The Tennessee Insuror Sep/Oct '21 by Insurors of Tennessee

THE TENNESSEE

INSUROR

September/October 2021 Volume 32 | Number 5

Welcome to Muscle Shoals

And the Insurors 128th Annual Convention

10 12 14

The Difference Between Selling Your Book...

4 Ways to Unlock Your Agency's KPIs with Data Take it From Grandma, Send a Card

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The Tennessee Insuror

contents

THE TENNESSEE

INSUROR Vol. XXXII, Number 5 September/October 2021

features

Phone (615) 385-1898 Toll Free: 1-800-264-1898 Email: info@insurors.org Editor: Ron Travis Publisher: Market Retrievers LLC

4 Welcome to Muscle Shoals INSURORS OFFICERS

President .................................................................... Bob McIntire IIABA National Director .............................. Cindi Gresham, CIC VP, Region I and President Elect ................... Norfleet Anthony Vice President, Region II .................... Matt Swallows, CIC, CRM Vice President, Region III ........... Kym Clevenger, CPCU, CACW Treasurer/Secretary ............................. John McInturff III, ARM Director, Region I ......................................... Richard Whitley, CIC Director, Region I ........................................... Jamie Williams, CIC Director, Region I ...................................................... Eric Collison Director, Region II ..................................................... Taylor Porch Director, Region II .................................................... Reno Benson Director, Region II ...................................... Paul Steele, CIC, CRM Director, Region III ...................................... Brandon Clarke, CIC Director, Region III ........ Cindy Widener Winn, CPA, CIC, CBIA Director, Region III .......................................... Bill Oldham III, CIC Director, At-Large .............................. S. Keith Phelps, CIC, CRM Director,. Young Agents ...................................... Derek Wright

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INSURORS OF TENNESSEE 2500 21st Avenue South, Suite 200 Nashville, TN 37212-0539 www.insurors.org

And the Insurors 128th Annual Convention

Convention Sponsors

Guest Speakers

The Difference Between Selling Your Book...

4 Ways to Unlock Your Agency’s KPIs with Data

Take It from Grandma: Send a Card and Watch...

departments 21

From Your President

Another Example of Agents "Stepping Up"

From Your IIABA National Director

From Your CEO

Education Calendar

Government & Legal Update

Company Spotlight

Broker Spotlight

Agents for the Community

We're Excited to See You

Celebrating Independent Agents

Advocacy Update: 6th Circuit Court Explains the "Hard Reality" of Insurance... Titan Digital

Coterie Insurance

Commercial Insurance Associates

51 Meetings 53

Member Tips

Social Media Calendar Tips 3

Welcome to Muscle Shoals And the Insurors 128th Annual Convention

Weclome to the Insurors of Tennessee 128th Annual Convention, taking place October 16-19 at the Marriott Shoals Resort & Spa in Florence, Alabama. We have a great lineup planned for you, and we're excited to have you involved in this year's event! Check out our schedule below, and visit us on-site at the registration desk with questions, for registration changes, or for any additional information.

Saturday, October 16 (all times CT; subject to change) 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Football Viewing Party

Marriott Swampers Terrace ALL REGISTERED ATTENDEES ARE INVITED TO JOIN US FOR A FOOTBALL VIEWING PARTY AT THE MARRIOTT'S SWAMPERS BAR & GRILL

Sunday, October 17 9:00 - 11:00 am 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Noon - 1 pm 1:00 - 6:00 pm 2:00 - 3:00 pm 2:00 - 6:00 pm 2:00 - 6:00 pm

Board Meeting (by invitation only) Partners Program Luncheon (by invitation only) Board Spouse & Past Presidents Luncheon Registration Open Breakout Session featuring Scott Howell Exhibit Hall and Trade Show Business Connection Lounge

OUR BREAKOUT SESSION INCLUDES GUEST SPEAKER SCOTT HOWELL OF "THE INSURANCE GUYS"

Marriott Roosevelt Room Marriott Room TBD Marriott Roosevelt Room Marriott Meeting Lobby Marriott Singing River Room Marriott Shoals Ballroom Marriott Shoals Ballroom VISIT THE EXHIBIT HALL FOR THE BUSINESS CONNECTION LOUNGE presented by The Tennessee Insuror

4:00 - 6:00 pm 6:30 - 9:00 pm 9:00 - 9:30 pm

“Meet the Vendors” Exhibit Hall Reception Opening Night Celebration & Dinner Fireworks Show

OUR OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION INCLUDES A LIVE PERFORMANCE FROM PAUL OVERSTREET

9:30 - 10:30 pm 9:30 - 10:30 pm

Marriott Shoals Ballroom Marriott Singing River & Terrace Marriott Singing River & Terrace ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL FIREWORKS DISPLAY AS WE WRAP UP OUR OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION

Board & First Time Attendees Reception Marriott Presidential Suite Young Agents After Party pres. by Berkley SE (invitation only) Marriott Swampers Terrace

Monday, October 18 8:00 - 10:00 am 8:00 - 10:00 am 8:00 - 10:00 am 10:00 - 11:30 am 11:45 - 4:45 pm

Registration Open Exhibit Hall and Trade Show Exhibit Hall Breakfast Agents General Session featuring Manley Feinberg Spouses & Guests Event

OUR AGENTS GENERAL SESSION INCLUDES GUEST SPEAKER MANLEY FEINBERG

Noon - 5:30 pm Noon - 4:00 pm

OUR SPECIAL EVENT FOR GUESTS AND SPOUSES INCLUDES A TOUR OF WILSON DAM & FAME STUDIO

Annual Convention Golf Tournament Clay Shooting Outing

THE ANNUAL CONVENTION GOLF TOURNAMENT IS ALWAYS A HIT presented by

6:00 - 8:00 pm 8:00 - 10:00 pm

Marriott Meeting Lobby Marriott Shoals Ballroom Marriott Shoals Ballroom Marriott Singing River Room Marriott 360 Grille

RTJ Schoolmaster Course Muscle Shoals Trap & Skeet TAKE YOUR SHOT AT OUR ANNUAL CLAY SHOOTING OUTING presented by

Company Night By Company Invitation All-attendee Reception Marriott Swampers Terrace

JOIN US FOR THE ALL-ATTENDEE RECEPTION ON THE SWAMPERS TERRACE BY THE POOL

OUR ANNUAL MEETING WILL ALSO FEATURE THE 2021 AWARDS AND OUR 2022 BOARD INDUCTION

Tuesday, October 19 8:00 - 11:00 am

Association Day Breakfast & Annual Meeting

Convention Center Layout

Marriott Shoals C

Additional Info to Know

Please check in at our registration desk for on-site registration, updated information on the exhibit hall layout, additional registration details, schedule updates, and more. If you have questions on-site, please contact Jake Smith at 615.424.5982. u

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Guest Speakers We're excited for you to hear from these guest speakers: Manley Feinberg Manley is recognized as an award winning international keynote speaker, business leader, and author whose work has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox, and in The New York Daily News, Entrepreneur, American Express Open Forum, and World News. He served two terms as the President of the National Speakers Association, St. Louis chapter and is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). During Manley’s eleven years with Build-A-Bear Workshop, his leadership direction helped take the revolutionary retail concept from 40 stores to over 400 worldwide, realizing revenue growth from 55 million to over 474 million, and a successful IPO on the NYSE. He built an award winning reputation for implementing business solutions and support that produced measurable results every day. Manley’s leadership influence contributed to a workplace culture that landed Build-A-Bear on the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® List four times. Scott Howell Scott is the owner of iPROTECT Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. with locations in Florence, Athens, and Huntsville, Alabama. He is also the co-host of The Insurance Guys Podcast. Originally from Hamilton, Alabama, Scott is a graduate of Birmingham Southern College, where he earned a dual degree in both Business Management & Marketing and was a twoyear letterman in men’s basketball. Scott served four years in the United States Marine Corps, both in Security Forces in London, England and in the Fleet with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. He was also part of the 27th Marine Expeditionary Unit. While in London, Scott became one of only a handful of U.S. Servicemen to complete the British Royal Marines, All Arms Commando Course. Scott began his career in Insurance in May of 2008 as an associate agent with State Farm Insurance in Birmingham, Alabama where he completed the State Farm Agency Owner Program in June 2010. In that same month, Scott joined Nationwide Insurance in the Associate Agency Executive program and spent the next 3 years in various agency programs within Nationwide. In July of 2020, the Agency transitioned to a full service independent agency. Mike McBride Mike serves on the Big "I" National Executive Committee and is a past president of the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents. For 35 years, Mike has provided strategic advice and counsel to clients at Mason-McBride in Troy, Michigan. A graduate from Ferris State University with a BS in Insurance, Mike furthered his education at the University of Detroit Law School where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. u 8

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The Difference Between Selling Your Book vs. Selling Your Business written by Alan Grayson, Synergy Business Partners sponsored by our partners at After many years of being an independent agent, you may be considering retiring. Your book of business has grown substantially over the years and if you sell it, you can retire. Most independent insurance agents automatically consider selling their book of business – but what about selling your insurance business as a single entity? There are pros and cons to selling your insurance business versus selling your book of business. Here are three questions to consider before you retire:

Why Sell Your Book of Business? Some buyers may want to only purchase your book of business rather than your whole business. As a result, you may not have to close your independent insurance agency when you sell your book. There are a few reasons you should sell your book of business instead of selling your insurance agency. First, it is difficult to sell a company that is losing money. If your business is not profitable, it might be best to simply sell your book of business. Another reason it is beneficial to sell your book of business is that you may be able to continue to sell insurance. Of course, this depends on the terms of your non-compete. You may be able to pursue other lines of insurance and still have all the marketing materials, employees, buildings and office supplies to run your business. Selling your book of business—or even part of your book of business – means you can continue operating your insurance agency.

Selling your book of business might be a step toward liquidating your agency. After you sell it and decide to close your agency, you can sell your office supplies as well as your building if you own the property. However, selling your insurance agency through a liquidation process can be tedious.

Why Sell Your Agency? Selling an insurance company as a whole also has benefits. Selling your insurance company is usually more profitable than selling your book of business and, once it is sold, you have fewer responsibilities to the insurance agency. Your book of business is the product of all of you and your team's hard work. What if you could sell your hard work with your book of business? As the saying goes, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." The whole of your insurance agency is worth more than liquidating your business assets and selling them piece by piece. Selling your insurance agency allows you to make a profit on aspects of your business you would not be able to liquidate. For instance, your marketing is a large part of your agency. Selling a website, email list, or branding and logo is difficult if it does not have the rest of the insurance agency and book of business.

Which Is Better? Selling your insurance agency as a whole is usually the best option if you own a profitable insurance agency. It will lead to a greater return – and your employees will likely keep their jobs when the new owner takes over and your business is able to continue existing. While it is rewarding to sell your assets, finding interested buyers and negotiating every asset sale takes time. If you are looking to retire and close your independent agency, you should first consider selling your business as a whole. This will allow you to retire comfortably and remove many of your responsibilities to your insurance agency. You can sell your insurance agency yourself or you can hire a business broker to sell your company. About the Author Alan Grayson is the marketing manager and content producer at Synergy Business Brokers. u

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4 Ways to Unlock Your Agency’s KPIs with Data written by Scott Fergusson, Techficient

Carriers are using data like never before to cut costs, improve efficiencies and accelerate processes. Agents can learn from this and do the same. Agents that focus on gathering data, analyzing it and developing key performance indicators (KPIs) are growing faster and providing better client service. However, the focus on speed can mean missing critical information. Here are four new KPIs and tools to help agents get an accurate picture of their business and to make better decisions to drive growth: 1. Agent cost per premium dollar. Who's your most profitable agent? Identify who brings in the most revenue for the lowest cost. For example, it's one thing to sell a complicated policy that brings in considerable revenue, but if it requires a lot of (ex-

pensive) effort to close the case, that needs some analysis. Meanwhile, another agent can process more policies in less time that may add up to more significant premiums, and therefore more revenue. Knowing the agent cost per premium dollar can show every member of the sales team's actual value. It's not about total income, it's about profitability. 2. True cost per touch. Cost per touch is multi-dimensional and measures the costs using case complexity, case manager sophistication and the premium dollar. For example, an agency can lose money on a premium if the transaction requires significant time by a senior case manager to place. Conversely, you may be inflating your true costs on simple cases because while the premium is low, it takes very little time to process. Picking the cheapest policy offer with a carrier that you know could be a struggle to work with takes more time. continued on page 48...

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Take It from Grandma: Send a Card and Watch Your Agency Grow

written by Yana Glezina, Rocket Referrals

Who sends the best cards? Grandma. Because grandma really cares. She knows when your birthday is, she plans ahead, she always writes a sweet note and sometimes she even includes some cash or a gift card. How would you feel if a business you frequent sent you a handwritten, personalized card? We bet you would smile. And you'd visit that business again soon. You'd probably also show that card off to a friend or two. Now, think about all the different communications you send your clients throughout the year. You're likely sending welcome emails, check-in and renewal emails, and even text messages. You probably make the occasional phone call, too. But chances are you're still missing the one message that creates a memorable experience your clients won't get from another business – a card.

Why a Handwritten Card? 1. Welcome cards. To increase your chances of retaining a new client around renewal you need to start at the beginning: a great onboarding experience. And while a welcome email is nice, a welcome card truly makes you stand out. If you're sending new client packets or documents via mail already, include a handwritten card and let your clients know how excited you are to do business with them.

review. And in today's digital world, most searches for a local insurance agent begin online. Specifically, Google. Having consistent five-star reviews on your Google My Business listing gives potential clients the social proof they need to give you a shot. Clients who receive a welcome card are also much more likely to refer you to family, friends and colleagues. 2. Thank you cards. A great way to bring more clients to your agency is to thank your promoters: those who already love you and talk about you. Whether that's an existing client or a partner—for example, a realtor who has been a great source of referrals for you—sending them a thank you card encourages them to continue to tell others about you. And if you like to send gift cards to your clients, you can send one along with your handwritten card. Just remember, offering cash incentives or gifts when asking for a referral is not a good idea. Always do it as a thank you or just because. 3. Birthday cards. How many cards do you get on your birthday? Are all of them from friends and a family? It's the same for your clients. If they do get a card or two, it's likely from someone close to them. Not many businesses send handwritten, personalized birthday cards. You want to be one of those businesses.

Welcome cards are also great for bringing in more new clients.

According to Rocket Referrals, 81% of clients who leave an agency do so due to lack of regular and meaningful communication. Birthday cards are a great way to retain these clients and show you care outside of renewal times.

Rocket Referrals found that sending welcome cards to new clients makes them nine times more likely to leave a Google

And for those clients who already love you, a birthday card is another great reminder you're thinking about them on their

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special day—something they might just mention to family and friends next time someone is looking for help with insurance. Don't forget other special occasions where a handwritten card has the same effect: anniversaries, graduations and other important milestones you know your clients hold dear. You know, grandma style. 4. Holiday cards. Holidays are one of the biggest opportune times you have to impress your clients and create a memorable experience. As their email inbox is flooded with promotional holiday emails, their actual mailbox is your opportunity to stand out. 5. Loyalty cards. Loyalty cards are the cards you send to your most loyal clients—people who have the most products, have been with you the longest or those who have referred the most business to your agency. If you are already sending your clients handwritten cards – great, you're one step ahead! But when do you send them and why? If only during the big holidays and without a clear purpose, you're missing out on a few opportunities.

No matter your criteria, these clients deserve some extra attention and care, and sending a handwritten card is the perfect way to show you value them. Your top clients have likely been with you for a while already and a handwritten loyalty card also encourages them to continue telling others about your incredible service. Sending all these cards sounds great, but you're probably trying to add up the cost in your head. Good news – the return on investment (ROI) is high. Rocket Referrals has done the math and according to what we've seen, we know that if you send 125 cards a year, you only need one of them to inspire a client to stay another year (or to refer someone else) for you to break even. Bain & Company, the creators of the net promotor score (NPS), found that when an insurance agency or provider sent at least one meaningful client touchpoint throughout the year (for example, a handwritten birthday or holiday card), their NPS increased by 15 points in one year, and that correlates to about a 3% increase in client retention. About the Author

Here are five "grandma-approved" occasions for which you should consider sending cards to your clients and why you need to do it if you truly want to show you care and make a long-lasting impression they'll talk about.

Yana Glezina director of brand and communications at Rocket Referrals, focuses on creating content to help independent insurance agents improve retention, automate communications, cross-sell more with less work and grow their business. u

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Future Leaders Spotlight

presented by

Katherine Smith, CLCS • Strate Insurance Group - Morristown Katherine Smith of Strate Ins.

Katherine Smith is a Morristown native and lived there her whole life until she decided to attend the University of Georgia. After what she describes as a "Burning Bush moment," she returned to Morristown as an adult, along with her family. She and her husband, Kevin, have two daughters, Charlotte, who is three, and Caroline, who is one.

The Insuror: Can you tell us a little about your current job title and responsibilities? Katherine: I serve our team and our clients as the Chief Customer Officer of Strate Insurance Group. It’s pretty unlikely you’ve ever met a Chief Customer Officer from an insurance agency, and that’s the point. We’ve made a commitment to being the most customer-centric insurance buying and risk management advisory firm, and that means having our titles reflect our roles. My job is to understand the needs and wants of our customers so we can design our service model, operations, and sales process around them.

The Insuror: What can you tell us about your educational background? Katherine: Spoiler alert: I was not an insurance major in college. I am a proud graduate of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Georgia. Go Dawgs!

The Insuror: How and why did you get your career in the insurance industry started? Katherine: It really was a Burning Bush moment that involved cocktails, complaining, and courageous wisdom from my husband. My whole career had been in the client service industry, working first at PR agencies, then a digital marketing firm. While the projects were fun and the people were interesting, I never felt like my work mattered. In April of 2017, my husband, Kevin, and I went on a daytrip to Whidbey Island, a lovely spot just north of Seattle. After a great day of touring, we ended the day at our favorite 18

restaurant in Langley, a city on the south side of the island. At that point in my professional career, I felt downtrodden and directionless. After some discussion, Kevin looked at me with great clarity and courage and said, “You realize you can go work for your dad, right?” I knew in that moment that he was absolutely right. My journey took me back to Strate Insurance Group not because I am family – but because I have a lot of value to offer and a desire to do work that benefits the lives of people and our communities.

The Insuror: Do you have any influences/role models in the industry? Katherine: In no particular order, they are: Kelly Donahue-Piro, Mary Eisenhart, David Carothers, Robert Sutter, Josh Morgan, Colleen Driscoll, and more.

The Insuror: Is there any advice you could offer Young Agents or others in the industry to achieve success in their careers? Katherine: Being successful in this industry requires two things: excellent communication skills and a thirst for learning the technical aspects. Insurance people are notorious for speaking a lot of industry jargon, only to be met with blank stares by their customers. If you really want to differentiate yourself in this business, be a student of the subject matter and learn how to communicate it well to both clients and prospects.

The Insuror: As an independent agent, you have many partners in this industry, including carriers, MGAs and many more. How do you determine which ones are the right relationships? Katherine: It’s really a mix of technology, good people, and determining if the products and services they offer align with our business goals.

The Insuror: Thank you for giving us your time, Katherine, we appreciate it and wish you continued success. Katherine: Thank you for thinking of me! I’m proud to be part of the insurance industry and look forward to many years to come. u The Tennessee Insuror

Young Agents '21

Are you making the Right Choice for their Business?

Upcoming Events and Information

BSIG Makes It Easy With Choice Classes For Middle Market Risks Our Young Agents Committee strives to offer young insurance professionals with opportunities to network and develop in the industry. We accomplish this by hosting receptions, classes and volunteer opportunities designed to meet the needs of insurance professionals under 40 years of age across Tennessee. We hope you'll join us for our next scheduled event: 2021 Insurors Young Agents Convention After Party Sunday night, October 17 • Florence, Alabama Visit insurors.org for more details

2021 Young Agents Committee

Middle Market Choice Classes* Below is just a broad listing. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please contact us.

• General Contractors • Building Trade Contractors • Utility Contractors • Land Improvement Contractors • Pavement Maintenance-Non DOT

• Services Contractors • Building Cleaning & Maintenance Contractors • Construction Material Suppliers • Manufacturing • Wholesale and Distributing

* All classes may not be available in all states.

Derek Wright - Chair Agent/Principal Graham & Cook Insurance Knoxville derek@grahamandcook.com Cy Young - Immediate Past Chair President Young-Hughes Insurance/Haven Ins. Partners Alamo/Jackson cy@younghughesinsurance.com

Our Claim Commitment • 24/7/365 loss reporting-including online • • Accelerated auto and property estimating and repair options • • “Fast Track” medical only claims handling program • • Tele-emergent medicine program-connects injured workers to medical care, not “triage” •

Want to know more?

Forbes Harris - Region I Producer Harris, Madden & Powell Insurance Memphis fharris@hmpins.com Matt Felgendreher - Region II Executive Vice President W.C. Dillon Company & Insight Risk Management Nashville mfelgendreher@irmllc.com John Brock - Region III Agent/Partner Brock Insurance Agency Chattanooga john@brockins.com For more info on the Young Agents program please contact Jake Smith at jsmith@insurors.org. u The Tennessee Insuror

Bill Vanderslice, Regional Vice-President 615-932-5508 | bvanderslice@berkleysig.com or your Middle Market Underwriter

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Berkley Southeast Insurance Group is a member company of W. R. Berkley Corporation, whose insurance company subsidiaries are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M.Best. Products and services are provided by one or more insurance company subsidiaries of W. R. Berkley Corporation. Not all products and services are available in every jurisdiction, and the precise coverage afforded by any insurer is subject to the actual terms and conditions of the policies as issued. A M

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From Your President Another Example of Agents "Stepping Up" Saturday, August 22 is a day Davis, Andy and Taylor Porch will never forget. Over 17 inches of rain fell and destroyed the place they call home, the place and the people they love. At least 22 of their friends and neighbors lost their lives, over 200 homes were destroyed and hundreds more suffered damage. The rainfall amount shattered the Tennessee record for one-day rainfall by more than 3 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Our Governor, Bill Lee, called the damage he saw while touring the town a, “devastating picture of loss and heartache.” Some meteorologists said the amount of rain was "double" their projections of a worst case scenario. It’s events like these that make us realize why we do what we do and why our roles are so important in the communities we live in. In times such as these we are not only their insurance agent but their counselors and comforters, sometimes the only place they have to turn when there is nowhere else to turn. It’s our desire to put others needs above our own that sets us apart and makes me proud to be an Independent Agent.

Stepping Up In those days that followed August 22 the Porch boys made us all proud of them and the industry we serve, and to that I say WELL DONE. As I was talking with Davis the other day he told me most of the damage occurred in lower income areas where there was no flood insurance in place. Again, they have stepped up and are leading the efforts in fundraising for those affected.

How You Can Help The Insurors of Tennessee stepped up and made a donation as did the Big I, Keystone Insurers Group, SecureRisk and numerous other insurance companies and organizations as well as many of their fellow agents. The need is great and far from over, if you would like to contribute, please go to www.unitedwayhumphreys.org and make a donation. Anything you could do would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for the work you do to support your clients, your communities, and this industry. u

“It’s our desire to put others needs above our own that sets us apart a n d m a ke s me proud to be an Independent A g e n t . ”

An aerial view of the intense flooding in Waverly Photo: Eric Van Sickle Community Newspaper Group

The Tennessee Insuror

Bob McIntire 21

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From Your IIABA National Director We're Excited to See You! It’s that time of year in TENNESSEE. Football games, cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and of course the Insurors of Tennessee Annual Convention. This year we will be leaving our home State and holding our convention at the beautiful Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Convention Time is Here!

We are so excited to get together in person. After a year and a half of COVID-19 we are ready to meet, greet and party. I can't think of a better way to celebrate 128 years of Insurors conventions!

•

We have some great functions planned for you at this year's Convention, and we're very excited for you to join us. Check out the full schedule on Page 4, but here are a few of the highlights I'd like to share with you:

•

Get to Know Our Staff We have new staff members that are ready to meet each and every one of our members.

•

Ron Travis, our new Executive Director started last November. Although he has contacted most of you by phone, now is the time to get to really get to know Ron. I know he is excited to meet all of you in-person!

•

We are also so pleased that Jake Smith has joined Insurors and is now the Director of Operations. I know you will all be impressed with Jake and his ideas for our Association. We are also thrilled to have Teresa Durham, CPCU, CIC, AAI, AU as our Insurance and Education Specialist. Having Teresa on staff provides our members with the resources and knowledge needed to be a successful agent and is part of our basic mission to Educate our industry. Our treasured employees are still on staff to help you with your questions and needs. Stephen Holmes, CPCU, CIC, CISR, our Director of For-Profit, will assist with any questions on E&O, RLI, and the Big "I" Markets programs. Don Cunningham, CPCU is our E&O/Education Consultant and helps with our courses and E&O audits. The wonderful Colleen Vance will answer any of your accounting and billing questions. She has been with us for over 25 years! The Tennessee Insuror

• • • • • • •

Those arriving on Saturday should night join us for our Football Viewing Party. It's a great time to catch up and watch some games. The fun really gears up Sunday when the Exhibit Hall and Tradeshow opens. Stop at the booths and meet your Carrier and Vendor Partners. We have informative breakout sessions scheduled for Sunday as well - check them out! The Opening Night Celebration features award-winning singer and songwriter Paul Overstreet followed by a fireworks show. Our Young Agents will end the night with their after party, which is sure to be a hit. Monday morning starts up our activities again. We have the Exhibit Hall breakfast and trade show. Our Agents' General Session features Manley Feinberg – you won't want to miss this one! Don’t forget our Spouse/Guest event to be held at the Fame Recording Studio, one of the most historic venues in Florence. Our Monday afternoon events also include Golf and Clay Shooting. Then let’s all end the day together with our All-Attendee Reception on the Marriott Terrace. Tuesday brings a close to our Convention with our Association Day Breakfast and Annual Meeting. Don't miss out as we present the 2021 awards and also elect our 2022 Board of Directors.

“I can't think of a better way to celebrate 12 8 y e a r s of Insurors conventions!"

We have a full slate of activities planned but don’t forget that you can schedule a spa day and just relax as well. This is your Convention! Meet old friends and make new ones. We hope that you will join us for a fun and informative time. I look forward to seeing you there! u

Cindi Gresham 23

Endorsed Partner of

The Tennessee Insuror

From Your CEO Celebrating Independent Agents 128 years of success is cause for celebration! We are celebrating 128 years as your Independent Insurance Association. I am so eager to celebrate with you at our Annual Convention in Florence, Alabama. We have received an excellent response from our valued members and partners across the state. Insurors has been leading the way for our state's independent insurance agents since 1893. We are honored to continue our pursuit for our members today. As industry leaders, we are passionate about helping our agents thrive in an ever-changing insurance marketplace. The goal of Insurors of Tennessee has been and will continue to be to protect the interests of Independent Insurance Agents and brokers across our great state. Working alongside agent members and brokers is one of my favorite aspects of my insurance career. We are one of the most crucial professions and industries – we protect people, their families, businesses, and ultimately lives from many unforeseen circumstances.

Dave Porch and the United Way of Humphreys County recieve a donation from Insurors' Ron Travis & Jake Smith

Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by passion, generated by vision, produced by conviction, ignited by a purpose. Leadership is about impact. Whether you live in a large city, or a small rural area, we are leaders in our communities. We live and work here, raise our families, rally together in our successes, and lean on each other in our failures. We cheer on our teams, work our farms, support our causes and organizations, worship together, we shop local to support our merchants and economy, and grieve together during our tragedies. We invest our resources and time to keep us strong and ensure a solid focus on our The Tennessee Insuror

future. We are the Insurance Agencies; Chambers of Commerce; school boards; law enforcement; emergency personnel; city, county and state offices; private and industrial businesses; all of us together make-up our community and home.

Insurors members Mike Dyer & Kayla Green along with Laura & Ron Travis and Insurors Pres. Bob McIntire at grand opening of the 12th Judicial Child Advocacy Ctr.

I am truly inspired by our agents, our industry, and our Association as a whole. Our industry is vibrant to dedicating efforts to our working relationships, education, training, and providing tools necessary to be successful in a constantly changing work culture. This week I watched 38 agents take a CIC class at our office and it was encouraging to see them strive for knowledge and advancements in our industry. I encourage all of you to attend conventions, conferences, and classes to network with other professionals and share ideas, problems and solutions pertaining to the industry or your personal agency. Choose to aspire for opportunities to learn, lead, and grow for your success. As I have traveled across the state meeting our agents and their employees, I am always impressed with the dedication, commitment, and loyalty to their customers.

“Together, we will continue to advance our Association by coming together and working alongside one another for our industry’s future. ”

Together, we will continue to advance our Association by coming together and working alongside one another for our industry’s future. Our efforts today will impact our successes tomorrow. “The success of the future does not lie solely on the safety of the past, but relies broadly on the security of the present.” As we approach the closing of 2021, let us embrace these times and enjoy our families and friends, our communities, and live life to the fullest. Thank you for your continued support, and cheers to the next 128 years! u

Ron Travis 25

Insuring the life you live and the home you live in for over 60 years. National Security has provided competitive, affordable insurance to policyholders for over 60 years. We also provide our agents with competitive commissions, excellent customer service and experienced company adjusters. As a Southeastern based regional company, National Security prides itself on fast, efficient service from a friendly small town company. Our agent website provides fast quotes, online policy issuance, and real-time policy information. Find out more about our products by calling 1-800-239-2358 or visiting nationalsecuritygroup.com.

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The Tennessee Insuror

EDUCATION SCHEDULE

20 21

SEP

9/15-17 CIC Commercial Casualty • NASHVILLE 9/28 CISR Commercial Property • JOHNSON CITY

FEB

2/2 CISR Agency Operations • NASHVILLE

9/29 CISR Commercial Property • KNOXVILLE

2/3 CISR Agency Operations • MEMPHIS 2/17-19 CIC Commercial Property • NASHVILLE

9/30 CISR Commercial Property • CHATTANOOGA

MARCH

11/3-5 CIC Personal Lines • NASHVILLE

3/10-12 CIC Commercial Multiline • MEMPHIS

APRIL

NOV DEC

12/7 CISR Commercial Casualty II • NASHVILLE

4/6 CISR Personal Residential • JOHNSON CITY

12/8 CISR Commercial Casualty II • MEMPHIS

4/7 CISR Personal Residential • KNOXVILLE 4/8 CISR Personal Residential • CHATTANOOGA

ONLINE EDUCATION

4/21-22 Ruble Graduate Seminar • NASHVILLE

MAY 5/11 CISR Elements of Risk Management • NASHVILLE 5/12 CISR Elements of Risk Management • MEMPHIS

AUGUST

Use code FALL2020 to get 20% off all ABEN online CE courses.

Education Calendar The Insurors of Tennessee offers education opportunities to member agents across a wide range of insurance specialties that satisfy individuals at many different experience levels. If you are looking to further your career, seeking a professional designation, or need to satisfy continuing education requirements, check out the variety of courses available. Registration is fast and easy at www.insurors.org. More info about each class can also be found online or by contacting Teresa Durham at tdurham@insurors.org or 615.515.2607.

Use code INSTN to get 20% off on Pre-Licensing and CE courses through Kaplan Financial.

8/4-6 CIC Agency Management • KNOXVILLE

Online training for new hires. Use code Upskill20 to get 20% any bundle.

CISR 12/7 12/7 2/1 2/1

Fee: $186

Commercial Casualty II Commercial Casualty II Agency Operations Agency Operations

CIC

Fee: $430

11/3-5 Personal Lines Institute 2/16-18 Commercial Property Institute 3/9-11 Agency Management Institute

CE: 7

Nashville Memphis Nashville Memphis

10/18 10/18 10/18 10/18 10/18 10/21 10/21 10/27 10/28

E&O: Meet the Challenge of Change CE: 2 $48 Business Auto Claims Problems CE: 2 $48 Ethical Issues: Personal & Org. CE: 3 $72 Business Income and Extra Expense CE: 2 $48 Are You More Ethical Than Politician? CE: 1 $24 Insuring Condominiums CE: 2 $48 Personal Lines Myths: Part 1 CE: 1 $24 Street Level Ethics CE: 3 $72 The Basics of COPE CE: 3 $79

CE: 16

Nashville Nashville Memphis

The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Website: www.nasba.org. Advanced Curriculum Rating = 20 CPE Credits. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, please contact our offices at 800-633-2165.

Addl' Courses (www.iiaba.net/vu) Available from IIABA Virtual University. Member pricing shown.

Ethics for Insurance Professionals How to Calc. Business Income in 5 Min. National Flood Insurance Program New Employee Training Course

10/8 10/8 10/8 10/9 10/9 10/9 10/9 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/11 10/11

Cyber Security and Insurance Risk CE: 2 $48 Double Trouble - COI and Biz Auto CE: 2 $48 Are You More Ethical Than Politician? CE: 1 $24 E&O: Roadmap to PAP and PUP CE: 3 $72 E&O: Roadmap to HO Endorse. Pt. 1 CE: 3 $72 E&O: Roadmap to HO Endorse. Pt. 2 CE: 3 $72 Flood Program Overview: NFIP CE: 3 $72 Premium Auditing: Agents Must Know CE: 2 $52 The Basics of COPE CE: 3 $79 The Law of Insurance Contracts CE: 3 $79 Torts, Negligence & Liability CE: 3 $79 NFIP Then and Now CE: 3 $72 E&O: Comm. Prop. Coverage Gaps CE: 3 $72 E&O: Roadmap to Policy Analysis I CE: 3 $72 Commercial Prop. Endorsements CE: 2 $48

$75 $50 $80 $100

*check VU site for current information on CE and pricing

ABEN Webcasts (insurors.aben.tv)

CE: 3 CE: 3 CE: 6 CE: 9

Available from The National Alliance

(www.scic.com)

Legal & Ethical Requirements of Insurance CE: 4 Insuring Flood Exposures - NFIP Review CE: 4 Available from The Institutes

$75 $75

(insurors.ceu.com)

Insurance Principles and Policies CE: 7 Long Term Care CE: 24 Workers’ Compensation CE: 10 Employee Benefits for Small Companies CE: 4 Healthcare Reform and Affordable Care CE: 5 eCoverage CE: 15 Fundamentals of Personal Auto Insurance CE: 3 Management Process for Ins. Professionals CE: 21 Intro to Flexible Spending Accounts CE: 4 Terrorism and Its Impact on Insurance CE: 4 Toxic Mold and Homeowners Insurance CE: 15 Understanding the Industry of Insurance CE: 5

$49 $99 $59 $39 $49 $79 $29 $89 $39 $39 $79 $39

Indicates course is presented by The National Alliance. Register for these courses at www.thenationalalliance.com The Tennessee Insuror

Partners

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FOR TENNESSEE

Endorsed

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Leading

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FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF INDEPENDENT AGENTS IN TENNESSEE

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continued on page 44 The Tennessee Insuror

Government & Legal Update

Advocacy Update: 6th Circuit Explains the "Hard Reality" of Insurance Contracts, COVID Claims A week before this magazine went to print, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit (with jurisdiction over federal district courts in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee) became the third federal circuit court of appeals to rule in favor of insurers on a question whether lost income attributable to the pandemic and/or subsequent government shut-down orders was covered under an “all risk” commercial policy. In deciding Santo’s Italian Café v. Acuity Insurance Co., the 6th Circuit joined the 3rd and 8th circuits in ruling for insurers on the merits in similar cases. Plaintiff Santo’s operated an Italian restaurant in Medina, Ohio and, like most in the hospitality industry, the pandemic hit its bottom line particularly hard. In March 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19, and the Ohio Department of Health quickly followed with an order prohibiting in-person dining services across the state. As a result, Santo’s suffered significant revenue losses and filed a claim with Acuity, seeking recovery under its commercial property policy for losses incurred throughout the duration of the “shut down” order. Acuity denied coverage and Santo’s filed suit in Ohio state court. Acuity removed the case to federal court (diversity jurisdiction) and filed a motion to dismiss. The federal district court granted Acuity’s motion, and Santo’s appealed. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling for Acu-

The Tennessee Insuror

ity, holding that the policy, which included business losses “caused by direct physical loss of or damage to property,” did not cover loss of use due to a government order. In ruling against the restaurant, Chief Circuit Judge Jeffrey Sutton sympathized with the plight of America’s hospitality industry, but acknowledged a “hard reality about insurance,” summarizing the tough lesson for many insureds (and politicians): “[Insurance] is not a general safety net for all dangers. If risk is not having money when you need it, insurance is one answer to perilous events that could prompt a sudden drop in revenue. Fair pricing of insurance turns on correctly accounting for the likelihood of the occurrence of each defined peril and the cost of covering it. Efforts to push coverage beyond its terms creates a mismatch, an insurance product that covers something no one paid for and, worse, runs the risk of leaving insufficient funds to pay for perils that insureds did pay for. That is why courts must honor the coverage the parties did – and did not – provide for in their written contracts of insurance. Although persuasive authority in Tennessee, the decision is not binding in Tennessee as the interpretation of insurance contracts is a matter of state law. The Covid Coverage Litigation Tracker, a project of University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, 195 federal appeals are currently pending in similar cases, including 16 in the 6th Circuit. Notably, none of the pending 6th Circuit appeals originated in a district court in Tennessee.

Lee Lands $5.6B Ford Electric Plant, Requiring Special Session Tennessee is positioned to play a major role in Ford Motor Company’s big bet on an electric future, landing a commitment from the Detroit auto giant for a new electric vehicle and battery manufacturing plant officials have dubbed “Blue Oval City” to be located in Haywood County. On September 27, officials gathered in Memphis for the announcement, and Governor Bill Lee signaled his intent to call a special session for the General Assembly to approve a $500 million incentive package to finalize the deal. It’s a big win for Lee and West Tennessee. Lee said he expects the legislature to approve the measure.

At 3,600 acres, the new Ford campus is exactly “what the doctor ordered” for the Memphis Regional Megasite, where it will span almost the entire development. State officials have tried for years, and invested considerable resources, to recruit a blue-chip manufacturer to anchor the West Tennessee industrial development, striking out at least 18 times according to a recent report commissioned by the Lee administration. Ford officials said the new project will create approximately 6,000 jobs. Coupled with two new electric battery plants to be located in Kentucky, Ford’s total investment in domestic electric auto is $11 billion and the largest manufacturing investment in the company’s history. Ford joins Nissan, General Motors, and Volkswagen on Tennessee’s roster of auto manufacturers. According to Lee, Tennessee and Indiana are the only states where four auto companies produce vehicles. About the Author

A depiction of the 2022 Ford F150 Lightning electric truck image courtesy and copyright Ford

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Trey Moore is the Government & Legal Consultant for Insurors. Moore operates Trey Moore Consulting in Nashville and was formerly senior public policy counsel for Bass, Berry & Sims. Prior to that role, he had nine years of experience in government relations with Acadia Healthcare, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and others He is a native of Gallatin and a graduate of Sewanee and Nashville School of Law. u

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THANKS TO BUILDERS MUTUAL I CAN GIVE MY CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT. Whether it’s the voice in your head or the one right beside you, Builders Mutual is always there, at work with you. BuildersMutual.com

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WEST BEND THE BEST REMEDY FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION West Bend Mutual Insurance has a long history of writing workers’ compensation insurance. Our underwriters are knowledgeable and experienced. Our loss control reps have the expertise and tools to help keep employees safe. And our claims practices are the best in class. From Main Street-type businesses to specialty businesses like childcare, West Bend has the experience and expertise to protect businesses of many kinds and many sizes. We want to write all of your workers’ compensation business, small to large! When you select West Bend for your valued customers, you can rest assured you made the right choice. After all, we are the best remedy for workers’ compensation. 34

The Tennessee Insuror

Association Update Insurors Members Named Among 2021 "Best Places to Work" Insurors members Lipscomb & Pitts - a Higginbotham Company, Reliance Partners, and White & Associates were among the companies named in the Business Insurance "Best Places to Work 2021" list. The agencies all received glowing remarks for their agency cultures and environments built to help employees grow and succeed.

Keystone Names RSS "Thoroughbreds" Keystone Insurers Group recently announced the 2020 Thoroughbred Award winners, including five Insurors members from RSS Insurance in Chattanooga. The award recognizes outstanding individual P&C and Employee Benefits production, and included Kyle Stephens of RSS at the Thoroughbred level as well as David Allen, Evan Collins, Trey Powell, and Keith Guest at the Century Level of production.

CIA Named Rough Notes Agency of the Month Brentwood-based Commercial Insurance Associates (CIA) was recently named as the "Agency of the Month" by Rough Notes magazine. The article focused on the strong agency culture and the exceptional growth they have built on since their founding in 2002.

Porch Raises Money for Flood Victims After the city of Waverly was ravaged by floodwaters in August, many residents and businesses were left with major destruction. Even worse, at least 20 people lost their lives. To help support the community, Insurors Board member Taylor Porch of Porch-Stribling-Webb Insurance put together a fundraiser with special guest entertainers Jake Owen and Drew Holcomb. The event has raised almost $200,000 and some donations are still coming in!

Mployer Advisor Names Multiple Members as "Top Brokers" Mployer Advisor, a leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, The Tennessee Insuror

has announced the recipients of its inaugural “Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards” for 2021. Among the Tennessee winners were Insurors members Barnes Insurance Agency of Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, Brown & Brown of Tennessee, Gallagher Insurance, HUB International, and Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance - a Higginbotham Company - of Memphis.

Koontz Recognized by CIC Society Dennis Koontz, CIC of Southpoint Risk in Knoxville was recently recognized for professional leadership and advanced knowledge by the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. Dennis was awarded a certificate of achievement recognizing more than 40 years of successfully maintaining the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. The CIC program is a nationally recognized and highly respected insurance professional designation.

White & Associates Rewards Employee Wellness White & Associates Insurance recently announced it has awarded $100,000 in employee wellness rewards. Established in 2015, the White & Associates (W&A) wellness program has grown into a large part of company culture and boasts a 94% staff participation rate. The program started small, with points logged for exercise, water intake and obtaining an annual wellness exam. Within the first year, W&A built a website internally to keep track of employee points. Each year, new options are added including challenges like no sweets for a month, screen-free nights and carbonation elimination for 30 days. Employee points equate to cash and paid time off each month. In 2020, the average cash earned per employee equaled $356 and 52 days off were rewarded.

Gallagher Joins Nashville Yards as Partner Gallagher has entered into a strategic agreement with Southwest Value Partners (SWVP) and AEG, joint venture partners and co-developers of Nashville Yards’ entertainment district and music venue, to become the next Founding Partner of the 18-acre Nashville Yards. The broker will serve exclusive insurance brokerage, benefits consulting and risk management partner of the new space. u 35

Your insights

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Swiss Re Corporate Solutions is proud to be the exclusively endorsed Lawyer’s Professional Liability provider for the Insurors of Tennessee. For more information or to access the program, please contact administrator Jeff Severino of Lockton Affinity at JSeverino@locktonaffinity.com or 913.652.7520.

Insurors of Tennessee Ph 1 800 264 1898 E info@insurors.org

The Tennessee Insuror

Insurance products underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas, United States, a member of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.

Company Spotlight Titan Digital

We Are Vision Driven by Passion

At Titan Digital, we have been designing, developing, managing, and marketing spectacular websites for over 10 years. Our fully in-house team includes every expert needed to make your online presence a success. From experienced interactive website designers and front-end developers to SEO and SEM specialists to dedicated project and account managers and all things in between, we bring the value of each expert in the digital marketing space directly to you in one clean package. Over the years, we have turned our vast experience into fine-tuned processes to bring you the best (and easiest) professional website solution on the market. Throughout this process, we will work with you to create a professional, clean, and modern website environment for your ongoing digital marketing operations. We go beyond websites, too, offering full-service graphic design for aspects like logos, rebranding, business cards, brochures, and other print products.

A True Marketing Partner We pride ourselves on being experts in insurance marketing, always available to be a resource for our Trusted Choice affiliate partners. Utilizing our decade's worth of digital marketing knowledge, we are here to help you reach your goals for your insurance agency. Our streamlined process means we do the heavy lifting so you can focus on your own operations. Your success is our success, and we can hand you the tools to stand out in a saturated market. It all starts with your website and your online presence.

Is Your Current Site Getting Results? What is your current website doing for your agency? Your website can be a powerful tool to grow your business. The Tennessee Insuror

To do this, it needs to project your professional image and keep up with technology in a changing world. A great looking website is a great start, but agencies should always look for more in a website. Tennessee Contacts Around half of all web traffic comes from mobile phones, so you can’t afford to make a bad impression by not having a mobile responsive website. And if your website isn't optimized for search engines, customers may not be able to find you regardless of the device they use. The right SEO programming brings you forward in search results for local customers actively searching for insurance on Google, and automated Programmatic Advertising takes things a step further by using geotargeting to put you right in front of your qualified market. Not all customers are alike, and you want your agency to be welcoming to all.

ADA Accessibility If your website does not comply with ADA accessibility guidelines, you are not reaching all of the customers you could be. These are only a few of the things agencies should look for in their digital marketing strategy. Considering updating your website or revamping your online presence? We'd love the chance to help!

Get Started with Us Today! Come visit our office in Murfreesboro, Tennessee or reach out to a marketing consultant through phone or email. No outsourcing, no robots answering our phones. Only people, interested in what you do and where you want to go next.

Gabrielle Denny Marketing Consultant Gabrielle@titandigital.com O: 615-890-3600 C: 615-542-7325 Connect on LinkedIn! Brad McMillan VP of Business Development Brad@titandigital.com O: 615-890-3600 Connect on LinkedIn! Cash Miller CEO - President Cash@titandigital.com O: 615-890-3600 Connect on LinkedIn! www.titaninswebsites.com

About Titan Digital Experience and creativity are the hallmarks of our team. We’ve helped hundreds of insurance agencies over the years to establish brands, build websites, rank on search engines and build social followings - so that our clients can sell more policies, achieve business growth and accomplish their goals. No matter what you task our agency with, have confidence knowing an entire team is working to make sure your insurance agency comes out on top.

For additional info, visit us online at www.titaninswebsites.com or come see our booth at the Insurors 128th Annual Convention! u 37

TOGETHER WORKING

“Exclusive member agencies, collaborating to bring the best insurance solutions to their clients.” The Allison Insurance Group - Jackson Assured Insurance Consultants, LLC - Morristown Bagley & Bagley Insurance - Fayetteville Boyle Insurance Agency, Inc. - Memphis Burke, Powers & Harty - Bristol Carnal-Roberts Agency, Inc. - Lexington Cate-Russell Insurance, Inc. - Maryville Goss Insurance - Hixson Higgins Insurance - Clarksville/Hopkinsville, KY Inter-Agency Insurance Services - Knoxville 38

Martin & Zerfoss, Inc. - Nashville McInturff, Milligan & Brooks - Greeneville Miller | Loughry | Beach Insurance Services - Murfreesboro Ownby Insurance Service, Inc. - Sevierville Powell & Meadows Insurance Agency - Carthage Smith-Berclair Insurance, Inc. - Memphis Sunbelt Insurance Group - Chattanooga Tigrett & Pennington Inc. - Dyersburg V.R. Williams & Company - Winchester Watauga Insurance, Inc. - Johnson City

Get more information now at www.securerisk.com

The Tennessee Insuror

Vendor Spotlight Coterie Insurance

Simplifying Small Business Insurance

Do you hate writing small commercial insurance because it’s time-consuming and unprofitable? Coterie Insurance has a simple solution to save you time when it comes to writing small business insurance. With its easy-to-use platform, you can quote and issue small business policies in minutes.

saving time, reducing stress, and providing relief. And their API integrates seamlessly into existing platforms businesses are already using such as Intuit Quickbooks and Thryv.

Coterie Insurance helps simplify your operations, enabling you to better serve small business clients with higher profits. Coterie offers unique BOP, GL, and PL insurance products in 48 states (more coming soon!) and is backed by their A-(Excellent) rated insurance carrier partners.

Recently Coterie launched a game-changing feature called Quick Quote. Quick Quote is a unique link agents can put on their websites, email signatures, and social media profiles that allow small businesses to quote and receive coverage around the clock. Earn commission while you sleep with Coterie Insurance!

Through the Coterie Dashboard, agents have immediate access to policy documents and insurance certificates. Coterie’s broad appetite includes new businesses, microbusinesses, start-ups, and more! They write over 1,000 eligible NAICS class codes. With 100% digital underwriting, you’ll know your clients’ eligibility and price instantly. Coterie has seen first-hand the impact that simplifying the insurance experience has had on agents across the country:

Laser-Focused on Agent Success

Need help? Coterie Insurance provides professional claims handling and world-class customer service support.

Get Started Today Get started with Coterie Insurance today by completing the form found at https://explore.coterieinsurance.com/becomea-producer u

Partnering with people in business. At FCCI, we’ve been working with businesses for more than 60 years, now in 20 states and D.C. Our financial strength, expertise and claim handling help businesses thrive and face the future with confidence.

More than an account. A relationship.

PROPERTY

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C A S U A LT Y

SURETY

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SECTOR EXPERTISE

More than a network

We’re a community.

There are many reasons why independent agencies turn to Keystone, but you might ask what makes them stay? Keystone is more than just a network, we’re a community. Our goal is to strengthen independent agencies by bringing them together for peer-to-peer collaboration, industry expertise and access to national resources. Together, we’re making each other stronger and keeping clients better protected. That’s how independence works better together!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Michele Bicknell 570.473.2148 | mbicknell@keystoneinsgrp.com 40 keystoneinsgrp.com

The Tennessee Insuror

Company Briefs Associate Members Named Among 2021 Best Places to Work Insurors Associate Members Accident Fund, Amerisure, Coterie, Key Risk, Philadelphia Insurance, and West Bend Mutual Insurance were among the companies listed in the Business Insurance "Best Places to Work 2021" list. The companies all received glowing remarks for their workplace cultures and environments built to help employees grow and succeed.

Arlington/Roe Acquires Muench Insurance Indianapolis-based managing general agent and wholesale insurance broker Arlington/Roe & Co. has completed the acquisition of Muench Insurance, a wholesale independent insurance broker located in the Omaha, NE, according to James A. Roe, CPCU, President of Arlington/Roe. Rod Muench, owner of Muench Insurance, is a Professional Liability Broker specializing in placing directors and officers, employment practices, professional liability and cyber coverage. Rod has owned and operated Muench Insurance since December 2012. Prior to that, he managed a branch office for a regional wholesaler that held binding authority for auto, property, liability and professional lines for 25 years.

Reese Joins Cowbell Cyber as Head of Ins. Cowbell Cyber, the industry’s first AIpowered cyber insurance provider for small to medium enterprises (SMEs), announced Chris Reese as the company’s new Head of Insurance, reporting to Trent Cooksley, COO. This new position will support the company’s business strategy, operations and exponential growth. Prior to joining Cowbell, Reese served as senior vice president and Cyber & Technology Insurance Practice lead at Lockton Companies, the world’s largest privately-owned, independent insurance brokerage firm. At Lockton, Reese provided expert consultative cyber enterprise risk transfer solutions for non profit, private and public corporations across all industries.

Current market conditions coupled with Westfield’s financial strength, AM Best “A” rating and well-established brand drove the decision to enter this market. This endeavor will create additional opportunities to profitably grow new customers and strengthen relationships with existing customers. It will also enhance the financial diversification of Westfield’s property and casualty portfolio. Throughout his career, Kuhn has successfully built and scaled insurance businesses multiple times. He has been responsible for U.S. and global insurance portfolios of more than $6 billion in premiums across the various executive leadership roles he’s held within the insurance industry.

Hippo Launches Commercial HOA Product Hippo recently announced its expansion into Commercial Insurance. Since Hippo brought its proactive approach to home insurance customers in 2017, the company’s focus has been on whole home protection. For the first time, Hippo will offer insurance products that are tailored to targeted commercial insurance customers. The first product to launch from Hippo’s Commercial Lines unit is a tailored homeowners association (HOA) product, bringing broader protection for the HOA alongside a streamlined claims process. Now, commercial customers will have access to Hippo’s personalized coverage, backed by the company’s data-driven underwriting, satellite and aerial imagery, and designed with the HOA and its board members in mind.

Hanover Promotes Clarkin to VP/Treasurer The Hanover has announced that Nathaniel Clarkin has been promoted to vice president and treasurer for the company. Clarkin joined the team in 2012 and most recently served as assistant vice president of corporate finance. He has a BBA in Finance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has held multiple finance roles within the company.

Westfield Launches Specialty Business

Multiple Associate Members Among "Top 20 Agency Partnerships"

Westfield, a super-regional property and casualty insurance company with a 173-year history, is entering the specialty insurance business with the launch of Westfield Specialty. To lead this new business, Westfield has appointed insurance veteran Jack Kuhn as President.

Multiple Insurors Associate Members have been named among the Insurance Journal "Top 20 Agency Partnerships" for 2021. The report was ranked by total P&C revenue for 2020, and included SIAA (parent organization of Mountain Empire Agency Alliance) at #1, Keystone Insurers Group at #4, and SecureRisk at #5.

The Tennessee Insuror

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Multiple Associate Members Among "Top Super Regionals" Demotech Inc., the official research partner of Insurance Journal, recently identified the nation’s Top Super Regional Property/Casualty Insurers – P&C insurers writing multiple lines of insurance in multiple states. The list included multiple Insurors Associate Members and their affiliates, including #2 Erie Insurance, #3 Auto-Owners Insurance, #6 Progressive, #10 Acuity, #13 Nationwide, #14 West Bend Mutual, #20 Westfield, #23 The Hanover (Citizens), #24 Travelers (Commercial), #25 State Auto, #29 Selective Insurance, #30 Frankenmuth Mutual, #31 Central, #33 United Fire Group, #41 Penn National Insurance, #42 Zenith Insurance, #44 FCCI Insurance, #49 Grange Insurance, #53 Encova (Motorists), #61 Amerisure, #64 Donegal Insurance, #66 Builders Mutual, #76 Utica, #102 Harford Mutual, #112 Chubb (Executive Risk), #117 Columbia Insurance, #133 The Hartford (Hartford of Illinois), #140 RLI (Contractors), and other entities of these same companies.

The merger with Aldel Financial will provide stock market investors with a way to invest in the fast-growing classic car market, which has seen a huge run-up in valuations and popularity in recent years. Values for classic cars are up 6% over the past year, and 193% over the past decade, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investing Index. Aside from offering insurance, Hagerty has also launched a classic car rental business, called Hagerty DriveShare, and has acquired events and other classic car related businesses, including valuation tools, memberships and specialty content for car enthusiasts.

Engage PEO Recognized on Inc. "Honor Roll"

Hagerty Going Public in SPAC Deal

Inc. Magazine recently announced that Engage PEO has once again, for the sixth consecutive year, been named as one of the 5,000 fastest growing companies in the nation. The annual Inc. 5,000 list is the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment-its independent small businesses.

Traverse City, Michigan-based classic car insurance company Hagerty going public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a deal valued at more than $3 billion.

Earlier this year, Engage PEO also was named one of the fastest-growing Florida-based private companies on Inc. Magazine’s inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Florida.

At Stonetrust, we know a little something about showing up when it matters most, and we strive to always be there for the independent insurance agents and policyholders that trust us with their business. Along with offering workers’ compensation and employers’ liability insurance, Stonetrust works to help companies prevent accidents and remain Stonetrust Safe - an entire system of in-house processes

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STONETRUSTINSURANCE.COM The Tennessee Insuror

MJ Kelly Changes Name and Brand to JenCap MJ Kelly, a full-service managing general commercial insurance agency and wholesale brokerage company, has announced a new name and brand identity. MJ Kelly will operate as Jencap Insurance Services Inc. (JCIS), a recently formed division of parent company, Jencap Group LLC (Jencap). JCIS is currently comprised of former affiliate companies MJ Kelly, Special Risks Facilities and Stringer-Ware, doing business as (dba), Genesee General.

Key Risk Moving Headquarters to High Point Key Risk, A Berkley Company, has announced it will relocate its headquarters from Greensboro, North Carolina to the new building at 275 N. Elm Street just outside the center field wall of Truist Point Stadium in downtown High Point, NC. Key Risk will occupy the entire third floor and half of the second floor, 21,645 square feet of the 54,000-square-foot building. The ground floor will be dining and entertainment space, anchored by the Stock & Grain Food Hall. The company is scheduled to move into its new space in early 2022.

Frankenmuth Appoints New CEO, COO Frankenmuth Insurance in Frankenmuth, Michigan, named Fred Edmond president and chief executive officer. Edmond formerly served as the company’s president and chief operating officer. Succeeding Edmond as chief operating officer is Andy Knudsen. Both appointments were effective September 3.

Managers, Ryan Specialty’s underwriting management specialty. Wuller will replace Tom Clark who is resigning from the position for personal reasons effective September 30, 2021, after only six months with the firm. Wuller also will continue in his role as president of RSG Underwriting Managers, a role he assumed about one year ago. Wuller was previously executive vice president of RSG Underwriting Managers.

Great American Introduces Home Biz Ins. Great American Insurance Group has introduced a new product offering through PolicySweet, its online offering for small business customers. PolicySweet, which allows small business owners to research, shop, quote and purchase insurance online, is expanding its coverage to include HomeHQSM, a policy designed for homebased businesses to provide coverage for business liabilities that a homeowners or renters policy does not typically include.

Beazley Names Turk Head of Strategy Beazley has announced the appointment of Rachel Turk as group head of strategy. Turk will join the company’s executive committee effective immediately. Previously, she held the role of head of corporate development.

Edmond has 37 years of industry experience and 23 years of service with Frankenmuth Insurance. He began his career with Frankenmuth Insurance serving as group coordinator in the marketing department. He later transitioned to group coordinator and sales manager (Michigan) in 2001 and sales manager (Michigan-WisconsinOhio) in 2004. In 2005, he was promoted to vice president, to senior vice president in 2012, and to president and chief operating officer in 2014. He has also served on the board of directors for Frankenmuth Insurance and its six subsidiaries since 2008. In addition to serving as COO, Knudsen will continue in his role as executive vice president and corporate secretary. He has 32 years of claims management experience and has been with Frankenmuth Insurance for more than eight years. Earlier this year, Knudsen was elected to the board of directors for Frankenmuth Insurance and its six subsidiary companies.

Ryan Specialty Promotes Muller as CEO Ryan Specialty Group announced the appointment of Miles Wuller to chief executive officer of RSG Underwriting 44

Association.

Turk joined Beazley in 2009 as a D&O underwriter in specialty lines. She became focus group leader in 2015 and was appointed head of corporate development in 2019. Prior to joining Beazley, Turk held equity and finance analyst roles. She is a qualified chartered accountant. Turk sits on the board of the Lloyd’s Market

McGowan Cos. to Acquire MiddleOak The McGowan Companies ("McGowan") and COUNTRY Financial® recently entered into an agreement whereunder the assets of MiddleOak® and Dauntless Specialty Brokerage, including the renewal rights related thereto, were transferred to McGowan. MiddleOak is one of the largest and most respected underwriters of Commercial Habitational risks in the U.S. Through operations in Middletown, CT, and Salem, MA, and in excess of 100 appointed franchise brokerages, MiddleOak provided package insurance to Condominium Associations and Apartments. The MiddleOak brand originated with Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company and Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company. Both Middlesex Mutual and Holyoke Mutual became part of COUNTRY Financial 20 years ago. u The Tennessee Insuror

The Tennessee Insuror

Agents for the Community

presented by

Commercial Insurance Associates • Brentwood In this series, Penn National Insurance and Insurors are recognizing some of the work our members do for their communities. During Convention, the new "Penn National Agents for the Community" Award will be presented to one of the featured agencies.

The Insuror: Why is community service such an important part of your agency? Commercial Insurance Associates (CIA): Service is a key part of our agency in general, so serving the greater communities we're apart of just comes naturally. We're here to protect our clients and their interests, so anytime we see additional opportunities for our agency to help our clients and the communities they are part of – we want to learn more.

The Insuror: What are some of the main causes/ groups you support? How and why did you get started with them? CIA: There are many, but here are a few of the main causes we support: United Way of Greater Nashville United Way "unites" the community with multiple programs and outreach campaigns. Some of the specific campaigns we have participated in at CIA include our annual food drive at Thanksgiving to collect food for those in need, our annual donation drive to support the many United Way programs, and our team volunteer days at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

areas of philanthropy they're involved in include education, healthcare, child services, and more. We encourage our producers to support the causes they are passionate about, and most of them are heavily involved. We probably couldn't keep track of all the groups our team supports, and we're proud there are so many!

The Insuror: What do you think it means to clients to see their insurance agent involved in their community? CIA: While we don't participate in community service to "impress" our clients, we do believe they appreciate our involvement in these programs. We often get asked by our clients to support charities they are involved in, and many times they are great causes that we are honored to be a part of. Since we have added multiple agency locations – including those outside of Tennessee – it has also helped us get to know those communities on a deeper level.

The Insuror: Do you feel this service work adds to the "staff culture" of your agency? CIA: Definitely. We have dramatically expanded our staff size in the last year and a half, and the community service work we do helps us showcase our culture to the newer team members. In addition, it gives our staff additional camaraderie to be a part of community service projects together. Last year was tough, as we couldn't do the activities in person, but our team looks forward to those opportunities.

The Insuror: How could our industry as a whole do a better job of supporting the communities they insure? CIA: We think the insurance industry is actually one of the better examples of an industry that goes the extra mile in its collective communities. That being said, there is always more to be done. We help people experiencing loss so frequently, that we can't lose sight of additional ways to support them outside of insurance. CIA collects hundreds of canned good and other food items each year

Team Involvement Many of our partners, producers, and client managers work to volunteer, support, and donate at multiple charities and organizations throughout our Nashville, Chattanooga, Maryland, and South Carolina office areas. Some of the key 46

The Insuror: Thank you for giving us your time, and we appreciate the work you're doing. CIA: We appreciate the opportunity to discuss it! We're proud of the work our agency and this industry does to support others. u The Tennessee Insuror

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4 Ways to Unlock Your Agency's KPIs ...continued from page 12 3. Carrier placement by applicant type. Has your agency been working with the same carriers for years? It's understandable – there are so many carriers, it can be overwhelming. However, that doesn't always give you the best results because carrier performance changes over time. Having the ability to track a carrier placement by applicant type can drive placement of medically underwritten insurance by 10 points or more. The carrier's net placement ratio has more to do with an agent not knowing which carrier to send the business to. 4. Data integrity. Many agencies focus on speed. How quickly can a case manager process an application? How fast can you place a case? Frequently, this leads to shortcuts when following a workflow and busy case managers think “I'll get this added later; I've got to get these commissions paid." However, the KPIs and tools mentioned above require pristine, high-integrity data. If there are gaps, managers cannot get an accurate picture of their operations. These gaps will only give part of the story and lead to mistrust in your analytics. About the Author Scott Fergusson is the CEO at Techficient, an InsurTech company. With over 20 years of experience working in the insurance and financial services sectors, Fergusson notes that success for agents begins with being a good communicator and a better listener. u

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Meetings A Busy Month Ahead for Meetings & Events Big "I" Leadership Conference 9/29-10/3 The Big "I" Fall Leadership Conference will return as an inperson event on September 29 - October 3 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will feature the Education Convocation, National Board and Committee meetings, the Young Agents Leadership Institute and more. For further details, please visit www.iiaba.net and watch for more information soon on registration and hotel reservations.

Insurors 128th Annual Convention 10/16-19 The Insurors 128th Annual Convention returns to its inperson meeting tradition on October 16-19 at the Marriott Shoals Resort & Spa, located just outside of Florence, Alabama on the beautiful Tennessee River. We look forward to seeing everyone again as we host our opening celebration, tradeshow, sessions, golf outing, clay shoot, special events and more. We'll also have special guest entertainer Paul Overstreet performing at our Sunday night Opening Celebration and keynote speaker Manley Feinberg speaking at our Agents' General Session. Registration for the event is now open online! Please visit our Convention page at https://www.insurors.org/IOT/ Convention/2021ConventionHome.aspx for more info or to register now.

Could your agency weather a data security breach? A full 80 percent of businesses that experience one don’t.1 The right insurance can keep your agency from becoming part of this startling statistic. Data breaches are common among smaller businesses, and responding to a breach is both costly and complex. You are obligated to protect the data you collect, and package policies are often not enough. Make sure your agency has the right coverage in place to protect you and your insureds. Contact your Insurors E&O Specialist, Stephen Holmes, CIC, CISR, for information on Data Breach coverage.

ACT Tech Summit October 13-14 The Big "I" Agents Council for Technology will host their biannual meeting on October 13-14, 2021 in hybrid and inperson formats. The meetings allow agents, carriers, and tech vendors a forum to discuss how to effectively and efficiently implement technologies to help your agency thrive. Learn how to scale your agency's tech stack. Hear the latest on what carriers are doing with application programming interfaces (APIs). Find out what's ahead in our postpandemic industry. Demystify blockchain and understand the advancements it's propelling in the independent agency distribution channel. And SO MUCH MORE!

1. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Chronology of Data Breaches

Stephen Holmes, CIC, CISR sholmes@insurors.org 615.515.2609

See more info now at www.independentagent.com/Events u The Tennessee Insuror

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Member Tips Social Media Calendar Tips from Kelley Smith, Trusted Choice Planning your social content for the month can be overwhelming. Even if you have a minimal posting schedule, knowing how to plan your content can be a game-changer for staying organized and on track. Even though social media is all about crea-ting timely and relevant content, that doesn't mean you can't plan ahead. Here are a few tips for planning your social calendar annually, monthly and weekly: 1. Decide what themes you want to focus on. To avoid feeling like you are starting from scratch each month, decide a year out what themes you'd like to focus on each month. You can start this anytime during the year but generally, it's good to look at themes for the next calendar year in October. The holiday season can get busy, so this leaves a few months for discussion and planning. Think about seasonal trends, important holidays, and frequently asked customer questions you can address throughout the year. Examples include seasonal extreme weather, summer road trip safety tips, home insurance tips for new homebuyers, and “Back-to-school" business insurance advice. 2. Narrow your themes. Map out monthly themes 30 days in advance. For example, October content themes might include home maintenance, digital best practices for Cybersecurity Month and at-home Halloween activities. 3. Find an easy-to-use program to create graphics. You don't have to be a trained designer to create nice visuals for your social media channels. Create beautiful designs from scratch or with a template using inexpensive or free tools. 4. Use a scheduling tool to stay organized by week. Visualize how many weekly posts you have with a scheduling tool. This way, you can easily tell where you might need to add more. Planoly and Later are great tools specifically for Instagram. Buffer and Crowdfire are great for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Or, if you plan on posting content directly on the platform, a calendar template in Excel can be just as effective. 5. Take advantage of Trusted Choice® resources. The monthly social calendar from Trusted Choice includes custom insurance graphics, articles and caption ideas for each week. You can use these post ideas as is or edit them to fit your social voice. Calendars are posted around five business days before the start of each month. View more ideas now at http://trustedchoice.independentagent.com u

Directory of Advertisers Advertiser

Phone

Website

Page

ACUITY (920) 458 - 9131 www.acuity.com 9 Alliance Interstate Risk (334) 834 - 7911 www.allianceinterstaterisk.com 42 Arlington/Roe (800) 878 - 9891 www.arlingtonroe.com 7 Bailey Special Risks, Inc. (800) 768 - 7475 www.bsrins.com 12 Berkley Southeast Insurance Group (615) 932 - 5508 www.berkleysig.com 19 Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Cos. (800) 673 - 2465 x4567 www.guard.com/apply 22 Builders Mutual (800) 809 - 4859 www.buildersmutual.com 33 EMC Insurance (800) 447 - 2295 emcins.com/losscontrol 49 ePayPolicy (844) 372 - 9300 www.epaypolicy.com 47 FCCI Insurance Group (800) 226 - 3224 www.fcci-group.com 39 Genesee General/Jencap (800) 282 - 8755 www.geneseeins.com 33 Governmental Risk Insurance Plans (GRIP) (270) 282 - 8020 www.governmentalriskinsuranceplans.com 16 Harford Mutual (800) 638 - 3669 www.harfordmutual.com 45 Imperial PFS (443) 613 - 4820 www.ipfs.com 48 INSBANK (866) 866 - 4268 www.insbanktn.com 11 J.M. Wilson (800) 595 - 0063 www.jmwilson.com 42 Keystone Insurers Group (800) 416 - 5498 www.keystoneinsgrp.com 40 Liberty Mutual/Safeco (800) 837 - 5254 libertymutual.com | safeco.com 30 Lipscomb & Pitts | A Higginbotham Partner (901) 335 - 0951 www.lpinsurance.com 20 LUBA Workers' Comp (888) 884 - 5822 www.lubawc.com 15 Markel Specialty (800) 431 - 1270 www.markelcorp.com 22 MidSouth Mutual Insurance Company (844) 438 - 6642 www.midsouthmutual.com 26 Mountain Empire Agency Alliance (423) 560 - 6077 www.meaa4u.com/insurors 2 National Alliance (800) 633 - 2165 www.scic.com 55 National Security Group (800) 239 - 2358 x213 www.nationalsecuritygroup.com 26 Nationwide Insurance (423) 927 -2060 www.nationwide.com 17 Penn National Insurance (800) 395 - 0518 www.pennnationalinsurance.com 56 Pie Insurance (855) 270 -7445 partnerwithpie.com/tn2021 52 RLI PUP (615) 515 - 2609 www.insurors.org 8 SecureRisk (770) 723 - 8096 www.securerisk.com 38 Stonetrust Insurance (800) 311 - 0997 www.stonetrustinsurance.com 43 Summit Holdings (800) 971 - 2667 www.summitholdings.com 13 Swiss Re Lawyer's Professional Liability (630) 213 - 9952 www.swissre.com 36 Titan Digital (615) 890 - 3600 www.titanwms.com 24,32 West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. (800) 236 - 5010 www.thesilverlining.com 34 WAHVE (646) 807 - 4372 www.wahve.com 50

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The Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation provides quality insurance education geared toward customer service representatives, account executives, servicing agents, new producers, and other professionals. The Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM) designation fills a need for quality risk management education for those associated with schools.

The Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) provides an in-depth, practical approach to education for agents and other insurance practitioners. The Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designation is recognized as being the foremost education available in the field of risk management. The Certified Personal Risk Manager (CPRM) designation yields the best training for meeting the needs of an affluent clientele.

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VISIT SCIC.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION OR INSURORS.ORG TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES NOW

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For more information about our products, please contact one of our territory managers at 615-889-2740. Andy Wilder 7528 Brent Pottsext. ext 7514 Brent Potts ext. 7614 Jane Kinard ext 7518

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time, attention, and resources on delivering superior financial strength and stability, a comprehensive product portfolio, and most of all, on doing what’s right for policyholders. To us, policyholders are much more than insurance consumers. And because of that, all of our business decisions are made with a policyholder-first focus.

The Tennessee Insuror Sep/Oct '21

Articles inside

Company Spotlight

From Your IIABA National Director

The Difference Between Selling Your Book

From Your CEO

Guest Speakers

From Your President

Broker Spotlight

Government & Legal Update