Main Street - May 2012

INSIDE A Head’s Up — Insurance Premium Tax Payments Up | 8 Don’t Turn the Clock Back on Crop Insurance | 10

A Taste of PIA | 20 Cover © Some rights reserved by cfourcalvin

May 2012 | Published Monthly

?

Did you

know

Did you know that PIA is working on agents’ behalf to clear up several issues surrounding certificates of insurance?

As part of this effort, PIA National recently held a webinar with ACORD that was made available to PIA members free of charge. A panel of experts from PIA, ACORD and the carrier ranks provided an overview of certificates of insurance, what they mean, what they do not mean and things independent agents should know before issuing certificates.

This PIA-ACORD webinar is now available online to all agents. To view the webinar, please visit www.pianet.com/IssuesOfFocus/HotIssues/ InsuranceBusinessPractices This is just one way PIA looks out for professional, independent insurance agents. To learn about other ways that PIA fights for agents please visit our website. Better yet, join the fight by becoming a PIA member. Members receive regular communications from PIA, keeping them plugged in so they can operate their agencies better.

To learn more about membership in PIA, please give us a call or visit us online at www.pianet.com/AboutUs/joinpia.

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents 400 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314-2353 www.pianet.com | membership@pianet.org | (703) 836-9340

Top Stories A Head’s Up — Insurance Premium Tax Payments Up | 8 As you read this story, PIA National says you need to keep a couple of things in mind. Number one, this story indicates the insurance business is recovering from the big economic downturn.

Don’t Turn the Clock Back on Crop Insurance | 10 Congress is currently working on legislation that could lead to big changes to federal crop insurance and have major effects on America’s farmers.

Crop Insurance & Farm Subsidies | 12 Even more changes are coming to the nation’s crop subsidy program.

FEMA to Congress: NFIP Expires at the End of May | 13 The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to expire on May 31. Again.

Care Act passed The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) said fewer employers are offering healthcare coverage and few employees are taking coverage when offered.

Pre-Existing Conditions — Lots of Them | 17 As more information becomes known about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and as the federal government continues to implement the law, more surprises pop up.

The Housing Market — Costco & the Proverbial Bottom | 17 Zillow’s Home Value Forecast has predicted the bottom for the housing crisis.

Still in Recession? A Poll | 17 Still in a Recession?

Calendar of Events A Taste of PIA | 18

Tax Break Extensions for Business | 14 Whether you’re small business or large, tax reform is on your mind.

What if the Supreme Court Tosses ObamaCare? | 15 Unwinding the law — if found unconstitutional — will be complex for everyone and not just Congress and the administration.

Upcoming Events Calendar 2012 | 19

ObamaCare & Employer Benefits | 16 Since the Patient Protection and Affordable

Wanted, For Sale and Opportunities | 20 Contact us to place a classified ad.

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May 2012 | Main Street Industry News | www.pianeia.com | 4

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Top Stories

A Head’s Up

Insurance Premium Tax Payments Up

As you read this story, PIA National says you need to keep a couple of things in mind. Number one, this story indicates the insurance business is recovering from the big economic downturn. Second, this story illustrates part of the motivation behind efforts to bring about federal insurance regulation.

increasing. The overall increase — to all states — jumped $55.7 billion in 2011 to $757.2 billion.

This is for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011.

As you will note in this article, state insurance premium taxes account for three times as much as general sales tax revenue received by the states. That is a very big and tempting target for the federal government.

Revenue on taxes imposed distinctively on insurance companies and measured by gross or adjusted gross premiums (insurance premium sales tax) increased $593.8 million — a 3.8% increase. For fiscal 2010, insurance premium sales taxes rose 5.3%.

A report from the U.S. Census Bureau notes that insurance premium tax payments are

The 2011 Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections contains

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News | www.pianeia.com | 8

Top Stories statistics on the fiscal year tax collections of all 50 state governments and that includes receipts from licenses and compulsory fees.

It shows the largest increases in insurance premium sales tax revenue in the Northeast and South. Corporate net income tax revenue hit $40.2 billion — a 9.4% increase.

Tax revenue on individual income was at $259.1 billion — up 9.8%.

Insurance premium taxes were three times as much as general sales tax revenue of $234.5 billion. That’s an increase of 5.4%. Corporate net income tax revenue, individual income tax revenue and general sales tax revenue comprised 70.5% of all state government tax collections nationally.

What It Means to Agents:

As mentioned at the beginning of the story, this income is a very big and tempting target for the federal government. Something to keep in mind when the Treasury Department starts saying how “efficient” federal regulation of insurance would be. Efficient for them, if they manage to get their hands on all or part of this very large pot of money. Devastating for the states, who would lose big-time. Most disputes about public policy are about money — especially when those going after money say, “It’s not about the money.”

Guess what?

It is about the money. n

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News |www.pianeia.com| 9

Top Stories

Don’t Turn the Clock Back on Crop Insurance Congress is currently working on legislation that could lead to big changes to federal crop insurance and have major effects on America’s farmers. As part of this process, our federal legislators are listening intently to the views of their constituents on how to make this program more efficient and better serving to the country. However, if one group has its way, they would take the program back decades to a time of inefficiencies, overspending, and near failure by replacing, in part or in whole, professional private-sector crop insurance agents with federal government employees. The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA National) is strongly opposed to this effort because it would be detrimental to the federal crop insurance program and the farmers that the program serves.

The National Association of Farm Service Agency County Office Employees (NASCOE) is an organization that represents employees of the Farm Service Agency (FSA). NASCOE has been engaging in an active lobbying campaign urging federal regulators and legislators to remove private-sector insurance agents from crop insurance and replace them with FSA employees, which would be a terrible move. But don’t take my word for it; history speaks for itself.

The federal government sold crop insurance until nearly 30 years ago. Because the program was unsuccessful under direct federal involvement, Congress decided to partner with the private sector. Farmers were given a choice of dealing with a

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News | www.pianeia.com | 10

Top Stories government employee, or a private sector crop insurance agent. Farmers at the time nearly abandoned the federal government option and purchased their crop insurance through the private sector. The federal option was quickly phased out.

Since then, crop insurance has enjoyed extensive growth. Insurance agents have been a key to this growth and the increasing success of the program, including being instrumental in insuring a record breaking 264 million acres in the 2011 crop year, during which well over $10 billion of indemnity payments were made to farmers. This level of success would have been unfathomable 30 years ago when the federal government was delivering this coverage, and not doing it well.

Arguments that turning the clock back three decades to a time when federal government employees were in charge would lead to greater efficiency and better customer service to farmers strain credibility. They are also in conflict with the historical facts.

Licensed crop insurance agents are highly skilled individuals who provide stellar performance by educating farmers on the program, comparing coverages, tailoring policies, as well as reviewing and updating unit structure, actual production history, yield and coverage levels. This just touches on the role of an agent and doesn’t even consider their full array of responsibilities and value brought to the ultimate customer, the farmer.

Crop insurance has changed over the years and developed into a highly technical product and no one is better poised to handle these duties and respond to farmer’s needs than that of a professional insurance agent.

PIA National and our member agents from across the country highly discourage any move toward replacing the professional insurance agent, in whole or in part, with federal employees. Doing so would undermine the current success of the crop insurance program and put it on a path back to a time of proven inefficiency, failure and near collapse.

Congress has a clear choice: preserve the current success of the crop insurance program, or plot a course back to the proven failures of the past. It is critical that Congress reject this ill-advised attempt to expel private sector crop insurance agents from the critical role they play in delivering crop insurance to America’s farmers. n

By Mike Becker, AVP, Federal Affairs, National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News |www.pianeia.com| 11

Top Stories

Crop Insurance & Farm Subsidies Even more changes are coming to the nation’s crop subsidy program. They seem inevitable. Republicans want them.

Democrats want them. The current administration wants them.

All that is unknown is how deep and devastating the cuts will end up being.

What hasn’t changed in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s 2012 farm bill is the subsidizing of 60% of the cost of crop insurance for farmers wanting to purchase such insurance.

PIA supports a Federal Crop Insurance Program that provides much needed insurance coverage to America’s farmers in a fair and equitable manner. PIA: • Supports a 2012 Farm Bill that continues to utilize the expertise and professional guidance of independent insurance agents.

• Supports just compensation for independent insurance agents, the key sales force for the FCIP. • Opposes any additional cuts to the Federal Crop Insurance Program.

• Supports comprehensive enforcement of anti-rebating and control of business schemes.

is still up in the air. Crop insurance program cuts are being discussed.

The Senate Agriculture Committee took a big step last week and wants to completely change traditional support for farmers. If passed the $5 billion a year direct payment subsidy that is paid out regardless of cost is gone. Proponents contend the changes will save $23 billion over 10-years.

The bill sets up a maximum payment $50,000 insurance program for grain and soybean growers when crop revenues drop 11% to 21% below the five year average.

Growers of other crops will stay with the federally subsidized crop insurance system.

The committee chair Michigan Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow and committee Republican Leader Pat Roberts of Kansas agree the changes are good. “The era of direct payments is over. We are moving to risk management with additional support to farmers who need it,” Stabenow said.

The five-year bill runs $480 billion and three-quarters of the cost is public nutrition programs.

If farmers think the Senate bill is Draconian, the House wants even more cuts — $180 billion more. The bill also limits who gets subsidized. Those with an adjusted gross income over $750,00 a year are not eligible.

That’s down from the current $1.25 million.

Only one person per farm can make a claim.

That’s PIA’s opinion on crop insurance.

The bill being considered in the Senate and another in the House will radically change things. How insurance shakes out in them

Under the Senate bill farmers have to practice better stewardship of their land to qualify for the program which is now called Agricultural Risk Coverage. n

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News | www.pianeia.com | 12

Top Stories

FEMA to Congress: NFIP Expires at the End of May The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to expire on May 31. Again.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — who oversees the NFIP — does not want the program to expire. It has sent a letter to Congress asking for at least a two-year extension before the May 31 expiration date.

FEMA — like the PIA and other insurance associations and congressional watchers — think the lack of a permanent extension to the NFIP has gone on long enough. The full House and the Senate Banking Committee have passed a comprehensive reform bill (H.R. 1309). The bill includes a five-year reauthorization.

All that remains is for the full Senate to pass it — and most believe the Senate will pass the bill if given the chance. At that point a conference would be needed to resolve differences.

So far Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hasn’t indicated whether he will call the bill up before the flood insurance program expires. That he hasn’t flabbergasts PIA Assistant Vice President of Federal Affairs Mike Becker.

“PIA continues to advocate that the Senate move a comprehensive flood insurance reform bill with a five-year reauthorization, however avoiding another lapse by securing a multi-year extension becomes

even more critical as the scheduled May 31 expiration of the flood insurance program draws closer.”

He made that comment to National Underwriter. Becker said PIA has joined the American Insurance Association (AIA) and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) in voicing support for more certainty.

More certainty means a five-year extension.

“If the Senate is unable to pass a five-year extension with the many needed reforms in the time remaining prior to May 31, PIA would support FEMA’s request to extend the current program for two years. Such a move could avert a serious disruption in the market and provide a measure of stability for the millions of Americans who rely on the continued availability of flood insurance coverage.”

What It Means to Agents:

Rather than risk expiration, FEMA decided it is better to act early to secure a multiyear extension for the NFIP. PIA still supports enactment of H.R. 1309 but if the legislative calendar precludes passage, a multi-year extension is preferable to a short extension or allowing the flood program to lapse again. n

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News |www.pianeia.com| 13

Top Stories

Tax Break Extensions for Business Whether you’re small business or large, tax reform is on your mind. It’s on the mind of Congress and the administration, too. But will their idea of reform match yours? Time will tell.

Plans by Republicans, Democrats and the administration are for reducing tax rates but it’s not going to happen anytime soon.

What business wants now — says National Retail Federation (NRF) spokeswoman Rachelle Bernstein — is to keep the breaks they have. “These provisions need to be extended as expeditiously as possible to eliminate business uncertainty that is causing delays in investment and hiring.”

Her group and The Business Roundtable, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and International Franchise Association attended a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the reforms. This is the list of five that will expire at the end of this year or that have already expired and that the groups want reauthorized or maintained: n The research and development tax credit. It has already expired. President Obama wants to strengthen this one.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants the credit restored — now. “The failure to, at the very least, simply maintain our current credit increases the risk that the jobs, capital investment, and intangible property developed in the R&D process will move outside our borders.” n The production tax credit for wind energy. It ends this year and if not extended 37,000 wind workers will be laid off. n The 15-year depreciation period for leasehold improvements, restaurant construction and retail remodeling. It has already expired.

The NRF said retailers are putting off improving their buildings until Congress decides whether or not it will renew. n Section 179 expensing. It allows small business to get their breaks for new equipment up front. This year the limit fell from $500,000 to $139,000. Next year it drops to $25,000 if no changes are made. n The Work Opportunity Tax Credit. It is now expired.

This tax break, which expired at the end of 2011, encourages employers to hire welfare recipients, handicapped individuals or unemployed veterans.

NRF’s Bernstein said this incentive has “proven results” in encouraging retailers to hire people who “might otherwise face difficulty in gaining employment.” n

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News | www.pianeia.com | 14

Top Stories

What if the Supreme Court

Tosses ObamaCare?

• Some insurance companies will keep the benefit of children being able to stay on a plan until age 26.

• Employers and insurers will steer employees to doctors and facilities proven to give excellent care at less cost.

• The exchanges established in the Affordable Care Act may be kept in some states and individuals and small businesses could pick plans from them.

The bottom-line — Unwinding the law —

if found unconstitutional — will be complex for everyone and not just Congress and the administration. Insurance companies and employers will have to respond as well. Last week Towers Watson, Aon, Lockton and others peered into their crystal balls and prophesied.

All agree that business does not have the resources to make sure 50-million uninsured are covered. Tom Billet of Towers Watson suggests: • Workers will bear more of their health insurance costs.

• Employers will increase deductibles and the amount employees pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.

• Traditional insurance will be replaced by tax-free medical expense accounts.

• Smokers and those that are obese will be tagged as health risks.

Billet said — “Employers had been the major force driving health care change in this country up until the passage of health reform.

If Obamacare disappears … we go back to square one. We still have a major problem in this country with very expensive health care.”

Senior health care consultant Tracy Watts of the large employer advisor Mercer agreed. “With or without health care reform, employers are committed to offering health care benefits and want to manage costs.

The health care reform law itself has driven employers, as well as the provider community, to advance some bolder strategies for cost containment.”

Watts agrees that employees will have to pay more of the cost of their insurance going forward — and even more if ObamaCare is found unconstitutional. Mercer’s study noted large employers can save $1,800 per worker per year going with a higher deductible and requiring workers to set up a health care account.

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News |www.pianeia.com| 15

Top Stories Lockton’s Dr. Ian Chaung also agrees with Towers Watson’s Billet that unhealthy employees will be targeted. “As important as it is to manage the cost of medical services and products, and eliminate wasteful utilization, there has been a strong recognition that ultimately healthier populations cost less.”

A survey from Towers Watson shows: • 35% of large employers are now using penalties and awards to get people to stop smoking.

• 17% will do that next year.

• The penalties being considered range from $10 to $80 per month.

• One large retailer is looking at a surcharge of $178 a month to smoke — or $2,100 a year.

Some businesses are exploring private exchanges to save money.

Aon Hewitt and Mercer have been deeply involved in that idea and Aon is moving forward. Ken Sperling of Aon Hewitt said one is set to open next January that has 19 companies and 600,000 employees and dependents. “The concept of an exchange does not belong to Obamacare. We’re borrowing a concept that was central to the health care law and bringing it into the private sector. Whether the law survives or not, the concept is still valid.” n

ObamaCare and Employer Benefits Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) said fewer employers are offering healthcare coverage and few employees are taking coverage when offered.

The conclusion plays directly into the hands of Republicans who have contended all along that employers will drop employees and let the federal government insure them through the exchanges once the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — ObamaCare — goes into full effect at the first of the year 2014.

However, EBRI said that may not be totally true.

Employers have been downsizing their health insurance commitment to employees for years.

• Through 2010 — 70% of all workers had access to health insurance through their jobs.

• In 2010 that figure dropped to 67.5%.

• 57% of workers opted to get that insurance via their employer in 2010.

• That’s down 3% since 1997.

The study concludes that employers provide the lion’s share of health insurance coverage in the U.S. Medicare and Medicaid account for just 5% and just 3% of workers choose to get their own insurance in spite of it being offered by their employer. n

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News | www.pianeia.com | 16

Top Stories Summing it up, Zillow’s news release said: “The recovery in most areas will be a hyper-local process, where individual ZIP codes will start to recover before the metro area as a whole.”

Pre-Existing Conditions

Lots of Them

As more information becomes known about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and as the federal government continues to implement the law, more surprises pop up. The latest comes from the General Accounting Office (GAO).

The law requires insurers to insure individuals with pre-existing conditions. That figure — it appears — is staggering. The GAO estimates its 36 million at the low end and 112 million at the high end.

The three most common pre-existing conditions are hypertension, mental health problems and diabetes. n

While the housing market is at the bottom and in semi-recovery — depending on the source, of course — it’s still very hard to get a bank to lend you money to buy a home. Costco may have a solution to that problem.

Costco?

Yep. After a year of testing the waters, your everything-in-bulk and at-a-discount favorite will now be offering home mortgages. The firm is using 11 lenders for the full service program that claims to have closing costs at 1/3 of what you’d pay through traditional sources.

Costco has already done 10,000 mortgages in the test phase and will now market to millions of members. The firm’s financial service division is also looking at auto and student loans as an offering in the future. n Source: Puget Sound Business Journal, CNN Money

The Housing Market

Costco & the Proverbial Bottom Zillow’s Home Value Forecast has predicted the bottom for the housing crisis. It’s just not very specific. Zillow’s report thinks we’ll clunk to the bottom at the end of 2012 or early 2013. The report notes 30 of the metropolitan areas it tracks have already arrived at the bottom.

Here’s the list: Boston, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Tampa. Too uncertain to call but getting close are Portland, Las Vegas, New York City, San Diego and Riverside, California.

By the time everybody hits bottom your home’s value — on average — will have dipped 24.6% from the May 2007 high. Home values are now at the level they were in 2003.

Still in Recession?

A Poll Still in a Recession? A Fox News poll says 83% of us think we’re still there. When asked what best describes the nation’s economy the answers were:

35% “In recession, it can get worse.”

48% “In recession, it’s getting better.”

9% “Recession over. Another one could be coming.”

6% “The recession is completely over.”

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News |www.pianeia.com| 17

Join Us Every Agency Wants to SAVE MONEY!

Earn a 5% credit—up to a maximum of 10% credit applied to your Utica premium by attending this seminar!

There is no minimum premium threshold for an account to be eligible for the credit, which will be applied after the application of any schedule rating modifiers.

Total Staff Size and Who Needs to Attend 1-3 staff size > 1 principal/office manager or CSR 4-10 staff size > 1 principal/office manager and 1 CSR 11-20 staff size > 1 principal/office manager and 2 CSRs 21+ > 20% of staff

On Thursday, June 7th …

Golf Outing at Eagle Hills Golf Course Registration begins at 9:30 am | Shot Gun 10:30am $70 Members $80 Non-Members www.eaglehills.org

The Evening Brings …

Soaring Wings Vineyard & Recognition of Past Presidents 5:30pm – 8:30pm

On Friday, June 8th …

Friday, June 8th

Morning Session & Achievers Luncheon $50 Members $60 Non-Members (Includes Achievers Luncheon)

Registration with coffee and rolls begins at 8:00 am

A Taste of

Who Let the Data Out? 8:30 am

3 P/C CE hrs

“Do you know what kind of information your clients collect and where it’s at? Do they have a website, laptop, smart phone, data backup tapes, or even boxes of files with customer information?

Small businesses are not immune because hackers are looking at them as potential sources of money. ANYONE who owns any type of website is vulnerable as well.

The Internet can be dangerous for you and your clients because there are hackers, viruses, and all types of malware that tries to steal your information, destroy your computers, or breach the security of your network whether you have one computer or twenty!

Thursday, June 7th

Chris Christian, CIC, RPLU - Milton, TN

Chris joined US Risk Brokers in November of 2005 as Vice President and Senior Broker, specializing in professional liability. She has earned her Certified Insurance Counselor and Registered Professional Liability Underwriter designations, is a frequent industry speaker and author, and is active in industry associations.

The morning starts out with...

Golf Outing at Eagle Hills Golf Course - www.eaglehills.org Eagle Hills Golf Course

Achievers Luncheon 11:45am - 1:15pm

501 Eagle Hills Drive Papillion, NE 68133 (402) 592-7788

PIA National Director of Federal Affairs Mike Becker will

Eagle Hills is a challenging 18 hole, 6500 yard facility that was opened in 2000. The golf course meanders through open hills, wetlands, and wooded areas presenting unique vistas and shot making decisions.

be fresh off of Capitol Hill with the latest news about insurance issues affecting you and your agency! Not to mention great stories and gossip from the Hill!

Afternoon Session $50 Members $60 Non-Members (Includes Achievers Luncheon) Utica E&O Seminar - E&O Hot Spots! 3 P/C CE hrs

Registration begins at 9:30 am Shot Gun Start is at 10:30am – $70 Members $80 Non-Members Includes lunch at the turn and two drink tickets.

Join us back at the club house for the prize giveaways.

Once again the Trade Fair will be combined with golf hole sponsors and exhibitors at the course, so bring your business cards and plan to network with exhibitors who will be available to visit with you while you wait to tee off at each hole.

The evening brings…

Soaring Wings Vineyard & Recognition of Past Presidents

17111 South 138th Street, Springfield, NE 402-253-2479 begins at 5:30pm – 8:30pm.

Discover your next favorite wine!

Relax in the ambience of a beautiful vineyard right in our own back yard. Soaring Wings is a charming family run vineyard that enjoys making high quality wine & beer that competes on an international level. Come take pleasure in tasting wines coupled with the finest gourmet hors d’oeuvres and receive your own souvenir wine glass!

While relaxing with your wine of choice, savor the “Velvet Voice” of Michael Walker. Let Michael transport you back to the crooner era with songs by Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darrin and Bing Crosby.

$35 Members $40 Non-Members

Afternoon session 1:30 – 4:30 pm

E&O Hot Spots change frequently! Find out from Curt the latest statistics and trends that are currently causing significant E&O claim activity. You will take a look at current issues with certificates of insurance, additional insureds, client divorce, dogs, carriers suing agents and excess/surplus lines issues. Knowing these hotspots and what can be done to prevent them from causing you an E&O claim is vital to the success of today’s agencies.

Curtis Pearsall, CPIA, CPCU, AIAF, ARM, AU - Utica, NY Curt is President and Founder of Pearsall Associates Inc., a Risk Management Consulting firm specializing in helping agents protect themselves. He is the former SVP of Utica National’s Agents E&O program where he oversaw their Underwriting, Marketing Services and Claims divisions from 1987 to 2009.

Curt regularly provides free E&O tips for agents on his blog www.agentseotips.com

Every agency wants to save money.

Earn a 5% credit—up to a maximum of 10% credit applied to your Utica premium by attending this seminar! There is no minimum premium threshold for an account to be eligible for the credit, which will be applied after the application of any schedule rating modifiers.

Total Staff Size and Who Needs to Attend 1-3 staff size > 1 principal/office manager or CSR need to attend 4-10 staff size > 1 principal/office manager and 1 CSR need to attend 11-20 staff size > 1 principal/office manager and 2 CSRs need to attend 21+ > 20% of staff need to attend

Nomination Form for Agent of the Year Nomination Form for Marketing Rep of the Year Voting Form for Company of the Year $1000.00 College Scholarship Application

Click Here to Register On-Line For All Events!

Who Let the Data Out? 3 P/C CE hrs - 8:30-11:30 AM Achievers Luncheon 11:45am - 1:15pm $1000.00 College Scholarship given Away!

Don’t Be Left

A Taste of

Afternoon Session – Utica E&O Seminar - E&O Hot Spots!

3 P/C CE hrs - 1:30–4:30 PM Click here for full details.

Click Here to Register On-Line For All Events!

Out!

Sponsorship Opportunites

Thursday, June 7th

Friday Morning CE Seminar $500

Cart Sponsor

$250

Morning CE Coffee Break

Exhibit on the hole & enjoy time with the players!

Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (2) Pre & Post event recognition

!!

Sold Out

Name & Logo on all Tournament Carts Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (2) Pre & Post event recognition

Click here to Book Your Room!

!!

Sold Out

Name & logo on Refreshment Table Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (1) Pre & Post event recognition

$250

Name & logo on Refreshment Table Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (1) Pre & Post event recognition

$250

Achievers/Awards Luncheon $1000

Name & Logo on all Pin Prize Sheets Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (2) Pre & Post event recognition

Name & logo on all Tables & Other Signage Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (1) Pre & Post event recognition

Refreshment Sponsor

$250

Friday Afternoon CE Seminar $500

Name & Logo on Refreshment Cart Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (2) Pre & Post event recognition

Name & logo on Refreshment Table Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (1) Pre & Post event recognition

Lunch Sponsor

$250

Afternoon CE Coffee Break

!!

Sold Out

A block of rooms have been reserved for June 4, 2012 - June 10, 2012. The special room rate will be available until May 9th or until the group block is soldout, whichever comes first. You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations by contacting the Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista/Hotel & Conference Center at 1-800-EMBASSY, and requesting either the group name “Professional Insurance Agents” or group code”PI1” for our special rate of $119.00.

Friday, June 8th

$250

Flag Prize Sheets

Booking Your Room …

Sponsorship Opportunites

Hole Exhibitor

Exhibit on the hole & enjoy time with the players!

Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (2) Pre & Post event recognition

!!

Sold Out

$250

Name & logo on Refreshment Table Wine/Beer Tasting at Soaring Wings Winery (1) Pre & Post event recognition

Eagle Hills Golf Course

Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista Hotel Conference Center

Eagle Hills is a challenging 18 hole, 6500 yard facility that was opened in 2000. The golf course meanders through open hills, wetlands, and wooded areas presenting unique vistas and shot making decisions.

You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations by contacting the Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista/Hotel & Conference Center at 1-800-EMBASSY, and requesting either the group name “Professional Insurance Agents” or group code “PI1” for our special rate of $119.00. A block of rooms have been reserved for June 4, 2012 - June 10, 2012. The special room rate will be available until May 9th or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first. Go to this link for reservations: http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/ personalized/O/OMAESES-PI1-20120604/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

501 Eagle Hills Drive Papillion, NE 68133 (402) 592-7788

Once again the Trade Fair will be combined with golf hole sponsors and exhibitors at the course, so bring your business cards and plan to network with exhibitors who will be available to visit with you while you wait to tee off at each hole.

12520 Westport Parkway, La Vista, NE, 68128 1-800-EMBASSY

Sponsorship Opportunities are Available …

Don’t Miss Out on the Fun With Your Agents!

Click Here for Sponsor Flyer

Calendar Of Events

Upcoming Events Calendar 2012 For information and to register Click Here or call (402) 392-1611.

Start Date

Class Type

Location

May 9, 2012

CISR

Insuring Personal Residential

Des Moines, IA

May 9 -11, 2012

CIC

Life & Health Institute

Cedar Rapids, IA

May 10, 2012

CISR

Insuring Commercial Casualty

Davenport, IA

May 16, 2012

CPSR

Commercial Casualty

Lincoln, NE

PIA NE IA Convention - Save the Date!!

Omaha, NE

June 7-8, 2012 June 11, 2012

Online

MERG: Delivering Quality Service (to the Customer and the Employer)

Online

June 20, 2012

CISR

Insuring Commercial Property

Des Moines, IA

June 21, 2012

CISR

Agency Operations

Cedar Rapids/Marion, IA

June 26, 2012

The 1752 Club 10th Annual golf Outing

York, NE

June 28, 2012

FirstComp/Steve Linbo Golf Outing

Ashland, NE

July 11, 2012

CISR

Agency Operations

Davenport, IA

July 18, 2012

CISR

Insuring Commercial Casualty

Des Moines, IA

July 18-20, 2012

CIC

Commercial Property Institute

Omaha, NE

July 19, 2012

CISR

Insuring Commercial Casualty

Cedar Rapids/Marion, IA

July 25, 2012

CISR

William T. Hold

Cedar Rapids/Marion, IA

July 25 -27, 2012

CIC

Agency Management Institute

Des Moines, IA

July 26, 2012

CPIA

Implement for Success

Des Moines, IA

July 26, 2012

CPSR

Commercial Property

North Platte, NE

August 16, 2012

CISR

Insuring Personal Auto

Des Moines, IA

August 22, 2012

CPIA

Implement for Success

Omaha, NE

August 22 -24, 2012

CIC

Personal Lines Institute

Lincoln, NE

August 28-30, 2012

CIC

Commercial Property Institute

Cedar Rapids, IA

May 2012 | Main Street Industry News |www.pianeia.com| 19

Calendar Of Events

September 12, 2012

CISR

Insuring Commercial Property

Davenport, IA

September 13, 2012

CISR

Insuring Personal Auto

Cedar Rapids/Marion, IA

September 18, 2012

Greater Omaha Committee Scholarship Golf Outing

Ashland, NE

September 20, 2012

Rural & Town Agents Seminar

TBA

October 10 -12, 2012

CIC

Commercial Casualty Institute

Omaha, NE

October 24, 2012

CISR

Agency Operations

Des Moines, IA

October 25, 2012

CISR

Insuring Commercial Casualty

Cedar Rapids/Marion, IA

November 7, 2012

CISR

Insuring Personal Residential

Davenport, IA

November 8, 2012

CISR

Commercial Property

Des Moines, IA

November 8, 2012

CPSR

Residential Property

NE

November 13, 2012

CISR

Dynamics of Service

Des Moines, IA

November 14 -16, 2012 CIC

Personal Lines Institute

Des Moines, IA

December 6, 2012

Greater Omaha Committee Christmas Party

Omaha, NE

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Your ad will stand out! Main Street Industry News is issued electronically to over 8,000 Professional Insurance Agents throughout NE & IA, PIA state and national associations and other organizations that provide products or services to insurance agencies.

To advertise contact PIA of Nebraska and Iowa – Executive Director, Cathy Klasi at (402) 392-1611.