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INDEPENDENT AGENT MARCH 2017
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We know what it took to build this business. And we know what it takes to protect it. Underwriters who know and understand what coverages are necessary to protect the business. Loss prevention professionals who use a hands-on approach to help develop programs tailored to the individual business. Claim reps with the expertise and technology to process claims quickly and eiciently. As an Oicial Supplier of the Silver LiningŽ, you and West Bend will find the right insurance plan for your valued customers. To find out more, talk to your West Bend underwriter.
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INDEPENDENT AGENT MARCH 2017 Eric Schwartz, Editor
Open Door Policy Innovation & Disruption at the Marriott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Government Affairs Governor Unveils $76 Billion State Budget Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Agency Resources Resources for Every Independent Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Commentary From Counsel Proposal to Eliminate the LIRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sales Language Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Technology 8 Ways Telematics Will Shape Insurance Agencies in 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Virtual University Ask An Expert: Leaking Pipes & Water Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Industry Service Formisano Retires from Integrity Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Agency Management Niche Branding: Lessons from an InsurTech Startup That Made It . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Errors & Omissions How Agency Management Systems Can Help Defend E&O Claims . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Marketing Generating Insurance Referrals with Rewards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Members in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Community Service UW-FDL Honors Rick Parks, Acuity Care Units Dedicated at St. Nicholas, Kakuska Sparks Building Preservation Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Annual Convention Welcome to Your 21st Century Tradeshow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin 725 John Nolen Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53713 Phone: (608) 256-4429 or (800) 362-7441 ■ Fax: (608) 256-0170 ■ Web: www.iiaw.com Executive Vice President - Matt Banaszynski 2016-2017 Executive Committee President....................................................... Matt Weimer 100 North Corporate Dr., #100, Brookfield, WI 53045 President-Elect................................. Lise Meyer Kobussen P.O. Box 633, Sauk City, WI 53583 Secretary-Treasurer ............................................ Jason Bott 330 East Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202 Chairman of the Board .................................. Steve Leitch P.O. Box 85, River Falls, WI 54022 State National Director ................................ Linda Steiner 555 Main Street #320, Racine, WI 53403 2016-2017 Board of Directors Mike Ansay 101 East Grand Ave. #11, Port Washington, WI 53704 Cindy Burns 500 South Central Ave., Marshfield, WI 54449 Gerald Couri 379 West Main Street, Waukesha, WI 53186 Jack Demski 101 East Grand Ave. #11, Port Washington, WI 53074
Jack Riesch P.O. Box 1610, Waukesha, WI 53187-1610 Pam Utpadel 100 West Lawrence St. Suite 313, Appleton, WI 54911 Darrel Zaleski 4233 Southtowne Drive, Eau Claire, WI 54701
On The Cover… With all the talk about innovation and disruption in the industry, we thought we’d take those ideas and apply them to the Annual Convention. We’re doing things a little differently this year. Matt Banaszynski’s article on page 4 talks about what’s happening during convention. Katie Goswitz, IIAW Events & Education Coordinator, goes into detail about our new take on the traditional exhibit hall. Read her article on page 33. This isn’t your father’s tradeshow. Go to IIAWConvention.com.
> ADVERTISERS & INFORMATION AAA Wisconsin ................................................ 34 Acuity Insurance ............................................ 35 Amerisafe........................................................ 21 Annual Convention ...........................Back Cover Arlington/Roe ..................................................11
2016-2017 Committee Chairs
Badger Mutual ................................................. 17
Agency Services ............................................ Kim Dandrea N19 W24200 Riverwood Dr., Waukesha, WI 53188
Berkshire Hathaway/Guard .............................. 6
Automation/Technology ............... Cathleen Christensen P.O. Box 949, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-0949 Emerging Leaders ...........................................Jack Demski 101 East Grand Ave. #11, Port Washington, WI 53074 Employee Benefits.......................................... Mike Farrell 1300 South Green Bay Rd., Racine, WI 53406 Government Affairs .......................................Skip Hansen 100 North Corporate Drive #100 Brookfield, WI 53045 Carrier Relations ......................................... Kevin Murray 525 Junction Road, Madison, WI 53717
Ryan McClone 150 Main St. Suite 102, Menasha, WI 54952
Marketing & Membership Development ........... Jeff Thiel P.O. Box 1610, Waukesha, WI 53187-1610
Marc Petersen 15171 W. National Ave., New Berlin, WI 53151
Technical ...............................................Timothy Kakuska P.O. Box 547, La Crosse, WI 54602-0547
Burns & Wilcox ................................................. 7 Erickson-Larsen, Inc........................................ 13 IIAW Flood, Online CE ................................ 19, 32 IIAW 2017 Prelicensing Classes....................... 24 J.M. Wilson ..................................................... 25 Pekin Insurance................................................ 5 Robertson Ryan & Associates.......................... 15 SECURA Insurance ............................................ 8 The IMT Group ................................................ 27 West Bend ....................................................... 2 Western National............................................ 20
WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
MARCH 2017 | 3
OPEN DOOR POLICY
2017 ANNUAL CONVENTION:
INNOVATION & DISRUPTION AT THE MARRIOTT David Spade famously proclaimed in his hit movie Joe Dirt, “You gotta keep on keepin’ on!” Truer words have never been spoken. OK, I take that back. We all know truer words have been spoken but, in this journey we call life, I think we can all relate to it in one way or another.
hard to present a convention with great sessions, exciting exhibit hall, and world-class entertainment. We want this convention to be a great experience with great value for you.
It also rings true for our careers. Most of us strive to be successful. Of course, there are plenty of ups and downs along the way, but ultimately it’s what we learn while on the journey that makes us who we are. There has been plenty of talk and discussion about the innovations and disruptions impacting our industry. This isn’t new. You have heard about various disruptions through the years but you just keep on keepin’ on.
We have something for everyone regardless of your position at your agency or in the industry. Wednesday, May 3rd kicks off with a variety of continuing education courses. The Automation-Technology Committee’s open forum, always an interesting session, touches on commercial download, personal lines download, using an MDM to manage mobile devices, e-Docs, and understanding how cyber risk impacts you and your clients.
To assist you in weathering these disruptions, the IIAW has tried to provide resources to make these transitions smoother. Whether it’s through our events like the annual convention, our myriad products and services, or our staff, we have focused on you and the important task of staying one step ahead of the latest industry trends and challenges.
During the same time period, Brent Kelly leads the seminar, “Becoming a Person of Influence.” Managers will see their employees respond with new enthusiasm, leaders will gain more influence with their teams, and salespeople will break records.
That’s why you will want to attend Wisconsin’s premiere insurance industry event, our118th Annual Convention on May 3-4 at the Madison Marriott West. For all the chatter about innovation and disruption, this year’s convention is an innovative and disruptive force of its own.
The morning sessions continue with our health insurance breakout featuring David Grunke. David tackles the latest changes impacting the health insurance landscape for employer based coverage, the individual market, Medicare and Medicaid under the new administration, and discuss future actions that could be taken by Congress, the Department of Health & Human Services, and President Trump.
Many have said that this is the best convention lineup, from start to finish, that we’ve had in years or perhaps ever. We have worked
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To wrap up the Wednesday morning sessions, IIAW General Counsel Josh Johanningmeier
will present on managing the legal risks of your agency’s website. Errors & omissions claims are on the rise due to agents taking on greater duties than the law would otherwise impose and making statements on their websites that expand their standard of care. Josh will provide feedback on how to ensure your agency doesn’t get caught up in an unwanted E&O claim. After this already busy start to the convention, we welcome our keynote speaker, Artell Smith, Executive Director of Strategic Programs for Quad/Graphics and a distinguished faculty member of UW-Madison’s School of Business. He will examine the latest trends inside and outside the industry, and talk about strategies to bring the technology horizon closer to us, enabling action. Following Artell’s keynote, we will continue with timely seminars that include working lunches. Ryan Hanley of TrustedChoice.com and Agency Nation will discuss how InsurTech is disrupting and innovating our industry and how your agency can benefit and react. Next, Gen Re’s Charlie Kingdollar will talk about autonomous vehicles and how it will impact and change the personal and commercial auto market. For employee benefit advisors and brokers, AFLAC will share tools, resources and data to grow your book. That’s a full day with all the sessions and talented instructors that I have just mentioned but we’re just getting started.
WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
OPEN DOOR POLICY This year we welcome the return of the CEO Panel and you don’t want to miss it. Yours truly will be discussing the latest challenges, trends and opportunities facing our industry with some of the brightest insurance minds in the industry including: Ben Salzmann, Acuity Insurance; Paul Mueller, The Hanover Insurance Group; and Dave Gross, SECURA Insurance. Join us as we ask these industry leaders some hard-hitting questions and tap into the pulse of the industry.
The next morning at our annual awards and business breakfast we will recognize several industry heavyweights for their support of the Independent Agency Channel and the IIAW. Join us as we honor Wisconsin Mutual CEO Dan Keyes, Society Insurance COO Bill Reeves, and West Bend Mutual’s Jim Pauly. We will also recognize the Association’s award winners for their work in support of the IIAW.
After the CEO Panel, the action moves into our new and improved Convention Showcase. We have teamed up with Logan productions to re-imagine the exhibit hall. The streets of New York City will come alive in Madison! Enjoy the atmosphere with food and beverages/cocktails available throughout the showcase. Experience the lights, sounds and cityscape of a New York City evening. The night only gets better as we segue into Kevin Farley and David Spade as they put on a comedy performance worthy of Saturday Night Live. This is one evening you will never forget.
The day will end with some additional CE as we welcome Association favorite Todd Davis to conduct a walking risk management seminar. Todd will examine the exposures presented in the Marriott complex. It will begin with a brief review of risk, exposures, and risk management techniques. Then, students will tour the various places in the hotel and take a firsthand look at what exposures are present. This will give the producer a firsthand experience of looking at a risk and training them through a visual experience.
Running concurrently with Todd’s session, WPS Insurance will help us prepare to navigate the complexities of Medicare. Attendees will develop enhanced knowledge about the Medicare program, identify what is covered, discuss Medigap plans including cost-sharing plans, review when to enroll in Medicare and learn about when it is appropriate to delay Medicare enrollment, and understand the importance of timely enrollment in Medicare and review late enrollment penalties. This course will explore some of the complexities in the Medicare system and how to address them. The future of insurance is now. Elevate your business. Grow your brand. Attend the 2017 IIAW Annual Convention. Register at IIAW.com.
> Matt Banaszynski is the Executive Vice President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin. Contact him at matt@ iiaw.com.
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GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
GOVERNOR WALKER SETS STAGE WITH $76 BILLION STATE BUDGET PLAN
Wisconsin’s two-year state budget process always begins and ends with the Governor. The Governor sets the stage for the legislative session starting with the introduction of his state budget plan. No other piece of legislation or policy issue dominates the attention of taxpayers, public officials, interest groups, lobbyists, and the news media more. It is the single most important bill that defines the fiscal priorities of both the Governor and members of the controlling party in both houses of the Legislature.
The biennial budget also lays the groundwork for the next election. So, if there was any doubt about whether Walker intends to run for a third term as Governor, his latest budget proposal signals the strongest hint yet that he will run in 2018 (although Walker says he will make no official decisions on his future until after the budget is passed). Governor Walker enthusiastically labeled his latest budget proposal as the “Reform Dividend.” The budget proposes significant spending increases in a number of critical areas, while continuing his ongoing commitment to reducing taxes. The priorities he’s chosen are primarily made possible by a gradually improving economy and higher than expected state revenues. The state’s nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) recently provided revenue estimates highlighting that state tax collections are projected to increase by more than $455 million than originally anticipated. This welcome news, especially to eager politicians, is in stark contrast to previous state budgets where the Governor and lawmakers were forced to make difficult cuts due to swelling state budget shortfalls. In this budget, Walker avoids major controversial policy items, and focuses on three major themes: student success, accountable government, and rewarding work. Overall, Governor Walker’s plan spends $586 WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
million more than the previous state budget. He directs additional taxpayer dollars to areas and at levels not seen in his previous budgets. For instance, Walker’s $76.1 billion spending plan includes significant The latest state investments in budget proposal K-12 education provides nearly $600 by increasing public school million in overall tax funding by nearly relief by reducing the $650 million. lowest two income tax School district rates and lowering the officials and the educational property tax burden community on homeowners. praised Walker’s investment in public education, but some GOP lawmakers have already expressed skepticism about the level of spending versus other budgetary priorities. Meanwhile, on the higher education front, Walker seeks to address the ongoing student debt burden by proposing a five percent tuition cut for in-state students that attend any UW System campus. Walker also freezes tuition for attending any of the state’s technical colleges. Walker adds another $105 million in state GPR funds for the University of Wisconsin System that is specifically tied to each institution’s performance. Sending more state dollars to the UW is something some legislative leaders have questioned. Specifically, they are questioning the benefit of a tuition cut versus redirecting those dollars to student aid for those who need it. Despite the fact that Walker did nothing in the budget to address the elimination or phasing out of the burdensome personal property tax (much to the chagrin of the entire business community), one area that remains constant with this Governor and Republicans who control the Legislature, is the continued commitment to lower Wisconsin’s tax burden. The latest state budget proposal provides nearly $600 million in overall tax relief by reducing the lowest two income tax rates and lowering the property tax burden on homeowners with the elimination of the state’s portion on the property tax bill. As the budget bill advances
through the Legislature, we are likely to see many differing ideas on how best to deliver tax relief to Wisconsinites. Some general highlights of the Governor’s budget include: a An additional $649 million for K-12 education a An additional $140 million for the UW system, which includes a five percent tuition cut a Elimination of state prevailing wage a Elimination of the state forestry property tax levy a Reducing the two lowest individual income tax brackets by 0.1 percent each year a Transitioning to a self-insurance model for the state employees’ health plan a A two-year technical college tuition freeze Walker’s budget proposal will face much scrutiny as the Legislature plays its role and begins laying its own mark on the final budget before it’s sent back to the Governor for his vetoes and signature. Most items will remain intact, but some of the bigger ticket, controversial items including Transportation, Education, and Taxes are likely to be modified over the next several months. Transportation financing, in particular, and how this Legislature will attempt to resolve a behemoth $1 billion plus deficit, is likely to be the most contentious area of the budget debate this cycle. Over the next several months, and as the Government Affairs team continues to review > Misha Lee is Owner/ what’s contained in the Founder of Lee Government Relations, 1000-page state budget, I LLC and lobbyist for look forward to updating the IIAW. Follow Lee you on specific issues of Government Relations on Twitter@mishavlee. interest.
MARCH 2017 | 9
AGENCY RESOURCES
SUBSCRIBE! RESOURCES FOR EVERY INDEPENDENT AGENT Struggling to find high-quality insurance resources focused on helping the independent agent grow their business? Well, look no further. Today we share 20 insurance resources that every independent agent should consider subscribing to. You know what’s cool? They’re all free (or have valuable free sections). Specifically, this list of 20 insurance resources highlights insurance blogs, news outlets, newsletters and podcasts. In an effort to capture the landscape of potential needs and interests for an independent agent, we’ve pulled from a wide variety of content creators. It was our goal to share a little bit of everything and let you decide which resources were the most helpful. Here they are, in no particular order, 20 insurance resources every independent agent should subscribe to:
Insurance Blogs The GROW Program – Dedicated to helping independent insurance agents GROW their agency through digital sales and marketing advice. ■
Brent Kelly – Insurance producer and thoughtleader Brent Kelly shares his insurance sales experience and expertise in one of the most well thought out individual insurance sales blogs on the Internet. (Editor’s note: Brent is also a session leader at our annual convention!) ■
Insurance Goddess – Insurance agency owner, Carrie Reynolds, shares her unique perspective on personal branding in the insurance industry. ■
Paradiso Presents – Chris Paradiso, owner of the Paradiso Insurance, provides first-hand experience and advice to insurance agencies looking to harness the power of social media marketing. ■
Aartrijk – Peter Van Aartrijk and his entire team at Aartrijk set the insurance industry standard for agency brand building. ■
Steve Anderson – Steve Anderson, insurance technology thought-leader, continues to move the conversation forward on the most pressing technology issues facing our industry.
Insurance Splash – Insurance marketing ideas, tools, strategies and training to help agents worldwide survive and thrive! ■
Insurance Newsletters Insurance News Resources ▲
PropertyCasulty360 – PropertyCasualty360.
com is where buyers and sellers have access to breaking insurance news, industry research, compliance and legal updates, training and education, technology developments, data and trends, and more. Insurance Journal – A juggernaut in the insurance news and information space, Insurance Journal should be considered a must-subscribe resource for all insurance professionals. ▲
Mega Agency Marketing – Robyn Sharp shares high-quality insurance marketing advice.
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Coverager – Easily one of my favorite insurance newsletters, Shefi Ben-Hutta and her team deliver ●
timely news and resources on the world of insurance technology almost every day. MUST SUBSCRIBE. CB Insight Insurance Tech – CB Insights sits on the pulse of insurtech. If you want to know what is going on in the world of insurtech and digital insurance disruption there is no better newsletter than CB Insights Insurance Tech. ●
Insurance Podcasts Rough Notes – Though Rough Notes does not provide any type of digital information resources, there is a print magazine which continues to provide world-class insurance industry thoughtleadership for more than 100 years. ▲
Agents Council for Technology – ACT’s mission is to bring the stakeholders in the independent insurance agency distribution system together to advance the use of the most effective business processes, practices and technologies, in order to enhance productivity, service, marketing, sales and security. A key focus for ACT is to keep informed on the strategic trends that will drive future consumer expectations and business opportunities. ▲
Independent Agent Magazine – IA Magazine is the authoritative source of information for professionals who sell insurance for independent agencies. It gives independent insurance agents access to the critical trends, analysis and tools they need to sell efficiently and effectively. ▲
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business best practice in a continually evolving industry.
Insurance Business America – Insurance Business provides a unique offering in the insurance space as an aspirational business magazine featuring a series of industry reports that recognize the achievements of key individuals and businesses, as well as providing the latest in ▲
On Point – Insurance Journal – On Point, with Peter Van Aartrijk and Rick Morgan, contains conversations with interesting and informative industry exports on technology, branding, social media and other great topics. ▼
Agents Influence – Every week, Jason Cass interviews movers and shakers inside the independent insurance industry and shares their stories on his podcast. ▼
Agency Nation Radio – Every week Marty Agather and Ryan Hanley dissect the latest news and trends impacting the independent agency channel. We touch on everything from marketing, to sales, to operations, to insurtech and specifically how independent agents can harness these trends to grow their insurance business. ▼
BizzGrowl – Insurance leadership coach, Brent Kelly, share daily thoughts and inspiration in short audio snippets. ▼
This is by no means an all-inclusive list of resources but it’s a great start.
> Ryan Hanley is the senior VP of Marketing for TrustedChoice.com and editor-in-chief of Agency Nation.
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COMMENTARY FROM COUNSEL
? GOVERNOR PROPOSES ELIMINATING THE LIRC: DOES IT GO FAR ENOUGH? Last month, I wrote in favor of Chief Justice Patience Roggensack’s proposal for increased pay for Wisconsin judges. Governor Walker’s proposed biennial budget has been released, and we see a move toward a judicial pay increase, albeit in a less aggressive fashion than Justice Roggensack’s proposal. Having now gone on the record in favor of (gulp) greater government spending, I now have an opportunity to write in favor of decreasing spending elsewhere. While much of the upcoming budget debate will surround the state’s aging transportation system, there is another element of the proposed budget that merits some attention. Governor Walker’s proposed biennial budget includes a provision that would completely eliminate Wisconsin’s Labor & Industry Review Commission (LIRC). LIRC is an independent, quasi-judicial state agency that reviews decisions made by administrative law judges in the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) regarding various employment issues. Under the terms of the budget proposal, decisions currently reviewed by LIRC would be reviewed by other agencies.
What is LIRC? In 1911, Wisconsin formed the State Industrial Commission—a three-member panel created to administer Wisconsin’s worker’s compensation law. In the decades that followed its inception, the Commission was tasked with administering Wisconsin’s Unemployment Compensation Act and the Governor’s Commission on Civil Rights. In 1967, the Commission was renamed the Department of Industry,
12 | MARCH 2017
Labor and Human Relations (DILHR). In 1977, the DILHR became a cabinet-level agency overseen by a Governor-appointed Secretary. In the same year, the LIRC was established as a separate agency to hear appeals from rulings made by administrative law judges and hearing examiners working in the three divisions of the DILHR: Unemployment Compensation, Worker’s Compensation, and Equal Rights. The Equal Rights Division (ERD) handles employment discrimination and public accommodation cases. In 1996, the Wisconsin DWD was created by combining some aspects of the DILHR and adding in some services provided by the Department of Health and Social Services. Currently, LIRC is comprised of a staff of attorneys and three commissioners who are appointed by the Governor to serve staggered six-year terms. When a decision made by an administrative law judge at the DWD is appealed to LIRC, the Commission reviews the evidence submitted at the hearing, considers the arguments submitted on behalf of the parties, and then issues a written decision either affirming, reversing, or modifying the decision. In total, the Commission hears approximately 2,000 cases each year. Decisions made by LIRC may
be appealed to circuit court, which is then tasked with an essentially identical review process. The agency claim, hearing, decision and review process prior to a circuit court appeal takes years. In fact, the process is so lengthy and cumbersome that circuit court review is rare. LIRC also maintains Decision Digests, i.e., summaries of significant decisions arising under Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and equal rights laws. The summaries are organized by subject matter and generally provide useful guidance on employment matters. The proposed budget does not specify what would happen to the Decision Digests after the elimination of LIRC.
Proposed Elimination of LIRC Governor Walker’s budget proposal describes LIRC as an “unnecessary layer of government” and estimates that eliminating the agency would save taxpayers $3.2 million during the course of the biennial budget term. Under the proposed elimination plan, division administrators in the DWD and the Department of Administration would be vested with the authority to review and remand the decisions that are currently reviewed by LIRC. The draft budget further indicates that the “time for second-level WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
COMMENTARY FROM COUNSEL review of administrative law judge decisions will be substantially decreased and streamlined.” While the plan is unclear as to how review time would be expedited, as noted above, the current timeline for these cases is far too long and faster review is a laudable goal. Some commentators have expressed concern that the elimination of the LIRC could result in more appeals to the circuit courts, although I do not necessarily regard that as a negative. Given the fact that circuit court review is conducted based on the record from the agency action, the additional burden on circuit courts would not be substantial, and for serious issues the opportunity to change or at least clarify the law (by appealing the circuit court to the court of appeals or Wisconsin Supreme Court) is greater. Thus, while the governor’s proposal seems like a step in the right direction, it may be an unnecessary
WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
intermediate step. Perhaps a more efficient approach would be to allow appeals to go directly to circuit court.
Conclusion For now, Governor Walker’s proposed elimination of the LIRC is just that: a proposal. This small element of the budget will not drive the process, but it signals yet another move in the right direction. The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee is currently working to develop its own version of the state budget. The final budget is scheduled to be completed by June 30, 2017. Stay tuned for future updates.
> Josh Johanningmeier is the IIAW’s General Counsel. Call the Legal Services Hotline at (877) 236-1669.
MARCH 2017 | 13
SALES
TRICKS OF THE TRADE:
10 LANGUAGE TIPS FOR INSURANCE SALES Do you ever think about how the language you use influences your sales? A lot of people are born with persuasive communication skills but not all sales people are innately gifted. Some people are naturals at sales conversation but I believe selling and the language of selling are sciences that can be improved and refined. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to observe hundreds of insurance salespeople in action and wanted to share 10 insurance sales language tricks that I’ve witnessed by some of the best in the business. 1) Use the prospects name as much as possible. Dale Carnegie said it best in “How To Win Friends and Influence People ” when he wrote: “There is no sweeter sound to any person’s ear than the sound of their own name.” People love to hear their name and it strengthens the connection between you and the prospect. I can honestly say that it makes me feel more comfortable when I’m on the phone with my bank and the representative calls me Mr. Carroll. I know it’s on the screen in front of him but I like it. Don’t you? 2) Ask “Do you want?” instead of “Do you have?” If you’re giving someone a quote, ask assumptive questions about the policy they want from you instead of asking about what they have with their current policy. Examples: Don’t Say: Do you have collision coverage? Say: Do you want collision coverage? Don’t Say: Do you have a clean driving record? Say: Will I be able to give you a clean driving discount on this new policy?
If you’re upselling higher limits of liability use the monthly increased cost number. If you’re trying to get a client to pay in full to save a bit of money (and help your retention) use the annual savings – even if it’s a six-month policy! You can even take this idea to the extreme and dig all the way down to the daily costs, or the amount of money saved over the next 10 years! 4) Ask permission to ask questions. Maybe it’s just polite… maybe it gets prospects into the habit of saying yes to you, maybe it’s something else. I don’t know exactly, but beginning your questioning by asking for permission to ask questions can make things a lot easier down the line. Once your prospect agrees to answer your questions, it’s less likely they’ll challenge you when you ask how much their current policy costs, whether they’re happy with their current agent, or what’s important to them in an insurance agency. Try it out. 5) Don’t say, “Do you understand?” “Do you understand what I’m explaining” is one of the worst questions you can ask someone during the sales process because they’re forced to say “yes.” Who wants to seem ignorant? You may as well say, “Do you understand? Or are you a complete moron paying thousands of dollars for something you don’t understand?” Instead try, “What questions do you have about how this coverage works?” or “I’m listening to myself speak, and I don’t think I explained that very well. What questions does it bring to mind?” Or do the complete opposite and say something like, “I’m sure you understand how uninsured motorist coverage works, but I’d like to explain it in more detail, just to make sure we’re on the same page.”
I know it’s a subtle difference but the idea is to get it in the client’s head that they’ve already come on board with you. They won’t notice the difference as you’re using this assumptive language, but it will be easier for you when you ask how they want to pay for the policy.
6) Say “Agreement” or “Policy” instead of “Contract.” Agreements are things I have with my wife (sometimes). Contracts are things I have with my attorney. With that being said, which are you more comfortable working with?
3) Deliver Costs in Monthly Amounts and Savings in Annual Amounts. In order to minimize the costs use monthly amounts and to amplify the savings use an annual amount. Of course, this works for premium amounts and discount savings but it can be extended to so much more.
7) Paint a Picture. When you’re explaining how insurance works, don’t just say, “If there’s a fire in your apartment we’ll pay for your damaged stuff.” Tell a story! If you want them to buy coverage, the client really needs to imagine a situation where that coverage comes in handy.
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WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
SALES Here’s a script you can use: “If you woke up in the middle of the night and your apartment was on fire but you only had time to grab one thing, what would it be? (Wait for response.) Okay, let’s talk about all those other things you didn’t grab, and how you’d get your life back on track without them.” 8) Say “So That You” after explaining every feature. Basically, injecting the term, “so that you” after every major feature of your prospects insurance policy forces you to explain the benefits in a way that relates directly to the individual. Example:
Some people are naturals at sales conversation but I believe selling and the language of selling are sciences that can be improved and refined. Another six pack: • Say Ms. Instead of Miss or Mrs. I can still remember asking Ms. Godfrey, my 5th grade teacher, why Miss or Mrs. were options when Ms. works for everyone. It just makes more sense.
You: This policy will give you $50 of rental coverage a day if you’re in an accident…
• Confirm appointments with “Will you let me know?” instead of “Please let me know.” Every salesperson hates appointment no-shows (especially at month-end, right?). When you’re confirming the time and
Prospect: (Thinking) Okay, so what?
date of your appointment instead of saying, “please let me know if you can’t make it” say: “Will you let me know if you can’t make it?” and you must pause to make sure they answer.
You: So that you won’t have to take the bus to work tomorrow if you got rear-ended on the way home today… 9) Match the prospects vocabulary. People are naturally drawn to others that think, act, and speak like they do. Make your prospects like you more by matching their vocabulary. If the prospect calls a policy rider an “add-on” or refers to collision and comprehensive as “full coverage” you should too, regardless of whether the terminology is accurate. And don’t correct their insurance terminology as long as everyone understands the concepts. There are also more subtle uses of this idea though. If your client says, “I feel” instead of “I think,” or “I believe” or “I see,” then you should try to match those subtle uses of language as well. 10) What makes you say that? vs. Why? “Why?” is a very confrontational question because it generally implies that the asker of the question does not agree with the person being asked. Obviously it makes sense to avoid being confrontational when you’re trying to win over someone. Replacing “why” with “what makes you say that?” can also do wonders for your personal relationships. You can ask my wife if you’re curious what makes me say that.
RRA_IIAW_Ad_March_16_Outlines.indd 1 AGENT WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT
• Rhyme Time. “If the glove doesn’t fit…” I bet you know how that one goes, right? Okay, I know it sounds cheesy, but studies have shown people remember things that rhyme. • Eleven-Forty vs. One Thousand One Hundred Forty. They both stand for this: $1,140, but which sounds like more money to you? • Talk about discounts instead of costs. Everybody loves discounts! But are you talking about them? • Drop the insurance jargon. Just drop it. When salespeople use tech jargon with me I figure they’re trying to cover for something they don’t know. • Use Sir and Ma’am. It’s just polite.
> John F. Carroll is the founder and CEO of InsuranceSplash.
2/2/2016 MARCH 20178:31:25 | 15AM
TECHNOLOGY
8 WAYS TELEMATICS WILL SHAPE INSURANCE AGENCIES IN 2017 The insurance industry is at an exciting precipice. Telematics is gaining steam as more insurance agencies implementing telematics programs see a positive effect on their bottom line, and more consumers begin to realize the advantage of one of the most prevalent uses of telematics: usage-based insurance (UBI). UBI programs allow policyholders to voluntarily track their driving habits and share the information with their insurance agency, in return for discounts and incentives for good driving behavior or scores. But telematics and its advantages go well beyond insurance premium discounts. New telematics startups crop up every day. However, when choosing a telematics partner to power a UBI program, you should be more data-focused and consider factors such as the following: a Does your partner meet international standards and certifications? a What is the company’s experience in doing so?
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a What levels of system security and data protection standards are available?
Here’s a look at eight ways telematics will continue to shape the insurance agency in 2017.
Anyone can gather data; however, only the most experienced telematics providers — those who meet strict standards and know to analyze the data and put it into action for insurers — will dominate the market.
1. Telematics drives vehicle-embedded connectivity It’s been forecast that by 2020, 90 percent of cars will have embedded connectivity, and all cars will be connected by 2025. In the meantime, telematics can make any vehicle a connected car today, and new opportunities for telematics arise even with the growing popularity of autonomous vehicles. There will be a stronger need to collect and analyze data from the connected, autonomous car, which includes not only the information that comes from the car itself, but also the information that comes from the contact, that is, the contextual data. For now, fully self-driving cars are far from being mainstream. While we move toward their adoption, telematics will continue to make any car a “connected car,” able to provide game-changing safety gains if human drivers improve their behaviors: less tail gaiting, no driving while under the influence, obeying speed limits and other traffic laws, and other high-scoring behaviors
Telematics for value-added services Telematics offers so much more than simply driving scores for UBI discounts. Although it’s useful for analyzing driving for better rates and delivering personalized driving tips to improve safety, it can also make any vehicle a “connected car,” providing additional benefits and communications for drivers. These can include alerts to road conditions on your route, weather hazards or vehicle maintenance needs, as well as on-demand assistance from your insurer in the case of a crash. Such offerings ensure that help is dispatched immediately, the claim is processed faster, and policyholders can get back on the road quickly. They also help insurers to cut down on fraud and false claims.
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TECHNOLOGY that telematics can continue to alert and educate drivers — and insurers — about. 2. Telematics creates better drivers U.S. traffic deaths jumped an estimated 10 percent to 17,775 during the first half of 2016 compared with the year-ago period, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With telematics educating drivers on their dangerous behaviors and making them more conscientious than ever, drivers are expected to tailgate less, speed less and drive more carefully overall. Thousands of lives could be saved by preventing crashes caused by driver-related factors. Insurers will see a benefit to the bottom line. Better insights and better driving will mean fewer claims for insurers and fewer accidents for drivers. UBI programs and telematics aren’t only good for discounts, they’re also good for education on smarter driving and road safety. 3. Telematics improves road safety While driving patterns will improve over time, evident in drivers’ improved scores and change in patterns such as less hard cornering, hard braking and tailgating, telematics will also improve road safety and awareness. With weather alerts, road condition alerts and even monitoring a driver’s alert level, this technology will continue to make our roads and infrastructure safer and improve the relationship between consumers and insurance companies. 4. Telematics lowers claims costs for insurers Telematics insurance policies, on average, result in 50 percent fewer claims vs. nontelematics policies, according to a study from the Ptolemus Consulting Group. Moreover, the information and improved first notice of loss timing and control have the ability to improve the claims management process and reduce it by 10 to 15 days. Data analytics will be critical to understanding what happened and determining liability as the automotive industry evolves — even if a driverless car collides with a pedestrian. With telematics cutting down on fraudulent claims, insurers will also see a benefit to the bottom line. For example, in 2014, on average, our solutions at Octo reduced claims management costs by an unprecedented 25 percent and cut claims processing time by 40 percent. 5. Insurers focus marketing on UBI With actual driving data strongly influencing WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
the predictability of whether a consumer will have an insurance loss or not, telematics is now an important factor in the determination of insurance premium pricing. When compared to traditional rating variables, telematics data provides insurers with context about how a person drives and presents insurers with the opportunity to rate risk more accurately. Many are just beginning to adopt such policies, and will become more proactive in marketing their UBI programs. Insurance marketing will expand to drive awareness among consumers that they have new, personalized choices in the way their policies are priced. No longer do consumers have to pay premiums solely based on such variables as the averages of “like” individuals, certain elements of a person’s credit history or other esoteric factors.) 6. Data privacy becomes less of a concern For every piece of popular technology today — from drones to smartphones, Snapchat to Instagram — privacy is a consideration. Although the use of telematics data is no exception, we’re seeing consumers decide that the benefits outweigh any hazard. Drivers will continue to realize and become comfortable with sharing a little information to save money and gain valuable services, so it will be less of a deterrent to UBI and telematics adoption. 7. Millennials will be the main adopters of UBI policies In August 2015, Willis Towers Watson reported that millennials show particularly strong interest in UBI policies — with 88 percent “interested” or “maybe interested,” compared to 74 percent for other survey participants. Millennials are very cost conscious and
socially aware, and they desire to do things that support those values. UBI is important to anyone who cares about being a better driver, creating safer roads, and receiving the best value from their automobile insurance provider. 8. The policyholder relationship goes from reactive to proactive As the automotive market evolves, so too, must the insurance industry. Telematics allows insurers to innovate their approach to claims, customer service and interaction — successfully moving from a low-touch “only when you need us” model to a high touch, “proactive and always there for you” business model. This results > Nino Tarantino is the in increased revenue, CEO of OctoTelematics. This story was less risk and longoriginally published on lasting customer PropertyCasualty360. relationships. com.
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ASK AN EXPERT: LEAKING PIPES & WATER DAMAGE Q:
A:
My question concerns accidental discharge of water from a leaking pipe. Unknown to the insured, there was a leaking pipe behind a wall that damaged the wall and flooring. Evidently, it leaked for quite some time before there was evidence of the leak. The first evidence was water stains on the drywall. As soon as the stains appeared, the insured opened the wall and fixed the pipe; the carrier is denying the claim. In regard to water damage caused by a leaking pipe, the proprietary homeowners’ policy in question contains the following exclusionary wording: “We do not insure, however, for loss caused by: Constant or repeated seepage or leakage of water or steam over a period of weeks,
months or years from within: a) A plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or a household appliance on the “residence premises;” or b) A storm drain or water, steam or sewer pipes off the residence premises. For purposes of this provision, a plumbing system or household appliance does not include a sump, sump pump or related equipment or a roof drain, gutter, downspout or similar fixtures or equipment.” The carrier denial letter reads, in part: “About our decision: Our review showed that the pipe in the wall has been leaking for a long period of time causing mold and rot. As this loss is not sudden and accidental, and occurred over a period of time, there is no coverage for this loss.”
The carrier is applying an exclusion that does not exist. There is nothing in this policy requiring water damage from a leaking pipe to be sudden and accidental. In fact, the exclusionary wording allows for some length of time for leakage to exist and be discovered. Exclusion “5)” excludes coverage for: “Constant or repeated seepage of water or steam over a period of weeks, months or years….” Clearly this coverage form grants an allowance of time for water damage, the question is, how much time is allowed? This form does not exclude coverage until the leak has existed over “weeks, months or years;” how long is “weeks, months or years.” Since there is no exclusion until the water has been leaking for “weeks” or longer, this means coverage exists until whatever constitutes “weeks” have passed. The exclusion is ambiguous as to the length of time water must leak before the exclusion applies. The carrier must prove when the leak started (at least to a reasonable person) and define how the damage is excluded by the ambiguous wording of the exclusion (“weeks, months or years”). Further proof that the leak doesn’t have to be “sudden” is found in the Named Perils coverage under Coverage C. The grant of coverage reads:
The house is 47 years old and utility services wear out. But the wear and tear exclusion eliminates coverage for the pipe, not the damage caused by the water leaking from the pipe. This would be like denying a fire loss because the wires got old and sparked the fire. Lastly, it appears the insured met all applicable conditions surrounding this loss. They:
“12. Accidental Discharge or Overflow of Water or Steam a. This peril means accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning….”
• Tell the insured how long the leak was on going; and
Even the named perils section of the policy extends coverage for water discharged accidentally with no requirement of “suddenly.” It would be unreasonable for a named peril coverage to be broader than an “open peril” coverage. Granted, some of the damage caused by any mold may be excluded, but the carrier can’t use the mold exclusion to exclude property damage caused by water that results in the growth of mold. The property damaged by the water should be covered. If mold grew and damaged property not damaged by the water, that is excluded. Basically, mold is excluded only if the mold is the direct cause of loss, not when it is the result of a covered cause of loss. (As a side note, the carrier can’t generally use presence of mold to prove how long the leak was occurring, mold can grow relatively quickly in the right conditions.) Regarding wear and tear: The carrier may have a slight point here.
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• Gave prompt notice to the agent as soon as practicable (you can’t notify until you know of the loss); and • Protected the property from further damage and made repairs. Ultimately the carrier must: • Define what is meant by “weeks, months or years” as per the exclusionary wording; • Show proof that the leak was going on beyond that period;
• Explain how they arrived at that determination.
The Virtual University is a Big “I” members-only resource. Many articles are based on real-life questions received by the Ask an Expert service. This service ensures that the information is current and topical. Go to www. independentagent.com/Education/ VU/. You will need to login with your IIABA username and password before using the VU. The IIAW and IIABA do not assume and have no responsibility for liability or damage which may result from the use of any of this information.
If the carrier doesn’t respond as requested or is unwilling to reconsider, get the DOI involved; any unwillingness to properly explain all that is required to satisfy the insured, and you, that the claim is excluded appears to border on unfair trade practices and bad faith. No such exclusion exists in ISO’s standard homeowners’ forms. Although some state-specific forms use the same or similar wording. ISO’s Commercial Property Special Cause of Loss form (CP 10 30) does exclude damage caused by: “f. Continuous or repeated seepage or > Various faculty leakage of water, or the presence or condensation members of the Virtual of humidity, moisture or vapor, that occurs over a University contributed period of 14 days or more.” to this article. WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
A 3 CE Credit Webinar Sponsored by the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin
2017 F LOOD P ROGRAM O VERVIEW !WHEN: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM CST !WHERE: Register online at IIAW.com/event/flood2017 by March 19, 2017* !HOW MUCH? IIAW Members: $40; Non-Members: $75 !CE CREDIT: 3 CE credits filed 2017 Flood Program Overview The webinar will address basic flood insurance issues and some advanced components, including policies, procedures and rules of the program.
Agenda • • • • • • •
National Flood Insurance Program Changes Policies & Products General Rules Elements of Rating Claims Handling Process Flood Definitions Agent Resources
*Webinar Access: Access to the webinar will be sent to all registered and paid attendees from the IIAW directly. If you have questions about the webinar or registration, please contact the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin at 608.256.4429. Instructor: Nina Do is a Flood Territory Manager for Selective Insurance. With more than 15 years in the insurance industry, Nina understands the agent/consumer dynamic, and is a go-to resource for understanding the ever-changing National Flood Insurance Program rules and regulations.
INDUSTRY SERVICE
FORMISANO RETIRES FROM INTEGRITY BOARD Integrity Insurance recently announced the retirement of longtime board member, Roger Formisano. Formisano served on Integrity’s Board of Directors since 1987. Roger Formisano “Oh behalf of Integrity’s Board of Directors, I would like to thank Roger Formisano for his longstanding and successful contribution,” said Thomas S. Stewart, Integrity’s Chairman of the Board. “Throughout the past 29 years, Roger has maintained an unwavering focus on maximizing the value of Integrity for the betterment of our agency partners and policyholders. His strategic thinking and innovative ideas have positioned Integrity for
continued profitability and growth.” Integrity President Jill Wagner Kelly added: “Roger will be greatly missed. We wish him a well-deserved, fulfilling retirement.” Formisano is the Vice President for Leadership and Strategic Development at the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, as well as the principal of R. A. Formisano & Company, LLC, a strategic consulting business. In addition, Formisano is a Visiting Professor
of Entrepreneurship and Business Strategy for two universities abroad. Throughout his career, Formisano has been highly involved in developing and executing strategy, leadership development, education and coaching. He received his Bachelors of Arts (Mathematics) in 1971 from the University of New Hampshire and his Ph.D. in Operations Research in Business in 1976 from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
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MARCH 2017 | 21
AGENCY MANAGEMENT
NICHE BRANDING: 5 LESSONS FROM AN INSURTECH STARTUP THAT MADE IT Do you make niche branding a priority in your agency? If not, you should.
In the past year I’ve learned a few very powerful lessons about focus and it’s impact on growth while building my own insurtech startup, Effective Coverage. Effective Coverage was founded in 2008. Over the last 9 years, through blood, sweat, trial and error, we’ve experienced considerable growth in our renters insurance program. It seems as if almost everyday, new opportunities arose that could help our renters insurance program break into new markets. As a budding entrepreneur, I saw this as our “gas pedal moment.” So we accelerated. We
I didn’t start Effective Coverage for media headlines or large venture capital investments. Effective Coverage was my answer to the question, “Why do so few renters have renters insurance?” This is the question I asked myself after experiencing firsthand the devastation of an uninsured apartment fire. We were dealt some tough challenges in 2016. We may not have made it through if it wasn’t for all the hard work we’d done building a strong brand in the renters insurance niche. But we made it and are now poised to thrive in 2017.
The key to expanding into new markets is deliberate planning and intentional action. Expanding into new markets is a good move only if it helps your company. expanded into new areas and new lines of business, assuming the same methods that grew our renters insurance program, would yield similar results in new markets. Growth is hard. Growth in lines of business you don’t have a natural affinity for is down right difficult.
Here are five niche branding lessons learned while growing my insurtech startup. 1) Core Growth Wins. Growth feels good. Hitting significant milestones month after month fuels the fire to grow even more. But if you’re not careful, it can also give you a false sense of confidence.
Our focus on expansion drained resources and strained company morale. We were so used to winning that we walked right into a classic startup mistake. While our proprietary renters insurance program created value and differentiation, we had no competitive advantage in the new markets and lines of business we had attempted to expand into.
When we decided to expand Effective Coverage into different markets, it seemed like it was the right course of action. We saw our monthly renters insurance business growing and didn’t think twice about our ability to repeat that growth in other marketers.
I had to make a decision. Throw good money at a bad decision or cut bait and refocus. In the end, the choice wasn’t as tough as you might think.
In hindsight, our rapid growth in the renters insurance space was due to strategic partnerships we’d put in place early after our launch. Our early growth was not because
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We’re rock stars, right?
of some fancy growth hacking strategy. But rather hard fought relationships built over an uncountable number of phones calls, emails and in-person meetings. The reality is, your core business, is your core business. LESSON: Concentrate on your core business until you’ve drained every drop it can produce. Don’t be too quick to move to the next shiny product or line of business. 2) Stay With Your Customers. When you’ve found a message that resonates with your desired client segment, stay with it. Whether your audience is 100, 1,000, or 10,000 people, finding your market is tough and not to be discarded lightly. We made the mistake of chasing a bigger audience at the expense of those people we already knew how to speak to and add value to. Don’t abandon those initial customers in your quest to find more in another niche. Instead find ways you can provide more value to the customer you already have. By continuing to focus on customers, even when you feel like you have it figured out, you’ll only build deeper connections. Deeper connections with your customers will improve retention and increase Net Promoter Score (NPS), the measure of someone’s willingness to refer your business. We learned that providing value to current customers trumps finding new or bigger markets. LESSON: The needs of current customers must always come before the needs of new potential customers. Happy current customers will naturally attract new customers to your business. 3) Table the Idea. Expansion into new markets is not a bad idea. Every entrepreneur WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
or business owner that has started a company, built it up, and is operating with a successful return is going to have at some point, expanded their pool of potential customers. But there is an epidemic of terrible advice circulating among business thought leaders that goes something like, “The only way to succeed is to cut the safety net and go for broke.” This is the worst idea ever in business. We must be intentional with every action. Decisions must be deliberate and well planned. There is an appropriate time for everything. Take your ideas, whiteboard them, debate them within the company, and then stick them in a folder for when the company and the team is ready. Then revisit your ideas every few months. Time away from ideas will give you a fresh perspective on whether the idea is worth pursuing. LESSON: The key to expanding into new markets is deliberate planning and intentional action. Expanding into new markets is a good move only if it helps your company. 4) Avoid Brand Confusion. Effective Coverage started with just a business plan and a logo, but eventually, through hard work and little bit of luck, we developed a brand. It’s an impressive achievement to develop a brand people recognize in your niche. But victories can lead to hubris and the notion that deviating from WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
your brand will have little impact. Unfortunately, we found that even slight changes to our brand created confusion and alienated the customers that had grown to love our brand in the first place. Our focus has always been renters and multifamily home insurance. If we were to all of the sudden start focusing on something like yacht clubs or high net worth individuals, it would skew the overall message of our branding foundation (both lessons we’ve learned the hard way). LESSON: As your brand grows, it’s even more important to remain steadfast to style and messaging which won you credibility and respect in the first place. 5) Incremental Improvement. Expanding into new markets and launching new products is fun. But before you take on the next new thing, ask yourself this question: “Have you picked all the low hanging fruit in your current markets?” We’ve found tremendous success seeking out and finding new ways to incrementally improve our foundation. The best place to put your time and capital resources is in improving upon the product offerings you already have. The stronger the base of your company, the more you are going to be able to build upon in the future. In the unpredictable insurance marketplace we
operate in today, overextending at the wrong time can have horrendous consequences. LESSON: Resist the urge to chase “New” and focus on incremental improvements to the base of your business.
Niche Branding Wins From the outside, founding an insurtech startup agency might appear sexy and exciting. The reality is, we face the same challenges local independent agencies are faced with. It’s so easy to lose focus. Processes we thought would work did not pan out. There are technology setbacks. Throwing it all away and starting fresh seems so appealing. Then I remind myself of the lessons shared above. All we have to do is stay true to our foundation. Let innovations and iterations happen naturally. Stay resolute and focus on your niche, whatever that may be. Let the shiny new ideas fade away on the whiteboard. It’s the strengths of your agency that carry you through the hard times.
> Eric Narcisco is the founder & CEO of Effective Coverage, one of the fastest growing independent online renters insurance agencies in the U.S.
MARCH 2017 | 23
2017 PRELICENSING CLASS SCHEDULE
Conducted at State Association Headquarters, IIAW prelicensing classes fulfill the study requirements for life, health, property and casualty. Full course materials — not just an outline — are included with registration. The classes are:
REGISTER AT IIAW.COM 2017 CLASS DATES
!Designed to help you pass your state licensing examination. !The quickest way to meet the Wisconsin education hours requirement. !Taught by experienced insurance professionals who know the business. !Conducted in a comfortable classroom with free parking. !Approved by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
IIAW MEMBER PRICING: $340 - Pricing given for full class registrations.
NON-MEMBER PRICING: $355
L IFE & A CCIDENT /H EALTH February 6-9
P ROPERTY & C ASUALTY February 20-23
March 6-9
March 27-30
April 3-6
April 17-20
May 15-18
May 22-25
June 5-8
June 19-22
July 10-13
July 24-27
August 7-10
August 21-24
September 11-14
September 25-28
October 9-12
October 23-26
November 6-9
November 13-16
Day 1 (Monday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($85) SECTION A: Principles of Insurance & General WI Ins. Law Ethics Day 2 (Tuesday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($90) SECTION B: Life Policies, Terms & Concepts Day 3 (Wednesday a.m.) 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. ($45) SECTION B: Life Policies, cont. & WI Life Insurance Law Day 3 (Wednesday p.m.) Noon - 4:00 p.m. ($45) SECTION B: Accident & Health Policies, Terms & Concepts Day 4 (Thursday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($90) SECTION B: Accident & Health, cont. & WI Health Insurance Law
December 4-7
December 11-14
Property & Casualty
You may also take individual classes.
DAILY SCHEDULE Life & Accident/Health
Day 1 (Monday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($85) SECTION A: Principles of Insurance & General WI Ins. Law Ethics Day 2 (Tuesday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($90) SECTION B: Property Policies, Terms & Concepts CLASS SITE/DIRECTIONS The IIAW is located at 725 John Nolen Dr. in Madison, WI. Day 3 (Wednesday a.m.) 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. ($45) When traveling south on John Nolen, it’s the last driveway SECTION B: Property Policies, cont. & WI Property Insurance Law Day 3 (Wednesday p.m.) Noon - 4:00 p.m. ($45) before Highway 12/18 (Beltline). Located near the Alliant SECTION B: Casualty Policies, Terms & Concepts Energy Center and Sheraton Hotel. Day 4 (Thursday) 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ($90) INCLEMENT WEATHER SECTION B: Casualty Policies, cont. & WI Casualty Insurance Law If weather conditions are questionable, use your own judgment regarding your personal safety. If Madison public ! Please contact Katie@IIAW.com for information about multiple registration discounts. schools are closed, the IIAW is closed and prelicensing is canceled for the day. Canceled classes are made up on The course fee includes all class materials. Materials are Friday. distributed on the first day of class. You receive: HOTEL INFORMATION • The Life & Accident/Health or Prop. & Casualty Insurance Students requiring lodging will receive a special rate at the Study Manual. Clarion Suites, 2110 Rimrock Rd. in Madison. Please call • The Intermediary’s Guide to Wisconsin Insurance Law. the hotel directly at 608.284.1234, and ask for the • The State of Wisconsin Ins. Licensing Candidate Handbook. independent insurance agent’s discount. This provides all the necessary information to obtain a license.
To register, click the Education tab on IIAW.com. For Wisconsin exam info, visit prometric.com.
ERRORS & OMISSIONS
STAMPING GROUNDS: HOW AGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS CAN HELP DEFEND E&O CLAIMS
Electronic communication is nothing new, but too many errors & omissions claims still result in a he said/she said credibility dispute. Documenting all interactions with customers and carriers as well as every insurance transaction can be critically important in defending an E&O claim. Without time-stamped documentation, an agency will be left with little more than its employees’ memories of conversations that may have taken place years earlier—and your E&O carrier may recommend you settle your claim. Agency management systems provide many benefits, not least of which is contemporaneous documentation. Documenting a customer’s file through a management system gives you more credible evidence because the automated system creates a record of the date and time of the entries, which cannot be manipulated later. All employees should make electronic notes documenting every conversation with customers, carriers or anyone else with whom they discuss coverage. Many systems also integrate with other agency applications, such as email and word processing systems. This can ensure immediate placement of documents such as applications,
quotes, change endorsements, rejections, checklists and other correspondence in the customer’s electronic file. If your system does not do this automatically, staff should scan such documents and route them to the system. Many systems document emails by forwarding a copy of the policy to the customer or forwarding a link to the policy on the carrier’s website. This can confirm that the customer received a copy of the policy. Staff should also automatically enter every certificate of insurance the agency issues for an insured as an activity into the management system. Some systems will even synchronize with the agency’s phone systems to send voicemail messages to the file. When consistently and properly used, a > John Nesbitt is an assistant vice management system can increase an agency’s president, claims efficiency—and serve as an invaluable ally in specialist with Swiss Re successfully defending E&O claims that arise. Corporate Solutions.
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MARKETING
GENERATING INSURANCE REFERRALS WITH REWARDS
Referral reward programs are an excellent way to generate insurance referrals. Referral programs are very simple. You’re simply rewarding a prospect or client for sending someone to your agency for a quote. That’s it.
Ideas For Generating Insurance Referrals I’ve seen a LOT of different referral programs over the years. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Give client a $5 gas card for each quote they refer. Give a $5 Starbucks gift card with a “Thanks A Latte” note. Give a $10 gift card to a restaurant or retail store. Pay $20 cash! This one gets a LOT of response! One agent told me it was one of his top ways to generate new business.
A $25 restaurant gift card. Spin a big wheel of prizes in the office and see what it lands on! We used to give away an iPod shuffle (about $50) each month. I don’t know if these are still popular but they were at that time. Remember, the monthly reward only goes to the one person who wins the contest that month. I’ve also seen agents enter names into an annual grand prize drawing for a TV or a $500 gift card. The sky is really the limit here. Think about what would get your clients excited.
Create A Flyer Once you have the rewards sorted out, put all of the info into a simple, one-page flyer. Where do you put the flyer?
colored paper and include in each piece of mail you send out. Put the details on your Facebook page. This is one of those things that you’ve got to mention a LOT if you want it to work. It can’t be a forgotten item on a desk if you want to get results. When should your staff be mentioning referral rewards to clients? At the sale – tell ALL new clients how it works. Whenever they receive a compliment! Happy customers refer more. At annual reviews. When they follow up with a customer after a claim (as long as the customer is satisfied!).
Rebating Now, I will throw a big WARNING in here. Make sure that whatever you choose for your referral program is allowed by the state you are in! You don’t want to be accused of rebating. You should be able to look up rebating laws online at your state insurance department. Many that I have seen limit prizes to a cash value of under $20-$25. Some only allow gift cards or have other stipulations. Check out the rules so that you know what you’re working with. (And don’t trust your marketing managers or other agents to know this. I’ve seen so much bad/wrong information get passed around. Take the time to look it up!)
On each team member’s desk. On top of your reward, you can run a monthly (and even annual) contest. Each time someone refers, you would send their reward PLUS enter their name into the hat for the contest prize. Prizes cold include: Two tickets to the local movie theater.
Set up a Referral Table at the front of the office with information and your monthly drawing bowl if you have one. Put copies in your welcome packet Make smaller versions on slips of brightly
So, what is the biggest mistake that I see with referral programs? Not enough promotion. You have to keep at it. 26 | MARCH 2017
Most states do have a rule that you cannot limit your rewards to only those people who buy a policy. This is probably not allowed: “We’ll give you $10 if your friend buys their auto insurance with us!” This is much better: “We’ll give you $10 if your friend gets a quote (even if they don’t purchase a policy)” Once again, you’ll want to verify this with your state insurance department. (Editor’s note: You may also want to run this by qualified legal counsel.) WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
MARKETING of your accounts (business and personal). Plus have your staff share it, too! Mention it to everyone. Over and over again! Tell each phone call as you’re finishing up. Something as simple as: “Don’t forget we have a great referral program and we’ll send you a $5 Starbucks card every time you refer a friend for a quote. We would really appreciate it!” Thank your clients on social media. Let’s say that Barbara sent her next door neighbor for a quote. Why not send a thank you on Facebook and tag her? (This works best if you are actively getting your clients to Like your agency page.)
Biggest Mistake? So, what is the biggest mistake that I see with referral programs? Not enough promotion. If all you do is secretly hand out gift cards when someone happens to refer their best friend, you’re losing a TON of leads! You need to be maximizing every bit of marketing potential to make it worth paying out those rewards. Here are some ideas: Post about it on social media at least once per week. Make a great graphic and share it on all
WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
For example: “Thanks Barbara B. for sending Nancy for a quote! We appreciate it and have sent you a gift in the mail as our way of saying thanks!” Take a photo of your monthly winner picking up their prize! I LOVE this one. It gives social proof that people are actually winning a prize and sending you referrals. It makes the whole program look more exciting and legitimate. When someone wins just give them a call and ask them to stop by and pick up their gift in the next day or two. And ask politely
that they allow you to take their photo! Then you can post it on social media and save it for your email newsletter that month. Which brings us to email newsletters. What an inexpensive way to reach hundreds of clients! You need to be sending an email blast at least once per month. One of my clients puts a short thank you with a list of everyone who gave a referral that month in the email. You could also include your winner’s photo! Track it! You should be doing this with everything, but make sure you ASK where someone heard about you so you can track it year round. See if you see a bump in your referral program. It not, think about how to promote it more or make it more compelling. Staff Incentives. Get your staff on board! Track their referrals and offer special contests like an afternoon off or a gift card for whoever gets the most referrals each month.
> Robyn Sharp is an insurance marketing expert and founder of Mega Agency Marketing. She is also a former agency owner. Learn more at AgencyUpdates.com.
MARCH 2017 | 27
News Members in the
Acuity Announces Staff Promotions Acuity Insurance recently announced 13 staff promotions:
Aimee Dettloff
Natasha Byram
Jason Geislinger
Marcello Lucas
Gregg Radley
Taylor Schmitz
Kristine Worth
Joseph Becker
Alex Bordewyk
Joshua Hipke
Kyle Ott
Samuel Manegold
Society’s Rosenau Named to IKECA Consensus Body
Society Insurance Risk Control Director Mike Rosenau has been named to the International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association (IKECA) Standards Development Committee Consensus Body. The IKECA Consensus Body is a volunteer group responsible for the development, approval and maintenance of IKECA standards. As an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited organization, the IKECA Standards Development Committee Consensus Body meets throughout the year to review standards related to kitchen exhaust cleaning, inspection and maintenance procedures. Rosenau joined Society Insurance in 2009 and served as risk control manager prior to being promoted to director in December 2016. Rosenau is also a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and holds an MBA from Seattle Pacific University in addition to two degrees from Eastern Kentucky University – a Master’s of Science in Loss Prevention and Safety, and a Bachelor’s degree in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology.
Steve Sorenson
• Aimee Dettloff is promoted to Senior Business Analyst at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Aimee began her career at Acuity in January 2002 in the Central Claims department. In March 2006, she moved to the Business Systems department as a Business Analyst.
• Natasha Byram is promoted to Senior Field Claims Representative at Acuity. Natasha joined Acuity in February 2014 as a Field Claims Representative.
For more about Society, please visit societyinsurance.com.
Integrity’s Pavels Receives Third Annual Accolades Award Integrity Insurance and affiliate partner, Grange Insurance, honored Integrity associate, Penny Pavels, facilities and support services manager, at the third annual Accolades Award ceremony to celebrate her outstanding achievements in 2016. Pavels has been employed with Integrity for 12 years and currently resides in Appleton. Integrity and Grange established the enterprise-wide Accolades Award program in 2014 as a way to recognize associates whose accomplishments are so exemplary that their work has left a significant and lasting impact. In addition to Pavels, 15 associates from Grange Insurance were honored with the prestigious Accolades Award. Integrity President Jill Wagner Kelly praised Pavels for her achievements: “Penny is a difference maker who brings a positive and inspiring attitude each and every day. She displays world-class customer service and motivates others with her drive to produce extraordinary results. Her unwavering commitment to Integrity makes me proud to honor her with this prestigious recognition.” For more about Integrity, please visit integrityinsurance.com.
28 | MARCH 2017
• Jason Geislinger is promoted to Senior Field Claims Representative at Acuity. Jason started at Acuity in June 2015 as a Field Claims Representative. • Marcello Lucas is promoted to Field Claims Representative at Acuity. In January 2013, Marcello joined Acuity as an Inside Claims Representative. • Gregg Radley is promoted to Senior Field Claims Representative at Acuity. Greg joined Acuity in June 2015 as a Field Claims Representative. • Taylor Schmitz is promoted to Senior Inside Claims Representative at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Taylor began her career at Acuity in January 2013 as an Inside Claims Representative. • Kristine Worth is promoted to Senior Inside Claims Representative at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Kristine joined Acuity in January 2013 as an Inside Claims Representative. • Joseph Becker is promoted to Programmer Analyst at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Joseph started at Acuity in January 2015 as a Programmer. WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
• Alex Bordewyk is promoted to Programmer Analyst at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. In January 2015, Alex joined Acuity as a Programmer. Alex graduated in 2010 from the University of South Dakota with a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing. • Joshua Hipke is promoted to Programmer Analyst at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Joshua joined Acuity in January 2015 as a Programmer. • Kyle Ott is promoted to Programmer Analyst at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Kyle began his career at Acuity in January 2015 as a Programmer. • Samuel Manegold is promoted to Senior Programmer Analyst at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. Samuel joined Acuity in June 2013 as a Programmer. • Steve Sorenson is promoted to Systems Architect at Acuity’s Corporate Headquarters. After serving an internship at Acuity, Steve joined the insurer’s staff full time in 2005 as a Programmer.
Acuity Releases 2016 Key Financial Results Acuity released its 2016 financial results, which detail the insurer’s continued profitability, strength, stability, efficiency, and expanded policyholder base.
From left: Sean Fitzgerald, owner of SF Insurance Group; Ryan Severson, senior regional sales manager at West Bend; and John Gauper, owner of SF Insurance Group.
West Bend: SF Insurance Named New Agency of the Year SF Insurance Group in New Richmond was recently honored by West Bend Mutual Insurance Company as the New Agency of the Year. The award was presented to Sean Fitzgerald and John Gauper, agency owners, by David Nycz, West Bend’s director of sales in Wisconsin, along with Ryan Severson, West Bend’s regional sales manager. SF Insurance Group was appointed by West Bend in November 2015 when they purchased a Hudson agency that already represented West Bend. Shortly thereafter, Fitzgerald partnered with Gauper, president of Central Insurance Agency, to form common ownership in SF Insurance Group in Hudson and four Central Insurance Agency locations.
Highlighting Acuity’s 2016 performance is a 92.9 combined ratio, nearly eight points better than the insurer’s competitors in the property/casualty industry, marking the sixth consecutive year Acuity has earned a combined ratio of less than 100. Acuity also recorded 12.4 percent surplus growth, compared to just 0.8 percent for the industry, and exceeded competitors in sales growth. For 17 years, Acuity has outperformed industry averages across key areas of measurement.
“Our insurance agency is always devoted to every customer with the exceptional services that are provided by our very knowledgeable staff,” Fitzgerald said. “We pride ourselves on giving back to our communities through sponsorships of youth sports and donating to local shelters and charities. West Bend has been a great partner to work with. They do a great job with the agents and provide excellent customer service. We look forward to a long working relationship.”
“Acuity is a source of strength to our policyholders and independent agents because of the year-in, year-out consistency that we achieve,” said Ben Salzmann, Acuity President and CEO.
“SF Insurance Group and West Bend quickly developed a strong relationship and we had a very successful year of profitable growth,” Severson said. “We value their hard work and commitment to write business with West Bend and I’m excited to see our relationship continue to grow in the future.”
Acuity showed other areas of continued strength in 2016 as well. Assets under management increased to nearly $4 billion, and policyholders’ surplus increased to over $1.7 billion, an all-time record. Additionally, Acuity maintained a leverage ratio under 1:1 for the eighth consecutive year, finishing 2016 with 0.82:1, the strongest on record. In 2016, Acuity also combined financial performance with sales growth that was fueled by a record-high number of customers the company protects. In personal lines, Acuity set a new record of written premium at over $371 million. In commercial lines, the insurer exceeded $1 billion in premium for the first time ever, driven by a record number of quotes received and an alltime high quote success ratio of 41.4 percent.
The agency group has grown considerably with West Bend in just over a year.
The agency is also a strong community supporter. Hudson High School, Hudson Junior Achievement, and Osceola Medial Center are just a few of the organizations that benefit from the agency’s staff involvement. The agency also offers quarterly Medicare seminars, hosts the Community Wellness Fair, has a program to promote non-smoking seminars to their clients’ employees, and introduced a community-wide weight loss challenge called Invigor8. “It makes sense to support OCHF because we both believe in a healthy community,” says Gauper. “We’ve been delivering a health and wellness message together for many years and we will continue to do that.” “SF Insurance Group is most deserving of West Bend’s New Agency of the Year Award,” said Nycz. “I’m very proud of what they accomplished in 2016 and know our future is bright with this agency.”
For more about Acuity, please visit acuity.com. For more about West Bend, please visit thesilverlining.com. WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
MARCH 2017 | 29
COMMUNITY SERVICE UW-Fond du Lac Presenting Spirit of Excellence Award to Rick Parks Rick Parks, President and CEO of Society Insurance, will receive UW-Fond du Lac’s 2017 Spirit of Excellence Award. Parks will be recognized at the university’s annual dinner auction, Corks & Forks on March 30th. The Spirit of Excellence Award honors individuals who have made an exceptional commitment of support to UW-Fond du Lac and the UW-Fond du Lac Foundation, providing a margin of excellence. “Rick’s exceptional commitment of support is evident in his personal and professional support of education,” said Rhonda Stucky, UW-Fond du Lac Foundation executive director. “Through Rick’s leadership, Society Insurance has generously provided the Society Insurance Charitable Scholarship, which has inspired and enabled students to strive for academic success. He has encouraged Society employees to serve as active board members and led the way as the first Crystal Sponsor for Corks & Forks. Rick’s
Rick Parks
30 | MARCH 2017
extensive community involvement includes the American Red Cross, the FDL Area Women’s Fund, the FDL Area Association of Commerce, and Rotary.”
Acuity Care Units Dedicated at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital
Previous UW-Fond du Lac Spirit of Excellence Awards recipients include: John Ahern, Jim and Ginny Gilmore; Allen Buechel; Judith Berger O’Brien; Harold “Danny” and Charmaine LaShay; and Bill Henken.
is now available to patients following a dedication ceremony on January 30. The unit was made possible by a $1 million donation from the Acuity Charitable Foundation.
Corks & Forks is the largest fundraiser of the year supporting the UW-Fond du Lac Foundation, which awarded more than $38,000 in scholarships to students for the 2016-17 academic year. Society Insurance is the first Crystal Sponsor, a new level of sponsorship offered this year enabling donors to increase their philanthropic impact. Gold sponsors for the event are C.D. Smith Construction, Inc.; J.F. Ahern Co.; and Michel’s Corporation.
“Acuity is a proud and longstanding supporter of facilities, programs, and initiatives that provide needed healthcare services in the community,” said Ben Salzmann, Acuity President and CEO. “We are pleased to help St. Nicholas Hospital expand its intensive and intermediate care capabilities and advance the level of care that patients of all ages can receive.”
Additional information is online at fdl.uwc. edu/corksandforks, or call (920) 929-1335.
HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital and Acuity Insurance leaders celebrate the opening of the Acuity ICU/IMCU with an official ribbon cutting. From left to right: Mary StarmannHarrison, President and CEO, Hospital Sisters Health System; Therese Pandl, President and CEO, Hospital Sisters
The Acuity Intensive Care and Intermediate Care Unit (ICU/IMCU) at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan
The Acuity ICU/IMCU is part of a large renovation project at the hospital that also includes a redesign of the operating rooms. The new unit is able to serve the critical care needs of patients as the severity of illnesses becomes more
Health System – Eastern Wisconsin Division; Sr. Maureen O’Connor, OSF, Provincial Superior of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis; Ben Salzmann, President and CEO, Acuity Insurance; and Andy Bagnall, President and CEO, HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital.
WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
COMMUNITY SERVICE acute and the patient population ages. The redesign of operating rooms provides a new high-tech environment with modern efficiencies for surgeons to perform increasingly complex
Kakuska Sparks La Crosse Building Preservation Project
procedures.
and continued serving the community’s insurance needs.
“The Acuity ICU/IMCU is designed to better meet the needs of our patients, their loved ones, and our expert medical staff,” said Andy Bagnall, President and CEO at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital. “It allows us to better serve our patients today and in the future as we strive to keep high-quality health care close to home and accessible for all.” HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital is a nonprofit hospital sponsored by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis located at 3100 Superior Avenue, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Its mission and vision is to provide family-centered, compassionate care without regard for race, creed, or ability to pay. To learn more, visit www. stnicholashospital.org
In 1985, Tim Kakuska joined his father, Mike Kakuska, at Beadle-Ewing Insurance. Mike and Tim later purchased the agency
In 2006, Mike retired from the agency and Tim joined forces with Robertson Ryan & Associates. This partnership expanded Robertson Ryan’s footprint in Wisconsin and provided Tim additional resources for his insureds. Tim has continued growing the agency and became a partner at Robertson Ryan & Associates in 2012. Recently, Tim purchased the historic Cameron Motor Company building located adjacent to his property. He is currently restoring the building, which was built in 1926.
property. Particular attention to detail and period craftsmanship make this an exciting and important project for the agency and downtown La Crosse. The current Robertson Ryan office will be razed. The project is scheduled for completion in June 2017. Robertson Ryan will be moving into the ground floor of the restored building and Tim will be leasing the rest of the 13,000 square foot office building to two other local businesses. This building project is another example of Tim’s community actions. He is a past president of the Rotary Club of North La Crosse and is active in several non-profit community organizations including the La Crosse Family YMCA & Chrishaven Group Home. In addition, Tim is chair of the Technical Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin (IIAW).
The renovation includes restoring the large showroom windows, original brickwork and all interior and exterior components of the
Tim Kakuska
This top photo is what the Robertson Ryan office in La Crosse (with the red sign) looks like today. The adjacent building is the old Cameron Motor Company building. The bottom photo is a rendering of what the lot will look after the building is restored and the insurance agency is razed. The project is expected to be completed this June. WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
MARCH 2017 | 31
CONTINUING EDUCATION
ABEN ONLINE CE CLASSES Long Term Care Insurance 2 CE Credits Approved Date: March 21, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 8:00 – 10:00 AM Commercial Lines Claims That Cause Problems 2 CE Credits Approved Date: March 21, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 8:00 – 10:00 AM Certificates of Insurance: Emerging Issues & Other Stuff That May Scare You! 2 CE Credits Approved Date: March 22, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Premium Financing 2 CE Credits Approved Date: March 22, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Ethics in Today’s Changing Times 4 CE Credits Approved Date: March 23, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 2:00 – 6:00 PM Cyber Gaps, UASs & TNCs 3 CE Credits Approved Date: April 13, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM Data Privacy Insurance 2 CE Credits Approved Date: April 20, 2017 Location: ABEN Online – iiaw.aben.tv Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM
IIAW ONLINE CE CLASSES
Farm Liability Coverages 3 CE Credits Approved Date: March 27, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Cyber Liability 3 CE Credits Approved Date: March 29, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Top 10 Countdown of Personal Lines Coverages 3 CE Credits Approved Date: March 30, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 8:00 – 11:00 AM
10 Things Every Commercial Lines Agent Ought To Know 3 CE Credits Approved Date: April 4, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
E&O Risk Management: Meeting the Challenge of Change, Part 1 3 CE Credits Approved Date: April 11, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 8:00 – 11:00 AM
E&O Risk Management: Meeting the Challenge of Change, Part 2 3 CE Credits Approved Date: April 11, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Business Auto Coverages 3 CE Credits Approved Date: March 9, 2017 Location: IIAW Webinar – iiaw.com/events Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
F OR MORE CLASSES AND TO REGISTER, P LEASE G O TO IIAW.COM
ANNUAL CONVENTION
WELCOME TO YOUR 21 CENTURY TRADESHOW
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It’s a city evening. Streetlights glow and bright moonlight washes over the exhibit hall booths. The city lights and skyscrapers surround the hall. We hear the constant, subtle din of the city all around us. Traffic, the rumble of streetcars, sirens, crowds murmuring — all the heartbeat sounds that make a city pulse with life. Central in the Convention Showcase is an urban gathering place with park benches, food vendors, streetlights, and other amenities. Street signs identify the various avenues. Stars twinkle overhead. The IIAW is revolutionizing the traditional exhibit hall. We understand that agents and carriers alike are continuously on the lookout for fresh perspectives and new ideas. Keeping those needs in mind, the IIAW has designed an event experience within our Convention Showcase that you will not want to miss! Enjoy a relaxed, evening atmosphere with food and beverages available throughout the Showcase as you network and engage with like-minded professionals. At the 2017 IIAW Annual Convention, our Convention Showcase (brought to life by Logan Productions) features: • Ellipsoidal lights with city gobos illuminating the walls of the exhibit hall. WISCONSIN INDEPENDENT AGENT
• Adjustable downlighting over the booths, allowing control of intensity and color. • Streetlights that run up and down the aisles and surround the central gathering spot with a soft glow. • Street signs, attached to the lampposts, guide visitors along the streets to various locations. • Park benches and café tables and chairs in the central area let visitors relax and enjoy food and drinks from one of the vendors. • Strategically placed speakers bring the city to life with distant but distinguishable sounds. The Convention Showcase kicks off at 4:30 PM on May 3rd, complete with lights, sounds, and a cityscape backdrop, creating a New York City-style atmosphere throughout. Super door prize and cash giveaways will be abundant during the Showcase. The Showcase segues into our evening comedy entertainment, featuring David Spade and special guest, Kevin Farley!
Immerse yourself in the IIAW’s Convention Showcase experience. Be a part of the tradeshow revolution and take advantage of the sponsorship opportunities the IIAW created to accentuate the experience. Sponsor a food or beverage cart during the Convention Showcase and receive sole recognition on the “vendor stand.” A VIP Entertainment Package is available which includes a 30-minute meet-and-greet with David Spade, and complimentary beverages, beverage service, and premier seating at the evening entertainment. Full details can be found at IIAWConvention.com. The IIAW Annual Convention is May 3-4, 2017 at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton, WI. Don’t miss out on the premier insurance industry event of the season! Register today at > Katie Goswitz is IIAWConvention.com the IIAW Events & to experience a new Education Coordinator. take on the traditional Contact her at Katie@ IIAW.com. exhibit hall.
MARCH 2017 | 33
FOOD FOR THOUGHT YIPPEE KI YAY, MOVIE TRIVIA!
Hollywood honored itself at last month’s Academy Awards. Here are some lesser known bits of trivia: ★ The actor who flew “da choppa” away in the last scene of Predator
Bogart and Huston: Unaffected by the water.
- Kevin Peter Hall - also played the Predator. ★ Katherine Hepburn only drank water throughout The African
Queen production as a protest against John Huston and Humphrey Bogart’s alcoholism. However, most of the cast and crew became sick from the water and only Bogart and Huston were unaffected because they only drank whiskey. ★ Bruce Willis was the 7th choice to play John McClane. It was offered to Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Richard Gere, Harrison Ford and then Mel Gibson. He received an unprecedented (at the time) $5 million payday for Die Hard. ★ In Raiders of the Lost Ark, when Indy shoots the Arab swordsman, he was originally
meant to fight him, but Harrison Ford was too ill to fight “properly.” ★ Gene Wilder only accepted the role of Willy Wonka on the condition that during his
entrance in the movie, he would be walking with a cane and a limp, then somersault and bounce back up. Asked why, Wilder said: “Because from that time on, no one will know if I’m lying or telling the truth.” ★ In Liar Liar, when Fletcher literally beats himself up in the restroom, no sound effects
were used; those are really the sounds of Jim Carrey’s head slamming into the urinal, floor and walls. ★ Bill Murray was originally considered for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars. ★ The names of the taxi driver and the policeman in It’s A Wonderful Life are Bert and
Ernie. The writers working on Sesame Street at the time claim it’s merely a coincidence. ★ The voice actors of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from the 1930s got married in
real life. ★ Neither Michelle Rodriguez nor Jordana Brewster had drivers’ licenses or even
learners’ permits before production of Fast and the Furious. Sources: NME, Huffington Post & One Room With A View
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