PIA National Membership Brochure--National

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Contents

About Us..............................................................................................................................................................................................3 Where We Are..................................................................................................................................................................................4 Communications ............................................................................................................................................................................5 Education & Training ....................................................................................................................................................................6 Insurance Products........................................................................................................................................................................7 Research..............................................................................................................................................................................................8 Networking & Engagement...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Advocacy............................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Member Benefits .......................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Membership..................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

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About Us PIA is an association founded in 1931. We represent over 35,000 independent insurance professionals in over 7,000 independent insurance agencies across America. PIA members specialize in selling commercial and personal lines property and casualty insurance, but they also sell life and health insurance, workplace benefits, and other financial services products.

PIA was founded with objectives that are as relevant today as they were back in 1931: Â Educate agency owners and staff about insurance concepts; Â Keep agents informed about changing company offerings; Â Increase cooperation between carriers and agents; Â Encourage uniform policy writing and assist in proper form completion; Â Advocate for agents and the industry in legislative and regulatory matters; Â Foster connections among agents so they can support one another; Â Protect the American agency system

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Where We Are PIA affiliates across the country amplify our presence and strength. PIA members can be found throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean. States that do not have a local PIA affiliate join PIA directly through PIA National and receive direct support and access to the member benefits listed in this brochure.

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Communications Stay Current About the Insurance Industry PIA provides its members with free access to an abundance of critical news and information with our award-winning magazine, PIA Connection; our weekly e-newsletter; and the PIA Advocacy Blog. Membership also includes the annually produced PIA Agency Marketing Guide, which compiles hands-on marketing tips from industry experts and agents like you.

In addition, PIA engages with media covering the insurance industry through articles and commentary to make sure the views of independent agents are accurately represented.

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Education & Training Invest in Yourself As a PIA member, you receive ample opportunities to stay current when it comes to the latest advancements and discoveries that will help you earn valuable designations and perform your job better.

PIA offers: Â CE courses (offerings may vary by state) Â Licensing (offerings may vary by state) Â Webinars

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Insurance Products Protect Your Agency PIA offers several products to ensure that your agency is properly covered:

Errors and Omissions (E&O) Professional liability, or “errors and omissions” insurance designed exclusively for independent agents. Your local PIA affiliate has access to a variety of admitted and non-admitted markets, to provide your agency with competitive coverage to fit your needs.

Umbrella PIA offers excess insurance protection that includes E&O and business liability coverage, with available endorsements for employment practices liability (EPL) and personal coverage. Umbrella coverage is not available in all states.

Cyber Insurance PIA provides an exclusive, slot-rated cyber insurance product tailored to small and mid-sized businesses. As a PIA member, you can also sell the same product to your clients with special PIA member-only coverage and pricing.

PIA Trust PIA members have access to several high-quality insurance plans administered by Lockton Affinity. Lockton Affinity offers several products to ensure you, your employees and your families are properly covered, including Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance, Long and Short Term Disability, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment. The availability of plans may vary by state.

“PIA’s knowledgeable staff provides me the coverage I need to protect my agency.”

Daryl Frank, Frank and Associates, Metairie, Louisiana Join PIA today!

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Research PIA works with industry partners and carriers across the country to provide PIA members with the resources and information that they need, right at their fingertips.

Since 1996, The PIA Partnership has been the premier way for carriers to partner with PIA. The PIA Partnership is a hands-on collaboration between carriers and agents. Through its activities, The PIA Partnership identifies areas of opportunity in the agency-company partnership and conducts solution-oriented research. The PIA Partnership does not engage in academic study, which while valid and educational, is not easily and quickly applicable to real-life situations. Findings by The PIA Partnership are designed to be applied in agencies.

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Independent Research: PIA partners with ALM Media, publisher of the National Underwriter, to conduct annual, cutting-edge research, providing insights into agents’ demographics, books of business, and challenges.

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Networking & Engagement Get Involved! Share Ideas and Lend Your Expertise.

PIA offers numerous ways for you to engage and connect with other independent insurance agents.

Volunteer Committees and task forces are always seeking new members; PIA relies on members to provide leadership and guidance to help shape the future of independent agents, the industry, and the association.

Contribute Ideas PIA loves ideas from its members; we welcome your thoughts or ideas for programs, products, or services you would like to see as a member benefit. PIA members can also become a resource for PIA Connection by submitting ideas for articles, being interviewed as a subject, or writing an article yourself.

PIA Peers A members-only, agent-to-agent Facebook group that discusses topics and challenges that PIA members face daily, such as challenges within the market, technology, social media usage, agency marketing, and more.

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Advocacy Let PIA Be Your Advocate PIA represents members’ interests in state capitals and in Washington, D.C. to ensure that state and federal lawmakers and regulators understand and support the independent agency system. PIA affiliates across the country and PIA National actively work with Congress and the Executive branch to ensure that your voice is heard when policymakers make decisions that affect you.

PIA’s advocacy also extends to important organizations like the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), state lawmakers through the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), and the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) to ensure that the concerns of independent agents are addressed.

PIA has recently achieved: Â Tax relief for agencies

 Introduction of a Recovery Fund intended to help businesses affected by COVID-19 closures

 Introduction of legislation to repeal the Federal

 Permanent repeal of the Cadillac Tax

Insurance Office

PIA members are kept informed throughout the year with the PIA Advocacy Blog.

PIA Members Make A Difference Every spring, PIA members visit the nation’s capital for PIA Advocacy Day to meet and educate elected representatives about issues that are important to independent insurance agents.

Every day, we should thank our lucky stars that we are members of a profession in which we can make a good living helping our neighbors protect their property, their assets, and their lives. When we do that, we fulfill our role in our community. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Richard A. “Richie” Clements, past PIA National President,Clements Insurance Services, Chalmette, LA. Join PIA today!

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Membership PIA Membership Is A Good Business Decision! We Are Prepared to Serve Your Entire Agency.

I know I can always count on PIA to represent my best interests as an agent. With PIA on my side, I have the support I need to focus on the success of my agency.

Shannon Rabbett, Rabbett Insurance, Windsor, CT PIA membership includes access to:

1. Business-Building Tools: Â PIA Member Reimbursement Program: PIA is here to help your agency get back to business. Receive reimbursements on PIA marketing and PIA Partnership programs (up to $250 per program, for a total of up to $500). Â PIA DMV: PIA’s Direct Marketing Vault: A one-stop shop for direct mail and digital advertising services.

Customizable postcard templates are available to use with the USPS Every Door Direct Mail Program and Targeted Direct Mail. Double your impact with add-on digital advertising services.

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 Hartford Flood Insurance: Easy enrollment, dedicated local sales directors and book transfer/rollover team, training/ CE, free certified zone determinations, 24/7 claims reporting and special PIA member commissions regardless of volume.  PIA Market Access: Access to over 50 national and specialty carriers, real-time online rating, ownership of your book, and no exit fees for a low monthly rate.  PIA Cyber Insurance: Robust coverage tailored to small and mid-sized businesses. Coverage with special, PIA-only enhancements is available for PIA members to sell.  AVYST eForms Wizard: Quickly and easily prepare ACORD, agency-specific, and carrier-unique applications and forms, entering data only once in an organized interview format. Get to market faster!  FLOODBROKER.COM: Sell more flood insurance with your own flood quoting web portal. A PIA member exclusive!  Rough Notes Advantage-Plus: Helps identify risk exposures and provides detailed coverage analysis for C/L and P/L. Save $100/year with PIA member discount.  Agency Revenue Tools: Boost personal lines sales by engaging in employee worksite marketing using your appointed markets at regular commission rates.  Using the PIA Logo: Put the PIA logo on your business card, website, stationery, and signage. Order items with the PIA logo in our online store.

2. Agency Management Tools: Â ACORD Forms End User Licenses: Available for free to qualifying PIA members who access ACORD forms through agency management systems and other authorized distributors. Plus PIA member discounts on the ACORD Advantage Plus Program. Â Agency Agreement Review Service: Free to members and carriers, PIA recommends changes to carriers and highlights concerns for members so they can make informed decisions about the agreements they sign. Â Agency Preparedness and Recovery Plan: The PIA guide to creating an agency-specific business contingency plan. Â Employee Profiling: Hire the right people with skills and personality testing from OMNIA. Â Hire with IdealTraits: The comprehensive, go-to hiring tool for agencies looking to hire top performers.

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 Discounted producer licensing services from Central Licensing Bureau.  Discounts on shipping with UPS, calendar products from Mines Press, and car rentals from Alamo.  Free subscriptions to industry publications.

3. Tools from The PIA Partnership: The PIA Partnership: A joint effort of leading insurance carriers and PIA — develops hands-on tools for PIA member agencies such as: Â Winning@Talent: Your guide to hiring, motivating, and retaining the best agency employees. Â Agency Journey Mapping: Value your agency, maximize your retirement income, and plan for unexpected death/disability while creating a perpetuation plan for your agency. Â Cyber 101: Cyber education for you and your clients. Â The Voice of the Commercial Lines Customer: Our eye-opening research helps independent agents understand how they can stay ahead of online competition in commercial lines. Â Closing the Gap — Growth & Profit: Project and plan for new business growth and profitability using PIA’s calculators. Use PIA’s turnkey approaches for improving retention, sales and account-rounding in your agency. Â Agency Touch Points: The Voice of the Customer: Learn how to capitalize on Partnership research to give personal lines customers what they really want. Â Reaching Gen Y: This online tool helps agents understand and reach Gen Y age group insurance consumers and convert them into loyal agency customers. Â Practical Guide to Successful Planning: This valuable resource helps agents plan for success within their own agencies and coordinate their plans with those of the carriers they represent.

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Membership Ready To Join? There is a membership offering perfect for you …  Active Member: The first member who joins the Association from each agency or brokerage company. All employees of the agency are entitled to member benefits and services. $225/year  Additional Agency Staff Subscription to PIA Connection: An Agency Staff member who would like to receive a copy of PIA Connection Magazine. $12/year  Retired Member: Available to an individual who, prior to leaving the insurance industry, was an active member or associated with one or more active members of the Association for a minimum of five consecutive years. $25/year Do you serve the independent agency system? Learn more about the PIA National Associate Member Program available to insurance carriers and vendors.

Grow Stronger with PIA! Questions? Fill out the form below to have a PIA staff member contact you. Save and return your form via email to PIA membership

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Follow PIA on Social Media: National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (703) 836-9340 419 N. Lee Street Alexandria, VA 22314

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