Missouri Agent May-June 2010

may

/ju

ne

2010

leadership 2010William Bennett

headlines conference

spec

ial fo

cus:

leaders

hip

confer

ence

Age

nt

missouri

creo

For more details, contact your Business Development Manager or Customer Service at 1.800.442.0593 or [email protected].

The MEM DifferenceNow is a great time for small businesses to dive into Missouri Employers Mutual for their workers compensation insurance needs.

With MEM, small business owners—those with premium $3,500 or less—win big in 2010 with:

• Rates 15 percent lower than Standard rates.

• 5 percent credit for policyholders that have been loss-free with MEM for five years. (minimum $1,000 estimated annual premium)

Nearly 70 target classes in all premium sizes also have reduced rates—7 percent, on average—and all classes MEM writes are lower than the alternative residual market, or pool.

Times are tough for Missouri businesses, and Missouri’s No. 1 workers compensation company is here to help. Take the plunge now and get lower rates and the best service in the market.

www.mem-ins.com

WhaT’s Making a big splash WiTh sMall businEssEs?

creo

may/june 2010 missouriagent 3

contentsSpecial Focus: Leadership 2010Ten Tech Tools to Enhance Your Agency’s Productivity 23A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears 24Benchmarking and Best Practices 26

Leftovers 7Summerville Celebrates 100 Years 17Small Agency Conference Scrapbook 18Become a Better Manager: 10 Quick Tips 36

AdvertisersAccident Fund 12ACUITY 34Agents Marketing Corp. 8America First Insurance 36American Mining Insurance Co. 28Amerisafe 39BC&M 14Big “I” Markets 42BMI Cos. 29Couri Insurance Associates 30Delta Dental 27EMC Insurance Cos. 44FCCI Insurance Group 33Illinois Casualty Co. 10

DepartmentsFrom the President 5The Legal Side 9Technology 11Missouri News 22News & Know-How 28Errors & Omissions 31

Technicalities 33From the DIFP 39Regulatory Actions 41 Company Partner News 45Agency News 46Classifieds 46

missouriagentmagazine

3315 Emerald Lane, P.O. Box 1785, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1785 • 800-617-3658 in Mo. Phone 573-893-4301 • FAX 573-893-3708E-mail: [email protected]: www.missouriagent.org

Publisher Larry CaseEditor Amy J. HoffmanAdvertising Manager Amy J. Hoffman

Officers of the MAIAPresident Belinda Brenizer, CIC, EdinaPresident-Elect Scott Brothers, CIC, JoplinVice President Byron Robison, SpringfieldSec’y/Treasurer Doug Clift, CIC, St. Louis IIABA National Director Mitchell C. Mills, ClintonPIA National Director Richard Minor, CIC, Hannibal Past President Brent Speight, CIC, Montgomery City

Board of DirectorsRegion 1 Ricky Baker, CIC, ChillicotheRegion 2 Steve Heying, CIC, St. PetersRegion 3 Chris Rupp, LUTCF, CIC, LibertyRegion 4 Wil Turner, CIC, BeltonRegion 5 Rick Naught, CIC, CPCU, Jefferson CityRegion 6 Jim Baxendale, CPCU, St. LouisRegion 7 Greg Rebman, CIC, St. LouisRegion 8 Jane Dobrinic, CIC, CPCU, St. LouisRegion 9 Lorie Downing, CIC, CarthageRegion 10 Kevin Krueger, LUTCF, BolivarRegion 11 Steve Rackley, CIC, CISR, GainesvilleRegion 12 Randy Baker, KennettAt-Large #1 Brian G. Harrison, CIC, ColumbiaAt-Large #2 Ted Schroeder, UnionAt-Large #3 Bob Feuerbacher, St. LouisCo. Rep. Dennis Smith, ColumbiaCo. Rep Bob Wagner, Columbia

Staff of the MAIAExecutive Vice President Larry CaseVice President of Operations Carol DulleInsurance Services Manager Leona LoethenMarketing Manager Lindsay SchmidtEvents Manager Jeanne BlombergFinancial Manager Sheryl Van LeerDatabase Administrator Laura BerendzenCustomer Service Representative Theresa FlippinCustomer Service Representative Monica MizeEditor Amy J. HoffmanMembership Services Representative Kelli FindleyEducation Director Emily KoenigsfeldAdministrative Assistant Dawn ChristianEducation Coordinator Tamie Davis

MISSOURI AGENT (USPS 709-210) is published bimonthly by the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents, 3315 Emerald Lane, Jefferson City, MO 65109, phone 573-893-4301. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, Mo.

The MAIA does not necessarily endorse any of the com-panies advertising in this publication. Subscription rate for members is $25 per year, which is included in dues.

Address & Other Changes

Notify the MAIA if you change your address, change your agency name, or drop or change producers (who are voting members of the association). Write to MAIA, P.O. Box 1785, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1785 or e-mail [email protected].

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MAIA, P.O. Box 1785, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1785.

© 2010 Missouri Association of Insurance Agents

On the Cover: Navigate the often turbulent times of the last two decades with Leadership Conference guest speaker William Bennett, former cabinet member to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Volume 19, No. 3

MAIA Education 40MAIA Partners 48MEM Insurance 2Missouri Rural Services 20M.J. Kelly Co. 32National Lloyds 4Patriot Risk Management Inc. 29Ringwalt & Liesche Co. 38RLI 16SECURA 6Surplus Lines Assn. of Missouri 37West Bend 47WineryPak Insurance Programs 22

may

/ju

ne

2010

leadership 2010William Bennett

headlines conference

spec

ial fo

cus:

leaders

hip

confer

ence

Age

nt

missouri

creo

Rated “A” Excellent by AM Best

www.natlloyds.com800.749.6419, ext 103

[email protected]

No Credit ChecksNo Policy Fee

No Inspection Fee

15-20% CommissionsProfit Sharing

Easy to do Business with

Direct Billing OptionsOnline Payments

Fast and Reliable ClaimsHomeowners

Commercial PropertyGeneral Liability

Dwelling FireVacant Dwellings

Renters

Manufactured HomesFlood

Builders Risk

Your #1 Dwelling Fire Company

Homeowners coverage from ACV to RCV

Values up to $350,000

Tenant Schedules from 10 to 10,000 Units

Cafeteria Style Mobile Home Product

Mobile Home Package

Seasonal/Secondary Mobile Homes

Vacant Dwellings

Main Street Commercial

creo


From shirts to cars, we all look for name brands! It all varies by your personal taste, lifestyle and, of course, age. We are consumed by finding a good deal on a particular brand and feel let down if we can’t get it.

I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot and trying to analyze if certain brands really offer extra value or if the media advertising just has convinced us they’re better. Take hotels, for example: Basically they all have a bed and bath, so why pay double or triple for a better brand? I could list at least 100 different reasons that, in my mind at least, make it worth paying the dif-ference. My perception is that a five-star room with great sheets and towels is well worth it. The key to branding is building value so that clients can be assured of reliable service, quality products and consistent competitive pricing.

In insurance, building a brand for indepen-dent agents has become more important than ever. We are competing against major carriers that spend millions on advertising each year to sell their brand.

There are different approaches to brand building. One of the largest brands today was developed by claiming to be the lowest price. However, price alone as a driving force is over-estimated. Surveys show that few customers base their purchase decisions on price alone. Do we really want customers that base their insur-ance purchasing decision on price alone? Price is definitely a factor in the decision, but agents have to show the added value of our services.

Management consultant Tom Peters says it well: “In an increasingly crowded market-place, fools will compete on price. Winners will find a way to create a lasting value in the customer’s mind.”

In building a brand, we have to find a way to make our product stand out and not be just a commodity. In a recent situation, we had a large account for our agency that sought bids for their workers’ compensation coverage. The manager’s opinion was that all work comp is the same, and he wanted bottom dollar pricing.

We were able to convince him that paying a little more with a carrier that provided great loss-control services, safety programs and 24-hour claims reporting was worth the extra cost. Once he realized the value added for these ser-vices, the increase in premium was not an issue.

We, as independent agents, have not done a good job promoting our value-added brand. At a recent meeting, the IIABA board of direc-tors voted to have all members become Trusted Choice-branded agencies. This is a major step toward a national logo and a common brand that all the Trusted Choice companies and agen-cies will be using across our country.

This change will take place on or before Sept. 1, 2011. The MAIA board will be discussing Missouri’s implementation of the change at its next meeting in May. Further details on this is-sue are included in this magazine. See page 28 for more information.

At first glance, I was not really on board with this change but have come to realize that we, as independent agents, need to be able to com-pete with the big brand names, especially in the personal lines arena. If you are not already a Trusted Choice agency, I encourage you to go to the Trusted Choice website and find out all the ways you will be able to use the logo and how other agencies across the nation are working the Trusted Choice brand.

Is your agency promoting your brand in your community and with your clients so that they associate value, not just price, with your insur-ance services and products? Every agency team member needs to be promoting who you are: what you do; why you are better; and what is special about your agency.

As agency principals, we have to be sure our answers for these questions are shared agency wide with all staff members. Are you doing enough to get everyone from the receptionist to the top producers on board with your agency philosophy?

As Trusted Choice agents, we need to strive daily to live up to the brand of Trusted Choice with integrity, honesty and full service for our clients.

In closing, I want to remind everyone about the upcoming Leadership Conference, which features William Bennett, Best Practices sessions led by Steve Anderson and Chris Amrhein, and social time with fellow agents at the Lake of the Ozarks. Hope to see you there!

The Power of Branding

Belinda BrenizerMAIA President

fromthepresident

creo

Success is finding an advantage.

Sometimes you need a little help getting to the top. Agents know this. That’s why so many

choose SECURA to grow their business. Call 1-800-558-3405. Write your own success story.

©20

08 S

EC

UR

A In

sura

nce

4260 Secura_BaseAds_2008 8/27/08 3:36 PM Page 1

creo


Success is finding an advantage.

Sometimes you need a little help getting to the top. Agents know this. That’s why so many

choose SECURA to grow their business. Call 1-800-558-3405. Write your own success story.

©20

08 S

EC

UR

A In

sura

nce

4260 Secura_BaseAds_2008 8/27/08 3:36 PM Page 1

It is common for most of us to not be wasteful. If we have food left, we package it up and have it later. In fact, we have created a huge industry for makers of various containers in which we keep our food for another day. Sometimes, we are successful in preserving the fare; other times, it becomes dry and stale, and the time and effort we put into trying to maintain it is wasted.

In the association world, we try not to be wasteful of our time or that of our members. In instances where we have questions that have not been fully answered or issues that have not been properly addressed, we attempt to repackage them and keep nibbling at them until they can be resolved. Of course, we have also created a huge industry for regulators, lobbyists, consultants and others who have an interest in keeping the pot stirred.

It seems lately that we have been dining on a potluck menu created from a lot of leftover items. We never seem to find resolution on these topics, yet they are a smorgasboard of important issues that impact the way you conduct business. I thought it might be good to provide you with a status report on some of the issues we have previously served up for discussion.

Health Insurance ReformAfter more than a year of distasteful debate, this issue remains quite nauseating to many of us, yet there is no longer much doubt it will be served up to us in the coming months and years. The ultimate outcome remains questionable in some areas, with legal challenges and lack of clarity in some of the legislative language. At best, the discourse on this issue has been politics at its absolute worst, with dialog boiling over at many junctures. Clearly, implementation will be anything but a piece of cake. We have already provided you with an overview of the timeline on various changes and will continue to update you as issues evolve.

Flood InsuranceFirst, you went through a two-day expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program and then a month later, Congress allowed it to expire for more than two weeks. Of course, they were so busy cooking up ideas on health reform that there was no time left for basic meat and potatoe (the Quayle spelling looks classy) issues. While Congress has been stuck regurgitating continuing resolutions to keep the flood program going for 30-day increments, our appetite is for a long-term extension, and we will continue to work to that end.

Fair PlanIt seems the Fair Plan just cannot keep from serving up questionable fare. Last September, the governing board issued a directive that required new and renewal applications for commercial and farm policies to be accompanied by at least two denial letters from standard insurance companies. Of course, no standard carriers would take the time to issue denial letters on applications they didn’t want submitted anyway. After we appealed to the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration, the Fair Plan relented on the requirement for two denials but still requires a letter from the agency indicating they have no standard markets that will accept the risk. While this is progress, it remains an additional ingredient that is unnecessary and continues to spoil the relationship with agencies attempting to serve their clients.

RebatingBulletin 10-01 issued by the Department of Insurance in January, which related to wellness programs and rebating, provided a lot to digest. After a subsequent meeting with department officials, in which a number of industry practices were discussed, it was agreed that a meeting of MAIA

Leftovers

Larry CaseMAIA Executive Vice President

continued on page 38

myturn

creo

s! E&O HappenWhen that inevitable claim arises, we are your Trusted Choice® for professional liability protection.

AMC offers you a choice of the two most prestigious Errors and Omissions carriers in the country:

Westport

3 In business for 92 years3 In the E&O business for over 30 years3 Insures over 15,000 agencies3 Has over $150 million in premiums3 Endorsed by the Missouri association

for over 30 years3 Rated A+ by A.M. Best

Insurance CompanyUtica

3 In business for 92 years3 In the E&O business for 40 years3 Insures over 11,000 agencies3 Has over $70 million in premiums3 Endorsed by the Missouri association

for over 40 years3 Rated A- by A.M. Best

National Insurance Group

Agents Marketing Corporation is a subsidiary of Missouri Association of Insurance Agents

For a quote or for more information contact Theresa Flippin at [email protected] or 800/617-3658

In fact, with the two best choices in the business...

why would you trust anyone else?

Agents Marketing Corporation Your Trusted Choice®

creo


s! E&O HappenWhen that inevitable claim arises, we are your Trusted Choice® for professional liability protection.

AMC offers you a choice of the two most prestigious Errors and Omissions carriers in the country:

Westport

3 In business for 92 years3 In the E&O business for over 30 years3 Insures over 15,000 agencies3 Has over $150 million in premiums3 Endorsed by the Missouri association

for over 30 years3 Rated A+ by A.M. Best

Insurance CompanyUtica

3 In business for 92 years3 In the E&O business for 40 years3 Insures over 11,000 agencies3 Has over $70 million in premiums3 Endorsed by the Missouri association

for over 40 years3 Rated A- by A.M. Best

National Insurance Group

Agents Marketing Corporation is a subsidiary of Missouri Association of Insurance Agents

For a quote or for more information contact Theresa Flippin at [email protected] or 800/617-3658

In fact, with the two best choices in the business...

why would you trust anyone else?

Agents Marketing Corporation Your Trusted Choice®

Missouri still is what we commonly refer to as an “at will” employment state. That is, unless an employee has a contract for a specific length of time, he or she can be fired with or without cause. So, what are you nervous about?

The reality is, there are many safeguards that can affect how or when an employee is fired. In this tough economy, lawsuit filings against employers are up. Depending on the number of employees in your business, the fol-lowing laws could apply, although this is not an exhaustive list:

• Missouri Human Rights Act (prohibits job bias based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age or handicap)

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, including pregnancy discrimination (federal discrimi-nation law including race, color, sex, reli-gion, national origin)

• Age Discrimination in Employment (federal law, 40 or older)

• Americans with Disabilities Act (federal law, physical and mental disabilities)

• Family and Medical Leave Act (federal law, unpaid leave)

• Fair Labor Standard Act (minimum wage and overtime requirements)

• Equal Pay Act (federal law, prohibits un-equal pay based upon sex)

In addition to these laws, the Missouri Supreme Court, in February 2010, formally recognized the following exceptions to the “at will” doctrine:

An at will employee may not be terminated 1) for refusing to violate the law or any well-established and clear mandate of public policy as expressed in the constitution, statutes, regulations promulgated pursuant to statute, or rules created by a governmental body or 2) for reporting wrongdoing or violations of law to superiors or public authorities. (Fleshner v. Pepose Vision Institute, 2010 WL 444885) (Mo. Banc).

Under these circumstances, an employer is wise to run through a checklist when it comes to separating from an employee. Every situation is different and requires the exercise of judg-ment, so no one rule can apply. There are, how-ever, a few basic questions you can ask to take a

first step in testing your decision and assessing your business’s risk for drawing a legal claim.

What do you want to do and why? If you are about to fire someone, you should be able to state simply and clearly, at least to yourself, why. An employee in Missouri, once discharged, will have a right to ask for what is called a “service letter,” assuming he or she had been employed for at least 90 days. This will require the employer to state the “true reason” for termination. Needless to say, the employer’s reason for termination should not change over time.

Does the reason for termination run afoul of some right?If an employee happens to be in a “protected class” – that is, falls within one of the categories under state or federal law of race, sex, religion, etc. – that fact does not mean you must con-tinue to employ the person no matter what. The protected status has to play a role in the decision to terminate in order to establish a violation of the law, and that role could be pre-sumed if the reason given for termination ap-pears to be false or otherwise is not believable. Consider the following questions:

• Does the employee have a written contract for a specific amount of time? If so, that contract will or may govern termination.

• Does your employment handbook tie ter-mination to a progressive discipline policy or otherwise establish conditions that must be met prior to termination?

• Is your employee in a protected class, or has he or she otherwise exercised some right or made a complaint that implicates some right?

FairnessWhether you can fire someone at will or not, you will want to treat the person with dignity and as you have treated others in similar cir-cumstances. Even if it turns out that someone – a judge or a juror – later disagrees with the reason you fired someone, if you provide a fair process, without bias, generally the law allows you to exercise your business judgment.

Fire Away (or Not): What to Consider in Terminations

Mary Jo Shaney, Esq.

thelegalside

Mary Jo Shaney is stepping in as a guest writer for Lewis Melahn, J.D. Shaney is a partner at White Goss Bowers March Schulte & Weisenfels, Kansas City. She handles business and employment litigation and advice. Shaney can be reached at 816-502-4731.

creo

creo


Build a Web Presence Worthy of 2010

Matthew MarkoMarketing Process ManagerProgressive Insurance

The day you hung your first sign outside of your office, you let the world know: We are here. By taking the same pride in building an agency website, you tell online visitors that you are open for business.

According to a study by ComScore, 73 percent of people use the Internet to search for insurance information, but 67 percent still prefer to buy from a local agent. If customers can’t find you, however, they may call an agency down the street.

Start by building a quality siteWhether you develop a site on your own or use an outside resource, your site should:

• Reflect your agency’s brand. Clearly set your agency apart from others in your area. Show your logo, local office and team members’ faces, rather than generic stock photography. Talk about what makes your agency unique. Include customer testimonials.

• Show all of the ways customers can interact with you. Include real-time online quoting, your contact information and a short contact form. Many companies offer real-time online quoting banners that agents can place on their sites. Some comparative-rating vendors offer tools you can put on your site to enable consumers to get online multiple quotes that then feed into your agency rater.

• Provide easy ways for customers to make self-service changes. This can be as easy as providing a link to your carriers’ online self-service sites or a form for your customers to fill out that is automatically routed to you.

• Incorporate search engine optimization. SEO is the technical term for moving your listing up the ladder on sites like Google, Yahoo, Bing and others. The higher your listing appears on the page when someone types in “[Your City] insurance,” the more likely people will click on that link.

• Be built with measurement in mind. Google Analytics, a free service, can tell you how people arrived to your site, which pages received the most attention, the key words people typed in search engines to find you, and other valuable information. A professional web development partner can link Google Analytics to your site, or you can do it yourself by visiting www.google.com/analytics.

• Be personal and be local. Your neighbors are looking for a hometown resource. Your site should have links to other local businesses and organizations. Reference the areas you serve and clearly show that you are committed to your community.

• Be updated regularly. No prospect or customer wants to visit an outdated website, and just as importantly, search engine rankings reward sites that are frequently updated. Try to post new content to your site at least once a month. Better yet, start a blog where you answer common insurance questions, describe your agency’s involvement in the community, or share local news and events.

Broaden your reachA quality website is a necessary first step. But it’s equally important that you constantly work to attract people to your site after it’s built.

technology


creo

12 missouriagent may/june 2010

Proud Supporter of MAIA

W W W . A C C I D E N T F U N D . C O M

W W W . U N I T E D H E A R T L A N D . B I Z6475

When someone types a business name or “[Your City] insurance” into Google or Yahoo, some of the top listings that show up are “local listings.” Try it. Type your agency name and city into one of those sites and see where you end up on the list – if at all.

Local listings are like Internet phone books that show your company’s phone number, address (sometimes with a map of your area), background information and website. These listings are free, but you have to claim them and check them for accuracy and consistency.

Our company has run agent surveys indicating that fewer than one in five independent agencies have claimed free, online local listings. Don’t let your agency miss this high-impact opportunity.

To start, claim your free local listings at Google, Yahoo! and Bing. (Tip: to get started on Google, for example, type “Google local listing” into the Google search engine and select the Google Local Business Center.) Make sure your agency information is consistent and accurate, that each listing links back to your

agency website, and that you choose appropriate business categories and keywords. Take note of how your highest-ranking local competitors are listed and mirror that format.

Your agency also should claim free listings at localeze.com, infousa.com, yellowpages.com and superpages.com. The more listings your agency claims, the better.

Attract “searchers”Next, help people find your website when they perform searches for common insurance terms. That’s what is meant by search engine optimization, and it’s driven by two main factors: your content and the websites that link to yours. You can control both.

Use Google Analytics and Google Keywords to better understand the words people use to search for insurance in your area. For example, if you have an agency in Boca Raton, Fla., and you discover that people search for “Boca Raton insurance” most, those three words need to be integrated into your home page copy.

technology continued from page 11

creo


volunteers needed!Missouri Trusted Choice Big “I” championship

Volunteer before, during or after the event:

• Call your local high school coaches.• Deliver promotional materials to local schools and

golf courses.• Advertise the tournament in your local sports sec-

tion and offer your agency as a resource for more information.

• Donate the entry fee for a golfer.• Attend one or both days of the state tournament.• Attend the National Championship in New Jersey,

July 27-30.

July 12-13, The Dalhousie Golf Club, Cape Girardeau

This tournament is designed to provide interaction for indepen-dent agents with junior golfers, their parents and their coaches. For the agent, it is a great oppor-tunity to network and to create a positive image in the community, all while supporting the Big “I” and Trusted Choice!

This year’s state championship will be held at The Dalhousie Golf Club, ranked by Golf Digest as the ‘07-’08 No. 1 course in the state and hon-ored as a Golfweek “Course of Distinction” that same year. Created by legend Jack Nicklaus and Nicklaus Design, The Dalhousie boasts his-torical ties to the Dalhousie Castle of Scotland.

For more information or an official volunteer form, contact the MAIA office at [email protected] or 800-617-3658.

Missouri’s 2009 National Championship Qualifiers

Try these tips to boost SEO:

•Create separate pages for each product line.•Write for humans. Tell people exactly what you offer and why you’re the best. Integrate search terms, but don’t repeat them.•Work with a local web-development partner that can improve your SEO. Behind-the-scenes metatags, link-building strategies, keyword optimization and other tactics can improve your search engine rankings. Ask for local references for any partners you consider.•Link to carrier sites and ask carriers to link to yours. For example, all of our agents can be linked to and from our agent locator site.•Start a Facebook “fan” page and be sure to have a listing on LinkedIn. These social networking sites also feed search engines.

Keep them coming backAgencies most successful on the Internet are those who invest ongoing time and money in their online presence. These agencies

respond quickly to online inquiries. They designate team members to keep content fresh and regularly check online listings for consistency. And, most of all, they measure their results with online analytics and by the business generated through Internet activities.

Matthew Marko is a marketing process manager for Progressive Insurance. He works to provide local marketing strategies, tools and co-branded collateral to help independent agencies grow their businesses. E-mail him at [email protected]. Marko prepared this article for ACT. For more information about ACT, contact Jeff Yates, ACT executive director at [email protected]. This article reflects the views of the author and should not be construed as an official statement by ACT.

creo

creo

Designed for producers, CSRs and agency support staff, “A Practical Guide to Agency E&O Risk Management” is a day-long course in Jefferson City, May 19, that will give agency personnel the information they need to reduce their risk for errors and omissions claims.

With producers, account managers and CSRs involved in 81 percent of Missouri E&O claims, quality education is essential to building and maintaining awareness in your agency.

Instructor Sam Bennett will lead students through a well-designed curriculum that examines factors contributing to a recent rise in claims, including product changes, client expectations, emerging exposures and more.

The class will then use a variety of tools, including role-play and discussion so that students can develop an understanding of their part in reducing E&O claim exposure.

This E&O Seminar qualifies for both Westport’s and Utica’s loss-control credit, under specific conditions, available at missouriagent.org. Be sure to take note of the special price for members whose agency registered an employee for the Small Agency Conference.

Risk Specialist Series Takes to the Open Road with Insuring Trucking Risks

Young Agents to Gather at the Lake

E&O Risk Management Around the Corner

MAIA’s popular Risk Specialist Series returns June 23-24 with Insuring Trucking Risks, a course for the rolling stone in your agency. Students will discuss the current trucking environment, government regulations and major court rulings affecting motor carrier coverage, as well as specific insurance coverage forms, endorsements and exclusions.

MAIA has once again retained trucking insurance guru Tommy Ruke to lead the class. Ruke has more than 35 years of experience in the insurance industry. Plus, he has worked in his family’s long-haul trucking business and spent 10 years as an International Harvester

dealer. Ruke has developed programs that cover insuring trucking for the CIC program and the American Association of Managing General Agents.

Register and see the complete course agenda on the MAIA website, www.missouriagent.org.

Each course in the Risk Specialist Series offers an intermediate to advanced look into different niche markets. Open to members only, the courses are designed to help you become the insurance advisor your important clients need. The classes are offered quarterly at the new MAIA headquarters in Jefferson City.

MAIA’s 32nd Young Agents Conference takes place June 6-8 at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach. Widely recognized as a national-caliber conference, this event is designed to help new insurance producers succeed through motivation, education and networking opportunities. Participation also provides a firm foundation for a leadership role in the industry.

Participants in this year’s conference will be treated to a feature presentation by former Major League Baseball player Brian Holman. Educational sessions include a course designed to help sales reps get a handle on daily tasks and selling activities, a risk management walking tour, and a legislative and regulatory panel.

Registrants are encouraged to bring their families and will have time to enjoy the relaxed but up-scale atmosphere of Tan-Tar-A. A special 50 percent discount is available for the second registrant from any agency location. Registration is available at missouriagent.org.

Tommy Ruke

2009 Young Agents Conference

Please Note: The May E&O Seminar offers five hours of ethics CE credit, not six as previously advertised. We apologize for any inconvenience.


creo

IIABA members nationwide have access to the leading stand-alone personal umbrella policy in the marketplace – the RLI Personal Umbrella Policy.

RLI Personal Umbrella Policy

� $1-, $2-, $3-, and $5-million liability limits available� Self-underwriting/Self-rating application � Underlying auto limits of 100/300 available� Direct bill at renewal� Admitted paper� Available nationwide� “A” rated carrier

Contact your IIABA state administrator for applications, rate sheets and to start writing business today.To learn more, visit www.independentagent.com/RLI.

Reach for it when you need it.

MAIA

Featured

Product

Contact Monica Mize,

[email protected],

800-617-3658

creo


IIABA members nationwide have access to the leading stand-alone personal umbrella policy in the marketplace – the RLI Personal Umbrella Policy.

RLI Personal Umbrella Policy

� $1-, $2-, $3-, and $5-million liability limits available� Self-underwriting/Self-rating application � Underlying auto limits of 100/300 available� Direct bill at renewal� Admitted paper� Available nationwide� “A” rated carrier

Contact your IIABA state administrator for applications, rate sheets and to start writing business today.To learn more, visit www.independentagent.com/RLI.

Reach for it when you need it.

100

Summerville Celebrates 100 YearsFriends, clients and employees of Summerville Insurance Agency will gather at the “yellow building with the blue roof” on Washington Street, Tuesday, May 11, to celebrate 100 years of agency history.

Founded in 1910 by Floyd and Alta Summerville, the agency’s roots are humble but rich. The couple traveled throughout Livingston County in all weather in a buggy drawn by their faithful horse, Dock, selling property and casualty policies. In the evening, Floyd would often entertain his clients in their homes by playing his violin. The agency’s first building was a log cabin.

Over the next few decades, Floyd and Alta would move to Chillicothe and continue to grow their business. In 1947, their son Clifford returned with his family to Chillicothe from Kansas City and joined the agency. Thirty years later, Clifford’s son Jim came on board, and the agency represented more than 20 insurance companies. Shortly after Jim joined the agency, Summerville Insurance opened an office in Polo.

Jim Summerville is the current agency owner, and he runs the Chillicothe office with the help of his wife, Karen Kay, and two other employees. A past president of MAIA and an active member of many community organizations in the Chillicothe area, Jim has continued the legacy that his grandparents built

by serving the lives, as well as the insurance needs, of his clients and neighbors.

“The business of insurance is providing financial security for your clients, and I feel like that’s an important thing to do,” Jim explains. “I like to make my clients comfortable.”

Although one of Jim’s three children did follow his footsteps into the insurance industry, it seems unlikely that the next owner of the Summerville Insurance Agency will be a member of the family. However, Jim is determined that when he sells the agency, it will be to someone dedicated to the tradition of small town customer service who will carry on the tradition of three generations of Summervilles.

creo

Small Agency Conferencescrapbook

Jim Summerville en-joys the Crawfish Feast.

First-time attendee Jamie Laible joins other agents picking up tips in the Idea Lab.

Byron Robison and Chris Rupp react to keynote

speaker D.J. Harrington.

The Crawfish Feast drew a crowd.


Rick Werts, COO of Charles L. Crane Agency Co., attends SAC

for the first time.

creo


Incoming chair of the Young Agents Com-

mittee, Jason Comfort, helps

himself to more crawfish.

scrapbook


New member Scott Cristal enjoys the keynote address.

Mike Keith and Christian Delozier tune in at the education sessions.

Small Agency Conference Committee Chair Steve

Rackley addresses the crowd.

Phil Hilty listens closely.

Brent Speight wins a cruise from D.J. Harrington.

creo


creo


scrapbook continued from page 19

Above: CIC Designees (back row, left to right) Cary Prater, Terresa Goings, Kathleen Valdemar, Christine Remming, Regina Dinan (front row l-r) Brian Donovan, Jeff Naught, Joan Madison, Mark Riordan Sr., Jennifer Prague, Christopher Meckem

Left: CISR Designees (l-r) Patricia Miller, LaDonna Hansen, Angie Calvert

Gary Mesler and Jared Self joke during the trade show.

Betty Davis takes advantage of the afternoon education session.

Leslie Griffen helps speaker D.J. Harrington present his office

first aid kit.

The technology panel prepares to address the crowd.Dave Wiersma and Charles Rush greet each other during the trade show.

creo


INSURANCE PROGRAMS.®

YOUR TOTAL WINERY INSURANCE SOLUTION.

Your business. Our specialty.

888-386-5701 • www.WineryPak.com© 2010 WineryPak, LLC. All rights reserved.UNDERWRITTEN BY MEMBER COMPANIES OF GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE GROUP.

If you’re an insurance professional targeting the winemaking or distilled spiritsindustries, now you can provide more of the coverages your clients and prospectsneed, in one inclusive program.

WineryPak® offers coverage for:• WINERY AND VINEYARD OPERATIONS • SPECIAL EVENTS & HOSPITALITY• FARM & RANCH COVERAGES • BONDS • CROP INSURANCE • CYBER RISK

WINERYPAK

A judge has placed a St. Louis-based insurance company into rehabilitation and turned it over to regulators at the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration. Department Director John M. Huff has been named receiver of National States Insurance Co., which allows the department to take over operations of the company.

Huff says National States is in hazardous financial condition and that the action is necessary to protect Missouri consumers who have long-term care, life and Medicare Supplement insurance policies with the company. The company’s board of directors has consented to the rehabilitation order.

Rehabilitation is a legal step taken by the court to protect policyholders by preserving the company’s assets. The department as the rehabilitator assumes management of the company, attempts to correct existing problems, continues operations, maintains policyholder accounting, and develops a

plan of rehabilitation or petitions the court for liquidation. The department is currently overseeing 13 insurance companies in rehabilitation or receivership status.

National States is licensed to do business in 37 states, including Florida, where it has run into financial problems with its long-term care policies. Huff says the company underpriced its products and, as a result, may be unable to pay future long-term care insurance claims filed by policyholders.

With rehabilitation, the department’s priority will be to process existing claims and find another insurance company willing to buy and assume the policies of National States.

National States had $6.4 million in premium sales in Missouri in 2009. Policyholders or producers with questions can call the Missouri Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390 or contact the department online at insurance.mo.gov. A list of frequently asked questions pertaining to this rehabilitation may also be found on the department’s website.

St. Louis Co. Placed into Rehabilitation

missourinewsEXTRA!

creo


Ten Technology Tools to Enhance Your Agency’s ProductivityIn today’s environment, getting the most out of an agency’s technology investment is critical to maximizing productivity and bottom-line profit. While training your staff to fully use the functionality in your management systems is certainly important, many small, innovative tools can also raise productivity. In this article, I discuss my candidates for the top ten cool tools that deserve your attention.

Voice RecognitionI use and recommend Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 10. After installing the software, you will need to spend 15 or 20 minutes to train it to your voice. After that, accuracy should be about 95 percent. And as you use the software to correct recognition mistakes, it learns from the mistakes, and recognition accuracy improves. The software works seamlessly with Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet Explorer and Outlook.

Easy Video E-MailAnything you can do to make your e-mail message stand out in an inbox is a good thing. Eyejot is a web-based service that allows you to quickly and easily send video e-mail (v-mail) to anyone. All you need is an inexpensive webcam and an Eyejot account. The best part is that the basic service is free (at least for now).

If you use Eyejot to communicate with clients, the PRO Plus version is worth the $100-per-year cost. It includes extra features and is advertising free. The service also will alert you when your video messages have been viewed.

Manage Unstructured InformationEvernote is a program that allows you to capture and store information easily in any environment using whatever device or platform you happen to be using, making the information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere. Here is how it works.

When you discover something you want to save, you press the Evernote hotkey, and the information is stored either online or on your computer. When your computer is connected to the Internet, the information from each is synched with that on the other. Best of all, the information is run through a recognition technology and indexed for fast searching and retrieval.

Understand Your E-MailA free plug-in module for Outlook called Xobni (Pronounced “ZOB-nee,” the name is inbox spelled backwards.) adds some social networking and data-mining features to your existing Outlook e-mail.

Xobni indexes all of your stored e-mail, starting with the most recent messages, and can display a profile for any sender, including a photograph, contact information and statistics on that sender’s e-mail habits. Xobni will also arrange e-mail conversations and attachments.

Adding Instant Message Capability to Your WebsiteProvide Support is a software and web process that provides a “live chat” option on your website. When someone clicks on the live chat button, a box pops up on the computer of a staff member. Selected employees can be added to a rotation to answer chat messages.

The price, from $99-396 annually, depends on how many users you add. The software provides a transcript of each conversation after the call is finished and a management recap at night.

Automatic Web SearchingGoogle Alerts performs predefined searches automatically on a daily basis. New results are e-mailed to you when new items are found for the specific search terms you want to track.

To create customized alerts, simply visit the Google Alerts home page, create a Google account (it’s free) and follow the prompts. When you’re done, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

Send and Receive Large FilesBeing able to attach large files to an e-mail is becoming more difficult as organizations place limits on the size of received e-mails. SendThisFile.com and YouSendIt.com are web-

Steve AndersonPresidentThe Anderson Network

Steve Anderson presents at the 2010 Leadership Conference: “Best Practices of Highly Effective Leaders” and “Top Tech Tips Every Agency Manger Should Know.”


specialfocus leadership2010

creo



I was not going to write this book—at least not right now. I concluded America: The Last Best Hope, volume II, with 1989, the last full year of the presidency of Ronald Wilson Reagan. In the epilogue, among other things, I wrote the following:

I cannot find the right words yet to dispassionately describe the relevant history of what we have gone through since his [Ronald Reagan’s] presidency ended. This is not because of my partisan or ideological convictions. Rather, it is because I believe more time needs to pass for us to fully and completely digest the history of the past two decades. Many of the players and actors of the past twenty years are still alive, and I wish to be fair to the times and root out any possible prejudice occasioned by my own association with the actors in this drama.

This was my position in 2006. But supply, as economists like to say, provides its own demand just as demand can create its own supply. And since volume II’s publication, a particular demand has arisen that I never expected: teachers across the country have taken volumes I and II and turned them into a vast American history curriculum, both print and online (see RoadmapToLastBestHope.com), and several state and city school districts have put the books and supplemental materials on their official adoption lists for the classrooms in their states and cities. Student and teacher editions have been created, and I have received many letters, telephone calls, and e-mails asking for a third volume,

a volume that brings us up to date over the past twenty years. History courses, it is argued, have taken us as close to the present as possible.

William J. Bennett

Introduction

A Century Turns is Bennett’s latest book, a follow up to volumes I and II of America: The Last Best Hope. This excerpt is the book’s introduc-tion.

While I raised all my objections to a third volume, my correspondents and callers remained persistent and unconvinced. I kept an open mind, and noticing the demand from students and teachers alike, I changed it. John Maynard Keynes famously said, “When the facts change, I change my mind,” and so, upon reflection, did I. In thinking about volume III – the last twenty years – I realized how long such a span can, in fact, be. Take some examples: twenty years before Ronald Reagan was nominated as the Republican candidate for president of the United States in 1980, he was still a Democrat. Twenty years after Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, his vice president’s son was elected president of the United States. Almost twenty years after his resignation from the presidency in 1974, Richard M. Nixon was eulogized by President Bill Clinton, who, in 1974, was a law professor at the University of Arkansas running for a seat in Congress. At the same time, Bill Clinton’s girlfriend, Hillary Rodham, had just finished service on the House Judiciary Committee staff investigating the possible impeachment of Richard M. Nixon. And one year before that, Monica Lewinsky (whose affair with President Clinton would lead to his actual impeachment) was born. Twenty years ago from this writing, few people in America knew who Hillary Clinton was, and Bill Clinton was a governor from Arkansas whose only national reputation – to the degree he had one at all – was for having delivered a long-winded speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Margaret Thatcher was the prime minister of Great Britain twenty years ago; John McCain was serving his second year in the Senate; and Colin Powell had just been promoted to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Twenty years ago in our political and popular culture, there was no Fox News Channel; there was no Seinfeld, no Tonight Show with Jay Leno, no Daily Show with Jon Stewart, no American Idol, no Jonas Brothers, no Taylor Swift, no Hannah Montana. Chris Matthews was a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. Sean Hannity was just beginning his career in

A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears

creo



local talk radio. Most of the country had not heard of Anchorage sportscaster Sarah Palin. And nobody but their families and friends had heard of Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Justin Timberlake, Reese Witherspoon, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, or Leonardo DiCaprio. The world knew of the Berlin Wall, which was still standing, and of tyrants Saddam Hussein and the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iraq and Iran, respectively. To the degree George W. Bush was known, it was as the fairly unnoticeable son of the then president and as the owner of a Texas baseball team. Twenty years is a long time. If you asked someone to “e-mail me,” or said “check out my Web site (or blog),” or began a phrase with “www,” or asked if an article was “available online,” or tried to tell someone what was on your “iPod playlist,” you would have received a blank stare. “Amazon” was known simply as

a forest in South America, “blackberry” was a

fruit, and “google” meant

nothing. [It certainly wasn’t a verb. The search engine and software development company apparently took its name from something only mathematicians would recognize, the word googol, a noun signifying the value of ten raised to the hundredth power.] Finally, twenty years ago from this writing, a young man named Barack Obama – a second-year law student – was just elected the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.

William J. Ben-nett is the fea-tured keynote speaker for the 2010 Leader-ship Conference in July. See the brochure in-serted into this magazine or visit www.missouria-gent.org to register for the conference.

A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears

Bennett’s latest book is a treatise on the last 20 years of American and world history.

creo


Benchmarking and Best PracticesAre We There Yet? Ah, the plaintive cries of children everywhere, trapped in the back seat of the family sedan as the vacation miles roll interminably onward.

Except in this case, the words are coming from agency owners. And the sad part is, there’s often no answer. Worse, it may be their own fault for ignoring the most obvious source of measuring agency progress towards success – benchmarking.

When the harried parents above are assailed by their offspring, they can check road signs, familiar landmarks or a road map with their route highlighted and give a definite answer. “Almost, kids. Twenty more miles to Grandma’s!” They are using an entire set of benchmarks to measure their progress toward a desired destination.

Yet many agencies insist they need no such reference points. They proudly point to revenue totals, expense levels, amount of technology installed, new producers hired or any number of other facets of their operation to prove how great they are doing.

Combined with an abiding faith that whatever they are doing is better than what anyone else is doing, they ironically pass up a key opportunity to prove they are right. Plus, they miss an equally golden opportunity to turn things around before it’s too late if they happen to be wrong.

As you read this, the IIABA 2010 Best Practices Study is well underway. It will be chock full of data about what the best independent agencies in the country are doing. Yet thousands of agencies, large and small, will choose to ignore the study’s gold mine of benchmarks. If you are one of those agencies, which of the following is your excuse?

Those agencies have nothing in common with me. The agencies in the study run the gamut from less than $1,250,000 in revenue to more

than $25,000,000. The data is categorized by agency size within six brackets. So if you are a mom-and-pop operation, have no fear that the averages for your bracket have been skewed by the inclusion of a mega shop; and those of you in the multimillion-dollar revenue range can rest assured you are not comparing yourselves to an agency too small to truly represent the issues you face.

The data is already a year old. Yes, the data clearly has been gathered over the last year, so it represents where these agencies were several months ago as opposed to today. But if your current numbers are not up to the

level of where these agencies were a year ago, you’re in even worse shape than you thought!

I’d rather be the best I can be and not compare myself to others. No one can knock the value of striving for individual improvement. But if the

world of sports has taught us anything, it’s that no matter how unique your operation may be, you can’t just ignore everyone else or the rules by which the game is played.

Consider this: Would the world have accepted Michael Jordan’s claim to the title of best basketball player ever if he’d just gone out onto a deserted court and shot baskets for a few days, emerging to tell the press how phenomenal he’d been? How world famous would Tiger Woods be if all his achievements were on the practice tee, hitting buckets of range balls?

Best Practices sets the bar too low. I don’t want to meet averages; I want to blow them away!Rock on! But exactly how are you going to “blow them away” if you don’t know where they are? If

Chris AmrheinSee Chris Amrhein’s Best

Practices presentation, “Top Ten Ways the Best Practices Agencies are Kicking Your

Butt,” at the 2010 Leadership Conference.



creo



based services that streamline the process of sending and receiving large files.

Using either service is as easy as entering the recipient’s e-mail address into a form and selecting the file you want to send. The recipient receives a link to the file via an e-mail message and then clicks on the link to download it. A free account is available to test the service and for sending a small number of files.

Easily Manage Website PasswordsManaging multiple website passwords is one of the more difficult tasks for agency personnel. RoboForm is a program that installs as part of your web browser (either Internet Explorer or Firefox) and manages login and passwords for you. When you log in to a website, RoboForm offers to save the login information on a Passcard. The Passcard is saved into a fully encrypted file that requires a master password to access.

Once the login information page is saved, a true one-click login is available by clicking on the website name in the Passcard list. The program automatically navigates to the website and logs in.

Reduce KeystrokesJust like Word’s auto-correct function, ActiveWords replaces predetermined text with a predetermined substitute, but it can be used in any program that accepts text input.

For example, I type my e-mail address into different forms and programs a lot. Now I type “sa,” hit the spacebar twice (the ActiveWords action key) and my full e-mail address is inserted into the field, saving 20 keystrokes each time.

Outlook Rules & AlertsWhile it’s hard to imagine running a successful agency without being able to use e-mail, we have allowed it to take over our work lives by not effectively managing our Outlook inboxes. The first step is to master Outlook rules and alerts.

Outlook AlertsTurning off alerts will help. Alerts interrupt your train of thought, and you end up distracted whether the message was important or not.

Outlook RulesFor e-mails that do deserve immediate attention, create a rule. Outlook rules will help you flag a particular e-mail so that you can respond appropriately.

There is a tremendous amount of functionality available in Outlook rules. Fortunately, Outlook provides a step-by-step process that allows you to create a rule easily. Once you get more familiar with the process, you can use more advanced options to fine-tune how the rule will function for you.

Ten Tech Tools continued from page 23

creo


Home Office: Birmingham, Alabama • WWW.AMERICANMINING.COM

“insurance from people who know mining”

For more information, contact Bryant Brown, V.P. Marketing • 1.800.448.5621, x 249.

Copper, Silver & Coal mines: surface and underground

coal truckmen (workers’ Comp only)

c

c

c

c

c

c

quarries

sand and gravel digging

Fast and Fair Claims Service • Excellent Customer Service • Extensive Industry Knowledge • A.M. Best A+ Superior Rating

We Insure

other types of mining

mining related risks

Workers’ Compensation • General Liability • Automobile • Umbrella

IIABA Announces Changes to Trusted Choice

Editor’s Note: The following is an outline from IIABA regarding the direction for the Trusted Choice branding program. Look for more information from MAIA after the May board of directors meeting that will determine our plan for implementation of these changes. At this time, current Trusted Choice members don’t need to do anything differently from what they are currently doing right now. Non-Trusted Choice members can take advantage of reduced membership fees, but, again, they don’t have to take any steps at this time.

Earlier this month, the IIABA national board of directors approved two very significant initiatives that will usher in a new era for IIABA members, consumers and the insurance industry at large. First, after concluding that a strong national consumer brand is fundamen-tal to the success of members and complet-

ing a thorough review of how best to support members’ use of Trusted Choice as the consumer brand, the decision was made to have all mem-bers support Trusted Choice via a reduced cost for participating in the program, enabling them to focus their expenditures on living and pro-moting the brand. New annual fees already in effect are $60 for agencies with fewer than 10 employees or $120 for agencies with 10 or more employees. These fees apply to member agencies new to Trusted Choice, as well as those renewing their participation. MAIA will provide information to members after the May board meeting regarding any changes to the amounts or timing of fees that will be collected in order to implement the deci-sion to have all members support the consumer brand. In the interim, MAIA members with ques-tions about the cost of participating in Trusted

&news know-howEXTRA!

creo


Patriot Risk Management, Inc. is an

insurance holding company offering workers’

compensation insurance and insurance

services solutions. Our subsidiaries – Patriot

Risk Services, Patriot Underwriters and

Guarantee Insurance Company – are

recognized as innovative leaders in the

industry. Collectively, our dedicated team of

over 165 talented associates in five states

provide sophisticated and in-depth experience

to every one of our clients.

Creating Workers’Compensation solutions

For more information please visit us online at www.prmigroup.com or contact:

John W. Travis | 636.237.2050

IIABA Announces Changes to Trusted Choice Choice should check with Kelli Findley. She can be reached at [email protected] or at 800-617-3658. All agencies new to participation in Trusted Choice will need to sign the Trusted Choice License Agreement, which includes the Pledge of Performance, as has always been the case. Learn more about Trusted Choice and the tools and resources it offers at www.trustedchoice.com/faq. The second major decision that the IIABA board of directors made was to update the IIA-BA logo to be harmonious with key elements of the Trusted Choice logo. The new association logo still includes the words independent insur-ance agent, but they are embedded within the iconic eagle “swoosh” used by Trusted Choice. IIABA will use its updated logo for lobbying and industry communications, as it represents the association. However, member agencies participating in Trusted Choice will be encour-aged to co-brand their agencies with the Trusted Choice logo, which was designed in response to attributes consumers indicated were important to them. The logo transition process includes filing for a trademark with the United States Patent & Trademark Office and preparing the final graphic files with guidelines for use. As soon as those steps are completed, the new logo will be made available to members. In the nine years since Trusted Choice was launched, more than 10,000 agency locations chose to join the branding program, with 53 carriers providing significant support as com-pany participants. With the strategic decision to have all members support Trusted Choice, there is an enhanced opportunity for state associa-tions like MAIA to target member education and convention programming to assist mem-bership in “Living the Brand.” Trusted Choice was developed and based on consumer research – which continues to be vali-dated in subsequent research – that consumers value choice, customization and advocacy, the very attributes that independent insurance agents offer to their customers. The competi-tive environment that prompted the launch of Trusted Choice has increased, especially in the face of the large advertising budgets of direct writers and captive agency carriers. Trusted Choice provides professional market-ing resources and the opportunity to leverage

the collective efforts and scale of Trusted Choice members for In-ternet search engine optimiza-tion. It also enables agencies to piggyback on the state associa-tion and national promotion of the Trusted Choice brand, through local, state and national advertising. In the coming month alone, Trusted Choice ads will run on the Fox Network and TNT, and will appear in Smart Money magazine. In addition, Trusted Choice will be a sponsor for American Public Radio’s “Marketplace” and will continue its aggressive Facebook advertising campaign. Advertising campaigns will continue through-out the year.

creo

�0

�5

�2�5

�7�5

�9�5

�1�0�0

�C�o�u�r�i� �I�n�s�u�r�a�n�c�e� �A�d� �-� �F�i�n�a�l

�T�u�e�s�d�a�y�,� �J�u�n�e� �0�9�,� �2�0�0�9� �1�2�:�1�0�:�5�6� �P�M

creo


I was recently approached by an agency asking if I would write an article on insuring “green” risks. No problem. As I began my research, how-ever, it was apparent that this was an exposure I was not up to speed on. While I had a general impression of what green means, this industry has truly exploded. Fortunately, there are many excellent websites that helped educate me on where the industry is and where it is headed. Simply Google green buildings and you too can access more information on this subject than you probably thought imaginable!

Since there is no doubt this industry is here to stay, there is a tremendous opportunity for your agency to increase its knowledge to more adequately serve this building segment, both on the personal and commercial sides.

The green industry is projected to grow over the next five years, according to the consulting firm McGraw-Hill Construction, to between a $96 billion and $140 billion market – and that’s despite current negative market condi-tions. McGraw-Hill Construction further notes that today, the global green building market is around $36 to $49 billion for residential and non-residential buildings, compared to the 2005 total of $10 billion.

This article will not delve into why the green market is booming. Its primary goal is to shed some light on some potential issues your agency might face as it looks to insure green risks. Because your community most likely has some personal or commercial buildings being reno-vated or built green, this is a critical time to in-vest in increasing your knowledge level.

Take Time Now Essentially, green building is heavily involved in increasing the efficiency with which build-ings and their sites use and harvest energy, water and materials. In addition, it protects and restores human health and that of the environ-

ment throughout the building’s life-cycle: siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction.

There are many issues surrounding this indus-try, as well as potential insurance implications of which you should be aware. Errors and omis-sions claims activity in this area has been mini-mal – if there’s been any at all – but it’s fair to say that it is only a matter of time.

Potential issue: the placement of the risk With respect to your homeowners carriers, are they receptive to these risks? If so, do you have authority to bind the way you do for a more traditional home construction risk? Speak with your carriers to determine their appetite, as you might find they get a little uneasy when you state you have a customer looking to insure a “rammed earth home” or a home constructed of straw bales. Or what about insulated con-crete forms, which are described as essentially Lego® blocks made from Styrofoam? If you find your carriers are not receptive to these risks, research companies that are. Another potential issue: coverage afforded Is the carrier using the standard homeowners policy? If so, be alert to gaps for such items as cisterns, underground storage tanks and storm systems to collect water. I suspect that carriers serious about writing these risks will develop a customized form addressing the unique ele-ments and the associated exposures. For ex-ample, a contractor you insure has a significant exposure in making sure the risk meets the nec-essary certification standards. Does the general liability form cover that? You need to know.

Green Risks – Should They Be a Red Flag for Your Agency?

Curtis M. PearsallSpecial ConsultantUtica National E&O Program

&errors omissions


creo


M. J. KELLY COMPANY

We have coverage for your special events

including Spectator Liability, Host Liquor

Liability, and much more. Give us a call for

your upcoming parades, wedding

receptions, rodeos, concerts, horse shows,

tractor pulls, demolition derbies, camps, picnics, and other

social gatherings sponsored by your clients.

Special Events, Promotions, & Prize Indemnification

1-800-725-7211 ▪ www.mjkelly.com

CELEBRATE an array of

markets! REVEL

in reasonable rates! CHEER

our quality service!

DON’T FORGET TO FINANCE WITH M. J. KELLY!

M. J. KELLY COMPANY

We have coverage for your special events

including Spectator Liability, Host Liquor

Liability, and much more. Give us a call for

your upcoming parades, wedding

receptions, rodeos, concerts, horse shows,

tractor pulls, demolition derbies, camps, picnics, and other

social gatherings sponsored by your clients.

Special Events, Promotions, & Prize Indemnification

1-800-725-7211 ▪ www.mjkelly.com

CELEBRATE an array of

markets! REVEL

in reasonable rates! CHEER

our quality service!

DON’T FORGET TO FINANCE WITH M. J. KELLY!

raised some questions and points worth repeat-ing: Is the cost for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-accredited professional to consult on the repair covered? Are recertifica-tion fees covered? The question of “like kind and quality” will come into play if the lumber used was extremely rare or unique. These and other questions need to be addressed and resolved before a loss, not after. It’s probably only a matter of time before you have a customer – personal or commercial – in-volved with a green risk. Don’t wait! Take time now to better understand these risks, as well as the exposures and issues. This will keep your agency from raising a red flag when it’s asked to insure a green risk.

Green Risks continued from page 31

Determining the value of the structureValuation is a key issue to both your customer, in the event of a loss, and your agency in prop-erly protecting your customer. Each home may be so unique that clients may struggle to ad-equately address these risks and determine the proper factors for valuation. There are prob-ably parts of the risk for which you will be able to determine a value and others that may re-quire the assistance of a contractor or profes-sional appraisal service. This is where you will benefit from the expertise and understanding of exposures of a company committed to deal-ing with green risks.

The customer suffers a lossHow confident are you that the loss will be adjusted fairly? One of the websites I visited

creo


Insure Business Autos on a Business Auto PolicyHave you ever tried to fit a square peg through a round hole? Several years ago, a large regional insurer published an article in its newsletter about how you should insure a business-owned auto under a personal auto policy. Like the analogy above, this method will not work. No matter how big the hammer is, you will only get splinters.

Business-owned autos are autos owned by a corporation, partnership or limited liability company. When insuring a business-owned auto on a PAP, it is difficult to overcome the following issues.

First, with a PAP, you constantly run into the word you. You is the named insured shown on the declaration page of the PAP, and the insurer is referred to as we or us. So when a business-owned auto is covered by a PAP written in the name of an executive to whom the auto is furnished, the business never becomes a you on that policy.

If I owned the auto, I would want to be a you. Some people suggest that you add the business as an additional insured. A business becoming an additional insured on a PAP, either by endorsement or automatic status (B.3.), is not the same as being a named insured. The business is still not a you.

What the business obtains by being an additional insured is coverage limited solely to its vicarious liability. This means the business has liability coverage, but only by riding the coattails of the named insured. More specifically, if an executive is driving a business-owned auto and is involved in an accident, liability attaches to the business because of the acts or omissions of the person to whom coverage is afforded, the named insured executive. This is not the same as the coverage afforded to the named insured (you).

For another example, businesses in many cases pay all the bills for the auto loan payments, gas, repairs and service. This makes it easy for crafty attorneys to sue the business for failure to properly maintain the auto should a serious injury result. Where does the business find coverage if the named insured (the executive) on the PAP is not named in the lawsuit? The answer is simple: The business does not have coverage, not even for vicarious liability!

Tim WahlGallagher Insurance GroupMAIA Technical Committee

Many state laws dictate that the registered owner of an automobile is legally liable for its operation and use. This is another important reason the business should be a named insured.

Here is another problem area. Assume a business-owned auto is written on a PAP with the executive officer as the named insured. The executive officer owner purchases a new automobile in the business’s name on


creo

trust.

acuity.com


trust.

acuity.com

a weekend but does not trade in the other auto. Where does the business obtain liability and physical damage coverage on the newly acquired auto from, say, Friday night until the insurance agent is notified on Monday? What if the executive waits a week before informing the agent?

Again, this scenario brings up the word you. A newly purchased auto is automatically covered under the PAP, but only if you acquire the auto. The business is not a you. This means that there is no automatic coverage for a newly acquired business-owned auto. It is uninsured from the time of purchase until the agent binds coverage or the policy is endorsed.

Similarly, if a business owns autos that are insured on a PAP, while additional owned auto(s) are insured on a business auto policy, the business will not have automatic coverage for newly acquired autos on the BAP because that policy is written using “specifically described auto” coverage, otherwise known as symbol 7 coverage.

Automatic coverage for newly acquired autos on a BAP using symbol 7 coverage only applies when the BAP carrier insures all business-owned autos. This means that there is no automatic coverage for a newly acquired business-owned auto on a BAP; the auto is uninsured from the time of purchase until the agent binds coverage or the policy is endorsed.

When splitting auto coverage between two different carriers, businesses also lose the opportunity to obtain “any auto” coverage, commonly known as symbol 1 coverage, on the BAP. Most BAP carriers will offer symbol 1 coverage if that carrier insures all the business-owned autos.

Many insurers do not want to write a PAP for more than liability limits up to $500,000. Even if an executive officer were able to obtain a personal umbrella policy, the limits may likely still be less than what a business usually requires and still leaves in question whether the business is properly covered.

Another question is, “What if the business has an umbrella policy?” How can a commercial umbrella policy cover an entity-owned auto insured on a PAP? Impossible for most insurers to do!

What about loading and unloading claims? Say the business auto insured on a PAP is used to deliver something to a customer. While the employee is in the customer’s home, something

is damaged. A BAP covers unloading and loading of an auto and is designed to work hand in hand with the commercial general liability policy. The two policies are purposefully designed to prevent coverage from applying to both policies at the same time so that either the BAP or the CGL is in effect but not both.

Surprisingly, a few insurers have specifically covered loading and unloading claims under their personal auto policies. The majority of PAP policies, however, are silent on the issue. Being silent doesn’t necessary mean they won’t cover you; it simply means you have to look to common law and see if loading and unloading qualifies as “use” of an auto. The BAP clearly addresses this coverage issue, while the PAP many times does not.

Here is another question: When the business needs hired and nonowned auto coverage, where does the agent acquire this coverage, if the company auto is written on a PAP? Agents writing a BAP providing only hired and non-owned auto coverage might find carriers unwilling to offer this coverage when the carrier learns the business owns an auto.

Not to be overlooked is the fact that many personal auto policies have delivery exclusions. This means the policy doesn’t provide liability coverage for any insured while maintaining or using any vehicle while that insured is employed or otherwise engaged in the business of delivery, including but not limited to the delivery of newspapers, magazines, food or any other products, unless such use is incidental to the business of installing, maintaining, or repairing furnishings or equipment, or for farming or ranching. The BAP does not have any delivery exclusions.

What about the subcontractor who signs a work agreement stating it will name the general contractor and the project owner as additional insureds on business-owned autos, requiring proof via the endorsement? It is very difficult to do on the PAP.

The moral of this story is that just because an insurer will permit the agent to write a business auto on a PAP does not mean that it’s the best way to do it! In the final analysis, if the business owns an auto, the business needs a business auto policy. That’s what fits.

Technicalities continued from page 33

creo


We put the “WORK”

back in Workers’

Compensation.

…Because relationships matter®

Paying claims quickly and fairly is what we’re known for. Superior claims service, coupled with our industry-leading loss prevention team, means America First Insurance™ can help your customers’ employees get back to work faster.

Talk to your Territory Manager about how easy it is to write workers’ compensation with America First Insurance.

1. Learn what motivates each of your employees.Use this to help manage their performance. While some people may be motivated by status, power or being awarded additional authority, others may be more excited by the opportunity for tapping into their flair for the creative, job-related travel or more face-to-face contact with customers. Rewarding good employees with things that speak to their unique motivations, interests and long-range career goals can help you retain them.

2. Actively work on improving your communication skills. Rather than thinking about what you want to say, think about what you want people to hear. Depending on your audience, you

may need to alter your message. Your customer service reps are likely to respond better to your message if you talk in terms that relate directly to them, rather than speaking to them as you would the executive management team.

And, of course, one of the biggest parts of communication is listening. Ask for input and listen to what you’re hearing. Encourage people to share new ideas, as well as concerns, so com-munication lines are kept open.

3. Play to your employees’ strengths. Know what their talents are and allow them to participate in projects and activities where they get to use them. When people are able to do what comes naturally to them, they are more suc-cessful, as well as more satisfied.

4. Use the “gentle nudge” approach. When you notice a potential problem, don’t wait until it becomes an actual one. Nip it in the bud with a casual, but strong, comment about your concern. For example, if an employee is begin-ning to make a habit of coming in late, you may want to stop him or her in the hall and say, “I no-ticed you’ve been having some trouble making it in on time. If there’s a problem, let me know and we can talk about it. Otherwise I just wanted to remind you that we start at 8:00.” This way you don’t blow a minor concern out of proportion, and you can still keep it from escalating into something major.

5. Be sure you are delegating, not just giving orders or assigning tasks. Establish roles and responsibilities at the onset of a new project, and explain what you want, why

from Caliper, IIABA-endorsed provider of employee test-ing material

Become a Better Manager 10 Quick Tips


SUPPORT YOUR MISSOURI WHOLESALERSFor all hard-to-place, Excess and Surplus Lines and specialty accounts.

Call the people that support your organization.

P. O. Box 67 • Jefferson City, MO 65102-0067(573) 635-0736

3D Star Insurance Services 314-436-3318 Fax 314-436-4309 www.3dstarinsurance.comAlexander Morford and Woo, Inc. 417-459-4170 866-285-4217 Fax 866-826-4439 www.amwcorp.comAmerican Surplus Lines Agency, Inc. 913-888-8400 877-642-2752 Fax 866-936-0400 www.ASLAINC.netBohrer, Croxdale & McAdoo 417-869-2550 800-779-2550 Fax 417-869-5102 www.bcmins.comBurns & Wilcox - St. Louis 314-819-0400 800-331-4128 Fax 314-819-0440 www.burns-wilcox.comChris-Leef General Agency, Inc. 913-631-1232 800-548-0491 Fax 913-631-1128 www.chris-leef.comContinental American Agency, Inc. 314-241-7969 866-764-8451 Fax 314-241-1474 www.caains.comDavidson-Babcock, Inc. 913-469-1188 800-203-3223 Fax 913-469-1177 www.davidson-babcock.comGateway Underwriters Agency, Inc. 314-238-0070 800-325-7652 Fax 314-238-0065 www.gua-stl.comGraham-Rogers, Inc. 918-336-2800 800-456-8123 Fax 918-336-7196 www.graham-rogers.comGresham & Associates 417-823-3924 866-251-9646 Fax 417-823-3979 www.gresham-inc.comJ.M. Wilson 816-561-6700 800-507-8656 Fax 816-561-3331 www.jmwilson.comMed James, Inc. - Kansas City 913-663-5500 800-255-6503 Fax 888-216-2014 www.medjames.comMed James, Inc. - Springfield 417-886-3535 800-255-6503 Fax 417-886-2295 www.medjames.comMed James, Inc. - St. Louis 636-524-0080 866- Fax 636-524-0088 www.medjames.comMidwestern General 816-246-1200 Fax 816-246-1290 www.mgakcmo.comM.J. Kelly Company 417-883-2688 800-725-7211 Fax 800-678-7211 www.mjkelly.comM.J. Kelly of St. Louis LLC 314-416-4343 877-416-4343 Fax 314-416-4344 www.mjkstlouis.comS.A. Freerks & Associates 314-436-2682 800-342-2601 Fax 314-436-1532 www.safains.comSwett & Crawford 314-821-2699 Fax 314-822-2135 www.swett.comWestrope 816-842-8222 Fax 816-842-3081 www.westrope.com

Association of Missouri

P

26679-Surplus Lines:Layout 1 6/2/09 10:09 AM Page 1

255-6503

it needs to be done, due dates and how success will be measured. This will help prevent confu-sion and frustration, especially in busy, stressful times, and it will give employees autonomy, ownership of projects and the chance to con-tribute in meaningful ways.

6. Build your team.You can’t just tell people they are a team and expect them to perform like one. They need to understand the purpose of the team and believe that the team is capable of producing more than the individual members. They also need to know what talents each member is bringing to the team so each person under-stands how they are expected to contribute.

Be sure you treat the group as a team and reward them for working together rather than rewarding individual accomplishments. Don’t hesitate to get help with team building if you’re uncertain about how to get people on the same page, working together toward a com-mon goal.

7. Hire and promote great people. The ability to surround themselves with the right people is often what differentiates suc-cessful managers from those who continue to struggle. Hiring right the first time means you spend less time on dealing with performance problems and turnover, and more time on strat-egizing and developing your strong performers. Developing and promoting your best people

leads to happier, more productive employees and less time wasted on complaining and creat-ing a “toxic” environment.

8. Understand your company’s vision. If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t effectively communicate the path to your staff. Your employees need to understand how their jobs fit into the big picture and how they’ll know if they’ve been successful in contributing to the company’s goals.

9. Tap your staff’s creativity. Be sure to ask for ideas regularly. Set aside time specifically for brainstorming. Not only will employees feel more involved and valued, but you’re also likely to get some great new insights in the process.

10. Improve yourself. Be open to recognizing your shortcomings, and make an effort to improve them. Pick one thing you’d like to develop, and put a plan in place. If you need some help identifying what to work on, ask for input about changes you could make personally that will help your employees in their jobs. And the focus doesn’t just need to be on work. Doing anything that makes you feel bet-ter about yourself can have a positive impact on every area of your life.

Get more tips on great man-agement at the 2010 Leadership Conference. See the insert for more informa-tion.

creo

38 missouriagent may/june2010

www.ringwalt.com

Phone 800-708-7448 Fax 402-916-3333

Email submissions to us at [email protected]

Ringwalt & Liesche Introduces

A Commercial Auto Rater!Get A Quote

Visit today and Get A Quote for

the following commercial auto classes:

Ambulance Church Bus

Day Care Auto Driver Training Auto

Dump Truck Limousine

Log Truck Sedan Rentals

Tow Truck

Get your quote and contact

Ringwalt & Liesche to bind - it’s that simple!

www.ringwalt.com

myturncontinuedfrompage7

members and department personnel would be advantageous. We anticipate that following conclusion of the legislative session, a meeting will be scheduled, in which open discussions can be held relating to how to differentiate between value-added services offered by agencies and inducements to potential clients. We are hopeful that this will clarify the rebating issue so it can be more easily understood by agencies.

EarthquakeCoverageInsurers continue to have a dwindling appetite for earthquake coverage on homeowners

policies. Their lack of concern and unwillingness to support a solution remain stuck in the craw of agencies and policyholders in proximity of the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The issue has fermented past any reasonable point of denial for the carriers, yet they seem content advancing the same moldy arguments in opposition to reasonable solutions.

While our House and Senate companion bills did receive hearings this session, passage was not in the realm of possibility. However, a meeting is being planned after the conclusion of the legislative session to see if we can come up with a bill of fare for next year that has a bit more bite to it.

While there are other issues for us to feast upon, these five are ones about which we have fielded a number of questions during the past few months. None have been shoved to the back burner; they just remain simmering as we keep looking for fresh solutions.

Benchmarkscontinuedfrompage26

I tell you I shot a 72 yesterday on the golf course, are you impressed? Might it help if you knew the par for my course? Such a tiny benchmark, yet it reveals to the world the truth of my achievement and skill! If I tell you the course was par 73, you may wonder as to the difficulty rating of the course, but one under par is a decent to great round on any day. However, if I tell you it was a par 36, the laughter begins as it dawns on one and all that I “successfully” navigated a putt-putt course, averaging double bogie on every hole!

Shooting a 72 on a par 73 course gets me high fives and free drinks in the clubhouse. The exact same score on a par 36 gets me a lecture from my son on how it would be easier to find my ball in the bushes if I’d play with a red ball instead of my favorite green one.

Whether you decide Best Practices benchmarks represent the heights to which you aspire or the depths to which you dare not sink, at least you’ll know what’s par for the course.

So how’s your game? Are you there yet?

creo


CO

NSTR

UC

TIO

N

Workers’ Comp InsuranCeFor more InFormatIon, Call: (888) 758-5036

amerIsaFe.Com

Since the last issue of Missouri Agent magazine, there’s been a fair amount of news at the Department of Insurance, Financial Intuitions and Professional Registration that I’d like to share with you.

You may have heard about a crackdown by our Consumer Affairs Division in February against a number of companies and individuals offering bogus health “insurance” plans to Missourians. On Feb. 1, I issued a demand order against these parties, summoning them to a March 10 hearing in Jefferson City. None showed up. They are potentially facing a cease-and-desist order and heavy fines. Felony charges carrying prison time are even a possibility for those who violate any cease-and-desist order.

These plans purport to be insurance. They use phrases like PPO, group health and dependent coverage. The companies are neither licensed insurers nor registered discount medical plan organizations.

We know of at least 150 Missourians who paid these companies for services, mainly advertised through junk faxes, and there are likely more victims out there.

Today’s economy, the high cost of health insurance and the confusion over federal health care reform could all contribute to more Missouri consumers becoming victims of these companies. It is our job as regulators and your job as licensed producers to do everything possible to educate our consumers about this threat.

For your part, that includes verifying that the health insurers you represent are authorized to do business in Missouri. At least two of our victims bought their bogus plans through a Missouri licensed producer. Our investigators will soon be in touch with those producers.

Missouri law provides severe penalties for anyone selling insurance on behalf of an unlicensed company, including fines, license revocation and even felony charges. Further, statute 375.786.3(2), RSMo, states, “Any person who assisted or in any manner aided directly or indirectly in the procurement of such insurance contract shall be liable to the insured for the full amount of the claim or loss in the manner provided by the provisions of such insurance contract.”

That means an agent selling an unauthorized plan, knowingly or unknowingly, could become liable for the claims.

I don’t have to tell you the devastation for a family who thought they were buying health

insurance, only to find out their large medical bills will not be covered. Together we can help steer consumers away from fake insurance and into authorized products that provide the coverage they need.

On a more positive note, property and casualty agents may be interested in the new DIFP home inventory checklist released in March. This 24-page document walks the consumer through the different rooms of the house, offering suggestions for categories of property – everything from toys to furniture to electronics to lawn care equipment.

If you’d like to hand out copies of the checklist to your customers, you can find it on the publications page of our website. It’s a full-color PDF document, intended to be printed and bound. I invite you to have your favorite printing company turn it into a full brochure for you. I would ask that you add a sticker or printed indicator on the back cover explaining that the printing cost was paid for by your agency.

Crackdown on Bogus Health Plans, New Resource for Homeowners

John M. HuffDirectorDIFP

fromtheDIFP

creo

CISR — William T. Hold Seminar Filed for 8 CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $158 ($140 Early Bird Discount*)CIC — James K. Ruble Graduate Seminar Approved for 16 CE credits in MissouriTuition: $395 (There is no Early Bird Discount for this course.) CISR — Agency Operations Approved for 7 general and 1 ethics CE credits in MissouriTuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

Note: St. Louis-area CISR courses are now being held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield, not at the Ameristar Casino.

Professional DevelopmentEducation

Title Description/Date/Location

*Early Bird Discount price applies to registrations received at least two weeks prior to class date.

E&O Risk Management Seminar Approved for 5* ethics CE credits in MissouriTuition: $120 ($68 with Small Agency Confer-ence registration)*Note: This course offers five ethics CE credits, not six, as previously advertised. Qualifies for both Westport’s and Utica’s loss control credit.

CIC — James K. Ruble Seminar Approved for 16 p-c CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $436

THIS COuRSE IS DESIGnED FOR CIC DESIGnEES Only. As an advanced topics class, it covers insuring unique risks, coverage gaps and the language of specialized areas of risk.

Dates and location: June 16-18, Ameristar Casino, St. Charles

This members-only errors and omissions risk management seminar will examine com-mon factors contributing to E&O claims, including product changes, emerging expo-sures, consumer demands and more. The seminar will incorporate real-life scenarios that agency employees often encounter.

Date and location: May 19, MAIA Headquarters, Jefferson City

In this course, students analyze the coverage provided by the personal auto policy and its major endorsements; learn how it responds to owned, borrowed or rented autos; and more.

Dates and Locations: June 15, DoubleTree Hotel, Chesterfield July 6, MAIA Headquarters, Jefferson City July 8, DoubleTree Hotel, Springfield

CISR — Personal Auto Aprpoved for 8 p-c CE credits in MissouriTuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

CISR — Dynamics of Service Approved for 8 general CE credits in MissouriTuition: $181Note: St. Louis-area CISRs are now held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield.

This course is about building proven techniques for effective customer service, and it is open to all agency personnel. Students will develop their customer service skills and learn ways to create good working relationships with carriers.

Date and Location: May 18, DoubleTree Hotel, Chesterfield

CISR — William T. Hold Seminar Approved for 8 p-c CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

The William T. Hold Seminar covers specific topics and focuses on in-depth dis-cussion that you won’t find in other courses. There is no examination. FOR CISR DESIGnEES Only.

Date and location: June 22, MAIA Headquarters, Jefferson City

CISR — Personal Residential Approved for 8 p-c CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

The Personal Residential course examines the homeowners policy and endorse-ments; coverage for specific risks; and who is best served with a dwelling policy.

Dates and locations: June 29, Hilton Garden Inn, Independence June 30, Show-Me Center, Cape Girardeau


Enforcement Actions• Lana Algier, Columbia, voluntary forfeiture of

$100 for department allegations of bail bond law violations.

• Linda Appleby, Springfield, voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• Michael C. Batch, Lee’s Summit, insurance producer license revoked.

• Omer Bowman, Overland Park, Kan., petitioner’s brief and request to find cause to discipline insurance producer license filed.

• Justin Conley, Madison, voluntary forfeiture of $100 for department allegations of bail bond law violations.

• Delbert L. Crewse, Mountain Grove, voluntary surrender of bail bond license.

• Bette A. DeVries, Osage Beach, bail bond agent license application refused.

• Michael Dilk, Indianapolis, Ind., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• Robert L. Hoffman, Overland Park, consent order filed and insurance producer license revoked.

• Bernadette Johnson, Newtown, Pa., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• Carol W. Jones, Blue Springs, insurance producer license application refused.

• Anthony R. King, Joplin, complaint and request to find cause to discipline bail bond agent license filed.

• Brian L. Kirk, St. Elizabeth, voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• Matthew Leffert, Hillboro, voluntary forfeiture of $500 for department allegations of bail bond law violations.

• Stuart McCann, Republic, voluntary forfeiture of $1,000 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Frank S. Norphy, Independence, insurance producer license application refused.

• Darrel Ohrenberg, Lake Lotawana, voluntary forfeiture of $1,500 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Nichole Overbey, Jackson, voluntary surrender of insurance producer license.

• Jorge Pena, Aventura, Fla., voluntary forfeiture of $500 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Gary Price, Webb City, voluntary forfeiture of $1,000 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• David Repp Jr., La Jolla, Calif., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Walter M. Tate, Independence, insurance producer license application refused.

• Bill L. Trout, Poplar Bluff, voluntary forfeiture of $1,000 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Ian F. Turner, Lake St. Louis, voluntary forfeiture of $2,000 for department allegations of misrepresentation and false advertising of insurance policies.

• Rodney Weber, Kenmore, N.Y., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Adam C. Zierenberg, Wildwood, voluntary forfeiture of $1,000 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Affinity Group Benefits Association, et al., Springfield, Tenn., statement of charges filed on Feb. 1, 2010, against Key Benefit Administrators, Earnest Beall, Walter R. Cecchini Jr. and Raymond R. McCarthy dismissed.

• All American Title Agency, Jefferson City, and Senior Title Agency, Palantine, Ill., status report of bankruptcy cases still pending and certificate of Petitioner’s Motion for Continuance filed.

• Financial Dimensions, Pittsburgh, Pa., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• G. A. Repple and Co., Casselberry, Fla., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• PICA Group Sevices, Franklin, Tenn., voluntary forfeiture of $250 for department allegations of failing to report an administrative action within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter.

• Platinum Insurance Group, Lee’s Summit, insurance producer license revoked.

• Senior Benefit Services, Columbia, voluntary forfeiture of $3,000 for department allegations of not having an insurance business license in Missouri.

• Tim Presko Insurance Agency and Timothy E. Presko, Gladstone, voluntary forfeiture of $2,000 for department allegations of insurance law violations.

• Universal Casualty Co., Elk Grove Village, Ill., consent order filed with agreement that company will take remedial actions bringing it

CISR — William T. Hold Seminar Filed for 8 CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $158 ($140 Early Bird Discount*)CIC — James K. Ruble Graduate Seminar Approved for 16 CE credits in MissouriTuition: $395 (There is no Early Bird Discount for this course.) CISR — Agency Operations Approved for 7 general and 1 ethics CE credits in MissouriTuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

Note: St. Louis-area CISR courses are now being held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield, not at the Ameristar Casino.

Professional DevelopmentEducation

Title Description/Date/Location

*Early Bird Discount price applies to registrations received at least two weeks prior to class date.

E&O Risk Management Seminar Approved for 5* ethics CE credits in MissouriTuition: $120 ($68 with Small Agency Confer-ence registration)*Note: This course offers five ethics CE credits, not six, as previously advertised. Qualifies for both Westport’s and Utica’s loss control credit.

CIC — James K. Ruble Seminar Approved for 16 p-c CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $436

THIS COuRSE IS DESIGnED FOR CIC DESIGnEES Only. As an advanced topics class, it covers insuring unique risks, coverage gaps and the language of specialized areas of risk.

Dates and location: June 16-18, Ameristar Casino, St. Charles

This members-only errors and omissions risk management seminar will examine com-mon factors contributing to E&O claims, including product changes, emerging expo-sures, consumer demands and more. The seminar will incorporate real-life scenarios that agency employees often encounter.

Date and location: May 19, MAIA Headquarters, Jefferson City

In this course, students analyze the coverage provided by the personal auto policy and its major endorsements; learn how it responds to owned, borrowed or rented autos; and more.

Dates and Locations: June 15, DoubleTree Hotel, Chesterfield July 6, MAIA Headquarters, Jefferson City July 8, DoubleTree Hotel, Springfield

CISR — Personal Auto Aprpoved for 8 p-c CE credits in MissouriTuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

CISR — Dynamics of Service Approved for 8 general CE credits in MissouriTuition: $181Note: St. Louis-area CISRs are now held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield.

This course is about building proven techniques for effective customer service, and it is open to all agency personnel. Students will develop their customer service skills and learn ways to create good working relationships with carriers.

Date and Location: May 18, DoubleTree Hotel, Chesterfield

CISR — William T. Hold Seminar Approved for 8 p-c CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

The William T. Hold Seminar covers specific topics and focuses on in-depth dis-cussion that you won’t find in other courses. There is no examination. FOR CISR DESIGnEES Only.

Date and location: June 22, MAIA Headquarters, Jefferson City

CISR — Personal Residential Approved for 8 p-c CE credits in Missouri Tuition: $181 ($163 Early Bird Discount*)

The Personal Residential course examines the homeowners policy and endorse-ments; coverage for specific risks; and who is best served with a dwelling policy.

Dates and locations: June 29, Hilton Garden Inn, Independence June 30, Show-Me Center, Cape Girardeau

regulatoryactions


creo

BIGIMARKETS

Commercial Lines:�Bonds (NEW!) �Bid �Surety �Performance �Contractor �Other�Claims Adjusters �Commercial Auto �Commercial Builders’ Risk�Commercial Media Umbrella �Commercial Package (150 subclasses)�Commercial Umbrella Policy�Community Banks Business Insurance Program �Contractors’ Equipment �Contractors’ Liability�Employers‘ Practices Liability�Event Liability�Executive Liability (Wrap+)�Farm & Ranch�Financial Advisors’ E&O�Flood Insurance�Flood Insurance - Excess �Habitational M arkets �Apartments �Condo and Homeowner Associations �Vacation Income Property �Miscellaneous Professional Liability�Non-Profit D&O Liability �Outdoor M arkets (NEW!) �Guides & Outfitters �Rod & Gun Clubs �Fishing and Hunting Lodges & Plantations �Real Estate E&O �Recreational Vehicles �Restaurant/Hospitality Program (NEW!)

�24-hour Restaurant �Bar/Tavern Program �Counter Service Restaurant �Family Style Restaurant �Fine Dining Restaurant �Nightclub Program �Technology Consultants Professional Liability �Workers’ Compensation

Personal Lines:�Affluent Package Program�At-Home Business�Event Liability�Flood Insurance �Flood Insurance - Excess �Gap Insurance�Marine Insurance�Non-standard Homeowners (NEW!)

�Affluent Non-standard Homeowners �Coastal Homeowners �Corporate/LLC Owned Homeowners �Non-standard Condos �Non-standard Rental Dwellings �Non-standard Renters �Personal Builders’ Risk �Seasonal Homeowners �Unprotected Homeowners �Unsupported Secondary Homeowners �Vacant Dwelling�Personal Builders’ Risk�Personal Excess Policy�Personal Umbrella Policy�Recreational Vehicles�Vacant Property Program (Admitted )

Online Registration We’ve made it easier than ever to Plug into the Power of Big “I” Markets! Register online today and discover a fresh new way to do business. All products are only accessible online and coverage is subject to licensing compliance and underwriting approval. To register online you will need your login ID and password, your agency tax ID number, your agency E&O policy, and your state agency/agent license information (where applicable). Log on to www.bigimarkets.com today to begin the registration process and be quoting in minutes! Product availability varies by state.

Big “I” Markets is the IIABA member’s online market access program with no fees, no volume commitments and competitive commissions.

Product Availability

Log in today at

ww

w.b

igim

ark

ets

.co

m

Market your agency with the new Member Marketing Activity Center

www.iiaba.net/MMAC


BIGIMARKETS

Commercial Lines:�Bonds (NEW!) �Bid �Surety �Performance �Contractor �Other�Claims Adjusters �Commercial Auto �Commercial Builders’ Risk�Commercial Media Umbrella �Commercial Package (150 subclasses)�Commercial Umbrella Policy�Community Banks Business Insurance Program �Contractors’ Equipment �Contractors’ Liability�Employers‘ Practices Liability�Event Liability�Executive Liability (Wrap+)�Farm & Ranch�Financial Advisors’ E&O�Flood Insurance�Flood Insurance - Excess �Habitational M arkets �Apartments �Condo and Homeowner Associations �Vacation Income Property �Miscellaneous Professional Liability�Non-Profit D&O Liability �Outdoor M arkets (NEW!) �Guides & Outfitters �Rod & Gun Clubs �Fishing and Hunting Lodges & Plantations �Real Estate E&O �Recreational Vehicles �Restaurant/Hospitality Program (NEW!)

�24-hour Restaurant �Bar/Tavern Program �Counter Service Restaurant �Family Style Restaurant �Fine Dining Restaurant �Nightclub Program �Technology Consultants Professional Liability �Workers’ Compensation

Personal Lines:�Affluent Package Program�At-Home Business�Event Liability�Flood Insurance �Flood Insurance - Excess �Gap Insurance�Marine Insurance�Non-standard Homeowners (NEW!)

�Affluent Non-standard Homeowners �Coastal Homeowners �Corporate/LLC Owned Homeowners �Non-standard Condos �Non-standard Rental Dwellings �Non-standard Renters �Personal Builders’ Risk �Seasonal Homeowners �Unprotected Homeowners �Unsupported Secondary Homeowners �Vacant Dwelling�Personal Builders’ Risk�Personal Excess Policy�Personal Umbrella Policy�Recreational Vehicles�Vacant Property Program (Admitted )

Online Registration We’ve made it easier than ever to Plug into the Power of Big “I” Markets! Register online today and discover a fresh new way to do business. All products are only accessible online and coverage is subject to licensing compliance and underwriting approval. To register online you will need your login ID and password, your agency tax ID number, your agency E&O policy, and your state agency/agent license information (where applicable). Log on to www.bigimarkets.com today to begin the registration process and be quoting in minutes! Product availability varies by state.

Big “I” Markets is the IIABA member’s online market access program with no fees, no volume commitments and competitive commissions.

Product Availability

Log in today at

ww

w.b

igim

ark

ets

.co

m

Market your agency with the new Member Marketing Activity Center

www.iiaba.net/MMAC

into compliance with statutes and regulations of Missouri, as laid out in the order.

Market Conduct Exams• Balboa Insurance Co., Irvine, Calif., stipulation

of settlement filed and voluntary forfeiture of $4,000.

• Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co., Jacksonville, Fla., stipulation of settlement filed and voluntary forfeiture of $188,976.

• Fidelity National Title Insurance Co., Jacksonville, Fla., stipulation of settlement filed and voluntary forfeiture of $50,000.

• Lawyers Title Insurance Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., stipulation of settlement filed and voluntary forfeiture of $190,000.

• Mendota Insurance Co., Eagan, Minn., curative order issued.

• Transnation Title Insurance Co., Glen Allen, Va., stipulation of settlement filed and voluntary forfeiture of $70,000.

Company Changes• Aetna Health, Blue Bell, Pa., effective Feb. 11,

2010, changed its name from Aetna Health (a Pennsylvania Corporation).

• Allied World Reinsurance Co., Boston, effective Jan. 22, 2010, redomesticated from New Jersey to New Hampshire.

• American General Life Insurance Company of Delaware, Houston, effective Feb. 5, 2010, changed its name from AIG Life Insurance Co.

• Boon Administrative Services, Austin, Texas, effective Jan. 1, 2010, changed its name from Contractors Employee Benefits Administration.

• Cappers Insurance Service, Topeka, Kan., effective Feb. 10, 2010, withdrew as a third party administrator.

• CIMR, Columbia, S.C., effective Feb. 5, 2010, withdrew as a third party administrator.

• Colorado Casualty Insurance Co., Boston, effective Feb. 5, 2010, redomesticated from Colorado to New Hampshire.

• Companion Specialty Insurance Co., Washington, D.C., effective Jan. 8, 2010, was approved as a surplus lines company.

• Contractors Employee Benefits Administration, Austin, Texas, effective Jan. 1, 2010, Foundation Benefits Administrators merged with and into the aforementioned company.

• Education Support Purchasing Group, O’Fallon, effective Feb. 24, 2010, was admitted as a purchasing group.

• Essex Benefits Insurance Co., St. Louis, effective

Jan. 28, 2010, deleted liability authority.

• FCE USA Insurance Benefits, Burlingame, Calif., effective Feb. 19, 2010, was admitted as a third party administrator.

• Freedom Specialty Insurance Co., Columbus, Ohio, effective Jan. 8, 2010, changed its name from Atlantic Insurance Co. and redomesticated from Texas to Ohio.

• Guggenheim Life and Annuity Co., Schererville, Ind., effective Jan. 11, 2010, changed its name from Wellmark Community Insurance.

• Hammerman and Gainer, Laplace, La., effective Feb. 26, 2010, was admitted as a third party administrator.

• Landmark Life Insurance Co., Brownwood, Texas, effective Feb. 26, 2010, was admitted with life, annuities and endowments authority.

• Liberty Personal Insurance Co., Boston, effective Jan. 13, 2010, redomesticated from Michigan to New Hampshire.

• MagnaCare Administrative Services, Garden City, N.Y., effective Feb. 4, 2010, was admitted as a third party administrator.

• Members Health Insurance Co., Lansing, Mich., effective Jan. 8, 2010, changed its name from Renaissance Life and Health Insurance Co.

• National Health Insurance Co., DFW Airport, Texas, effective Jan. 20, 2010, the company’s certificate of authority was lifted.

• National Investors Title Insurance Co., Chapel Hill, N.C., effective Jan. 28, 2010, changed its name from Northeast Investors Title Insurance Co.

• Park Avenue Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Frisco, Texas, effective Jan. 14, 2010, changed its name from Providence Property and Casualty Insurance Co.

• PMI Mortgage Assurance Co., Walnut Creek, Calif., effective Feb. 25, 2010, changed its name from Commercial Loan Insurance Corp. and redomesticated from Wisconsin to Arizona.

• Schaller Anderson, Phoenix, effective Feb. 16, 2010, changed its name from Schaller Anderson of Arizona.

• Seechange Health Insurance Co., Tipton Falls, N.J., effective Jan. 15, 2010, changed its name from Central Benefits National Life Insurance Co.

• Secura Insurance a Mutual Co., Appleton, Wis., effective Jan. 14, 2010, added accident and health authority.

• Truckers Benefit Risk Purchasing Group, South Sioux City, Neb., effective Feb. 24, 2010, was admitted as a purchasing group.

• Veridign Health Solutions, Philadelphia, effective Feb. 19, 2010, withdrew as a third party administrator.

regulatoryactions continued from page 41

INTRODUCING EMC ChOICE® hOMEOwNERs PROGRaM wITh EqUIPMENT BREakDOwN COvERaGE EMC’s new homeowners product provides three levels of comprehensive coverage with outstanding

features and cost-saving benefits. Our premier policy, the EMC Choice® Homeowners program, includes

equipment breakdown coverage. Even our most basic level of coverage provides better-than-average

protection with identity theft resolution service and extra coverages such as silverware theft, refrigerated

property, lock replacement, personal injury, identity fraud expense, golf cart liability and many more.

Learn about these exciting new coverages by contacting your local EMC branch office.

I u sed to think EMC was ju st for commercial lines. Then again, I used to think babies came from storks.

kansas City Branch: 800.821.4702 | Home Office: Des Moines, IA www.emcinsurance.com

© Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2009 All rights reserved

3431_MisAgnt_Stork_P_7.5x10clr.indd 1 5/1/09 10:56 AM

creo


Berkshire and BNSF Close MergerBerkshire Hathaway Homestate Cos. announced the closing of the merger of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. with and into a subsidiary of Berkshire.

EMPLOYERS Acquires AmCompEMPLOYERS announced the successful acquisition of AmCOMP. The acquisition expands EMPLOYERS workers’ compensation insurance operations to 30 states and 17 branch offices.

United Heartland Names New PresidentAccident Fund Holdings has announced the appointment of Steve Cooper as president of United Heartland, a subsidiary of the holding company. Cooper succeeds Emil Pfenniger, who had led United Heartland since its founding in 1990. Cooper brings 21 years of property-casualty experience to the position.

Philadelphia Announces New Co-PresidentsPhiladelphia Insurance Cos. has announced the promotions of Christopher J. Maguire and Sean S. Sweeny to the positions of co-presidents. Maguire joined Philadelphia in 1987, and his most recent position has been that of chief operating officer, which he will retain as co-president. Sweeny joined the company in 1979 and has most recently served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. He will retain the position of chief marketing officer.

Safeco Earns Call Center CertificationSafeco Insurance’s call centers have been recognized for providing “an outstanding customer service experience” by J.D. Power and Associates. The recognition follows a detailed review process of Safeco’s three call centers.

ACUITY Sets Growth Records in 2009ACUITY announced its 2009 growth results, which showed continued strong performance across its 19-state operating territory and record-setting achievements. Personal lines surpassed 150,000 in-force polices and $200 million in written premium, both of which were all-time records. New business revenue was also up nearly 10 percent. In commercial lines,

ACUITY set a new policy count record, finishing the year at more than 83,000.

Travelers Announces 2009 Charitable ContributionsThe Travelers Cos. and its private foundation, the Travelers Foundation, have announced their 2009 charitable contributions of nearly $19 million in community support across the country. In 2009, Travelers employees contributed 12,000 volunteer hours to their local communities.

MAIA Partners Donate to Haiti ReliefGrinnell Mutual Reinsurance Co. and its affiliated FarMutual members have donated $20,000 to organizations including the American Red Cross International Response Fund as part of the international disaster response in Haiti. Employees of Grinnell Mutual and FarMutual members raised $10,000 toward the donation, while Grinnell Mutual matched the donations with a corporate gift of $10,000.

Selective Insurance Group’s private foundation, the Selective Group Foundation, announced a $10,000 contribution to help aid earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

Progressive Launches Social Responsibility WebsiteProgressive has announced the launch of its new website, “Progressive Together,” which pools the company’s social responsibility activities and offers information about business practices, charitable activities and more. The website is accessible at progressive.com/socialresponsiblity.

New Associate MembersAlfa Insurance Co., Mark Cunningham,

Merriam, Kan.Chubb Group of Insurance Cos., James

Morrison, St. LouisPrime Insurance Co., Barbara Malkowski,

ChicagoSuperior Access Insurance Services, Christopher

Hill, Austin, TexasUnitrin Specialty, Steven Pickert, Overland Park,

Kan.

companypartnernews

creo

46 missouriagent may/june2010

Classifieds

SeekingBooksofBusinessOne of SW Missouri’s largest independent insurance agencies is seeking insurance agencies’ and producers’ books of business – commercial lines, personal lines, life, group health and employee benefits – for possible merger or acquisition. BPJ is a 100% employee-owned company. Interested parties contact Tom Montileone, pres., CEO. Ph: 417-887-3550, x326; fax: 417-887-3252; e-mail [email protected]. All inquiries held in the strictest of confidence.

AgencyAcquisitionsSuccessful independent agency that owns 8 agencies is looking to acquire additional

independent agencies. Call 800-658-1739. Gross Ins Agency & INS Agency Services, Inc.

The basic classified ad contains a maximum of 35 words (including head). Cost: $24.00 for up to 35 words. Blind ads: $37.00 for maximum of 35 words. MAIA agency members are entitled to a 50 percent discount on classified ads.

Ads must be submitted in writing to Advertising Manager, Missouri Agent, P.O. Box 1785, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1785. Payment (to AMC) should accompany request.

Deadline for classified ads: 10th of month preceding publication.

When responding to confidential ads, reply to: P.O. Box 1785, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1785.

WeberReceivesCPCUDesignationRussellJ.Weber, AIM, CIC, CRM, CPCU, O’ConnerInsuranceAgency, St. Louis, has successfully completed the requirements for the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter designation. Weber has been in the insurance business for 24 years and joined O’Conner Insurance in 1997.

PJCReceivesCompanyHonorPJCInsuranceAgency, Springfield, was recognized for its relationship building by MAIA Partner America First Insurance at an awards gala in St. Louis.

LocktonAquiresSKAgencyLocktonCos., Kansas City, has obtained a significant equity holding in South Korean insurance broker IMI. IMI has also been renamed Lockton Cos. (Korea) or Lockton Korea.

NewFaces,NewPlacesRitaAtchison,JuliaGagliardiTurner,Karen

KelleyandJenniferTodd have joined Barker-Phillips-Jackson, Springfield, as client service associates.

JohnnyBates and ScottSchoettlin have joined Beimdiek Insurance Agency, Joplin, as part of the sales department.

LarryHunter-Blank has joined Lockton Re, Kansas City, as an executive director.

JannaSnyder has joined Beimdiek Insurance Agency, Joplin, as an account services technician in personal lines.

SimonnedeVilliers has joined Heffernan Insurance Brokers, Chesterfield, as a benefits specialist.

NewMembersChrisGrimesInsuranceAgency, Chris Grimes,

FentonCristalHarbour, Scott Cristal, ColumbiaTheEllisGroup, Corey Ellis, St. PetersGlennBrownAgency, Glenn Brown, St. LouisInsureOne, Steve Mejdrich, OverlandInsuriskExcessandSurplusLines, Tina Reed,

SpringfieldJohnAylwardInsuranceAgency, John Aylward,

MemphisMarvinS.LernerInsurance, Marvin Lerner, St.

LouisMuenksInsuranceAgency, Glenn Muenks, Loose

CreekOzarkInsuranceProfessionals, Brad Krantz, Lake

OzarkRisingStarInsurance, Glenda Dowell, RiversideSLRiceandAssociates, Sandra Rice, Lee’s SummitSouth71Insurance, Sally Sheumaker, Belton

agencynews

creo

Just ask the owners of childcare centers,

beauty salons, fitness facilities, and dozens

of other specialized businesses across the

Midwest. The professionals at NSI, West

Bend’s specialty division, understand these

businesses and can provide an insurance

program tailored to the specialized services

they provide. Along with comprehensive

coverages are loss prevention experts who

help keep the business safe, as well as a

team of claim representatives who help get

your customers back to business if they do

have a loss.

NSI ... another Silver Lining from West Bend.

What kind of insurance

company understands

your customer’s unique

business?

thesilverlining.com

creo

Missouri Association of Insurance Agents

PROGRAM 2010Listed below are the companies who strongly support the independent agency system and the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents.

DIAMOND

PLATINUM

GOLD Columbia Insurance GroupCompManagement from HealthLinkMeramec Valley Mutual Insurance Co.ACUITYAccident Fund and United HeartlandAmerica First InsuranceSafeco InsuranceStaff One

Cameron Insurance Cos.United Fire GroupWest Bend Mutual Insurance Co.Bank Direct Capital FinanceForemostTravelersContinental Western Group

SILVER Barton Mutual GroupEMC Insurance Cos.Electric Insurance Co.Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Cos.Guarantee Insurance Co.

SECURA InsuranceEncompass InsuranceAlexander, Morford and WooAnthem Blue Cross and Blue ShieldIllinois Casualty Co.

BRONZE AAA InsurancePhiladelphia Insurance Cos.MJ Kelly Co.Old Missouri Mutual Insurance Co.State Auto Insurance Cos.Central Mutual Insurance Co.QBE Agri InsuranceValley Insurance Agency AllianceBituminous InsuranceSelective Insurance Company of AmericaFarmers Alliance Mutual Insurance Co.MOPERMAuto-Owners Insurance Co.S.A. Freerks & AssociatesBMI Cos.Haulers Insurance Co.EMPLOYERSUnited HealthCare

Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Co.Gateway Underwriters AgencyCCMSICommercial Insurance UnderwritersDairyland Auto/CycleCornerstone National Insurance Co.AmerisafeAmerisure Mutual Insurance Co.SAMBATAS InsuranceWestropePremium Financing SpecialistsJ.M. WilsonSelect ImagingCapital Premium FinancingCNA Insurance Co.Great American Insurance GroupGeneral Casualty

Missouri Association of Insurance Agents • 800-617-3658 • www.missouriagent.org

PART NERS

Documents

Missouri Agent May-June 2010