La Voz by Independent Insurance Agents of NM

THERE’S NO PLACE

LIKE HOME

Bring your New Mexico business home to New Mexico Mutual. Running

August 1 - December 31 New Mexico Mutual wants you to give the home team a look at your client’s workers’ comp business. New Mexico Mutual is offering gift cards for fully completed applications. With excellent risk, safety and claims management services your clients will benefit by putting their workers’ comp insurance with New Mexico’s experts in workers’ compensation. APPROVED APPLICATIONS • Account Representative receives $10.00 for every application submitted and approved.*

www.NewMexicoMutual.com • 505-345-7260 * All applications must be submitted and approved during the program period of 8/1/2012 - 12/31/2012.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;La Vozâ&#x20AC;? is the official monthly e-publication of the

o VZ

IIANM's Annual Convention - Welcome to the Big "I"land!

Three Dinosaur Marketing Tactics (& why they're dying off)

Industry TidBits

Six Good Reasons to Have a Personal Umbrella

The Power to Fail

IIANM Members Can Now Serve Their Clients On-the-Go

Learning from Ulysses

Hot Topics on Capitol Hill

Five Steps to Stay Positive At All Times

Outside Looking In

Community Corner

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

"The Voice" of Independent Agents since 1934

Features

President/CEO Thom Turbett Vice President of Member Services Consuelo Trujillo Vice President of Insurance Programs Julie A. Franchini Communications Director Rachel Sheffield

In Every Issue Tech Talk

ABEN - The Next Big Thing in Continuing Education

September's Clickable Calendar

Odds n Ends

Member Services Associate Renee Trujillo

Advertiser Index Acuity

Burns & Wilcox

Hallmark Insurance Company

Litchfield Special Risks

Vice-Chair PJ Wolff

Lovelace Health Plan

Market Finders, Inc.

Secretary/Treasurer Diana Hobbs

MexiPass

Mountain States Insurance Group

New Mexico Mutual

Risk Placement Services (RPS)

2011-2012 Officers Chair Scott Jones

National Director Sam Conlee Immediate Past Chair Kathy Yeager

Join this fun tournament of insurance professionals and company partners.

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IIANM C

GOLF Sponsored by,

IIANM’s TradeShow is the best way to stay connected to the insurance industry.

“ ” Big sland

I TradeSho

This year, our TradeShow will be held on the afternoon of Sept 20th. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will also be served.

Come join the fun, Visit the exhibit booths, Register to win prizes.

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Sponsored by,

D inner & Entertainment

agenda

IIANM’s

(Tentative)

Wednesday September 19th, 2012 All Day - 10 am - 11:30 am - 1 pm - 2 pm - 6 pm -

78 th Annual

Convention & Trade Show

Registration Young Agents Board Meeting Golf Registration & box lunch Golf Tournament (Shot Gun Start) Poker Tournament Chairman’s Welcome Reception

Thursday September 20th, 2012 All Day - 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Registration IIANM Board Meeting & Buffet Breakfast

9:45 am - 11:30 am Industry Summit: Changes in Attitude Changes in Aptitude Noon - 1:30 pm Luncheon with Governor Susana Martinez 1:30 - 3:30 pm NMIC/DOI Quarterly Meeting 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Tradeshow

5:45 pm -

Past-Chair Reception & Induction Ceremonies

7:00 pm -

Dinner & Entertainment

At the TradeShow, be sure to visit the OCC Trusted Choice®themed custom motorcycle! Designed by renowned Orange County Choppers Paul Sr. and partnered with the Big “I” to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Trusted Choice® episode is set to air on September 17, 2012 on the Discovery Channel.

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Three Dinosaur Marketing Tactics (and Why They’re Dying Off) Dinosaurs were the largest land animals that ever existed. This diverse, large group of species lived from 230 million years ago until their mysterious extinction about 65 million years ago. Some biologists theorize that today, the earth is in another great period of biological extinction. The categories of extinct, endangered and threatened species don’t just apply to animals. They also apply to insurance marketing tactics used by independent agents and brokers in the United States. Independent agents need to consider whether marketing approaches used in years, and even decades past, will be effective for much longer. Here’s a look at three tried-and-no-longer-true marketing techniques: Newspaper Ads: Print newspaper advertising no longer draws the readership it did even a few years ago. Reported The New York Times: “… print [newspaper] circulation continues to weaken … [in] what has become a relentless overall decline in recent years” (Nov. 1, 2011). Newspapers’ advertising revenues declined about 48% from 2006 to 2010, reported the Pew Research Center. Online versions of newspapers are drawing readers, but many publishers are still struggling with the tasks of earning paid subscribers and proving that web-based advertising works. Cold Calls: Are cold calls still a way to find prospects and clients? Yes, cold calls can generate activity in some cases. But millions of Americans don’t want them. Beware: Since the Federal Trade Commission established a national “Do Not Call Registry” in 2003, Americans have registered more than 200 million residential land lines and cell phones. That is a big indicator that Americans simply are not interested in unsolicited telephone calls. And Federal law prohibits unsolicited commercial calls to any number contained on the list. Many states have a similar do-not-call registration process for consumers. A related practice (which seems to increase during election years, since political campaigns are exempt from do-not-call rules) is “robo calling,” where a machine dials and then plays an audio recording when the telephone is answered. The Federal Communications Commission in April 2012 changed rules for telemarketers, requiring them to get written authorization to place robo-calls (even for existing customers), and requiring an opt-out mecha-

By Marty Agather, CPCU nism. Again, this indicates that Americans resent the interruptions presented by unexpected telephone calls. Yellow Pages Advertising. Yellow Pages ads, for decades, were a favorite of many businesses and professionals. Why? The Yellow Pages targeted potential customers in a defined geographic area, and many of them were ready to buy when they picked up the Yellow Pages.

But, just as for print newspapers, printed phone directories are declining in use. One news report recently cited a 30% decline from 2009-2011 in Yellow Pages advertising revenue.

The Lesson: Stop Interrupting, Start Listening These three examples of “dinosaur” marketing tactics illustrate an overall trend: The decades-long effectiveness of “interruption marketing” is declining. Consumers and government regulators are taking steps to sidestep, block or outright reject outbound, one-way marketing tactics. By contrast, consumers today are expecting marketers to reach them through a more information-based approach with tactics such as providing relevant information, answering common questions, and listening through social networking. The good news is that consumers still want and need to hear from marketers, but they want to do it on their terms, on their schedule, and at their pace. This “permission marketing” is highly effective when done right. In the insurance industry, we at Project CAP see this trend. About three of four of today’s personal lines insurance consumers begin their search for coverage online. The dinosaur marketing tactics listed above would miss these prospects altogether. The 22,000 independent agencies throughout the U.S. have 160,000 licensed producers in 27,000 local offices. Many of these agents and brokers struggle to connect with online consumers -- but agents can win if they adopt marketing approaches like those available through Project CAP that provide them opportunities to interact and provide information and advice to consumers. One last note about dinosaurs: The word dinosaur comes from Latin and Greek roots meaning “terrible lizard.” However, the name is misleading, since dinosaurs are not lizards.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Page 7

President Declares Major Disaster for New Mexico

Reynolds Insurance was recently featured for being one of the top 100 local privately owned business in New Mexico. They made the list by leading in innovation in new technologies and helping our communities through charitable service and contributions. They were honored at The New Mexico Private 100 Cornerstones of Prosperity luncheon last month and published in August’s edition of Business Outlook.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to New Mexico to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by flooding during the period of June 22 to July 12, 2012. Receive FEMA Updates During Disasters

NCCI Split Point Also making the list, coming in at #13, Manuel Lujan Agencies and #28 Cress Insurance Consultants, Inc.

Congratulations! Featured in New Mexico Business Weekly, People on the Move, HUB International promotes two of their staff: Donna Rawls is HUB’s newly appointed Chief Operating Officer. She was the operations manager for HUB’s Employee Benefits Department and prior to 2006, she was the vice president of Talbot Financial Services which was acquired by HUB in 2004.

Charlie Wheeler is HUB International’s newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer. He will continue to work out of the Santa Fe office where he is the leader of the office as well as the agent. He has been in this role since moving from Taos in 1984.

Webinar Now Archived for FREE Access Big changes are coming to workers compensation modification factors... are you ready for the fallout from your clients? The NCCI has filed an experience rating plan change (filing E-1402) that may have a greater adverse impact on some employers than any change made in the plan in decades. Insurance agencies should expect to hear from some of their experience rated insureds in the near future, especially those whose experience modification and premium increases significantly and unexpectedly. On July 30, The Big I assembled a panel of workers compensation experience rating experts to discuss the pending NCCI split point change and its potential impact on employers. This countrywide webinar was a sell-out with an estimated live attendance of about 2,000 people. For those who could not get access at the time and for those who want a refresher, the entire webinar has been archived and is available as an industry service to anyone. We recommend that you have your entire commercial lines staff review this webinar and encourage your company underwriters and astute customers to partake as well. Imbedded below are three links that will get you up to speed. Click here to view the article, “New NCCI Methodology Will Change Premium Calculations” (.pdf) Click here to download a PDF of the webinar handout Click here to access the webinar (disregard the "sold out" caution)

We invest in our agents... Not lizards, race cars or spokesmodels. Hallmark Personal Lines’ focus is on our agent’s success, not a marketing gimmick. HPL offers our Non-standard Auto and Specialty Property products through independent agents only. We never compete with our agents. Our generous commissions start at 15%/15%. Add an easily-attainable contingency bonus program for personal auto which can add thousands in compensation. All combined with industry-leading customer service and claims response.

Your success is essential to our success, which is why ”Service is our Hallmark.”

Appointment is easy!

Visit www.hallmarkinsco.com and select the “appointment” tab to download the form or contact us at marketing@hallmarkinsco.com.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

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Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Six good reasons to have a personal umbrella

w do Ho

es life expose thee?

by Jerry Milton

One of the best ways to understand the need for a personal umbrella policy (PUP) is to review claim examples. Listed below are actual claims that illustrate the need for higher personal liability limits. Loss #1: A couple hosted a pool party for their teenage children. They did not provide any alcohol, but it was brought by some of the guests and was available. After leaving the party, one of the guests was severely injured in an auto accident, and the injury was attributed to his consumption of alcohol. This case went to the Wisconsin Supreme Court which decided that anyone who sells or furnishes alcohol to a minor is responsible for the minor’s injuries as well as any injuries caused by the minor. The opinion of the court was that the homeowners should have prevented the consumption of alcohol by minors on their premises. Both the homeowners’ and personal umbrella policies responded to this claim. Loss #2: The insured hosted a party at his home. Among the guests was a family friend, who was also the insured’s financial advisor. The friend brought his wife, their 2-yearold child and their baby to the party. The insured gave them a jug of spring water to mix formula for the baby. The 2-year-old child also had a drink of the water. Shortly thereafter, both children became ill. The family left the party and took the children to the hospital. The hospital confiscated the water jug which was found to contain arsenic. An old label was found wrapped around the handle with the words “weed killer” printed on it. The insured had mistakenly given the jug, which was similar to the ones containing spring water, to the family. The baby died and the 2 year old survived after being in critical condition several days. The personal umbrella liability limit was paid. Loss #3: The insured’s 18-year-old son was driving his parents’ car to the store with his 19-year-old girlfriend. He left the roadway and hit a tree. The son told the police that another car cut him off, but there were no witnesses, and the girlfriend had no recollection of the accident. She was hospitalized for over a month with multiple fractures and internal injuries and received extensive physical therapy. The personal umbrella insurer settled with the girlfriend for the policy limit. Loss #4: An 18-year-old college student was struck by a fraternity paddle during initiation. He sustained facial

Let us count the ways

fractures and blindness in his left eye. The fellow fraternity members and their families were sued. The court awarded $1,300,000. Loss #5: A 28-year-old engineer dove into a friend’s above-ground swimming pool, struck his head on the bottom and, as a result, became a quadriplegic. He sued both the homeowner and the pool manufacturer. The court found the homeowner to be 60 percent responsible and the pool manufacturer to be 40 percent responsible, and awarded $10,000,000.

Loss #6: A babysitter left a 5-monthold infant unattended in a walker. The infant toppled the walker, struck her head on the floor and suffered brain damage. The parents of the infant sued the teenage babysitter and her parents. The court awarded the parents $11,000,000. The above losses show the consequences of situations that can quickly exhaust the liability limits of the underlying policies. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day, most folks can purchase a personal umbrella policy with a limit of $1,000,000, possibly $2,000,000 or even $5,000,000. ________________________________ Offer each of your clients a personal umbrella policy! Knowing you’ve done everything in your power to protect the customers who trust you will go a long way towards easing your mind . . . and protecting your agency from E&O claims. It also protects your book of business since studies show that customers who have multiple policies are less likely to move their business elsewhere. As an IIANM member, you have access to two stand-alone personal umbrella markets which enable you to write nearly any risk. Visit www.iianm.org and click on “Member Resources” for complete details. RLI Personal Umbrella Limit of $1M available in New Mexico Excess UM/UIM available to $1M; premium = $180 per driver Up to one DWI/DUI per household allowed Competitive premiums Self-underwriting application lets you know immediately if insured is accepted Anderson & Murison Personal Excess Limits up to $10M available in New Mexico Excess UM/UIM available; premium is per auto Will consider drivers with multiple violations/accidents Will consider high profile personalities such as elected officials, athletes, entertainers Competitive premiums Questions? Contact Julie Franchini at Julie@iianm.org or 505-999-5802.

Steve

Anderson.com by, Steve Anderson

iPhone Conference Call Feature Reduces Claims Headaches By Guest Writer Anson Ross Thompson, Insurance Ninja Resolving issues with an insurance claim can be an emotional and trying process. Claimants may feel left in the dark when there is no communication amongst the parties. Last week I had two separate claims with just those types of problems that I solved using a simple solution.

How to Combine Calls on an iPhone

From time to time, I'll get a call from a claimant with a request for some help. Since I'm in my car 94.87656% of the time with very little access to our management system, I struggle to get updated information about ongoing claims.

1. Call the first person you want to include on the call.

My solution? Call the adjuster or claims manager, then call the claimant and combine the calls using my iPhone. In the first situation, the claimant had slipped and fallen at our client's place of business and the claimant was concerned that no bills had been paid. Since he was getting a few collection notices, he was very angry that we had failed to take care of this situation. Something sounded strange in that the claim was almost 90 days old and the carrier is usually very prompt with their claims payments. I asked the claimant if he was going to be available later that day and he said, "Damn right, I'll be available." I called the adjuster on the claim, indicated the frustration, and then called the claimant back with the adjuster on the line. I opened the call with a narrative from both sides and then shut up. Amazingly the carrier had paid $10,000 worth of medical bills and was finalizing the rest of the liability claim. The claimant was very apologetic for his poor attitude and thanked us for our help. The other claim involved a client's attorney who was trying to finalize some paperwork required by the carrier. In this situation, I put my client and their counsel on the phone using the "combine" feature and then sent an email to the carrier giving an update as to their progress. This claim looks to be nearing an end as well. Combining calls is a simple feature on most smart phones. If you have yet to use this tool, try it. It might make your life a little easier and your clients a little happier. Page 12

To use conferencing calling on your iPhone, do the following:

2. Once theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve answered, tap the Add Call button to put them on hold. Next, call the other person you want on the call. 3. When the next person youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re calling has answered, tap the Merge Calls button to conference all the lines together.

How to Combine Calls on an Android Conference calling is built into Android phones but it can vary from phone to phone. Here are two free apps to help you make conference calls easily without hunting for a merge option that might be hidden away. Moshi is a cool app that makes calling a group easy. Gather all of your contacts and create the group you want to call. Moshi will then call all of the contacts and conference them in to the call. No numbers to dial, no need for the other users to have Moshi installed and no need for other callers to have smartphones. Talk2Group is another great option for making a conference call from your Android. In three steps youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be online with your group. Talk2Group lets you schedule calls in the future, or for right now, and asks the other participants to call you from any phone they want.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Disposing of Old Computer Equipment I recently received this question from an agency: "Our agency does not have written guidelines for the preparation or disposal of used PCs. I think we should have one, and it seems to me all agencies would have this same issue but I've not heard anything about this topic. Have you looked into this or written about it that I could reference? If not, do you know of suggested guidelines and software we could use?" With today's legal requirements, it is prudent to make sure you destroy any data on all storage devices prior to disposing of the item. Following are some suggestions: Erasing Data Computer Hard Drives: The method used to erase data off of a hard drive before giving the computer away depends on the information you want to preserve. Your options are: File-by-File If you are giving the computer to someone else, you may not want to eliminate all the valuable software along with your private information. However, just deleting your personal files does not make them unrecoverable. To completely destroy a file, you must use a data-shredding program. It takes a conventional "erase" a step further by actually writing over the file. Whole-Drive Completely reformatting your drive may seem like a good option, but this method doesn't eliminate data either -- the information can easily be restored using offthe-shelf data recovery software. Many of the best data erasing programs come from the same companies that produce data recovery software. Set aside some time: This can take hours on large hard drives.

Flash Drives: Flash drives are different than hard drives. It has been found that various methods to wipe data off of a flash drive are unreliable. I recommend taking a hammer to the drive. You want to make sure you smash the circuit board and chips. Cell Phones: Modern cell phones are like computers; deleting data using menus may not truly delete it from the hardware. Always wipe your phone by deleting the data using menu settings and then performing a factory reset. Every phone has a different process, so check the phone's manual to restore the phone to its factory settings, or search YouTube for an instructional video. According to PCWorld, no wipe solution is perfect. The only way to totally guarantee old cell phone data is gone for good is to take the phone apart and physically destroy the memory chip. Physical Disposal Non-Profit After making sure all sensitive information is wiped from the device, you may want to consider giving it to a local non-profit organization. Although, be aware that many organizations have become more selective about what devices they will accept.

Power Tools

Recycling

There is no better way to completely annihilate your data than to physically destroy the device that stores it. We still suggest a software shredder first, but if your personal data security justifies the extra effort, put on protective eyewear and gloves and break out the power tools. Drilling four holes through the platters will ensure that they never spin properly again. Better yet, unscrew and remove the top lid of the drive, and go at the platters with a sander or angle grinder. Scuff the surface of the platters until all the shine is gone.

Check with your local city or county. Many have computer recycling programs. In my county, all you need to do is take your equipment to a special recycling center. Following are some additional resources: • Environmental Protection Agency • TechSoup--Ten Tips for Donating a Computer • Apple Product Recycling information • Dell Product Recycling information • HP Product Recycling information

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

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

Get involved - help us grow!

The Power to

Click here for more info on New Mexico’s Young Agent program.

Fail

by, Jason D. Cass, group owner of JDC Insurance and chairman of the Big “I” national Young Agents.

Why is it that in a lot of agencies across America, the younger generation of producers, brokers, and CSRs are frustrated? Nationwide, agencies do a good job of attracting talent. It’s the challenge of retaining that talent that keeps most principals scratching their heads. In the last few years, we have seen an increase in new agencies opening their doors. There are a whole range of factors creating this, but one that many principals overlook is the power to fail. Think about it in another way. They say it took Thomas Edison hundreds or thousands of different types of filaments to finally find the right carbon combination for the first patented light bulb. If he was a young insurance professional in your agency, would you have let him try and fail that many times? He had the power to fail, and it allowed him to succeed. Young insurance professionals all across America are not allowed to have the power to fail so they flee the industry or the agencies they work at to begin their own. This is totally avoidable. For today’s young insurance professionals, it is not in our generational genes to want to flee and be independent. We are a generation built on teamwork, and we crave mentoring and guidance. We want to know where we are going before we get there. We don’t mind doing the work, but we want a say in how that work is done. We do not mind trial and error. We want the security of knowing that if we fail, that’s OK. This is where the communication breakdown between veteran insurance professionals and young insurance professionals occurs. Veteran insurance professionals became successful by using their reputations in the community and providing great service over many years; they know very little outside of these ways. They have worked and should not go unnoticed or disrespected. Are you giving your young insurance professionals the power to fail or the power to succeed? Trust in them, let them go and get out of their way; in doing so, you will let them help the organization. And if they fail, be understanding and mentor them with your wisdom. Giving your young employees the power to fail will show you to be supportive and reassuring.

Young people in the industry today are yearning to be included in managerial issues and agency marketing efforts. When principals and senior staff are setting retention and growth goals, young people want to be able to have input in the conversation. We are a generation of problem solvers and thrive on creating ideas in team environments. If an idea from a young person is acknowledged but not put into place, the veteran needs to communicate why the idea was not used. Communication on expectations and position within the agency is essential and should be very clear from the beginning. In a baseball game, all the rules are set before the game is played. The rules can’t just change in the middle of the game. Make it known early to your younger employees what your expectations are and what their future in the agency looks like, so long as they do their part. They want to know what their future entails. Employer loyalty is just as uncommon as employee loyalty in the world we live in today. Young insurance professionals like to have flexible hours. Traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours can be inflexible and difficult for the schedules of today’s parents and families. One of my mentors once told me, “Blessed are the flexible for they don’t get bent out of shape.” This great saying means so much when applied to working hours. Give your employees the power to fail. Trust in their ideas, and insert their voice into the agency direction. Let them help in the development of new and different procedures and workflows within the agency. Just a few small things implemented in your agency will help you retain your young people and grow your business in ways you never imagined. Today’s successful agencies are doing just that and investing in the ideas of tomorrow.

OF NEW MEXICO Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Page 15

IIANM Member Agencies Can Now Serve Their Clients On-The-Go

Thanks to the new Trusted Choice® Mobile App. Created through a collaboration of the Project CAP, IIABA and Trusted Choice® teams, this powerful new tool puts independent agents in touch with today's online consumers - no matter where they may be. Designed to work on iOS and Android platforms, this amazing resource allows consumers to find a local Trusted Choice® agent, create their home inventory, document an accident, ask a question and read relevant headlines - all from their smartphone, tablet or other mobile device.

The Next BIG Thing in Continuing Education!

High quality continuing education for independent insurance agents, brought to you via live streaming video.

Since digital marketing is all about building relationships, this app can be customized with your agency's color scheme and logo. It's also integrated with both Project CAP and IIABA online systems to provide participating agencies with single sign-on and easy account administration. Best of all, the new Trusted Choice® Mobile App is available to IIANM agencies as a component of most Project CAP agency marketing packages or separately for a nominal monthly fee. Sign up for free today to get your agency added to the list.

For more information and to view course listings click here

For more information on the new Trusted Choice® Mobile App, please visit www.projectcapmarketing.com.

Learning from Ulysses by Dave Evans

Greek mythology provides a lesson on tuning out noise

U.S. stock market gains illustrate the classic lesson of keeping short-term events from creating enough static to dissuade people from their long-term plans. Recently, Spain created havoc with the financial markets and sent European and U.S. stock markets in a tail spin, leading to questions over a bailout for the country. But then financial prospects brightened as the U.S. stock markets had their best gains of the year. If investors had let the global financial concerns persuade them to change their long-term investment allocations, they would have missed the market’s bounce of last week. Does this mean that the “what goes down must go up” adage will always apply? Certainly not. Look at Japan’s Nikkei stock market from over the past two decades. Note that its long-term economic malaise and large sovereign debt as a percentage of gross domestic product has left its moribund stock market still well below its high-water mark. So how does this situation apply to advisors? While the stock market has had gyrations for as long as it came into existence, the volatility of the market is higher than historical measures. This volatility creates both panic and paralysis among investors in the 24/7 news cycle. And that speaks to the value of having an advisor. It can be very difficult to tune out the day-to-day negative news, or to join in and follow the herd when markets are on the upswing. This need to tune out potentially disruptive noise has been compared to Ulysses’ return voyage back to the Greek city of Ithaca when he encountered the Sirens, which is described in Homer’s poem, “The Odyssey.” In the poem and according to Greek mythology, the Sirens were creatures with the head of a female and a body of a bird, and they lived on an island. Their irresistible song lured mariners to their destruction on rocks surrounding their island. Ulysses was aware of their spell, so he had his sailors plug their ears with beeswax. But he was curious to hear their song, and so he had himself tied to the ship’s mast with the instructions not to be released for any reason. Advisors may sometimes be tempted to tie their client to the mast. But their role can be to reassure their clients that, while they should be aware of macroeconomic and political events, they should approach their long-term retirement savings strategy with a thoughtful, diversified (lower or noncorrelated assets) investment approach. Page 18

when it comes to financial planning. And with a variety of taxes scheduled to rise in 2013, investors and their advisors should be mindful of maximizing their after-tax returns. This means taking a fresh look at the types of investment vehicles that being used--after-tax, tax-deferred and tax-free--to arrive at the best combination of investments producing the best long-term returns and to commensurate with the level of risk that the investor is comfortable taking. Of course, Congress will have to take action to avoid the automatic nature of the tax increases. Some current taxadvantaged investments may lose some of their luster. Just like Ulysses, agents need to tune out the siren call of financial pundits that may or may not have the same objectives and risk tolerance as they do. The ancient Greeks had great insights that are relevant today.

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Page 20

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

by Ryan Young, Big “I” senior director of federal government affairs. Educate Congress on Insurance

what this entails or how state consumer protection laws would apply. Key Big “I” concerns were whether navigators would be required to obtain a license, complete continuing education, or purchase E&O coverage or fulfill a similar financial responsibility requirement. Since exchanges will be required to have navigator programs and

Hot Topics on Capitol Hill

On the Hill

they will be funded by the government, the association believes the failure to apply such requirements to navigators would lead to an unlevel playing field with agents and brokers and harm consumers who would be left unprotected in the event of improper conduct by a navigator. The congressional letter, strongly supported by the Big “I,” points out the dangers of this policy to HHS, and asks that state consumer protection laws apply to navigators if they take any actions that would normally trigger these

HHS Responds to Congressional Letter on Navigators New details emerge on powers and regulation of program participants.

laws as they do for agents, brokers or any other entity advising consumers. Although HHS did not acquiesce on these points in its response, and in several instances further clarification will

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has

be needed, the letter from HHS Secretary Kathleen Se-

replied to a letter Big “I” members helped gather support

belius has value for several important reasons. First, the

for during this year's Big “I” Legislative Conference.

fact that the secretary herself signed the letter means this

During the annual Capitol Hill day, Big “I” agents and

issue has gone all the way to the top and received the

brokers asked members of the U.S. House of Repre-

attention of senior HHS officials. Second, the letter says

sentatives to sign onto a letter by Reps. Adam Kinzinger

“states should have the authority and flexibility to institute

(R-Ill.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) addressing concerns

appropriate licensing and certification standards for Navi-

regarding the PPACA’s “navigator programs.” HHS's

gators.” This was unclear in the regulations and provides

reply to Rep. Kinzinger is dated mid-July, but it was only

additional clarity on the issue. And lastly, HHS goes on

recently received due to the mail screening process on

the record saying navigators will not “offer advice about

Capitol Hill.

which qualified health plan is better or worse for a particular individual or employer.” This is positive, new informa-

The PPACA authorizes “navigator programs” to empower certain groups to perform outreach with the goal of raising public awareness regarding exchanges and qualified

tion and gives shape and some parameters to HHS’s idea of what “facilitating enrollment” means for navigators.

health plans, provide referrals for enrollees with com-

Unfortunately, the letter reiterates HHS's previous posi-

plaints or questions and “facilitate enrollment” in qualified

tion barring navigators from being required to obtain

health plans through exchanges.

E&O coverage. This is an important issue that the Big “I” believes must be remedied for consumers to be fully

The Big “I” is most concerned with the third component

protected.

regarding “facilitating enrollment” because it has the most potential to do damage to independent agents and their

The Big “I” government affairs team will continue to be

customers, especially in light of HHS regulations that

active on this important issue and will keep members ap-

were unclear (or even contradictory) regarding exactly

prised of any new developments.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Page 21

Mountain States Insurance Group is pleased to introduce a new suite of property enhancement endorsements. The following are some highlights of our Premier Endorsement. Contact your underwriter for more details and pricing. ADDED COVERAGES Business Income & Extra Expense Actual Loss Sustained – Up To 12 Months $250,000 From Dependent Properties $50,000 Expanded Blanket Limit $250,000 Accounts Receivable Valuable Papers and Records (Other then Electronic Data) Debris Removal Outdoor Signs not Attached to Buildings Expanded Crime Blanket Limit $25,000 Employee Dishonesty Forgery or Alteration Money and Securities Money Orders and Counterfeit Money Credit Card Invoices Computer Fraud Computers, Media & Electronic Data - In One Policy Year $100,000 Foundation $25,000 Lock Replacement $2,500 Covered Crime Reward $10,000 Brands and Labels $25,000 Business Personal Property - Seasonal Increase 25% or $50,000 INCREASED LIMITS Outdoor Property $25,000 Tree, Shrub or Plant $2,000 Pollutant Cleanup & Removal $25,000 Ordinance or Law Coverage $250,000 Property of Others $25,000 Property Off-Premises $25,000 Fine Arts $25,000 Sewer & Drain Backup $25,000

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www.msig-nm.com - 505.764.1400 5051 Journal Center Boulevard N.E., Albuquerque, NewMexico Mexico, 87109 Independent Insurance Agents of New - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Sales Success Ideas: Tips for Staying Motivated Every Day 5 Steps to

Stay Positive at All Times

These days there are a lot of negatives flying around out there. Unemployment, the economy, and a plethora of other items are lurking around every corner in the form of newspapers, television, and negative people, and they are waiting to pounce on you and sap your energy and your morale. In addition to that, there are the personal issues that occasionally arise in life from a simple flat tire to major issues such as those related to job, health, and relationships. You know the key to your sales success lies in your ability to show up every day, put your game face on, and get the job done, regardless of what’s going on in your life. With that in mind, how can you best ensure you stay on track and don’t let outside issues and problems hit you hard internally and derail your success?

by John Chapin

Insulate yourself from the negatives.

The first way to insulate yourself from negatives is to limit the amount of them that go into your brain. Specifically, avoid as much negative news and as many negative people as you can. The second way to insulate yourself from negatives is to put lots of positives into your brain and to hang out with positive people. Studies have shown that a positive thought and a negative thought can’t occupy your brain at the same time. We also develop habitual ways of thinking, either positive or negative. In this case you can’t get too much of a good thing. Read, watch, and listen to all the positive, up-beat information you can. Also remember, you are who you hang out with.

Accept that there will be problems.

Yes, there will be days when life will try to run you over. Problems are a part of life, you will have problems, and some of them will be big. While you don’t want to dwell on what problems could arise, you do want to mentally prepare by accepting that you will run into them. See your problems as a challenge. It’s simple, either your problems steam-roll you, or you steam-roll your problems. Your problems either stop you, or you stop them. In life, you’re either the windshield or the bug, and you decide which you will be. If you do get knocked down, get up as soon as possible. Studies have shown that the amount of time someone stays down after a personal crisis relates directly to how happy and financially successful someone is, the shorter the time, the more happy and successful the person is.

Have a support system in place.

You have to have people that you can talk to both in good times and in bad. While you don’t want to “dump” negatives on people, it’s good to have a friend or two who are positive and up-beat and will first listen to you and then help you turn around a tough day. Also, “people” are really what life and happiness are all about. You want to have some good, solid relationships and have a decent social life outside of work. We must have balance in life with work, play, health, etc., in order to feel good and be truly happy.

From a professional standpoint, it’s good to be a member of a mastermind group, have a mentor or two, and ultimately have someone who will hold accountable for your goals and dreams.

Have a powerful WHY.

It’s simple, if you know where you are headed in life for yourself and for your friends and family, and you have powerful reasons WHY you must get there, you’ll get there, nothing will stop you. If you don’t know why you do what you do, you just roll out of bed in the morning and go through the motions all day, you won’t be motivated. If you need a powerful WHY, decide what you really want out of life. What do you want your life to ultimately look like? What do you want for your family and your kids? What do you want to be able to do? Motivation is different for everyone, work hard at determining YOUR personal motivation, finding your highest levels of motivation will pay huge benefits. With a powerful enough WHY, you will endure through anything.

Take 100% responsibility for everything in your life.

Take 100% responsibility for your health: what goes in your mouth, how much exercise you get, for relationships: 95% of the people you run into during the day will be a reflection of you, if you don’t like someone’s response or reaction to you, change your response or reaction to them, 95% will change. 100% responsibility for your business: how many calls you make, how many leads you get, how many sales you make. To be truly successful and to keep moving forward no matter what, you must take 100% responsibility for everything in your life because where you ultimately end up with have nothing to do with the economy, the job market, who’s president, or anything else, it will come down to: Did you show up every day and do what needed to be done regardless of what was going on in your life? If you would like access to John's free white paper on what it takes to be successful in sales along with a monthly newsletter, you can visit John's website at http://www.completeselling.com For permission to reprint, or to reach John, email him at johnchapin@completeselling.com.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Page 23

THANK YOU

2012 independent insurance agents of new mexico

Partners Program

by Chris Burand

Outside Looking In I found myself arguing an extremely silly point with an agency owner at a conference. Everyone but the agent saw the silliness of his argument. I explained the point every way imaginable, to no avail. I could see from the looks on others’ faces, they were tiring of him not getting the point either. If he had been one of the audience members watching someone else argue, he probably would have seen the errors in his thinking, too. But, sometimes you just have to be outside looking in to see a point. As a consultant, I very often find myself facing this type of situation. The four points below are the most common positions held by agency owners that create immovable and serious roadblocks to their agencies’ success. If any of these sound familiar to you, take a step outside of the situation and look back in. You might see your position in a different light.

1. We must write small accounts because you never know which one will turn into a large account. This commonly expressed position presumes an inability to identify clients with great potential versus those with no potential. This means agencies believing in this philosophy should write absolutely as many small accounts as possible.

An average agency abiding by this philosophy has at least 1,000 small accounts and maybe one, over 10 years has grown big. But let’s say there are two accounts that grow big. So out of 10,000 renewals, two get big. Can the agency write enough large accounts to cover the 1,000+ small accounts that soak up huge amounts of time, effort and expense? If so, this may be a great strategy. If not, it is time to rethink the agency’s strategy.

2. We do not use coverage checklists because we might

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Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

leave something off. The belief here is that if you don’t have a list, you can’t be held accountable for leaving coverages off. This might seem logical in theory, but the reality is that the use of checklists is viewed by most courts as the industry standard in New Mexico. If you are not using them for both personal & commercial accounts, then you will be hard-pressed to explain ‘why not’ in court.

Yes, checklists can be time consuming and sometimes difficult to convince a client to help complete, but they are also a valuable tool. Take the time to be a professional, not an order taker.

3. We do not need to hold our producers accountable. The reasons given for not holding producers accountable are numerous and include that accountability might make them angry. What is the price of an angry producer? In some cases, say $500,000 commission producers, not making them angry might be a good strategy. But is the price reasonable for not making $100,000 producers angry? An incompetent producer may leave the agency or become a good producer through accountability. Either way, the agency may find itself way ahead by enforcing accountability.

Other common reasons given are that they are nice guys and that they have never been held accountable so it is unfair to do so now. That is fair enough. But to be really fair, if the producers are not held accountable, why hold anyone accountable? Why hold the customer service representatives (CSRs) accountable? Why hold new producers accountable?

Another reason given is that by holding them accountable, the ultimate outcome is that they would be fired and the emotional trauma of firing a producer is too much. That makes sense. Of course, if you are not going to fire a producer, how can you fire a CSR? Is their trauma any less? Then there are the producers that should hold themselves accountable negating the need for management to do so. How well is that working in your agency?

4. All agencies have the same value as a multiple of sales or EBITDA. I am often asked, “How much are agencies worth today?” This presumes that all agencies are alike, all agencies are commodities and nothing is special about any agency. Is this correct? Is there nothing special about your agency?

Let’s assume some common multiple applied to all agencies. If one agency is losing 10 percent of its commissions annually and another agency is growing by 10 percent, then they should have the same multiple. The same goes for the agency that has a 25 percent profit margin versus the agency that has a -5 percent profit margin. Even the agency that has $1,000,000 of extra cash on its balance sheet versus the agency that has spent $500,000 of trust monies will have the same value.

The question presupposes such material differences do not exist. It’s like someone is asking, “What’s the value of a 2005 Ford F-150?” They expect I can look up the blue book, ask how many miles the agency has on it, the condition of the body, and whether it has any extra features.

Quite often, the agency owners who ask this question have problematic agencies and the reason they ask the question this way is because they do not want their problems taken into consideration in the valuation.

I do not believe any reader likes the logical result of these incredibly common beliefs and practices. I’m not going to argue these ideas are wrong. If you share these beliefs, take a step outside and look back in. Think through the complete concept and if you still believe in it, then go for it 100 percent!

Chris Burand is president of Burand & Associates, LLC, an insurance agency consulting firm. Readers may contact Chris at (719) 485-3868 or by e-mail at chris@burandassociates.com. NOTE: None of the materials in this article should be construed as offering legal advice, and the specific advice of legal counsel is recommended before acting on any matter discussed in this article. Regulated individuals/entities should also ensure that they comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

Page 27

COMMUNITY CORNER Turbett & Schueler Honored with NM Humanitarian Awards IIANM CEO Thom Turbett and Christopher Productions President Chris Schueler are the newest recipients of New Mexico Humanitarian Awards. Chris and Thom were recognized for their work with Safeteen New Mexico. The awards were presented at a gala dinner event at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque on August 16th, which was hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque. Each year the JCC chooses five recipients for their New Mexico Humanitarian Awards. According to the JCC, “ The NMHA is a distinguished recognition program born from the desire to raise awareness of the spirit of humanity and to inspire individuals, organizations, and businesses to pursue humanitarian goals. The awards honor those who have embodied an outstanding spirit of humanity in a local, national, or international capacity.”

After a rain shower, friends gather around the rain pot to see how much rain water has gathered, sometimes holding hands or just facing each other... they talk, laugh & share love and harmony of the way of life. The Friendship Pots that have been given to the honorees have been made by award winning Jemez potter, Judy Toya who has been creating pottery since 1969.

Thom Turbett is a co-founder and the President of the Safeteen organization, and Chris Schueler is the nonprofit’s Executive Director. Since 2001, they have volunteered their time and energy to bring awareness to teen issues throughout New Mexico and the US. Thom does most of the management work, and Chris is the Emmy Award winning producer of its documentaries and high school programs. Since 2001, Safeteen has produced eleven TV documentaries that have been viewed by well over 2 million people. All together, they have garnered three Emmy Awards and two New York Film Festival World Medals. In addition, Safeteen has worked with high schools throughout the state to produce student-led assemblies on various topics of interest to the individual school. To date, 50 such programs have been created and experienced by roughly 125,000 New Mexico teens, educators and parents. Next time you see Thom at an association function, please take the time to thank him for all the extra work he does on behalf of New Mexico teens, independent agents and the greater insurance community. He makes us all proud!

Chris Schuler & Thom Turbett

Page 28

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

IIANM: Making a Difference

As most of you know, Safeteen New Mexico is non-profit organization that was co-founded by IIANM and is housed at the association headquarters in Albuquerque. Each year, as part of IIANM’s community service and public relations outreach efforts, Safeteen helps to create a social media campaign to bring attention to a youth safety issue. The centerpiece is always a TV documentary produced by our Emmy Award winning partner Chris Schueler of Christopher Productions. ‘No Exceptions’ is the title of our 11th documentary. This year’s topic is the epidemic abuse of painkillers, which leads to opioid and heroin addiction. One in ten New Mexico youth use painkillers to get high, and the problem is not unique to teens. New Mexico leads the nation in drug overdose deaths, and our treatment admissions for the abuse of prescription pain medications has climbed 230% in the past ten years, creating a huge burden for our health care and workers compensation systems. ‘No Exceptions’ was premiered at a private showing at the Wool Warehouse in Albuquerque last month. An overflow crowd of 425 included Governor Susana Martinez, NM Attorney General Gary King, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, and many other dignitaries. A week later, our media partner, KOB TV-4, aired the program statewide in an hour-long primetime television slot. Going forward, 750 copies of the documentary will be distributed throughout New Mexico by Safeteen and our project partners. Recipients will include every school district and PTA in the state. Frankly, we are stunned by the media buzz surrounding our project this year. Not only was it watched by a huge TV audience, but the lead-up to the show generated 6 articles, 2 editorials, an entire op-ed section, and a Trevor cartoon in various editions of the Albuquerque Journal. Thanks to Governor Martinez’ involvement, legislation was passed this year to update the 1999 Pain Relief Act. The amendments, among other things, require new standards and procedures to be followed by all health care practitioners in New Mexico, and should reduce the numbers of opiates that are being prescribed here.

These changes could also have a positive impact on our workers compensation system. The cost of pain management drugs and opioid abuse has been identified by our Workers Compensation Administration to be a major cost driver to our system. In 1990, drugs were 2% of total medical costs and today they account for almost 20%. We are in the process of setting up a task force with the WCA to identify ways we can leverage the recent media attention and begin to reduce these numbers. Part of that plan will be to distribute a shorter informational DVD targeted to employers, which was partially funded by New Mexico Mutual and features their VP of Business Relations, Susan Wilson. We are very excited about the ‘No Exceptions’ project and hope our members will be, too. Free copies of the documentary are available to members, and can be used in your communities for such things as service club or school presentations, or to create local community meetings to discuss the topic. (Or any other documentary topic we have covered over the years…go to www.safeteen.net for a list). If you are interested in such a project, please contact Thom Turbett at the association office.

right Governor Susana Martinez

left NM Attorney General Gary King

right Alb Mayor Richard Berry

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * September 2012

page 29

2012 September Clickable Calendar Click on class title to register

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Office Closed 2 3

4 P&C

CE Committee Meeting

L&H

Pre-licensing Class

5 12

Pre-licensing Class

IIANM’s

78 Annual th

Convention 20A 19

Classifieds

23 26

New Mexico’s Job Bank Looking to fill a position within your agency? Trying to find a job but don’t know where to look? Whether you are looking for somewhere new to share your special skills or an employer looking for quality, professional employees, we are here to lend a helping hand. Click here to take advantage of IIANM’s Job Bank. Do you have an agency you’re trying to sell, or in the market to buy one? Check out our Classifieds!

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What to do when you”re asked to give - constantly

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Being asked to chip in on endless office donations can be annoying. Though you probably want to give something to every birthday, baby shower, charitable walk—the list goes on—you may feel overtapped and have to draw the line. So what should you do when the hat gets passed around? If you’re running low on cash, offer to bring something to the party instead (but make sure that whatever you bring doesn’ cost more than the donation would have!). Or you can politely tell the person who’s collecting that you’re going to take care of the matter yourself and won’ be participating in a group donation.

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