January 2016

o Z V

a

L

"The Voice" of Independent Agents since 1934

the next big advantage for small business

USadvantage is our new and proprietary product that replaces BOP for new business and is an option on package accounts. With over 280 eligible classes of business available, you can grow your business easily and quickly. USadvantage allows you to provide your customers with comprehensive and flexible coverage, tailored to meet their needs.

USadvantage is easy!

Our online rating system, Express Rate, will take the guess work out of determining if an applicant is USadvantage eligible. You can also bind coverage online for certain classes. Best of all, you still have a dedicated underwriter to assist with coverages and pricing as needed.

Want to know more?

For more information on eligibility and coverage, contact your local Union Standard branch office today!

A M

BEST

Commercial Insurance >> Done the Right Way >> By a Company of People >> Who Care 6501 Americas Parkway NE, Suite 600 | Albuquerque, NM 87110 P 505-830-0038 | TF 888-387-0038 | F 505-830-0033 | usic.com

Products and services are provided by one or more insurance company subsidiaries of W. R. Berkley Corporation. Not all products and services are available in every jurisdiction, and the precise coverage afforded by any insurer is subject to the actual terms and conditions of the policies as issued.

2

Union Standard Insurance Group is a member company of W. R. Berkley Corporation, a Fortune 500 company.

JANUARY

CONTENTS

La Voz cover courtesy of Mary Lynn Gross, Burns & Wilcox

2016

04

Annual Spring Seminar - 15 Hrs of CE

14

IIANM Dues Deductability / InsurPac Contributors

07

9 Characteristics of a Best Practices Agency

16

Industry TidBits

11

Boost Your Sales & Life by Setting Goals

17

12

Odds n Ends

Tech Talk - Steve Anderson

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. Advertising rates are available upon request.

Please contact Rachel Sheffield at rachel@iianm.org for details

ADVERTISER !NDEX Acuity 08 Burns & Wilcox Back Cover Market Finders, Inc. 06 Mountain States Insurance Group MHI - Manufactured Housing Insurance

05 15

New Mexico Mutual 13 Union Standard 02

P&C Track

Room Block ends Feb 15th, 2016 Click here to reserve your room.

March 9th, 2016

8:00 am Personal Auto Personal Auto represent 36% of the P&C Premium written in 2014 and 88% of all auto premium. This class will review ISO’s personal auto policy, important policy endorsements and rate regulations and factors. Discussion will include current issues of ridesharing, use based rating, driverless cars, UM/UIM, and teens.

1:00 pm Business Owners Policy BOPs were introduced in the mid-1970’s as a homeowners type approach to insuring small retail, office and apartments. This class will review the current ISO Business Owners Policy, eligibility, limitations and frequently used endorsements.

4:00 pm

Ethics Hour

March 10th, 2016 8:00 am Commercial Property This class will review commercial property, business income and extra expense coverages provided by the current ISO forms: building and personal property, cause of loss, business income, extra expense and frequently used endorsements. Discover how the differentiate time element needs from property coverage needs and which factors are used to establish adequate insurance limits to cover loss exposures.

1:00 pm E&O Using a mock trial developed by Swiss Re based on real errors and omissions, participants will see how mistakes made by an insurance agency are portrayed in court as they serve on the jury. The discussion following the trial will address the E&O issues raised and methods an agency can use to manage the exposures.

4:00 pm

Ethics Hour

L&H Track

Coming soon...

Seating is limited

4

www.iianm.org

Our Workers’ Compensation Package Works for You. Mountain States Commercial Insurance Company was created to offer the advantage of writing comprehensive insurance packages for small businesses under one roof.

That’s an added convenience for you and a benefit for New Mexico businesses.

For more information about our Workers’ Compensation options, contact James Lyons at 505.764.1494 or email at jlyons@msig-nm.com.

www.msig-nm.com Albuquerque, New Mexico 505. 764.1400

La

Voz

Sunset in Winter on the Sandia Mountains Central New Mexico

5

Check out our new website! www.market-finders.com

Proudly Serving the Independent Agents of New Mexico since 1977

5201 F Venice Ave NE - P.O. Box 90280 Albuquerque, NM 87199-0280 (800) 530-8711 (505) 822-8711 Fax: (505) 822-1165 6

www.market-finders.com

PRINCIPAL

9

Characteristics of a

The Big “I” developed its Best Practices line of tools and seminars in order to help members maintain and improve the value of their most important asset - their agencies.

Since its first release, an expanding library has helped agencies contrast, evaluate and enhance their performance in areas critical to their success. At the heart of the program is the Best Practices Study and annual updates, which are based on 224 top-performing agencies.

Examining agency interviews and results as a whole reveals specific characteristics across the board. How many do you recognize within your agency?

Focus on customer service and satisfaction. Formal and informal surveys inquire about customers’ perceptions of how the agency is meeting expectations and how it might improve service.

1

Frequent customer contact. Agency educates clients, builds accounts, explains new products and prices, serves as a consultant and problem solver and provides pleasant and productive contact.

2

Valued staff. Employees receive the education, training and tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. Leadership expects them to perform at high levels and grow personally; and professionally and rewards, recognizes and celebrates their accomplishments.

3

Participatory management. Top managers are involved in daily operations and share financial information to ensure employees understand profit expectations.

Employees have authority to exercise their responsibilities and provide input on planning and budgeting.

4

Vision. The agency has a clear mission statement that focuses on the customer and shares it with staff to ensure widespread understanding..

5

Win-win supplier relationships. Agency seeks partnerships with insurers that share its vision and values, partakes in joint planning and respects the principles that govern agency-company relationships.

6

La

by Jennifer Becker

Voz

agency

Efficient processes. Technology is no longer an option - it’s a necessity for growth; continuous improvement with customer contact and satisfaction. Agency streamlines workflows to benefit both employees and customers and strives to “do things right the first time.”

7

Continuous improvement. Agency constantly seeks ways to improve, continually measuring performance against past performance and that of competitors as well as successful non-insurance enterprises.

8

Focus on revenue growth. Critical to long-term survival and agency value, revenue growth stems from a focus on account development and leveraging relationships. New or renewed focus on growth encompasses new ways of finding customers and keeping them, such as social media and other technologies.

9

I

Big “ ”dea Are you managing your agency to maximize its value?

The Best Practices Study not only looks at the actual results of firms that are maximizing their value but also looks at the business practices that are allowing them to achieve those results.

IIANM is providing The Self-Diagnostic Tool Quick Check and it looks at those activities that should result in superior performance in the five critical areas that determine fair market value - growth, profitability, stability, administration and financial management.

Take the test to see how much of your potential you are tapping. For most, this test will identify opportunities that are available to enhance the value of your agency. The Self Diagnostic Tool will allow you to more fully evaluate your current business practices. So fill out the form, save it and send it back to us. Why not take advantage of this FREE consulting service that comes with your membership?!

7

Rated A+ by A.M. Best and S&P Ward’s 50 best-run company Named the #3 large company to work for in America Manages over $3 billion in assets 61st largest insurer in the nation In business since 1925 Less than 3% voluntary employee turnover 8

www.iianm.org

AGENCY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM It has been a recurring theme that one of the biggest challenges our agencies face is training the next generation of agency managers.

For that reason we have partnered with the national consulting firm Powerhouse Learning to develop an exciting new leadership training program.

Session begins in February.

Sign up soon - limited spots available.

This program is uniquely designed to offer a structure that will ensure that your future managers will obtain the tools and knowledge to move quickly into a management position.

Contact : Consuelo Trujillo, at consuelo@iianm.org or at 505-999-5805

La

Voz

9

WE ARE NEW MEXICO’S EXPERTS IN THIRD PARTY CLAIM ADMINISTRATION Delivering cost effective and quality insurance claims services to your clients.

Integrion Group has a service network throughout New Mexico to provide you service where and when you need it.

Our wealth of skills and experience, along with our stable financial position, will perpetuate Integrion Group’s proven track record of delivering superior claim services at cost-effective prices.

INSURANCE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS • Medical Case Management • Workers’ Compensation • Property & Liability • Automobile & Heavy Equipment Appraisals • Arbitration & Mediation • Subrogation

For more information Contact

505-293-6600

3830 Commons Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 integrion@integriongroup.com

integriongroup.com 10

PO Box 27815

Albuquerque, NM 87125

pho.

505-293-6600

fax.

505-293-6400

www.iianm.org

PRODUCER

by John Chapin

2)

Boost Your Sales and Life

by Setting Goals We’ve all heard how important it is to have goals, yet 97% of the population doesn’t have them. If you are part of the 97%, you may want to consider becoming part of the 3% with goals because the reality is: the 3% of the population with written goals is worth more in financial terms, than the rest of the 97% combined. For the most part, they are also a lot happier, healthier, and all around better off than the rest of the population too. The bottom line is: having goals is one of the best things you can do for your sales career and your life.

So if there is something that’s holding you back from the success enjoyed by the 3%, you’ll hopefully find that the following steps on goal setting will finally get you to do what you know you should have done long ago.

3 Steps to goal setting:

1)

Keep it simple.

Where most people get caught up is in assuming that you need lots of goals in each area of your life along with a big, long, drawn-out plan for their achievement. They picture this huge, monumental task which will take days, perhaps even weeks or months to complete, and they are overwhelmed and stop before they even get started.

Goal setting does not have to be a long complicated process. As opposed to a complex list of daily, weekly, monthly, and annual goals in all the major areas of your life, you can simply set one or two major goals at a time in one or two areas of your life. For example, your goals can be as simple as doing 120 percent of quota and losing 20 pounds. If even that becomes too much, pick one of the two and focus all of your energy on that one.

La

Voz

Follow these rules for your goal(s):

• Make sure your goals inspire and motivate you.

• Your goals must be clear, measurable, and believable.

“More cold calls” isn’t measurable. “Ten percent more cold calls” is.

• Break each goal down into small pieces. Break a goal down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals.

• Don’t just list the goal, list its ultimate benefits to you.

Who will you become and how will your life change?

• The most important factor is why you are striving to achieve a goal. Come up with many strong reasons why this goal must happen.

• Take some action on your major goal(s) every day.

• Have a timeline and deadline for your goal(s).

• Envision yourself already there. “Fake it until you make it,” and imagine yourself as the person who has already achieved your goal.

• Keep your goals in front of you. Put reminders on the bathroom mirror, bedroom mirror, refrigerator door, and other places where you will see them every day.

• Be flexible in your approach. Things won’t always go exactly as you plan. Manage roadblocks and other obstacles with optimism and an open mind. Make it a habit to turn problems into solutions.

• Reward yourself. You can reward yourself not only for reaching your goal but also for reaching milestones on the way to your goal.

3)

Ask the following questions regarding your goal(s):

• What do you want for all areas of your life five years from now? Ten years?

• What do you want for your family and those closest to you?

• What kind of person do you want to be?

The point to remember from all we’ve discussed here is that you need to keep growing as a person and continually work on yourself and your attitude. Once you have a strong foundation in place, you’ll notice your sales ability will increase tremendously. You will also see a boost in your self-esteem and self-confidence. This is a positive Catch 22: As your attitude about yourself improves, your sales ability will increase; and as you get better at selling, your attitude about yourself will improve. Here’s to being in the top 3%.

John Chapin is an award winning speaker, sales trainer, coach, and co-author of the gold-medal winning "Sales Encyclopedia" that is written for sales professionals in any industry at any level of experience. Utilizing more than 21 years of sales experience and as a number one salesperson in three industries, John co-founded Complete Selling Incorporated, a company helping salespeople significantly increase their results.

11

Steve

ANDERSON.com by, Steve Anderson (Always feel free to email me with comments, new ideas or products that have worked for you.

I will check them out and spread the word!)

Is Your Website Infected with Malware?

Your organization’s website is an extension of and a part of the brand you create. There are not many things worse than having someone navigate to your website and receive a warning that “The Website Ahead Contains Malware!”

The damage to your brand and your credibility will be hard to repair.

Google’s Safe Browsing technology examines billions of URLs (website addresses) per day looking for unsafe websites. Every day, thousands of new hazardous sites are discovered. Many of these are legitimate websites that have been compromised.

These hazardous sites fall into two categories, both of which threaten users’ privacy and security: 1. Malware sites contain code that can install malicious software on users’ computers. Hackers can use this software to capture and transmit users’ private or sensitive information.

2. Phishing sites pretend to be legitimate while trying to trick users into typing in their username and password or sharing other private information. Typical examples are web pages that impersonate legitimate bank websites or online stores.

Malware sites install malicious software on users’ machines to steal private information, perform identity theft, or attack other computers. When people visit these sites, software that takes over their computer is downloaded without their knowledge.

Sucuri provides me with a one-stop solution for DNS, WHOIS, SSL, and other malware attacks on my websites. It also provides real-time analytics and monitors any changes to your web server files, DNS, WHOIS, and SSL settings.

Sucuri is one of those services I use and pay for and hope I never need. It is kind of like buying insurance, isn’t it?

Sucuri does provide their online malware scanner (for websites) to the general public for FREE (limited access).

The online free website scanner will provide a detailed examination of your website files, malware status, blacklist status, and the URLs scanned from your website. These free services are limited.

I subscribe to the Sucuri premium service that: • Regularly monitors five of my websites with automatic checks for malware and blacklist status every four hours.

• Ensures that there is no malware, malicious javascripts, malicious iframes, suspicious redirections, Blackhat SEO spam and link injections on my website.

• Checks to make sure these sites are not on blacklisted site lists maintained by Google, Norton, Phish tank, AVG, Opera browser, SiteAdvisor, Sucuri Malware Labs, Yandex, and ESET. A blacklisted website when visited, shows a warning that it is not safe to browse the landing site. Here is an example of how a blacklisted website looks like in Google Chrome:

Attack sites are used by hackers to intentionally host and distribute malicious software. Compromised sites are legitimate sites that are hacked to include content from attack sites.

Your agency should make sure your website is frequently scanned and checked for malware or other malicious code that has been inserted into the site without your knowledge. It can happen to any site.

The solution I use for my websites is Sucuri, a web-based application that automatically monitors websites to detect malware and any unauthorized changes to these websites.

12

www.iianm.org

Drive New Business to

5%

COMMISSION

INCREASE ON NEW BUSINESS*

Policy Effective Dates October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016

Thank you for placing your business with a New Mexico company. We look forward to providing your clients with a wide range of local services to enhance their insurance experience.

New Mexico’s Experts in Workers’ Compensation Insurance.

3900 Singer Blvd. NE • Albuquerque, NM 87109 • 505.345.7260 or 800.788.8851 • www.NewMexicoMutual.com

*Excludes accounts that were insured with New Mexico Mutual in the previous 6 months, canceled policies, rewritten policies, and renewal policies. *Applicable to new policies bound with effective dates of October 1 to December 31, 2016.

La Voz

13

DUES DEDUCTIBILITY M N A I I By federal law, the Big “I” is required to provide member states with the following disclosure regarding their 2014-2015 dues.

Dues to the Big “I” are not deductible as a charitable contribution, but may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense.

To the extent that the Big “I” engages in lobbying, the portion of the dues that relate to lobbying expenses is not deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. This law was enacted in 1993, effective Jan. 1, 1994 (Section 13222 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 [OBRA 1993]).

The non-deductible portion of dues for 2014-2015 is 25.03%. Please forward this information to the appropriate staff in your organization.

The following is a recap of the non-deductible portion of dues for the past six years: FY 2009-10

Estimated 17.72%

Actual 21.37%

FY 2010-11

Estimated 21.92%

Actual 22.19%

FY 2011-12

Estimated 22.83%

Actual 22.29%

FY 2012-13

Estimated 22.71%

Actual 23.14%

FY 2013-14

Estimated 23.76%

Actual 25.27%

FY 2014-15

Estimated 25.21%

Actual 25.03%

FY 2015-16

Estimated 25.07%

Thank You for Contributing!

Berryman, Al New Mexico State University Founders Club Bundy, Gail First Santa Fe Insurance Services, Inc. Gold Club Burke, William Burke Insurance Group, Inc. Platinum Club Conlee, Sam USI Southwest, Inc. Pioneer Club Drake, Brandon AVI Risk Management - Insurance Brokers General Contributor Drake, Christi AVI Risk Management - Insurance Brokers General Contributor Fortner, Bill AVI Risk Management - Insurance Brokers Centennial Club Fortner, Heather AVI Risk Management - Insurance Brokers Pioneer Club Hobbs, Diana Millennium Ins Agency, a Division of Leavitt Founders Club Jones, Scott Brown & Brown of New Mexico, Inc. Pioneer Club Leavell, Carroll Leavell Insurance, Inc. General Contributor Minick, Dick Minick & Company, Inc. Gold Club Mintz, Lynn AVI Risk Management - Insurance Brokers Centennial Club Parisi, Mike Atlas Insurance Services Pioneer Club Portillo, Gabe Berger Briggs Real Estate & Insurance, Inc. Pioneer Club Rice, Robert Mahoney Group, The Pioneer Club Sevier, Connie Western States Insurance Group Inc. Pioneer Club Sims, Gary J S Ward & Son, Inc. Founders Club Turbett, Thom Independent Ins Agts of New Mexico Inc. Gold Club Yeager, Kathy High Country Agency, Inc. Pioneer Club 14

www.iianm.org

Are You Tired Of Manufactured Housing Insurance Companies Cutting Commissions And Canceling Contracts?

…Is Your Solution!

800-999-4556

• High Commissions • Online Quoting and Binding Authority • Manufactured Home and Dwelling - Any Age - Any Location

Why MHI General Agency?

• Owner Occupied, Rental, Seasonal and Vacant • Only A Rated Companies

• No Credit Checks or Hidden Fees

• EFT,• Credit Card and Monthly Payments Available High Commissions • Co-op Advertising Save 50% on Advertising!

• Online Quoting-And Binding Authority

“Your Specialty

• Book Rolls - Conversion Programs Made • Manufactured Home and Dwelling - Any Easy Age - Any location • Owner Occupied, Rental, Seasonal and Vacant • Only A Rated Companies • No Credit Checks or Hidden Fees • EFT, Credit Card and Monthly Payments Available • Co-Op Advertising - Save 50% On Advertising!

Specialty Lines Insurance Specialists” • Book Rolls“Your - Conversion Programs Made Easy

neral Agency?

Authority

MHI General Agency 16399 S. Golden Rd. Golden, CO 80401

Founded in 1981, MHI General Agency has been serving agents across ng - Any Age - Any location

sonal and Vacant

ees

Melissa McKenzie

La

Voz

New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado for over 30 years.

Melissa MHI General Agency

McKenzie www.mymhionline.com • PAID 800-999-4556 16399 S. Golden Rd. Golden, CO 80401

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

POSTMARK PRO

Erin Johnson

15

A great place to work starts with the people. Congratulations to our members that took part and make their offices an awesome place to work!

- Reynolds category)

T H E L

I

S T

Each year, Albuquerque Business First provides you with listing of the area’s hottest companies in their fields, by ranking:

Insurance, Santa Fe, NM (small company

- New Mexico Health Connections, Albuquerque, NM (large company category)

Top 5 Insurance Agencies, by year founded locally 1 - Reynolds Insurance 1882 2 - Aon Risk Solutions 1925 3 - Woods Insurance Services 1926 4 - First Santa Fe Insurance Services 1935 5 - Daniels Insurance & Berger Briggs 1937 http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/

FISIF Announces Dividend The Food Industry Self Insurance Fund of New Mexico (FISIF) has announced a 2015 Dividend Payment of $1,000,000 to be paid out to New Mexico businesses.

With business placed through independent agents, FISIF provides workers’ compensation coverage to over 550 businesses in New Mexico.

Wrapping up its 26th year, FISIF is a group self-insurance pool where members come together to provide coverage for each participating business. Premium dollars not spent on claim payments and operational expenses are returned to the members via a dividend. Solid governance by member Trustees coupled with sound, no frills business practices has allowed FISIF to return over $14,600,000 in premium dollars over the years – dollars that stay in New Mexico and go right into our local economy. Insured businesses can expect to see the checks in their mailboxes sometime this month.

16

ACUITY is one of the 10 Best Workplaces for Camara-

derie in the nation, according to Fortune and Great Place to Work®, which considered employees’ assessments of the sense of team, fun, and collegiality in ACUITY’s workplace. Based on evaluations by over 255,000 randomly selected employees from nearly 600 companies, ACUITY ranked #9.

After ‘Cadillac Tax’ Delay, Franchini Says More ACA Reform Needed Employers are getting a temporary break on some health care costs after the passage of recent omnibus spending and tax bill by Congress.

Among other things included in the bill was a two-year delay of the implementation of a 40 percent excise tax on employers that provide high-cost health care plans under the Affordable Care Act. Colloquially known as the “Cadillac Tax,” the measure would have forced employers providing health plans with high premiums to pay taxes on any costs outside a given threshold starting in 2018. The demurral effectively pushes the implementation date to 2020.

Read more at Albuquerque Business First

www.iianm.org

Stop that fidgeting!

Do you have a hard time sitting still at work? Do you find yourself unconsciously tapping your foot or playing with your pen? You may not want to fight the urge. A British study has found evidence suggesting that fidgeting at your desk may actually be good for your health.

The UK Women’s Cohort Study divided thousands of participants into three groups based on how much they fidgeted—low, middle, and high. Those in the “low” group who sat while working for seven hours or longer were found to have a mortality risk 30 percent higher than those who spent the same amount of time seated but who fidgeted at middle or high levels.

This suggests that fidgeting may help to compensate for the health risks of staying in one’s chair for long periods of time.

E n s nds! d d O

In memory of Bob Ouellette, our Life & Health instructor for many years, who was a huge fan of Looney Tunes characters.

We will remember him fondly for his expertise and kindness.

The researchers caution that the study looked only at mortality, not at other health conditions like diabetes or heart disease. Even so, the data support the advice that moving around even a little throughout your day can have positive health benefits and may help you live longer.

Jan. 18-22 Don’t wait for the boss to tell you do something. If you see a problem, fix it, or at least tell your manager what you’re planning to do. Suggest ideas for improvement, and volunteer for committees and task forces that will help your organization grow.

The average American consumes about three pounds of sugar each week, for a total of 3,550 pounds in his or her lifetime. During this week, take the challenge: Go five days without eating any sugar and see how much better you feel.

Americans love to eat out. How much? Zagat’s 2015 National Dining Trends Survey looked at the “habits and preferences” of more than 10,000 consumers in 17 U.S. cities. Here’s some of what they discovered: • Home vs. restaurant. We eat almost 50 percent of our meals in restaurants, either dining in or taking out.

• The tab. Diners spend an average of $39.50 per person on a restaurant meal. The average is higher in New York City ($48.15) and lower in Austin, Texas. ($25.81).

• Cuisine. Italian is our favorite choice of food when selecting a restaurant.

• Reservations. Forget calling the restaurant—61 percent of diners place their dinner reservations online.

• Etiquette. Among the dining habits Zagat tracked, 81 percent of diners have eavesdropped on conversations at another table, 48 percent have left a paltry tip for bad service, 17 percent have slipped the maitre’d some cash to get a table, 16 percent have stolen something from the table (dinner, salt shaker, etc.), and 4 percent have ducked out without paying.

La

Voz

Your gateway to contractors markets.

CONTRACTORS SOLUTIONS

Placing insurance for different contractors can be a daunting project.

At Burns & Wilcox, our network of domestic and international carriers opens doors to the broadest range of markets. Since time is of the essence, we deliver quotes and binders fast. When it comes to finding solutions for every stage of construction, contact the wholesale broker with the tools to make the hard-to-place easy – Burns & Wilcox.

Albuquerque, New Mexico | 505.346.2583 toll free 866.643.8538 | fax 505.822.0092 albuquerque.burnsandwilcox.com Commercial | Professional | Personal | Brokerage | Binding | Risk Management Services