TriLines Fall 2016 Issue

Fall 2016

DON’T MISS OKTOBERFEST ON 10/6/16 PLATTDUETSCHE BIERGARTEN NYIDAY WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 14TH [1]

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Rewards of Giving

Our second Oktoberfest at Pla2duetsche Park

Biergarten on October 6th is set and a2rac8ng another large registra8on. If you haven’t already signed up, please do so soon at www.tricountyagents.com. Once again, proceeds from this event will be shared by the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk which Jeanne Abatelli, our Director of Sales, will be par8cipa8ng in for her third year. Our congratula8ons go to Jeanne for her determina8on and dedica8on to this worthy

James Bastian President

cause.

Another admirable event that members of TriCounty

can be proud of is the $2,500 grant awarded to The INN by the Insurance Industry Charitable Founda8on (IICF). Because of your support of The INN at past holiday par8es, we submi2ed their name and they were one of 10 chari8es selected for this na8onwide grant from 60 submissions. I’m told that this $2,500 will provide close to a 1,000 hot nutri8ous meals in The INN’s Hempstead soup kitchen. (That thought warms my heart.) This kitchen is worked by volunteers and serves approximately 300-500 guests per day, five days a week. This accounts for 100,000 meals annually at the Hempstead loca8on. In addi8on to hot meals, guests can access the food pantry which offers nutri8ous items and other necessi8es when the kitchen is closed - all free of charge.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CON’T

On September 13th a few of our board members visited

the Ronald McDonald House at their invita8on to have photos taken of the plaque made in apprecia8on of TriCounty’s $10,000 dona8on from the proceeds of our post holiday party in January. It’s a special plaque that will hang outside the door of one of their beau8fully decorated guest rooms.

A post holiday party in January, 2016 is also in the

planning stage and another charity will be chosen to share in the proceeds. If you have a candidate for a charity, please let me know soon.

Of course, another form of giving is to volunteer a li2le

of your 8me to serve on our board of directors or on a commi2ee. Our current board consists of busy insurance professionals like you who want to give something back. I sincerely appreciate the 8me and effort they devote to TriCounty members and others in areas of educa8on, mee8ng programs, scholarships, communica8on, legisla8on and networking with other organiza8ons as well as working with IIABNY to promote their many resources.

We are always looking for new talent and I know you’re

out there. Please consider ge_ng involved – it’s very rewarding.

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Contact James Bastian: Phone: 866-443-8859 Email: JamesB@APagents.com

WHY JOIN ADVANTAGE PARTNERS NETWORK? BECAUSE OUR PARTNERS ARE YOUR PARTNERS • Represent the Most Competitive Major Insurance Companies • No fees, up-front costs or long-term contracts • Agent owns 100% of the business • Ability to earn Carrier profit sharing, incentives and bonuses Advantage Partners is the trusted resource for market access and agency appointments. We work with you as the independent insurance agent to help you achieve greater success.

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Oktoberfest Anyone?

by Frank Elorza

Ask any of your colleagues what was one

of the best insurance industry events in 2015 and you will likely get several “OKTOBERFEST” replies! No, not the world’s largest beer festival held annually in Munich, Germany but TriCounty’s night of food, beer, music and networking.

On October 6th we will be back at the

spacious Plattduetsche Biergarten in Franklin Square for what is shaping up to be another large and enjoyable gathering.

Frank Elorza Past President 2013-2014

Save room for delicious traditional German

Fare such as potato pancakes, imported pretzels

form Munich and of course bratwurst & sauerbraten. Endless beer is on tap to wash it all down!

While we are all looking to have plenty of fun, October is breast cancer

awareness month and Oktoberfest will support the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk.

Through donations, raffles and silent auction ticket purchased we are looking to top last year’s total of over $5,000.

Buy your tickets now and come enjoy a night of entertainment all for a great

cause. See you then!

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Connecting For A Cause!

Join Us for Oktoberfest on Thursday October 6th October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Enjoy an Evening of Networking, Good Food, Beer, Wine, Raffles and a Silent Auction!

We will be supporting the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk.

Sponsorships:

Pink Ribbon Sponsor - $1500 - includes 10 tickets.

Think Pink Sponsor - $750 - includes 4 tickets.

Pink Shoe Sponsor - $360 - includes 1 ticket.

Place:

Plattduetsche Park Biergarten 1132 Hempstead Turnpike Franklin Square

Time:

6:00 pm - 10 pm

Cost:

$60.00 per person

Everyone who attends will be entered to win an NYiDAY ticket!

Casual Attire, Wear Some Pink & Bring Some Friends!

REGISTER with a credit card at www.tricountyagents.com

Complete and return the following form to pay by check.

Reservation for TriCounty IIAA Oktoberfest Sponsorship Participation – October 6, 2016 Name(s) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Company Name _________________________________________________________________________________ Phone No. ___________________________________E-Mail _____________________________________________ Additional Names:________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________

Please make check payable to TriCounty IIAA [6] Mail to: Jeanne Abatelli * 150 Dartmouth Dr. * Hicksville, NY 11801 If you have any question please call 516-681-6265 or injeanious1@mac.com.

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Connect Engage with innovative people and products you may not even know about on the invitation-only Show Floor.

Advance Network with the movers and shakers of the industry on the Show Floor, in the Lounge, and at the can’t-miss Social Hour.

Register at www.NYiDAY.com Presenting Sponsor

#NYiDAY NYIDAY.com [7]

WRITING HOMEOWNES INSURANCE CAN BE A CHALLENGE

by Steve Ferrar

When I first started in this business writing

Homeowners Insurance was a simple easy task.

NO estimators, NO credit score, NO inspections, NO dog lists. A few simple questions were all it took - name and address, Brick or Frame, $100 or $250 deductible. The next step was to look up the rate on a chart and issue the policy. Oh, and by the way, the minimum commission was 20%.

What a difference compared to writing

Homeowners insurance today. In addition to name and address, you now need Date of Birth,

Steve Ferrar Director

Social Security number and prior address to run

the credit score, property CLUE report, distance to coast, etc. We then need to get the answers to a minimum of about fifty questions. If you happen to be getting this information from a mortgage broker or lawyer for a closing, they will have the answers to less than half of them. More amazingly, if you are speaking to a firsttime home buyer, you often fair no better. I can’t believe some buyers cannot even answer the questions – oil or gas heat?

Then, when you cannot get these answers, you have to morph into a

detective to find the answers, so you can be somewhat confident that the Coverage “A” amount will not change, or the policy will not be cancelled when the insurance company does its typical outside inspection, and lately, the more common inside inspection.

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con’t

First you go to a website to search for the square footage, number of baths, garage, etc. If it is a new sale, you can go on one of the real estate sites, but you will almost never see pictures of the things you need, like the furnace room or electric panel, but just way too many staged pictures of living rooms and bedrooms. Then, move on to Google maps Street View to try to check on such things as curling, cracked or missing roof shingles, raised sidewalk slabs, or lack of handrails on the steps. There will be the challenge to find the house number somewhere on the mailbox, house, or curb, to be sure you are in fact, looking at the right house. Inevitably there will be that big leafy tree blocking the view of the house and the information you need. If so, then go to Plan B, the satellite view – helpful in picking up things such as the wonderful trampoline or backyard pool, but leading to more questions; Is the pool fenced? Does it have a diving board? Then on to the fun stuff that makes insurance life challenging – wood stove? – Hope for a “NO” because if it is a “YES” you need to get out the wood stove questionnaire! Asbestos or EFIS siding – the answer is usually “I don’t know.” Buried oil tank? A “yes” here gets an under our breath “ #!* %&#! ”, because we know this takes out at least half of our carrier options.

Distance to the coast? Not only is the distance different between carriers, but

of course, the eligibility is all over the map – excuse the pun.

Now comes the big question – Do you own a dog? When the answer is “YES”

you once again hold your breath for the follow-up “Breed” question. Of course, the Pit Bull owners will always say they are the gentlest, most docile dogs in the world.

I’ve learned to just say “yes they are” and admit all of the insurance companies that don’t accept them are crazy. I have been forced to become a dog expert, with the help of Google, checking out things such as “Is an American Bull Dog really a Pit Bull?” I can see the day when we will be asked to do a saliva test for dog DNA breed questions!

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con’t

I love the question “complete or partial” modernization of plumbing or electric

systems. Who designs these questions? Is replacing a light switch or a washing machine hose a partial modernization, and what constitutes a complete upgrade?

Ripping out the walls to replace every electric wire or plumbing pipe?

After all of this, and obtaining even more information, you rate it in various

companies and hope you can remember the difference between all of the carrier’s different packaged endorsements – VAP Plus vs. Homemaster Plus vs. Harbormaster vs. Mariner Plus vs. Sentinel Silver, etc.

Then start with the Hurricane deductible options 2% versus 5% and Cat I

versus Cat II triggers.

Finally it is time to get the rates, but don’t forget to calculate if multi-policy

credits work better than stand alone lowest cost policies.

Present your quote to the Insured and if you get the “OK”, you upload it. Then

cross your fingers that you don’t hear from the insurance company about what crazy thing they found out, that will make all of this time and effort getting the Homeowners Policy on the books, result in the dreaded “NOT ELIGIBLE” termination letter.

Oh, how I long for those simple good old days – “Brick or Frame”

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Industry That Keeps Giving

by Ron Brunell

Tri-County is quickly getting recognized for

wonderful charity work. Tri-County gives multiple scholarships to deserving students, supports Ronald McDonald house, Susan G. Komen Cancer Fund, and The INN, just to name a few. In this spirit, we submitted an application to the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (ICCF) seeking a donation for a very worthy operation known as The Inn. For those not familiar, The INN stands for Ron Brunell Treasurer

Interfaith Nutrition Network. This charity is located in Hempstead and is well known for all the good

work they do in providing food for hungry and long term housing for the homeless.

The INN is a not-for-profit volunteer based organization with dedicated sta, a broad base of community support and a commitment to educate the public about issues of those in need.

Tri-County is one of many organizations that support The INN. For a number of years at our holiday parties a part of the ticket price was donated to them and we have held 50/50’s raising money for The INN. Every dollar they raise helps feed or house someone in need.

This year, the Insurance Charitable Foundation agreed that the INN is a worthy organization that they wanted to help. I was asked to represent Tri-County as the $2,500 grant to the INN was presented at the ICCF cocktail reception on [11]

September 15 in New York City. I look forward to formally presenting the check to the INN shortly. This gift will go a long way to help many people in need. Special Thanks to Pat Calvert for making this happen.

Betsy Myatt, IICF Northeast Division Executive Director, presented the grant check for The INN to Ron Brunell while Dick Poppa, IIABNY President and CEO looks on‌‌

(l-r) Edith Fiato (Table to Table), Leo Fitzsimmons (Samaritan Inn), Ron Brunell (TriCounty IIAA), Cara Levy and Stanley Silverstein (both from Institutes of Applied Human Dynamics) [12]

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The TriCounty Independent Insurance Agents Association donates $10,000 to the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island.

Members of the TriCounty Board of Directors presented a check for $10,000 to the

Ronald McDonald House of Long Island on January 21, 2016. The check represented proceeds from the TriCounty ‘Cabaret’ post holiday party held on January 11th at K-Pacho Restaurant in New Hyde Park, New York.

“We were so impressed with the work of this fine organiza8on, we wanted to

contribute as best we could” said Peter Phillips, President of TriCounty. “$10,000 was our goal and, with the help of the dedicated volunteers at Ronand McDonald House, our sponsors and guests on January 11, we reached it!” he added.

Twenty two companies sponsored this gala event which drew close to 200 guests.

“Sponsorships, along with proceeds from the 50/50 drawing made the size of dona8on possible” said James Bas8an, TriCounty’s treasurer.”and we thank everyone for their generosity”.

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Visit At Ronald McDonald House

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STRENGTH

INTEGRITY

COMMITMENT

We are so proud to celebrate 100 years of doing business. Times change, people change but our relationships with brokers continues to thrive. We truly look forward to the next 100 years!

• Homeowners & New Expanded Multi-Tier HO Product • Multi-Tier Personal Auto • Personal & Commercial Assigned Risk 155 Mineola Boulevard Mineola, NY 11501 www.IAOins.com 516 248-1100

THE COMPANY YOU CAN TRUST...SINCE 1914 [18]

HEARD AROUND TOWN

I’m 8red of ge_ng emails from my trusted contacts pushing GEICO. Here are two that I recently received: Claim Your Special LIU Post Alumni Discount with GEICO! Special discount on GEICO auto insurance for BJ's Wholesale Club Members!

Bond, James Bond

Stephen Folan Past President 2009 - 2011

James Bond’s Aston Mar8n DB5 made its big screen appearance 52 years ago in “Goldfinger.” The car sported concealed Browning machine guns, tac8cal oil spills, ejector seats and a 5-speed, 4.0 L engine that hit speeds of 145 mph. In 1997 the car was stolen from an airport hangar in Florida where it was stored. No one has seen the car since despite best efforts to find it. The car was valued and insured at $4.2 million by Chubb.

- William Crowley, Claim Auto Liability Manager, Chubb

Drivers over 65 Almost half of all drivers on the na8on’s roads are over the age of 65 and this number is projected to increase to 77 percent in the next 30 years. Adults over the age of 65 have the highest crash rate per mile compared to any other age group, and older driver fatali8es are highest in Florida, California and Texas.

Controversial Red Light Cameras Save Lives: IIHS

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Red-light cameras are widely hated, but a new study says ge_ng rid of them can have fatal consequences. Traffic deaths from red-light-running crashes go up by nearly a third aper ci8es turn off cameras designed to catch motorists in the act, according to a study by the Insurance Ins8tute for Highway Safety. The ins8tute is funded by auto insurers.

While ci8es con8nue to add cameras at intersec8ons with traffic signals, at least 158 communi8es have ended their red-light camera programs in the past five years, the study said. Researchers compared trends in annual crash rates in 14 ci8es that had ended their camera programs with those in 29 ci8es in the same regions that con8nued their camera programs. They found that, aper adjus8ng for other factors, red-light-running crashes went up 30 percent.

Further, all types of crashes at intersec8ons with traffic signals went up 16 percent. That finding suggests that red-light cameras deter other behavior by motorists, not just red-light running, said Wen Hu, co-author of the study.

10 Things Young Insurance Agents Like, and Don’t Like, About Their Jobs What Young Agents Like MOST: • Flexible schedule.

• Opportunity for professional development and community involvement.

• Earning poten8al.

• The daily challenges. No two days are the same.

• Work-life balance.

• The ability to check several markets to a2ain the best insurance coverage for each client.

• Establishing rela8onships with clientele and educa8ng them about the importance of insurance and how it can impact their business.

• Helping people.

• Being own boss.

• Residual income.

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What Young Agents Like LEAST: • Doing servicing work.

• The pressure from carriers to produce for them in order to keep an appointment.

• Overcoming the nega8ve percep8ons set forth by those before me.

• Having to regularly deal with new (revolving door) insurance carrier representa8ves and what seem like the constantly evolving appe8tes.

• The s8gma that comes with selling insurance.

• The lack of young talent in the business and awareness of our business.

• Having to nego8ate many different online produc8on/quo8ng systems.

• The hours can be demanding.

• The first three-to-five-year grind as a new young agent.

• Lack of response by carriers to agent feedback.

Source: Insurance Journal’s 2016 Young Agents Survey

“We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress.”

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- Will Rogers

BOARD MEMBERS OFFICERS

James Bastian President

Adam Erickson Vice President

Ron Brunell, CIC Treasurer

Alex Giraldo Secretary

DIRECTORS

Eileen Black, CPCU

Andrew Chong

Chris Dritsas

Elisa Grober, PLCS

Neil Levy, CPA, CFP

Christopher Wukovits

Steve Ferrar

Peter Phillips Immediate Past President

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Comprehensive.

Flexible.

Competitive.

Employee Benefit Packages Created Exclusively for IIABNY Members Life & Disability Package

Preferred Dental Program

Preferred Vision Program

Underwritten by MetLife

Underwritten by Guardian (Guardian Life Insurance Company of New York)

Underwritten by Davis Vision

Package includes:

Dual Plan Options: Standard or Enhanced

Dual Plan Options: Standard or Enhanced

Contribution Options: Voluntary or Contributory

Contribution Options: Voluntary or Contributory

Highlights include:

Highlights Include:

• Expansive network • Guardian Maximum Rollover Feature • Children (full-time students) covered to age 26 • Orthodontia included, subject to policy terms and conditions • No deferred services for new employees

• Eye exam once every 12 months • Spectacle lenses once every 12 months • Frames once every 12-24 months (depending on chosen plan) • Contact lenses in lieu of glasses once every 12 months • *Co-pay schedule applies

• Life & AD&D • Long Term Disability • Voluntary Life Highlights include: • Life Benefits up to $500,000 • DBL weekly benefits up to $1,000 • LTD monthly benefits up to $10,000 (groups of 1-9 employees) • LTD monthly benefits up to $15,000 (groups of 10 or more) • Attractive guarantee issue limits guaranteed issue up to $250,000

Contact Eric DeFrancesco 800-962-7950, ext. 241 • edefrancesco@iiabny.org Employee Benefit Packages are available through IAAC (IIABNY’s membership services division) and powered by

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All You Need is Four Eyes.

(Two Enrollees)

I I A B NY M E M B E R V I S I O N P L A N Underwritten by Davis Vision Headquartered in New York State

Highlights Include: •

Minimum participants: 2 employees (regardless of agency size)

•

Exam:

12 months (with dilation)

•

Flexible plan options

•

Lens:

12 months

•

Competitive rates

•

Frames:

12 or 24 months

•

Online application and enrollment

•

Contacts:

12 months (in lieu of glasses)

•

No census, no underwriting

IIABNY members may use one of two enrollment options when offering vision to their employees: Voluntary: Employee pays the entire monthly premium.

A powerful way to increase employee satisfaction with your benefits package without adding costs to the agency!

Contributory: Employee shares in the monthly premium.

The agency contributes a minimum of 20% or more of the total monthly premium.

For more information, plan summaries/benefits, or a quote contact

5784 Widewaters Parkway, 1st Floor, Dewitt, NY 13214 • www.iiabny.org

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Eric DeFrancesco 800-851-8853, ext. 241 edefrancesco@iiabny.org

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OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

OFFICERS President James Bastian Advantage Partners, Inc 37-19 Broadway Astoria, NY 11103

Vice President Adam Erickson Carlstan North Hills Agency, Inc. 377 Oak Street Ste 305 Garden City, NY 11530

Treasurer Ron Brunell, CIC The Signature B&B Companies 501 Franklin Avenue Garden City, NY 11530

Secretary Alex Giraldo Club Agency 100 Ring Road, Ste 200 Garden City, NY 11530

Eileen Abatelli-Black, CPCU Abatelli Group Inc 24 - 55 Francis Lewis Blvd Whitestone, NY 11357 Chris Dritsas Phillips General Insurance, Port Washington 180 Main Street Port Washington, NY 11050

DIRECTORS

Andrew Chong ARC Underwriting Partners, Inc. 73 Cuttermill Road Great Neck, NY 11021

Steve Ferrar Ferrar Insurance 120 Franklin Avenue Franklin Square, NY 11010

Elisa Grober, PLCS Grober-Imbey Agency One Sunrise Plaza Valley Stream, NY 11580

Neil Levy, CPA,CFP Christopher M. Wukovits CBS Coverage a division of Assured AAA New York Insurance Services, Inc. SKCG, Inc. 1415 Kellum Place 111 Express Street Garden City, NY 11530 Plainview, NY 11803 Immediate Past President Peter Phillips Phillips Brokerage, Inc. 37-19 Broadway Astoria, NY 11103 [26]

OTHER POSITIONS TriCounty IIAA Executive Director Patricia Calvert 132 Peachtree Lane Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 calvertpc@aol.com 516-621-2209 Tri-Lines Publisher Jeanne Abatelli 150 Dartmouth Drive Hicksville, NY injeanious1@optonline.net 516-681-6265 TriCounty IIAA Director of Sales Jeanne Abatelli 150 Dartmouth Drive Hicksville, NY injeanious1@optonline.net 516-681-6265

IIABNY Positions Chair of the Board John H. Smith, Jr., CPCU, ARM, CIC William A. Smith & Son Inc. 380 Broadway Newburgh, NY 12550 p: 845.561.1706 f: 845.485.6603 e: jacksmith@wasmithandson.com

IIABNY President & CEO Richard A. Poppa, CAE, AAI dpoppa@iiabny.org IIABNY 5784 Widewaters Pkwy Dewitt, NY 13214 800-962-7950 516-568-0800

Regional Director Ronald Brunell, CIC The Signature B & B Companies 501 Franklin Avenue Garden City, NY 11530 p: 516.823.3133 f: 516.764.1019 e: rbrunell@sbbinsure.com

Regional Director John Cofini BNC Insurance Agency, Inc. 111 S. Ridge Street Rye Brook, NY 10573 p: 914.881.4844 f: 914.937.1124 e: jcofini@bncagency.com

Pryor Personnel Agency Inc. The Insurance Specialist since 1970 local, National and International Recruitment www.ppryor.com ppryor1578@aol.com

Phone (516) 935-0100

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IIABNY 2016 Fall & Winter Seminar Schedule CE Classes in Nassau & Queens CounNes. FULL CLASS DESCRIPTIONS, WEBINAR OPTIONS & ONLINE REGISTRATION AT www.iiabny.org/edcalendar OR CALL IIABNY’S EDUCATION DEPT. AT 1-800-962-7950

NASSAU COUNTY Classes held at either : Four-Points Sheraton, Plainview or LaQunita Hotel, Garden City.

Oct 5 – Commercial Auto (ACSR #8).......................................Full day – 4 Points Sheraton Oct 19 – Commercial Prpt. Ins. (AAI 81-C)...............................Full day - 4 Points Sheraton Oct 21 - NYAIP Cer8fica8on Program..........................................Half Day – LaQuinta Hotel Oct 26 – Homeowners (ACSR #1)...............................................Full day – 4 Points Sheraton Nov 8 - EO Risk Mge. ‘Mee8ng the Challenge of Change’.........Full day - 4 Points Sheraton Dec 14 - NYAIP Cer8fica8on Program.......................................Half Day – 4 Points Sheraton QUEENS COUNTY Classes held at Adria Hotel, Bayside, NY unless indicated otherwise.

Dec 9 - NYAIP Cer8fica8on Program..................................................Half Day – Adria Hotel

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Advertisers Insurance Companies & Markets Advantage Partners Interboro Insurance Group Peter Resnick 155 Mineola Blvd Mineola, NY 11501 Phone: 516-248-1100 Fax: 516-746-1884 Email:presnick@interboroinsuran ce.com www.interboroinsurance.com

Morstan General Agency Inc. Bob Birner 600 Community Drive PO Box 4500 Manhasset, NY 11030-4500 Phone: 516-488-4747 Fax: 516-437-5050 www.morstan.com

Phone: 866-431-8100 Fax: 516-431-5351 www.newempiregroup.com NIF Group Michael Orlando Nancy Williams 30 Park Avenue Manhasset, NY 11030 Phone: 516-365-7440 Fax: 516-496-7356 nwilliams@nifgroup.com www.nifgroup.com

Insurance Services

Pryor Personnel Agency Patricia Pryor Bonica 147 Old Country Road Hicksville, NY 11801 Phone: 516-935-0100 Fax: 516-931-7842 Email: ppryor1578@aol.com www.ppryor.com

New Empire Group 214 W Park Avenue Long Beach, NY 11561

VISIT US AT WWW.TRICOUNTYAGENTS.COM

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