December's Issue of La Voz

“La Voz� is the official monthly publication of the

"The Voice" of Independent Agents since 1934

Independent Insurance Agents of NM

a L

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 Vice President Lorri Gaffney Communications Director Rachel Sheffield Insurance Programs Administrator Julie A. Franchini

Features

o VZ

Thank You! To Our 2011 IIANM Company Partners

04

Umbrella Policies May Offer Coverage for Animal Liability

07

New Mexico Mutual - Twenty Years Down the Road

08

Is Comprehensive Coverage "All Risks" or Named Peril?

15

Industry Tidbits

17

Is Private Insurance the Answer to Long-Term Care Costs?

19

The Prescription for Keeping Workman's Comp Costs Down

21

Big "I" Set to Launch Consumer/Agent Portal

23

How Agents Are Leveraging Trusted Choice

24

10 Reasons America Needs Agents

27

In Every Issue Tech Talk

12

Education Edge

28

ABEN - The Next Big Thing in Continuing Education

29

December's Clickable Calendar

30

Odds n Ends

31

Member Services Associate Renee Trujillo

2011-2012 Officers

Advertiser Index Acuity

14

Chair Scott Jones

American Mining Insurance Company

18

Burns & Wilcox

06

Vice-Chair PJ Wolff

FUSA Insurance Agency

16

Market Finders, Inc.

26

Secretary/Treasurer Diana Hobbs

Mountain States Insurance Group

20

National Director Sam Conlee

New Mexico Health Insurance Alliance (NMHIA)

18

New Mexico Mutual

02

Risk Placement Service

22

Immediate Past Chair Kathy Yeager

2011

independent insurance agents of new mexico

Partners Program

Letcher, Golden & Associates

Lessor’s Risk

The Lessor’s Risk insurance your clients need to cover any slip up.

When it comes to Lessor’s Risk coverage, Burns & Wilcox is the top banana. We offer coverage for virtually any tenant occupied building. Plus, our unlimited access to admitted and non-admitted markets means we offer the broadest protection possible. So remember, when it comes to Lessor’s Risk, there’s one company who never slips up – Burns & Wilcox, the largest independent wholesale broker and underwriting manager.

Albuquerque, New Mexico | 505.822.0018 toll free 866.643.8538 | fax 505.822.0092 scottsdale.burnsandwilcox.com • Commercial • Personal • Professional • Brokerage • Binding • Risk Management Services

Umbrella Policies May Offer Coverage for

by David Thompson Animal Liability Animal liability claims typically excluded from homeowners policies.

I

nformation provided by the Insurance Information Institute shows why a significant number of insurers issue homeowners policies with animal liability exclusion endorsements. In fact, the Insurance Services Office (ISO) has rolled out a “canine exclusion” endorsement in the 2011 Homeowners program.

Each year in the United States, there are about 4.7 million injuries from dog bites. Of those, 900,000 bites require medical treatment and 50% of bites happen at the residence where the dog lives. In addition, 33% of all dollars paid out for homeowners policy liability coverage can be attributed to dog bites: $412 million was paid by insurers for dog bites in 2009, and the average dog bite claim was more than $24,000.

Since many homeowners policies do not cover animal liability—or in the case of ISO, canine liability—it begs the question of how personal umbrella and excess liability policies respond for dog bites and other animal liability claims.

It’s important to remember that excess liability policies are known by various names and all respond differently.

Each policy is different and no analysis of a claim can take place without reading the policy. How an excess or umbrella policy responds to an animal liability claim (or any claim for that matter) depends on the type of policy in question.

An umbrella policy—sometimes called a “broad form umbrella”—typically increases the underlying policy limits by $1 million or more. In addition, it provides coverage for some claims that the underlying policies do not cover.

Relating to animal liability claims, therefore, it’s possible that some umbrella policies would respond for an animal liability claim, even if excluded by the homeowners policy.

This is often referred to as a “drop down provision.” In such a circumstance, a “Self Insured Retention” or “Retained Limit” applies, typically $250 to $1,000 on personal umbrella policies. Each umbrella is different so it’s important to read each policy to determine coverage.

A following form policy exactly tracks the underlying policies in all respects. Therefore, if the homeowners policy covered an animal liability claim so, too, would a following form policy. Likewise, if the homeowners policy excluded an animal liability claim, the following form policy would

also exclude the claim. Each following form policy is different so it’s important to read each one to determine coverage.

An excess liability policy typically provides only higher limits of liability above the underlying policies and does not cover claims that are excluded by the underlying policies.

It’s possible, however, that an excess liability policy would exclude a claim that would be covered by an underlying policy.

As it relates to an animal liability claim, an excess policy would typically respond only if the underlying policy also responded. Even if the underlying policy did respond, the excess liability could exclude the claim. Each excess liability policy is different so it’s important to read each one to determine coverage.

If the underlying homeowners policy excludes an animal liability claim, the most likely policy to respond is the umbrella policy. As pointed out earlier, each umbrella is different. Some umbrella policies will cover animal liability claims that are excluded by the homeowners policy (subject to the Self Insured Retention), while others will exclude them.

Agencies looking for a stand-alone animal liability market can look to various sources for the coverage.

So, put a muzzle on Rover, read the policies and hope for the best.

David Thompson is an education instructor for the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. Copyright 2011 by the Florida Association of Insurance Agents.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

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The Big Picture Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

These individuals are called leaders, and the Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico have been blessed with many such individuals throughout our long history as an association.

This is the story of how the leaders of our Association reacted during perhaps the biggest crisis in the history of the New Mexico insurance industry, and how their efforts helped change our state for the better.

Looking Back 20 Years The Story of the Creation of New Mexico Mutual

by Thom Turbett, CEO of IIANM

The Plot Sickens

W

e begin the story in 1987, when it was becoming apparent to almost everyone that our workers compensation system was becoming a critical issue not just for the insurance industry, but for the future economic well being of New Mexico. We were burdened with a system that was widely regarded as having the most generous workers comp benefits in the nation, including almost unlimited medical care and generous disability payments. Insurance carriers were paying out $1.21 for every premium dollar collected, and the assigned risk pool was assessing insurers staggering amounts to make up for its losses.

Despite the creation of the Workers’ Compensation Administration in 1986 to take litigation out of the district courts, a mountain of litigation remained in the system due to a lack of necessary controls, regulations and the subjective nature of the current law. As a result New Mexico had a serious problem and it became clear that the system was broken. Much like our health care system today, costs were escalating exponentially in what Speaker of the House Raymond Sanchez called a ‘death spiral’.

At a time when the rest of the country was enjoying unemployment figures of around 5.5% , New Mexico’s rate was 9.3% in early ’87. Not only were New Mexico businesses struggling to pay the high cost of their mandatory workers compensation coverage, but they were also losing contracts to competitors in other states with much lower WC costs. Closely related was an inability of the state to attract new industry to create jobs for out-of-work New Mexicans.

In short, our workers compensation system was killing our economy.

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On June 30, 1987, something happened to begin a domino effect that would catapult IIANM into action. On that date, NCCI filed a 27.7 percent workers compensation rate increase for NM on top of already burdensome rates. The first thing that happened was an exodus of most of the remaining workers comp carriers from the state. Within a year only four carriers would remain. That development resulted in an interim legislative proposal to create a state workers compensation fund to fill the void. In response to the building crisis, Chris Krahling made a motion at the winter board meeting, which appropriately was held on December 7 (Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day). The motion created a task force that was to: 1. Evaluate the proposed WC rate increase and develop a recommended position on behalf of the Big I concerning the ramifications of the rate filing as well as the proposed state fund.

2. Recommend the component parts of a public relations campaign needed to focus attention on the need for reform of the system.

3. Have association staff develop support material to help advocate for the solutions developed.

Thus began the efforts of the Independent Agents Association to help guide our state through the deepening crisis.

With their insurance and business backgrounds, our leaders were in a unique position to evaluate and understand the complex issues involved and then suggest potential solutions. The following series of bulleted events are documented from the archives of ‘La Voz’. They show not only how the crisis evolved, but more importantly, how commit-

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

ted and central the Big I was to the eventual resolution.

• April, 1988: IIANM, in partnership with the NM Business Journal, hosts the ‘Insurance Crisis Roundtable’ at our newly constructed headquarters building in Albuquerque.

• April, 1988: Bob Bersell, IIANM Chief Executive Officer, is appointed by Governor Gary Carruthers to the ‘Governor’s Insurance and Tort Reform Task Force’, mandated by the 1988 legislative session.

• May, 1988; Fabian Chavez replaces Vincente Jasso as Superintendent of Insurance. Although he supports the formation of a state fund, he appoints an industry advisory committee consisting of Jim Hartman, John Franchini, Chris Krahling, Bob Ferguson, Rich Seeley, and Bill Turbett to make recommendations.

• October, 1988: John Franchini takes over from Jim Hartman as IIANM Chair, and proposes hiring our first professional lobbyist in Santa Fe. Nick Franklin is hired for the 1989 ‘long’ session. Manny Gonzales of Alamogordo is appointed Legislative Committee Chair, and proceeds to set up our fist grassroots communication system, called the “Legislative Loop”.

• January, 1989: At this point, due to the restricted number of carriers writing workers’ compensation, the option of creating a state workers’ compensation fund is beginning to gain traction. Legislation supported by Superintendent Chavez is introduced in the 1989 legislative session to create a state fund for workers’ compensation insurance based on the Arizona model. It’s a difficult and courageous decision, but the Big I decides to oppose the Superintendent’s bill. Despite the lobbying efforts of Nick Franklin and Chris Krahling the bill is passed out of the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9–2. We also lose a bill to reduce benefits, sponsored by Senator Ray Kysar, an independent agent from Farmington.

• February, 1989: Following the results in the House Judiciary Committee, Association leaders knew it was time to ‘circle the wagons’. Testimony was quickly developed against the creation of a state workers compensation fund for presentation in other legislative committees during the session.

Jack Little of Farmington delivered the testimony on behalf of the agents (copy attached) that helps kill the effort to create a state workers compensation fund.

• June, 1989: The three servicing carriers for assigned risk workers comp, USF&G, Mountain States, & Travelers; report a 500% increase in policy count in the past 3 years. Almost 60% of workers comp policies now reside in the Pool.

• October, 1989: Rich Seeley from Ruidoso takes the helm at the IIANM Annual Meeting, and the board commits to raise $75,000 to fund our lobbying and public relations campaign on behalf of proposed IIANM insurance solutions. A letter is drafted and sent to every insurance agency principle in New Mexico. It features a board resolution that each member agency should contribute at least 2% of their annual commission income from workers’ compensation writings to the cause.

• November, 1989: The result is the creation of ‘The New Mexico Citizen’s Committee for Workers’ Comp Reform’, which is run from the association headquarters building.

• December, 1989: NCCI announces a 64% rate increase for the assigned risk pool, which is rejected by Superintendent Chavez.

• April, 1990: IIANM joins with ACI and other business trade associations to hire national workers compensation expert Howard Bunn to help draft workers compensation reform for NM. Edward Lujan, Jamie Koch, and IIANM lobbyist Nick Franklin are chosen to represent IIANM on a joint business committee.

• April, 1990: Association leaders have also met with State Sen. Marty Chavez and Speaker of the House Raymond Sanchez to encourage them to call a special session to fix the workers compensation crisis. They are informed of a proposal championed by Jamie Koch.

Based on legislation passed in Minnesota, it would create a private mutual insurance company based in New Mexico to help replace lost markets.

• May, 1990: A Legislative Task Force is appointed

by Speaker Sanchez and Senate President Manny Aragon. It is comprised of over 40 business and labor leaders. Labor leaders are now on board with the reform effort due to the growing loss of labor jobs re-

continued...

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 9

The Creation of New Mexico Mutual

sulting from New Mexico’s anemic economy. No voting member of the task force is permitted to be from the insurance, legal, or health care professions, except for one: IIANM Legislative Chair Jamie Koch.

However, the story doesn’t end here. Although the enabling legislation from the special session is in place, many things must happen before the company becomes a reality, including the approval for funding. That funding is put into serious jeopardy ten days before New Mexico Mutual is supposed to come into being. On December 20, 1990 Attorney General Hal Stratton declares the legislation to be unconstitutional, primarily because of the anti-donation clause in the state constitution, which states that taxpayer money cannot be used to benefit a private company.

• June, 1990: In anticipation of a Special Legislative Session on Workers Compensation, IIANM Chair Rich Seeley appoints a legislative committee to assist Jamie Koch in evaluating bills and amendments. The committee consists of: Edward Lujan, John Franchini, Chris Krahling, George Shaffer, Chuck Harrington, and Bob Pratte.

• September, 1990: The Workers’ Comp Reform Act passes the special session of the NM Legislature and is signed into law by Governor Carruthers.

The passage of the WC Reform Act was historic, and succeeded in no small part because of the leadership of Speaker of the House Raymond Sanchez along with Senator Marty Chavez, who co-chaired the WC task force with Representative Fred Peralta. It took an unprecedented coalition of business and labor organizations to accomplish, and many of the reforms that passed had their genesis in the Big I’s original reform plan. During this time our legislative endeavors were definitely a Big I group effort. Many association members, including some not mentioned here, put in copious hours for the cause. We also had a great deal of help from our insurance company partners. For example, Gary Kilpatric, the lobbyist for the American Insurance Association (AIA) was instrumental in getting the carriers on board with the reforms being pushed by IIANM. That said, it must be noted that many of the reforms and language supported by IIANM were included in the bill that eventually passed because of the tenacity and lobbying acumen of one man: our Legislative Chair and point man, Jamie Koch. Many people who know Jamie well would describe him as a force of nature. His abundant energy, intelligence and keen instincts serve him well in business and in politics. In a recent interview with Heather Gray of the Albuquerque Journal, Jamie described part of his personal philosophy that he shares with former President Harry Truman: “Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don’t ever apologize for anything”.

That classic Truman quote gives great insight into how the most controversial piece of the reform legislation came to be, despite the reservations of many people Jamie refers to as ‘the naysayers’ (which included many insurance professionals at the time). That legislation was The NM Employers Mutual Act, and it was Jamie’s brain child. For all his efforts, Jamie was unanimously selected as IIANM’s “Agent of the Year” in 1991.

Page 10

Jamie Koch and the IIANM leadership, now Chaired by Chris Krahling, go to work resolving the new dilemma. It is solved by convincing legislators and the new Governor, Bruce King, that a majority of gubernatorial appointments to the Board of Directors of the new mutual company would give the state sufficient control. An amendment to the Mutual Company Act is quickly passed in the early days of the 1991 session, including a provision that the Governor’s control of the board would not cease with the re-payment of the state loans.

On March 20, 1991, New Mexico Mutual is incorporated.

Now that the Attorney General’s concerns had been alleviated and the legislature had given its final approval, one final hurdle remained: The New Mexico State Investment Council and the Board of Finance had to approve the association’s for-profit entity, IASC, as the marketing arm and General Agent for the new company, and they also had to approve the issuance of $10,000,000 in bonds for the startup costs.

This is where the Big I leadership effort really kicked into high gear. Essentially, the New Mexico association had to convince the state investment boards that sales by member insurance agencies would be sufficient to pay back the loan of state money in a reasonable period of time. To accomplish that, association staff surveyed every independent insurance agency in the state asking for a list of every workers compensation accounts that could be placed with the new company. A list was prepared detailing the number of accounts and premium volume that would be produced in the first year, including monthly totals each member agency would produce. A sum of 5,109 accounts totaling $6,761,381 in premium volume were committed.

In addition, a General Agency Agreement and individual agency contracts were drafted that held agencies accountable with volume and persistency clauses. These documents were all combined in a Business Plan, which was finished in July, 1991. Authored by John Herder, a well known actuary hired by IIANM, it also contained projected

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

start-up costs & loss ratios, suggested rates & underwriting guidelines, and almost everything else the new mutual company would need to quickly begin operations and succeed. Looking back at the 1991 plan and comparing its 15 year projections with what actually happened, it is uncanny how accurate those projections were.

Fortunately for all concerned, with that business plan in hand, Jamie Koch and Chris Krahling, were able to convince the Investment Council and the state Board of Finance to approve the bonds, and New Mexico Mutual was born. In reality, it was a no-brainer because the Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico essentially guaranteed the repayment of the loans. Because of the incredible success of the company, the loan was paid in full five years before they were actually due. The most controversial part of workers compensation reform had now become one of the best investments the state had ever made!

Today, the 1990 workers compensation reform legislation is still considered one of the greatest legislative success stories in the history of New Mexico. It became a model for other states to emulate, and New Mexicans have enjoyed greatly reduced rates and a much improved economic climate ever since.

No small part in that was played by the men and women of IIANM, and we are all extremely proud of our lasting legacy: a competitive and stable workers compensation market with over 200 competing carriers, including a terrific domestic insurance company called New Mexico Mutual that employs over 100 talented New Mexicans.

Mutual Milestones • July, 1991: Warren Smalley is hired as the first CEO of New Mexico Mutual • January, 1992: The Mutual begins operations and the first policy is placed by the Insurance Center of Roswell for a local drugstore.

• February, 1992: In the first month of operations, The Independent Agents Services Corp (IASC) processes $2 .5 million in premium volume from WC applications.

• May, 1993: Daniels Insurance becomes the 1st million dollar agency for NMMCC. • August, 1994: Southwest Casualty is launched as the second tier company.

• October, 1994: The Talbot agency becomes the 1st two million dollar agency.

•

November, 1994: The 10,000th policy is written.

• December, 1994: Agents place over $30 million in premium volume with NMM during 1994, and the company ends the year with assets of $60 million, double the previous year.

• May, 1995: The First Annual IIANM/NMM Scholarship Golf Tournament is held • February, 2000: Ground is broken on the new corporate office building.

• April, 2001: WC rates are now 31% of what they were when NMM began operations.

• September, 2003: Chris Krahling becomes the 2nd CEO of the Mutual.

• October, 2007: Named the 2nd Best Place to Work in New Mexico by the NM Business Weekly.

• February, 2008: Named the 14th Best Place to work in the United States.

• March, 2008: Won Samaritan Counseling Center’s Ethics in Business Award.

• April, 2008: Norm Becker becomes the 3rd CEO of New Mexico Mutual.

Three Tools for Maximizing Your Agency’s Facebook Reach

By Kevin Ament

How does your agency extend its reach on Facebook beyond current fans? This article explains step by step how you can use the Tagging, Questioning and Contests tools to create new potential business and individual prospects on Facebook.

W

hen working with agents in a recent Progressive social media workshop, several participants asked how they could get their Facebook posts to new audiences. Fortunately, Facebook offers a few easy tools for expanding your reach beyond current fans, enabling you to tap into their networks of hundreds, even thousands of prospects.

Here’s how: Tool One: Tagging What is it?

Tagging creates a connection between your agency’s Facebook page and the Facebook page of another local business you reference in your status update. There are two benefits of tagging rather than simply typing the business’s name in your status update. First, when you tag, not only does your status update appear in your News Feed and on your wall, but it also posts directly to the wall of your subject’s Facebook page, making it visible to anyone who visits your subject’s Facebook page. Secondly, the tag creates a link between your page and theirs; your fans can click the tag within your update to visit your subject’s page, and your subject’s fans can click the wall post to visit your page for more information.

How do you do it?

Before you can tag, you must use your agency page to “like” the subject’s business page. Once you’ve liked their page, you can now tag them in a status update. When referring to your subject, type the “@” symbol and their Facebook page name. You’ll see a drop-down menu of potential subjects you can tag. Once you post your update, it will appear on your wall and theirs, and the subject will receive a notification.

Page 12

Example You recently joined the Townsville Chamber of Commerce, and at your first monthly meeting, you meet several small business owners in your area. Searching on Facebook, you find business pages for both the Townsville Chamber of Commerce and fellow Chamber member Bill’s Bikes, a popular motorcycle dealership. Both pages have 500 fans.

After using your agency page to “like” the pages for the Chamber and Bill’s Bikes, you type the following status update: Great meeting today at the @Townsville Chamber of Commerce. Met Bill Miller from @Bill’s Bikes. Planning to stop by this weekend to see what’s on the showroom floor and drop off a few business cards for his customers.

By tagging their Facebook pages, 1,000 additional fans (primarily small business owners and motorcycle owners) have the opportunity to see your update. The Chamber and Bill’s Bikes benefit from your call-out, and fans of the Chamber and Bill’s Bikes can click the update to visit your page and learn more about commercial auto and motorcycle insurance from your agency.

Tool Two: Questioning What is it?

Using the Question tool (rather than simply asking a question in a status update) enables your question to spread to the individual walls and News Feeds of anyone who answers. As your question moves through your fans’ social networks and beyond, many more users have the opportunity to answer your question and learn more about your agency.

How do you do it?

On your agency’s Facebook page, click the “Question” tab, then type the question you’d like to pose to your fans.

Check “Add poll options” to create a list of potential answers, and check "Allow anyone to add options" to enable participants to add to your poll. Doing so creates more opportunity for engagement and can help circulate your agency name far beyond your original fan base as others add options to your list.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Example Your agency participates in a number of charity events in your town, including several 5K walks. This year, three of the walks fall on the same Saturday, and your agency can attend only one. You’re having trouble choosing, so you ask your Facebook fans to vote on their favorite cause by posting the following Question: XYZ Agency will be sponsoring one of the 5K walks below. Help us decide which one by voting for your favorite.

[Option 1] Townsville Walk for Wishes [Option 2] Walk for the Cure in downtown Townsville [Option 3] Walk for Hunger supporting the Townsville Food Bank As your fans vote, the poll posts to their individual News Feeds, bringing your philanthropic message to their friends and family. The poll not only gives you a free way to promote your agency beyond your fan base, but aligns your agency with a popular cause or local business.

If these events (or the groups organizing them) have Facebook pages, you can “tag” these pages in the list of options you post, building additional awareness for your agency.

Tool Three: Contests What is it?

Using a third party vendor, Facebook allows you to host contests on your agency’s page. You can choose from several different types, including photo, video, sweepstakes, trivia and more. These contests can be used to build Facebook fans, generate customer engagement, and leverage your fans’ networks to generate prospects and build broader awareness of your agency.

How do you do it?

Select a third party vendor (Progressive uses Wildfire) that offers turnkey Facebook contests. There are a number of affordable options, some charging just $5 per campaign with an additional $1 a day while the contest is live. Create your contest online, using the vendor’s web interface. You’ll need to provide details on timing, official rules, the winner selection process, and information you want to collect from your participants. Once you’ve built your contest, you can publish it to your agency’s page and website, and you can promote it to your customers through email, Facebook, or any other medium, using the unique contest URL. As your fans participate in the contest, they can post their submission to their own Facebook pages and invite their friends to vote on an entry, build-

ing engagement and awareness. Vendors offer detailed measurement and data export functionality, so you can easily capture leads while monitoring traffic, submissions, engagement (comments and votes), and the effectiveness of your promotional communication.

Example Say you want to promote a pet related coverage to pet lovers in your community. You hope to leverage your customers’ social networks to reach their friends and family, so you host a Pet Photo Contest on Facebook to spread the word. Customers can submit their pet pictures online in two categories—pet/owner look-alike and cutest pet—then vote on their favorites. After setting up the contest, you email the link to your customers, asking them to upload pictures of their pets and encourage their friends and family to vote for their submission. Customers invite their friends and family to vote on the contest site, which includes information about pet related coverage and contact information for your agency. The contest engages customers who are passionate about their pets, and as they ask their friends and family members to vote, helps build awareness of your agency and collect valuable leads you can target with future marketing.

These three tools, when used strategically and creatively, extend your reach on Facebook, engage existing fans and build connections with other businesses in your community. Be sure to incorporate these tools into your Facebook strategy and learn how to use all the resources available to get the greatest return from your social media investment.

Note: See the “Websites & Social Media” page on the ACT website (www. iiaba.net/act )for additional articles and recorded webinars to assist your agency with your digital marketing strategies and implementation.

Kevin Ament, Marketing Communications Manager at Progressive Insurance, can be reached at John_K_Ament@Progressive.com . Kevin produced this article for ACT (www.iiaba. net/act ). It reflects his views and should not be construed as an official statement

by ACT.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 13

TRUST.

For All That Matters

VU Fa

culty

Is comprehensive coverage “All Risk” or Named Perils?

Faculty Response The adjuster needs some training. The 10 perils listed are just clarifying that they are considered other than "collision" and not "collision." Other than "collision" (aka comprehensive) covers any direct and accidental damage not specifically excluded. When you have OTC and "collision" you essentially have "open peril" coverage. I hope the adjuster will reconsider the declination. It certainly should be covered.

"Our client sustained damage from a squirrel chewing on wires under the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle has Other Than Collision coverage. I informed the insured the damage was covered. The claims adjuster has declined coverage because the damage was Faculty Response Sounds to me like "contact" with an animal. not directly from one of the ten perils listed: "Policy reads: Loss caused by the following is considered Faculty Response The adjuster is doubly mistaken on this one. The cause Other Than Collision.” doesn’t have to be on the list of ten perils, though in this 1. Missiles or falling objects case it actually is on the list.

2. Fire First, the policy says that the list of 10 perils will be con3. Malicious mischief or vandalism sidered “other than collision.” It doesn’t say that only the 4. Riot or civil commotion list of 10 perils will be considered “other than collision.” In 5. Theft or larceny looking at where coverage starts, the physical damage 6. Explosion or earthquake insuring agreement, the policy states that it will pay for 7. Windstorm all “direct and accidental” loss. Loss is later split into two 8. Hail, water or flood categories, collision and “other than collision.” It stands 9. Contact with bird or animal; or to reason that if something isn’t a collision, it must then 10. Breakage of glass. be “other than collision.” There’s no exclusion for animal "I always understood Other Than Collision is comprehendamage or vermin either. sive 'all risk' coverage and damage sustained is covered But, in this case the damage was caused by a rodent. A unless it is specifically excluded. I believe the perils listed rodent is an animal. The damage was caused by contact are for clarification purposes only to distinguish between with the animal's teeth. So the peril of “contact with an…

Other Than Collision and collision claims. Please give me animal” would clearly apply. Companies pay these claims your opinion." all of the time.

As one of our faculty members points out below, I Faculty Response think the clear historical intent of OTC coverage is The adjuster is right, you are wrong. OTC is named peril. to respond on an "all risk" basis. Every reference Comprehensive is all risk. That's why you can offer either manual and insurance textbook on the subject that one, and why OTC is cheaper than comprehensive.

I've seen concurs with that opinion. However, at least one Faculty Response state supreme court has ruled that the coverage is on a Every seminar I've attended and every textbook I've read named perils basis. on the subject says that Other Than Collision coverage is Faculty Response provided on an "all-risk" basis. The same is true in referSend the adjuster back to school. All direct physical damence manuals from IRMI and FC&S. From what I can tell, age is covered unless excluded. Tell them to pay the claim. a majority of courts have held likewise. However, in the Faculty Response 1998 case of Colin Mack, et al. v. Acadia Insurance Co., In this case, it doesn't matter...the last I heard, a squirrel 709 A.2d 1187, the Maine Supreme Court ruled that OTC is an animal and if it chewed through the wires. Isn't that was synonymous with named perils. So, in Maine, that's "contact" with an animal, peril number 9? Nothing says apparently the law of the land under the current policy the animal can't initiate the contact, as opposed to the wording, but I think the historical intent of "all-risk" covervehicle. age is obvious.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 15

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Industry Gained 2,500 Jobs In October

By Sean P. Carr Source: A.M. Best Company, Inc.

IIABA’s Bob Rusbuldt Named Among Top 50 Association Lobbyists in DC Bob Rusbuldt has been named one of the top 50 trade association lobbyists in Washington, DC, by the respected political newspaper, The Hill. Bob and the IIABA government affairs staff have been recognized repeatedly for a number of years as one of the top lobbying operations on Capitol Hill, and Bob has also been recognized as one of the top association CEOs. Some of the others recognized on this year’s Hill list with Bob include the CEOs of the American Bankers Association, NFIB, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Motion Picture Association, Business Roundtable and National Association of Homebuilders. The Big “I” was the only producer group on the list.

Rusbuldt noted that this honor truly recognizes the outstanding work and dedication of the entire Big “I” Government Affairs team. Rusbuldt said, “Charles Symington and our Big ‘I’ team are second to none in Washington.

We believe in our members and the independent agency system, and that motivates us to excel on the Hill.”

The article noted, “Bob Rusbuldt, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. Rusbuldt and ‘Big I’ members flooded the Capitol in the spring to discuss their priorities, including making sure health care reform regulations don’t hammer their commissions.”

NCOIL: Action Taken On Market Conduct

by Brian B Cohen Source: A.M. Best Company, Inc. Members of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators wrapped up their annual meeting in Santa Fe after reauthorizing model laws pertaining to market conduct and flex rating. But lawmakers held off on making a decision on model laws dealing with state catastrophe fund reinsurance and certificates, opting to table those issues until the spring meeting after receiving industry feedback.

View this video at: http://bcove.me/9bv1adt7 View all news videos: http://www.ambest.com/video

The U.S. insurance industry gained 2,500 jobs in October, on top of a smaller-than-previously reported drop in September, according to the latest employment report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-to-year basis, industry employment, still standing at approximately 2.2 million jobs, is down 0.8% since October 2010.

The BLS previously reported a decline of 2,800 jobs in September (Best's News Service, Oct. 7, 2011). The new report revised that figure to 1,700 losses.

Nationally, the number of jobs climbed by 80,000 as unemployment slipped a notch to 9.0%. Payroll employment has increased an average of 125,000 jobs per month over the past 12 months. Private-sector employment grew, with continued modest gains in business and professional services and health care. Government employment continued to decline, with most of the October drop from non-educational positions in state government. .

Total insurance industry payrolls are reported each month on a seasonally adjusted basis, along with the current month's nonfarm payrolls. Separately, data by industry segment -- broken out by various insurance carrier and noncarrier categories -- are available only on an unadjusted basis for the prior month.

Agents and brokers (+0.8% to 638,300) were the only sector to see year-to-year job growth, based on newly released September 2011 data. All other areas of insurance saw declining employment: life (-0.7% to 373,500), health (-1.9% to 417,400), property/casualty (-2.4% to 452,900), reinsurance (-1.1% to 27,500), claims adjusting (-2.1% to 47,400) and third-party administration of claims (-1.2% to 128,200).

Title insurers saw a double-digit decline in weekly wages (-13.9% to $814.84) on a year-to-year basis, while reinsurers almost doubled that percentage on the upside (+26.3% to $1,127.78). All other sectors saw gains in weekly pay: life (+1.3% to $1,039.58), health (+6.9% to $1,037.62), property/casualty (+6.5% to $1,096.52), agents/brokers (+2.3% to $809.41), claims adjusting (+6.6% to $977.03) and third-party administration of claims (+4.5% to $813.28).

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 17

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Is Private Insurance the Answer to Long-Term Care Costs?

T

by Dave Evans here have been two recent developments that independent insurance agents may want to consider, including what they portend for the future. Last month Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Reduction of Medicaid benefits, end of announced an end to efforts to implement the CLASS Act, a recent government-run voluntary long-term care CLASS Act prompts look at ways to pay insurance program authorized as part of the health care for long-term care. overhaul law. Meanwhile, an increasing number of states are reducing coverage for Medicaid recipients.

The CLASS Act was deemed unworkable under the parameters spelled out in the law, mostly due to an amendment added by former Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) stipulating that the new entitlement program must be actuarially sound over the course of 75 years.

The program was designed to pay out a minimum benefit of $50 per day and be paid for only by premiums, with no taxpayer funding. However, its design made that impossible because actuarial studies indicated an overwhelming majority of Americans would opt out of the program, resulting in an adverse selection of program participants.

Simply put, the less-healthy population would participate, and the healthier population would opt out.

The second development that has caught the public’s attention is that more states are reducing coverage for Medicaid patients.

Arizona announced plans last year to limit adult Medicaid recipients to 25 days of hospital coverage a year. Already, it received national attention last year for stopping coverage of certain transplants for several months.

In addition, Hawaii announced that, beginning in April 2012, it will reduce hospital coverage to 10 days a year for adult Medicaid patients, exempting pregnant women, those undergoing cancer treatment and those who are elderly, blind and disabled.

States cannot act in a vacuum because Medicaid is jointly funded by state and federal governments. But federal approval is expected as a number of states already restrict hospital coverage, including Alabama (16 days), Arkansas (24 days), Florida (45 days) and Mississippi (30 days). Also, Massachusetts last year started a 20-day per-stay limit.

States are taking these actions due to the economic downturn and the loss of funding in the form of billions of federal stimulus dollars, which ended this summer.

In addition to reducing hospital stays, states are also taking these steps: • California plans to eliminate adult day care coverage and limit Medicaid patients to seven doctor visits per year, beginning in November.

• North Carolina this month ended vision coverage for adults on Medicaid.

• Connecticut in July cut the number of dental exams covered for adults on Medicaid from twice annually to once a year.

• Pennsylvania began requiring adult Medicaid patients to receive state permission for crowns and certain other dental procedures.

In reviewing both developments in tandem, the public option for long-term care (LTC) insurance is no longer a viable option.

Currently, there are essentially two avenues for people who incur LTC costs: self-insurance and Medicaid. In order to be eligible to have Medicaid pay for LTC expenses, an applicant must meet the program’s financial guidelines, which means people who have meaningful assets will have to pay substantially for their own LTC expenses until they qualify for Medicaid.

For many years there was a cottage industry of “Medicaid planning,” whereby people transferred assets to family members and hoped they would not need Medicaid assistance until they had satisfied the “look back” period.

Regardless of past and current rules, the number of changes made by a growing number of states foreshadows future cuts to Medicaid. Such cuts would likely make it even more difficult in the future to have Medicaid as a backstop—and perhaps the ability to transfer assets to loved ones.

Given the cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid— estimated to represent more than 50% of the federal budget by 2020—independent agents may want to consider advising clients that LTC expenses are a significant peril.

Studies indicate that two out of five Americans will incur significant LTC expenses for a period of six months or longer, and the government safety net is continuing to fray. Agents may want to consider having this conversation with clients, and also discuss how LTC insurance and the new generation of combination policies would allow an LTC rider under life and annuity policies to pay for LTC expenses.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 19

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Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

by Kevin Ring

I

n many states, including New Mexico, employers can make the initial choice of doctors for their injured workers. Yet some employers defer the choice to employees.

Why is that a problem? First, employees are most likely to choose either an emergency room or their family doctor.

Emergency rooms are busy places and their primary task is to make sure people are not in imminent danger. Since the job of the ER doctors is to treat the patient, they don’t have time for detailed conversations with injured employees about their work duties and how they might be modified so they can get back to the job. More often than not, an injured employee will wind up spending much more time out of work than they should.

The only time an injured employee should go to the emergency room is when there is a 911 emergency or when there are no other treatment options (such as a third shift employee). Even when someone gets hurt on third shift, the initial doctor’s visit can be postponed for a few hours until a preferred doctor is available.

The family physician presents other issues. They think of the employee as their client and, most commonly, they will grant their requests. If the employee asks for a week off, the doctor will approve it. Why not? It keeps the client happy. Also, family physician offices are set up to deal with the small number of health insurance companies that operate in their state. The staff knows exactly how to deal with them. It’s cumbersome for them to figure out how to file the proper paperwork for a Workers’ Compensation insurance company with which they have no experience.

Most family physicians have no experience with occupational medicine. On the other hand, occupational physicians understand health in the workplace and the importance of getting employees back to work. You can find doctors who are members of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine by clicking here.

Don’t have a certified occupational physician in your area? You can still make this work. The key to choosing the right doctor, certified in occupational medicine or not, is communication. While it’s not possible to train a doctor to be an expert in occupational medicine, you can show them enough about how Workers’ Comp works to get bet-

ter outcomes for injured employees.

First, does the doctor know that you are willing to accept the employee back for modified/alternate duty? If doctors aren’t confident that their restrictions will be followed, they will almost always just tell the employee to stay out of work. Once they know that the employer will accept injured employees back, then you can communicate with them about what information you need about the injured employee. The work restrictions, timeline for return to full duty work and so forth. These bits of information can help employers make the best decisions possible about returning the injured employee to the job.

In states where the employer doesn’t have first choice of a physician, it can be more difficult. With few exceptions, even when employers can’t choose a doctor, they can still recommend one. Telling an employee, “Dr. Doe has treated many of our employees and does a great job” is often enough to convince an employee to seek that physician for initial treatment.

A recent NCCI report highlights the continuing growth of prescription drug costs in Workers’ Comp claims. Physicians who understand how to treat injured workers are more effective in getting those employees back to work and healthy. This shortens the duration of an employee’s injury and leaves less opportunity to have “long tail” Workers’ Compensation claims where prescription drugs take up much of the total cost.

Find out if physicians dispense prescriptions through their practice. The NCCI report highlights the growing share of prescriptions that are being dispensed directly at the practice, and often at a higher cost.

Kevin Ring is the Lead Workers’ Compensation Analyst for the Institute of WorkComp Professionals, the Asheville, NC-based organization that trains insurance agents to help employers reduce Workers’ Compensation expenses. A licensed insurance agent, he leads workshops, analyzes Workers’ Comp programs and is the co-developer of CompImpacta Workers’ Comp software suite that helps insurance professionals in working with employers. He can be contacted at 828-274-0959 or kevin@ iwcpro.com.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 21

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Independent Insurance Agents of New Scottsdale, Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011 AZ 85260-3671

Big “I” Set to Launch

Consumer / Agent Portal Where do you turn for information today? If you’re like most people, you check the Internet before doing any serious shopping. Statistics show that three-fourths of people who are in the market for auto insurance begin that search online. You may be just down the street, but in today’s electronic age, your prospects can’t find you if you don’t have a active, information-packed website.

Here’s the good news. The same statistics show that the majority of people who seek an auto quote online end up buying from a local agent. This fact is confirmed

by GEICO’s efforts to create a local agency presence.

Despite the industry’s attempt to commoditize auto insurance, most people value expert advice when making this complex and expensive decision. Imagine how powerful an agency could be in the Personal Lines market with a high profile Internet presence and local, established service.

Consumer Agent Portal The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, with the help of each state association, is building a new web presence for independent agents: Consumer Agent Portal (CAP). The CAP project, which is funded in part by insurance companies, will provide a single online portal for comparative quotes from all participating independent agents and their insurance companies. In addition, the site will provide IIABA members with the latest in digital marketing training, tools, widgets, phone apps and website content. Best of all, by leveraging the 22,000 IIABA member sites, the portal can optimize search engine ranking without spending millions of dollars on advertising. Consistent message and strength in numbers will build the traffic needed to compete with direct writers.

What’s at stake?

There is much work to be done before the first roll-out of what web portal next summer (in the second quarter of 2012). Over the coming months you will have access to numerous training options and communications to prepare your agency and your personnel for participation in this new venture. CAP is not a link you can just drop on your website. It will require, for most agents, a change in the way Personal Lines is marketed in the agency and the use of new, unfamiliar tools. But the stakes are high. In New Mexico, independent agents write only 24.58 percent of the Personal Lines Market. Some people remember when independents wrote more than half the market. Most business today is being lost to direct writers, not captive agents. If independent agencies are to grow, or even maintain, market share, we must move rapidly onto the digital playing field as a unified force. Just 1 percent of the personal auto insurance market in New Mexico is equal to $14 million in commissions.

So, while the press will concentrate on the bad news, there are emerging opportunities for independent agencies.

Granted, we need a more robust economy where businesses are being started and growing, people are buying new homes and cars and we are producing new products and services again.

But until that growth happens, independent agencies can survive—and thrive. The opportunities will require more work, diligence, new ways of thinking and doing business and new education. What is your agency doing today to meet the challenge?

Watch for more updates soon on this exciting project.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 23

How Agents Are Leveraging

Trusted Choice

®

A

What’s the key aspect to building a brand over the long term?

dvertising, you might say? Well, that is an important brand “touch-point.” But in any serious brand-building campaign, which takes place over multiple years—even decades—how the customer actually interacts with the product or service is most important. In insurance, these brand touch-points involve your staff working with customers and prospects.

Advertising messages can set the stage for those interactions, but how your staff serves customers and prospects is the true test of your brand. That’s why Trusted Choice® has put in place a dynamic branding program allowing for flexibility at the local level. How is this achieved? Remember that Trusted Choice® does not replace your agency’s brand—it adds value to your agency’s brand. Thus, if you already have a solid agency brand, you can position Trusted Choice® as adding further value to the services you already offer. (By way of example, think of “Intel Inside” or the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.”)

Here are some impactful ways agents and brokers are leveraging Trusted Choice®: Pledge of Performance Trusted Choice® provides a road map for agents to offer a consistently positive customer experience— it’s called the Pledge of Performance.

The 10-point Pledge responds to consumer demands for professionalism, choice, customization, 24/7 service and advocacy. In thinking of how to best serve your customers, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel! With language from the Pledge, participating agents are writing open letters to clients, highlighting the benefits for customers of using their Trusted Choice® agency. Agent and broker websites proudly highlight an overview of the Pledge, with the full Pledge just a click away.

Here are some other ways agents are using the Pledge of Performance: • Running ads in their local paper stating the Pledge.

• Having the Pledge made into a framed wall hanging in the reception area—and in every office or cubicle— as a visual reminder for employees and customers of the firm’s commitment.

• Discussing a different bullet from the Pledge during weekly or monthly staff meetings so employees will be fully invested in these performance criteria.

• Using the Pledge as the basis for customer survey questionnaires.

Page 24

• Mailing the Pledge to customers with a letter from the agency owner.

• Incorporating language from the Pledge in their telephone on-hold message.

Are you and your staff embracing the Pledge and living up to its promises? Are you maximizing the Pledge’s power as a marketing tool?

Logo, Marketing Materials and Stationery Thousands of participating agents and brokers are proudly displaying the Trusted Choice® brand name and logo.

(Remember that the logo has been tested, and consumers respond positively to it.) Agents have reprinted their marketing materials and stationery around the Trusted Choice® logo guidelines. Examples include: • Complete proposal kit (sales presentations, proposals and materials) Please note: Every Trusted Choice® agency must adhere to the logo usage rules. Random variations in colors, fonts, logo designs and messaging are not permitted for legal reasons and for consistency in presentation to consumers, just as is the case with any national brand. Visit the Logos/ Pledge tab at www.TrustedChoice.com/agents to download the logo and logo rules. The resource guide on the adjacent page can also help clarify which logo your agency should use.

Trusted Choice® Website Besides refreshing their own websites with the Trusted Choice® logo and other materials, agents and brokers also are tying into the Trusted Choice® website (www.TrustedChoice.com), which links consumers with local participating members and provides helpful information on a number of personal and business insurance topics.

The Trusted Choice® website plays a vital role in the program’s outreach to both agents and consumers. The site hosts an Agency Locator through which consumers can find the agency that is right for them based on location, line of business and even languages spoken by agency staff. Member agencies are benefiting from this leadgeneration tool by completing an agency profile at www.

TrustedChoice.com/agents. Agents also are keeping their agency profiles updated—for example, if they add new office locations, they are updating their profiles at the Trusted Choice® website.

Click here to access a Trusted Choice® Website User Guide.

This guide lists the benefits and how to access them.

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Advertising

IIANM Member Benefit!

All Trusted Choice® agencies benefit from the program’s national advertising. But they also can capitalize on professionally developed tagable TV, radio and print ads that educate consumers on the value of doing business with their Trusted Choice® agency. These TV, radio and print ads direct consumers to look for their Trusted Choice® agency for choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support.

FIND AN AGENT

Savvy agents have learned that running their own tagged advertising (tagged with their name and contact information) in conjunction with the national ad buys gives their agencies the appearance of running a much bigger campaign than they actually pay for.

Example: One agency is tagging the Trusted Choice® TV spots—then bought local time on the same programs Trusted Choice® chose for its media buy. This agency also tagged a Trusted Choice® radio spot and ran that through the following month on two local radio stations that match its target demographic. The result: everyone thinks the agency made the entire ad buy, even though it spent only about $2,500.

To preview and download these customizable ads, visit the Advertising tab at www.TrustedChoice.com/agents.

Public Relations Trusted Choice® members are benefiting from a national public relations program that drives consumers to www.TrustedChoice.com, where they can find a local agent or broker. The PR campaign is focused largely on major consumer and business media. Trusted Choice® agents can use those same PR messages on the local level. And it doesn’t cost them anything. For example, agents are building a complete calendar of media releases that are timed to seasonal events (e.g. holiday safety or flood season).

The releases can be downloaded from www.TrustedChoice.com/agents and used locally with your agency’s letterhead. A list of PR ideas is available in Zoom in on Branding and under the Public Relations tab at www.

TrustedChoice.com/agents.

We encourage you to embrace our new consumer brand for independent agents and incorporate it into your agency’s marketing efforts. Take advantage of the abundance of free marketing resources available through Trusted Choice and use them to leverage the power of the brand in your agency. Remember, TrustedChoice® is not meant to replace or overshadow your agency’s personal identity, but it is simply another branding tool you can use to help your agency grow and gain back market share from the direct writers.

Zip/Postal Code

GO

Are You Being Located

by Prospects?

One of the immediate benefits of being a Trusted Choice® agency is the ability to be found by prospective clients searching for an independent agent through the online Trusted Choice ®

agency locator. National Trusted Choice®

advertising directs consumers to TrustedChoice. com where they can enter their zip code to find a local agent. Only Trusted Choice® agencies are listed.

To take full advantage of this benefit, IIANM members are encouraged to complete their online profile by logging into TrustedChoice.com/ agents and updating or adding information about their agencies. Principals who have not received a “welcome” e-mail or a launch kit in the mail should contact Trusted Choice® at (800) 2217917 or trustedchoice@iiaba.net.

TrustedChoice.com TrustedChoice.com/agents trustedchoice@iiaba.net

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 25

10 Reasons America Needs Agents Despite popular opinion, there is one part of the health care system that isn’t broken. It’s the piece that provides consumers unbiased education on insurance plans and presents a range of options based on varying needs. And, it contributes to local economies and provides jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans.

We Need to Tell Our Story

Independent insurance agents perform an invaluable, irreplaceable service to Americans by providing trustworthy guidance on insurance purchases and acting as an ongoing resource for service after the sale.

10 Reasons America Needs Agents

1.

Insurance Advocacy Agents work for you - not the insurance company.

2.

Save Money Agents help you meet your budget by customizing and combining the plans.

3.

Save Time Agents resolve claims. enrollment, and other issues without wasting your time.

4.

Experience Agents have experience with almost every situation you may face involving insurance.

5.

One Contact Make one call to your agent - and rest assured your concern is being addressed.

6.

Carrier Relationships Agents have long-time relationships with carriers and can use those relationships to resolve problems.

7.

Employer Assistance with Benefits Use agents to monitor your employee benefit program - and you can grow your business.

8.

Comparison Data Market analyses can be educational for individuals and businesses.

9.

Benefit Consultations Agents can consult on a variety of products and explain how they all work together.

10.

Bolster the Economy Agents help your community create and keep jobs.

Source: Iowa Independent Agents

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 27

IIANM’s

EducationEDGE Insurance Education Programs in New Mexico are critical to a successful and profitable career in the insurance industry. Every year, we offer exciting opportunities to expand your professional horizons.

All of these education programs are designed to help insurance agents thrive in the most competitive of marketplaces.

The pre-licensing classes are designed to be a review for the state licensing examination.

We recommend that students be familiar with the study material prior to attending class.

Pre-Licensing Classes Study materials are NOT included in class prices.

Property & Casualty Review Class (2 days)

Life & Health Review Class (1 day)

Regular Price: $150 Member Price: $120

Regular Price: $115 Member Price: $90

Instructor: Instructor:

Kitty Leslie - December 6 - 7

8am - 5pm

TBD - January 10 - 11 8am - 5pm

Click here for a full listing of our education program.

Instructor:

Jeff Straight

- December 8

Instructor:

TBD - January 12 8am - 5pm

8am - 5pm

The FINE PRINT: IIANM reserves the right to cancel/reschedule classes. Please call ahead to verify when classes will run. Decisions will be made three days prior to class. Cancellations received after 5 business days, will be assessed a $50.00 cancellation fee. Cancellations received on or after deadline and ‘no shows’ will forfeit the registration fee altogether. A substitute is always welcome, with no extra fee, but prior notification would be appreciated.

Class Name/Date: Full Name:

Method of Payment:  Bill Agency (Members Only)

First Name for Badge:

 Check Enclosed (Payable to IIANM)

Agency / Company:

 M/C  Visa  Disc  Amex

Address:

Amount:

(all prices include tax)

Card No:

City, State, Zip:

Exp. Date:

Telephone: ( Fax: ( Send in your registration:

Page 28

)

E-Mail:

Signature:

) Go on-line: www.iianm.org or E-mail: rachel@iianm.org

Give us a call: (505) 843-7231 (800) 621-3978

Mail in: 1511 University Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87102

Fax in: (505) 243-3367

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

INTRODUCING

The Next BIG Thing in Continuing Education!

The Agents and Brokers Education Network (ABEN), founded by state associations of independent insurance agents, is dedicated to bringing highly relevant, interactive, and professionally produced continuing education programs to independent agents in the most convenient and economical ways possible.

ABEN's Live Webcasts will stream professional instructors right into your office, along with related course material. You can follow along with the presenter’s powerpoint, submit questions, take notes, get full access to written materials, and you have the ability to ask questions and chat with other students.

CE WEBINARS!

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

Additionally, ABEN’s help desk is standing by 24/7 to assist you, should you encounter any difficulty with the technology.

With ABEN courses you get the benefit of best information out there, with the convenience of internet technology and the full educational experience you can only get through ABEN’s platform.

For more information and to view course listings click here

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico - www.iianm.org - * December 2011

Page 29

December

2011

Clickable Calendar

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Click on class title to register

Wednesday

Thursday IIANM / NMM 20th Anniversary Holiday Party

1

P&C

4

5

Friday

2

3

9

10 17

L&H

Pre-licensing Class

Pre-licensing Class

6

7

13

14

18

12 Office Closed 19

20

21

16 Office Closed 23 22

25

26

27

28

29

Classifieds

11

Saturday

8

15

30

24

31

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 there 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!

n

ds Od

How to Prepare Your Home Before Holiday Travel and Avoid Insurance Claims:

Ends

-Don't leave appliances on as you depart: Don't leave the dryer, dish washer or washing machine on as you leave the house. A hose can break or a fire can start and no one is home to turn the appliance off to avoid damage.

Like a diamond in the sky?

Astronomers and gem dealers alike were no doubt excited by the discovery of a distant world that appears to be crystalline in its structure and chemical makeup—in other words, it’s a big fat diamond. The planet, which orbits a pulsar some 4,000 light-years from Earth, is about 20 times denser than the planet Jupiter (the largest planet in our solar system) and is about five times the diameter of Earth.

As reported by the journal Science, scientists in Australia, Europe, and the United States detected the planet by analyzing the radio signals emitted from the pulsar it orbits. (A pulsar is a neutron star that gives off bursts of electromagnetic radiation as it rotates.) It’s located in the constellation Serpens (the Snake). The world is currently known as PSR-J1719-1438, but we’re hoping for something with a slightly catchier ring.

How about Zirconia?

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you. ~ Princess Diana

Don’t overdo the holiday eating

-Turn off the water to your hoses: Turn the water off to your washing machine so if a hose breaks you can avoid a flood.

-Set Alarms: Remember to set your burglar alarm as you leave. Central monitoring alarms can detect a fire or break-in at your residence while you're away.

-Timers for Lights: Set up timers for lights around the house so lights go on and off at random times.

-Stop your mail and newspapers: Avoid piling up news papers or mail on your door step.

Contact your local post office or carrier.

-Don't invite intruders: Don't post your vacation plans on Facebook or Twitter. Burglars watch social media to find out who is home and not home. Consider having a trusted family member or friend check on your home while you're away.

-Wrap your pipes: If you live in a cold weather area, wrap your outside pipes with foam or towels and duct tape. Don't turn your heater off completely while you're away.

-Keep your important papers secure: Place your most important documents in a safe deposit box at a bank or in a fire-proof safe.

Follow this advice to maintain some balance:

• Don’t skip meals. If you avoid lunch in order to offset a big family dinner, you’ll probably eat more because you’re extra hungry. Eat breakfast and lunch so you’re able to control your appetite when the mashed potatoes and gravy come your way.

• Exercise portion control. Don’t overload your plate. Take sensible portions of whatever comes your way, and you won’t feel compelled to consume every last bite in order to avoid wasting food.

• Eat slowly. Your stomach can fill up before you’re aware of it, which means you may eat more than you really want or need—leaving you stuffed and uncomfortable. Make an effort to put down your fork and chew thoroughly between bites, and drink plenty of water before and during your meal.

• Focus on the holiday. Remember that holidays are about more than just eating. Make an effort talk to people and enjoy the season without just concentrating on food.

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