noticed, the market may be hardening. This is due in part to COVID-19-related permanent closures of businesses as well as the uncertainty of potential Illinois or federal laws or mandates to address COVID-19 coverage issues, on which we have and will continue to advocate for your interests. Not to mention that the market was most likely due to harden based on economic ebbs and flows. We are aware many of your clients are already receiving these increase notices and that most carriers are aware of the notification requirements however, some of the carriers write in a multitude of states and may not be well-versed in or overlook Illinois’ unique law regulating the renewal of commercial policies.

What does the 30% law do? Me being the insurance nerd, I will give you the citation (215 ILCS 5/143.17a(b)). The law provides that carriers that issue commercial (emphasis commercial) policies must give written notice by mail to the named insured of at least 60 days prior to the renewal or anniversary date if the carrier intends to increase the

B r e t t ’s 2 Sense previous policies premium by 30% or more or changes the deductibles or coverage that materially alters the policy.

If the notice is between 31 and 59 days, the carrier must extend the current policy the number of days that would equal 60 days. For example, the carrier gives client notice 45 days prior to renewal that they are increasing the client’s premium by 35%. The carrier would have to extend the policy by 15 days (you would pay a prorated premium based on previous premium rate for those 15 days). The great part of the law that IIA of Illinois advocated for and passed is that if the required 60 days notice is provided with 30 days or less prior to the renewal or anniversary date, the carrier must renew the expiring policy under the same terms and conditions for an additional year or until the effective date of any similar insurance is procured by the insured, whichever is earlier. The carrier may increase the renewal premium. However, such increase must be less than 30% of the expiring term’s premium and notice of such increase must be delivered to the named insured on or before the date of expiration of the current policy period. That being said, the deductibles and coverages would stay the same but your client most likely would see an increase in the premium by 29%.

I know what you’re thinking 29% isn’t a great deal for your client. The advantage is that deductibles and provisions will stay the same and the law will limit the increase to 29%. In the 1980s the industry saw some policies experience 100% + increases in premiums. The largest increase I have heard of was 120%.

I receive numerous questions regarding this law for two predominant scenarios. Scenario one - does the law pertain to any personal line? The answer is, No. Scenario two does the law apply to workers’ compensation policies?

The answer is, Yes. Workers’ compensation policies are commercial policies. Should you have any questions regarding a carrier’s compliance, do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.

As always, this is just Brett’s 2 Sense and I hope it was helpful. If you need any clarification or have any suggestions for future articles, please email me at bgerger@iiaofil.org.

Brett Gerger | IIA of IL Director of Education & Agency Resources bgerger@iiaofil.org | (217) 321-3006 april 2021

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PROTECT YOUR INDUSTRY. April 13-16, 2021 independentagent.com/events

All Four Days of the Big “I” Legislative Conference are FREE! Register now at independentagent.com/events.

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april 2021

Monday, April 26 & Tuesday, April 27

Virtual Event

4 hours CE

(Pending Approval)

Monday, April 26 - 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Presentations from Legislators and the Insurance Director House Insurance Chair, Thaddeus Jones, and Senate Insurance Chair, Napoleon Harris, III, will discuss current legislation in their respective committees, how they run their committee, and important issues being considered in their committees and in the General Assembly. They will also discuss important issues facing Illinois and employers.

Acting Director Dana Popish Severinghaus will be presenting on issues facing the Department of Insurance, their legislative agenda, and how she plans to manage the Department.

Tuesday, April 27 - 10:00 am to Noon

State Legislative Roundtable Leaders of the associations will discuss important legislation and issues currently being considered in the General Assembly, provide insight into the legislative process, provide insider knowledge of the General Assembly and the new leaders of the caucuses.

- Kevin Martin, Executive Director, Illinois Insurance Association - Laura Minzer, President, Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council - Phil Lackman, CEO, IIA of IL - Evan Manning, Director of Government Relations, IIA of IL,

NAIFA IL, IAMIC, ISAHU

Registration Fee: $20 per person (includes 4 hours IL CE)

www.insurancelegislativeday.org april 2021

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Do You Have a Brain for Sales ...and Success in Life?

By John Chapin

Here are some facts about the human brain and human nature that may shed some light on some areas where you seem to be stuck. Because this is a relatively short article, I’m not going to go into all the psychology and background.

• The brains primary focus is survival. Survival right now, not even one minute from now, survival in the present moment.

• The brain constantly looks for negative things in the environment that threaten your survival. Because of this, the natural human tendency is to be negative and pessimistic. News agencies take advantage of this.

• The brain also focuses on conserving energy. It does this by forming habits and, for the most part, avoiding physically or mentally difficult tasks, at least over the long-term. Once our brain has developed a habit, the brains default setting is to keep doing that habit, whether it’s good for you or not.

• The brain is focused on pleasure, right now in the moment, and avoiding pain, right now in the moment.

• Because of the above, the brain seeks comfort. It does not like any discomfort.

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• Because of both of the above, the brain searches for the path of least resistance.

• The brain likes a predictable, controlled environment because it is the safest and gives us the best chance for survival. Because of the this, it’s human nature to dislike change or anything different, even when that change is positive.

• By nature we are herd creatures, so we have an innate need to be accepted by others and included in the group.

This one is where most of our ‘sales’ issues come into play.

There are also some other brain settings that may have been conditioned in us over the years. One of these is related to food. The brains default setting for food is: if it’s in your environment, eat it. That’s because our brains have developed over millions of years, and for almost all of that time not only did you not know when you’d have access to food again, but, if you didn’t eat it, it usually spoiled within hours because there were no refrigerators or freezers. When you live in an affluent society, where food is constantly around and available, weight and obesity issues skyrocket, like they have in the U.S.

april 2021

We have also developed a ‘live for the day at the expense of tomorrow’ belief due to the fact that for most of the time life has existed on planet Earth, it’s been short. In 1900 life expectancy in the U.S. was 47.2 years. The world average was 31! Today life expectancy in the U.S. is 79.8 years.

Humans also relate much better to short-term versus longterm consequences. That’s why when there’s an e.coli breakout in spinach with a .0000001 chance of immediate death, people stop eating spinach, and yet they continue to eat foods that pose a 75 to 100% chance of serious health issues and a definite earlier death because the problems and death are years off.

Because of both of the above, the default setting of the brain is to overestimate the short-term pain, assuming it will be worse than it actually will be, and underestimate the long-term rewards, assuming they won’t be as good as they will be. We can see this in salespeople who almost always imagine that rejection will be worse than it is.

People screaming, calling them names, and slamming doors in their face. Rarely does that happen.

Finally, your brain is super-creative and will create blind spots, fears, and conjure up ridiculous beliefs, theories, and stories to adhere to the above rules. In a nutshell, your brain is set up for you to survive today in a way that is as easy on you as possible.

So, those are your brains default settings when you’re born. By now you might be able to see where some of your issues are. We’ll get to sales in a moment, but let’s take another area first. Let’s say you want to get into better shape. You decide to get on the treadmill for 20 minutes a day. Look at the above settings of the brain and human tendencies and look at where you might have problems.

Pain, discomfort, change, a hit to your energy, I could go on.

Now let’s look at prospecting. Pain, discomfort, change, if you haven’t been doing it, rejection by other members of the herd. Again, we can find more angles of the subconscious brain.

So, how do we overcome these settings to be successful in sales and get what we want in life? Simple, but not easy. First, awareness of the above settings is a good start.

Once you realize that the default settings of the brain work best in a world that existed about 10,000 years ago versus today, a world which you survived today versus thrived tomorrow in, many times that realization alone is enough to break people out of the spell. When engaged in a difficult task, ask yourself, “Okay, I know my brain is telling me to stop, and I now know why, but is stopping in my brains best interest in the short-term, or my best interest over the long-term?”

april 2021

Second, come up with some compelling reasons for the short-term pain and discomfort. This is otherwise known as coming up with a powerful WHY. This could be for your kids, to prove someone wrong, or to achieve some other goal you deem significant and worthy. It’s something you desire greatly enough that allows you to in affect say to you brain, “Shut up brain, the reward will be worth it!”

The good news is: most of us are able to overcome at least some of these default settings in some or all of the areas of our lives. 5 to 10% of the population have actually conditioned themselves to like change and are positive and optimistic by nature. In many cases, these people, who tend to the leaders, top athletes, and the movers and shakers, have learned to endure years of rigorous physical and mental pain in the achievement of monumental goals. They are masters of mindset. They have learned to overcome the brains default settings either by awareness and/or they are more focused on their long-term outcomes.

The bottom line is: you can do the same thing. Understand what’s going on in your brain and decide that a lot of that no longer serves you. If you’re going to have the best future you have to work against your natural tendencies.

Similar to working against gravity when you work out, or eating foods that maybe not taste great but are much better for you than ones that do taste great. Now get back to prospecting, and when your brain tells your to stop, say, “Shut up brain, the money, confidence, and rewards will be worth it!”

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker, coach, and trainer. For his free eBook: 30 Ideas to Double Sales and monthly article, or to have him speak at your next event, go to www.completeselling.com. John has over 33 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia (Axiom Book Awards). He can be reached at johnchapin@completeselling.com.

The default setting of the brain is to overestimate the short-term pain, assuming it will be worse than it actually will be, and underestimate the long-term rewards, assuming they won’t be as good as they will be.

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The

7 P’s

of AGENCY

SUCCESS

The greatest challenge for agency leaders today isn’t technology, tools, or competition - it’s focus. I think speaker and author Darren Hardy said it best: “In a daily barrage of distractions, the one who can focus the most wins.”

vision is so important. Where do you want to be in three years? Does that excite you and your team?

Purpose is the heartbeat of your agency. It’s the energy that is pumped into your organization, your clients, and your community.

Obtaining information isn’t the problem. With digital technology, we have access to knowledge and resources in seconds. The problem lies in distilling all of it into a few key ideas that you can execute.

PRODUCTIVITY

It comes down to clarity on where you’re going, consistency in the critical behaviors that will get you there, and a commitment to stay focused. I believe there are seven core areas that require an agency’s sustained laser focus. To keep things simple, all of them start with the letter P.

PURPOSE What’s your mission? Author Simon Sinek asks: “Why do you wake up every morning, and why should anyone else care?” It’s a simple yet powerful question.

What’s your agency’s mission? Why do you do what you do? When I ask this question of agency leaders, they usually respond with a blank stare. Take time to think about what your agency represents—and what it doesn’t.

What’s your vision? Humans are moved by emotion.

Insurance professionals don’t want to just do something; they want to be part of something that matters. That’s why 16

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Do your behaviors support your desired outcome? If you’re a producer, you should be spending most of your time producing. But if you’re an agency leader and your job is to motivate your staff, is that how you spend your days, or are you engaged in other activities?

Are you spending your time primarily on results-based functions or activity-based functions? If you look at your calendar, will it show that you’re spending most of your time doing things that produce results?

If your calendar is filled with empty spots, chances are you will fill it with activities that won’t necessarily contribute to your agency’s growth.

Does your agency have a high-performance team or a high-maintenance team? High-performance teams maximize their unique strengths and abilities that generate positive energy. They also choose to spend their time preparing rather than repairing. They know where they’re going and what they’re doing each week. They communicate proactively.

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Priority

POINTS OF DIFFERENTIATION

Do you understand and apply the 80/20 Rule? If so, you realize that 20% of your input in the right areas produces 80% of your output. The key is to figure out what that 20% is!

Once you’ve determined where to focus your time and energy, you’ll be able to achieve 80% results with just 20% effort. That’s a pretty powerful return on investment!

Have you defined at least Five Points of Differentiation (PODs)? This is a must if you want to differentiate yourself in the marketplace. When making their sales pitch, most agents default to a generic spiel: “We have the best people, the best service, competitive pricing,” and so on. You may think it sounds reasonable as it comes out of your mouth, but to the client, it’s the same “insurance speak” they hear from everyone else. You must pivot your focus from quotes and transactions to risk advice and relationships.

On the other hand, if you treat everything the same and give every task equal weight, your output will stagnate, even as your input increases. Have you ever noticed that probably 20% of what’s on your calendar accounts for 80% of what you accomplish? It’s a matter of prioritizing.

By Brent Kelly

The same applies to your agency’s accounts, carriers, and even its producers - the top 20% will produce 80% of agency revenue. Know where the imbalances lie and position yourself accordingly.

PIPELINES Are you consistent with your pipelines? While most agencies talk about marketing to prospects and suspects, the best build pipelines based on Future Ideal Clients (FIC).

These are the clients they really want (the top 20%). They don’t guess; they know. Have you defined your FIC? Do you have a targeted strategy to attract them? Keep in mind that if you market to all, you market to none. Do you specialize in specific niches, or is your agency a generalist that writes all lines of business? If you’re targeting everyone, you’re targeting no one!

The bottom line is that specialists always make more than generalists because there are fewer of them. In our business, specialists speak the language their target clients want to hear, rather than using insurance lingo.

Are you asking for referrals? If you want to build pipelines, referrals are the best way to do it. Are you consistently engaged in prospecting activity? As an agency, are you making deposits that will earn referrals from your best clients? Are you constantly practicing how you’ll ask for them? Your best clients really want to help you. It’s up to you to let them.

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What do your PODs mean for the client? Too many agencies focus on what they offer and how they are the best choice, without sharing why this is important to their client. People buy emotionally and they buy for their value system, not yours.

PROCESS Do you have a defined and effective sales process? I’d say that fewer than 20% of agencies have a defined and effective sales process (other than Look, Copy, Quote, and Pray). What is your agency’s way of doing business? Does your team know?

Do you have a defined relationship-continuation process?

This is not about renewing accounts, it’s about continuing relationships, which requires being proactive. What does the client want and expect? This must be defined, documented, and then delivered.

Are you making more deposits than withdrawals? Have you identified areas in which you can make deposits to strengthen the relationship (handwritten thank-you notes and birthday cards, for example)? Do you have a proactive service calendar that you and the client agree on? What have you done to earn your client’s business for another year?

Is this process continually refined and reinforced?

You should always be learning new things and making modifications as needed. Are you always looking for ways to improve how you do business, or are you doing the same things you did 10 years ago? As an agency, you need to continually discuss and reinforce what works, and modify what doesn’t.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Are you committed to being the best professional possible? What are you doing to enhance your professional growth and development? Are you making the most important investment you can make - the investment in yourself?

Are you preparing for your next opportunity? Preparation is your ultimate competitive advantage. Whether it’s your next team function, connecting with your future ideal clients, or meeting with a major influencer in your marketplace, you must invest time to prepare.

Are you consistently practicing key skills? I’ve never seen a Broadway actor take the stage without having first spent months in rehearsal. So why would you face your audience without having repeatedly practiced your craft? It seems obvious, but skills practice is a major obstacle for many agencies. continued... insight

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When I ask agency leaders if it’s important to practice the vital skills of questioning, active listening, asking for referrals, and so on, I always hear an emphatic “yes!”

When I ask how often they practice these skills, however, the answer is much different.

While none of these ideas is new or complex, all are critical to the success of your agency. Yet for some reason, agency leaders often choose to ignore them. They’re aware of them, but they lose focus and never achieve their true potential. Some of you, however, will take action and execute the Seven Ps. If your agency is among them, you can expect to experience phenomenal results.

Rehearsals can’t be something you do as an afterthought or if you can find the time. They must be included on your calendar as part of your weekly schedule. Once you’ve set aside a slot on your calendar for you and your team to rehearse, you’ve made a commitment. If it’s not on your schedule, it won’t happen.

Brent Kelly, vice president of The Sitkins Group, Inc., is a motivating influencer, coach, and speaker who has a passion for helping independent agencies maximize their performance. He can be reached at Brent@sitkins.com.

It comes down to CLARITY on where you’re going, CONSISTENCY in the critical behaviors that will get you there, and a COMMITMENT to stay focused.

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online journal at www.iiaofil.org/Resources/Insight

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In this month’s e-Insight.

How Digital Marketing can Boost Insurance Agent Sales Digital communications are more important than ever, but one particular tool can increase landing page conversion rates by 80%.

By PropertyCasualty360 april 2021

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for Without further ado, here are the 20 ways to kill it in insurance sales. So, get to it and make some money!

1. Start to Really Care It’s easier said than done because you’re selling to strangers. In fact, you go through the ritual of speaking to dozens of strangers a day. It’s easy to sound completely apathetic after a few calls in, but that’s when you lose the prospect. Turn on that compassion-switch as quickly as you can before you get on the phone with a lead. When you care about covering all the right bases on top of finding a good rate, it comes through. If you’re churning and burning it comes through too, and the consumer will most likely think twice before doing business with you.

2. Don’t Improvise You may be the most kind-hearted person and really know your stuff when it comes to insurance but you still don’t want to get on the phone unprepared. The best salespeople have a process and best practices in place, especially when it comes to phone sales.

Phone sales are different from in-person sales, where people feel obligated to sit and listen. In those situations, you have time to win over the consumer and turn them into a customer. With phone sales, it’s easy to get hung up on if you’re not engaging the prospect the right way right away.

We always suggest writing a call script and practicing it with honest loved ones. It’s important to ensure the best call possible and not “wing it,” which is a gamble, an expensive one if you’re buying live transfer calls.

Live transfers have a higher close rate than data leads for most agents, but you have a limited window of time to engage the caller and they cost more. You also have a 20

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limited amount of time to get as much information out of that person as possible, to sell as many policies as possible.

You want to be polished.

The best call scripts are not memorized and recited thoughtlessly. You don’t want to repeat the script verbatim or recite anything at all. Just have your ducks in a row.

Remember exact sentiments, facts and figures and anything else that you know will help you build trust and rapport.

3. Come Up for Air Sometimes, at SmartFinancial we meet the most genuine and wonderful insurance agents, and we can see why they have a loyal client base because they truly care for their clients. However, they have a hard time winning over new clients. They want to know why they can’t make great phone sales. Well, the answer is simple: they just talk too much.

Look, being an insurance agent is a great career for talkers but it’s also one that requires deep listening. Not only will you not get a good sense of your client’s risk, you will not get a sense of what products they really need if you’re doing most of the talking. But the main reason sales fail when the gift-of-gab becomes excessive: it turns people off. No one wants to feel obligated to listen to someone ramble, especially if they have a busy lifestyle. So, back off a little and try to have conversations in which the other person on the phone does most of the talking.

4. Stay Hungry You sold an auto policy. Great. Don’t leave that customer alone. If you weren’t able to convince them to bundle their home policy with it, keep digging and finding ways to convince them to do so. Sometimes, policyholders feel compelled to stay with the insurer their mortgage lender found for them. If this is holding back your client, explain april 2021

r Insurance Agents

By Fran Majidi why it’s okay to switch insurers and why it’s actually a great idea to bundle with your auto. See if you can sell a life policy to boot. Why not? It’s only awkward if you make it awkward. Not many Americans buy life insurance because agents are not asking the right questions: “What will your family do if something were to happen to you?”

It’s not that awkward! It’s a very caring question that may help you sell a policy, for the good of that customer’s family!

When you really establish rapport with a client, it’s not awkward to be upfront and ask for more business. “Hey, I’d really appreciate some referrals too. Would be happy to help your friends and family out.” When you mean it, it works. If you’re talking hard and fast, as if the other person doesn’t exist or matter, it won’t work. Get your heart into the game and stay hungry, even when you meet with success. There’s always another level of protection you can offer by upselling.

5. Mirror Your Prospect Be chatty if they are chatty. Be concise if they seem rushed. But don’t be unfriendly if they are not the most pleasant people you’ve ever come across. Some people just automatically get into a bad mood when dealing with insurance and insurance agents. Be positive but don’t over do it with the talk. Just get to the heart of what you have to offer and let them take the reins. Sometimes, the most negative caller will turn around as soon as you put the ball in their court and make them feel important and heard. But if the prospect is not a chatty Kathy and doesn’t respond to your chit-chat, get back to business. You may not become best friends, but you may get that person’s business if you just cut to the chase. If they want to talk your head off, let them. Laugh even if the jokes are not funny. And at the end, ask for referrals. You earned it. And you’ll probably get it. april 2021

Again, mirror the prospect. If he/she is using slang, go ahead. But unless they are particularly casual, it’s best to stay professional and avoid slang and cuss words, even “damn.” You never know how religious someone is.

Avoid politics too because you don’t want to lose business because you like different candidates. If they bring up controversial topics try to say as little and agree as much as possible.

6. Get the Lead on Zoom Now don’t get pushy about it, especially if you are expecting them to jump onboard a video call on the fly.

But if they seem interested in seeing you face to face, a Zoom meeting with an insurance prospect is a perfect alternative to an office visit, with or without the pandemic raging. Remember that your goal as an agent is to make as many friends as possible. The only difference is that you are there to protect all these new friends you’re making.

So, putting yourself top of mind and making yourself stand out by offering to chat virtually may be a more personable way to establish a connection. Once you make the sale try to have Zoom meetings so you’re a real human being attached to that declarations page. It will prevent your clients from switching down the line for a few dollars.

7. Dress Sharp You don’t want to look like a kid if you’re young and you never want to look like a schlep, no matter your age.

Have a few suits ready for those in-person meetings and wear one, at least wear a button-down shirt that’s ironed if you’re doing a Zoom meeting. People are impressed by suits, so wear one at the office, whether you’re a man or a woman. We like to think of people who are protecting our assets as being conservative, so look the part. The less flash, often the better when it comes to insurance. Just look clean and professional. And serious, even if you make some jokes along the way. continued... insight

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8. Family Is Everything, Sometimes People love their kids more than anyone in the world and younger people are more focused on themselves than anyone else in the world. These are two important truths to remember because all your clients will fall into one of these two categories. The more you find ways to protect a client’s family the better you’ll do with folks who fall into the first category: this group of people usually has a higher income and puts more emphasis on financial security than a younger person or someone who lives alone. The latter group tends to focus on getting the best value depending on their budget, but they take more risks. Be everything to both of these groups and you will do especially well.

selling for years, it’s great to show combined experience on your part and how long your company has been protecting Americans. Yes, to some extent you are selling yourself, but you really would do best to sell the products and the financial strength behind them first and foremost.

10. Get Pumped Before You Talk Inject a little energy into your calls. There’s nothing worse than someone who sounds like they are about to fall asleep trying to convince you to buy something from them. Don’t be annoying and super caffeinated, either but have some enthusiasm for what you sell and what you’re trying to do for the person on the other end of the conversation.

Insurance is not an entertaining topic but if you’re inquisitive about the prospect’s interests, family and career you’ll begin to have some great conversations that will end in sales.

9. Impress with Experience Make up for a lack of experience by talking about how long the insurance company you represent has been around. Put the focus on the company and insurance product if you’ve been selling for less than a year. For the first few years of being an agent, it’s the wisest thing to do to avoid hesitation due to your age, if you’re young and can’t hide the lack of experience. Even if you’ve been

11. Be Prepared for Objections There are ways to prepare for some objections, like if a prospect wants to speak with a spouse. Ask if you can schedule something for a time when you can speak with them both at the same time, if possible. If they feel the price is too high, be prepared to explain why it’s not as cheap as they’d liked. This will require extensive knowledge of the product and anecdotes of the what-ifs without the right coverage. And most importantly, why work with you?

Be ready to sell. This is what insurance marketing is all about-selling yourself and the insurance product.

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12. Buy Leads Leads are the perfect way to create a foothold in the territories you cover. You can expand from each sale you make, using referrals to your greatest advantage. What you make of these leads is up to you, but most leads are not one-call closers.

Be prepared to earn each bit of business by following up and relentlessly advising the client to buy your products.

13. Avoid Jargon; It’s Not Impressive No, don’t do that! You’re confusing the customer! Don’t start talking about your fiduciary duties as an insurance agent.

Avoid all jargon if possible, or if you have to talk about an uncommon term, explain what it means. Don’t assume the consumer understands these terms or will be impressed by them. Most will give their business to the guy/gal who clarifies their situation not someone who makes it seem

april 2021

even more confusing. Seriously, most people want to feel like they ‘get it.’ Help the prospect ‘get it’ and you may be pleasantly surprised.

14. Don’t Delay a Quote but Don’t Sell on Price Got a live transfer call on the line? They just filled out a form and then spent at least 10 to 15 minutes on the phone with a call center concierge before they got to you.

They are ready for a quote. Don’t stall. Go over what you need quickly, with as little effort from the consumer as possible (get them to answer yes; when it comes time to buy, hopefully they’ll say yes). Try to strike up conversation but don’t stall on the quote if they seem annoyed. After your conversation, you’ll also want to email the quote.

Some agents make videos- be creative. You’ll likely face objections about price if you don’t sell bare-bones policies or sell a more expensive product. This is where you get to really sell. Whether it’s right there on the phone or in a follow up call, you’ve got to get the consumer away from the issue of pricing. They have to trust that they will be taken care of if something goes wrong. That’s why they are buying insurance in the first place and that trumps all.

15. Customer Service Is Everything You may be your own CSR, but even if you have assistants, remember that customer service is everything. You may have all the knowledge in the world about how to protect someone’s various assets but if you don’t have good bedside manners or if you don’t establish much of a relationship with your customers, you’ll lose them on price or to someone who does go beyond the numbers. Be kind, earnest and pleasant. Be honest most of all.

16. Proofread Every Written Piece of Communication It doesn’t matter if it’s a text or email, proofread everything.

Learn the differences between “your” and “you’re” because these sorts of typos can make you look unprofessional.

17. Manage Expectations Do not expect to sell every lead you get, whether you generate the lead yourself or if you buy it. If insurance agents sold every lead they buy they’d all be billionaires.

With internet data leads, you need to work in volume and follow up relentlessly. Live transfers still require some work but they do close much easier than internet leads.

18. Listen to Recorded Calls It’s not a bad idea to review how you sound talking to clients. It may not be fun but you’ll learn quickly what’s not working and what is. You have to learn to become selfcritical to become better. Here’s the perfect way to start evaluating your strengths and weaknesses.

19. Ask the Client How You’re Doing Why not just ask your clients what they like and don’t like about working with you? Seriously. Bet they’ll tell you exactly where you’re lacking and where you’re aces! Establish that comfort level. That question is nicely followed up with a request for referrals if the answer was mostly positive.

20. Assume the Sale Act like you have it and you may very well own it at the end of the conversation. Of course you don’t want to be cocky about it, but you should be confident in what you are selling and act confident that the consumer is going to buy.

Fran Majidi is the Content Marketing Manager for SmartFinancial and can be reached at fran@smartfinancial.com.

Being an insurance agent is a great career for talkers but it’s also one that requires deep listening. Not only will you not get a good sense of your client’s risk, you will not get a sense of what products they really need if you’re doing most of the talking.

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The Absolute Secret to Building a Great Sales Team

By Randy Schwantz

The difference between where your agency is today and where it will be in five years from now is in direct proportion to your ability to develop your sales team.

a fine-tuned plan, they won’t know where to go or how to get there.

That’s a mantra that I ask every one of our Bignition agency owners to ponder.

When you develop your abilities, you can help them develop their potential abilities into a new reality. And when you do, your agency will grow.

There is plenty of time for agency owners to blame their producers for being “lazy, uninspired, weak, poor prospectors and lousy closers.”

But there are obstacles, excuses and justifications … all sorts of nonsense in your agency owner head that you’ll just have to get over first for this to happen.

But before they do, they should look in the mirror first.

Your Job An agency owner’s job is either really cool or really sucks - it just depends on how you look at it, and what you enjoy doing.

Back to the mantra above, and it’s so important, so it bears repeating: The difference between where your agency is today and where it will be in five years from now is in direct proportion to your ability to develop your sales team.

A key part of this means your agency will grow in direct proportion to your ability - not theirs.

Because if you – the agency owner or sales leader – don’t have the ability to motivate your producers, they won’t be motivated.

If you don’t have the ability to develop their confidence, they won’t be very confident.

If you don’t have the ability to get them organized, they will be chaotic and waste enormous amounts of time.

And if you don’t have the ability to get them focused with 24

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First, it’s easy for an agency owner to get buried in all of the daily “bull-bleep” going on in an agency, and it buries them in muck.

Some really enjoy it because it makes them feel needed.

They get involved in personnel issues, underwriter visits, outside boards, you name it. They can tell everyone about how busy they are, and it makes them feel good.

Second is their book of business, which in most cases makes them most of their money. Agency principals and owners have renewals and a responsibility to write new business to replace lost business. This is EXTREMELY time consuming, too.

The third priority for most agency owners is developing the producer team. There’s usually not much time left for that, april 2021

apart from maybe the weekly liars club sales meeting. Or the book of the month club. Or approving a budget for a producer to go to some far away sales training class in the hope it will transform the frog into a prince.

It seems that most agency owners find this element of their job to be gruesome, horrible, or at a minimum, moderately distasteful. In fact, most would rather take out the trash.

So, what’s the problem here? Is it the producer team?

Nope.

It’s just a symptom of an agency owner living a delusional reality believing an un-watered plant will grow.

Don’t Understand?

“Hey Randy, you don’t understand…” (complete this sentence with an excuse, justification or self-imposed obstacle.)

Perhaps I don’t understand, but I’ve seen enough agency owners transformed to know that when they do, they simply take ownership of the growth problem.

Which in most cases is a group of undeveloped producers with little reason to write new business, lacking confidence, grossly disorganized and confused on what to do next and within 12 months doubled new business.

And it didn’t stop there. They did it again … and again.

Here is the beautiful thing: You too can do this.

You don’t have to be a genius.

You don’t have to have an enormous personality.

You don’t have to be a mean boss.

And, you don’t need extra time to do this.

The problem is simple: You can’t drive an idea; you can only drive a process. So, you do need a process that you believe in and the ability to drive it.

Your process should be producer-centric, meaning it should help them get rich. And if that is too out there for you, then you should help them become financially secure.

It’s just the typical, “What are you going to write in new business this year?”

Develop Confidence Another big responsibility of an agency owner is helping to develop the confidence of your producer team.

Confidence is a feeling – a feeling of self-assurance, or the “I can do this” feeling.

Confidence is also contextual, meaning someone could be enormously confident hitting a golf ball 300 yards in front of 1,000 people but is scared to death to make a cold call.

The source of confidence lies in two simple things: skills and knowledge.

Skills must be trained. Knowledge must be acquired.

So, how do you help your producers gain confidence to make cold calls, ask for introductions, qualify a prospect or gain a broker of record (BOR?) You have to train, train, train to develop their skills. And you have to create a strong learning environment for them to gain knowledge about themselves, your agency differentiation and your competition’s weaknesses.

But I’m sure … You are about to tell me how your people don’t like to role-play so you can’t train them, aren’t you?

Stupid question on my part perhaps, but tell me why they have a choice to avoid your training sessions and not engage in role-plays to build their skills?

Before you answer, let’s check in with Nick Saban, coach of Alabama University, and Bill Belichick, coach of New England Patriots, (a couple of my favorite coaches and proven winners) to see what they have to say.

Nick Saban: “There are two kinds of pain. The pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you will suffer the pain of discipline, you’ll never suffer the pain of disappointment.”

Bill Belichick: “Do your job.”

I would suspect these two would say that if someone didn’t want to practice, they didn’t want to be on the team.

If you have producers that do not care about financial security, taking care of their families, providing for their children, funding their retirement or getting ahead of the curve, then you should fire them today.

It might take a lot of courage for you as an agency owner to say that, and as long as your producers can bluff you into believing that they will leave, take all their business, and you’ll go bankrupt.

Helping your producers become financially secure is the basis of your motivation strategy, and it starts with you caring about them as much as or more than yourself. Help them connect the dots between new business, growing a book, making money, saving money and becoming financially secure.

You’ll never grow your agency this way.

If you’re an agency owner who could care less about your producer’s well-being, then it will be evident when you only spend about 50 minutes per year on goal setting.

What’s worse – those goals are not tied to the well-being and financial security of the producer. april 2021

So, you can either be a victim of a lifeless agency or the victor by developing your own abilities so you can bring out and develop the capabilities of your sales team.

Randy Schwantz, author of three previous books on selling insurance, is President of The Wedge® Group, a business performance and sales consulting firm. A former salesperson himself, Schwantz has spent more than 10,000 hours talking with people who sell for a living. He can be reached at randy@thewedge.net.

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De-myth-ifying Workers’ Compensation Part Two

By Shawn-Michael Hall Sr. Part one, featuring Myths 1-5, was featured in the March 2021 issue of Insight.

In the world of Workers’ Compensation, there are several common assumptions that, although understandable, can cause retail brokers to inadvertently mislead their insureds.

These assumptions are based on Workers’ Compensation folklore and are specious in nature; some of these myths may have once (upon a time) been grounded in truth, but many of these insurance tropes turn out to just be fairytales after all.

To our retail partners out there, let me be clear: it’s not your fault! These parables have been passed down and evolved overtime; they’ve been influenced by rumor, clever marketing, oversimplification, and wishful thinking.

So, let’s bust some the last five myths. There are many more than 10 out there, but these are a good sample to “debunk.”

Myth 6.

PEOs are a good option for your clients, especially those that are having problems with claims, payroll, and/or HR services.

The argument against PEOs could easily occupy a sizable book. Basically, they claim to be experts and, ironically, a “Jack of All Trades”. But as the saying goes, PEOs are truly “masters of none.” PEOs are not only subpar at the services they misleadingly tout, but they are often skirting the fringes of legal/illegal in many situations. Rather than making further overarching assessments about “Professional Employer Organizations”, a list of facts is probably best to clear up the mire that PEOs thrive in…

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- PEOs will often assert that they are “backed by” or “writing on” A, or A+ paper… here is why that DOES NOT MATTER. If, and when, a PEO goes out of business (which can happen, and has happened, overnight), their A rated carrier partner is not left “holding the bag.” A PEO’s carrier doesn’t have any liability or responsibility for the PEO utilizing their paper; thus, when a PEO disintegrates overnight, their carrier can shrug and walk away without worrying about servicing your client, handling claims, or being liable for the mess left by their absconding partner.

- PEOs do not have a governing body. There is no source of regulation. PEOs can “Wild Wild West” their way through insurance, HR, and payroll services and are not held accountable nor are they answerable to anyone.

There are certainly associations that present as regulatory bodies for PEOs, but these groups only act as marketing platforms for the PEOs that are in their association or “club” – no rules are in place.

- No Matter the carrier paper utilized by a PEO, the PEO almost always uses their own TPA; said TPAs are typically the absolute cheapest in the industry. A PEO advertises the low cost of their services and the client gets what they pay for in ineffectual, often incompetent, claims handling.

- Do you think your clients prefer to have control over their own companies as opposed to sloughing off that responsibility to a strange third-party that they don’t know? Well, if they enlist a PEO, the insured loses that control. A PEO is a “Co-employer” relationship; “Co-employment” brings a host of professional disadvantages… ie. Your insured no longer has the

april 2021

authority/control to hire/fire employees without the approval of their co-employment partner… the PEO. The insured no longer has control of HR; the PEO handles all HR matters… yes, really – the 3rd party that knows nothing about your client, or your client’s employees, is now in charge of all things “human” at your insured’s place of business.

- Going back to Myth 4, remember how we addressed the fact that Workers’ Compensation is a “culture coverage”?

Enlisting a PEO can ruin a culture more dramatically than any other single workplace decision short of canceling all paychecks or removing all toilets.

- The lack of PEO reputability might best be displayed by the “Best” PEO in the marketplace today. This Organization will remain nameless, but they are/were a publicly traded firm that was delisted from the NASDAQ due to their clandestine accounting practices… and, again, the PEO in question is typically known as one of the industry’s “best” and largest. So, the pinnacle of PEO performance, size, and business practice exemplifies said reputation by getting delisted from the stock exchange.

- Last, but probably not least, there is the cost of the PEO. No, not the figurative “cost” of having miserable employees, a fake (or mythic) insurance product, or that of a failing business… the LITERAL COST. The dollar expenditure of a PEO is often what catches the attention of insureds, something along the lines of “Oh my gosh, Workers’ Comp and all of these services for only THAT much money? It sounds too good to be true!” The latter portion of that exclamation is correct, the advertised price is almost always “too good to be true.” Your client will already be losing out on quality by obtaining cut-rate workers’ comp, payroll services, and HR but then they will end up paying a price that they didn’t agree to in the form of “fees” for payroll services; not advertised in the price of a PEO quote are fees automatically charged and built into the expense of every dollar of payroll that the PEO processes. Your client is guaranteed to pay more in hidden charges than what was agreed upon and they will hold their broker accountable. I have personally seen one of my client’s insureds that was quoted 1MM in premium for all PEO services (WC, payroll, HR) only to pay an additional 200K throughout the course of the year for unstated/unadvertised payroll expenses/fees.

The deleterious effects of a PEO can even kill a “good” insured. Just imagine how much harm a PEO can cause a client that already has problems. After all of the pain a PEO can cause your client, the taint of a Professional Employer Organization does not dissipate; the standard WC market does not readily accept business coming out of a PEO due to the questionable circumstances and business/insurance dealings that exist in this arena. Not only do your clients suffer while in a PEO, they may end up STUCK in one because no real carriers want them after the insured takes the PEO-Plunge.

Myth 7

Underwriters prefer “Vanilla” exposures associated with lower claims’ severity.

On the surface, this assumption seems reasonable. A retail store, restaurant, or clerical account may seem more palatable than, say, an oil well driller. april 2021

But, let’s reframe the situation. Job A will hire 17-yearold high school kids to sell some overstock shirts in Job A’s department store after said kids get out of school. The student-employees receive three hours of job training on Day 1 and then are left to their shifts. They are paid between 9 and 12 dollars per hour. The department store is cleaned daily via typical floor mopping and other janitorial odds and ends.

Job B (and this is a real-life example of an oil well driller) hires only adults with at least five years of oilfield work under their belts already. Prior to starting the job, new hires need several hundred hours of job training including job duties, safety, emergency care, etc. Jobsites all have several foremen, often as required by law, and are controlled sites where work must come to a full stop when an uncontrolled hazard is noticed. Said hazard must then be corrected prior to resumption of work. Employees are compensated between 55 and 90 dollars per hour.

Given the above, which job’s employee is more likely to get injured? Which employees are more likely to feel that they need their paycheck and can’t get hurt on the job? Which employees have the expertise to care for themselves? What employees are in the more hazardous environment?

It’s true that, if something goes wrong at an oil well, it could get really bad, but those accidents happen once every almost-never. On the other hand, at the store, there are many more opportunities for claims – claims unique to less-skilled “vanilla” professions. Imagine the high school quarterback that resents having to fold shirts in order to save money for college. The store might pay him something if he snags his thumb on the backroom door (or at football practice). Or, calculus is harder than he thought, and a repetitive motion claim at work would give him more time to study. Or, less nefariously, a careless shopper spills their coffee, he slips in it, and has a several hundred thousand dollar back claim.

Most seasoned underwriters would rather see an exposure with a controlled environment, populated by wellcompensated experts, that their carrier collects a much higher premium rate on. The class code premium rates already reflect the inherent risk and severity differences of these files, but the subjective variables described above are impossible to contemplate without human consideration.

Myth 8

All Work Comp Wholesalers/MGAs are the same so long as they have access to the same markets.

As in all lines of insurance, relationships matter! The difference with Workers’ Compensation is that the relationships with underwriters are predicated less on “who golfs with who?” or “who helped who bury the dead bodies?” (you know it must happen sometimes), but more so on the numbers. With workers’ comp, numbers don’t just tell some of the story – they usually tell the whole tale about the broker and said broker’s relationship with the carrier/underwriter. The important numbers are, as you can probably guess, premium volume and loss ratio. A big brokerage with 100MM of premium with a carrier really doesn’t have as much weight to throw around, as they might assume, if their book is running at a 95% loss ratio.

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On the flipside, a brokerage with a 2% loss ratio doesn’t mean squat to a carrier/underwriter if they only write one account together.

A “good” work comp wholesaler, or MGA, has a big book of business and a low loss ratio – those are the folks that underwriters listen to; these factors mean that the broker cares about their market and doesn’t want them to implode, but is still able to produce at a high level. Low loss ratios are the product of the services noted above claims support and education - which not only benefits the carrier with low ratios, but also serves the insured business itself, and its employees, by supporting a safe workplace.

When I ask my carriers for a favor, the favor is not “please write this garbage file because you owe me for XYZ…” the favor looks more like “I know this file is a bit outside your appetite and has a little hair, but here is the story and the reason why it will still be a smart risk to take on.” My underwriters know that I WANT them to succeed and that I don’t try to dump trash on their laps. Just as importantly, those same underwriters know that my work comp acumen is sharper than the next broker’s – I promise, your WC intermediary matters.

Myth 9

The WC market doesn’t change and isn’t subject to the same levels of flux as the E&S space.

Soft and hard markets hit WC just as ferociously as any other line of business. Just because work comp is admitted and standardized by the state does not mean that subjective elements of underwriting and market fluctuations don’t strike just as hard. I contend that we are in the midst of hitting a WC bubble that is currently bursting due to the over-soft market that has been dragging on for far too long, I address this imminent market shift in the following whitepaper piece; however, I fully acknowledge that most folks aren’t a workers’ comp nerd to the extent I am so I’ll try to briefly summarize. WC can shift violently; that gyration usually occurs when a confluence of mistakes is realized and, finally, appreciated too late in the proverbial game. (https://agentinsights.breckis.com/wpcontent/uploads/2021/01/Breck_WorkersComp_WHITEPAPER_012721.pdf)

For example: • “I have markets you don’t.”

• “I have retail partners that assign me markets that they have direct because they know I can do things that maybe they are unable to.”

• “I can design the client’s loss control program.”

• “I can participate in the claims review calls to make sure the adjustors are on top of things.”

• “I know what a ‘loss-pick’ is and would be happy to calculate one for you” • “My WC team has won recognition as the best wholesale team in the country for any line of business.” (OK, there is a chance that other intermediaries cannot make the same claim that I can on this one) In short, your work comp wholesaler doesn’t exist to have the E&S filing that your agency doesn’t have. Wholesalers, like me and my team, exist to be experts that can make your, and your clients’, lives easier. We should be there for you to act as your guide and, if we cannot deliver, we should be frank and let you know the landscape of the situation so that you can succeed for your client even when that means pursuing alternate avenues.

Thor, Loki, The Flat Earth, Santa, and David Blaine have a newcomer to the mythical arena… The 10 debunked myths of Workers’ Compensation! No? Too much? Well….

Overall, Workers’ Compensation coverage may seem more transparent than other lines of insurance. While comp is concrete in nature, brokers should not confuse its steadfast nature with demonstrability. Workers’ Compensation is multi-faceted and requires a specialized knowledge base.

We all need to respect that fact to best serve our clients and carriers… and of course…. Not rely on Mythology.

Shawn-Michael Hall Sr. is Division SVP, Managing Director of Workers’ Compensation for Breckenridge Insurance Services. He can be reached at shall@breckis.com.

Myth 10

WC is admitted so you don’t need a wholesaler.

“Need” is the operative word here. Most retail brokers can probably find a home for a fair amount of their WC business direct. Probably not all of it. And, WC is a little different with wholesalers as compared to other lines as placed by E&S brokers. More often than not, if a big name direct carrier – you can think of some names – can place the property coverage for your client, you probably don’t need a wholesaler to scour the E&S space. With WC, the story changes a bit.

For example, I write more workers’ compensation than you do. I don’t mean this to sound arrogant. It is literally my job to write more WC than you. It’s ALL I do - no auto, no life, no property, no yachts, definitely no quake, etc - and I wouldn’t be terribly good at my job if the earlier statement was not true. A wholesaler/MGA in my position should be able to explain exactly why you should work with them.

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By Donna Asta

Technology can make or break your agency’s errors and omissions mitigation procedures.

Technology helps insurance agents and brokers service accounts more efficiently. It helps us issue policies and market our products. However, it is only as good as its user. One error can have a lasting effect on the whole process. I remember a Georgia claim involving EPL (Employment Practices Liability) coverage added by endorsement to a policy. The agency’s internal system reflected that EPL coverage was in place. When the agency moved the account to another carrier, their policy no longer contained EPL coverage. However, the broker relied on the agency’s system and assumed that a standalone EPL policy had been issued. When the customer was sued by several former employees and had no insurance coverage, the error came to light. As a result, the agency faced a high exposure claim. In this case, technology provided the information, but the user failed to confirm its accuracy.

Today, websites, social media and e-newsletters are common marketing tools that promote your products and offerings. They can also help your clients understand the insurance that you offer better. In a California claim, an agency placed workers compensation insurance for a rehab facility. The agency placed the coverage and helped the client develop its workers compensation program.

However, the client did not understand the process resulting in misclassification of certain employees. That led to claims against the client and a corresponding claim against the agency. Educating your clients and providing resources on your website and e-newsletters to help them better understand what they are purchasing can help minimize such misunderstandings. The clients also appreciate access to such information as it empowers them to make better informed decisions.

Similarly, renewal time can come with its opportunities and challenges. It is a great time to market new coverages, recommend that customers reassess their insurance needs and to protect yourself from a future claim. A renewal letter is an excellent example of using technology to meet your clients’ needs. Rather often, a client rejects umbrella coverage, but later insists that such coverage was never recommended. Issuing letters recommending umbrella coverage at renewal will help dispute such a claim. For example, a New York claim argued that in 2008 the coverage was offered and rejected. However, we do not have any communication to prove that the coverage was offered. Sending a renewal letter would have addressed that discrepancy.

With many of us working from home right now, we rely on technology more than ever before. In this time of less face-to-face contact, the way that agents and brokers use their resources can make (or break) them. To make the best use of what you have available, know the limits of your technology and continue to communicate with your teams and your clients.

april 2021

If you have any questions, please contact us at eo@iiaba. net.

Donna Asta is vice president and claims expert at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and works out of the office in Chicago.

Insurance products underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation, Kansas City, Missouri, a member of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. insight

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THE GAME HAS

CHANGED What Sales Reps Expect From Customers

We all know what we expect from customers - or at least we think we do. We want them to give us their attention, give us a fair hearing, and be open to our recommendations and pay what they owe us. Some customers live up to this standard and some don’t make the cut. Just about everyone in sales also works at making sure customers like them, the cornerstone of a good relationship.

That’s not all. They also expect customers to be frank and open, even though some have an agenda they keep well hidden, leaving us guessing and suspicious.

Whether accurate or not, most sales reps expect buyers to believe their representations are in the customer’s best interest. All this shouldn’t be surprising to anyone in sales, since this is how most reps like to think of themselves.

What Customers Expect From Sales Reps

Even so, all this is only half the story. What’s missing is at least equally or more important today when it comes to success in sales. In other words, it’s time to ask, “In the current state of the economy and what consumers have been going through the past year of the pandemic, what do customers expect from salespeople?”

1. Customers want to do business with someone who understands them. Working with a salesperson is like dating, except for one major difference. The conversation goes from “Hi, I’m Bob. Should we get married now, or see how things go in the next seven minutes?” If customers are going to spend time with you, they expect some indication of “instant friendship” or compatibility that tells them it’s going to be OK. They’re going to be comfortable. This is what people mean when they say, “That’s a great salesperson.” If this message isn’t clear, they’re gone.

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Wh cust fro 2. Customers expect a salesperson to be responsive to their situation. Or, to put it another way many customers want to tell you their “story” as the way for you to understand and help them. Don’t cut them short and plow ahead with your own spiel. If you do, they will be offended and feel rejected. Most customers know what they want to say, but they may not know how to express it. They are hoping that you will figure it out. If you do, they will reward you by giving you the sale.

3. Patience sends the message to customers that you want the sale. It’s not what you say, but how you act that demonstrates you get it. If you do, then it’s time to slow down, both in terms of your manner and how fast you are speaking. It takes time for information to sink in. That’s why consumers don’t want to be rushed or pushed. While they may have tolerated some nudging or even a little push in the past, but not now. “This is a great price, but the inventory is tight,” says the rep.

That was a year ago, but not now. No matter what it is, consumers will find what they want at a price they want to pay sitting in their sweats in front of a screen.

4. Customers expect salespeople to be reliable. Or, to put it more accurately, there are no second chances; customers don’t come crawling back. They know their options; they’re not alone. Social networking is empowering. They trust their friends, relatives and neighbors, which just happens to be an interesting description of small communities, places where people watch out for each other. When a salesperson gets a bad reputation, the news spreads like a virus.

april 2021

What do tomers expect om salespeople?

By John Graham 5. Customers expect salespeople to be a resource. But there is only one reason Jeff Bezos is one of the largest retailers in the world: consumers are suckers for convenience (read: immediate gratification). Something happens in the human brain when we see the words, “You’ll have it tomorrow.” But there’s another part of the brain that pulls toward “due diligence,” taking responsibility for making good decisions. Finding a salesperson who fuels that desire by sharing their knowledge and expertise, along with a give-and-take, is immensely rewarding.

6. They expect you to be candid with them. Some in sales think it takes painting a perfect picture of what they’re selling to make the sale. It isn’t. Everyone knows nothing is perfect. What’s refreshing is when a salesperson says, “This is a terrific product. My customers are more than satisfied with it, but it’s important that you follow the periodic service instructions. If you like, we’ll send you reminders.” Customers equate candor with honesty and transparency.

All of this may come across as unnecessarily obvious to both customers and sales reps. Perhaps. But even physicians can turn their backs on the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm” and some salespeople play by their own rules, which may not be life threatening, but do harm, nevertheless, both to them and their customers.

John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He is the creator of “Magnet Marketing,” and publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com or johnrgraham.com.

7. Customers expect follow-through. It’s a useful way to judge a salesperson’s performance before signing the order. “I’ll get back to you late this afternoon with answers to your questions,” says a smiling rep, who gets busy and forgets about it and then blames on someone else. Whatever picture the customer had of the salesperson changed, and not for the better.

There are no second chances; customers don’t come crawling back. april 2021

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t r i V

l a u

2021 Powered by:

conference

April 21-22

Virtual Conference

Designed to meet the needs of everyone in our industry

young agents, veteran agents, CSR’s

Day and a Half Program Focused on Professional Development, Personal Growth, Leadership Skills, and Relationships

8 hours continuing education

e-Insi gh Bonus t !

B

e one o f 10 to receive $10 off!

Use Co de "e-In sight"

Registration Fee: $60 per person

(Includes all education sessions & CE, time with exhibitors, and social event.)

Comedian Jeremy Nunes to Open Event!

Satellite Radio Regular • “Who’s With Me?!” Amazon Prime Special After winning $200 in a local comedy competition, the 6’6” comedian left the rural, Southern Illinois life behind to explore the comedy scene in Chicago.

Once in Chicago, it was at The Second City and iO Comedy Theaters that he first developed the “front porch” comedy style that is now a staple of his act.

Jeremy’s DryBar Comedy Special, “Neighborhood Sasq-Watch”, is currently one of the highest rated episodes on the platform. Nunes also released an Amazon Prime Special titled “Who’s With Me?!” He has appeared in “The Layover,” “The Break-Up,” “Last Comic Standing,” two PBS mini-series, Comcast On Demand, ABC’s “Final Witness,” a National Geographic Special, and is heard on Sirius/XM and ESPN Radio. Nunes also hosts the critically acclaimed “Dynamic Drop In” Podcast on iTunes.

He has since returned to his rural hometown where his parents manage a trailer park. Though he really wants to cash in on that goldmine, he continues to tour instead.

NETWORKING GAMES It wouldn’t be an EDGE Conference without some friendly competition!

Join in on the fun, Wednesday from 4:00 - 5:30 pm, and WIN $$$!

No, we won’t stare at each other on Zoom. This will be highly interactive!

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Education Sessions Daily Victories

John F. Nichols

Through John’s personal story telling, you will learn how live a life of empowered relationships from the INSIDE-OUT. By implementing the strategies, you can choose the mental, physical and spiritual life that you want now and forever. This highly energized presentation will capture your heart, open your mind and touch your soul while inspiring to achieve your dreams and goals while living the life that is truly life.

Audience learning Points: • Five Strategies for building your business • The mindset and specific tactics to overcome adversity • Elements to building deeper personal & professional relationships • Proven sales process • Creating a fulfilling and balanced life

Stacey Brown-Randall

Productivity Demystified

There are many ways to generate leads or prospects to fill your pipeline. From traditional business development tactics like cold calling and networking events, to newer techniques like social selling, social media ads and thought leadership.

While many of the traditional methods and new techniques work, one method is consistently overlooked: Referrals. The reason generating referrals from clients is typically overlooked is because of old-school advice. Either we have been taught referrals are random, sporadic, something you cannot control, or we have been taught the only way to control them is to ask for them. But what if there was another way? What if you didn’t have to ask?

Referrals... Without Asking

Do you ever get to the end of the day and wonder: “Where did the time go?” or “I know I worked all day, but what did I do?” Being busy doesn’t mean you are being productive. How you invest your time, get work done and manage information overload directly impacts your ability to be successful.

Taking control isn’t just for “natural” planners and to do list makers ... using brain science and proven techniques everyone can work within their natural style to take control and use time efficiently.

Matt O’Neill Ten Secrets to Peak Producer Performance A Peak Performer is one who is maximizing his or her potential for success. Peak Performers go about their business with clarity and a sense of excitement, purpose, passion and pride. While these individuals come from all walks of life and have differing skill sets, they share these secrets to success. Through this program, you will learn strategies to significantly increase your new business hit ratio, create a steady flow of qualified new business referrals and reduce outside competition on key accounts.

Dare to be Different

In today’s dog-eat-dog business environment, it is essential that agents stand out in a crowded marketplace... to separate themselves from their competition. Simply put, to be different! In Dare to be Different, Matt O’Neill will convey that price is the enemy of differentiation. april 2021

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INSIGHT | associate news Thank you to our Associate Members.

Diamond Level

Platinum Level

Progressive Surplus Line Association of Illinois

Gold Level AAA Insurance Arlington/Roe Blue Cross/Blue Shield of IL Keystone Insurance Group, Inc. Pekin Insurance

Silver Level Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company Imperial PFS

IMT Insurance West Bend Mutual Insurance Co.

Bronze Level A. J. Wayne & Associates AMERISAFE Auto-Owners Insurance Co. Badger Mutual Insurance Company Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Companies Columbia Insurance Group Continental Western Group CRC Group Donald Gaddis Company, Inc. Donegal Insurance Group Encompass Insurance Encova Insurance Foremost Insurance Group Forreston Mutual Insurance Company Frankenmuth Insurance Illinois Mine Subsidence Ins. Fund Illinois Public Risk Fund Insurance Program Managers Group J C Restoration J M Wilson

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Kemper Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance Madison Mutual Insurance Company Marsh, Berry & Company, Inc. Maximum Independent Brokerage, LLC Mercury Insurance Group MetLife Auto & Home Midwest Insurance Company Nationwide Previsor Insurance RT Specialty - Naperville ServiceMaster DSI Society Insurance Specialty Risk of America Travelers UIG - The Agent Agency United Fire Group W. A. Schickedanz Agency, Inc./Interstate Risk Placement Western National Insurance Westfield

april 2021

associate news | INSIGHT Illinois Specialty Insurer, RLI, Makes Leadership Promotions, Changes Peoria, Illinois-based specialty insurer serving niche property, casualty and surety markets, RLI Corp., has promoted or named several leaders to new roles.

Kevin Horwitz, vice president, Claim, has assumed the role of vice president, Innovation Management and Policy Development, a newly created position. Horwitz is responsible for identifying, evaluating and supporting emerging product, policy, InsurTech and innovation opportunities. Horwitz joined RLI in 2010 as manager, Claim, and held several Claim leadership roles before being promoted to vice president, Claim in 2015. Prior to joining RLI, he served as claim consultant at CNA. Horwitz has 20 years of industry experience.

Grinnell Mutual Named 2021 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award Winner Grinnell Mutual has received the 2021 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA). The award recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures globally.

By connecting employee engagement to every aspect of their culture, these organizations fuel the motivation and innovation that drive business results far beyond their competition around the world, and give people what they really want from their careers and lives: belonging, learning and growth, recognition, a great manager, and the opportunity to do what they do best every day.

In a year filled with unprecedented challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest to one of Midwest insurers’ most destructive and costly weather events, the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho, Gallup found that Grinnell Mutual demonstrated extraordinary commitment to its employees and its corporate culture.

J.M. Wilson Announces Promotions and New Brokerage Underwriter J.M. Wilson is pleased to announce the promotions of Cheryl Gleason to Director of Claims and Adam Benda to Claims Manager. Gleason has been with JM Wilson since 2015 where she began as a Claims Specialist before being promoted as Personal Lines Manager. Gleason will continue to manage the Personal Lines team. Adam Benda joined JM Wilson in 2015 where he began as a Claims Representative and Personal Lines Underwriter, before being promoted as a Claims & Litigation Specialist.

Landen VanSyckle has been promoted to Sales & Agency Relations Manager. In addition to being the primary resource and liaison to agencies in Wisconsin and Illinois by offering product knowledge and quality service, VanSyckle is also responsible for managing the dayto-day operations of the Sales Team and strengthening relationships with agency partners.

april 2021

VanSyckle has been a member of the JM Wilson team since 2018. Prior to joining JM Wilson, he was an Associate Broker and Commercial Sales Specialist with another MGA/ Brokerage firm. An Olivet College graduate, VanSyckle double majored in Insurance and Risk Management and Financial Planning.

J.M. Wilson has also announced the addition of Matt Schultz as Brokerage Underwriter in their Portage, Michigan office. He is responsible for underwriting new and renewal accounts with a focus on cyber and technology, as well as maintaining relationships with carriers and independent agents in all states that JM Wilson writes in.

Schultz is a graduate of Western Michigan University and Olivet College and has earned CLCS (Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist), CAWC (Certified Authority on Workers’ Compensation), AIC (Associate in Claims) and AINS (Associate in General Insurance) designations.

Prior to joining JM Wilson Schultz held positions with insurance agencies as a Commercial Account Manager and Commercial Property Inspector. He has also served as Public Safety Officer and Detective for the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

SECURA Insurance Publishes 2020 Annual Report 2020 annual report reflects on a year of growth, financial strength, and future investment.

SECURA Insurance released its 2020 annual report this week sharing details about strong financial performance, company culture, and continued investment in relationships.

“I don’t think anyone could have predicted the events that would happen in 2020,” said Dave Gross, SECURA President & CEO. “Looking back on the year I’m proud of how our associates and agents worked together to find success and deliver on our promises to policyholders.”

In 2020, SECURA associates transitioned to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the transition, workplace culture remained strong with associates finding ways to stay connected in a virtual work setting. Associate resource groups also formed to provide resources and a network to connect with others who have common interests.

SECURA’s workforce grew by 42 full-time positions in 2020, with 30% of those positions filled internally.

Associate voluntary turnover was just 2.3%.

Together, with their independent agency partners, SECURA produced strong financial results. To view the full 2020 annual report, visit secura.net/report. For career opportunities, visit secura.net/careers.

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Utica National’s Agents’

Errors & Omissions Coverage Options How Does Your Insurance Stack Up? We offer a number of coverages specifically designed to be added to your Agents’ Errors & Omissions Policy. We recommend the coverages checked below for your specific needs.

Coverage Contingent Catastrophe Extra Expense provides the extra funds your agency needs

3

to continue to service your clients after a catastrophe1 strikes. It covers expenses such as temporary claim office set-up, overtime, temporary workers, etc. Many times these expenses are not covered under Business Income/Extra Expense if your property wasn’t damaged. This is just $100 per year.

3

Cybersurance is needed in case a hacker or thief takes personally identifiable information. It covers both data and paper breach and includes Security and Privacy Breach Liability as well as Breach Notice Response Coverage. Premiums start at $506.

3 3 1

Employment Practices Liability is coverage for allegations of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, etc., from employees.

Liability to Third Parties extends Employment Practices Liability to cover allegations of discrimination and harassment from vendors, suppliers, service providers and business invitees.

Coverage trigger is a catastrophe declared by ISO’s Property Claim Service (PCS).

Contact us for more information.

This summary represents an outline of coverage available from the companies of the Utica National Insurance Group. No coverage is provided by this summary.

All coverages are individually underwritten. Coverage availability, terms and conditions are dictated by the policy and may vary by state. In the event of a loss, the terms of the policy issued will determine the coverage provided. For questions on coverages, contact your independent agent.

9-A-2564 Ed. 12-19

iia of il news | INSIGHT

Education Classes april

6 6 7 8 8 12 13 14 19 19 21 21 26 27 28

Pre-Licensing Course - Property & Casualty Virtual E&O - Identity Theft, Red Flags, Money Laundering Webinar E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto & Umbrella Webinar CISR - Insuring Personal Residential Property Virtual E&O - Roadmap to HO Endorsements & PIM Webinar E&O Risk Management – The Challenge of Change Webinar Agents E&O Webinar E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar Pre-Licensing Course - Life & Health Virtual CISR - Commercial Casuatly 1 Virtual EDGE Conference Virtual CIC - Commercial Casualty Virtual Insurance Industry Legislative Day Virtual Culture, Ethics, and E&O Webinar E&O - Roadmap to Policy Analysis Webinar

may

3 4 4 5 12 12 17 18 19 20 25 26 26 27

E&O-Roadmap to HO Endorsements & PIM Webinar Pre-Licensing Course - Property & Casualty Virtual CISR - Life and Health Essentials Virtual E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto & Umbrellas Webinar CISR - Commercial Casualty 2 Virtual E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar Pre-Licensing Course - Life & Health Virtual Ethics: Essentials for the Insurance Producer Webinar CIC - Life and Health Virtual E&O - Identity Theft, Red Flags, Money Laundering Webinar Agents E&O Webinar CISR - Agency Operations Virtual E&O - Roadmap to Policy Analysis Webinar E&O Risk Management – Challenge of Change Webinar

New Members member agency JD Ross and Associates, Inc. Barry, IL Slattery Insurance Agency Sherrad, IL For information regarding IIA of IL membership or company sponsorship, contact Tom Ross, Director of Membership Services, at (217) 321-3003, tross@iiaofil.org. april 2021

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INSIGHT | classifieds for the insurance professional by the insurance professional

OPPORTUNITIES/SPACE AVAILABLE/RETAIN OWNERSHIP

13. We are a 100 year old Northbrook agency looking to discuss any mutually beneficial opportunity. Our producers, mergers, clusters and agency purchases receive 50% commissions on new and renewal business without any expenses. We can provide: office space, phones, agency management system, service renewals and changes. The companies we represent are: Badger Mutual, Employers Mutual, General Casualty, Guide One, Hartford, Kemper, Progressive, Rockford Mutual, Safeco, State Auto, Travelers and Met Life. Contact:

Nancy Solomon Martini, Miller & Schloss, Inc. (847) 291-1313 Ron@martini-miller.com

AGENCY/AGENTS/PRODUCERS WANTED

02. Forest Park/Oak Park agency for over 60 years, will meet your needs by providing space, markets, marketing & sales support, automation, merging with or purchasing your agency. Perpetuation/ Succession Plans, BuySell Agreements also available. We have experienced, educated and dedicated staff for you and your clients.

Have access to our numerous companies, office services and many other resources. Retain ownership in your book with contingency. Please look closely at us- we are an agency you want to do business with! We’ve done it before, we know how- we make it easy! Visit our website at forestagency.com/agents.html, or call for a confidential discussion and a list of Agency benefits.

AGENCY WANTED

20. Since 2004, Central Illinois Agents Group LLC has been providing independent agents with a variety of markets with contingency opportunities. Agents have availability to several markets that they may not be able to sustain or maintain on their own. We have markets for personal, commercial, agricultural and crop insurance lines. Let us help you get to the next level.

Visit www.ciagonline.com for contact information.

AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

27. Insurance Brokers Incorporated (IBI) Welcomes GAINSCO as a Carrier Partner Insurance Brokers Incorporated (IBI) is pleased to announce the addition of GAINSCO Auto Insurance as an IBI carrier partner. GAINSCO is a nationally recognized market leader with outstanding service to the specialty auto insurance market. The partnership will provide distribution for GAINSCO Auto Insurance products and will provide increased sales opportunities for IBI agency customers. Please contact us at marketing@GoIBI.com.

Bill Coughlin IBI Insurance Brokers, Inc. (547) 797-9577

Dan Browne will provide an agency evaluation/appraisal at little cost to you. Please call:

Dan Browne or Cathy Hall Forest Insurance (708) 383-9000 www.forestinsured.com/mergers-acquisitions

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insight

april 2021

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No message is worth more than your life. The phone can wait when you’re in the driver’s seat.

Promise to stay focused on the road.

Take the pledge today at ufgworthit.com.

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