03lavoz by Independent Insurance Agents of NM

COVERAGE

WORK

Five Reasons Your Customers Should Be Protected By New Mexico Mutual

CREATED FOR NEW MEXICO BUSINESSES

Created by New Mexicans for New Mexicans, we understand the diverse operations of our state’s workforce. By placing business with our company, premium dollars stay in New Mexico. We are an A-(Excellent) A.M. Best Rated company and take ownership of providing New Mexico businesses cost-effective workers’ compensation coverage.

3 4

PROTECTION FOR EMPLOYEES, SECURITY FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

Our tagline, coverage @ work, states our purpose. We protect businesses as well as employees. We ensure that your customers’ business investments are protected from the costs of an accidental injury and provide programs and services to keep their employees safe at work and rehabilitate those who may suffer a workplace injury.

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE We distinguish ourselves from the competition by providing the highest standard of customer service. We are a local company that understands the state and your customers’ specific needs, not a faceless 800 number. We are committed to service excellence and our local team of safety and claims professionals know how to take care of injured workers and provide useful and practical information to keep workplaces safe. Our website, which includes safety videos (streaming or checkout), Pay My Bill, File a Claim and many other features, is another valuable resource available to all employers and their employees.

LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR NEW MEXICO BUSINESSES

New Mexico Mutual works to ensure that New Mexico continues to be a good place to do business by monitoring legislative and regulatory bodies throughout the year. We are an industry leader in collecting and providing workers’ compensation data to the state of New Mexico. We represent our clients and their employees in Santa Fe by advocating legislation that protects businesses and workers, while keeping the cost of workers’ compensation insurance to a minimum.

INTEGRITY

New Mexico Mutual is recognized as one of the most ethical companies in New Mexico and we’ve earned that designation by being forthright and respecting the relationships we’ve built with our agents, policyholders and injured workers. We have fair processes for employees and employers that are all handled locally. We are financially strong and can be trusted to back your customers when they need us most.

New Mexico’s Experts in Workers’ Compensation Insurance

“La Voz” is the official monthly e-publication of the

a L

Independent Insurance Agents of NM 1511 University Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87102. (505) 843-7231. Fax (505) 243-3367. Web site www.iianm.org. This publication is intended to provide accurate and authoritative information on the subject matter covered, but is distributed with the understanding that neither IIANM, nor any contributing author, publisher, contributor or advertiser is rendering legal, accounting or any other professional service and assume no liability whatsoever in connection with its use. Further, the electronic links to our advertisers and/or contributors found in this publication are provided as a courtesy to our readers and do not necessarily indicate an endorsement by IIANM. News items from members of Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico and the general insurance industry are encouraged. The advertising deadline is the fifteenth day of the month, preceding publication. Advertising rates are available upon request. Please contact Rachel Sheffield at rachel@iianm.org for details

IIANM Staff President/CEO Thom Turbett Chief Strategy Officer Marit Peters VP of Member Services Consuelo Trujillo Insurance Programs Administrator Suzie Dodds, CIC Communications Director Rachel Sheffield Member Services Associate Renee Trujillo

2013-2014 Officers Chair Diana Hobbs Vice-Chair Gabe Portillo Secretary/Treasurer Connie Sevier National Director Sam Conlee Immediate Past Chair PJ Wolff

On the Cover:

o VZ

"The Voice" of Independent Agents since 1934

This month’s iconic New Mexico locale: Jemez Hot Springs

Features IIANM 2014 Company Partners!

Live CAP Internet Rating Launches in New Mexico

Project CAP 101

54th Annual Education Seminar Registration

Don’t Let the ‘Unethical Continuum’ Swallow Your Agency

Industry Tidbits

What’s Wrong with Asking for Help?

Ask an Expert - Is a Person an Animal

More Sales Myths Exposed

More Competition Heads for the Agent Playing Field

In Every Issue Tech Talk

March’s Clickable Calendar

Odds n Ends

Advertiser Index Acuity Burns & Wilcox

Back Cover

Litchfield Special Risks

Market Finders, Inc.

Molina Healthcare

Mountain States Insurance Group

New Mexico Mutual

Trustco (HCIT)

These carriers have partnered with our association to support the vitality of the independent agent system in New Mexico. Take a moment to visit their new page on our site and take advantage of their varied products and services. Independent agents have the freedom to choose!

We are pleased to announce that New Mexico has launched LIVE-RATING for Project CAP! For now, the site (TrustedChoice.com) is only rating for auto & homeowners. However, other lines (and carriers) will be quickly added to the mix, including business insurance later this year.

See foll page owing mor s for e inf o!

Live CAP Internet Rating Launches in New Mexico! We have already heard from a couple NM agencies that have subscribed to the portal who report that they are receiving leads & writing business! Other agencies from states that have launched before us are also having success with consumer leads from the ‘Find an Agent’ and ‘Get a Quote’ buttons on the website. Here are a couple specific testimonials from agencies across the country: Lanoix Insurance: “We got a prospect from the portal just last week, a good one. It was someone needing homeowners and we were able to write both the homeowners and the auto with Safeco. It turned into a $9,000 account. I’ll take those all day long…Well worth the investment.” Gallant Insurance Agency: “In the last two weeks our agency has gotten 8 prospects from TrustedChoice.com. We’ve written a personal lines auto and homeowners account with Safety for about $1,500 in premium. We’re still working 5 of them. We watch closely where our prospects come from and want to know how our investments in marketing are doing. The portal is definitely generating consumer interest.” Over 1,200 agencies like yours have subscribed across the country during the past two months, and we hope you will choose to join them in the coming weeks. Every time an agency subscribes it helps the independent agency system compete against the direct writers and attracts more carriers on the portal so WE can continue to improve our options for consumers. Here’s some of the good news: Traffic – • In January, we set a new record for traffic to TrustedChoice.com for the 6th consecutive month • Over 65,000 consumers went to the TC site in January. Search traffic was up 60% over December and at that rate will soon reach 100,000 per month • We are ranking on page 1 for over 1,500 keywords now, up from only a handful when we began

Prospects – • The prospect demographics have been really encouraging. Most of the visitors are exactly the customers you want – married, over 35 years old, with homes and multiple cars and indicating they are looking for a higher limits option 50% of the time. • Agencies are writing business from these, and often beyond simple personal lines. New contacts are bringing commercial opportunities, and best of all, the closing rate appears to be about 50% so far • About 47% of the leads from TC.com are taking business back from the directs and captives Your Opportunity – • Your agency has an opportunity to be visible like you never have before with the expanded ‘Advantage’ profile. (Although every member already receives a simple listing as a Trusted Choice agency in the ‘Find an Agent’ search engine, it won’t give you the added benefits of an Advantage profile including leads from interested consumers.) • This affordable promotional vehicle will only grow more valuable as traffic continues to climb and more and more consumers look to the portal for information and solutions • Currently, the Advantage subscription is available for a flat $39 monthly fee per location, which locks in the price for all of 2014. This is an introductory price for early adopters and will go up in the coming months. Advantage subscribers will receive a number of benefits including an enhanced profile, premium positioning, unlimited prospects, prospect notifications, display in comparative rating results, and a comprehensive marketing services package. Lock in your rate now by signing up! • Since the cost is less than $500 a year, we are encouraging every member to sign up. Think of it as an annual marketing or IT cost and simply budget for it…that’s what all of your captive competitors have been doing for years! Please contact us if you have any questions or need assistance to get registered. We’re here to help. Marit Peters / 505-999-5804 Cell: 505-980-1567 marit@iianm.org

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 5

TrustedChoice.com

ProjectCAP 101 AUTO

HOME

POWERSPORTS

LIFE & HEALTH

Let’s Start from the Beginning...

THE REASON 75%! Just think of how many times you or your friends Google something before purchase. But, independent agents aren’t showing up & direct writers have been mastering this space. The Result? Independent agents are losing business and commissions every day.

75%

of per s resea onal insur rch on a line b nce consum efore purch ers asing

HISTORY So, understanding the long-term gravity of this issue, the Big “I”, Trusted Choice, state associations and 6 investor carriers put their heads together to create a tool to help independent agents compete online and win back those commissions. Project CAP is that tool.

Ta-da! The Solution

WHAT IT IS: Project CAP is the technology and digital marketing strategy behind what consumers now see as TrustedChoice.com TrustedChoice.com is a website that enables a “one-stop-shop” online insurance shopping experience. Consumers receive multiple, real-time personal lines rate quotes from a number of insurance companies and can then connect with a local independent agent to bind and for ongoing service. It delivers your potential customers the best of both worlds - ease of technology (what they want) and the value of working with an independent agent (what they need). It delivers qualified leads to you... not just Auto & HO, but all lines of business!

What’s Included in an Advantage Subscription?

Page 6

• • • • •

Unlimited Get a Quote & Find Your Agent Leads Premium Position in Results Enhanced Profile to Help Sell Your Agency Including: contact info, logo or photo, description, agency services, carriers represented, social media links and more. Technical Support No contract, monthly subscription plan for only $39/month Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Cons optio umers ha ns ve Trust when the two edCh y vis it oic ‘Get a Qu e.com: ‘Find ote’ They Your Ag or en enter a zip t’. code in ei box t ther o sta rt.

HOW DOES IT WORK? GET A QUOTE

FIND AN AGENT

OR Consumer enters detailed info about their vehicles, driving history, and contact info. Desired coverage is selected. Then, they select what they want in an agent.

Through EZLinx technology, quotes from participating carriers are then displayed. The consumer clicks on the desired quote and then the agents who write with that company are displayed. Agents must be Advantage Subscribers to ‘show up’ here

A list of agents in their area is provided. Note: Advantage Subscribers show up first & have full profiles. Basic listings do not have profiles. Consumer will choose an agent, an email lead is then sent to the agency.

HOW DO I GET LISTED? All Big “I” members receive basic listings in the “Find Your Agent’ results automatically and at no charge. However, to take advantage of the enhanced benefits of TrustedChoice.com, such as a full profile, displaying at the top of the list, and in the “Get a Quote’ results, you need an Advantage Subscription. Contact David Roeber at Project CAP via phone: 952-715-5911 or email: DavidRoeber@projectcapmarketing.com or Complete the Form: https://iw.trustedchoice.com/portal-form/ Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014 As always, Marit is here to help with any questions! Call 505-999-5804 or marit@iianm.org

Page 7

IIANMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 54th Annual Education Seminar

CE Seminar

Embassy Suites Hotel / March 26 & 27, 2014 15 hours of continuing education for insurance professionals This seminar is designed to specifically meet the annual continuing education requirement for licensed NM insurance agents. This two-day program offers educational opportunities, a great Trade Show with industry exhibitors, and provides a venue for industry professionals, agents, CSRs and company representatives to network. For those of you who have not attended before, this is how it works: We will be featuring 4 tracks, taught by various instructors. Choosing your classes is much like making selections from a menu. You may choose to take all your classes within one track (i.e. Property & Casualty only) or you may choose to mix and match tracks. The entire program is approved for both the P&C and L&H licenses, so you may attend any class you like.

Please note: Hotel registration deadline is March 7th, 2014

Full Seminar (15 CE hrs): Member: $200 / Nonmember: $240 One Full Day (8 CE hrs): Member: $105 / Nonmember: $140 One Half Day (AM 4 CE hrs / PM 3 CE hrs): Member: $70 / Nonmember: $75 Ethics Only (1 CE hrs): Member: $35 / Nonmember: $45 (Be sure to log-in in order to receive member pricing!)

Page 8

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Day One Morning

Day One Afternoon

Personal Lines Miscellaneous

Bonds

Bob Pratte, CIC

The Hartford

Personal Lines Coverage Gaps

Flood

Jeff Straight, CIC,LUTCF, AAI

3/26/14

Property & Casualty

3/26/14

Morning classes are worth 4 CE hours Afternoon classes are worth 3 CE hours

NextGen Professional Development

Best Practices: Keys to Remaining Independent Part 2

Best Practices: Keys to Remaining Independent Part 1

Marit Peters

Marit Peters What is a Co-op? / ACA Update

Life & Health

Patty Padon, CIC, LUTCF, AAI

Ethics

4pm - 5pm

Day Two Morning 3/27/14

Property & Casualty N TIO M N E N ATT hern ! t S u T o S EN AG

Save the Date! This year we are holding our Annual Southern Seminar in Las Cruces in May. Mark your calendars:

May 21st & 22nd, 2014

NextGen Professional Development Life & Health Ethics

Day Two Afternoon 3/27/14

Commercial Lines Coverage Gaps

Certificates of Insurance & Additional Insureds

Jeff Straight, CIC,LUTCF, AAI

Emergency Tips & Protocols for Property Damage

Umbrella Is Your Client Covered?

Kristi Greiner

Bob Pratte, CIC

Business & the PL Client

Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Comp

Bob Pratte, CIC

Phyllis Bowmen, WCA Mary Fowler, NCCI

Obama Care in the Insurance Agency / NMHIX Update Patty Padon, CIC, LUTCF, AAI

Voluntary Benefits Sharon McMahan

4pm - 5pm

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 9

Introducing Molina Healthcare’s exciting 2014 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Special Needs Plan Molina Healthcare, a Fortune 500 Company, was created more than 30 years ago by Dr. C. David Molina. As an emergency room doctor, he believed that every person should have access to high-quality care. Molina Medicare Options Plus HMO SNP Plan offers a competitive plan design with additional benefits that you can market year round to meet the needs of dual eligible customers.

• Large Provider Network • Comprehensive and Preventive Dental Services • Vision Exams and Eyewear • Transportation • Over-the-Counter Medications and Supplies • Strong Compensation Plan • Renewal Commissions • Competitive Plan • Market Year Round to Dual Eligible Customers

If you have a New Mexico Life and Health License, contact us to learn more. Please contact: Broker Support Unit (866) 440-9788 broker@molinahealthcare.com

NSR_14_MMG_345

38979MED0214

Reprinted from IA Magazine

By Jacquelyn Connelly, IA assistant editor

Don’t Let the 'Unethical Continuum' Swallow Your Agency

They owe me. I’ll pay them back. Everybody’s doing it.

If those phrases sound familiar, it’s because they’re all common forms of rationalization in business—and powerful motivators for human behavior that can turn a workplace into an ethics nightmare. Business ethics expert Chuck Gallagher believes steering clear of the “Unethical Continuum” requires not only treating people like people, but also recognizing that a truly ethical business culture starts at the top.

IA: Let’s discuss the “Unethical Continuum” and its role in

business culture. Why are need, opportunity and rationalization such powerful motivators for human behavior, and how can management recognize them before they become a serious threat? Gallagher: We all tend to look at ethics very analytically, but that doesn’t generally recognize the human component that comes into play. The big question is, what causes ethical people to make unethical choices? It’s not an intellectual issue. It’s an emotional issue. From an employer perspective, the need issue comes down to recognizing that as human beings we have needs, and being alert to symptoms. For example, if you’re working within a company and a particular person keeps getting calls from creditors, that’s a pretty clear indication there’s something financially amiss. There’s a need. Be aware. If there’s a need, the question is, how am I going to solve it? This is where corporate or organizational systems come into play. If my systems are weak, and for whatever reason I don’t recognize the need, that probably means there’s some opportunity somewhere for someone to ford the system and take advantage of doing something that’s unethical. So companies need to create systems to reduce opportunity. The easiest rationalization that you hear all the time in companies is that everybody does it. But that everybody does it doesn’t mean it’s legal or right. And when that comes out of your mouth, you then have started on that slippery slope—if you can take a small thing and somehow justify it, maybe you can take the next bigger thing and justify it, and eventually you get so good at the justification on an emotional level that you truly become numb to the fact that you’re doing something unethical and illegal.

IA: In your December IA column, you discuss the im-

portance of drafting a clear ethics policy and training employees accordingly. Why is it so important to have expectations written down in black and white, and how can

leadership tackle ethics training in an effective, engaging way? Gallagher: It’s important to reduce it to writing because writing is typically less ambiguous than what we might say in the spoken word. It becomes clearer that there are certain things that are acceptable or unacceptable behavior. Then the challenge becomes, how do we communicate it? Most ethics training I’ve seen has been analytically driven and incredibly boring. You need to engage the audience member in a way that recognizes emotion is what drives ethical behavior and unethical behavior. We can train “don’t put anything [personal] on your expense report,” but if you talk about the reality of the person who did it, and how that happened and what took place—if you can get someone to understand how those components work in the real world, it then becomes a whole lot easier to have an effective training program. Because now it’s gone from subconscious to conscious—if you can identify it in your life as a possibility, then it starts to really take hold.

IA: Is it possible for an ethical agency culture to coexist with a friendly work environment? How can leadership instill ethical accountability without making employees paranoid about their coworkers? Gallagher: A fish rots from the head down. If you really want to have a positive ethical environment, it starts at the very top with a culture of ethical action—an environment of ethical activity where the employees who are naturally attracted and promoted and stay, all have that attitude. And if you all have that attitude, you’re not sitting around looking at people saying, “I wonder who’s going to do something unethical and get busted for it,” because that’s not who you are.

IA: What’s the best way for businesspeople to start changing the negative connotations associated with the word “whistleblower”? Gallagher: With certain words, regardless of how you phrase them, the word itself is just kind of ruined. We can talk about the whistleblower because everybody knows fundamentally that means somebody has done something wrong and it’s been reported. But in a company, it’s a matter of encouraging a level of behavior where we have accountability partners. An accountability partner is a positive thing. If I know that you’re my accountability partner, that we’re responsible for each other, that creates a system that goes back to the opportunity portion. By its nature, it means that we’re not just islands unto ourselves—there is an accountability we have to each other, and therefore to the company. Fundamentally, we’re saying it’s okay to whistle blow. But what we’re really wanting is nothing to whistle blow about.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 11

by Joseph Doherty Agent/Broker Employment Headed for Pre-Recession Peak NextGen to Hold Annual Isotopes Picnic To all NextGenners! If you didn’t receive the “Save the Date” notice, the time has been scheduled for April 13th, the opening weekend of the ballpark. All NextGen members and their families are invited, so keep an eye out for the official invitation email... coming soon! Hub Announces New Offices It’s official! Manuel Lujan Agencies is now a part of Hub International Insurance Services. They have moved their offices to the main building at 7770 Jefferson as of February 26th. All phone numbers will remain the same. Insurance Equality Ordered for Gay Marriage Insurance companies in New Mexico must provide samesex married couples with the same discounts and benefits offered to opposite-sex married couples, the state insurance regulator announced. Insurance Superintendent John Franchini said couples with valid marriage licenses – regardless of their sexual orientation or gender – must be treated equally and without discrimination by insurers. “This is an important step forward for New Mexico,” Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said in a statement. “Superintendent Franchini’s guidance appears to be the first official statement that the marriages of same-sex couples will be respected by a New Mexico state agency in carrying out its enforcement duties.” In his directive to insurers, Franchini cited an equal rights provision in the New Mexico Constitution and a recent Supreme Court ruling that a commercial photography business owned by opponents of same-sex marriage violated a state anti-discrimination law by refusing to take pictures of a gay couple’s commitment ceremony. IIANM’s Annual Southern Seminar Changes Months Mark your calendars - we’re switching it up a bit in Las Cruces. Consuelo Trujillo states that the new dates will allow for more attendees to attend due to office employees going on vacation during the summer months. Mark you calendars - the new dates are May 21 & 22 , 2014. st

Page 12

Based on the most recent information from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) recently reported that the agent/broker subsector added a total of 15,000 jobs between June and November 2013. Pending data from December, November’s addition of 3,300 jobs marks the largest increase for agents and brokers in 2013. According to the I.I.I. analysis, “Insurance Industry Employment Trends: 1990-2013” by president Robert Hartwig, the agent/broker subsector’s November growth was the largest for any insurance subsector and accounted for more than 50% of the job growth in the insurance industry that month. The agent/broker subsector has also fared well when compared to overall employment trends. I.I.I. data showed that employment in the U.S. has contracted by 0.9% since the beginning of the recession in December 2007; by contrast, the agent/broker subsector has declined only 0.3% over the same period of time, with significant robust growth over the last few years. I.I.I. data also reported that these recent growth trends in the agent/broker subsector belong to a larger trend over the last two decades, which saw a consistent uptick in the subsector while employment in the insurance industry overall remained relatively stagnant. Hartwig added that agent/ broker employment currently sits at 676,000 and is “racing” toward its prior peak of 679,300, set in pre-recession July 2007. “If the recent pace keeps up, employment in this segment will pass that prior peak in one to two months,” Hartwig concluded. Given a projected wave of retirements in the next five to eight years, continued growth is vital for insurance agents and brokers. Hartwig’s analysis noted that carrier employment was also up in November, but the numbers are not as significant as they are for agents and brokers: between October and November 2013, p-c carriers added 1,800 jobs, making it the best employment month for the subcategory since June 2011; life/annuity carriers added 400 jobs to a sector that has been struggling with dropping employment numbers for decades; and health carriers added 1,000 jobs, continuing steady and consistent employment growth since the early 1990s. Reinsurance carrier employment rose by 200, while claims adjusting employment declined by 400. Third-party administration added 1,000 jobs.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Representing some of the most financially strong and innovative insurance companies in the specialty marketplace

“FINDING MARKETS FOR THE AGENTS OF NEW MEXICO SINCE 1977” WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!!

Top-Tier Markets For:

Commercial / Public Auto General Liability Property / Vacants Garage / Dealers Liquor Liability Special Events Inland Marine Directors & Officers Liability Professional Liability / E&O Commercial Umbrella Watercraft / Motorcycles / ATVs Personal Umbrellas Homeowners Mobile Homes Dwelling Fire / Vacants New Mexico’s Locally Owned Managing General Agency

ESTABLISHED IN 1977

Market Finders, Inc. 5201F Venice Ave NE - P.O. Box 90280 Albuquerque, NM 87199-0280 (800) 530-8711 (505) 822-8711 Fax: (505) 822-1165 Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014 www.marketfindersnm.com

Page 13

Steve

Anderson.com by, Steve Anderson (Always feel free to email me with comments, new ideas or products that have worked for you. I will check them out and spread the word!)

Find Lost & Unclaimed Life Insurance Policies In the last few years I have been the executor for the estates of three of my family members. One of the difficult problems was trying to determine if there were any proceeds from life insurance policies available. If there were any policies in force then the policy benefits should be available to the beneficiaries. But, it can be very difficult to find information about any life insurance policies – old or new. A policy may have been purchased years ago and forgotten. Unfortunately, billions in lost and unclaimed policies lay dormant on the books of insurance companies across the nation. I discovered an interesting tool to help find unclaimed insurance policies – The Policy Inspector. The Policy Inspector is a web-based service that helps you locate unclaimed life insurance and annuity policies quickly and easily. They do this by taking information you provide on the deceased and using that to search nearly 500 of the nation’s largest insurance companies in the US. The service helps cut through the insurance company red tape and connects you with the policy claim the beneficiaries deserve. “The biggest problem with finding lost policies is the insurance companies themselves,” said Policy Inspector Inc. Founder/CEO Philip Bongiorno. “Company buyouts, slow bureaucracies, and a general unwillingness to find policies have led to billions in unpaid claims sitting on these companies’ books. The money is out there – the only question is how much is your share?” Page 14

Policy Inspector uses the information you enter in your personal Policy Inspection Form to contact hundreds of insurance companies throughout the U.S. For a flat fee of $99, their policy locator system – the Policy Inspection – will search their database of the largest insurers in the country. You enter information about the deceased on a simple form and this information is used to match with existing policies. In addition to life insurance and annuity policies, the service will also check state unclaimed property, unclaimed veteran’s insurance, and unclaimed pensions. This would be a great resource to include on your website and in client newsletters. You can learn more by visiting The Policy Inspector.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Maximizing Your Productivity

As you begin to incorporate these concepts into your daily activities you will find that you really are able to get more done in less time.

How to gain 10 hours in your week without working longer It seems the topic of increasing productivity has been on many people's minds lately. It might have something to do with being able to get the most from the new year or the growing frustration of having more work to do and not enough hours to do it. At the end of January, I presented a free webinar — sponsored by Insurance Forms — with the same title as today's post. You can listen to my full presentation on these tips and download the replay of the webinar. My presentation is about 30 minutes long and then there were about 15 minutes of questions. Following are the eight points I discussed that will help you — when followed — gain at least 10 hours each week without working longer. 1. Plan Your Day in Advance Creating effective goals — and reviewing them regularly — is essential to being productive. 2. The Myth of Multitasking You can read my full TechTips post here. 3. Overcome Procrastination Learning how to cope with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision will lead to greater productivity. 4. Limit Your Time Online Social platforms can be a great tool to increase sales and client engagement. However, if you're not careful it will lead to hours of wasted time. 5. Learn How to Say No Create more time to do the tasks that are important by getting really good at saying no. 6. Tame Your Inbox Email is likely one of your biggest productivity drains. Learning how to manage email will create huge dividends. I have created a whole online course to help you get back control over your inbox. 7. Master Shortcuts & Templates Do everything possible to reduce keystrokes. The less you type, the more productive you become. 8. Use Tools Effectively Constantly explore new tools as they become available. One of our favorite new tools is Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software.

Use your iPad to Work with Office Files While there have been rumors for a while that Microsoft will be releasing a touch-optimized version of their Office suite for the iPad, nothing has been announced yet. Working with Microsoft Office documents on an Apple device has always been a bit clunky. HopTo is a relatively new—currently free—app that takes a big step in improving the experience of working with Office documents, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as a variety of other common document types. In addition to working with Office documents it also adds file management, including the ability to work with multiple cloud service providers. Because it uses a licensed version of Office 2010 as its base, it provides accurate compatibility with the desktop version of Office. The HopTo iPad suite provides an inexpensive complement to a traditional Windows-based computer. Once you install the app you are presented with an attractive home screen that includes three sliding rows of icons: Recent Files on the top, My Documents in the middle, and a list of cloud service providers at the bottom. The app allows you to open and save documents from cloud storage providers Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox. It also allows you to sync with and browse directories on your own PC (laptop or desktop) after installing the HopTo sync software on your PC. Office files opened within HopTo provide 100% compatibility with Office. All you need to do to begin editing a Word document is to double tap on the screen. Highlighting a word allows you full editing capability including changing the font size and style. You can also add images to a document from the iPad camera roll. Normally the iPad only allows you to do one thing at a time. HopTo solves this problem by placing each document in its own separate, browser-like tab, allowing you to quickly switch between different documents. The ability to track changes within the document is also included. Opening an Excel file provide similar capability. Although PowerPoint files can be viewed—including transitions—you cannot create a new file or edit an existing one. If you find you have a need to work on Microsoft Office documents and are using an iPad, then you should download, install, and test the HopTo app.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 15

What's Wrong with Asking for ?

Managing agencies today is far more difficult than it was twenty years ago. For those who have been managing agencies for twenty or more years, you know this. You know that "back in the day," the expectation of an agency owner doing it all was more realistic. Back then, if the owner took care of production, the agency generally took care of itself.

today are wearing their shoe leather paper thin. Maybe you are one of them. Maybe you are young and want to learn from their mistakes. So what lessons are to be learned?

By Chris Burand

Agency management systems were simple and honestly, not even necessary for a large proportion of agencies. Agencies did not have to do as much processing. E&O exposures were less so agencies could get away with being less careful even while doing less work than today. Companies provided a lot more support. Management was just simpler with a much greater margin of error so an agency owner could produce full time and manage part time. Times have changed. All the agency owners still attempting to make this "I can do it all" business model work are likely stressed out or fooling themselves they have everything under control. I have seen too many agencies completely fail when managed in this manner. In fact, if one indicator exists of an agency in trouble, it is when an agency executive/owner tells me he has everything under control and is successfully proactively managing his agency while still being a full-time producer. Recently one such owner confessed that he gave this impression innocently, simply because he did not know his agency was nearly broke. This was not a small agency either. In fact, most of my experience has been these situations occur with large agencies, not small ones. There's a teenager mindset that occurs with size: 10 feet tall and bulletproof. Companies wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell these agency owners they have problems because the companies need the volume too much and the agencies' advisors rarely will tell the emperor they have no clothes. So it is easy to let things get out of control. I get many calls for help to fix things after the fact and when working these difficult situations, rarely does the agency owner understand they lost control of their agency years earlier. Agency owners trying to manage both roles competently Page 16

1. Agency owners who have failed and have seen the error in their ways have often reflected with sage wisdom, and their words are almost always the same, "I would have run a business rather than an agency. I would not have believed I had all the answers. I would have truly asked for help." They "truly" would have asked for help versus the advice they did seek. While they sometimes hired accountants, consultants, attorneys, and even psychologists, they now see they were just going through the motions. They picked up some easy to implement advice and ideas, but that was all. With all their heart, they thought they were doing so much more. Now they know they were not. They see clearly now the need for true help and for truly listening. 2. The opportunity to succeed today requires professional sales and professional management. One without the other, or an amateur approach to either, greatly limits an agency's ability to succeed or even survive. This is not necessarily the case yet for small agencies, especially oneman shops. The ownership team that wants to truly grow has to invest in professional management. Profit compression is simply too intense. The margin of error is too thin and only professional full-time management is going to create opportunity. 3. These owners would ask for this professional management assistance. They know their passion is sales, not operations. They know operations is too important to manage in the minutes left between sales and meetings. Some years ago I wrote an article about how easy it is to see others' strengths and weaknesses. I also wrote about how difficult it is to see one's own weaknesses. This reality is always going to be part of the human condition. Making mistakes is so much more painful now because the margin of error is so thin and simultaneously, the price of mistakes has increased. Agency dynamics have changed dramatically. The question is this, "Have you changed to fit the times or do you have to make your own expensive mistakes first?" The choice is most definitely yours to make. It just helps to ask the question out loud.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 17

Virtual Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ask an Expert

Is a Person an Animal? ulty

VU Fac

The PAP defines "collision" to involve impact of an insured auto with another auto or object. Comprehensive, or "other than collision" (OTC) coverage applies to contact with a bird or animal. So, if you hit a pedestrian, is it a comprehensive or a collision loss?

"I had a client who hit a pedestrian. Minor injuries to the pedestrian and I believe the physical damage claim should be paid out of the comprehensive coverage. The adjustor is telling me he will pay it out of collision coverage. My argument is that the person can be considered an 'animal," while his version is that the person is considered an 'object.' I know this sounds cold, but the policy is ambigious and does not specifically state how a person should be considered. Also the adjustor stated, 'That is how pedestrian claims have always been covered.' I would like someone else's view on this." Here is how the 2005 PAP defines "collision": "Collision" means the upset of "your covered auto" or a "non-owned auto" or their impact with another vehicle or object. "Other than collision" or as it's commonly referred to, comprehensive, includes the following: Loss caused by the following is considered other than "collision": 9. Contact with bird or animal; Since the PAP is not clear on the issue of a pedestrian, we put it to a vote of the VU faculty with somewhat mixed results. Basically, the choice boils down to whether a person should be considered an "object" (collision coverage) or an "animal" (comprehensive coverage). Here's what Websters says about "animal"

FACULTY RESPONSE

1 : any of a kingdom (Animalia) of living things including many-celled organisms and often many of the single-celled ones (as protozoans) that typically differ from plants in having cells without cellulose walls, in lacking chlorophyll and the capacity for photosynthesis, in requiring more complex food materials (as proteins), in being organized to a greater degree of complexity, and in having the capacity for spontaneous movement and rapid motor responses to stimulation. 2 a : one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings. If it's not clear, then the doubt goes to the insured. It may take a biologist to tell us for sure though, whether a person is an animal. Oh yeah, "how claims were always paid" means nothing.

FACULTY RESPONSE

There is case law in Texas that clarifies collision with a pedestrian is a collision loss. I suspect that your jurisdiction would decide in a similar fashion. Dictionary definitions seem to vary so, at best, I'd say it's ambiguous. If you look at the underlying reason for an exception being made for bird or animal as a comprehensive loss, I think you'll find that it's because of the unpredictable nature.....a bird can fly, or an animal dart, in front of a car, making the loss somewhat unpreventable for the insured.

FACULTY RESPONSE

Likewise, I think one argument would be a pedestrian unexpectedly stepping out into traffic, if that is indeed what happened. I never cease to be amazed at how often the comprehensive vs. collision issue comes up.

To read more faculty responses, click here. Please note: You will need your IIANM log-in to view complete article. Contact rachel@iianm.org if you need yours. Page 18

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

2012-2013 IIANM Dues Deductibility Dues to the Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico (IIANM) are not deductible as a charitable contribution but may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. To the extent that IIANM engages in lobbying, the portion of the dues that relate to lobbying expenses is not deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. This law was enacted in 1993, effective March 1, 1994 [Section 13222 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA 1993)]. The non-deductible portion of dues for 2012-2013 is 23.14%. Please forward this information to the appropriate staff in your organization. The following is a recap of the non-deductible portion of dues for the past six years:

FY 2007-08 FY 2008-09 FY 2009-10 FY 2010-11 FY 2011-12 FY 2012-13 FY 2013-14

Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated

25.16% 18.23% 17.72% 21.92% 22.83% 22.71% 23.76%

Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual

17.99% 17.35% 21.37% 22.19% 22.29% 23.14%

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 19

RELAX. WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE GOT YOUR BACK.

FOR ALL

THAT MATTERS

www.acuity.com Page 20

facebook.com/acuitywow Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

When I wrote an article a few months back titled: The Top Five Sales Myths, the response was overwhelming. As a result, people have asked me to debunk some additional sales fables. involved in getting new business. Servicing customers all

By John Chapin

SALES MYTHS ! d e s Expo

Price is the most important factor. Studies show that only 7% of people buy on price, 93% buy primary on factors other than price. Mass advertising and low-priced ankle-biters have brainwashed people to think that price is the only difference in products. It is your job to bring people back to reality and change their perspective. You have to remind them of what their mom told them, and what they know deep down inside, namely that you get what you pay for. It’s simple; less money equals less coverage, less service, more risk, and more potential headaches. If a family gets quoted auto policies from one agency that total $6,600 and from another that equal $4,400, they’d better expect substantial differences other than price. To assume price is the only difference would be both tragic and idiotic. The problem most agents encounter is that when someone brings up price, they go straight to cutting price. This leaves the person with the impression that price is the only difference. Instead, start by agreeing with them that price can be important, but it is only one factor to consider. Then, as an expert, educate them on the real cost of an initial low price, build value, sell yourself and your company, and finally wrap up by emphasizing that the pain of inadequate or no coverage lasts much longer than the initial sweet taste of low price.

day long was simply an excuse, not a commitment to customer service. Don’t get me wrong, customers are extremely important, in fact, with the naked eye you probably can’t see the difference in importance between new business and servicing current customers, but there is a difference. The most important thing you can do is to consistently grow your business every day.

Technology will help struggling agents. Struggling agents are the first to clamor for new technology, new tools, and new anything to make their lives easier and they are the first ones to blame the new tools, technology, and other items for the reason they are not selling. The first conversation at home with their significant other goes like this, “How can they expect me to sell without the latest technology? My hands are tied. XYZ agents have the latest stuff, I can’t compete.” Followed by the second conversation, “I couldn’t get on the road all week because I can’t figure out this stupid new software program. XYZ agents don’t have to deal with this, they’re out calling on people, not learning new software.” If you manage agents, stop giving into your struggling agents when they tell you what they need. Your top agents can tell you what they need, the struggling agents need to be told what they need, and new technology is not the answer to their problems, learning new sales skills and getting to work is. On that note, here’s the next myth…

Struggling agents will eventually “get it”. The harsh reality is that most people don’t change. You can give a pig all the help, tools, and motivational speeches in the world, but when you throw it off the top of a building, it’s still not going to fly. It’s the same with chronic underperforming agents, they’re not going to “all of a sudden get it”.

The most important thing you do is service customers.

Also keep in mind that behavior without consequences doesn’t change. If someone is allowed to hang out in the office, put in little effort and miss their numbers month after month, year after year, with no consequences, they’ll keep doing it. And let’s dispel another fallacy: As a manager or owner, you are not doing these people any favors by keeping them around and hoping they’ll “see the light”. All you are doing is preventing them from growing and finding their way in life. No one growing up ever said, “My life’s ambition is to be a struggling agent and barely scrape by.” The only thing you are doing by keeping them around is killing morale while hurting you, them, and everyone else involved. What you put up with, you condone.

The most important thing you do is find new business and generate revenue so you can stay in business and continue to service customers. I’ve seen agents struggle and fail because they thought it was more important to service current customers than pursue new business. When you break it down, most simply did not want to do the hard work

Look, no one wants to fire someone or be cold and insensitive to others... well… most people don’t. Especially to someone who’s struggling, but the reality is: letting them go is the best thing you can do for them, you, and the office. Remember, the most difficult thing to do is usually the right thing to do. Oh, also, you’re running a business, not a charity.

Because people are not as familiar with your industry as you, they are completely unaware of many of the differences in products, price is the only thing they can instantly recognize and compare. Your job is to unveil the deception and show the “too-good-to-be-true” behind the magic trick. You won’t get everyone, but you have an obligation take your best shot at saving people from the low-price lunacy and ensure that their lives and dreams are protected.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * March 2014

Page 21

More Competition Heads for the Agent Playing Field

By Dave Evans

The ACA creates a whole new ball game when it comes to independent agent competitors. One of the first competitors to the traditional agent delivery channel came through "Affinity Programs.” While some affinity programs—such as auto or life insurance—were delivered through agents, many national programs were direct—such as a "discounted" auto insurance program offered to alumni of large universities. Beginning in the 1980s and continuing into the 1990s, many banks made a push into the P&C space. Eventually, with the advent of technology and the growth of the direct writers like GEICO and USAA, agents began to realize they needed to promote their presence in cyberspace in order to increase their agency’s visibility in online consumer searches. A different form of competition arose when national payroll companies started offering workers compensation and other insurance products. Some states have expressed concerns regarding whether properly licensed payroll staff were having the insurance conversation. The national payroll companies also waded into employee benefits, specifically targeting retirement plans and health insurance. This week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the complexities of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have served as a catalyst for national tax preparation firm H&R Block to create a pilot program that helps people buy health insurance. According to the Wall Street Journal, "H&R Block plans to offer guidance and use the refunds it typically applies to high-fee debit cards as a payment option." H&R Block is well positioned to focus on the large individual tax return audience they have to sell individual health insurance, and discuss the tax penalty and subsidies that approximately 80% of all enrollees in the new exchanges will receive. Another important consideration is that beginning next year, the ACA employer mandate commences after a one-year postponement of the phase-in, which will require companies with 50 or more employees to comply with the rules or pay the tax. How successful H&R Block's foray into the larger employer marketplace will be remains to be seen, as medium-sized businesses typically utilize a local, regional or national accounting firm to do their work. But this situation does highlight the need for independent agents to build and maintain close relationships with payroll companies and auditing firms that will not venture into their clients' insurance needs. Agents should not sit on the sidelines when it comes to making sure their clients are receiving competent advice from firms that respect the various roles advisors play. Being an independent agent has never been easy. But if we embrace technology and understand the new competitive entrants, we can embellish our value proposition as service-oriented specialists that can bring creative solutions from quality insurance companies to mitigate and transfer risk. Even though football season is over, agents should remember that the best defense is a good offense.

March 2014

Clickable Calendar

Click on class title to register Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

P&C Pre-Licensing Exam Review

L&H Pre-Licensing Exam Review

Agency Management Tools (AAI83C) 8CE hours

Spring Seminar 15CE hours

IIANM’s Job Bank Attention hiring managers, students or insurance professionals. View available job listings and descriptions or post your resume for prospective employers. We will be encouraging university’s to use this resource for job placement and will need agencies and companies to be actively posting job opportunities as they become available. Click here to take advantage of IIANM’s Job Bank.

ODDS andends It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

20 Ways to Overcome Shyness

These Good Habits = Success More than ever today, all of us are selling. In business, we sell our products and services. In life, we're constantly selling our ideas, our plans and more. Being able to influence others is part of the selling process, and we can all learn from people who are successful in selling. Click here to see the seven habits of highly successful salespeople.

Can you remember the last time you stepped into a room full of strangers and felt that self-conscious and awkward feeling rush over you? Or wanting to approach someone for business, but was too hesitant to actually do it? Click here to share the ways that we used to turn shyness into personal empowerment.

10 FAD Diet Myths What’s the best way to lose weight? You can find answers just about anywhere, but according to Lifescript.com, some of them are deceiving. Here's 10 myths about fad diets.

Cash in hand: Most of us travel light How much cash do you carry right now? A study by Visa found that about two-thirds of Americans have less than $50 in their purses or wallets, and 40 percent keep less than $20 on them. Men, the report notes, are four times more likely than women to have more than $100 with them regularly.

Spring has sprung? Attract birds to this year’s garden

With the return of spring, many minds turn to the garden. While you’re planting your flowers and cultivating your plants, though, give a thought to our feathered friends—they enjoy a garden too. If you want to share your little plot of Eden with the birds, here are some of the best types of plants and amenities to attract them: • Trees. They provide sanctuaries for birds. Try planting fruit trees. • Berry-yielding shrubs. They not only provide beautiful flowers, they also serve as living birdfeeders. • Compost pile. They’re already good for recycling and for fertilization. But they’re also havens for bird treats like earthworms, beetles, and flies. • Birdbaths. They give birds a place to slake their thirst.

Your gateway to contractors markets.

CONTRACTORS SOLUTIONS

Placing insurance for different contractors can be a daunting project. At Burns & Wilcox, our network of domestic and international carriers opens doors to the broadest range of markets. Since time is of the essence, we deliver quotes and binders fast. When it comes to finding solutions for every stage of construction, contact the wholesale broker with the tools to make the hard-to-place easy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Burns & Wilcox. Albuquerque, New Mexico | 505.822.0018 | toll free 866.643.8538 fax 505.822.0092 | albuquerque.burnsandwilcox.com Commercial | Personal | Professional | Brokerage | Binding | Risk Management Services