TABLE of CONTENTS
• WSIA PAC Mission Statement and Support Statement
• WSIA PAC Fact Sheet
• Elevator Pitch
• Rules of Thumb for Raising Money
• Tips for Successful Fundraising
• Templates to Get You Started
HOW TO USE THIS MEMBER TOOLKIT
This guide is designed to support you as you help support our industry with internal fundraising efforts for the WSIA PAC at your firm. We know that WSIA member individuals encouraging their peers and colleagues to contribute to the WSIA PAC can yield significant results, and WSIA is here to help you do that!
This toolkit provides best practices, template email solicitations and an easy-to-understand overview of the rules and regulations surrounding PAC contributions to demystify what a PAC is and how it works.
Thank you in advance for your efforts to encourage your teams to contribute to the WSIA PAC to help us meet our collective goals for the industry.
Mission Statement
The mission of the WSIA PAC is to support candidates for state and federal office whose philosophies and attitudes are consistent with the goals of WSIA, the surplus lines industry, and the wholesale distribution system.
Support Statement
Supporting the WSIA PAC is vital for our industry’s success and the continued protection of the freedom of rate and form. Every contribution amplifies our ability to secure favorable legislative and regulatory outcomes that directly benefit your business. By investing in the PAC, you’re investing in your professional future and ensuring our industry’s voice is heard, and our interests are protected.
Questions
• You can learn more about the WSIA PAC in the Annual Report.
• Contact Lauren Schley, WSIA State Relations Analyst lauren@wsia.org | 816.894.4890.
WSIA PAC FACT SHEET
What is a PAC?
A “PAC” is a Political Action Committee. Political Action Committees are organizations set up to collect contributions from many individuals and aggregate them into one fund used to make contributions that support a particular cause or campaign.
About the WSIA PAC
Formed in 2005, the WSIA PAC plays a vital role in WSIA’s legislative and regulatory advocacy initiatives by supporting candidates whose values align with WSIA and the priorities of the wholesale, specialty, and surplus lines industry. The WSIA PAC strengthens the surplus lines industry’s influence in Congress and state legislatures. It also enables WSIA to host a robust Legislative Fly-In each year, where our members and industry experts engage with members of Congress to champion the wholesale, specialty, and surplus industry.
WSIA PAC ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
• The WSIA PAC has raised more than $2.5 million and received nearly 5,000 contributions since its inception.
• Since 2012, the WSIA PAC has contributed nearly $1.2 million dollars in bipartisan political contributions to supporters of the surplus lines industry.
• The WSIA PAC played a pivotal role in the passage of the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Act of 2010 (NRRA), which established the “home state” of the insured as the only jurisdiction to regulate and tax surplus lines transactions.
THE WSIA PAC HAS HELPED US ACHIEVE:
• Veto of a Texas bill restricting form freedom related to arbitration provisions in surplus lines contracts.
• Repeal of Louisiana’s “three-year rule.”
• Successful passage of legislation to permit broker fees on personal lines policies in Pennsylvania.
• Enabling legislation to create the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers (NARAB).
• Click here to learn about other WSIA legislative and regulatory achievements and priorities.
ELEVATOR PITCH
A quick and easy guide to explaining the WSIA PAC and why you support it.
WHAT
• The WSIA PAC was formed in 2005 and plays a vital role in WSIA’s legislative and regulatory advocacy strategies.
• It supports candidates whose values align with WSIA and the priorities of the wholesale, specialty, and surplus lines industry
• A strong PAC can significantly strengthen the surplus lines industry’s influence in Congress and pivotal state legislatures.
• It also enables WSIA to host a robust Legislative Fly-In each year, where our members and industry experts engage a bipartisan cohort of congressional members to champion the wholesale, specialty, and surplus industry.
WHY
The WSIA PAC amplifies our collective voice to make impactful change when legislation or regulation affects our industry at the state and federal levels. Every contribution, regardless of size, matters.
HOW IS IT FUNDED?
• The WSIA PAC is funded only through voluntary personal contributions from individual employees of WSIA member firms.
• Over the last seven years, 49% of total contributions have come from individuals who gave less than $250 each.
RULES of THUMB for RAISING MONEY
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) closely regulates PAC activity to ensure that federal election contributions are transparent and legal. With the emergence of new technology, federal election laws, rules, and regulations are not always crystal clear. These are important rules of thumb to keep in mind when you’re raising money for the WSIA PAC.
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS
• The WSIA PAC may collect a maximum of $5,000 in contributions from an individual annually.
• The WSIA PAC may contribute up to $5,000 per candidate for federal office per election cycle.
• The limits on contributions to a candidate committee apply separately to each election in which the candidate participates. Primaries, runoffs, and general elections are considered separate elections with separate contribution limits.
• PAC contribution limits for state elections also vary by state.
PROHIBITED CONTRIBUTIONS
• Contributions must be made by individuals. Contributions by corporations or businesses are prohibited even if the individual plans to reimburse the corporation.
• Contributions from foreign nationals are prohibited.
• Cash contributions are permitted; however, each cash contributor must be documented, and the contribution must not exceed $100. To facilitate easier record keeping and reporting, WSIA discourages cash contributions.
• Contributions made by one person in the name of another are prohibited.
• WSIA attempts to collect contributor information for every contribution, but for contributions of $200 or more, the contributor MUST provide full name, mailing address, occupation, and employer name.
RULES of THUMB for RAISING MONEY
SOLICITATION RULES
• Only employees of WSIA members who are categorized as “restricted class” may be solicited. A restricted class employee is generally considered to be someone paid on a salary (not hourly) basis who has managerial, professional, policy-making, or supervisory responsibilities. This does not necessarily include licensed agents unless they serve a managerial function.
• The restricted class may also include stockholders and families of restricted class employees.
• However, there is an exception: the WSIA PAC may solicit limited groups outside of the restricted class twice a year. This primarily means rank-and-file employees (which include all licensed agents/brokers).
• Members of the general public cannot be solicited.
• Each solicitation MUST indicate that contributions are completely voluntary and will be used for political purposes. For every solicitation, we recommend including a WSIA-approved disclaimer as a footnote.
THE FINE PRINT
• Contributions are completely voluntary and will be used for political purposes.
• You have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal.
• Federal law requires the PAC to use its best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a year.
• Contributions from foreign nationals are prohibited.
TIPS for SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING
ESTABLISH GOALS
• Set clear and achievable fundraising goals.
• Define a time frame for the challenge.
CUSTOMIZE TEMPLATES & CRAFT PERSUASIVE MESSAGES
• Use WSIA’s customizable solicitation templates as a starting point and make them your own.
• Personalize your messages to reflect your firm’s commitment to our industry’s advocacy efforts and the WSIA PAC.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
• Message your colleagues at the start of the week to improve open rates and capture PAC contributions quickly. Avoid sending solicitation emails on Fridays or weekends.
• WSIA Annual Marketplace or your company’s bonus time can be excellent opportunities to fundraise and remind your team about how the WSIA PAC benefits them and the industry.
PROMOTE PARTICIPATION
• Encourage participation across all levels of your organization.
• Remind your team that every contribution matters. Over the last seven years, 49% of PAC contributions came from individuals who gave less than $250.
• Highlight incentives. Make sure your team knows that contributors can win prizes and are recognized on the WSIA PAC website and with ribbons at WSIA events.
TIPS for SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING
CAPITALIZE ON YOUR TEAM’S COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
• Turn your competitive energy into motivation. Do you have a rival that’s been outperforming you in the WSIA PAC competition each year? Put your firm on the list of most contributors or dollars raised by promoting the PAC. Being among the top contributors enhances your firm’s reputation in the industry and showcases your commitment to advocacy and increasing our industry’s influence.
ENGAGE & EDUCATE
• Talk with your colleagues about the WSIA PAC and its impact on our industry’s policy priorities.
• Have your firm’s leadership reaffirm the benefits of WSIA PAC and their own commitment to fundraising.
TRACK PROGRESS
• WSIA can pull your firm’s fundraising statistics throughout your challenge. Just reach out to Lauren Schley, State Relations Analyst, at lauren@wsia.org.
CELEBRATE!
• Reach out to WSIA at the end of your challenge to see your final results.
• Thank participants for their commitment to advancing our industry’s interests with their contributions.
MAKE IT FUN!
• PAC Matching Challenge: Challenge your colleagues to raise a certain amount then “match” that amount with your firm’s PAC. This doubles the impact and encourages participation.
• Donate Your Age: Challenge your colleagues to “donate” their age. This is an easy and fun way for young professionals to get involved and participate.
• Years in the Industry: Challenge your colleagues to contribute the number of years they’ve worked in insurance. This personalizes the contribution.
• $5K for $5K: Set a goal to raise $5,000, and challenge others to contribute toward this target. Once the goal is met, celebrate their success and then make your $5,000 contribution.
• Team Competition: Create friendly competition between teams or departments to see who can raise the most. Offer a small reward or recognition to the winning team to boost engagement.
TEMPLATES to get you STARTED
We recommend leveraging the WSIA PAC’s Elevator Pitch and achievements to customize your internal solicitation to best suit your firm. If you have any questions, contact Lauren Schley, WSIA State Relations Analyst, at lauren@wsia.org or 816.894.4890.
TEMPLATE 1 | Legislative Successes
Suitable for use anytime
Subject: Join us in supporting the WSIA PAC today!
Dear [Insert Recipient First Name],
Get ready to be a driving force behind the future of the surplus lines industry! The WSIA PAC is dedicated to shaping the insurance landscape through advocacy priorities with your professional future in mind. The WSIA PAC empowers us to advance critical public policy objects at federal and state levels.
Thanks to dedicated members like you, we’ve secured major victories such as [Legislative Win 1] and [Legislative Win 2]. Your support ensures we continue to drive positive change and protect our business interests.
Join me in making a personal investment in the WSIA PAC today.1
Please click here to contribute.
[Insert Sender Name]
1 Contributions must come from individuals, not corporate entities and contributions from foreign nationals are prohibited. Contributions will be used for political purposes and are not tax-deductible. Contributions must be voluntary, and you have the right to refuse without fear of reprisal. The WSIA PAC must collect and report name, mailing address, occupation, and employer to the Federal Election Commission for any contributions that exceed $200 within a calendar year.
HOW TO USE THESE TEMPLATES
1. Copy and paste from this document or click here to download a Word version that you can copy and paste.
2. Customize it as needed to personalize it for your audience.
3. Make sure your final version includes hyperlinks to the WSIA PAC website and contribution platform to make it easy for your team to contribute!
TEMPLATES to get you STARTED
We recommend leveraging the WSIA PAC’s Elevator Pitch and achievements to customize your internal solicitation to best suit your firm. If you have any questions, contact Lauren Schley, WSIA State Relations Analyst, at lauren@wsia.org or 816.894.4890.
TEMPLATE 2 | Event Focused
Best suited to use leading up to a WSIA Event
Subject: Support the WSIA PAC before [Insert Event]
Dear [First],
[Firm Name] employees have a unique opportunity to support the goals of the surplus lines industry and make sure our voices are heard regarding issues affecting our business. The WSIA PAC empowers us to advance our public policy objectives at the federal and state levels. WSIA’s legislative objectives are crafted with the entire industry in mind, which is why I support the PAC and why I’m asking you to support the PAC ahead of WSIA’s [Event] in [Location].
The ability to pool resources and contribute sends a critical message to legislators: WSIA members care about the laws impacting the wholesale, specialty, and surplus lines industry. By contributing, you are actively shaping your career’s future and success and ensuring that lawmakers hear from our industry. You can learn more about the WSIA PAC’s history and success in the 2023 Annual Report.
Your investment in the WSIA PAC is a mutual investment in your professional future. Contributions of any amount will be recognized with a PAC ribbon and entered to win prizes!
I invite you to join me in supporting the WSIA PAC by contributing today. Let’s elevate our industry together.1
Thank you, [Insert Sender Name]
1 Contributions must come from individuals, not corporate entities and contributions from foreign nationals are prohibited. Contributions will be used for political purposes and are not tax-deductible. Contributions must be voluntary, and you have the right to refuse without fear of reprisal. The WSIA PAC must collect and report name, mailing address, occupation, and employer to the Federal Election Commission for any contributions that exceed $200 within a calendar year.
TEMPLATES to get you STARTED
We recommend leveraging the WSIA PAC’s Elevator Pitch and achievements to customize your internal solicitation to best suit your firm. If you have any questions, contact Lauren Schley, WSIA State Relations Analyst, at lauren@wsia.org or 816.894.4890.
TEMPLATE 3 | Encouraging Contributions of Any Size
Best suited to use at end of year or start of legislative sessions
Subject: Support our industry – every contribution counts!
Dear [Name],
I am reaching out to you with an important opportunity to make a significant impact on the surplus lines industry and our professional futures. The WSIA PAC strengthens our industry’s influence by supporting bipartisan lawmakers whose priorities align with our needs at the state and federal levels. I’m asking you to contribute to the WSIA PAC today so we can continue to build momentum in critical states and expand our industry’s influence on key legislative and regulatory issues.
Your contribution to the WSIA PAC is not just a contribution it is an investment in your career and the long-term success of our industry. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to meeting our critical fundraising goals and advancing our advocacy efforts.
Your participation helps shape the future of our industry and ensures that lawmakers understand the importance of the work we do. Thank you for your commitment to our industry’s future.1
[Sender]
1 Contributions must come from individuals, not corporate entities and contributions from foreign nationals are prohibited. Contributions will be used for political purposes and are not tax-deductible. Contributions must be voluntary, and you have the right to refuse without fear of reprisal. The WSIA PAC must collect and report name, mailing address, occupation, and employer to the Federal Election Commission for any contributions that exceed $200 within a calendar year.
