SUMMER 2012
Agent & Broker
Calming the Rough Seas 114th Annual Convention October 28–30 Westin Savannah Harbor Savannah, Georgia
Social Media Time-Savers “Bring Your Own Device” Opportunities and Risks Summertime Blues: Advise Clients of These Seasonal Liabilities
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SUMMER 2012
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of South Carolina PO Box 210008, Columbia, SC 29221 800 Gracern Road, Columbia, SC 29210 803-731-9460 803-772-6425 (fax) e-mail: information@iiabsc.com
IIABSC Staff
Contents
G. Frank Sheppard, AAI, CAE President ext. 23, fsheppard@iiabsc.com
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IIABSC 114th Annual Convention 16 Elly’s Travel Adventures 17 Palmetto Partners 18 ACT: “Bring Your Own Devices” Opportunities and Risks 23
Beth Chastie Director of Administration & Finance ext. 17, bchastie@iiabsc.com
ACT: Social Media Time Savers 26 Summertime Blues: Advise Clients of These Seasonal Liabilities 30
Laura Cornell Director of Insurance Programs ext. 22, lcornell@iiabsc.com
IIABSC Member News 35
Megan Huebner Meetings & Membership Coordinator ext. 16, mhuebner@iiabsc.com
IIABSC Education & Events Calendar 36 2012 Board of Directors and Executive Committee 38
Advertiser Index
Pat Fetner Receptionist ext. 10, pfetner@iiabsc.com
Allstar Financial
32
Montgomery Insurance
Assure Alliance
11
NetComp 11
Lee Ruef Director of State Government Relations lruef@iiabsc.com
Astonish Results
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South Carolina Agent & Broker is the official magazine of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of South Carolina and is published four times annually. IIABSC does not necessarily endorse any of the companies advertising in this publication or the views of its writers. Articles and information published in this magazine may not be reproduced without written consent of the IIABSC. South Carolina Agent & Broker is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, art or photography. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for claims made by advertisers and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributing authors. For more information on advertising, Contact Jim Aitkins Blue Water Publishers 22727 - 161st Avenue SE Monroe, WA 98272 360-805-6474 fax: 360-805-6475 jima@bluewaterpublishers.com
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Message from the National Director
2012 Big “I” Spring Conference Photo Recap 12
Anita J. Trevino Director of Communications ext. 29, atrevino@iiabsc.com
Jeanette Bloss Education Coordinator ext. 11, jbloss@iiabsc.com
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Young Agents Scholarship Golf Tournament Photo Recap 10
Rebecca H. McCormack, CPCU, CIC, AAI, CPIW Vice President ext. 14, bmccormack@iiabsc.com
Mary A. Ellis Professional Development Administrator ext. 12, mellis@iiabsc.com
Message from the Chairman of the Board
Preferred Specialty
39 33
Bankers Insurance Group
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Prime Rate Premium Finance
Builders Mutual Insurance
35
RPS Rollins
Burns & Wilcox
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3
Southern Insurance Underwriters
15
FCCI Insurance Group
37
Summit Marketing Services
19
GUARD Insurance Group
37
TAPCO Underwriters
29
JM Wilson
29
The National Security Group
19
UPC Insurance
40
Universal North America
27
Utica National Insurance Group
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Jackson Sumner & Associates Johnson & Johnson M. J. Kelly of South Carolina
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
2 20, 21 38
If you cannot place all of your clients’ personal insurance needs, they will find someone who can.
When it comes to personal insurance, every part matters. Because when one piece goes missing, the entire account could come undone. At Burns & Wilcox, we can insure individual portions of their coverage or the whole account. So you do not have to turn away any business. We have the expertise, resources and experience that can only come from being the largest independent wholesale broker and underwriting manager. Need help with personal insurance? No one has you covered like Burns & Wilcox. Charlotte, North Carolina | 704.525.1152 toll free 800.999.3434 | fax 704.525.7399 charlotte.burnsandwilcox.com
Greensboro, North Carolina | 336.834.8778 toll free 866.832.4979 | fax 336.834.9066 greensboro.burnsandwilcox.com
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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | 843.651.3271 toll free 800.849.3271 | fax 800.354.3573 myrtlebeach.burnsandwilcox.com
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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IIABSC Chairman of the Board Ashley Brady, CIC
W
e all know the statistics. Every second a baby boomer turns 60. More than 60 percent of insurance professionals are over the age of 45, according to a survey done a few years ago by InVEST. Clearly we have a lot of work to do in recruiting the next generation of independent agency professionals into our ranks. But what are we doing to mentor those young producers, CSRs and other employees who have already chosen us? If you have young agents on your staff, what are you doing to help them? We need to do a better job of incorporating young agents into the culture of our agencies. They have a lot to offer us in terms of new ways of selling—social media is just one example. But they are looking to learn some things from us too. In the end our business is about relationships, and young agents realize those relationships need to be built in person as well as online. As an agency principal or seasoned producer, what are you doing to transfer your in-person sales abilities to the next generation? Here at IIABSC, we have two major programs for the development of young agents, one specifically created with young people in mind and the other a designation program created in order to train staff on the “softer side” of insurance. We also have a few other offerings that we hope young agents will take advantage of, and we’d like feedback from agency principals or even the young agents themselves regarding how we can continue to aid their development. Our Young Agents program for agency personnel of age 40 or younger was created more than 20 years ago with the specific goal of developing the next generation of independent agency system leaders in South Carolina. Registered young agents receive significant registration discounts to all IIABSC events (including our summer conference dedicated to them) and are alerted to FREE continuing education opportunities in their area. The most important benefit of the program is
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
without a doubt the consistent opportunities to expand their professional networks to other agency employees who are not necessarily competing against them in local markets. Thanks to the Young Agents Scholarship Fund we take a group of young agents to Washington DC each year for the national legislative conference, where they can expand their professional networks even further and learn more about the political process, which is very important to the future of our industry. The other major program from which young agents can benefit greatly is our relatively new AIAM designation courses, where they will study the basics of the nontechnical aspects of an insurance professional’s skills and responsibilities. Topics include time and workflow management, negotiating conflict, adjusting your communication styles, proper writing, overall polish, ethics training required by the SCDOI and much more. Visit our designations webpage (www.iiabsc.com/designations) to learn more. Through our Trusted Choice® brand partnership with SC Make-A-Wish, our young agents can find passion in community involvement, also critical for the continued success of young agents. We had a lot of young agent participation in our past community projects including Relay for Life®, and we hope to incorporate them into our Make-A-Wish partnership as well. All are great programs, but at IIABSC we still don’t think that’s enough. We are looking to expand our professional development offerings to young agents, specifically in sales and management training, and we need your feedback. What type of programs do you wish were available in an easy and affordable package for the young agents in your agency? Young agents, what training do you think is so important that you would use your own resources to get it? Share your thoughts by contacting our IIABSC Vice President Becky McCormack (bmccormack@iiabsc.com) or President Frank Sheppard (fsheppard@iiabsc.com) at 803.731.9460 and stay tuned.
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National Director Jon A. Jensen, AAI, AIP
F
2012 BIG “I” LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE RECAP South Carolina Shines
or several years now, I have joined fellow South Carolina agents in representing our state association at the IIABA National Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. The National Legislative Conference brings in Big “I” members from every state to meet with federal legislators on issues that are important to independent insurance agents. This year was even more special for me as not only did I represent South Carolina members in Washington, I was honored to participate as the Chairman of the IIABA Government Affairs Committee. During the Conference, South Carolina was again recognized for our leadership and participation in InsurPac – the political action committee of our national association. SC was presented with our 7th consecutive Eagle Award and was one of only two states to achieve that recognition. The Eagle Award is given to states that have InsurPac contributions averaging more than $100 per agency. South Carolina continues to lead by example when it comes to supporting InsurPac – which, in turn, allows our excellent Washington lobbying team to be an effective voice on Capitol Hill for independent insurance agents. Of course, the highlight of the Legislative Conference is visiting with our state Congressional delegation. Our team met with every SC House and Senate office. Following is a synopsis of the major items we discussed with Senators and Congressmen and the Big “I” position on each issue: FLOOD INSURANCE EXTENSION & REFORM The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is an essential public-private partnership that protects 5.7 million consumers and 22,000 participating communities from the dangers of floods. An extension of this program is vital to the real-estate market and to ensure that property owners are protected from flood losses. 8
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
The IIABA’s No. 1 priority on flood insurance is for Congress to take action and pass a long-term extension. As a part of any reauthorization, IIABA supports reforming the program for its long-term solvency by reducing subsidies, dealing with repetitive loss properties and making the program more attractive for consumers through the modernization of coverages. INSURANCE REGULATORY REFORM While Congress enacted the “Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010” (Dodd-Frank), it wisely left day-to-day regulation of the insurance market at the state level. However, Dodd-Frank does contain provisions that affect the insurance industry, and IIABA is committed to ensuring that these new provisions are properly implemented. IIABA is being particularly vigilant to ensure that the newly created Federal Insurance Office (FIO), an informational office within the Treasury Department with no regulatory authority, does not experience “mission creep” and exceed its very limited mandate. While IIABA supports a modernized state regulatory system, it strongly opposes federal insurance regulation via either the so-called optional federal charter (OFC) or mandatory federal regulation. AGENT LICENSING REFORM The Big “I” strongly supports legislation to streamline the nonresident licensing process of agents and brokers to allow them to better serve the insurance consumer. NARAB II would improve the insurance market and allow agents and brokers operating on a multi-state level to avoid duplicative licensing requirements while maintaining important consumer protections. HEALTH-CARE REFORM The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has been particularly harmful to independent insurance agents since it
negatively impacts Big “I” members as both small businesses and as health insurance advisors. A focus for IIABA has been to gain relief for agents, brokers and the consumers they serve from the detrimental Medical Loss Ratios (MLRs) regulations. FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE IIABA strongly supports the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) and urges Congress to continue this valuable program for American agriculture. As Congress continues to work on the 2012 Farm Bill, it is imperative that any decisions or changes to the present crop program serve our farmers’ risk-management needs and not simply shift funds away from the FCIP.
TAX REFORM The Big “I” is encouraged by current discussions of a broad tax code reform effort. If any such effort comes to fruition this Congress, IIABA urges Congress and the Administration to address individual rates along with corporate rates as many of IIABA’s small-business members file individually as passthrough entities. In the event that passage of a tax-code overhaul is not possible this session, IIABA supports an extension of all 2001-2003 rates, as current law is set to expire at the end of 2012. Additionally, the Big “I” supports extension of current law as it relates to the estate tax.
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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Young Agents Scholarship Golf Tournament
Wildewood Country Club, Columbia Palmetto Partners
Bankers Insurance IIABSC Agency Jackson Sumner & Associates Johnson & Johnson Main Street America Group Preferred Specialty Progressive Safeco Insurance /Montgomery Insurance St. John’s Insurance Company United Property & Casualty Zurich Small Business /Farmers Insurance
Additional Hole Sponsors
AssureAlliance Belfor Property Restoration Bollinger Insurance Genesee General Herlong Bates Burnett Insurance Hull & Company J.M. Wilson Kemper Preferred PuroClean Disaster Restoration Services Richardson & Ritchie Consulting Risk Innovations, LLC Servpro Universal North America
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May 1, 2012
2012 tournament champions: Mike Scoggins, Bill Barksdale, Cecilia Fournil and Todd Hiott. Not shown: Long-drive winner Lee Parks, Closest-to-the-pin winners Ryan Eaddy and Harris Post. Tournament proceeds go towards Young Agent Scholarships to pursue designations and attend the national legislative conference in Washington, D.C.
www.assurealliance.com 1-864-541-0168 *Insurance Journal’s “Top 100 of 2011”
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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2012 Big “I” SC Thank you, sponsors
March 14 - 15 Embassy Suites, Columbia, SC
Palmetto Partners: AFCO/ Prime Rate Premium Finance American Strategic Insurance AmTrust North America Auto-Owners Ins. Co. Bankers Insurance Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group, LLC Capitol Preferred Insurance Companion Property & Casualty FirstComp Frontline Homeowners Ins. General Casualty GMAC Insurance Hanover Excess & Surplus, Inc. The Hartford IIABSC Agency Insurance House Jackson Sumner & Associates Johnson & Johnson Main Street America Group Montgomery Ins./ Safeco Ins. Mid-Continent Group Phenix Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Preferred Specialty, LLC Progressive Insurance QBE RPS Continental Southern Cross Underwriters State Auto Ins. Companies St. Johns Insurance Company Tapco Underwriters, Inc. Travelers United Property & Casualty Ins. Co. Zurich Small Business
Additional Sponsors: Appalachian Underwriters/ Accident Insurance Co. IIABSC Technology Committee J.M. Wilson 12
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
Continued on page 14
Get to Know Utica! We’re not a household name. We don’t have a 40-story home office in a big city. But we’re a household name to the agents who sell our products and their clients who buy our insurance. We are a multi-regional carrier with great products. We stay close to our agents. And we’re consistently noted for the high quality of our service, whether it’s our specialized loss control work or the fast, fair work of the Utica Claims staff. Open the door to more sales and revenue for your agency. Call me today to find out what Utica can add to your agency! Matt Lupino — Resident Senior Vice President Utica National Insurance Group 1100 Boulders Parkway, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23225 Phone: 804-560-6620 • Matt.Lupino@uticanational.com
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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More photos from Spring Conference
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
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114th Annual Convention
October 28–30
Westin Savannah Harbor Savannah, Ga.
Networking & Exhibit Hall: Come to our
largest exhibit space ever. Sunday provides an entire afternoon and evening of networking with company reps, vendors and fellow agents in our pirate-themed exhibit hall and welcome reception. Plus, come see the Trusted Choice®-commissioned customized chopper motorcycle featured this summer on the reality TV show American Choppers on the Discovery Channel.
Local sights and free time: We wouldn’t dare
bring you to the beautiful Savannah, Ga., and keep you stuck in the hotel the whole time! Activities include golf tournament on Westin’s course, offsite spouse/guest tour and plenty of free time in which to enjoy the city.
Education opportunities: Steer your agency
through the hard market! There are several great sessions planned, including a carrier leadership panel, industry trends and other breakout sessions. See website agenda for details, www.iiabsc.com > Events > Annual Convention. 16
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
For details & to register:
www.iiabsc.com
Elly, our annual convention exhibitor’ss Best Booth prize, is all dressed up for last year’s theme of Halloween.
Elly’s Travel Adventures Elly Pachy Derm, the Golden Elephant, is the award given at the IIABSC annual convention to exhibitors judged to have the “best booth” according to the theme for the year. She resides with the winners the entire year and tours the state, visiting with IIABSC member agents. From her blog:
2011 Winner:
March 29, 2012 Where better to start off my 2012 odyssey than beautiful Shem Creek in Mt Pleasant. A magnicent sunny day, and temps in the mid-80s in March — gotta love the South. Today I saw a familiar face —Bill Silcox of CT Lowndes. Along with the distinguished Henry Lowndes, they received the prestigious Grange “Inner Circle” Award today at Waters Edge Restaurant. LaVawn Coleman (State Team Leader) presented the award, given annually to Grange’s best performing Independent Agency Partners. Congratulations, CT Lowndes! Also pictured is Sr. Territory Manager Mark Brandt, and of course yours truly. What a fantastic backdrop – the SC and USA ags apping majestically, with iconic Shrimp Boats docked behind them. This is going to be a great year!
Read full blog with photos at
www.iiabsc.com/elly
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Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of SC
IIABSC offers a special thanks to our 2012 Palmetto Partners. The program was created as a simplified way for companies, brokers and vendors to support the association and all our major conferences and events on an ongoing basis.
Diamond Level
Johnson & Johnson IIABSC Agency
Platinum Level
Bankers Insurance United Property & Casualty Ins. Co. Montgomery Insurance / Safeco Insurance
Gold Level
Jackson Sumner & Associates Progressive Insurance St. Johns Insurance Company
Silver Level
American Strategic Insurance Frontline Homeowners Insurance Main Street America Group RPS Continental Travelers
Bronze Level
AFCO/ Prime Rate Premium Finance Corp. AmTrust North America Auto-owners Insurance Company Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group, LLC Capitol Preferred Insurance Companion Property & Casualty Ins. Co. FirstComp GMAC Hanover Excess & Surplus 18
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
The Hartford Insurance House Mid-Continent Group Phenix Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Preferred Specialty, LLC QBE Southern Cross Underwriters State Auto Insurance Companies Tapco Underwriters Zurich Small Business
Download forms and program benefi ts at:
www.iiabsc.com
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Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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DON’T GET BITTEN BY AN E&O CLAIM YOU COULD HAVE AVOIDED.
Big “I” Risk Management Website
www.independentagent.com/EOHappens Big “I” members whose agency E&O insurance is written by Swiss Re through the Big “I” Professional Liability Program have access to an exclusive risk management web site.
DON’T BE ON THE HOOK FOR: Failing to procure coverage requested by the client Not adequately identifying client exposures Failing to provide timely notice of a claim to the carrier
Log on today to fish for E&O claims frequency data, real-life case studies and analysis, sample client letters, sample agency procedures, agency E&O self assessments, podcasts on important E&O topics, and much more.
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
Misrepresenting or not explaining policy provisions Providing inaccurate information to carriers Failing to properly add additional insureds or loss payees
“Bring Your Own Device” Opportunities & Risks Employees expect it, but employers need to manage the risks
T
By Danielle Johnson Director of IT, InsurBanc
he consumerization of IT revolution — sparked by the iPhone — has shifted the IT culture so that the users are the ones getting the latest, cutting edge technologies first, and they want to bring those devices to work. — PC World Magazine, Dec. 20, 2011, Tom Bradley “Pros and Cons of Bringing Your Own Device to Work” Many workers today expect the companies they work for to allow them to use their personal mobile devices and personal computers at the office, and/or to provide remote connectivity to the office via personal devices. Technologists dub this trend “BYOD” (bring your own device).
Why is BYOD Important? Mobile devices — along with their applications and on-the-go Internet access — provide attractive options for speed, connectivity and productivity. Many people wouldn’t think of spending their workday without a Blackberry, iPhone, Android, iPad or other device to access company systems and data. Most important, senior managers want to use these devices and are using their organization’s technology more because of them.
The mingling of personal devices into the business environment is now commonplace. Technologists are concerned about how the “bring your own device” (BYOD) trend influences the security of the employer’s network, applications and data. This article gives an overview of the trend and provides some practical guidance independent agencies can use to manage the BYOD phenomenon. It discusses opportunities and risks presented by BYOD practices, which are driven by the outflanking of business technology by personal technology. Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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Many employees see their own personal devices as superior to those provided by their employers. Employees also tend to believe they are more productive if allowed to use their own devices for work and data syncing between office and home. Thus, BYOD is significant because employee-owned devices are now accessing company systems and being used for work purposes, presenting security and privacy concerns to the employer. Employers see the inherent value in a more mobile, more connected and more productive workforce. Many employees and managers have no problem connecting and addressing work issues after hours and/or on the weekends. It can be considered a motivational strategy.
What Are the Security Risks? BYOD mobility offers access to enterprise data, systems and corporate email. Employees can store and process data and connect to networks. While BYOD may be considered necessary and convenient, this type of connectivity can raise significant data security and privacy concerns that lead to potential legal and liability risks. Consider: • The device gets lost or stolen with access to company data and systems. • The device contracts a virus or has malware installed that can obtain company logins and data from that device. • The personal device user — however good his/her intentions are — can in effect be circumventing company security standards. • The company cannot control the use of the personal device should the employee allow children or friends to use the device. • The employee may use the device to place files in personal applications in the cloud, applications which may not be secure. • The employee plugs a mobile device into the USB port of his or her office computer, thereby transmitting a virus to the office desktop. Here are some facts to consider when trying to balance personaldevice access with security: Employees don’t perceive the risk. Many employees perceive the use of their own devices at work as placing no extra burden on technical support. But dealing with any data or system security issue requires know-how and technical resources. Executives perceive the risk, but aren’t fully ready. In August of 2011, a Deloitte webcast poll of more than 1,000 U.S. 24
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
information technology and business executives found that 28 percent of respondents believe there are unauthorized personal digital assistants (PDAs) and/or tablets connecting to company systems, especially to email servers. About 87 percent of respondents think their systems are at risk for a cyber attack originating from a mobile-security lapse, the poll reported. The same poll found 40 percent of respondents are unaware of whether their organizations have strategies or controls to enforce mobile security. Further, it found that only 24 percent of respondents believe that “all devices connecting to my intranet are authorized.” Only 17 percent reported that they monitor for rogue connections. Malware is on the move. Malware that targets mobile devices is increasing, reported IBM Security Solutions researchers in a fall 2011 whitepaper. Citing an IBM security research report, the whitepaper presented statistics showing that mobile operating systems vulnerabilities tripled from 60 to a projected 180+ from 2009 to 2011. Enterprise systems and mobile systems are catching up with each other. While many corporations have for years allowed Blackberry-based access to email and other company systems, users are now demanding that iPhone/Android-based smartphones and tablet computers be provided access to these same services.
How do you proceed once BYOD is determined necessary? Since there are risks to the mingling of personal devices and work systems, companies must take the lead in assessing and managing the risks so as to safeguard their systems and data. Some simple steps include: 1. Institute a strong written BYOD Policy that is consistent with the organization’s Employee Handbook policies such as the IT Policy and Acceptable Use Policy. 2. Determine which data to protect. 3. Define what devices will be supported. 4. Determine which employees need remote access via
personal devices. Do not open BYOD participation beyond those employees that have a strong business reason for mobile access. 5. Define security requirements. 6. Train and educate employees concerning policy and BYOD use. 7. Monitor employee mobile devices for compliance with your organization’s policy. 8. Secure employee’s authorization to “wipe” their device remotely (restore to the original factory state), as a condition of giving access to any of the business’s systems. 9. Place controls over access to and use of the company’s wireless internet. For example: do not broadcast your wireless SSID, restrict access to employees only using MAC address filtering in the router and invoke WPA 2 on the router.
Security Solutions If an enterprise is allowing employees to use their own mobile devices, the following security measures should be implemented:
5. Large enterprises monitoring multiple devices and platforms should consider Mobile Device Management (MDM) software. MDM software centrally controls and protects the data and configuration settings for all mobile devices in the network. MDM can also provide a secure document delivery platform and end-to-end data transmission encryption. The opportunities of BYOD are present — and here to stay. As an analogy, home security is more complex for a bigger house with more entrances and windows. So too is systems security more complicated as smartphones and other remote devices present new entry points to be analyzed and protected. All of the security tips presented here are simply guidelines to aid agencies in diminishing security and privacy risks and managing them. However, none can be guaranteed 100 percent effective. Danielle Johnson is the VP, Director of Information Technology at InsurBanc, which IIABA and the W.R. Berkley Corporation established to assist independent agencies with their specific banking needs. This article reflects the views of the author and should not be construed as an official statement by ACT.
1. Require strong phone startup PIN which is at least 6 – 8 characters long. If not supported, use the maximum allowed. Reduce the PIN required timeout setting to no longer than 10 minutes. 2. Require specified encryption and anti-malware software on each device. 3. Require and install mobile tracking software/applications that allow online access to track the location of a lost/stolen phone and the ability to perform a lock/scream and/or remote data wipe. Secure employee’s authorization to take these actions on the device if the device is misplaced, lost or stolen as a condition to giving the employee access to the business’s systems and data. 4. Do not allow “broken”/”rooted”/ “jailbroken” devices on your network. These phones have removed limitations installed on the phone by the carrier allowing the user to run apps and files not approved by carriers. This process opens the device up to security risks.
The Original Flood Experts Tim Killian
Flood Underwriter & Monster Mitigator
Deborah Brcka
Vice President & Risk Wrangler
Agents love us, floods fear us. Get to know us.
“Call them for Standard, Preferred Risk or Excess Flood.” Felix Flood Risk Monster & Star of MeetTheRisks.com
800.627.0000 x4900 | BankersInsurance.com
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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By Matt Marko, Progressive Insurance
A
s a Marketing Process Manager for Progressive, I speak with independent agents across the country about the importance of social media. For most, finding time in their busy schedule is one of the biggest concerns. But you don’t have to dedicate hundreds of hours per year to see a return from social media. A well-defined strategy (and a few time-saving tools) can help strike a balance between the time invested and the value added. When it comes to social-media planning, there’s no right or wrong level of involvement. The most important factor is consistency. Start by setting goals for your agency’s participation. Whether it’s regular interaction with customers on Facebook, a tweet every few days, or a weekly blog post, you can strengthen your social media presence by having clear goals in sight. Here are three levels of social media involvement to consider based on the time you want to commit and your goals: LISTEN (1-2 HOURS A WEEK) Listening should be the first step of any social media strategy. After you’ve set up your agency’s accounts on sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, study what people are saying
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
This article outlines three levels of agency involvement with social media, depending upon agency objectives and the amount of time dedicated. With each level of involvement, the author recommends specific time-savers that will help agency employees get the greatest impact from the time they spend working on the social web.
on the platform. Check sites like Google Places (www.google. com/places) or Yelp! (www.yelp.com) for customer reviews of your agency. Friend your customers and follow their updates, track your competitors’ tweets and watch how people respond. Note what’s working, record the questions and topics that dominate the conversation and think through how you’d respond. By first using social media as a listening tool, you’ll learn best practices for status updates, tweets and blog posts before creating your own. Plus, you can apply what you’re learning from online chatter to shape quoting and in-person conversations with your customers. Time-savers: • Clearly outline actions and responsibilities within your agency to prevent redundancy, maintain focus and meet your social media goals. For example, you could assign a single person in your agency to review Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for one hour, twice a week. • “Like” competitor’s Facebook pages from your personal profile to follow their updates.
Insurance with values. Homeowners Flood*
Lead by example. At Universal North America®, we know it’s not what we say, but what we do. That’s why we’re ready with a Mobile Catastrophe Unit when a storm hits. Plus emergency response plans, exceptional customer service and the financial resources to keep our promises. Like you, we strive to be the best in our business. It’s one of the Universal values we do business by.
(866) 338-4262 UniversalNorthAmerica.com HOME
FLOOD
BUSINESS OWNERS
* Written through National Flood Insurance Program. Universal North America Insurance Company’s Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) has been reaffirmed by A.M. Best. The company’s Outlook is Stable. Insurance products are issued and underwritten by one of Universal North America’s insurance companies: Universal North America Insurance Company or Universal Insurance Company of North America. Issuance of coverage is subject to underwriting review and approval. Products may not be available in all states. © 2012 Universal North America.
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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Search Twitter and third- party directories like WeFollow (wefollow.com) and Twellow (www .twellow.com) to identify popular profiles associated with insurance. Create Twitter lists to organize the people you follow by category (customers, competitors, etc.), and use programs like Hootsuite (hootsuite.com) or Tweetdeck (www.tweetdeck.com) to monitor your Twitter lists at a glance. Use a reputation-management tool to monitor what people are saying about your agency. Consider using free services like SocialMention (www.socialmention .com) and Google Alerts (www.google.com/alerts), or more robust paid services like ChatMeter (www .chatmeter.com), LocationMonitor (locationmonitor .com), or Trackur (www.trackur.com). Create a Google Reader (www.google.com/reader) account for one-stop monitoring of key insurance blogs and publications. Content hubs can save you hours a week by better organizing content for quick review.
RESPOND (2-5 HOURS A WEEK) After taking time to listen, “join the conversation” by responding to questions, posts and comments with a helpful link or thoughtful answer. Note that while answering questions or directing people to another online resource builds goodwill and trust, “hijacking” an online conversation to explicitly promote your agency can undermine your efforts. Provide helpful advice over time and associate comments with your agency through hyperlinks or a simple signature with contact information. Remember, showing your value doesn’t require you to give “pro bono” advice. Asking the right questions and outlining relevant points to consider can demonstrate the value of an independent agent and lead to a follow-up phone call. Time-savers • Focus on a few active online communities rather than jumping around looking for every opportunity to respond. You’ll get to know the members better and your participation will build credibility that can lead to references across the social network. • Develop a FAQ of common topics, your responses and online resources you can share. Using these responses as a starting point can save time when responding to similar questions or comments. PUBLISH (5+ HOURS A WEEK) The final level of social media engagement is proactively communicating to your audience. Although most businesses 28
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
prefer to jump right into engagement, by listening and responding first you’ll be more comfortable with the medium and your audience. By starting slow, you’ll also have a better understanding of the time you have for social media, and you’ll be more likely to provide the consistent presence necessary to build trust. Time-savers • Put a process in place to keep your involvement consistent and efficient. Assign a producer, CSR or a marketing intern as your social media manager to ensure a single point of contact. Make sure they work alongside everyone in your agency to get questions answered and develop content without bottlenecks. Remember that effective social media engagement is timely and human. Delayed responses and overlycorporate language limit your effectiveness online. • Share any quality information you think followers may be interested in—it doesn’t always need to be about insurance. Not only can this save you time developing your own content, it provides value to fans, followers and readers and increases the chance that others will share your content with their communities. • Distribute the work among a few employees to keep it manageable. This adds variety to your posts and prevents disruption due to vacation, job changes or illness. • Mix up your content. A thought-provoking question can be as effective as a blog post, and takes a fraction of the time to compose. Discussing community events or commenting on your favorite sports team can also engage your audience without the research and writing time longer posts may require. Plus, consumers will appreciate seeing the personality of your agency and its employees. Editor’s Note: Please visit the “Websites & Social Media” quick link at www.iiaba.net/act for more articles and recorded webinars on social media issues. Matthew Marko is a Marketing Process Manager for Progressive Insurance. He works to provide local marketing strategies, tools and co-branded collateral to help independent agencies grow their businesses. E-mail him at matthew_marko@progressive .com. Matt prepared this article for ACT. For more information about ACT, contact Jeff Yates, ACT Executive Director at jeff .yates@iiaba.net. This article reflects the views of the author and should not be construed as an official statement by ACT.
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s e u l b e m i t r e m m
Su
Advise Clients of Seasonal Liabilities
S
By Mike Edwards, Big “I” Virtual University Updated by Jack Chapman, Bowersox Insurance Agency Co., MAIA (Missouri Big “I”) Technical Committee
ummertime brings new activities and situations and with those, new exposures and coverage needs or gaps. Here are some of the more common summertime activities and the insurance issues that they bring. This article references ISO forms. Personal property Of an insured: Under the standard ISO Homeowners Policy, personal property owned or used by an insured (Coverage C) is covered worldwide. There is an exception for personal property that usually stays in another residence of the insured (second home, etc.), for which only 10 percent of Coverage C applies. However, there is no theft coverage for watercraft and equipment, trailers or campers away from the residence premises, nor is there theft coverage for personal property at any other residence except while an insured is temporarily living there. Of an insured who is a student: There is a theft limitation for personal property at any other residence except while an insured is temporarily living there; however, property of an insured who is a student is covered while at the residence the student occupies to attend school as long as the student has been there at any time during the 90 days immediately before the loss. Of guests: Under circumstances in which the insured wishes to make a claim for personal property of guests, there is coverage under Coverage C for: (1) property of others while the property is at the insured’s residence premises; or (2) property of guests while the property is in any residence occupied by an insured.
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
In self-storage facilities: Under the HO-2011, the limit of liability for personal property owned or used by an insured and located in a self-storage facility is 10 percent of the limit for Coverage C or $1,000, whichever is greater. However, this limitation does not apply to personal property usually located in an insured’s residence other than the residence premises. (Think about how this applies to personal property of a student that is put into a self-storage unit during the summer.) Vacation rentals Landlord’s personal property: Under Coverage C, the eligible property includes personal property owned or used by an insured. This property would include the household contents in a rented hotel room, condo, cottage, etc., for the perils covered by Coverage C. Landlord’s building items: There is no Section I building coverage from the insured’s Homeowners Policy that extends to non-owned buildings off premises. Under Section II, property damage liability is excluded for property in the care, custody or control of an insured. However, the exclusion provides an exception for damage caused by fire, smoke or explosion. There is a small amount of coverage available under Section II’s Additional Coverage for Damage to Property of Others, which provides some modest relief for the “ccc exclusion” under property damage liability. Under the Damage to Property of Others provision, there is an exclusion for a premises owned, rented or controlled by an insured other than an insured location. However, since one
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of the definitions of an insured location includes a premises occasionally rented to an insured for other than business, in all likelihood, a vacation rental would be within that definition. Loss of use: In the event a fire or other peril damages the vacation rental and the insured has to make other arrangements, there is no Coverage D, Loss of Use. Coverage D only applies for damage to the residence premises. Personal Auto Policy territory The defined territory in the PAP is the USA, its territories and possessions, Puerto Rico and Canada. There is no ISO endorsement to broaden that territory. However, many personal umbrella policies provide worldwide auto coverage. It would certainly seem prudent to purchase liability coverage (and the collision damage waiver and loss damage waiver) from the rental car agency for rentals outside the PAP’s territory. Rental watercraft Liability: Section II of the Homeowners Policy responds for bodily injury and property damage for the use of all rented watercraft, with two exceptions: rented inboards (and inboard/ outdrives) more than 50 horsepower and rented sailboats more than 26 feet.
By far the most common vacation rental watercraft is a JetSki type personal watercraft. Unfortunately for insureds, nearly all are propelled by inboard engines more than 50 horsepower. Even for insureds who own watercraft at home and have added the Watercraft Liability endorsement HO 24 75, there is no coverage for rented Jet Skis. The endorsement only provides coverage for scheduled watercraft. Pontoon boat rentals have become more popular. Most are propelled by outboard motors, and these are covered for liability regardless of horsepower. Many PUPs provide broad, non-owned watercraft liability coverage, including Jet Skis. Physical damage (hull): Under Coverage C of the Homeowners Policy, there is coverage for “personal property owned or used by an insured while it is anywhere in the world.” There are three issues. One, Coverage C in the HO-3 is subject to named perils. Two, there is a limitation for watercraft under the Special Limits of Liability provision. Three, there is no theft coverage for a watercraft away from the residence premises. Under Section II, there is a property damage liability exclusion for property in the care, custody or control of the insured. There is no coverage for watercraft under the Additional Coverage for Damage to Property of Others. Many personal umbrellas provide broad coverage for
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
property in the insured’s care, custody and control, and coverage could be found there for hull damage to rented watercraft, but some PUPs specifically exclude coverage for damage to rented watercraft.
surprises often await the unsuspecting traveler. Trip cancellation and travel insurance provide many needed coverages for the traveling public, especially where extensive or elaborate reservations and plans have been made.
Rented go-carts, ATVs, etc. The Homeowners Policy provides Section II bodily injury and property damage liability coverage for non-owned, off-road recreational vehicles not subject to registration. Under Coverage C in the Homeowners Policy, the only types of motorized land conveyances eligible for physical damage coverage are those that are service vehicles or assist the handicapped.
Note: Members, if you have not already discovered the valuable resources at the Big “I” Virtual University, we highly recommend that you go to www.iiaba.net/vu. You can subscribe to the newsletter or see other features offered. If you want to read current or past articles as a Big “I” member, you can access them using your IIABSC website username and password. If you are unsure what those are, call our office, 803.731.9460 or email information@iiabsc.com.
Owned go-carts, ATVs, etc: off-premises liability Some insureds take their go-carts and ATVs along on vacation. Liability for use of such owned vehicles off the residence premises is extremely limited. In the context of a vacation trip, coverage would apply to accidents that occur at: (1) a secondary residence declared or newly acquired; (2) any part of a premises where an insured is temporarily residing; (3) vacant land owned by or rented to an insured; and (4) any part of a premises occasionally rented to an insured for non-business use.
Mike Edwards, CPCU, AAI, heads an insurance training firm in Atlanta, Ga. He has previously served as the director of education for the Independent Insurance Agents of Louisiana and as a senior instructor with the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. Jack Chapman is a producer at Bowersox Insurance Agency Co., St. Louis. He is a past president of MAIA (Missouri Big “I”). Chapman has been a member of the MAIA Technical Committee since 1991 and has served as its chairman since 1999.
Trip cancellation and travel insurance Veteran travelers know all too well that many unpleasant
Summer 2012 • South Carolina Agent & Broker
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
Member News Welcome new members (in 2012) NEW AGENCY MEMBERS: Cliff Heath Insurance Charleston
South Carolina Insurance Brokers Greenville
Edwards & Mims Ins. Agency Kingstree
South Risk Management Columbia
H&H Insurance Brokers Irmo
Upstate Insurance Walhalla
Insurance Direct Wadmalaw Island
NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: ECS Limited Greenville
King Street Agency John Foreman Melton Insurance Rock Hill ProCure Insurance, LLC Nesmith Resource Financial Services Columbia Risk Consulting Group Myrtle Beach Southern Coast Insurance Group Surfside Beach
Elite MGA Exton, PA Lighthouse Property Ins. Corp. Orlando, FL Palmetto Specialty Ins. Agency West Columbia Patriot National Ins. Group Charlotte Phenix Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Concord, NH Standard Premium Finance Miami, FL
EXPERTISE YOU CAN LEVERAGE. , IT S THAT SIMPLE.
In Memoriam (2012) Larry Vance Millwood, retired Senior Marketing Representative from Companion Property & Casualty insurance company, died January 6, 2012 in Lexington, SC. Suggested memorials are: • Children’s Choice, 609 Sims Avenue, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29205 • American Lung Association, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NE, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20004 • IIABSC Foundation, PO Box 210008, Columbia, SC 29221 Albert Adams Springs III, 72, passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, in Myrtle Beach. Mr. Springs was the founder of H.B. Springs Company Insurance. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, PO Box 1367, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578. Robert (Bob) H. McDowell, CPCU, 79, agency principal in Heffron Ingle McDowell & Cooper (later Palmer & Cay and now Wells Fargo) died on May 21, 2012 in Charleston. He was a former member of the Board of Directors for IIABSC. The family suggests memorials be made to The Citadel Football Association, c/o The Citadel Football Office, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC 29409.
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Calendar View up-to-date calendar, course descriptions and register using our online Education & Event Calendar at www.iiabsc.com
WEBINAR COURSES No test required for CE credit
August CLASSROOM COURSES August 2-5 3 8 14 16 22-24 23
IIABSC Young Agents Conference, Hilton Head, 6 hrs P&C AIAM 310 Negotiating Conflict, Hilton Head. 3 hrs. P&C CISR Commercial Property, Charleston, 7 hrs P&C CISR Personal Auto, Columbia, 7 hrs P&C CISR Personal Auto, Bluffton/HHI, 7 hrs. P&C CIC Personal Lines, Columbia, 20 hrs. P&C CISR William T Hold CL, Columbia, 4 hrs. P&C/ 4 hrs. Ethics
1 2 3 8 9 14 21 22 22 28 30
Directors & Officers Liability Insurance, 2 hrs. P&C Retirement Planning & Annuities, 2 hrs. L&H Hot Topics in Personal Lines, 2 P&C Estate Planning Techniques: Gifts, Trusts, Life Ins., 2 hrs. L&H Certificates of Insurance, 3 hrs. P&C Ethics & Business, 3 hrs. Ethics Liability Issues to Worry About, 2 hrs. P&C Top 5 Life Insurance Needs, 2 hrs. L&H COPE Property Underwriting, 2 hrs. P&C Building Codes are Bad for Insureds, 2 hrs. P&C Agency Management-Based E&O and Ethics, 3 hrs. Ethics
September September 11 11 12 12 18 19 20 20 25 26-28 27
AAI 83A, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C AIAM Day 4, 410 & 420, Greenville, 6 hrs. P&C E&O Risk Management, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C CISR Commercial Casualty, Greenville, 7 hrs P&C AIAM Day 4, 410 & 420, Bluffton/HHI, 6 hrs. P&C CISR Personal Residential, Myrtle Beach, 7 hrs P&C CISR Commercial Casualty, Rock Hill, 7 hrs P&C AIAM Day 5, 510 & 520, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C Agency Management-Based Ethics, Columbia, 3 hrs. Ethics CIC Commercial Property, Myrtle Beach, 20 hrs. P&C Agency Management-Based Ethics, Charleston, 3 hrs. Ethics
October 9 10 17 18 23 24 28-30 31
AAI 83B, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C AIAM Day One, 110 & 120, Charleston, 7 hrs. P&C CISR Dynamics of Service, Bluffton/ HHI, 7 hrs. P&C or L&H E&O Risk Management, Charleston, 6 hrs. P&C CISR Personal Residential, Charleston, 7 hrs P&C Agency Management-Based Ethics, Greenville, 3 hrs. Ethics IIABSC 114th Annual Convention, Savannah, Ga. CIC Agency Management Day 1, Hilton Head (see below for CE hours)
November 1-2 7 13 13 14 29
CIC Agency Management Days 2-3, Hilton Head, 16 hrs. P&C or L&H, 4 hrs. Ethics AIAM Day 6, 610 & 620, Columbia, 2 hrs. P&C, 3 hrs. Ethics AAI 83C, Columbia, 3 hrs. P&C & 3 hrs. Ethics CISR Commercial Property, Florence, 7 hrs. P&C CISR Personal Auto, Greenville, 7 hrs P&C Surplus Lines Markets & Practices, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C
11 12 14 18 19 19 20 20 21 28
Workers Comp Beyond the Basics, 3 hrs. P&C Business Income Beyond the Basics, 3 hrs. P&C Directors and Officers Liability Insurance, 2 hrs. P&C Ethics & Business, 3 hrs. Ethics Insuring Builders Risk (Lunch n Learn), 1 hr. P&C Business Auto Claims that Cause Problems, 2 hrs. P&C Insuring Home-Based Businesses, 2 hrs. P&C Hot Topics in Personal Lines, 2 hrs. P&C Insurance and the Property Lease, 2 hrs. P&C Those Kids and Their Cars!, 2 hrs. P&C
October 2 3 4 4 5 9 9 9 15 31
Liability Issues to Worry About, 2 hrs. P&C COPE Property Underwriting, 2 hrs. P&C Building Codes are Bad for Insureds, 2 hrs. P&C Estate Planning Techniques: Gifts, Trusts, Life Ins., 2 hrs. L&H Agency Management Based Ethics, 3 hrs. Ethics Ethics & Business, 3 hrs. Ethics Bonds: Shaken, Not Stirred, 2 hrs. P&C Commercial Excess vs. Commercial Umbrella, 1 hr. P&C Top 5 Life Insurance Needs, 2 hrs. L&H Retirement Planning and Annuities, 2 hrs. L&H
November 2 6 7 7 7 8 9 14
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance, 2 hrs. P&C Business Auto Claims that Cause Problems, 2 hrs. P&C Certificates of Insurance, 3 hrs. P&C Insurance and the Property Lease, 2 hrs. P&C 2011 Homeowners Policy Changes, 1 hr. P&C Ethics & Business, 3 hrs. Ethics Setting Business Income Limits, 1 hr. P&C Those Kids and Their Cars!, 2 hrs. P&C
December December 4 5 6 11 12 12
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AIS 25, Columbia CISR Commercial Casualty, Columbia, 7 hrs P&C CISR Agency Operations, Charleston, 6 hrs. P&C or L&H, 1 hr. Ethics Personal Lines Nuts & Bolts, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C Personal Lines Nuts & Bolts, Columbia, 6 hrs. P&C CISR Agency Operations, Greenville, 6 hrs. P&C or L&H, 1 hr. Ethics
South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012
5 5 10 11 13 18 18 19
Estate Planning Techniques, 2 hrs. L&H Agency Management Based Ethics, 3 hrs. Ethics Retirement Planning & Annuities, 2 hrs. L&H Liability Issues to Worry About, 2 hrs. P&C Top 5 Life Insurance Needs, 2 hrs. L&H COPE Property Underwriting, 2 hrs. P&C Ethics and Business, 3 hrs. Ethics Building Codes are Bad for Insureds, 2 hrs. P&C
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2012 Board of Directors Executive Committee
Directors
Chairman Ashley Brady, CIC First Charter Co., Inc Marion, SC abrady@firstcharterins.com
National Director Jon A. Jensen, AAI, AIP Correll Ins Group Spartanburg, SC jjensen@correllinsurance.com
Chairman Elect/ Treasurer Kenneth A. “Ken” Finch, CPCU, CIC, CRM, AAI Countybanc Insurance Greenwood, SC kfinch@ecountybanc.com
Immediate Past Chairman Kathy D. McKay, CIC, CPIW McKay Insurance Mt. Pleasant, SC kmckay6681@aol.com
Secretary R. Scott Moseley Irmo Insurance Agency Irmo, SC scott@irmoins.com
Thomas M. Bates, Jr. (Tom) Herlong Bates Burnett Insurance Greenville, SC tom@herlongbatesburnett.com
Kimberly J. Gore, CIC (Kim) HUB International Southeast Myrtle Beach, SC kim.gore@hubinternational.com
William J. Bowers, AIP (Will) Russell Massey & Co., Inc. Columbia, SC will@russellmassey.com
Willard A. Silcox, III, ACSR (Bill) C.T. Lowndes & Company Mt. Pleasant, SC bsilcox@ctlowndes.com
Angus M. Brabham, IV, CIC (Gus) Frank B. Norris & Co. Columbia, SC gbrabham@frankbnorris.com
Edward S. Spivey, CIC, AAI (Spider) Howard B. Smith Agency Mullins, SC espivey@hbsmithagency.com
J. Robert Bryant, Jr. (Bobby) Robert Bryant & Son, Inc. Orangeburg, SC bobby@robertbryantandson.com
Richard L. Walker, CIC Cormell Street & Patterson Florence, SC rwalker@csp4me.com
David A. Cyphers, CIC, AAI Sifford-Stine Insurance Clover, SC dcyphers@sifford-stine.com
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South Carolina Agent & Broker • Summer 2012 MIC_AgentBroker_Kayaker_Ad.indd 1
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