Missouri Agent Sep/Oct 23

3315 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, Mo. 65109

Phone: 573-893-4301 • FAX: 573-893-3708

Email: maia@moagent.org

Internet: www.moagent.org

Publisher Matt Barton

Editor & Advertising Manager Amie Hughes

Officers of MAIA

President Darin Banner, CIC, Bolivar

President-Elect Dennis Luebbering, LUTCF, Jeff. City

Vice President Matt Speight, AIC, AIP, Montgomery City

Secretary-Treasurer Deena James, CIC, Kansas City

IIABA National Director Brad Greer, Creve Ceour

PIA National Director Randy Smart, Marionville

Imm. Past President Cansada Stark, CISR, CLCS, Rolla

Board of Directors

Region 1 Ross Ingersoll, CIC, Savannah

Region 2 Clare Zanger, PPACA, CCHC, Hannibal

Region 3 Holly Stark, Harrisonville

Region 4 Mark Baker, Platte City

Region 5 Rick Prather, Jefferson City

Region 6 Tony Becker, CIC, CRM , Crystal City

Region 7 Paul Carcagno, Arnold

Region 8 Heath Greer, Creve Coeur

Region 9 Eric Keller, CISR, Webb City

Region 10 Richard Ollis, Springfield

Region 11 David Hall, West Plains

Region 12 Jeremy Anderson, Sikeston

At-Large #1 Andy Reavis, Billings

At-Large #2 Nick Brenizer, AIP, RWCS , Osage Beach

At-Large #3 Jim Neuner, LUTCF, HIA, CBWA, Jefferson City

Co. Rep. Dave Barrett, CPCU, CIC, Liberal

Co. Rep. John Velino, Edwardsville, Ill.

MAIA Staff

Chief Executive Officer Matt Barton

Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Van Leer

Director of Insurance Services Theresa Flippin, AIP, CISR

Director of Marketing & Communications Amie Hughes

Database Administrator Laura Berendzen

Education & Events Coordinator April Underwood

Accounting Specialist Paula Wolken

Customer Service Representative Hannah Wall

Administrative Assistant Sherri Mistretta

Director of Government Affairs Larry Case

MISSOURI AGENT (USPS 709-210) is published bimonthly by the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents, 3315 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, Mo. 65109, Phone: 573-8934301. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, Mo. and additional mailing offices.

MAIA does not necessarily endorse any of the companies advertising in this publication. Additional subscriptions are $30 per year.

Address & Other Changes

Notify Missouri Agent if you change your address, change your agency name, or drop or change producers (who are voting members of the association). Write to: Missouri Agent, 3315 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, Mo. 65109 or email: maia@moagent.org.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Missouri Agent, 3315 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, Mo. 65109.

© 2023 Missouri Association of Insurance Agents

fromthepresident Providence and participation

iam honored and humbled to serve as the next president of MAIA and, as I begin my term, I would like to share two stories with you from my life as well as share my thoughts, goals and outlook for MAIA in the coming year.

We’ve all heard the expression “things happen for a reason,” and some people may call it coincidence, others may call it something different, but I call it providence. Coincidence is defined by a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection. In other words, things just happen randomly.

Providence is defined by the guardianship and care provided by God, which is why I believe I’m serving in this capacity today. I haven’t always been in the insurance business and, probably like many of you, a career in insurance was never even a consideration for me as I was growing up. When I was young and growing up on the farm, I always wanted to be a bull rider, but as I grew up and realized that might not be the best career choice I started thinking of other options. Ultimately, after graduating from Southwest Baptist University, I chose a career in education as teacher and coach, which I did from 1995-2004. I was the head boys basketball coach at Bolivar High School from 1999-2003 and, during the 2002-03 basketball season, through a series of bad decisions by some players and some injuries, we lost 11 players out of our program before the first week of January. Needless to say, these events were not conducive to having a good season on any level, and we finished with a record of 2-22. At the conclusion of the season, I decided to resign from head basketball coach but requested to continue teaching and serving as the head boys golf coach, and the school granted my request. During the next several

months, my brother, Dwain, and I had several conversations about what I could do with a math and physical education degree if I didn’t teach and, honestly, we didn’t come up with any great ideas. However, a few weeks later, my current agency principal, Kevin, walked into my brother’s store and, after they discussed some business, he asked Dwain if he knew of anyone that might be interested in coming to work for Capstone Insurors as an agent. Dwain advised Kevin to reach out to me and, after many conversations with Kevin, much time of prayer and consideration, and spending my 2004 spring break getting my insurance license, I started at Capstone Insurors in June of 2004. Kevin always encouraged participation within MAIA so, in addition to attending the conferences, I’ve served as tournament director for the Missouri Big “I” Championship from 2008-2018, followed by my service on the board for the past several years, and now on the Executive Committee. All of these events could be considered coincidence but I prefer to be thankful for the providence of God and the guardianship and care He provided during these years that have brought me to the place I am today.

Regarding my personal life, I didn’t get married until the age of 46. I know during my days of being single there were so many questions: Why isn’t he married? What’s wrong with him? He must have some serious issues that we don’t know about. While that may very well be true, that’s not the point I’m trying to make right now! I always wanted to be married and have a family but I also

continued on page 32

Darin Banner, CIC president, MAIA

"As we get to know one another over the next year, my hope is that these stories will provide you with a little perspective on my family and how we try to live our lives."

Darin Banner, CIC

my turn

Defeating the 80/20 rule

if you were in attendance for this year’s MAC Summit, specifically the banquet Thursday evening, you got a chance to hear MAIA president Darin Banner’s inspiring words after he was sworn into the office. Darin not only shared how he got into this industry and some touching words about his family, but he also challenged each of us to get more involved in the association and to facilitate opportunities for others to get involved as well. I was privy to a sneak peek into what the subject matter of Darin’s words would be, but I will admit that I was moved that evening by how passionate he is about association involvement and how much thought and preparation he had devoted to this mission. Whether you know Darin professionally or personally, we can agree that he is one of the most “stand-up” and decent individuals you will encounter in your lifetime, and I’m fortunate to have come to recognize him as a friend to me. That’s why I hope when you heard his message you were inspired to see his vision to fruition. However, neither he nor I can do it alone, nor even the board of directors alone. It will take the larger association membership as a whole to accomplish what needs to take place.

In preparation for that evening, Darin asked me for some specific information related to individual and agency involvement in MAIA, and while I doubt our numbers are drastically different from our brethren associations around the nation, they nonetheless should strike a chord with each of us in that much of the work and involvement in the association is limited to a smaller percentage of individuals than should be. MAIA currently recognizes about 425 agency members, comprising nearly 5,000 individuals working in those agencies. That is indeed a lot of agencies and individuals that could be involved in the association, whether that’s attending conferences or classes, or serving on committees. Involvement

in associations of your peers makes you a more robust professional, expands your professional reach and allows you to serve your clients better.

So very often I am confronted with member agents who call or email me about a particular law or topic that we discuss in a class, all too often that agent stating that this is the first time he/she has heard of that law, firmly believing that MAIA has not properly informed membership of it. However, in the vast majority of instances, that law or topic has been discussed just short of ad nauseam in multiple classes, but the individual has attended none of those classes. While frustrating for both the agent and me, it does provide an opportunity to invite that individual to the classes and conferences in which discussion takes place that would provide the individual with an understanding of the topic.

Getting back to Darin’s message and plea to each of us – we all have ample opportunity to better get involved in the association, whether that’s by serving on a committee, attending a class, attending a conference, or any of the host of other opportunities provided. I get it – we’re all busy. For sure that is how most agents respond when asked how they have been. But I can promise you that if you dedicate yourself over the next year to getting more involved in MAIA, you will be able to cite solid instances in which your professional life, and maybe personal as well, have been improved.

So, each of us has a choice in front of us for at least the next year. I hope that each of you will make the decision to get more involved in the association, and just as important, invite other insurance professionals to get involved as well. If you’re not sure where you fit into the association, contact us and I’m quite certain we can help you find your place.

Matt Barton chief executive officer, MAIA

thelegalside Issues of mergers, acquisitions and other co-ventures

there has been much discussion in the national press for several years about the amount of merger and acquisition activity in the insurance business, but most of those reports focus on carrier mergers or larger broker company mergers. There is less written about independent agencies, but there has been much activity among agencies as well, although some of it has changed over the years in terms of the types of transactions taking place.

While there is still activity that occurs from small agency personnel retirements, where the entire agency’s book of business is sold to another agency, there is likely more activity that occurs because of the options available to agencies to aggregate with other agencies in some format. There are multiple models employed for how these arrangements are structured. Some are just buyouts by a large agency that may operate either nationwide or in a multiple state area, where the purchased agency just becomes a branch of the large agency and operates under the large agency name. That is generally a classic-looking acquisition, and like the other aggregations, is done to increase the total volume of business an agency can send to a carrier. Other acquisitions by a larger agency may also be a total purchase, but may leave something of the local name of the purchased agency in place to keep local recognition of brand. Some other aggregations don’t involve a purchase at all. They represent an agreement with a larger entity to move all of an agency’s business through the larger entity’s contracts with carriers, but with the local agency maintaining the ownership of the business, subject to certain obligations to the larger entity. All of the business is managed by a staff employed by the larger entity that provides services to each of the member agencies. Somewhat similar is the last model I’ll discuss, which looks most like what might have been called a cluster in the 1980s. It consists of a group of smaller agencies that create an entity

to contract with the carriers and each of the agencies place their business through that entity, but they also manage and control the entity, while maintaining their autonomy as individual agencies and total ownership and control of the business.

There are very successful operations and stories for each of these formats, but I have seen instances where the agency entering into one of these formats may not have done a complete due diligence on how the format will affect their operations. All of these methods of aggregation are meant to focus all the business placement through carriers selected by the overall entity, which makes complete sense since that is how the market clout is developed. However, many smaller agencies may have a great deal of business through a county mutual because of the local market and the agency needs to know if it still will be able to use that market and if it does, how that revenue is treated by the overall entity. Another consideration in the models where the agency maintains some autonomy is how that is affected when the principals of the agency reach retirement age. Do they maintain some options on how the agency will be owned or managed, particularly can it be designated to the next generation of family? Or if the agency is in a model where it maintains ownership, can the agency be sold to anyone, or must it be offered to other members of that model? There also needs to be clarity on how contingencies or bonuses are handled in terms of which agencies get to participate in the bonus and how those are calculated.

Many agencies have had very happy and successful relationships within each of these models, but an agency should spend much time reviewing the details of the operations to understand how the model will affect the agency and to avoid uncomfortable surprises in the future.

Lewis E. Melahn is a practicing attorney who provides free legal consultation to MAIA members on a limited basis. He served as the director for the Missouri Department of Insurance from 1989-1993. You can contact Lew Melahn at 573-230-7200.

Lewis E. Melahn, J.D.

The big "home rental" dilemma technicalities w

e have more and more clients using homes they own for vacation rentals, and I’m guessing you do too. It sounds great, right? We rent our homes as vacation homes, and we make a little money.

However, what does our home insurance say?

In the new HO3 (3-22) form, it defines “homesharing.” Anytime something is defined, we need to pay attention! Defined terms always mean something. Let’s just look at the definitions for “Home-sharing host activities.”

“Home-sharing host activities” is listed under the definition for “Business,” and then defined specifically in the HO3 (3-22) form as:

6."Home-sharinghostactivities"means:

a. The:

(1)Rentalorholdingforrental;or

(2)Mutualexchangeofservices; ofthe"residencepremises",inwholeorin part,byan"insured"toa"home-sharing occupant"throughtheuseofa"homesharingnetworkplatform"and

b.Anyotherrelatedpropertyorservicesmade availablebyan"insured"foruseduring such:

(1)Rental;or

(2)Mutualexchangeofservices; exceptthosepropertyorservicesprovidedby anotherparty.

7."Home-sharingnetworkplatform"means anonline-enabledapplication,websiteor digitalnetworkthat:

a.Isusedforthepurposeoffacilitating,for money,mutualexchangeofservicesorother compensation,therentalofadwellingor otherstructure,inwholeorinpart;and

b.Allowsfortheagreementandcompensation withrespecttosuchrentaltobetransacted throughsuchonline-enabledapplication, websiteordigitalnetwork.

8."Home-sharingoccupant"meansaperson, otherthanan"insured",who:

a.Hasenteredintoanagreementorarranged compensationwithan"insured"through theuseofa"home-sharingnetwork platform"for"home-sharinghostactivities" or

b.Isaccompanyingorstayingwithaperson describedinParagraph8.a.aboveunder such"home-sharinghostactivities".

I can tell you, when I see definitions and words and phrases in quotation marks, I take notice and read further. Those quotation marks are not for show. They always mean the policy has something else to say, and many times what it has to say is that coverage will be excluded or severely limited.

Property of the “home-sharing occupant” as well as property of the insured in the space while rented or held for rental is excluded from coverage in this same HO3 form. So, what happens if a fire occurs while the home is rented? There could be no coverage for the contents. Also limited is the peril of theft and vandalism and malicious mischief. These perils are excluded when the loss arises from “home-sharing activities.”

Now, what happens if there’s a liability or medical claim from the “home-sharing activity”? Yes, that’s excluded too.

So, what’s our answer? Home-sharing is becoming a big business and my family has rented these homes more than once and they work great. As a renter, our own homeowners policy will protect us. However, if we rent our vacation homes or even our primary residence for “home-sharing activities” we need to take notice of the HO3 form applicable on our own policy AND on the policies of our insureds.

Recently a client called and told me he was considering renting his secondary home in Colorado as a vacation rental. That call allowed me to inquire if his current homeowners policy would be okay with the occasional rental. Their answer was a fast, “NO.” The next step was to find a carrier that could handle this and provide him that option. Not as easy as it sounds. However, this example worked out, but how many more clients are already renting their homes or considering renting their homes on the “home-sharing network”? I’m sure we have plenty and you do too.

My only advice is to first spend time reading your policy forms. Know what they cover and, more importantly, don’t cover. Then ask clients, talk to them at renewal and when first writing their coverage. Educate, educate, educate. That’s our mission!

If you encounter any issues with policy forms, coverage gaps or problematic language, please report them to MAIA’s Coverage Advisory Committee so they can work on getting them corrected through their discussions with ISO, NCCI and ACORD.

Deena James, CIC MAIA coverage advisory committee, Cowell James Forge Insurance Group

errors omissions& a Producers don't know what they don't know

s most insurance professionals would admit, insurance can be somewhat of a complicated issue. There are multiple coverages and for some of those coverages, the forms of the various carriers are not similar. This poses some tremendous challenges for agency sales staff when they are meeting with prospects or clients.

The number one cause of errors and omissions (E&O) claims is “failure to provide the proper coverage.” This is obviously where effective use of an exposure analysis checklist could bear positive results. But that may be just part of the equation.

The exposure analysis checklist (especially those developed by many of the industry software carriers and periodicals) will typically list, by class of business, the key exposures faced by that type of business. Thus, for agents looking to sell coverage to a risk, such as a marina, doing some homework on the exposures of a marina would certainly be time well spent. However, it is important to do more than just address those exposures with the client. It is critical for the agency representative to know the coverages in detail.

For example, just because the agency representative knows that the client has a cyber exposure, this does not mean that the agency producer would automatically address this with the client. A recent study showed that cyber was oftentimes not brought up in discussion with clients because the sales staff didn’t fully understand cyber and were afraid they would be asked a question that they could not answer.

In some respects, this was smart because one of the key elements of the typical standard of care for insurance agents is that they will be held responsible for what they say and what they put in writing. Thus, if they were asked a question regarding cyber and provided inaccurate information, they could be held responsible if a wrong answer was a key issue. On the other hand, taking that approach of avoiding discussion may just result in less production for the producer and less growth for the agency. The better approach is to ensure that the sales staff are provided with the necessary training. Not every agency can have a person solely dedicated to training but it is still

incumbent upon the agency to have some degree of focus on education.

Agencies with some specialization should consider having their sales staff develop a higher level of technical expertise in specific areas such as construction, nonprofit, habitational, etc. This will enable the staff to become totally knowledgeable on not only the issues of those specific type of clients but also the coverages those clients should consider.

If there is potential for claims-made coverage to be part of the insurance portfolio, agencies should ensure that the nuances of this type of coverage be discussed in detail. For example, the “retro date” issue on claims-made coverages has not only generated a fair number of E&O claims but also some very significant ones when the “retro date” was not properly handled.

Producers may, “not know what they don’t know.” To assist in identifying key areas where the technical knowledge is not at the desired level, agency management should perform an evaluation of each member of the sales staff to determine his or her level of knowledge and to identify training opportunities. This could be done using a test or possibly a mock sales presentation where the staff is asked various questions about specific coverages. Once the knowledge level is determined, the training can be customized using approaches, including:

• Weekly or monthly sessions in a classroom environment where a specific type of coverage or the type of business is discussed and the exposures dissected;

• Using the education sessions conducted by your state agents’ association; and

• Training organizations such as The Institutes or The National Alliance.

Bottom line, training of staff needs to be a key issue within every agency. This will not only result in staff being knowledgeable on the coverage they are selling, but it should also greatly minimize the potential for your agency to face an E&O claim.

Curtis Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, APIA president, Pearsall Associates, Inc. and consultant to the Utica National E&O programs

This information is provided solely as an insurance risk management tool. Utica Mutual Insurance Company and the other member insurance companies of the Utica National Group (“Utica National”) are not providing legal advice, or any other professional services. Utica National shall have no liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the use of the information provided. You are encouraged to consult an attorney or other professional for advice on these issues.

technology

5 things you should implement with your agency CRM a

s an insurance agent, you know that managing customer relationships is key to your success. That’s where a CRM (customer relationship management) system comes in. A good insurance CRM can help you streamline your workflow, automate tasks and provide better service to your clients. Here are the top five things you should do with your insurance CRM.

Automate lead capture

Most CRMs provide the ability to integrate with lead-generating systems. This integration prevents the double entry of data and provides immediate results using your CRM. Imagine a lead being sent over from your website, the prospect of receiving an email immediately, and the sales representative getting a notification of a new lead all in a matter of seconds. With the right CRM, you can automatically capture leads from websites and other sources and have both the prospect and sales representative notified immediately. Another benefit of lead capture is the prevention of duplicate entry of data and providing a seamless workflow. If your CRM does not have lead capture, see if Zapier is supported. This could provide you with automatic lead capture functionality.

Customize your workflows and automation

Every insurance agency is different, so it’s important to choose a CRM that allows you to customize your workflows and automation. Tailor the CRM to fit your agency’s specific needs, ensuring you’re getting the most from your system. Create an onboarding workflow to introduce your agency to new clients – tell them about your agency, staff and support options that you offer, and notify them of other lines of business your agency sells.

Integrate with your agency management system

Management system integration is essential to the success of your CRM, allowing you

to easily access customer information, policies and files. This will help you provide better service to your clients and make your workflow more efficient. Duplicate entry of data is a pain, so having the proper integration between your CRM and AMS is vital to better productivity.

Use advanced reporting and analytics

Make sure you are taking advantage of the advanced reporting within your CRM. Some CRMs might even offer scheduled reports or a dashboard. Set your goals for the information you wish to track, such as close ratios, lead volume, email open rate, source of business analytics, and others. Tracking this information and analyzing the data will provide you with better information and give you the ability to see performance, identify trends and make data-driven decisions. You might find that one of your lead sources is providing better quality leads, thus allowing you to make the decision to focus more marketing dollars on that lead source.

Implement a customer review process

As potential customers look for insurance agents, most will read your online reviews to get a better understanding of what current customers think about your agency. Reviews also play a huge role in search engine optimization (SEO): the more reviews, the better your chances of being listed higher in the search engine and local search. Take the time to establish a customer review process, and you will surely see an impact on potential customer inquiries.

In conclusion, a good insurance-focused CRM can assist you in automating your workflows, providing a better customer experience. By automating your lead capture, integrating with your management system, using reporting and analytics, and setting up a review process, you can acquire the most from your CRM and take your agency to the next level.

George Robertson Catalyit.com

Move the goals of our industry

a

s I start this article, I’m on a plane returning to St. Louis just in time to attend the MAC Summit. For me, nearly every article begins with a friendly reminder from Sheryl Van Leer that I have an article due within so many days.

I’m sure everyone has a writing process. For me, I look around to current events, needs or problems that I see impacting our industry that need legislative guidance. Then I attempt to relate that to our combined PAC contributions and how each of us can be a part of the solution. Often I am influenced by a timely editorial or news piece.

There you have it, that’s how I make my sausage. Today I am making a slight segue; however, I promise to try and bring the point back home to roost before the end.

On the plane I read a (another) brilliant National Review article by Andrew Stuttaford, “Electric Vehicles: Mills Bomb Thrown.”

While I am never surprised by faulty prejudices or presuppositions that have formed the wild predictions of politicians, whether of doom or prosperity, I enjoyed the article and generally found it informative, objective and well-written. It was, however, the following phrase that has stuck with me: “The purported policy objective (whether saving lives or saving the planet) comes second to the insistence on absolute purity that is often the hallmark of a certain kind of fanatic.”

Ain’t that the truth?

Regardless of your political stripe.

I mean, he’s talking about initiatives that are profoundly beginning to shape our business and economy; these are issues that I stand in stark contrast to on principle. However, I can shout amen because in contrast to my former self – that take-no-prisoners self who would rather lose than budge on my equally strong and opposite principles that are the object of Andrew’s article – I am now able to see the benefits and necessity of compromise. My early work within local politics was marked with a certain firebrand nature, which I fully embraced.

Perhaps it was while reading the “Federalist Papers,” but somewhere along my history studies I came to believe that our Founding Fathers built forced compromise into our representative government model. It is, as they say, baked in the cake. More than 200 years of political oneupmanship has not been able to undo the effect. Compromise, while distasteful in some areas of life, in politics has become beautiful to me in my advancing years. It accomplishes things, builds alliances, crosses aisles and connects the often disparate. It can be quite good. It can be quite effective.

Does that mean I wouldn’t like things to always go my way? Of course not, but that it not a realistic goal in any sphere of life. It is, quite frankly, a dangerous goal indeed.

So, how does this connect with you writing a check today to InsurPac? As you may have guessed, I’m glad you asked that. We support members of both parties. InsurPac supports those who help us move the goals of our industry and the ability of our clients to manage and transfer their risks efficiently down the field – regardless of political party. We support them regardless of whether or not they generally agree with a set political agenda. Our PAC supporters have varied political views; that’s the beauty of focused support on those issues that are germane to our industry and our clients.

As a young man in the business, I once mentioned in a conversation an agent who handled insurance as well as another business. The gentleman I was conversing with said, “If you dabble in (the other business) you dabble in insurance.” It left an impression.

If you think you can guide your own political contributions effectively to advance our positions, may I suggest that you not dabble in politics. Collectively we have a stronger voice. This was made clear in our Eggs & Issues session at MAC Summit. You can leave it to our pros and get on board by supporting both our federal and state PACs.

Brad Greer chair, MAIA political action fundraising committee, Arnold Insurance, Creve Coeur

"InsurPac support those who help us move the goals of our industry and the ability of our clients to manage and transfer their risks efficiently down the field - regardless of political party."

Brad Greer

Need help connecting with new customers? Our resources are free for all Big “I” members and were created to help agencies save both time and cost on production while also highlighting the unique value Independent Agents deliver. When it comes to marketing an independent agency, Trusted Choice can help.

Missouri DCI announces rebrand of State Health Insurance Assistance Program for 30-year anniversary

the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) has rebranded Missouri's State Health Insurance Assistance Program to Missouri SHIP, formerly known as Missouri CLAIM.

"For the past 30 years, the department, through the Missouri CLAIM program, has provided valuable assistance to Missourians with Medicare," said Chlora Lindley-Myers, director of the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance and 2023 president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). "Now, as the Missouri SHIP program, we look forward to providing that same valuable service in the future."

Missouri SHIP offers free assistance to Missourians eligible for Medicare and their caregivers to help consumers choose a plan that best meets their needs. The program also helps Missourians on a limited income determine whether they qualify for a Low-Income Subsidy and/or Medicare Savings Programs to offset the cost of their prescription drugs.

"Since 1993, counselors with Missouri's State Health Insurance Assistance Program have dedicated themselves to helping Missourians with Medicare save money," said Scott Miniea, executive director of Missouri Connections for Health. "During the most recent Medicare Part D

open enrollment period, our counselors helped clients save an average of about $2,000 on their out-of-pocket prescription costs by reviewing their benefits and making fully informed decisions."

Medicare open enrollment is October 15 –December 7 annually. Missourians can seek free and unbiased assistance from Missouri SHIP throughout the year by phone or arrange oneon-one counseling by calling 1-800-390-3330 or visiting missouriship.org.

Missouri SHIP averages about 200 volunteer counselors and 170 community partners throughout Missouri who provide local Medicare counseling in their communities. Volunteers receive extensive training to become certified Medicare counselors and regularly receive updates and training. To learn more about volunteering, visit missouriship.org/volunteer/.

DCI's Missouri SHIP program is funded by a federal grant through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in coordination with Missouri Connections for Health, a nonprofit organization.

DCI is charged with protecting Missouri consumers through oversight of the insurance industry, banks, credit unions, utilities, and various professional licensees operating in the state. For more information about the department, please visit our website at dci. mo.gov.

Caty Luebbert deputy communications director, Mo.

officers & directors officers

PRESIDENT

Darin Banner, CIC Capstone Insurors Bolivar

417-777-7570 ext. 124 dbanner@capstoneins. com

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Dennis Luebbering, LUTCF

Luebbering Insurance Agency

Jefferson City 573-635-5810

dennis@li-ins.com

VICE PRESIDENT

Matt Speight, AIC, AIP Scott Agency Montgomery City 573-564-2237

mspeight@scottagency. net

SECRETARY/ TREASURER

Deena James, CIC Cowell James Forge Insurance Group

Kansas City 816-471-4245

djames@cjfig.com

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Cansada Sark, CISR, CLCS

Jenks/Long Insurance

Rolla 573-364-1414

cstark@jenkslong.com

IIABA NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Brad Greer Arnold Insurance

Creve Coeur 636-477-0500

brad@myarnoldteam.com

PIA NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Randy Smart Smart Insurance Agency Marionville 417-258-2541

rsmart@ smartinsuranceagency. com

directors

REGION 1

Ross Ingersoll, CIC Ingersoll Insurance Agency Savannah 816-324-3133

ross@ingersollinsurance. com

REGION 2

Clare Zanger, PPACA, CCHC

First State Insurance Agency

Hannibal 573-221-8484

czanger@fsia.bz

REGION 3

Holly Stark

Stafford-Leavitt

Insurance

Harrisonville 816-884-4800

holly@staffordagency. com

REGION 4

Mark Baker

JBLB Insurance Group Platte City 816-632-7248

mark@jblbinsurance. com

REGION 5

Rick Prather

Fred Vogel Insurance Jefferson City 573-635-6101

rickp@vogelinsgroup. com

REGION 6

Tony Becker, CIC, CRM Custom Insurance Services Crystal City 636-931-1200

tbecker@custom-ins.com

REGION 7

Paul Carcagno

Southern Insurance Services - Arnold Arnold

636-464-1331

pcarcagno@ bankwithsouthern.com

REGION 8

Heath Greer Arnold Insurance Creve Coeur 314-432-6464

heath@myarnoldteam. com

REGION 9

Eric Keller, CISR Keller Kastle Insurance, LLC

Webb City 417-313-2551

eric@kellerkastleins. com

REGION 10

Richard Ollis Ollis/Akers/Arney

Springfield 417-881-8333

richard.ollis@ollisaa. com

REGION 11

David Hall

Ozark Hills Insurance

West Plains 417-257-1285

david@ ozarkhillsinsurance.com

REGION 12

Jeremy Anderson Anderson & Green Insurance Agency

Sikeston 573-471-9757

jeremy@ andersongreen.com

At-Large 1

Andy Reavis Missouri Insurance Services, LLC

Billings 417-342-1586 areavis000@gmail.com

At-Large 2

Nick Brenizer, AIP, RWCS

Golden Rule Insurance Agency

Osage Beach 573-348-1731

nick@goldenruleinsurance. com

At-Large 3

Jim Neuner, LUTCF, HIA, CBWA Winter-Dent & Company

Jefferson City 573-634-2122

jim.neuner@winterdent.com

Company Rep. Dave Barrett, CPCU, CIC Barton Mutual Insurance Company

Liberal

417-843-6265

davebarrett@ mutualgroups.com

Company Rep. John Velino Madison Mutual Insurance Company Edwardsville, Ill. 618-656-3410

javelino@ madisonmutual.com

Past presidents in attendance for the installation banquet

Current executive committee

Current board of directors

darin banner

What is the greatest benefit you have received from being active with MAIA? The wonderful relationships I’ve made with others who are active with MAIA.

What are some of your goals this year? As president, I would like to see a larger portion of our membership active in MAIA.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career? Kevin Krueger got me started in the business so, obviously, that was the first biggest influence but, since being in the business, there have been a number of people who have helped and encouraged me so pointing to just one is difficult.

What do you find fulfilling about being an insurance agent? It is certainly fulfilling when you’re able to be there and help your clients during their time of need. In addition, as a former teacher, I find it fulfilling when I get the chance to educate a new client on insurance coverage, limits, etc. that they did not understand about their insurance program.

My wife, Kristin, and I have three boys ages 12, 10 and 7.

Do you have any pets? We have a chocolate labradoodle named Bodee who just turned 4. He was a rescue, he is the best dog ever, and everyone in our family thinks he’s pretty special.

What is a goal you’re still trying to accomplish? I’m always trying to become the best husband and father I can be to my wife and boys while serving and honoring Jesus.

What are your favorites?

Food – Pizza

Color – Blue

Music – I like all kinds, my favorite depends on the day TV show – "Seinfeld"

Movie – "Gladiator"

MAC SUMMIT recap

MAC Summit was designed to offer unmatched networking and collaboration opportunities for agents in management positions, producers and young agents. This year's conference featured education sessions with topics like agency management and sales techniques. There were also plenty of networking activities like a trade show, cornhole tournament and golf tournament.

MAIA also installed new officers and awarded outstanding independent agents in Missouri at the Installation Banquet. A special thank you to all who attended the 2023 MAC Summit.

top partner award

BMI Company, Inc. company rep. of the year award

The Top Partner Award is given to a company with a strong commitment to the independent agency system and one that supports MAIA.

Founded in 1891 by a group of German farmers, BMI Company, Inc., has grown to partner with over 300 agencies in Missouri to insure homes, farms, autos, businesses and other properties with over 27,000 policies in force. BMI continues to profess its goal to provide financial security to its Missouri neighbors. BMI is poised to continue achieving its goal well into the future because of its size, scope, talent and financial stability.

Dave Barrett, CPCU, CIC Barton Mutual Insurance Company

The Company Representative of the Year Award is given to an individual who is currently conducting the majority of his/her business in Missouri and who has done the most to promote MAIA, foster better company/agency relations, produce new business and/or help agents give their clients the best service in the industry.

Dave Barrett has served as the marketing representative for Barton Mutual Insurance Company in Liberal since 2018. Barton Mutual Insurance Company has enabled him to shine in his most brilliant light of engaging with people, problem solving and sharing his creativity on the marketing side of insurance.

Dave does not know a stranger and has a gift of making each person he interacts with feel like the most important person in the room. His ability to see the positive in every situation and maintain a healthy dose of humor in otherwise challenging situations make him a person we all want to spend time with.

young agent of the year award

Jenna Voight, CISR

Jenks/Long Insurance

The Young Agent of the Year Award is given to an agent who is 40 or younger that has demonstrated dedication to this profession by involvement in local, state or national activities; who has made personal efforts to further themselves as an insurance professional; and who is involved in their community.

Jenna Voight, Jenks/Long Insurance, strives to build long lasting relationships with her valued clients by providing topnotch customer service, being reliable and knowledgable as well as always going to the "extra mile." Jenna has been with Jenks/Long Insurance for 10 years.

presidential citation

Brian Harrison, CIC Harrison Agency

The Presidential Citations are given on behalf of the association's President to individuals for outstanding contributions to the association. Brian Harrison has dedicated more than two a half decades to MAIA and is an outstanding advocate for MAIA.

E. Ellwood Willard outstanding service award

The E. Ellwood Willard Outstanding Service Award is a special award of the executive committee given to an individual who has provided outstanding service to the association over a period of time. This award is one that we do not give every year.

Randy Baker has, for years, continually given back to MAIA, the insurance industry and his local community. Upon graduation from college, Randy's dad gave him 30 days before starting work in the agency full-time and he has been there for the past 43 years. Randy quickly became involved in MAIA after attending a few conferences and seeing the good things MAIA was doing to help members. He has served on many committees as well as the association's president in 2015.

Also involved in his community, Randy has served in various roles with the Kiwanis Club, youth sports and he is an active member at the Ely Baptist Church.

award winners

insurance person of the year

The Insurance Person of the Year Award is presented to an individual who has significantly contributed to the American Agency System within the state of Missouri.

Matt Speight has been an active member of MAIA since 2007 when he joined the Scott Agency where his mother and father both work and his grandfather had been since 1951. He has seved on a number of committees and currently serves on the executive committee.

Matt regularly attends many of MAIA's events and education opportunities, including Day at the Capitol as well as the Big "I" Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. He is an active member of both the community where his children attend school as well as where the agency's main office is located.

He has been a youth sports coach for many years including time spent coaching soccer, baseball/softball, football and basketball.

committee of the year Young Agents

The Committee of the Year is presented to MAIA committees for their outstanding contributions to the association. The Young Agents committee is tasked with promoting the local, state and national activities to attract young people to the insurance industry. Through diligently attending career fairs throughout the state, the Young Agents have been able to recruit new and diverse talent to our industry.

presidential award

Randy Baker TR Baker Insurance Agency

Matt Speight, AIC, AIP Scott Agency

interest

Grow your book of business with PIA Market Access

pIA Market Access enables PIA members to grow their book of business with a custom approach for every agency!

Whether you are simply looking to expand your book of business, have lost a direct appointment, a carrier has pulled out of your state, or you would like to combine your existing business into a single source, PIA Market Access is the solution for you. PIA Market Access can do it all by helping you remarket, shop policies or assist with book rollovers.

With Market Access, PIA members have access to over 50 national and specialty personal and commercial lines markets from a number of admitted carriers rated “A” or better. Agents submitting applications through the platform can receive quotes from most companies through a technologically advanced personal and commercial lines rater.

PIA has negotiated an exclusive low monthly rate for the use of our partner InsureZone’s technology and market access. Agents who enroll in the PIA Market Access Program will receive the first 90 days free and low costs thereafter. Agents can expect to see competitive commission rates.

PIA members participating in the PIA Market Access Program will retain ownership of their book of business, and if they leave the program, there are no exit fees.

InsureZone is a full-service provider that is fully staffed with underwriters to answer agents’

questions and make the sales process smooth with white glove client service. The program provides insurance CSRs to make requested policy changes and the standard of service is to begin processing all requests the same business day.

PIA members: For a current list of carriers available in each state, please log in at pianational.org/marketaccess and visit the “Get Started” tab.

“It’s exciting to think that many PIA members will start writing business with the carriers on the PIA Market Access platform and eventually qualify to have their own contracts with those carriers,” says Mike Becker, CEO, National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA).

PIA Market Access is available to PIA members in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Carrier availability varies by state.

PIA members who enroll now receive a 90-day free trial.

Have your own carrier appointments? Sign up for the PIA Market Access "Best of Both Worlds" Program where agents can rate personal lines and commercial lines business from their existing carrier contracts and InsureZone contracts within the same platform. Agents retain 100% of commission from business written through their own agency contracts.

Get started at pianational.org/marketaccess.

If you are not a PIA member and would like to join, or if you’re not sure if you are a PIA member, contact Sherri Mistretta at smistretta@moagent. org.

UPCOMING EDUCATION

FALL ROADSHOWS

E&O Seminar and Agency Compliance Luncheon

October 3

Hybrid | Jefferson City or Online

October 4

Springfield

October 5

St. Louis

CSR DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

presents...

CSR Master Class

November 8-9, 2023

Hybrid | Jefferson City or Online

RISK SPECIALIST SERIES

Motor Carriers

Oct. 12, 2023

Hybrid | Jefferson City or Online Cannabis

Jan. 25, 2024

Hybrid | Jefferson City or Online

CIC CISR

Insuring Personal Auto Exposures

Sept. 12, 2023

Online

Commercial Casualty I

Oct. 19, 2023

St. Louis

Commercial Casualty II

Nov. 7, 2023

Online

WEBINARS

SEPTEMBER

13 Employment Practices Liability - A Coverage No Business Can Afford to Be Without

14 Certificates of Insurance and the Coverage Issues That Go With Them

14 Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging”: Medicare and Other Retirement Healthcare Solutions

18 Commercial Property: Recent Changes and Crucial Concepts

19 Flood Insurance, FEMA, and the NFIP

20 An Hour With Nicole: Everything You Need to Know About Insuring Work-From-Home Exposures

21 All-Things Ethics: Agent Obligations, Standards, Authority and More

Sep. 21

The Bad Thing Happened: Handling

Commercial Claims & Coverage Disputes

Take a look at several common commercial lines insurance policies and examples of actual claims that challenged the coverage (or lack thereof) provided. Agents who take this course will gain expertise in various coverage scenarios and be better positioned to advocate for the insured not if but when the bad thing happens.

25 More Money, More (Insurance) Problems? Mastering P&C Coverage for the Affluent Market

26 Marriage, Kids, Money, Assisted Living and Everything Between: Home and Auto Exposures For Life

27 An Hour With Dave: Fast Facts About Flood

OCTOBER

5 Claims That Will Convince Your Insured to Enhance Their Homeowners Coverage

5 Covering Online Fraud and Employees Who Turn Out to Be Crooks

James K. Ruble Graduate Seminar

Sept. 20-21, 2023

St. Louis

Insurance Company Operations

Oct. 25-26, 2023

Online

Agency Management

Dec. 6-7, 2023

Online

11 An Hour With Sam: A Numbers Game - Mastering the Coverage Symbols in a Business Auto Policy

12 Bots, Crypto, Weed and Other Risks You Never Imagined Insuring (But Here We Are)

17 Lurking: Surprises In the Contractor’s CGL Policy & Endorsements to Watch Out For

19 Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging”: Social Security & Other Retirement Income Solutions

24 “Wait…What the #^&* Just Happened?!” Fourteen Personal Lines Issues To Know Before It’s Too Late

24 Why Good People Do Bad Things: A Deep Dive Into Agency Ethics

25 An Hour With Dave: All-Things Ordinance or Law (Personal and Commercial)

26 Homeowners Deep-Dive: What You Need to Know About the Most Recent Forms

26 Agent's E&O: Duties, Best Practices, Operations, Workflows, and Certificates

31 Growing Good Insurance: Property & Liability Endorsements to Fortify Farm Risks

fromthepresident

continued from page 5

• Marsh Management Services Inc., Burlington, Utah, effective 04/13/15, was admitted as a Third Party Administrator.

• Managed Care of North America Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., effective 05/07/15, was admitted as a Third Party Administrator.

• Lamorak Insurance Co., Philadelphia, Pa., effective 04/24/15, changed its name from OneBeacon America Insurance Co.

wanted to make sure I married the right person. So, over many years of being single, I went on a number of dates, people were always trying to set me up, but honestly, I got really tired of the whole process and wondered why it never worked out. In 2018 I had a friend tell me about this girl that she wanted me to meet, told me a little bit about her, including that she was a widow, had three young boys, and asked if I wanted to reach out to her. For whatever reason, it just didn’t feel like the right time. My friend was persistent, and after several weeks I agreed to take the girl’s number but, again, it just didn’t seem like the right time to reach out to her. As several more weeks went by, I thought about it more and more and one Sunday on my way to church, I decided that I would reach out to her. Kristin and I started communicating and, long story short, we got engaged in April 2019. After our engagement, Kristin shared some very providential information with me. Kristin

lost her husband, Clayton, and the boys lost their dad tragically on July 7, 2017. As a result of an event that happened in their life prior to Clayton’s passing, Kristin and Clayton had some conversations about what they would do if one of them lost the other. One thing they committed to each other if that happened was that they wouldn’t date anyone for one year. Well, the day I reached out to Kristin was July 8, 2018, exactly one year and one day after his passing. Of course, at the time, I had no idea, but if there was ever any doubt that we were not doing the right thing by going down this road together, the providence of God confirmed it in both of our hearts and we were married in August 2019.

• Pessada Holdings LLC, Chesterfield, Mo., effective 04/01/15, registered as a Motor Vehicle Service Contract Provider.

• Peleus Insurance Co., San Antonio, Texas, effective 04/02/15, changed its name from Colony National Insurance Co.

• Old Republic National Title Insurance Co., Tampa, Fla., effective 04/24/15, redomesticated to Florida.

• Hallmark National Insurance Co., Fort Worth, Texas, effective 04/21/15, redomesticated to Arizona.

• GGP Tenants Purchasing Group, Chicago, Ill., effective 04/07/15, registered as a Purchasing Group.

As we get to know one another over the next year, my hope is that these stories will provide you with a little perspective on my family and how we try to live our lives.

• North American Data Security RPG, Troy, Mich., effective 04/07/15, registered as a Purchasing Group.

Association of Missouri

Again, I’m honored and humbled to serve

• Missouri Medicare Select LLC, Allen, Va., effective 04/30/15, was admitted as an HMO.

• Financial Risk Solutions Service Contract/ Warranty RPG Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., effective 04/07/15, registered as a Purchasing Group.

• ExlService Technology Solutions LLC, New York, N.Y., effective 04/09/15, changed its name from Professional Data Management Again, Inc.

• CWI Benefits Inc., Greenville, S.C., effective 05/21/15, was admitted as a Third Party Administrator.

• CRL Plus Inc., Lenexa, Kan., effective 04/20/15, was admitted as a Third Party Administrator.

• Merit Health Insurance Co., Skokie, Ill., effective 04/30/15, was admitted with A2 (Accident and Health) authority.

• Mercy Health Springfield Communities, Chesterfield, Mo., effective 04/21/15, withdrew as a Third Party Administrator.

• Mercy Benefit Administrators LLC, Springfield, Mo., effective 05/13/15, was admitted as a Third Party Administrator.

• Medical Security Insurance Co., Raleigh, N.C., effective 05/01/15, was added to the list of eligible surplus lines insurers in the State of Missouri.

Association of Missouri

as the next MAIA president and, back in May, we had our annual board of directors planning meeting, for which I was responsible for the topic. The past few presidents have done a wonderful job of implementing an intern program for MAIA, so I wanted to shift my attention to another area. Serving MAIA and participating in our programs is a passion of mine and my focus for the coming year is to encourage others to serve and participate as well. In 2022, MAIA had over 4,800 individuals at our member agencies, but only 24% of them participated in any sort of MAIA event, which includes any education class or event sponsored by MAIA, whether it be online or in person. Based upon the numbers so far in 2023, unfortunately, it appears that percentage will be less than in 2022. I know we are all very busy with the activities of life but, for those of you who are not currently serving and/or participating, I would just encourage each of you to give it some serious thought and take advantage of every opportunity to do so. MAIA is a great organization and we have so many wonderful activities and events each year and there are a number of people at your agency who could benefit from participating in any of these. Did you know, in 2022 between online and in person, we offered 192 “events”! MAIA offered eight CIC classes, 18 CISR classes, five E&O classes, three Risk Specialist Series classes, and 150 webinars. In addition, we also held the Small Agency Conference, our Day at the Capitol event, the Missouri Agents Connection (MAC) Summit and our CSR Development Conference. We normally have good participation at the Small Agency Conference and the MAC Summit, but the Day at the Capitol, held in March, is also wonderful event that I would like to encourage everyone to attend. Imagine if we had 50-100 agents show up in support of the independent

agency system in Jefferson City. I believe it would gain the attention of many politicians at the Capitol and our voice would surely be heard. The issues at the Capitol certainly impact our daily lives and our success in the insurance business so we need your help and participation in order to make any changes. As most of you know, tort reform is a huge topic in the world of insurance right now and, as Matt has shared many times recently, there are 46 other states that have a shorter statute of limitations than our five years here in Missouri. This is having an impact on whether or not some companies are going to continue to do business in our state and I know that Matt Barton, Larry Case and Brad Greer, our Big “I” national director, are going to put up a fight in the coming months to get this reduced but it will take the voice of each of us and, yes, some financial support as well, in order to have any chance of getting this changed.

The CSR Development Conference, held in November, is another wonderful event that would benefit every CSR in the business. It allows them to get out of the office for a short time, engage and network with other CSRs, and participate in a number of activities developed specifically for their unique skill set. Agency principals, please encourage at least one of your CSRs to attend the conference this year as they will benefit greatly.

Hopefully, this recap of events will remind you of how MAIA provides its members with valuable and useful information but, at the same time, MAIA needs your help in promoting these items to all of the membership. I would like to thank each of you in advance for your help in increasing the number of people that participate with MAIA this next year and into the future.

"... for those of you who are not currently serving and/ or participating, I would just encourage each of you to give it some serious thought and take advantage of every opportunity to do so."

Darin Banner, CIC

Cameron Mutual Ins. placed into rehabilitation

A judge has placed a Midwest regional insurance carrier and its wholly-owned subsidiary into rehabilitation. The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance ("DCI") director, Chlora Lindley-Myers, has been named rehabilitator of Cameron Mutual Insurance Company ("Cameron Mutual") and Cameron National Insurance Company ("National"), which allows the director, as the rehabilitator, to take over operations of the company.

Cameron Mutual is licensed in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. The company provides property and casualty insurance, and its lines of business include personal (primarily homeowners and auto coverage), commercial and farm. National is a property and casualty insurer that is wholly owned by Cameron Mutual. National is licensed in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska but has no active policies.

According to the release by the DCI, Cameron Mutual has been experiencing a slow decline in market share, and the lines of business it writes are highly competitive. It is geographically concentrated in areas impacted repeatedly by severe storms, resulting in major losses this year. Cameron Mutual pursued initiatives to improve operations, such as affiliation agreements with other mutual insurers and refocusing on small commercial and farm business lines where it could be more competitive. The DCI also added, “[a]fter exhausting all avenues to cure its deteriorating financial condition, Cameron Mutual consented to rehabilitation for both companies.”

Cameron Mutual's existing policies are not cancelled by the order of rehabilitation. All persons are required to fully comply with the terms of their policies, other contractual obligations with the companies, and the order of rehabilitation. Policyholders should continue to pay premiums to continue coverage. Policyholders should submit claims to Cameron Mutual as usual.

As of July 31, 2023, Cameron Mutual had approximately 26,215 policyholders and 1,247 open claims. Policyholders can ask questions by calling Cameron Mutual at (816) 632-6511, ext. 336 or DCI's Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800726-7390. A list of frequently asked questions about this rehabilitation may also be found on Cameron Mutual's website or DCI's website.

MutualAid eXchange placed into liquidation

The board of directors of MutualAid eXchange (“MAX”), a Kansas-domiciled insurance company, consented to an order of rehabilitation entered on Aug. 8, 2023 (the “Order”) by the District Court of Shawnee County, Kansas (the “Court”) pursuant to a petition filed by the Commissioner

of Insurance of the State of Kansas (the “Commissioner”). The Commissioner took action after determining that MAX is in such a condition that the further transaction of business would be hazardous financially to its policyholders, creditors or the public. The Court appointed the Commissioner as rehabilitator of MAX.

On Aug. 22, 2023, the Court entered a Judgment, Decree and Order of Liquidation with Finding of Insolvency against MAX. The judgement found MAX to be insolvent, terminated the rehabilitation proceedings, and appointed the Commissioner as the liquidator.

All policies will be cancelled 30 days from the date of liquidation. Most insureds will receive a refund for their unearned premium; the guaranty association for the applicable state should provide each insured information regarding return premium.

Insureds may submit claims using the form on MAX’s website. Claims will be paid by the applicable state’s guaranty association, subject to that state’s requirements and payment limits.

Agents are encouraged to read the information and FAQ document located at https:// maxinsurance.com/, and also refer policyholders to that information.

What happens when a company is placed into rehabilitation

Fortunately, insurance company rehabilitations are a very infrequent occurrence. Not only is that due in large part to sound financial practices by carriers, but also to the state-based insurance regulatory system we have in place in the nation. Carrier financial condition is closely monitored by insurance regulators in each state and should a company be approaching perilous financial condition, state departments of insurance step in and petition a court to place that company into rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is a courtsupervised process intended to remedy the company’s financial deterioration for the benefit of policyholders and creditors. A rehabilitator is named and is charged with the protection of the company’s policyholders, creditors and the public. The rehabilitator’s actions are dictated by the laws and regulations of the state in which the

company is domiciled. Should a company not be able to be rehabilitated back to a stable financial condition, it is possible it may be placed into liquidation, a process whereby a state insurance department gathers the company’s assets and determines what liabilities, such as bills and claim payments, it has. A liquidator then develops a plan to distribute the company’s assets according to law and submits the plan to the court for approval.

If they can do it, we can place it.

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The liquidation process is very complex and often takes several years.

Most insurance agents have at least heard of the concept of a guaranty association, and know that it has something to do with an insurance company’s weak financial position. But a guaranty association is generally not involved in a rehabilitation, only becoming involved when a company is ordered liquidated. A guaranty association is an association of all insurers licensed to write property and casualty or life and health insurance in a state. Subject to statutory eligibility and claims payment limits, a guaranty association assumes the obligations of licensed insolvent insurers in that state for residents or property owners in that state. A guaranty association obtains funds to meet its obligations by assessing the member companies. When an insurance company seeks to conduct business in a given state and applies for authority to do so, it is also agreeing to be subject to all obligations that may

be imposed by that state’s guaranty associations, including a possible assessment to cover the financial shortfall of an insurance carrier that becomes insolvent.

It is important to note as of the date this issue went to press, the Cameron companies had only been placed into rehabilitation, not liquidation. MutualAid eXchange, however, has been placed in liquidation.

The receivership page of the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance's website (https://insurance.mo.gov/companies/ receiv.php) lists all companies in rehabilitation or liquidation in Missouri, as well as the current status of each.

Agency-company contract review

Did you know that MAIA members have access to professional review of agency-company contracts? This free service is conducted by IIABA’s

legal staff and can help agents in their decision whether to seek appointment with a given carrier.

The Big “I” Office of General Counsel (OGC) reviews agency-company agreements based on requests from member agencies and state associations, and in connection with requests for assistance by carriers. Having already completed the review of many, many carrier contracts, summaries of those reviews are on the Services tab under Legal Advocacy & Governance on the IIABA website. MAIA members must use their login credentials to access the summaries. The Big “I” has also published the Guide to Agency-Company Appointment Contracts, which addresses areas agents should pay special attention to when considering contracting with a given carrier, including ownership of expirations, notice requirements, termination (including post-termination rights), commissions and record retention, among numerous others.

Both agents and carriers should expect

protection of their rights in agency-company contracts, and contracts that are absent these protections should be given pause before entering into. In this increasingly litigious legal landscape in which we operate, insurance professionals cannot afford to simply assume that contracts entered into are fair and contain basic prescriptions for what happens when a dispute arises.

IIABA committee and board appointments

MAIA would like to thank all of those who expressed interest in serving on an IIABA committee or board for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The following individuals were appointed to serve:

• Katy Stewart, Ollis/Akers/Arney, Council for Best Practices

• Brad Greer, Arnold Insurance, Government Affairs Committee & Trusted Choice Inc. Board

Personal Lines

• Kathy Conley-Jones, Kathy ConleyJones Consults, LLC, Invest Board – IIABA Appointments

• Karen O’Connor Corrigan, O'Connor Insurance Agency, Chair, Technical Affairs Committee

If you have interest in serving on any national committees or boards in future years, please express interest to Matt Barton, mbarton@ moagent.org.

Utica National Insurance Group listed as top performer by Ward Group

For the second year in a row the member companies of the Utica National Insurance Group have been named to the list of the 50 top-performing property-casualty insurance companies in the United States by The Ward

Group.

This list is compiled annually, and analyzes the financial performance of nearly 2,900 propertycasualty insurance companies domiciled in the United States and identifies the top performers. Each Ward’s 50 company has passed all safety and consistency screens and achieved superior performance over the five years analyzed.

2023 Outstanding CSR of the Year winner announced

Each year, a group of exceptional insurance professionals are selected to represent their states and then compete to become the National Outstanding CSR of the Year. This prestigious award, regarded as the foremost national award of its kind, recognizes the contributions and commitment of those who serve clients within the insurance industry.

Cross

Missouri’s winner is Sharon Cross with Ollis/ Akers/Arney. Sharon joined Ollis/Akers/Arney as a Personal Lines Account Manager in 2019 and has been a licensed agent for over 36 years. Sharon is licensed in Property, Casualty, Life, Accident & Health and also holds a CISR designation. Sharon excels at being an advocate for her clients and providing a caring and detailed level of service that is sometimes absent in today’s marketplace. Her knowledge and background in not only the insurance industry but also the financial services industry empowers her in offering guidance and providing direction to ensure that clients’ needs are of the utmost priority. Sharon has served on multiple boards and volunteer committees advocating for children and families, and foster and adoptive care to name a few.

To be eligible for the top state honor, the 2023 candidates submitted an essay on the following topic:

“Empathy is an important aspect of customerfacing jobs, and it will only become more important as companies place a greater emphasis on making customer interactions feel natural and effective. Explain how empathy has helped you become a better CSR. Give three examples of how you've used empathy in your role and describe the positive effects it’s had on your organization.” Additionally, entrants must have demonstrated commendable service to their agencies, their industry, and their community.

2024 CIC scholarship

If you are an agency member of MAIA, and not currently a CIC, you may qualify for a scholarship, which consists of the registration fee for one CIC institute, donated by the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents and the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1, 2023, and the winners will be announced on Dec. 1, 2023. Find the application at moagent. org/cic.

New associate members

Remote Insurance Team, Rick Cleri, Tampa, Fla.

CISR

Eric Keller, Keller Kastle Insurance, LLC, Webb City

Sarah Mandziara, Crane Agency, Chesterfield

Zach McLeland, Hawkins Insurance Group, Macon

Esther Mizel, MGI Risk Advisors, St. Louis

Megan Murphy, The Miller Group, Raymore

Jordan Owens, AssuredPartners of Kansas City, Kansas City

Dylan Pashia, DeWitt Insurance, Manchester

Sandra Schuckenbrock, Oswald Crow Agency, Bowling Green

Lacey Frahm, Connell Insurance, Branson

Congratulations to MAIA’s newest designees!

Awards and accolades

Lockton Companies vice president named a NextGen Leader

Allison Porter, a vice president at Lockton Companies, was named a 2023 NextGen Leader by the Kansas City Business Journal. The NextGen Leader program was designed to showcase up-and-coming leaders in the metro area. It offers a glimpse into what the business community can expect its next CEOs, presidents and executive directors to look like.

2023 Economic Impact Award presented to Ollis/Akers/Arney

Ollis/Akers/Arney was awarded a 2023 Economic Impact Award in the 75+ Years in Business category. The Economic Impact Awards were created to honor serviceminded leaders and recognize persons in the

community who have dedicated their lives to serving their neighbors. From a startup independent insurance agency to one of the area’s largest firms, Ollis/Akers/Arney has made several business altering moves that have widened their economic footprint.

CEO Richard Ollis says he traces some major changes back to 2008, when the company became 100% employee-owned. Since then, additional growth came when the company, named Ollis & Co. at the time, joined forces with the Akers & Arney team in 2015, and then the acquisition of The Paul Long Agency in 2018. But, even with how large they’ve grown, Ollis says the company has stuck to its roots of helping the client through the insurance process, whether that’s what policy fits their needs best or working through a complicated claim.

Porter

New faces and places Powers Insurance & Risk Management hires Favazza

Powers Insurance & Risk Management , one of the largest family owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the bi-state region, recently hired Giovanni “Johnny” Favazza as Commercial Lines Risk Management Advisor. His responsibilities include generating new leads, as well as handling existing commercial accounts, in the property and casualty marketplace. Favazza will focus on enhancing business development by creating the most fitting insurance and risk management service solutions for each client.

Favazza grew up in his family’s business, Favazza’s Restaurant on the Hill. Prior to joining Powers, he worked as a Senior Account Executive at one of the largest insurance brokerages in Texas. He previously served as an Associate for a California-based investment

advisory firm. Favazza earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Managerial Finance from the University of Mississippi located in Oxford, Miss.

Barker-Phillips-Jackson Inc. new hire

Barker-Phillips-Jackson Inc. hired Scott Rice as a benefits producer. With insurance agency experience as an account executive, he helps businesses build custom benefits packages.

New agency members

American Church Group of Missouri, Chuck Hembree, Manchester

Bowles Insurance Agency, Andrew Bowles, Miller

Dunn Insurance Agency, Jennifer Dunn, East Prairie

Faith Insurance Agency, Jordan Wilson, Eureka Jenkins CPA, LLC , Scott Morgan, Nixa Rogersville Insurance Agency, Ryne Armstrong, Rogersville

Favazza Rice

Awards and accolades

Valley Insurance Agency Alliance receives national partnership upgrade Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA) was recently named a platinum tier member in Previsor Insurance and Missouri Employers Mutual signature partner program. Criteria includes achieving $10 million in written premium business with the two insurance carriers.

Missouri Employers Mutual (MEM) is Missouri’s No. 1 provider of workers' compensation insurance. Combined with Previsor Insurance, MEM helps policyholders with injury-free workplaces by delivering value-added services that save lives and money. Previsor Insurance has workers' compensation policies in six states, including Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas.

The platinum level program rewards VIAA members with additional commissions on new business and renewal. An existing

independent insurance agency that is not a VIAA member can join the alliance and instantly receive this revenue increase.

“Our alliance members truly benefit from this recent collective upgrade to platinum level status,” said VIAA’s director of enterprise development, Bill Kaatman. “We are proud to partner with Missouri Employers Mutual and Previsor Insurance because everyone in our alliance reaps the gains of our partnership.”

Acuity named top performer by Ward Group for 24th straight year

Acuity has been named to the 2023 Ward’s 50 list of top-performing property-casualty companies, putting the company in the top 2% of insurers nationwide. Acuity has earned a spot on the Ward’s 50 every year since 2000, making the company one of only four insurers, and the only regional carrier, to be named to the list for 24 consecutive years. Ward Group is the leading provider of benchmarking and best practices studies for insurance companies.

“We recognize Acuity for outstanding

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financial results in the areas of safety, consistency and performance over a five-year period,” said Jeff Rieder, partner and head of Ward Group. “In selecting the Ward’s 50, we analyze the financial performance of nearly 2,900 property-casualty insurance companies, identifying the 50 companies that pass financial stability requirements and demonstrate the ability to grow while maintaining strong capital positions and underwriting results.”

“Acuity’s continued recognition by Ward Group as a top performer is something we can all be proud of,” said Melissa Winter, Acuity president. “We all play a part in maintaining the strength and stability that our customers, agents and staff depend on.”

“Independent agents and Acuity have created a winning team that delivers a consistent performance that is virtually unheard of in the industry,” said Ben Salzmann, Acuity CEO. To be at the top of our game for 24 years is an incredible achievement.”

New faces and places Insurance Specialties announces new employee

Insurance Specialties is excited to announce a new addition to their agency team. Linda Johnson recently joined as director of sales and marketing for the group. Johnson comes to Insurance Specialties after working 19 years in the Medicare insurance industry on the carrier side. Her most recent experience includes nearly nine years as area sales manager for southwest Missouri for Essence Healthcare, a division of Lumeris Healthcare Outcomes. Before that, she was with UnitedHealthcare for 10 years, serving as the Medicare sales manager for southwest Missouri.

Johnson’s job is to develop sales and marketing strategies to help agents contracted through the agency to grow and expand their client base. This is a new position for Insurance Specialties, a full-line life and

Johnson

health marketing organization whose focus is to provide independent agents with access to a wide range of health, life and ancillary insurance products as well as resources, training and support. The brokerage is physically located in Purdy, Missouri.

Other news

Missouri Employers Mutual CEO Jim Owen to retire in 2023

James C. (Jim) Owen, president and CEO of Missouri Employers Mutual, Missouri’s largest workers’ compensation insurer, will retire at the end of 2023, after more than a decade with the company.

“My time at MEM has been the most rewarding of my career because of our safety mission and focus on improving workplaces,” said Owen. “It’s been an honor to lead a company of professionals who truly live their mission of caring for our customers, communities and one another.”

Owen joined MEM as a member of the

board of directors in June 2010, later serving as chair of the board and then interim president and CEO from July to Dec. 2011. Since 2012, he has served as president and CEO, setting the vision and strategic direction of the company.

Under Jim’s leadership, MEM has positioned itself as a financially strong, service-centric company that invests in the safety and success of policyholders. During his tenure, MEM partnered with Previsor Insurance, a wholly-owned and independently-managed subsidiary, to expand coverage to Missouri businesses with Kansas exposures. In 2019, Previsor expanded to Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Tennessee – bringing safety services and work comp expertise to the Midwest region.

In 2018, MEM awarded its first safety grant providing funds to selected policyholders for the purchase of safety equipment. Since then, the program has funded more than $2.36

Owen

Walleck

When I needed my

they were there and were prompt on taking care of

million in safety grants, impacting more than 10,000 employees.

Board chairperson Charles A. Caisley had the following to say about Owen: “We are grateful to Jim for his steadfast leadership and dedication to workplace safety during his tenure at MEM. I am particularly proud of the excellent financial foundation he has built. While we will miss his passion and leadership, we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Roger Walleck has been named the new president and CEO of MEM effective Jan. 1, 2024. Walleck has served as vice president and chief underwriting officer at MEM since 2017. He directs the company’s pricing and risk selection activities and leads the customer care, premium consultation, safety and risk services and underwriting teams.

"The board was pleased to find our ideal candidate was an internal one," said board chair Charles A. Caisley. "With a strong track record of building high-performing teams and delivering exceptional results, we are confident that Roger will lead us to new heights of success."

Owen is working closely with Walleck to ensure a smooth transition. "Roger is dedicated to our mission, agents and policyholders. He exemplifies what we stand for as an organization and will continue to do so as he begins this new chapter in his career."

2023 Travelers Championship generates more than $3 million for charity

The Travelers Companies, Inc. announced that the 2023 Travelers Championship generated a tournament-record amount for charity – more than $3 million for more than 160 nonprofits.

The Travelers Championship donates 100% of its net proceeds to charity. This year’s primary beneficiary is The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nonprofit based in Ashford, Connecticut, that provides care and a traditional camp experience to children with serious illnesses and their families through programs celebrating the fun, friendship and spirit of childhood. Other tournament charities support important causes such as education, housing, human services and mental health.

“This week was one we will not soon

forget,” said Andy Bessette, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers. “We celebrated a number of new tournament records as the community embraced New England’s only PGA TOUR event. We are grateful for the support shown by the best fans and players on TOUR, and the countless others who have helped us grow this event into the elite tournament that it is today. We are looking forward to seeing everyone next year.”

The 2024 Travelers Championship will take place June 17-23 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. For more information, visit TravelersChampionship.com.

regulatoryactions

Enforcement actions

Jerod Bargar, voluntary surrender of license.

David Cortez, Humble, Texas, voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Covenant Research Inc., St. Louis, Mo., voluntary forfeiture of $950.

James Dalcanton, Fair Lawn, N.J., voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Empower Settlement Services, LLC, Coraopolis, Pa., voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Carla Hall, Cassville, Mo., license granted with stipulations.

Donald Havey, St. Louis, Mo., refusal of license.

Zainuddean Jeewanjee, San Jose, Calif., voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Keith Laferriere, voluntary surrender of license.

David Luetticke, Chillicothe, Mo., voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Timothy May, Hillsboro, Mo., voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Svetlana Miroschnichenko, Strafford, Mo., license granted with stipulations.

Pharoah Rogers, Katy, Texas, voluntary forfeiture of $500.

David Williams, Carrollton, Mo., voluntary forfeiture of $500.

Financial examinations

Elips Life Insurance Co., Armonk, N.Y., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Essence Healthcare Inc., Maryland Heights, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Fidelity Security Assurance Co., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Fidelity Security Life Insurance Co., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Lumico Life Insurance Company, Armonk, N.Y., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Missouri Property Insurance Placement Facility, St. Louis, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Missouri United School Insurance Council, St. Louis, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions America Insurance Corp., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Capacity Insurance Corp., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Elite Insurance Corp., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Premier Insurance Corp., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Swiss Re Life & Health America Inc., Armonk, N.Y., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Swiss Re Property & Casualty America Inc., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered. The Travelers Protective Association of America, St. Charles, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Westport Insurance Corp., Kansas City, Mo., examination report adopted with curative action ordered.

Market conduct exams

American Association of Insurance Services, Lisle, Ill., stipulation of settlement and voluntary forfeiture of $2,000.

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