Wisconsin Professional Agent November/December 2024
PROFESSIONAL AGENT
WHAT’S INSIDE
{PAGE 13} Storm Chasers
{PAGE 20} Engage 2024 Recap
{PAGE 27} Solving the Dysfunctional Agency
EDUCATE
We are a community of independent agents and other dedicated insurance professionals, working to promote and improve the independent agency channel. Our mission is to support the advancement and excellence of all independent agencies.
We are the premier association for insurance education in Wisconsin. Grow your knowledge and your bottom line, at our education sessions. Whether you want to pursue a CIC, CPIA, CISR or CRM designation, or just meet your bi-annual Wisconsin CE requirement, you have come to the right place.
ADVOCATE
With lobbyists representing you in Madison and in Washington, D.C., PIA is looking out for your interests and promoting the independent agency channel within state and federal government. Our goal is a regulatory environment that allows your agency to grow and prosper.
COLLABORATE
PIA is a place for you to collaborate with, and learn from, other agents and many other professionals in the industry. Starting an agency? We’ve been there. Growing an agency? We’ve been there. Considering a new agency management system? PIA members have been there. Whether at our PIAW Winter Get-Away event in Minocqua, Annual
Golf Outing or dozens of other events, you can collaborate
other professionals who have “been there.”
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Together, we will harness the diverse strengths of our members to propel us forward.
JON STROM President PIA of Wisconsin
TO THE MEMBERS OF PIA
It is with great honor and gratitude that I accepted the nomination to be your President for the upcoming year of the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin. I want to take a moment to acknowledge Lacey Endres, our now immediate past President. Your leadership, dedication, drive and vision have set a high standard for all of us. Thank you, Lacey, for your unwavering commitment to our organization and for paving the way for more progress in the insurance industry. I look forward to continuing working with you.
As I step into this role, I am excited to announce that I have selected Ryan Butzke as my Past President Liaison to the Board. Ryan’s extensive experience and wisdom from his time on the board of directors will be invaluable as we navigate the challenges ahead. As the saying goes, “Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.” Together, we will harness the diverse strengths of our members to propel us forward.
As we move into this new chapter, it’s crucial that we engage both our next-generation professionals and our veteran members. Each brings unique perspectives and skills that are vital to our success. I encourage each one of you to get engaged in PIA, collaborate, share, and learn from one another.
In my role as COO of IMAGE of Wisconsin, I visit many member agencies. I’ve witnessed firsthand that we all face similar struggles—rising rates, employee retention, and the evolving needs of our clients. It is through these shared experiences that we can come together to devise solutions that will benefit us all.
I started my adventure into the insurance industry on February 1st, 1981. Yes, I’m one of the old timers, now! As I reflect on my early days in this industry recently, I recall the room filled with rate manuals that we all relied upon for manually rating out insurance quotes –long before computers became our daily tools. Together, we have come a long
way, but our journey is far from over. I truly believe that, just like previous generations, today’s agents will conquer any and all challenges we face.
Working closely with the Board of Directors, Pete Hanson, and our dedicated staff, we have exciting initiatives on the horizon. You should have received a recent email about joining a committee, and I urge you to consider this opportunity. If you have not seen the request to be a part of a committee, please call the PIA office and request a list of our committees and join in on the journey. Five years ago, my friend, the late Fritz Weitendorf asked me to consider joining a committee and look where I am today! There are many committees that welcome your input—Legislative, Education, Young Professionals, Clay Shoot, and Convention, to name just a few. Each of these committees plays a vital part in strengthening our insurance community. I’m particularly excited about our events like the Clay Shoot, the Winter Getaway, and the Scholarship Golf Outing, which approach or exceed capacity – year after year. Your participation speaks volumes about our commitment to collaboration and camaraderie.
Our PIA mission is clear: Educate. Advocate. Collaborate. This year, we are taking a significant step forward with our annual Advocacy Day. We will work closely, for the first time, with our counterpart association –the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin – to spend a day at the state Capitol visiting legislators. Together, we can amplify our voices and ensure that our concerns – the concerns of all professionals in this industry -are heard.
In conclusion, I am deeply honored to have your trust and support as we embark on this journey together. Let us embrace the challenges ahead and work hand-in-hand to make PIA of Wisconsin an even stronger advocate for our members and our industry.
Buckle up and let’s get to work! Thanks to all!
GROW with TRICOR insurance
David Fritz, CPCU President & CEO, TRICOR Insurance
(608) 473-1045
growwithus@tricorinsurance.com
Why agency owners choose TRICOR Insurance
• Flexible partner agreements including the ability to continue to grow your equity
• Gain the ability to retain local ownership while at the same time reallocating some of your assets at a time when valuations are high
• A dedicated integrations team that supports your agency’s onboarding
• A leadership team that values results, employee engagement, & local community support
• Access to agency-shared services: information technology, accounting, licensing & contracting, reporting & data analytics, human resources including benefits administration, marketing, & more
• Access to resources such as safety & human resources consulting
• State-of-the-art technology platforms & data analytics such as Salesforce, Indio, & more
• A strong focus on financial strength, backed by JC Flowers, a robust private equity capital group with strong ties to investing & growing businesses in the Midwest, supports our future growth
Contact us for a
Clearly, we have all realized limitations of remote work, even though we love the flexibility of it.
PETE HANSON, CAE, CISR Executive Director PIA of Wisconsin
IS 2025 THE YEAR AMERICA GOES BACK TO THE OFFICE?
Amazon recently announced that all corporate employees will return to working five days per week in the office, as of January 2, 2025. Disney recently called employees back to the office four days per week, Monday through Thursday. Financial giants Citigroup and Goldman Sachs have been back in the office since 2022.
As office buildings emptied in 2020 and workers adjusted to the work-fromhome (WFH) environment, many said that the pandemic merely accelerated the shift to a remote workforce by a decade or so. It was a widely accepted theory that we were headed there, eventually. After four years of remote working, does that theory still hold up?
Clearly, we have all realized limitations of remote work, even though we love the flexibility of it. Here are some great reasons to return to the office:
• Culture. Water cooler conversations, informal meetings and workplace friendships build a sense of “team” that just doesn’t happen over Teams.
• Creativity. Have you ever tried to brainstorm over Zoom? Problemsolving is harder without the backand-forth banter of a team in a room together. Moreover, spontaneous interactions with co-workers in the workplace are often the spark for innovation and creativity.
• Career development. If you’re an inexperienced or newer employee, you need in-person interactions with coworkers to develop knowledge, professional skills and, most importantly, your network.
• Leadership pipeline. A company that doesn’t have senior staff mentoring and developing junior staff is going to have trouble filling management positions.
• Work-life balance. The physical and mental health benefits of maintaining a boundary between your personal and professional lives are undeniable. It’s hard to live a fulfilling life if you never “leave work at work.”
• Cybersecurity. Personal devices, unsecured home networks and remoteaccess connections are all potential opportunities for cybercriminals to corrupt your systems and steal your data.
While I do think that the benefits of physical proximity have and will stop many insurance industry employers from going fully remote, there are also reasons why WFH works particularly well in our industry:
• The talent gap. As more Boomers and Gen X employees retire, hybrid and remote work options help attract Millennials and Gen Z to an industry they may not have previously considered.
• Reduced Workers Comp claims. Remote work can reduce Workers Comp claims, resulting in valuable cost savings and increased profitability for insurance carriers.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Remote work supports employees from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities or caregiving responsibilities, making for a more inclusive workforce.
Given these factors, it is clear we are not all headed back to five-day-in-office work weeks. Unlike tech companies in Silicon Valley or giants of Wall Street, we are not calculating a net benefit by ending remote work options and replacing workers. Ours is a much different calculus. We need to keep all the employees we have and recruit many more.
The benefits of being part of a team, with face-to-face interactions, mentoring, networking, and friendships, should not be overlooked. We need to pay attention to those aspects of our workplaces and facilitate them in our hybrid work environments. That might mean days when everyone is in the office for team meetings or all-staff lunch events. It might mean pushing professional development a little harder, to help your people grow into future roles.
FROM THE BOARDROOM
It is important that we spread the word and bring more young people into this industry
APRIL TARRAS Director PIA of Wisconsin
OPPORTUNITIES IN INSURANCE
Oldie Hawn. That’s what my kids call me, sometimes. Because you know what? I really am OLD! I’d rather use the word “seasoned,” but it is what it is.
I’ve been in the insurance business since forever. When I got my first job in insurance, I had to self-study for the licensing exam. I studied at night after putting my two toddlers to bed. I was so exhausted at the end of a busy workingmom day, I could barely stay awake to read those very interesting subjects! But I passed. And the rest is history.
I started my insurance career at Sentry Insurance just out of college. After several years, I went over to the Independent Agency side. That is where I spent the majority of my career, although I did have a 15-year stint as a company marketing rep, mixed in there.
In 2007, I was finally able to start my own agency. Then, I purchased another agency in 2011 and my son Mitchell joined the agency as a single dad who wanted to get out of the retail industry to be home more with his son. We moved the office from Kiel to Plymouth. In 2022, we purchased a pretty large agency, added a CSR and a producer and acquired a Milwaukee location.
My older son Collin also followed in my insurance footsteps, as a claims adjuster for a direct-writer carrier. Needless to say, when we get together, there’s lots of stories. The rest of the family just rolls their eyes.
So here we are today! I turned 65 this year. I have thought of “slowing down,” but I am working harder now than at most other times in my career. I watch my two young grandsons one day per
week and the other days I either work in the office, from home or from my “happy place” at the campground. Thank the Lord for technology!
We spend every day working to keep our current clients happy, as well as bring in new business. The younger generation seems to think that they should purchase insurance online, when we are a local agency right down the street that can provide them with much better knowledge and service.
No regrets. I still think this is a fantastic business to be involved in! I’ve met and become such great friends with so many of my “Insurance People.” Others get a little jealous of all the fun events we partake in, but hey, it’s “WORK.”
The main point of telling you about my insurance industry journey is this: there is opportunity for anyone in this industry – even a single mom with two kids, no time and no experience. It is important that we spread the word and bring more young people into this industry, like I did with my boys. There are going to be so many good jobs opening up in our industry as Boomers like me retire, and those are great opportunities for the young people in our lives.
I hope that my legacy carries on from my kids to my grandkids. I’ll be so proud when they visit me at “the home” and tell me insurance stories!
HCAPITOL UPDATE
NATALIE WHITE Communications Director
In late September, agents from around the country came together in Washington, D.C. for PIA’s annual Advocacy Day. Leaders from PIA of Wisconsin were among those making the trip to advocate on behalf on issues important to Wisconsin’s independent agents. During the day on Capitol Hill, Wisconsin’s delegation engaged in important discussions with Senators, Representatives, and congressional staff about key legislative priorities.
Among the issues discussed during the day were reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and protecting the independent agent’s role from direct-to-consumer models that would add confusion and complexity for flood insurance customers. Additionally, the delegation discussed the importance of protecting the state-based regulatory framework for insurance by limiting the authority of the Federal Insurance Office and ensuring legislators enact insurance-specific protections in any future data privacy laws.
A special highlight of the day was the presentation of National PIA’s 2024 Legislator of the Year Award to Wisconsin Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). This national award was given in recognition of his leadership in defending state regulation of insurance, particularly through his work on the Insurance Data Protection Act. Members of PIA of Wisconsin joined PIA National leadership in honoring Rep. Fitzgerald for his commitment to supporting independent agents. His ongoing efforts to limit the authority of the Federal Insurance Office have made him a key ally in protecting the interests of the insurance industry in Wisconsin and beyond. Thank you to Congressman Fitzgerald for authoring key legislation for independent agents!
In addition, thank you to the PIA agents who took the time to represent PIA of Wisconsin at the national level. Getting face-to-face with lawmakers is powerful advocacy, and you were great spokespeople for Wisconsin agents!
Taking the time to advocate on behalf of your fellow agents and industry is extremely important – and you can be a part of it! Mark your calendar for March 12th, 2025, and join us at the Park Hotel and Wisconsin State Capitol for Wisconsin Insurance Agent Advocacy Day at the Capitol! The day will include presentations by key officials, lunch with colleagues, and meetings with your representatives at the State Capitol. Registration will open soon at www.piaw. org. Please reach out to me at nwhite@piaw.org with any questions about the event. Join us & make your voice heard!
The PIAW Delegation
The PIAW with Rep. Scott Fitzgerald
Eye on the Law
Know Your Customer’s Rights Regarding Storm Chasers
Hail damage claims in Wisconsin have become a cottage industry. When a hailstorm hits, contractors canvass neighborhoods offering to inspect roofs and provide free estimates. These contractors usually tell the homeowner that their home insurance will cover the roof replacement. As a result of all of the hail damage claims, homeowners insurance is changing. Many homeowner’s policies will no longer cover roofs older than 20 years. Other limitations include obtaining replacement cost coverage for roofs older than 5 years. When a home improvement company contacts your customer to provide an estimate to repair the damage to their home in Wisconsin, your customer has statutory protections and rights, providing them with a sense of security and confidence.
In 2014, Wisconsin passed essential protections for homeowners to know about—Wis. Stat. §100.65. This law ensures fair practices and transparency when hiring a residential contractor to repair or replace a roof system or to perform any other exterior repair, replacement, construction, or reconstruction for a single-family or two-unit residential property.
No Rebating Deductibles: Section 100.65 prohibits contractors from promising to pay or rebate any portion of a property insurance deductible.
Right to Cancel: A customer who entered into a contract to provide roof or other exterior repairs on a residential home has the right to cancel the contract within three business days after the customer receives notice that the insurance carrier has denied the claim in whole or in part.
Return of Payments: Where a customer has timely terminated a contract because their insurance claim has been denied in whole or in part, the contractor must return any money paid within 10 days of receiving the notice of cancellation, except for compensation for authorized emergency repairs.
Consumer Statement: Before entering into a written contract to provide roof or other exterior repairs on a residential home, the contractor must deliver a written statement to
the homeowner. The statement must include notice to the homeowner that the homeowner has three business days to cancel the contract if they are notified by their insurer that the claim under the property insurance policy has been denied in whole or in part. The contractor must also provide the consumer a form in duplicate, that is attached to the contract, is easily detachable, and that the homeowner can use to cancel the contract.
No Private Adjusting: The contractor may not represent, negotiate, or advertise to negotiate on behalf of a consumer any insurance claim related to the exterior repair of their home. This subsection does not prohibit a residential contractor, with the express consent of the insured, from doing any of the following: (i) discussing damage to the property with the insured or an insurance company’s representative; or (ii) providing the insured with an estimate for repair, replacement, construction, or reconstruction of the insured’s property, submitting the estimate to the insured’s insurance company, and discussing options for the repair, replacement, construction, or reconstruction with the insured or an insurance company representative.
Penalties: Section 100.65 provides penalties of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 for each violation.
Storm damage to the exterior of residential properties is more prevalent today. Wisconsin Statute §100.65 promotes fairness and protects your insureds from predatory contractors.
“My employees aren’t going to sue me.”
| By Martha Lester, MBA, AAI, AIC, CIC, CRM, CFE
“My employees aren’t going to sue me.”
“We are like a family here.”
“We operate legally in all of our employment practices.”
These are the opinions of many employers when their agent brings up Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI). The truth is, many business owners are unaware of the myriad laws they are required to follow when it comes to job applicants and staff. In larger organizations with human resource departments, the human resources team and upper management may be familiar with the laws… but are managers and employees?
Have your business clients allowed co-workers to sit in on interviews of prospective new hires? If so, are every one of them aware of hiring laws and acceptable interview questions? Are they trained to politely change the conversation when the candidate begins to talk about their children or personal lives? Anything discussed during an interview can be construed, by the applicant, to be a consideration in the hiring decision. I have personally been asked how old my children were, if I was going to need health
insurance for the family, and if I was a Communist. I thought the last question was a joke, but I was the only one laughing.
I’m not an attorney. However, prior to teaching fulltime, I ran a staffing agency and worked closely with an employment attorney. As a result, I know that there are more labor laws in place than any employer can follow without fail.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released the numbers regarding complaints and suits they handled for the time frame October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. They received 81,055. Of those, the EEOC filed 143 lawsuits against employers on behalf of employees. Ninety-eight of the suits resulted in a total payment of $22.6 million dollars for victims. The most common included employer retaliation (39.2%); sex discrimination, which includes pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, harassment and gender identity (35%); disability (34.3%) and race (16.8%). Some of the suits included more than one allegation. These numbers do not account for lawsuits that were filed directly by employees against their employers, nor do they include state-level lawsuits against employers – which are even more numerous.
Under federal law, employees are protected for discrimination and/or harassment of any protected right under the Civil Rights Act including religion, race, color, sex, or national origin. In addition, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) sets the standards for wages for workers in both the public and private sectors and defines exempt and non-exempt employees. In 2024, the FLSA made significant changes to the definitions. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects those applicants or employees aged 40 years and older. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects those with disabilities against discrimination in the workplace.
In 2015, a Wisconsin manufacturer was ordered to pay $120,000 to an employee for sexual harassment and retaliation. For 3 years, a female machine operator endured inappropriate touching by a supervisor. She took the complaint to the plant manager who retaliated against her by not allowing her to take breaks, denying advancement and assigning her more difficult work. The employee’s case was taken over by the EEOC.
In 2019, an employee in her 50’s brought a suit against her retail employer whose target market was females in their 20’s and 30’s. The employee repeatedly asked to be put on the retail floor but instead was assigned tasks such as cleaning the fitting rooms. Her supervisor told her she would never be able to work the sales floor, that she was too old and didn’t have the energy. The employee was repeatedly called “Mom” or “Mommy” by coworkers. She asked them to stop but they continued. The district court found the retailer not guilty of age discrimination and creating a hostile work environment. The employee appealed and was granted the ability to take the case in front of a jury. Regardless of the outcome, the legal costs for the employer to defend this case must be paid.
A new mom and night manager at a fast-food restaurant asked for breaks to pump breast milk. She was told she
could use a part of the stock room. The irregularity of the breaks caused her pain and eventually milk reduction. She spoke to her boss, but a solution was not offered. The employee ended up quitting and filing a lawsuit. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers must provide a private place and the time necessary to express milk for a breastfed child up to one year of age. In 2019, the Harvard Business Review cited that breastfeeding discrimination lawsuits were up 800%. In 2023, President Biden signed two new laws protecting pregnant workers and nursing mothers. How many of your insureds are familiar with these laws? Do your clients understand the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees? The federal government established guidelines to distinguish the two and updated the rules earlier this year. There are salary and duties tests for employees to be exempt from overtime pay. Nonexempt employees must be paid one-and-one-half times their hourly wage for every hour they work overtime. “Comp time” (or allowing them to take the extra time off at a later date in exchange for not being paid overtime) is illegal. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, in 2021 30% of workers were bullied. In an online article by law firm Setyan Law APC, last year 61% of the bullies were supervisors and 45% of those who were bullied suffered health problems. Where workplace bullying alone may not be illegal, the surrounding actions may be: sexual harassment, age discrimination and so forth.
Lawsuits against employers for sexual harassment, age discrimination, workplace accommodations, wage and hour violations and so much more are covered by an EPLI policy along with the cost to defend the employer. If the employer is not negligent, there is still a financial cost to defend and potential reputational damage for the business. Many EPLI policies include risk management at the time of application and throughout the policy’s life to help mitigate the risks. Having an Employment Practices Liability policy won’t eliminate the risk for employers but it will provide that peace of mind that our industry is known for.
NATHAN HOUDEK Commissioner of Insurance
AUGUST 2024
Allegations & Actions Against Agents
Kory Allsop, 5747 E. 145th St. S., Bixby, OK 74008, agreed to the issuance of an insurance license. This action was taken after the acceptable resolution of a civil lawsuit alleging fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.
Andrew P. Amrein, 8500 Larkspur Ter., Saint John, IN 46373, agreed to voluntarily surrender his license. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to report an administrative action taken by another state.
Rachel Diaz, 5055 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Apt. 1211, Tampa, FL 33611, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of a previous administrative action taken in her home state.
Nicole Falck, 408 W. Main St., Little Chute, WI 54140, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $100.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to report a criminal conviction on a licensing application.
Michael Franklin, 11392 S. Red Cardinal Way, South Jordan, UT 84009-1257, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay a previously assessed forfeiture when due.
Grant M. Gibson, FX Insurance Agency, LLC, PO Box 1748, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1748, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay a previously assessed forfeiture when due.
Christopher A. Khoury, 2038 Crosby Dr., Forney, TX 75126-5135, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay a previously assessed forfeiture when due.
Gino L. Mantua, 500 W. South St., Freeport, IL 61032, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of recommending an unsuitable plan to a consumer.
Benjamin C. McCray, 1318 Wembley Dr., Charlotte, NC 28205-5572, had his insurance
OCI ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS
Madison, WI—OCI has taken the following administrative actions. In many of these cases the respondent denied the allegations but consented to the action taken. Any forfeitures paid in these administrative actions are deposited in the Common School Fund which is administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The earnings from this fund are distributed to all public K-12 schools in Wisconsin and are used by school libraries to purchase books. Copies of the administrative action orders may be viewed online at https://ociaccess. oci.wi.gov/OrderInfo/OrdInfo.oci.
license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay a previously assessed forfeiture when due.
Larry Morris, 6542 N. Woodstock St., Philadelphia, PA 19138, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay a previously assessed forfeiture when due.
Shonda R. Radford, 7100 W. Grandview Rd., Apt. 1107, Peoria, AZ 85382-4909, agreed to a six-month suspension of her Wisconsin insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of inappropriate use of a special enrollment period.
Rolando A. Rodriguez, 5255 S. 22nd St., Milwaukee, WI 53221, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report an administrative action taken by another state and failing to disclose administrative actions on a license application.
Christopher L. Stanley, 28738 SW 134th Ct., Homestead, FL 33033, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report an administrative action taken by another state.
Joseph A. Stelzer, 266 Belle Vernon Ct., Rochester Hills, MI 48309-2123, agreed to a permanent revocation of his Wisconsin insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of misrepresentation in the sale of an insurance product.
Caprice Vaughan, 6365 Dorchester Trl., N. Richland Hills, TX 76182-4508, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay a previously assessed forfeiture when due.
SEPTEMBER 2024
Allegations & Actions Against Agents
Deanna L. Anderson, 3550 S. Harlan St., Unit 119, Denver, CO 80235, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to report an administrative action taken by another state.
Alicia M. Arnold, 2546 N. 58th St., Milwaukee, WI 53210, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Marika V. Blackmon, 355 Koweta Way, Grovetown, GA 30813, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of financial irresponsibility in the conduct of business.
Fiona Bowen, 349 Green Ash Ln., Sanford, FL 32771, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to report administrative actions taken by other states.
Angelina Burzawa, 9995 Lower Kaubashine Rd., Hazelhurst, WI 54531, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Mario Camaj, 56029 Red Cedar Ct., Shelby Township, MI 48316, agreed to a permanent surrender of his Wisconsin insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of misrepresentation in the sale of an insurance product.
Matthew E. Cartwright, 9909 W. Marion St., Wauwatosa, WI 53222-1400, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.
Mikeal D. Davis, Ameriprise Financial Advisors, 528 Cottage St. NE, #300A, Salem, OR 97301, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Javon J. Dawson, 25144 Inkster Rd., Southfield, MI 48033, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to respond and to pay a previous forfeiture when due.
Rachel Diaz, 5055 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Apt. 1211, Tampa, FL 33611, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of an administrative action taken by other states.
Kyle W. Fena, 615 Quinlan Dr., Unit H, Pewaukee, WI 53072, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Elizabeth M. Hebert, 1394 Coventry Ln., Apt. 1, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729-3094, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.
Drew K. Horter, 8850 Bayside Ct., Mason, OH 45040, agreed to withdraw his application for a license. This action was taken based on allegations of an administrative action taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Jennifer L. Howen, 9671 Mill Creek Dr., Marshfield, WI 54449-9071, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.
Terri C. Kramp, 790 E. Broward Blvd., Apt. 621, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.
Donald C. Levings, 4618 N. Marlborough Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53211, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report an administrative action taken by FINRA.
Robert Maki, 1265 Pheasant Creek Dr., Oshkosh, WI 54904-6931, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Jeronne Maymon, 110 Triplett Ln., Knoxville, TN 37922, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Mehmet Oz, 2200 Fletcher Ave., 4th Fl., Fort Lee, NJ 07024, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Samuel Paciga, 2103 West Illinois Route 120, McHenry, IL 60051, had his Wisconsin public adjuster registration revoked. This action was taken based on allegations that Mr. Paciga does not have an active bond in accordance with Wis. Stat. § 629.082.
Darius Rowan, 37745 Park Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
Dhruv Sachdeva, 29400 Towne Center Cir. #5, Warren, MI 48093, had her insurance license revoked and was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $10,000.00. This action was taken based on allegations of using deceptive representations to induce the sale of insurance, making misrepresentations on insurance applications, and failing to make required disclosures on insurance applications.
Steven Sexton, 32793 Bijan Ct., Temecula, CA 92592, withdrew his application for an insurance license and agreed not to reapply for three years. This action was taken based on allegations of administrative actions taken by the states of Florida, California, and South Dakota.
Benjamin J. Smith, 12747 Indian Summer St., Victorville, CA 92395, agreed to the surrender of his Wisconsin insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of having a restricted license in his home state and failing to timely report administrative actions taken by another state.
Mark Steffke, 1454 Falls Rd., Grafton, WI 53024, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.
Stephanie R. Thomas, 1340 N. 55th St., Milwaukee, WI 53208, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.
Raheem Waiters, 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste. 56, Fort Myers, FL 33907-3871, had his license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to respond and to pay a previous forfeiture when due.
Joshua Washington-Boyd, 4034A N. Elmhurst Rd., Upper, Milwaukee, WI 53216-1730, agreed to the issuance of a resident intermediary license having certain reporting and other requirements. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to consistently comply with child support obligations.
Cynthia D. Williams, 5328 W. Market St., 70D, Greensboro, NC 27409, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay Wisconsin delinquent taxes.
OCI is responsible for overseeing the operations and marketing of insurance companies and agents in Wisconsin. OCI encourages anyone with a question or a complaint regarding an insurance company or agent to contact the office at this toll-free telephone number: 1-800-236-8517.
COMMUNITY CORNER
How are you and your agency or company helping your community? Community Corner showcases what individual members and agency/company members are doing to help make Wisconsin a great place to live and run a business. Share your volunteer story with us – shoot an email and photos of the action to nwhite@piaw.org!
SOCIETY INSURANCE TURNS OUT FOR THE UNITED WAY
In September, a group of employees at Society Insurance got together to volunteer for the United Way of Fon Du Lac’s Week of Caring! The Week of Caring is a week-long celebration of volunteer opportunities kicking off the United Way Community Campaign. The Society team’s project was volunteering with the Boys & Girls Club organizing school supplies for those in need. What a day well spent!
FAMILY INSURANCE CENTER WALKS TO DEFEAT ALS
For the second year in a row, members of Family Insurance Center (FIC) joined Team Trisha’s ALStars to walk in honor of a beloved member of the FIC Family who is living with ALS. With this support, Trisha’s ALStars became the top fundraising team in Northeast Wisconsin by raising $13,500 for ALS research. Thank you, Family Insurance Center, for raising awareness and helping us march toward a cure for ALS!
JENSEN-SUNDQUIST GOLFS FOR ENDEAVORS ADULT DEVELOPMENT CENTER
In September, Jensen-Sundquist Insurance Agency held their first annual golf tournament for Endeavors Adult Development Center. Endeavors is a service-oriented non-profit organization specializing in programs for adults with special needs ranging from mild to severe, which helps facilitate their participants personal growth and service to the area communities. The 1st Annual Jensen-Sundquist Golf Outing was a huge success, resulting in them donating a whopping $9,305 to Endeavors. Thank you for your hard work to help support such an amazing organization!
ROBERTSON RYAN SUPPORTS SEVERAL AREA NON-PROFITS
In 2022, Robertson Ryan established the Charitable Foundation to support communities through donations and volunteer work. At their recent Summer Agent Meeting, agents gave heartfelt presentations “Shark Tank” style on the organizations that they are passionate about. The day resulted in donations being awarded to seven non-profits, including Pawsitism, Just One More Ministry, the Milwaukee Christian Center, Advocates of Ozaukee, Community Projects for Seniors, PanCan, and the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards Corporation, with contributions ranging from $250 to $3,000. Amazing way to support your agents and the community, Robertson Ryan!
BADGER MUTUAL BARTENDERS BATTLE IT OUT
Badger Mutual’s Annual Bartender Battle had another successful year! Members of Badger’s IT, Marketing, Client Services and Underwriting teams dressed to impress for this year’s Olympic Games theme, while attempting their best bartending skills to raise money for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. When all was said and done, Badger raised $3000 for Make-A-Wish and local children living with critical illnesses. What a great way to have fun and raise money for an important cause!
SARAH RENS OF R & R INSURANCE CREATES A HUNGRY CATERPILLAR FOR A CAUSE
As part of the 8th Annual Frankenstein’s Trick or Treat fundraiser in support of Variety the Children’s Charity of Wisconsin, Sarah Rens of R & R Insurance volunteered her time to create a sculpture of The Hungry Caterpillar. Her sculpture was added to a display of the Emerald City in celebrating the Wizard of Oz. Variety the Children’s Charity operates several programs that deliver medical services and equipment to children who are sick, disadvantaged, or living with a disability. What a great use of your creative talents in giving back, Sarah!
Charity Shark Tank Check Presentation: Allan Degner, Tracey Fricker, Alyssa Hink (Pawsitism winner), Melissa Staube
Attendance was up at Engage 2024, with agents from around the state gathering at the Oneida Hotel & Casino in Green Bay on October 16th & 17th.
President Lacey’s Opening Party kicked off the night, with attendees catching up over food and drinks and looking for another person with the same number during PIA’s popular Match Game! The party continued onto the busses and over to The Turn, where attendees tried their hand at virtual golf, football, hockey, & more!
Attendees woke bright and early for PIA’s Annual Meeting and elected three new directors. Congratulations to Alyssa Hobgood of BWO Insurance, Melissa Brown, CPIA of Holden Insurance and Shannon Wiegman of M3 Insurance on the start of your new terms on the Board!
Next, past and present company executives took the stage during the Turning the Page: CEO Insights on Transition panel discussion, where they discussed the evolving market, emerging threats, and how their companies are looking to the future. Panelists were Garth Wicinsky and Dave Gross of SECURA Insurance; Heather Boyer, MBA and Rick Parks, CPCU of Society Insurance; Rob Jacques and Kevin Steiner of West Bend Insurance Company. Attendees loved the insightful and thought-provoking discussion and appreciated the VIP panelists’ participation.
At the Annual Awards Lunch, all attendees gathered to celebrate the successes of industry stand-outs. Lindsey Henry,
Recap
CIC of M3 Insurance was recognized formally as Wisconsin’s 2024 Outstanding CSR of the Year and received her award. Steve Van Sluys, AIC, AINS, AIS, AU, CPCU of AAA – The Auto Club was named the 2024 Company Representative of the Year. Steve Clements, CPIA of Clements Insurance in Wausau was announced as the 2024 Stony Steinbach Achievement Award winner. Alyssa Hobgood of BWO Insurance in Oak Creek was named the 2024 Ron Von Haden Agent of the Year. Congratulations to all award winners on your outstanding achievement!
PIA’s New Board Members and Officers were sworn in during the luncheon, as well, by PIA National President Ariel Rivera, CIC, CPIA, MBA. Congratulations to PIA’s newly elected officers: President Jon Strom of JMS Insurance Services, VicePresident Octavio Padilla of Nova Insurance, Treasurer Steve Albinger of Couri Insurance, and Secretary Luke Strupp, CPIA of P&C Insurance Services.
Attendees then converged on the (Re)Connect Trade Show, where they spent time reconnecting with old colleagues and connecting with new associates, while enjoying some sweet treats. Award-Winning Sportscaster Howard Kellman closed out the day sharing stories of sports legends and their accomplishments.
We can’t wait to see you next year on October 22nd and 23rd at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells – Mark your calendar!
Company Representative of the
Outstanding CSR
Year Steve Van Sluys, AIC, AINS, AIS, AU, CPCU and Ron Von Haden Agent of the Year Alyssa Hobgood.
of the Year Lindsey Henry, CIC (center) receives her award alongside her M3 colleagues.
Jackson Chesbro, CIC, AIC (left) receives the National Company Representative of the Year 2024 alongside PIA Executive Director Pete Hanson, CAE, CISR.
PIA Immediate Past President Lacey Endres, CIC with Stony Steinbach Achievement Award recipient Steve Clements, CPIA.
Winter is Coming… and so is this Property Peril
| By Samuel T. Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CPRM, CRIS, CPIAß
On the list of ‘things you already knew’ – it is cold in Wisconsin in the winter. Based upon data collected by weather stations throughout each state during the years 1971 to 2000 and made available by the NOAA National Climatic Data Center of the United States, Wisconsin’s average winter temperature is 17.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Only four states have lower average winter temperatures than the Badger State: Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota & Alaska. This, coupled with the fact that many residents will take the opportunity to travel to warmer climes at some point during winter, can result in opportunities for claims arising from the peril of freezing.
Property forms, whether personal or commercial, specifically address damage to covered property when damaged by freezing. Water released from pipes and appliances because they were damaged by freezing is a common event. This article will address freezing as it relates to the Homeowners 3 Special Form (HO-3) and the Building and Personal Property Coverage Form (CP 00 10), when the Causes Of Loss (Special Form (CP 10 30) or Broad Form (CP 10 20)) are attached.
As the HO-3 is an open peril form as to Coverage A-Dwelling & Coverage B-Other Structures, damage to these property items from freezing is addressed within the Coverage A & B exclusions. There is an exclusion for damage to the A or B item caused by freezing UNLESS reasonable care is taken to maintain heat in the building or shut off the water supply and drain all systems and appliances of water.
SECTION I – PERILS INSURED AGAINST
A. Coverage A – Dwelling And Coverage B – Other Structures
1. We insure against direct physical loss to property described in Coverages A and B.
2. We do not insure, however, for loss:
c. Caused by:
(1) Freezing of a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or of a household appliance, or by discharge, leakage or overflow from within the system or appliance caused by freezing. This provision does not apply if you have used reasonable care to:
(a) Maintain heat in the building; or
(b) Shut off the water supply and drain all systems and appliances of water.
However, if the building is protected by an automatic fire protective sprinkler system, you must use reasonable care to continue the water supply and maintain heat in the building for coverage to apply.For purposes of this provision, a plumbing system or household appliance does not include a sump, sump pump or related equipment or a roof drain, gutter, downspout or similar fixtures or equipment;
This presents an ‘interesting’ approach to coverage for freezing in an open peril form. As the dwelling and other structures are afforded coverage for direct physical loss in an HO3 unless an exclusion applies, damage to an A or B item due to freezing would be broadly excluded. The exclusion then indicates conditions under which it would NOT apply and damage caused by freezing of certain systems would preclude application of the exclusion. Meeting these conditions would lead to restoration of coverage for a freezing loss.
The exception goes on to clarify what the coverage form considers systems that can be subject to problems with freezing but are NOTconsidered plumbing systems. Hence, damage caused by freezing that involves a sump, sump pump, related equipment, roof drain, gutter, downspout or similar fixture or equipment would be wholly excluded –
even if heat were maintained in the building or the water supply were shut off and the system were drained of water.
Perils Insured Against for Coverage C-Personal Property are indicated in the HO-3 on a broad form (named peril) basis. If direct physical loss to personal property results from a named peril, coverage would be afforded – subject to policy exclusions and conditions.
SECTION I – PERILS INSURED AGAINST
B.
Coverage C – Personal Property
We insure for direct physical loss to the property described in Coverage C caused by any of the following perils unless the loss is excluded in Section I – Exclusions.
14. Freezing
a. This peril means freezing of a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or of a household appliance, but only if you have used reasonable care to:
(1) Maintain heat in the building; or
(2) Shut off the water supply and drain all systems and appliances of water.
However, if the building is protected by an automatic fire protective sprinkler system, you must use reasonable care to continue the water supply and maintain heat in the building for coverage to apply.
b. In this peril, a plumbing system or household appliance does not include a sump, sump pump or related equipment or a roof drain, gutter, downspout or similar fixtures or equipment.
HO 00 03 03 22
Services Office, Inc., 2021
Unlike open peril coverage, named peril coverage names covered causes of loss and often then indicates conditions under which damage by a named peril will not be covered. This progression is on display with freezing. Unlike Coverages A & B, under Coverage C, freezing is only a covered peril IF heat is maintained in the building or the water supply is shut off and all systems and drains are drained of water.
As to commercial property forms, the approach is incredibly similar. The Building And Personal Property Coverage Form (CP) is incomplete without attaching, among other forms, a Causes Of Loss Form. The most commonly attached causes of loss form is the Special Form.
Determining coverage for damage resulting from freezing, whether the covered property is “Building” or “Your Business Personal Property,” relies on language found in this form:
A. Covered Causes Of Loss
When Special is shown in the Declarations, Covered Causes of Loss means direct physical loss unless the loss is excluded or limited in this policy.
B. Exclusions
1. We will not pay for loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by any of the following. Such loss or damage is excluded regardless of any other cause or event that contributes concurrently or in any sequence to the loss.
g. Water, other liquids, powder or molten material that leaks or flows from plumbing, heating, airconditioning or other equipment (except fire protective systems) caused by or resulting from freezing, unless:
(1) You do your best to maintain heat in the building or structure; or
(2) You drain the equipment and shut off the supply if the heat is not maintained.
If the Causes Of Loss-Broad Form (named peril) is attached to the CP, the approach is very similar to what is found for freezing loss to Coverage C-Personal Property in the HO-3. The named peril Water Damage is quite specific as to what is considered water damage. Water damage, in this named peril, DOES NOT INCLUDE discharge or leakage from an Automatic Sprinkler System, a sump or related equipment, roof drains, gutters, downspouts or similar fixtures. Also not covered is loss or damage caused by or resulting from freezing, UNLESS:
• The named insured does their best to maintain heat in the building or structure; or
• The named insured drains the equipment and shuts off the water supply if heat is not maintained
Ultimately, damage due to freezing is a clear and present danger for those with property anywhere in the Midwest. The coverage forms we use must be understood by the agent so that effective counsel can be provided to clients in pursuit of proper coverage.
SOLVING THE DYSFUNCTIONAL INSURANCE AGENCY
| By Al Diamond, Agency Consulting Group
We all like to describe our agencies as our “families.” For some of us, the agency actually is our family because our husbands, wives, siblings, in-laws and other family members work together. For other agency owners, we like to treat our employees as if they were family members and the result is that we have the same issues and problems as real families.
Eventually, whether for a short time or for a prolonged period, our little ‘family’ doesn’t seem to get along. These family members are more reluctant to quit (and it is almost impossible to terminate them) to resolve the organizational problems that they create and/or foster. The agency has become “dysfunctional.” Unfortunately, without an earthshaking event, this situation tends to perpetuate itself and everyone (including the customers) notices the tensions. It is no longer fun to work together. Many agents have called us in as intermediaries to solve organizational problems caused by parents, children, siblings or family-like employees. In every case the agency owner takes blame for being a) too hard, b) too soft, c) too flexible, d) too inflexible, or e) all of the above. They have no idea why the family-employees haven’t taken the agency into account as a high priority. “After all,” they claim, “the agency is everyone’s career and its success benefits all and its failure negatively affects all.”
What the owners fail to realize is that “owners are from Mars and employees are from Venus” (to paraphrase a very popular book title). In almost every case of intra-agency friction, the cause has been ego differences. Egos have destroyed more businesses (and started more wars) than all other reasons, combined — by far! Ego differences begin with communications problems and escalate when one protagonist doesn’t understand why the others can’t listen to reason. Each protagonist is certain that they are in the right and that they are only thinking of the best interest of the group. And each protagonist dismisses the others as having personal agendas.
And most of the time, each protagonist is, in fact, trying to do the right thing for the best interest of the group. The problem is that as we become more family-like in our business, the lines of authority become fuzzy and everyone tends to believe that the business is a democracy.
The time to eliminate family dysfunction in an agency – through clear lines of authority and segregated responsibilities of each “family” member – is at the outset of the relationship. As each person is hired, they should have a clear understanding of their roles, expectations and limitations. This rarely happens. Family members most often come into an agency and grow into an eventual role or position. Other employees are certainly hired for specific roles. But as they become further involved in the agency, roles become blurred and, like family members, these employees fill whatever role is needed by the agency. In either case (family member or trusted employee) the stage is set for potential dysfunction.
By the time family members or agency staff begin disagreeing – without the guiderails of an owner’s or manager’s arbitration and decision-making – the die is cast.
A dysfunctional agency need not dissolve or sell itself to end the internal disputes. There are ways to clear the air and get back to the business of insurance. But it first requires the agency owner to create a discipline that is rarely in place in a dysfunctional agency. That discipline will arrive in one of two ways, positive or negative. The negative approach is the natural tendency for business owners who become fed up with the sniping and friction normal to a dysfunctional agency.
The owner who has, for the longest period, ignored the communications problems (hoping that all of the problems would resolve themselves), reaches the end of his/her rope and becomes an instant dictator. A dictatorship, regardless of the negative ramifications, is certainly a way of avoiding business dysfunction. The dictator is the
Considerations When Choosing a Limit for Your E&O Coverage
| By Tabitha L. DeGirolano, RPLU+, CPLP | E&O Underwriting Specialist | Utica National Insurance Group
A common question that we deal with is “What limits should I buy?” The adage, “buy until it hurts” is perhaps too simple and not very helpful. Processes that can be useful include:
The “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” Method
Here it is important to know your book of business. When your normal policy is a Personal Home and Auto, the limits can be fairly predictable and gauged by a review of your agency management system for property and casualty limits. Keep in mind the potential for Umbrella policies and other lines such as Workers’ Compensation and health insurance.
Failure to procure coverage is the most common cause of action against agents. For example, what is the potential loss if you fail to place a health policy or enroll a member who contracts a serious illness or sustains an injury? Focus on what you may have failed to write or place. When you include Umbrella policies, this leads to very high limits for the policy that your office failed to place. This should be kept in mind when choosing a limit for your E&O Coverage.
A commercial agency has more things to consider. Property schedules can be complex, and a serious error in valuation or difference of opinion can reach into the millions of dollars. What’s more, incorrectly reported business income can be costly. Don’t neglect looking at bond penalties, either. Any of these areas, in addition to the usual items such as Umbrellas, can lead to claims of up to tens of millions of dollars.
The “What is it worth?” Method
In these instances, the agency uses a limit in proportion to its worth.
Agencies that believe their worth to be no more than a million dollars in the early years set their E&O limits, and then often neglect to update it as the years pass. With the pattern for renewing their E&O established, the tendency is to look at price on an “apples-to-apples” basis each year. Often, they can look up after several years of growth and acquisitions to find their value at several million dollars with limits of $1 million per claim and $2 million aggregate.
While most of our claims are settled for under $1 million, this does not mean an agency should not consider higher limits. Why buy something that probably will not be used? To begin, there’s always a first time – we have had $5 million-plus awards. The other thing to consider is that we don’t generally get to the end – settlement or other resolution – very quickly in large claim cases. Having a high-dollar claim over your agency’s head for years can be unnerving without adequate limits.
Settlement of professional liability claims is a different process. All the underlying coverage issues must be decided before the E&O damages can be properly assessed. This process can sometimes take years. In most cases, the plaintiff’s attorney has taken special pains to push up the damages as high as possible. You can be looking at a multiple-million-dollar damage potential for years. While the defense can assure you that the final result will most assuredly be a fraction of that monstrous sum, you’re the one that has to sleep at night.
Another consideration of the “What is it worth?” method is the matter of whether you will really be ready to selfinsure the portion of the risk that is not insured. This is true especially if the cost of some additional limits of E&O can be reasonably obtained.
Some agencies are guided solely by the contractual requirements of their agency agreements. This is certainly a basic step. Over the years, we have seen agencies call to increase limits because they are taking on a new carrier with substantially higher limit requirements. Generally, this is a simple and straightforward process, but it is not an automatic. Consider if you have just had a claim – the carrier may not be in a position to increase the limits, at least not quickly.
Yet, it’s not only carriers that require higher limits. There are times when a potential client, particularly a municipal entity, may require higher limits as standard practice. Obtaining limit proposals can be a fairly simple process, particularly at renewal anniversary. Most E&O carriers will happily provide an additional $1 million or $2 million of limit. The cost can be like lobsters, that is, according to market prices. Limits will likely be more easily obtained in a soft market and at a better price.
Discuss the availability of additional limits with your carrier to know what limits are available and what some of the considerations would be for your agency’s particular situation. A mix of business, market specialties, and agency claims history can all be factors in the decision. An agency with five to 10 employees should carry limits higher than $1 million. A simple inquiry at renewal can be valuable.
It’s Your Decision
The limit of liability your agency chooses for its errors and omissions coverage should be one you are comfortable with. Review it annually using a logic that fits your situation.
EDUCATION
NEW TOPICS ADDED! 3 WI CE CREDITS. LIVE (NOT PRE-RECORDED). NO TEST. NO PROCTOR.
Visit the Education tab at piaw.org for a complete list of topics, descriptions, webinar demo and registration. Several approved for Utica credit. Ethics is offered each month. Fee per Webinar: $55 PIAW Member, $70 Non-Member. Includes WI CE fees. NEW! 1-Hour Webinars: $25 PIAW Member, $35 Non-Member
November 2024 Webinar Schedule
An Hour with Nicole: Everything You Need to Know About Insuring Work-From-Home Exposures
1 WI CE # 6000134133
Claims That Will Convince Your Insured to Enhance Their Homeowners Coverage
3 WI CE # 6000136609
An Hour with Sam: Liability Concerns in the Personal Auto Policy
1 WI CE # 6000159347
Certificates, Contractors, and You: Fights, Coverage Issues, Best Practices
3 WI CE # 6000165163
Flood Insurance: What You Need to Know NFIP Approved
3 WI CE # 6000159348
Why Inadequate EPLI Will Close Your Business (and What to Do About It)
3 WI CE # 6000167545
All Things Ethics: Agent Obligations, Standards, Authority and More
Utica Approved 11/19 8-11a Steve Lyon, CIC, CPCU, ARM
The Bad Thing Happened: Handling Commercial Claims & Coverage Disputes
3 WI CE # 6000139310
An Hour with Dave: All-Things Ordinance or Law (Personal and Commercial)
1 WI CE # 6000134131
“Wait…What the #^&* Just Happened?!” Fourteen Personal Lines Issues To Know Before It’s Too Late
3 WI CE # 6000136608
Social Security and Medicare: Your Questions Answered 3 WI CE # 6000159350
Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS
David Thompson, CPCU, AAI, API, CRIS
8-11a Scott Treen, CIC
Chris Amrhein, CIC
NEW TOPICS ADDED! 3 WI CE CREDITS. LIVE (NOT PRE-RECORDED). NO TEST. NO PROCTOR. Visit the Education tab at piaw.org for a complete list of topics, descriptions, webinar demo and registration. Several approved for Utica credit. Ethics is offered each month. Fee per Webinar: $55 PIAW Member, $70 Non-Member. Includes WI CE fees. NEW! 1-Hour Webinars: $25 PIAW Member, $35 Non-Member
December 2024 Webinar Schedule
An Hour with Nicole: Why Personal Lines Deductibles Always Confuse Insureds
1 WI CE # 6000136589
Inflation and Personal Lines: Helping Insureds Understand Why It Matters and What to Do
3 WI CE # 6000139308
Homeowners Deep-Dive: What You Need to Know About the Most Recent Forms
3 WI CE # 6000134134
Social Security and Medicare: Your Questions Answered
3 WI CE # 6000159350
How It’s Built, How It’s Used, Will It Survive: Elements of Property Underwriting
3 WI CE # 6000167546
Mastering Business Income: Tools & Tips to Keep Insureds Flush
3 WI CE # 6000136605
An Hour with Dave: What Everyone Must Know About Flood
1 WI CE # 6000169482
Ethical Dilemmas in Insurance and the Responsibilities of Agents
3 WI ETHICS, CE # 6000136606 Utica Approved
Stinkin Rich, Insurance Poor: P&C Coverage Challenges for High-Net-Worth Individuals
Anyone Can Attend No Exam Required for CE 16 WI CE Each
JANUARY 22-23
Commercial Property Webinar
FEBRUARY 26-27
Agency Management Webinar (Includes 3 Ethics CE)
MARCH 26-27 Life and Health Webinar
CIC GRADUATE RUBLE WEBINARS & CLASSROOM
Exciting update option for CICs, CRMs, and CISRs! 16 WI CE Each / CISRs Can Attend One Day for 8 CE and Update Credit
DECEMBER 11-12 Webinar (4 of 16 Ethics)
NOVEMBER 15
Personal Auto
Ted Kinney
JANUARY 7
Disaster & Continuity Planning for Businesses and Families Webinar (1 of 7 Ethics, Not Utica)
MARCH 5-6 Webinar
MAY 13- 14 Sheboygan (4 Optional Ethics)
CISR WEBINARS & CLASSROOM
Anyone Can Attend. No Exam Required for CE 7 WI CE Each
DECEMBER 5
Commercial Casualty 1 Mark Anderson
DECEMBER 17
Agency Operations Lori Rummelt
CPIA WEBINARS & CLASSROOM
Anyone Can Attend. No Exam. 7 WI CE (2 of 7 Ethics) Utica Approved
JUNE 25-26
Webinar (4 of 16 Ethics)
JANUARY 29
Elements of Risk Management Tom Franzen
15TH ANNUAL PIAW WINTER GET-AWAY
AT THE POINTE HOTEL & SUITES – MINOCQUA, WIS.
LOW REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDES TWO DINNERS, LUNCH, ACTIVITIES 10 WI CE CREDITS, PRIZES & MORE! PIAW MEMBERS $149 / NON-MEMBERS WELCOME $179
JANUARY 29–31, 2025
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
• THE POINT HOTEL & SUITES $99 SINGLE, $199 TWO BEDROOM | 715-356-4431
• THE WATERS, $99 | 715-358-4000
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29
1:00 – 5:00 YOURS, MINE AND OURS. INSURABLE INTEREST (4 WI CE)
5:30 – 11:00 GET-AWAY FUN AT THE THIRSTY WHALE DINNER, FREE BEER, WINE & SODA TO 7:30 PIZZA 10:00 P.M.
SHUTTLE TO AND FROM THE POINTE & THE WATERS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30
9:00 – 12:00 THE WORLD ISN’T FLAT. COMMON INSURANCE MYTHS. (3 WI CE)
12:00 BUFFET LUNCH AT THE POINTE
1:00 – 4:00 FORESTRY TAP & AXE – BAR OLYMPICS: AXE THROW, BAGS, SHUFFLE BOARD AND MORE! Busing provided.
4:45 & 5:15 BUS FROM THE POINTE & THE WATERS TO WHITETAIL INN
5:00 – 10:30 WHITETAIL INN – BEAUTIFUL, NORTHWOODS RESTAURANT CASH BAR, APPETIZERS 5-6 P.M., SIT DOWN DINNER AT 6 P.M. BUS BACK TO HOTEL AT 8:30 AND 10:30
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31
9:00 – 12:00 ETHICS IS NOT JUST FOR SUNDAYS (3 WI ETHICS CE)
FEATURING CHRIS KROEZE –AMERICAN COUNTRY SINGER, RUNNER-UP ON “THE VOICE”
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION: VISIT EVENTS AT PIAW.ORG QUESTIONS CALL PIA 800-261-7429
Continued from page 27
first and final word in all situations and everyone in the agency understands that in the operation of the business. But you must have been a dictator for the long period for this management technique to work. You can’t have been a liberal manager, having an easy-going, laissez faire attitude until problems get so bad that a change must be made to keep the organization alive. Family members and other agency employees have been hired and have been working under the personality type of the owner for years. Changing that personality just grows the differences that may have caused the dysfunction in the first place.
A better way of addressing a dysfunctional on-going agency is for the liberal agency manager to add a level of discipline ORGANIZATIONALLY, rather than PERSONALLY.
The discipline that is best used and most acceptable is through the Strategic Planning process. When you introduce strategic planning to the agency, you will use all of the protagonists in the design of the agency’s Plan. Instead of dictating a solution, the process encourages communications, cooperative goal-setting and creates an environment in which staff members, family and others, MUST work together to enjoy personal benefits.
The role of the owner is the coordination of the process of Planning. That process eliminates the ‘us and them’ concepts so common in the dysfunctional organization. Instead, staff members begin to realize that the efforts
of others reflect directly on their own results and compensation. When you count on someone else to make you successful, you tend to use that person’s strengths and overlook their challenges.
Of course, the planning process, like the dictatorial decision-making, begins and ends with staff members who are competent and desirous of the success of the business. If you believe that a family member is causing strife because of a lack of ability to succeed in the business or a genuine hatred of the business, no organizational or management approach will solve the problem. That person, family member or not, needs to be doing something else. You know when this answer is the correct one when the departure of the individual causes immediate and long-term cessation of the negative feelings in the agency. If that person leaving does not cause an immediate positive change in the agency atmosphere, that person was not the problem and you must seek further solution.
But, if the problem is capable family and staff members genuinely disagreeing with each other’s positions and fighting for their beliefs, Strategic Planning as an organizational approach will solve the dysfunction and return the agency to equilibrium. As an aside, it will also assure your attainment of short (one year) and long term (five year) goals and will advance the agency much faster than ‘seat of the pants’ planning that most agencies employ to manage their growth.
IS YOUR CURRENT AGENCY A BUST?
you can trust
THANK YOU 2024 SUPPORTING MEMBERS!
Each year the insurance companies that choose to support the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin make so many things possible. It is because of them that we can offer top-notch, affordable networking and education opportunities to our member agents.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
THE PIA OF WISCONSIN IS KNOWN NATIONWIDE FOR ITS TOP-NOTCH EDUCATION AND NETWORKING EVENTS!
For a comprehensive list of all PIA education opportunities, including the 12-14 multiple topic 1-3 hour webinars, and pre-licensing, visit the Education tab at piaw.org.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
15 CISR Personal Auto Webinar (7 WI CE)
20-21 CIC Commercial Multiline Webinar (16 WI CE)
5 CISR Commercial Casualty 1 Webinar (7 WI CE)
11-12 Ruble Graduate Webinar (16 WI CE, 4 are Ethics)
17 CISR – Agency Operations (7 WI CE, 1 is Ethics, Utica Approved)
7 Disaster and Continuity Planning for Business and Families Webinar (7 WI CE, 1 of 7 Ethics)
22-23 CIC Commercial Property Webinar (16 WI CE)
29 CISR Elements of Risk Management Webinar (7 WI CE)
29-31 15th Annual PIAW Winter Get-Away- Minocqua, WI (4 WI CE, 3 WI CE, 3 WI Ethics CE)
DIRECTORY PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC.
725 HEARTLAND TRAIL, ST. 108 | MADISON, WI 53717 | WWW.PIAW.ORG
