PIA Connection V1-What Happens If You Get HIT BY A BUS?

PIA National Guide to Member Benefits—Inside 2020 V1

PIA CONNECTION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS

What Happens If You Get

HIT BY A BUS? PIA’S AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING CAN HELP YOU PLAN FOR YOUR AGENCY’S FUTURE p15

PIA MEMBER BENEFIT SPOTLIGHT:

Omnia Behavioral Profiling

page 21

Save Time

2020 V1

PIA CONNECTION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS PRESIDENT Dennis D. Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA (WI) dkuhnke@robertsonryan.com PRESIDENT-ELECT Wayne F. White, CPA, CPIA, PFMM (AR) wwhite1948@aol.com VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER Anthony Curti, CIC, LIC (MI) tcurti@acrisure.com SECRETARY/ASSISTANT TREASURER Gerald F. Hemphill, CIC, LUTCF (VA/DC) ghemphill@gfhinsurance.com IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Keith A. Savino, CPIA (NJ) keiths@warwickresource.com EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/CEO Mike Becker (PIA National) mikebe@pianet.org PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ted Besesparis | tedbe@pianet.org MANAGING EDITOR Sade Hale | sadeha@pianet.org ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Alexi Papandon, CAE | alexipa@pianet.org GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS EDITOR Jon Gentile | jonge@pianet.org REGULATORY AFFAIRS EDITOR Lauren Pachman, Esq. | laurenpa@pianet.org MARKETING EDITOR Dana A. Anaman, CAE | danaan@pianet.org CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Patricia A. Borowski, CPIW PRODUCTION EDITOR Laurel Prucha Moran | laurelpm@blueroomstudio.com

Make Connections Agency Operations

Market Your Agency

ROI

Carrier

Partnerships

Group Information PIA National &Guide to Products Analysis

Member Insurance Benefits Advocacy

PAGE 11

Products

CONTENTS COVER STORY: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET HIT BY A BUS? PIA’s Agency Journey Mapping can help you plan for your agency’s future.

15-17

NEWS BRIEF 6-7 Preparing to Regulate AI in Insurance…ACORD Announces New Forms Fee & License Requirement for Agents…Second Hottest Year on Record…New Jersey Switches to a State-Based Exchange…Cannabis BOP Approved in Nevada…Hemp Will Qualify for New Crop Insurance Pilot…NAIC Warns on Christian Health Sharing Ministries…

ASAE, NONPROFITS OPPOSE SALE OF .ORG Critics fear private equity group wants to cash in.

8

NOMINATE AN AGENT, CSR AND YIP OF THE YEAR PIA National announces call for awards nominations.

8

THE POWER OF PIA ADVOCACY Triple play of PIA wins close the year, more work remains for 2020.

9

PIA NATIONAL GUIDE TO MEMBER BENEFITS A comprehensive look at what PIA provides for PIA members.

11-14

YOUR BIGGEST MARKETING ASSET: 18-19 YOUR TEAM OF BRAND AMBASSADORS Kelly Donahue-Piro on using your people to build brand awareness.

January 2020 PIA Connection is published ten times yearly by the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents.

419 North Lee Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 ©2019 All rights reserved.

The information in this publication is general in nature and is not intended to serve as legal, accounting, financial, insurance, investment advisory or other professional advice as to any reader’s particular situation. Users are encouraged to consult with competent legal, financial, insurance, investment advisory and or other professional advisors concerning specific matters before making any decisions and we disclaim any responsibility for any decisions or actions by readers.

DEPARTMENTS From the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 From the CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PIA National Member Benefits . . . . . . . . . . .20 PIA Member Benefit Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . .21 PIA Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 PIA Affiliate Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

All PIA members receive PIA Connection at the member subscription rate of $12.00 per year.

Non-member subscriptions available at $24.00 per year ppd.

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

For additional information on any of the subjects addressed in this publication, please access the PIA National website at www.pianet.com.

Cover image: iStockphoto/Marco_Piunti

2020 V1 | 3

THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT IS NOW

JOIN US

MARCH 31 - APRIL 1, 2020 IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

W W W. P I A A D V O C A C Y D AY. C O M

FROM THE PRESIDENT HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES, many good things can come to fruition in a short period of time? It’s been just such a productive period for PIA. We ended the year with three wins on Capitol Hill, on issues PIA was advocating for a long time: winning repeal of the 40 percent healthcare excise tax, called the “Cadillac tax;” securing an extension of the terrorism risk insurance program (TRIA) until 2027; and getting a reauthorization until this November of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

In December 2019, PIA National announced that it had negotiated a deal with ACORD to provide the majority of PIA member agencies with a complimentary license to use ACORD forms (otherwise a new direct charge to agents), effective January 1, 2020.

Days later in January, The PIA Partnership unveiled Agency

Journey Mapping, its new agency perpetuation program.

We closed out the month with the announcement that PIA had entered into an agreement with an association representing Nationwide Insurance agents who are transitioning to independent agent status, under which hundreds of members across the nation will become members of PIA. Not bad for six weeks.

Dennis Kuhnke President

FROM THE CEO IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT I REPORT THAT a large association representing Nationwide Insurance agents who are transitioning to independent agent status—The Nationwide Insurance Independent Contractors Association (NIICA)—has entered into an agreement with PIA, and that all of its members are now members of PIA. PIA heartily welcomes all of the Nationwide agents who are joining our ranks. We are delighted you’ve decided to join us!

A special thanks to NIICA President Thom Polvogt for all of his hard work in helping to seamlessly bring these Nationwide agents into PIA. On April 16, 2018, Nationwide Insurance announced that it had decided to shift entirely to an independent agency (IA) distribution model by July 1, 2020. Nationwide’s decision was just the latest example of an ongoing shift toward the independent channel, either in whole or in part, by carriers who see it as the distribution system of choice for insurance products.

Let me encourage all of our new members to take full

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

advantage of all the many business-building programs offered by PIA that help add to an agency’s bottom line. These include products you can sell to your clients, those you can purchase for your agency and a host of agent tools devised and made available by our carrier council, The PIA Partnership.

You now have professional advocates protecting your interests every day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., at state legislatures, and before regulatory agencies. PIA is well known for its excellent agent education offerings. And if you’re coming up on your E&O policy renewal, PIA has many options you should check out that can provide great coverage and save you money.

Mike Becker CEO

2020 V1 | 5

!

NEWS BRIEF exchange rather than on a federal platform.

“Going into a state-based exchange allows us to start taking back control from the

Shutterstock

federal government so we can ensure our folks have all the information they need,” said Marlene Caride,

PREPARING TO REGULATE AI IN INSURANCE

New Jersey Department

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recently formed the Artifi-

Commissioner. “We are bet-

cial Intelligence (EX) Working Group to examine appropriate ways to regulate this rapidly developing technology. A key concern facing regulators is the ability to evaluate AI-based underwriting models over time after the model is approved by regulators. Without proper regulatory scrutiny, AI could engage in unfair discrimination or fail to protect a customer’s data privacy. Consumers may also have no means to dispute decisions, such as

of Banking and Insurance ter situated to know what works in our environment.”

Although it officially became a state-based

claims denials.

exchange in 2019, it was

The AI working group published a draft Principles on Artificial Intelligence at the NAIC 2019

In November of 2020 how-

Fall National Meeting and is currently soliciting feedback on the draft principles. The working group hopes to present a revised draft for the 2020 Spring National Meeting in March.

still on the federal platform. ever, New Jersey will be up and running as a statebased exchange no longer

ACORD ANNOUNCES NEW FORMS FEE & LICENSE REQUIREMENT FOR AGENTS On January 1, 2020 ACORD

gross revenue under $1

accesses forms through an

million can also obtain

agency management sys-

ACORD Forms directly

tem or another authorized

from ACORD by subscrib-

SECOND HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD

distributor.

ing to the Advantage Plus

According to independent

program. PIA members

assessments of global

eligible for this program

temperatures in 2019

will be able to subscribe at

by NASA, the National

a discounted rate.

Oceanic and Atmospheric

began charging agents

“PIA National is pleased

and brokers for an End

to partner with ACORD to

User License to access

ensure that the majority

ACORD forms. This applies

of PIA member agencies

to all agents accessing

can continue to access and

For more information, see

use ACORD forms free of

https://pianet.com/acord.

ACORD forms, even if agents are accessing the

on the federal platform.

provided the PIA member

charge,” said PIA National

Administration, the World Meteorological Organization, Berkeley Earth, and

NEW JERSEY SWITCHES TO A STATE-BASED EXCHANGE

the U.K. Met Office, last

group gross P&C revenue

New Jersey expects to

along with one of the most

of under $50 million will be

operate a state-based

intense El Niño events ever

that will enable qualifying

eligible for a license from

health insurance exchange

measured. The decade

PIA members to access

ACORD, with no additional

by November 2020. Plans

beginning in 2010 was the

the End User License at

payment necessary. Agen-

purchased for 2021 will

hottest ever, and it’s the

no cost to the member,

cies with annual group

be purchased on the state

fourth in a row to set a new

Forms through an agency

CEO Mike Becker.

management system. To

Under this agreement,

assist agents with this new

PIA members with annual

fee, PIA has negotiated an agreement with ACORD

6 | 2020 V1

year was the second hottest in 140 years of data.

The record in 2016 came

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

NEWS BRIEF

CANNABIS BOP APPROVED IN NEVADA

HEMP WILL QUALIFY FOR NEW CROP INSURANCE PILOT

The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) has expanded its Cannabis Busi-

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

nessowners Policy (CannaBOP) into Nevada,

announced on Dec. 23 that hemp farmers

with the program obtaining approval just

in 21 states will be eligible for a new crop

four days after its submission to the Nevada

insurance pilot program starting in 2020. The

Division of Insurance. Under the Nevada

program provides actual production history

CannaBOP program, both property and liabil-

coverage, which insures farmers against

ity coverage are available for dispensaries,

yield losses associated with natural causes

storage facilities, distributors, processors and

like drought and disease.

manufacturers.

Only hemp farmers complying with a 2014 Farm Bill pilot

The CannaBOP program is currently available in only

program or federal regulations laid out in the USDA’s

California, Nevada and Colorado. However, AAIS expects

interim final rule in October qualify. They must also have

to develop similar programs for Alaska, Washington,

grown hemp for at least one year. Crops that are cultivated

D.C., Illinois, New York and several other states. AAIS

for fiber, grain, or CBD oil would be eligible for coverage.

says that cannabis sales in the U.S. could exceed $15 bil-

Also, beginning in 2021, hemp farmers will be eligible for

lion this year, with Nevada alone expected to reach

coverage under the Nursery crop insurance program and

$1 billion by 2022.

the Nursery Value Select pilot crop insurance program.

high. The five warmest

the planet set local heat

Consumer Alert warning

tries’ aggressive marketing

years occurred since 2015,

records for average annual

that health care sharing

tactics, and said in some

and 2020 is expected to

temperature; no place

ministries (HCSMs), dis-

cases people who joined

be similar to 2019. Under

broke a cold record.

count plans, or risk-sharing

them were misled or did not

plans are not insurance

understand how little cover-

NAIC WARNS ON CHRISTIAN HEALTH COST SHARING MINISTRIES

and they can’t guarantee

age they would receive if

State regulators in New

“It is absolutely heartbreak-

in a given year. In 2019, 52

The National Association

Hampshire, Colorado, and

ing,” said Kate Harris, chief

percent of the Earth did,

of Insurance Commission-

Texas are beginning to

deputy insurance commis-

and almost 10 percent of

ers (NAIC) has issued a

question some of the minis-

sioner in Colorado.

normal conditions, without warming, scientists would expect that 2.5 percent of the Earth would experience “very high” temperatures

payment of claims.

they or a family member had a catastrophic illness.

Frank and Ernest is used with the permission of the Thaves and the Cartoonist Group. All rights reserved.

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

2020 V1 | 7

Shutterstock

!

ASAE, NONPROFITS OPPOSE SALE OF .ORG Critics Fear Private Equity Group Wants to Cash In THERE ARE A FEW THINGS that are considered sacred. Among them are apple pie, motherhood—and the internet domain for non-profits, .ORG. The pending sale of the .ORG domain registry to a private equity firm called Ethos Capital, first announced last November, has been met by a growing chorus of critics. ASAE and other nonprofit organizations quickly registered concern after the deal was announced that Ethos’ motives in acquiring the rights to run .ORG for more than $1 billion appeared profit driven.

Since 2003, .ORG has been run by a nonprofit corporation called Public Interest Registry (PIR). The registry’s contract to manage .ORG was renewed last year by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which also removed a longstanding price cap of 10% for renewal of .ORG domain names.

Should the sale to Ethos Capital go through, the private equity firm could hike fees on the nearly 10.5 million registered .ORG names held by associations and other nonprofit groups.

In a letter sent last month to the Departments of Justice and Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) asked the federal government to intercede and stop the pending sale.

SAVE .ORG PETITION https://savedotorg.org/ #add-your-name

ASAE STATEMENT ON .ORG https://www.thepowerofa.org/ 2020/01/opposition-mountsto-pending-org-sale/

8 | 2020 V1

In response to public outcry from the .ORG community, ICANN delayed the sale in order to gather information about the proposed transaction.

Critics argued that a less commercial corner of the internet should not be controlled by a profit-driven private equity firm, as a matter of both principle and practice.

A group of respected internet pioneers including Esther Dyson, who served as the first chair of ICANN from 1998 to 2000, has also stepped forward to persuade ICANN to hand management of .ORG to a new nonprofit cooperative called the Cooperative Corporation of .ORG Registrants.

“This is a better alternative,” Dyson told the New York Times. “If you’re

owned by private equity, your incentive is to make a profit. Our incentive is to serve and protect nonprofits and the public.” Katherine Maher, a director of the cooperative who is the chief executive of the Wikimedia Foundation, added, “There are some things that operate better noncommercially, and that’s O.K.” The newly formed cooperative group is hoping it can keep dot-org out of the for-profit economy.

“There is a common good here that is at risk of being undermined,” said William Woodcock, a director of the cooperative, who is the executive director of the Packet Clearing House, a nonprofit that provides internet operational support for domains.

NOMINATE AN AGENT, CSR AND YIP OF THE YEAR! (PIA NATIONAL) HAS ANNOUNCED A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for three prestigious awards in its 2020 Spring Awards program.

Nominations are now being accepted for the association’s 2020 Professional Agent of the Year, Customer Service Representative (CSR) of the Year and Young Insurance Professional (YIP) of the Year awards.

The deadline for all nominations is February 14, 2020. Nomination forms are currently available to download at www.pianet.com/awards. To enter, all completed nomination forms must be emailed to awards@pianet.org.

PIA strongly urges submitting additional materials that support each nomination. Supplemental materials are not required, but these materials include (but are not limited to) letters of endorsement, testimonials, awards, photographs, and news clips or press releases about the nominee.

Winners of corresponding state-level PIA Awards within the past 12 months automatically advance to the PIA National Awards competition. PIA Affiliates need only complete the state-level, PIA Affiliate nomination form to advance a state-level winner to the national competition, and may attach any supplemental materials that were used in their state process for consideration in the national competition.

All three awards will be presented during a gala luncheon ceremony on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia, held in conjunction with the 2020 PIA Advocacy Day and Spring governance meetings.

This is the 15th consecutive year that the PIA National Young Insurance Professional (YIP) of the Year Award is sponsored by Rough Notes magazine.

PIA members submitting nominations will find nomination forms and further instructions at: www.pianet.com/awards. For questions or additional information on the awards, contact Sade Hale at awards@pianet.org or (703) 518-1350.

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

CAPITOL HILL REPORT

By Jon Gentile Vice President, Government Relations PIA National

THE POWER OF PIA ADVOCACY Triple play of PIA wins close the year, more work remains for 2020.

HAVING ALREADY REVIEWED THE VARIOUS legislative and regulatory advances notched by PIA National across a variety of issues, late in December 2019 there were several additional accomplishments that occurred as Congress rushed to adjourn for its Christmas and New Year’s break.

The last item Congress had to pass before getting out of town was a financing measure to keep the federal government operating. These omnibus, “must-pass” budget bills regularly get amended with a host of unrelated bills that are added—like ornaments on a Christmas tree—and also passed as part of the overall package.

That’s exactly what happened in the final days of 2019, with three of PIA’s policy priorities added to the federal government funding package (H.R. 1865). The final budget bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump included an extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until September 30, 2020; the permanent repeal of the healthcare Cadillac Tax; and an extension of the terrorism risk insurance program (referred to as TRIA) through the end of 2027.

This was a triple win for independent insurance agents.

Along with a wide range of other policy advances in 2019 [“A Successful Year in Advocacy for PIA Members” PIA Connection 2019 V12], these three victories vividly illustrate the power of PIA advocacy.

Here’s a summary of our end-of-the-year triple play: FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM EXTENDED NINE MONTHS The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been extended until September 30, 2020 as part of the federal funding package. The program is currently on its 15th short-term extension since its last long-term authorization expired in 2017.

PIA National has worked tirelessly to ensure the NFIP does not lapse and that it receives a longer extension. To that end, PIA National spent the fall encouraging policymakers to extend the program more than a few months. We were pleased our efforts paid off, and the program was extended for more

THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT IS NOW

JOIN US

MARCH 31 - APRIL 1, 2020 IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

W W W. P I A A D V O C A C Y D AY. C O M

than nine months, to September 30, 2020, as part of the federal funding package.

CADILLAC TAX REPEALED PIA National was able to obtain a major victory in the funding package on a health care issue on which we’ve been lobbying for years: the repeal of the “Cadillac tax,” an onerous 40 percent excise tax on certain employer health plans. Enacted as a part of the Affordable Care Act, the Cadillac Tax has never been implemented, due in large part to advocacy by PIA members, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

2020 V1 | 9

THE POWER OF PIA ADVOCACY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

who have led multiple successful efforts to delay it, most recently until 2022.

The urgency to prevent the Cadillac tax from ever being implemented was due to the devastation it would have inflicted on the employer sponsored health system.

The Cadillac tax was a component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was an attempt to dismantle the employer sponsored health system and generate revenue to finance the government-backed ACA, into which displaced insureds could then be directed.

The repeal of the Cadillac tax had long been a priority for PIA National, and was a top priority at our annual congressional fly-in each year. PIA National helped develop legislation, the Middle-Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act, to repeal it and actively advocated in favor of it for years.

Our efforts first paid off in the summer of 2019 when the bill passed the U.S. House in July, setting the stage for its inclusion in the year-end funding package in December 2019.

Without PIA engaging in diligent years-long advocacy to lay the groundwork, the permanent repeal of the Cadillac tax in December 2019 would not have happened.

nipr.com

10 | 2020 V1

TRIA REAUTHORIZED FOR SEVEN YEARS The federal funding package also included one of PIA National’s most important policy priorities: a seven-year reauthorization of the terrorism risk insurance program (TRIA) without substantive changes. PIA National has been actively advocating for the long-term reauthorization of the TRIA program and we’re pleased this has been accomplished more than a year before its scheduled expiration of December 31, 2020.

The new expiration date is December 31, 2027.

These most recent accomplishments would not have been possible without the constant engagement of PIA members, who participate in our grassroots campaigns, engage with their members of Congress in their home districts, contribute to PIAPAC, and participate in our annual congressional flyin—now called PIA Advocacy Day—taking the PIA message directly to the halls of Congress.

While we scored numerous wins in 2019, our work must go on in 2020.

Jon Gentile is Vice President of Government Relations for PIA National.

Download the app for free by searching “NIPR Mobile” in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

Access Markets

Generate Revenue Save Time

Make Connections Agency Operations Group Products

Market Your Agency

ROI

Carrier

Partnerships

Information & Analysis Insurance Products

Advocacy

PIA National Guide to

Member Benefits PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

2020 V1 | 11

For online access to the PIA National member benefits listed Business-building tools

Insurance products

> 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. www.piadmv.com

> E &O insurance. Professional liability, errors and omissions insurance. With access to multiple markets with differing appetites, including admitted and non-admitted markets, chances are we can find the coverage and price that’s right for you, even if you have a more unusual risk.

Visit www.pianet.com/eando. > P IA agents umbrella program. Excess insurance protection includes E&O and business liability coverage, with available endorsements for EPL and personal coverage. Coverage not available in all states.

> PIA Branding Program. Market your agency using PIA’s print advertisements, radio commercials, social media support and consumer-friendly issue papers for your clients and prospects.

> Cyber insurance. PIA is proud to offer robust coverage tailored to small and mid-sized businesses. Coverage is available for PIA members to purchase and also to sell.

> 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.

Visit www.piamarketaccess.com.

> I ndividual and group insurance products. Basic, voluntary, and dependent term life; long/short term disability; and AD&D for you, your employees, and families. Visit www.piatrust.com.

R

The Ag

ency Dis

MARKET ACCESS

NATIO NA

IT’S NOT MAGIC IT JUST WORKS LIKE IT

SAVE 75% OF YOUR STAFF’S TIME TO COMPLETE A SUBMISSION If binding more business is important to you, AVYST is the solu tion.

Streamline your submi ssion process with eForm s Wizard

.

> 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.

Cutting-edge communications > PIA Connection magazine.

Award-winning publication providing PIA analysis from the agent’s perspective.

A SUCC

ESSFUL

PIA

YEAR IN AD

VOCACY

s to Win

SIONA

2019

L INSUR

FOR PIA

Page 12

TION ANCE

AGEN

MEMBER

S

page 9-11

> PIA National’s website, www.pianet.com.

BENEFITPIA MEMBER SPOTLIG HT:

Cyber 101

page 21

PIA MEMBER GHT: BENEFIT SPOTLI

page 21 Floodbroker.com

Introd ucing DMV: PIA the PIA ’s Direct Marke ting Vault

PIA

Agenc Guide y Marketing Brough t to you Agribusine ss and Equine

by the

se sponso

PIA DMV

®

Mortality

rs:

direct vault marketing

> PIA Advocacy Blog. Timely updates about what’s happening on Capitol Hill and on state and federal regulatory issues. Visit www.PIAAdvocacy.com. the PIA

Branding

Program

> PIA in the news. PIA is the go-to, authoritative source for the independent agent’s point of view across a wide swath of influential industry media.

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

V12

TS

NAL INSUR

INSURAdNCE an MARIJUANA

> PIA Agency Marketing Guide.

Hands-on marketing tips from industry experts and agents like you. Published annually.

ntinue

ANCE AGENTS

N OF PROFESSIO

CIATIO NATIONAL ASSO

tem Co

PROFES

N CONNECTIO

uct of

12 | 2020 V1

CIATIO N OF

2019 V11

A prod

> 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.

on Sys

NNEC

L ASSO

> Cyber Insurance. Robust coverage tailored to small and midsized 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 carrierunique applications and forms, entering data only once in an organized interview format.

Get to market faster!

tributi

PIA CO

ed here, please visit www.pianet.com.

Agency management tools

Carrier relations Because good relationships with the carriers you represent are vital to your success, PIA National keeps an open line of communication with insurance companies—and uses it on your behalf. PIA members can constructively voice their concerns, so carriers understand how their decisions affect their agency partners.

Through our ongoing activities with The PIA Partnership, PIA’s company council, we develop hands-on tools specifically designed for use by agents to help them strengthen their agencies.

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: > Agency Journey Mapping. Value your agency, maximize your retirement income, and plan for unexpected death/disability while creating a perpetuation plan for your agency. > Cyber 101. Cyber education for you and your clients.

> 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. > 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. > Agency Preparedness and Recovery Plan.

The PIA guide to creating an agency-specific business contingency plan. > Employee profiling. Hire the right people with skills and personality testing from OMNIA. > 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.

CYBER 101

Essential Information You and Your Clients Need to Know About Cyber

> 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. > 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. > Agency Touch Points — The Voice of the Customer. Learn how to capitalize on Partnership research to give personal lines customers what they really want. > Reaching Gen Y. This online tool helps agents understand and reach Gen Y age group insurance consumers and convert them into loyal agency customers. > 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.

Industry & business affairs PIA National works with industry groups such as the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD) and the Insurance Services Office (ISO) to improve processes and address challenges facing the insurance industry in general and agents in particular. PIA is leading the effort to enable agents to quote and bind policies from a single platform, aka The Buy Button.

PIA also provides our members with practical guidance to help them keep their agency practices in compliance with insurance and general business regulations and more aligned to the way other agencies do business. Guidance is also provided to assist PIA members with protecting their ownership and control of agency expirations.

Learn more about these PIA National member benefits at www.pianet.com.

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

2020 V1 | 13

Legislative & regulatory outreach PIA National represents members’ interests in state capitals and in Washington, D.C. to ensure that lawmakers and regulators understand and support the independent agency system. That’s why PIA National actively works with Congress and the Executive branch to ensure that your voice is heard when policymakers make decisions that affect you.

PIA has one common strategy: always put the interests of agents first! Whether it’s fighting encroachment by the Federal Insurance Office, standing up for agent commissions, protecting the vital role that independent agents play in delivering federallybacked crop and flood insurance, and safeguarding the employer-sponsored healthcare system, PIA National is your advocate in the halls of Congress, with regulators and throughout our industry.

In addition, PIA works with Congress on other vital issues like cybersecurity, data security legislation and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).

Guide to Member Benefits pages

PIA National’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 InsureTech standards groups like p4 the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD), and others — to ensure that the concerns of independent agents are addressed.

Here are some ways you can get involved: > PIA Advocacy Blog. The PIA Advocacy blog is your one-stop shop for timely updates on what’s happening on Capitol Hill and on state and federal regulatory issues. Follow the blog by visiting www.PIAAdvocacy.com. > PIA Advocacy Day (formerly the Federal Legislative Summit).

Every spring PIA members gather in the nation’s capital to meet with their elected representatives to discuss issues that are important to independent insurance agents. PIA Advocacy Day gives policymakers and their staffs a chance to hear directly from you, their constituents. Learn more by visiting www.PIAAdvocacyDay.com. > Grassroots alerts. To ensure legislators feel the heat from their constituents, PIA occasionally organizes grassroots campaigns in which PIA members can easily send pre- written, fully-editable letters directly to their elected officials. Send one now by visiting www.piagrassroots.com.

> PIA Political Action Committee (PIAPAC). PIAPAC is the Professional Insurance Agents Political Action Committee. The PAC contributes to the campaigns of candidates to federal office who share our pro-insurance, pro-business perspective and who support our issues. PIAPAC is funded by the contributions of individual PIA members. To learn more visit www.piapac.com.

PIA Insurance Foundation The Professional Insurance Agents Insurance Foundation (501(c) (3)) strives to further the insurance knowledge and education of those engaged in the independent insurance agency system. It is also home to the PIA Disaster Relief Fund which solicits charitable contributions and, in turn, provides relief grants to businesses following catastrophic events.

Contact us Have a question? Not sure how to access a particular program?

Want to vent about something? That’s what your staff at PIA is for.

Please contact us using the information to the right.

Connect with PIA National

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .eps

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .eps

facebook.com/PIANational @PIANational linkedin.com/company/pianational

Connect with other PIA members 14 Join the PIA Peers group on Facebook | 2020 V1

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents 419 N. Lee Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (703) 836-9340 membership@pianet.org www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION1/20 www.pianet.com/contactus

The PIA Partnership Presents:

AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING All agencies will perpetuate.

The question is: how to do it in the best way.

AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING

AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING

AGENCYJOURNEYMAPPING

AGENCYJOURNEYMAPPING

“Every agency will eventually perpetuate… yet few agency owners adequately prepare.”

—PIA National President Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“Sadly, many never plan for a crisis requiring immediate perpetuation— the very thing that they counsel their own clients to avoid.”

—Al Diamond, president of Agency Consulting Group, Inc., The PIA Partnership’s content partner for the Agency Journey Mapping program.

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

“The PIA Partnership has long identified agency perpetuation as important to the continued viability of the independent agency system.”

“[The] program is both comprehensive yet easy for agents to understand and utilize.”

— 2020 PIA Partnership Chair Ryan Dawson of The Hanover

— 2019 PIA Partnership Chair Tom Hamilton, CLU, ChFC, from the Sales Division of Erie Insurance.

2020 V1 | 15

AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

PIA NATIONAL AND ITS CARRIER COUNCIL, THE PIA Partnership, have unveiled a new agency perpetuation planning program for PIA members and agents appointed by carriers participating in The PIA Partnership.

The PIA Partnership’s new Agency Journey Mapping program, available at www.agencyjourneymapping.com, explains the means and methods of determining agency valuation based on cash flow potential and future earnings potential. The program then expands to identify how agencies may plan for their own internal or external succession to achieve the goals of the perpetuator, the successor, and the staff and clients of the agency.

“Every agency will eventually perpetuate at the death, disability or retirement of its owners or earlier sale of the agency,” said PIA National President Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Yet few agency owners adequately prepare for perpetuation and fewer still understand

The PIA Partnership Presents:

the principles of valuation to properly calculate their business’ value in a succession or perpetuation. Our goal is to help agents understand the issues surrounding agency perpetuation, while making it easy for them to create a personalized perpetuation plan for their agencies.”

“Not preparing for the ownership transition of their agencies costs agency owners in multiple ways,” said Al Diamond, president of Agency Consulting Group, Inc., The PIA Partnership’s content partner for the Agency Journey Mapping program.

“Some lose tens of thousands of dollars or more of value by assuming that every agency is worth the same ‘multiple.’

Others don’t prepare themselves or their successors until very close to ownership conversion—too late to be very effective,” Diamond said. “Sadly, many never plan for a crisis requiring immediate perpetuation—the very thing that they counsel their own clients to avoid.”

Agency Journey Mapping

WWW.AGENCYJOURNEYMAPPING.COM THE PIA PARTNERSHIP

The PIA Partnership is a joint effort of leading insurance carriers and PIA. PIA and the companies belonging to The PIA Partnership work together to develop hands-on tools for PIA members and agents appointed by Partnership carriers, specifically addressing areas of opportunity in the agency-company partnership.

“The PIA Partnership has long identified agency perpetuation as important to the continued viability of the independent agency system,” said 2019 PIA Partnership Chair Tom Hamilton, CLU, ChFC, from the Sales Division of Erie Insurance. “The group introduced Perpetuation Central back in 2007.”

“Perpetuation Central was a self-service, online resource that has long been among the most popular Partnership programs,” said 2020 PIA Partnership Chair

16 | 2020 V1

Ryan Dawson of The Hanover. “In rejuvenating that toolset, we saw the opportunity to add live seminars to the program and to reorganize the offering around those seminars. The resulting program is both comprehensive yet easy for agents to understand and utilize.”

The PIA Partnership was established in 1996. PIA would like to thank the PIA Partnership companies who helped to develop Agency Journey Mapping: Encompass Insurance, Erie Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, MetLife Auto & Home, National General Insurance, Progressive Insurance, Selective Insurance Group, State Auto Insurance Companies and The Hanover Insurance Group.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PIA PARTNERSHIP AT WWW.THEPIAPARTNERSHIP.COM.

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

OR TO PUT MORE STARKLY: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET HIT BY A BUS? Agency Journey Mapping addresses all of these issues and more without divulging anything about the individual agencies,” said Diamond.

Agents using the Agency Journey Mapping program will learn about agency valuation, internal perpetuation methods, external perpetuation methods and contingency buy/sell agreements. They will learn how to maximize their retirement income when they leave their agency while protecting their family’s income should they die or become disabled before then.

HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM Agency Journey Mapping began as a series of live seminars held in cities across the country. That live program has been recorded and is now available on-demand along with an extensive resource library that agents can use to create a perpetuation plan that is personalized to their agency.

Agents who prefer a live seminar to the on-demand option can indicate that on the Agency Journey Mapping website.

They will then receive a personal invitation when a live seminar is scheduled near them. The live seminars generally

iz u Q r e n w O y c n Age : Do you want

to

me tirement inco re r u o y e iz im Max y ll your agenc when you se mily’s income fa r u o y t c te Pro disabled ie or become d u o y ld u o sh ABOVE ALL OF THE

qualify for 4-hours of continuing education (CE) credits—the on-demand seminar does not. Live seminars also include a 30-minute private consultation with PIA’s perpetuation partner, Al Diamond of Agency Consulting Group.

Whether you are planning for the eventual sale of your agency, planning for the unexpected, or simply want to value your agency, PIA’s Agency Journey Mapping program will put you on the right path.

We’ll help you understand the challenges and best practices of agency ownership transfer, so you can create a perpetuation/succession plan for your agency. And you'll receive access to dozens of tools to help you do it.

Available on-demand or through live seminars.

Create the roadmap for your agency’s futureAGENCY at JOURNEY agencyjourneymapping.com.

MAPPING

AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING

AGENCYJOURNEYMAPPING Agency Journey Mapping is brought to you by The PIA Partnership, PIA’s national carrier council. Partnership companies include:

AGENCYJOURNEYMAPPING

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

2020 V1 | 17

$

AGENCY MARKETING

By Kelly Donahue-Piro

YOUR BIGGEST MARKETING ASSET: YOUR TEAM OF BRAND AMBASSADORS

Social Media: Not all, but most team members are on social media, and many of them like to have some separation between their personal and professional lives. Generally speaking, most people are proud of where they work and what they do. Why not incentivize and motivate your team to share the agency’s social media posts and encourage the team to check into the office? This is a great way to get more eyeballs on your brand and associate the sharing team member with insurance.

If you do this consistently, you will get more inbound referral business, and the opportunity for those new, socially active clients to spread the word about you.

AS AN INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENCY, you have one strong asset that the big companies simply cannot compete against, yet rarely do we ever think to tap into this low-cost strategy. It’s your people! When you think of your entire team as brand ambassadors rather than just agents or service people, you can start to leverage your community and their networks for true brand awareness.

WHAT IS A BRAND AMBASSADOR? While the term sounds fancy, it’s quite simple. A brand ambassador is someone who knows about your agency and can become like a megaphone for your message. The best and worst part about insurance is that every single person needs to buy it, and most people would rather buy it from someone they know rather than a stranger. Your brand ambassadors, a.k.a. your team, can be just the welcoming committee new opportunities need to give your agency a chance.

Community: Many agencies are highly active in their communities, from 5K races to charitable contributions. The great news is that we can use this time to share how your agency is a part of this community and taking care of its members. Many agencies use some of the bank holidays as days to give back to community organizations. What a great way to get out, meet new people and help promote the agency’s brand in the process!

Company Swag: Who doesn’t love a Yeti coffee mug? While it may sound like an investment (and it is, but let’s face it, we have all spent more money on far less successful things), having your team spread your brand around the community is a golden ticket. The key to good swag is to make it good — things people will use and spread around. Don’t skimp on the quality. Think about it: Do you covet a good pen?

When you get a nice, soft t-shirt from a company you support, do you wear it? Think of it this way. If your team, every single day, walked around town with your logo, do you think they would get more opportunity? I think so!

18 | 2020 V1

Yeti.com

HOW CAN THEY HELP PROMOTE US? In today’s ever connected world, there are some very simple ways your team can work together to promote awareness of the agency. We want to break down a few traditional ways, as well as some newer, modern ways your team can start becoming brand ambassadors.

THE BUT… You may be reading this and thinking about two common yet major challenges we see when discussing this with agencies across the land.

First, that’s great, but what does it all mean and how does it work? If you are struggling to see how your agency can hop on this, you need to start by building your agency’s brand.

This is the foundation of who you are and why you exist. Your agency’s brand will help you determine your colors, your community organizations and even your team. If your brand is socially active, fun and engaging — your team should be too!

Your brand for the agency should be inspiring and motivating rather than stale and boring. Consider working with some experts on how to give your organization a brand facelift.

Second, you absolutely cannot see your team doing this.

You can see yourself cheerleading and pushing, and in return getting bitter beer face looks. I urge you to take a step back. If that’s what you imagine you’d be getting, what do you think your clients may be getting for a customer experience? (That’s www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

a whole different article we could write!) Today, your marketing cannot exist in a vacuum. The new theory is you play to play — which means people are buying you and your people before they are buying a policy. When your marketing is filled with happy people, but the phone rings and a gruff, truck driver sounding person says, “Insurance, how can we help you?” you blew it. The bottom line is that your brand ambassadors (which, remember, are your entire team) should be the ultimate welcoming committee to your agency.

Kelly Donahue-Piro, is the founder and president of Agency Performance Partners. She is a no-nonsense effectiveness expert who has helped hundreds of insurance agencies identify and capitalize on sustainable improvement opportunities. Her specialties include (1) agency culture assessment and change (2) management & supervisory coaching and benchmarking (3) customer retention strategy development (4) digital marketing strategy (5) planning and implementation (6) sales planning, management and skill-building. Over the past several years, Kelly has worked with small businesses across the country to build and implement successful programs to boost revenues, profits and efficiency. In 2014, she created Agency Performance Partners with

MORE MARKETING SUPPORT FROM PIA PIA members have access to a wealth of marketing tips in past and present issues of the annual PIA Agency Marketing Guide. Read them all at www.PIAAgencyMarketingGuide.com.

PIA wishes to thank the sponsors of the 2019 PIA Agency Marketing Guide: American Reliable Insurance Company; the PIA DMV: PIA’s Direct Marketing Vault; Progressive Insurance and Smart Choice.

Introducing the PIA DMV: PIA’s Direct Marketing Vault

PIA

Agency Marketin g Guide Brought to you by these

®

Agribusiness and Equine

Mortality

sponsors:

PIA DMV

direct marketing vault

A product of the PIA

2019AMG.indb

Branding Program

1

8/19/19 9:32 PM

PIA’s Agency Marketing Guide is published as part of the PIA Branding Program, PIA’s agency marketing program (www.piabrandingprogram.com). Funding for the PIA Branding Program is provided in part by PIA’s Pinnacle Partners: Encompass Insurance, Encova Insurance, Erie Insurance, and State Auto Insurance Companies.

a mission to “partner with insurance entrepreneurs who dream to take their business to the next level and beyond, by relentlessly pursuing excellence in world-class service and sales strategies.”

SELECTIVE IS PROUD TO RECEIVE THE

2019 COMPANY AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS

© 2019 Selective Ins. Group, Inc., Branchville, NJ. Products vary by jurisdiction, terms, and conditions and are provided by Selective Ins. Co. of America and its insurer affiliates. Details at selective.com/about/affiliated-insurers.aspx. INST-19-046

PIA CONNECTION | www.pianet.com

2020 V1 | 19

YOUR MEMBER BENEFITS FROM PIA NATIONAL BUSINESS-BUILDING TOOLS ✦ 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, Targeted Direct Mail, and add-on digital advertising services. ✦ PIA BRANDING PROGRAM. Print ads, radio commercials, consumer-oriented flyers and social media support for PIA members. www.piabrandingprogram.com ✦ PIA MARKET ACCESS. Access to over 50 national and specialty carriers, realtime online rating, ownership of your book and no exit fees for a low monthly rate. www.piamarketaccess.com ✦ HARTFORD FLOOD INSURANCE. PIA’s endorsed flood provider since 2004. Dedicated local sales directors and book transfer/rollover team plus great commissions for PIA members.

Call (860) 547-5006. ✦ 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.

✦ AGENCY WEBSITES. Cutting-edge websites tailored specifically to insurance agents.

✦ PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL PLANNING. Plan for success within your own agency.

✦ PIA LOGO. Put the PIA logo on your business card, website, stationery and signage. Order items with the PIA logo in our online store.

AGENCY MANAGEMENT TOOLS

TOOLS FROM THE PIA PARTNERSHIP, PIA’S COMPANY COUNCIL

✦ Free subscriptions to industry publications.

✦ ACORD FORMS END USER LICENSES. Available for free to qualifying PIA members who access INSURANCE PRODUCTS Dana’s ACORD forms through agency pick management systems and other ✦ E&O INSURANCE. With access to authorized distributors. Plus PIA admitted and non-admitted markets member discounts on the ACORD with differing appetites chances are we Advantage Plus Program. can find the coverage and price that’s ✦ AGENCY AGREEMENT REVIEW right for you. www.pianet.com/eando SERVICE. Free to members and ✦ PIA AGENTS UMBRELLA PROGRAM. carriers, PIA recommends changes to Excess insurance protection includes carriers and highlights concerns for E&O and business liability coverage, members. with available endorsements for EPL ✦ AGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND and personal coverage.

RECOVERY PLAN. The PIA guide to ✦ CYBER LIABILITY INSURANCE. creating an agency-specific business Coverage and pricing tailored to small contingency plan. and mid-sized businesses. ✦ EMPLOYEE PROFILING. Hire the right ✦ INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP INSURANCE people with skills and personality PRODUCTS. Basic, voluntary and testing from OMNIA. dependent term life; long/short term ✦ Discounts on producer licensing, disability; AD&D; business overhead car rentals, shipping with UPS and expense; and hospital income calendars from Mines Press. protection. www.piatrust.com

✦ 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!

Alexi’s ✦ FLOODBROKER.COM. Sell more flood insurance with a flood quoting Web portal. A PIA member exclusive! ✦ PIA AGENCY MARKETING GUIDE. Hands-on marketing tips from industry experts. Published annually. ✦ ROUGH NOTES - ADVANTAGE PLUS. Identifies risk exposures. Provides detailed coverage analysis. PIA member price $600 annually (reg. $700). Call 800-428-4384. Use your PIA member ID# above name on mailing label. ✦ AGENCY REVENUE TOOLS. Boost personal lines sales by engaging in employee worksite marketing using your appointed markets at regular commission rates.

pick

AGENCY JOURNEY MAPPING. Value your agency, maximize your retirement income, and plan for unexpected death/disability while creating a perpetuation plan for your agency.

✦ CYBER 101. Cyber education for you and your clients. ✦ SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE & THE INTERNET—THE VOICE OF THE CL CUSTOMER. Stay ahead of online competition in commercial lines. ✦ CLOSING THE GAP—GROWTH & PROFIT. Plan for growth and profitability. Includes tools for improving retention, sales and account-rounding. ✦ AGENCY TOUCH POINTS—THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER. Give personal lines customers what they really want. ✦ REACHING GEN Y. Convert Gen Y age group insurance consumers into loyal agency customers.

LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY OUTREACH ✦ PIA ADVOCACY BLOG. Timely updates about what’s happening on Capitol Hill and on state and federal regulatory issues. www.PIAAdvocacy.com. ✦ GRASSROOTS ALERTS. Send pre-written, fully-editable letters directly to your elected officials. www.piagrassroots.com ✦ PIA ADVOCACY DAY. Every spring, PIA members visit Capitol Hill to talk with their elected representatives about issues that are important to independent insurance agents. www.PIAAdvocacyDay.com ✦ PIA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PIAPAC). PIAPAC contributes to the campaigns of candidates to federal office who share our pro-insurance, pro-business perspective and who support our issues. www.piapac.com

Learn more about these PIA National member benefits at www.pianet.com.

20 | 2020 V1

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

PIA MEMBER BENEFIT SPOTLIGHT

DISCOVER THE SECRET TO HIRING RIGHT WITH OMNIA Omnia Profile® behavioral assessment product. It provides managers and agency owners with incredibly accurate assessments of their producers’ assets and liabilities. It is a critical tool for agency owners who plan to hire new agency personnel.

The Omnia Profile is both a selection and retention tool which can be used to: • Hire, promote, and retain employees • Avoid taking on workers incompatible with your work culture • Key into new ways to motivate your existing team • Learn how to communicate with multi-generational personnel • See who really has sales or management potential—and who doesn’t • Keep good employees

2.12.20 — Creating a Sales Culture: Coaching CSRs to Sell 4.15.20 — Discover Hidden Talent in Your Organization 5.13.20 — Diversity in the Workplace 6.17.20 — How Empowered Employees Impact the Client Experience 9.16.20 — How to Quickly Identify and Avoid Hiring Sales Phonies 10.14.20 — Interoffice Dynamics: Sales vs. Service All webinars are at 2 PM Eastern Time. Register today: https://www.omniagroup.com/pia-webinar-registration/

AC

L E PAR TN ER

When first contacting Omnia, PIA members receive a free online, instant assessment or a free custom assessment of an agency employee or prospective employee.

Plus, if you buy a package of Omnia Profiles, you’ll also receive one free. Get started on your track to success today by calling The Omnia Group at 800-525-7117 or email sales@omniagroup.com and be sure to tell them you are a PIA member to receive your free assessments. Visit: https://www.omniagroup.com/pia-members/

HR WEBINARS FROM OMNIA Don’t forget to take advantage of Omnia’s free PIA memberonly webinars produced for those in customer service, sales, HR and leadership roles. Take a look at this year’s schedule:

P I NN

FOR YEARS PIA HAS RECOMMENDED THE

2020 PIA NATIONAL PINNACLE PARTNERS Encompass Insurance Encova Insurance Erie Insurance State Auto Insurance Companies

Partnership | Solutions | Success Conquering E&S Risks One Risk At A Time

800.257.5590 quotes@primeis.com

www.auw.com

Specialty, Auto, Professional, P&C, E&S Lines Insurance

Photo by Josh King Photography

PIA CONNECTION MARKETPLACE

www.primeis.com *For latest ratings, please access www.ambest.com.

PIA DMV ult

Va PIA’s Direct Marketing

Customizable postcards and digital advertising for PIA members.

m com v.co mv. adm piad pi

PIA Connection Marketplace rates: $95/issue for 10 issues; $120/issue for 5 issues. To learn more and get a contract, to inquire about |display advertising, PIAorCONNECTION www.pianet.com please contact Alexi Papandon at alexipa@pianet.org or 703-518-1353.

2020 V1 | 21

PIA AFFILIATES ALABAMA

MARYLAND

OREGON/IDAHO

PIA Southern Alliance, 3805 Crestwood Pkwy NW #140, Duluth, GA 30096 PHONE: (770) 921-7585 | FAX: (770) 921-7590 e-mail: info@piasouth.com | Web Site: piasouth.com

Insurance Agents & Brokers of Maryland 5050 Ritter Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-0763 PHONE: (717) 795-9100 | FAX: (717) 795-8347 e-mail: iab@iabforme.com | Web Site: www.iabforme.com

PIA Western Alliance 3205 Northeast 78th Street, #104, Vancouver, WA 98665 PHONE: (888) 246-4466 | FAX: (360) 571-7600 e-mail: piawest@piawest.com | Web Site: www.piawest.com

MASSACHUSETTS

PENNSYLVANIA

PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

MICHIGAN

PUERTO RICO & CARIBBEAN

Michigan PIA, P.O. Box 99579 Troy, Michigan, 48099 PHONE: (616) 454-4461 | FAX: (616) 454-4491 e-mail: inquiry@mipia.com | Web Site: www.mipia.com

PIA of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Inc KOI Building, Urb. Muñoz Rivera, Acuarela Street, 3A, Office G – 10, Guaynabo, PR 00969 PHONE: (787) 387-9696 | FAX: (787) 792-4745 e-mail: administration@piaofpr.org | Web Site: www.piaofpr.org

ARKANSAS PIA of Arkansas Inc. 102 Country Club Parkway, Suite 201, Maumelle, AR 72113 PHONE: (501) 225-1645 | FAX: (501) 225-2550 e-mail: staci@piaar.com | Web Site: www.piaar.com

CA/NV/AZ/NM PIA Western Alliance, 3205 Northeast 78th St #104, Vancouver, WA 98665 PHONE: (888) 246-4466 | FAX: (360) 571-7600 e-mail: piawest@piawest.com | Web Site: www.piawest.com

COLORADO

MINNESOTA

PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

PIA of Minnesota, 8646 Eagle Creek Circle, Suite 202, Savage, MN 55378 PHONE: (866) 694-7070 | FAX: (866) 749-8678 e-mail: info@piamn.com | Web Site: www.piamn.com

CONNECTICUT

MISSISSIPPI

PIA of Connecticut, P.O. Box 997, Glenmont, NY 12077-0997 PHONE: (800) 424-4244 | FAX: (518) 434-2342 e-mail: pia@pia.org | Web Site: www.pia.org

PIA Southern Alliance, 3805 Crestwood Pkwy. NW, Ste. 140, Duluth, GA 30096 PHONE: (770) 921-7585 | FAX: (770) 921-7590 e-mail: info@piasouth.com | Web Site: piasouth.com

DELAWARE

MISSOURI

PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

Missouri Association of Insurance Agents 3315 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, MO 65109-6878 PHONE: 573-893-4301 | FAX: 573-893-3708 e-mail: mbarton@moagent.org | Web Site: www.missouriagent.org

FLORIDA PIA of Florida, Inc., 419 N. Lee Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2353 PHONE: (850) 893-8245 | FAX: (703) 549-5190 e-mail: piafl@piafl.org | Web Site: www.piafl.org

MONTANA

RHODE ISLAND PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

SOUTH CAROLINA PIA of South Carolina, PO Box 6167, Columbia, SC 29260 PHONE: (803) 772-0557 | (888) 742-6372 | FAX: (803) 772-0846 e-mail: PIASC@piasc.net | Web Site: www.piasc.net

SOUTH DAKOTA PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

TENNESSEE

PIA Western Alliance, 3205 NE 78th St Ste 104, Vancouver, WA 98665-0697 PHONE: (888) 246-4466 | FAX: (360) 571-7600 e-mail: piawest@piawest.com | Web Site: www.piawest.com

PIA of Tennessee Inc 504 Autumn Springs Court Suite A-3, Franklin, TN 37067 PHONE: (615) 771-1177 | FAX: (615) 771-3456 e-mail: piatn@piatn.com | Web Site: www.piatn.com

NEBRASKA/IOWA

TEXAS

HAWAII

PIA of Nebraska/Iowa, 920 South 107th Avenue, Suite 305, Omaha, NE 68114 PHONE: (402) 392-1611 | FAX: (402) 392-2228 e-mail: cathy@pianeia.com | Web Site: www.pianeia.com

PIA of Texas 5605 N. MacArthur Blvd. Suite 1000, Irving, TX 75038 PHONE: (972) 862-3333 | FAX: (972) 307-7888 e-mail: vicki@piatx.org | Web Site: www.piatx.org

PIA of Hawaii, 1247 Kelewina St. Kailua, HI 96734 PHONE: (808) 261-9460 | FAX: (808) 262-5355 e-mail: piahi@hawaiiantel.net | Web Site: www.piahawaii.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE

UTAH

PIA of New Hampshire, P.O. Box 997, Glenmont NY 12077-0997 PHONE: (800) 424-4244 | FAX: (518) 434-2342 e-mail: pia@pia.org | Web Site: www.pia.org

Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents 4885 S. 900 E., Suite 302, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 PHONE: (801) 269-1200 | FAX: (801) 269-1265 e-mail: ctimothy@srvins.com | Web Site: www.uaiia.org

GEORGIA PIA Southern Alliance, 3805 Crestwood Pkwy NW #140, Duluth, GA 30096 PHONE: (770) 921-7585 | FAX: (770) 921-7590 e-mail: info@piasouth.com | Web Site: piasouth.com

ILLINOIS PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

INDIANA PIA of Indiana, 50 E. 91 Street Ste. 207 Indianapolis, IN 46240 PHONE: (317) 899-9200 | FAX: (317) 493-0408 e-mail: info@piaindiana.com | Web Site: www.piaindiana.com

KANSAS

NEW JERSEY PIA New Jersey, P.O. Box 997, Glenmont NY 12077-0997 PHONE: (800) 424-4244 | FAX: (518) 434-2342 e-mail: pia@pia.org | Web Site: www.pia.org

NEW YORK PIA New York, P.O. Box 997, Glenmont NY 12077-0997 PHONE: (800) 424-4244 | FAX: (518) 434-2342 e-mail: pia@pia.org | Web Site: www.pia.org

VERMONT PIA of Vermont P.O. Box 997, Glenmont NY 12077-0997 PHONE: (800) 424-4244 | FAX: (518) 434-2342 e-mail: pia@pia.org | Web Site: www.pia.org

VIRGINIA/DC

NORTH CAROLINA

PIA Assn of Virginia & DC 8751 Park Central Dr., Ste 140, Richmond, VA 23227 PHONE: (804) 264-2582 | FAX: (804) 266-1075 e-mail: kevin@piavadc.com | Web Site: www.piavadc.com

KENTUCKY

PIANC, PO Box 1387 Davidson, NC 28036 PHONE: (704) 534-2338 e-mail: jim@pianc.net | Web Site: www.pianc.net

WASHINGTON/ALASKA

PIA of Kentucky, P.O. Box 4205, Frankfort, KY 40604-4205 PHONE: (502) 875-3888 | FAX: (502) 227-0839 e-mail: clemay@piaky.org | Web Site: www.piaky.org

NORTH DAKOTA

Kansas Association of Professional Insurance Agents 216 SW 7th Ave, Topeka, KS 66603 PHONE: (785) 232-4143 | FAX: (785) 232-0272 e-mail: pia@pia.kscoxmail.com | Web Site: www.kansaspia.org

LOUISIANA PIA of Louisiana Inc. 4021 W. E. Heck Ct., Building K, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 PHONE: (225) 766-7770 | (800) 349-3434 LA only | FAX: (225) 766-1601 e-mail: jody@piaoflouisiana.com | Web Site: www.piaoflouisiana.com

PIA of North Dakota 827 28th Street South, Suite C-2, Fargo, ND 58103 PHONE: (701) 223-5025 | (800) 733-1050 ND&MN only FAX: (701) 223-9456 | e-mail: info@piand.com Web Site: www.piand.com

OHIO

MAINE

PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 email: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.org

Maine Insurance Agents Association 17 Carriage Lane, Hallowell, ME 04347 PHONE: (207) 623-1875 | FAX: (207) 626-0275 e-mail: lisa@maineagents.net | Web Site: www.meiaa.com

OKLAHOMA

22 | 2020 V1

PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.org

PIA Western Alliance 3205 Northeast 78th Street, #104, Vancouver, WA 98665 PHONE: (360) 571-7100 | FAX: (360) 571-7600 e-mail: piawest@piawest.com | Web Site: www.piawest.com

WEST VIRGINIA PHONE: (703) 836-9340 | FAX: (703) 836-1279 e-mail: membership@pianet.org | Web Site: www.pianet.com

WISCONSIN PIA of Wisconsin, Inc., 6401 Odana Road, Madison, WI 53719-1126 PHONE: (608) 274-8188 | (800) 261-7429 | FAX: (608) 274-8195 e-mail: phanson@piaw.org | Web Site: www.piaw.org

WYOMING Assoc. of Wyoming Ins. Agents, PO Box 1321, Cheyenne, WY 82003 PHONE: (307) 201-4801 | FAX: (775) 796-3122 e-mail: awia@vcn.com | Web Site: www.awia.com

www.pianet.com | PIA CONNECTION

Partnership Solutions Success CONQUERING E&S RISKS ONE RISK AT A TIME

800.257.5590

quotes@primeis.com www.primeis.com Specialty, Auto, Professional, Property & Casualty Excess & Surplus Lines Insurance Available in all 50 states.

Auto available in most states except NY.

For latest ratings, please access www.ambest.com.

Expect big things in workers’ compensation. Most classes approved, nationwide. It pays to get a quote from Applied.® For information call (877) 234-4450 or visit auw.com. Follow us at bigdoghq.com.

©2020 Applied Underwriters, Inc. Rated A (Excellent) by AM Best. Insurance plans protected U.S. Patent No. 7,908,157.