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Texas Connection THE HIRING PROCESS – WHY MISTAKES ARE MADE By Al Diamond of Agency Consulting Group
In this edition THE HIRING PROCESS – ........... 1 WHY MISTAKES ARE MADE...... 1 AGENCY HELD HOSTAGE ................ 6 THE REAL REASON INSURANCE AGENTS FAIL TO SELL .................. 12 DAWN0213 .................................. 15 WAYNE HOOPER REPORTS: THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT COMMERCIAL LINES .......................................... 16 GET A COMPLIMENTARY WEBSITE & M ARKETING ASSESSMENT ............ 22 5 TIPS FOR RECRUITING GREAT PEOPLE ....................................... 24 ARE YOUR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS REALLY EMPLOYEES? Q&A ...................... 25
The editorial content is valuable information but as always you should do your own due diligence and evaluation. The content is meant to be for informational purposes only and does NOT warrant an endorsement by the Texas Professional Insurance Agents in any form or fashion
We lose a producer or key service employee or are convinced that we need a new person to move our business forward. We put the word out to our employees, to our carriers and to headhunters that we are looking and impatiently await results. We’ve heard that business is still soft and many people are out of work, but our phones and e-mail certainly don’t ring off the hook with candidates. We even try advertisements and on-line postings. Finally, we get a trickle of candidates. Most are neither qualified nor have the personalities to meet the needs of the job. We get frustrated and somewhat desperate when the work starts affecting our other employees and when the lack of production begins to affect our revenue or profit lines. We will address how to find producers and other employees in another venue. The key to locating quality employees for any positions is to identify the right personalities and is not a factor of experience. This article addresses a more insidious problem, poor selection habits. Many of us will lower our standards when stress and pressure builds because of the need of a person in a role in the agency.
Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
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I’ve heard many an agent tell me that they hired the first person that appeared to be an acceptable candidate – the ‘Warm Body Syndrome’. The thought process is that ‘maybe’ the person will work out. At least we have someone manning the desk or willing to be a producer for the agency. We have had the opportunity as consultants to see the results of these habits. They are not pretty. The candidates who are given the “opportunity” based on a single interview because it’s better to have someone than have no one at all usually prove to be mediocre employees at best. Some of us are lucky enough to hire people who are virtually intolerable. I know this sounds strange- but if you make an obvious mistake and the employee either doesn’t understand the job after convincing you that (s)he has had experience in a similar role, it is not difficult to face up to the problem and terminate the employee. Making a terrible mistake in employee selection is better than hiring the mediocre employee who spend his/her 37.5 hours every week to get a paycheck, doing as little as possible and spending more time socializing with the other employees (wasting their time) or playing on the computer. Continued on page 3
March, 2013
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The Hiring Process Do not ask question that require a YES/NO answer. Every question should be ‘open-ended’. You are asking the questions to find out about the candidate.
Continued from page 1 A terrible mistake will be noticed and the situation resolved. The mediocre employee will drag down your business, potentially for years, until the situation becomes so impossible that you will take action.
Never interview in a bull-pen or someplace where others can overhear. Pick a quiet, private setting for the interview.
But this type of employee can be avoided by becoming better selectors and improving your hiring abilities. Remember, you are an insurance professional. Most agents have never been taught how to hire people and our staffing mistakes have proven that over and over again.
Explain to each candidate what the hiring process will be for your agency (explain that you use the Hiring Process Document and how you intend to send the document to complete for this purpose if you desire). This document should explain the steps you will use and will put the candidate at ease. It will explain the multiple interview process and the steps you will take if the candidate proves valuable enough to pursue.
Step One: Never hire on the first interview. Everyone looks good, dresses well and makes themself presentable in a first impression situation. If you are a small agent and are the only decision-maker, I suggest to bring the candidate back at least two more times. If you have trusted managers, partners or employees, use them for subsequent interviews. Step Two: PREPARE. Have a list of interview questions (call or e-mail us (800 779 2430; info@agencyconsulting.com and we’ll send you our Interview Guide – a list of questions that will tell you a great deal about a candidate). You don’t have to ask every question on the first interview. Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Step Three: Use an Assessment. There are a variety of assessment tools available to you that are focused on the industry. None are bad. Some are better than others. We use a well-known assessment tool see the A C G Hiring System in our website, www.agencyconsulting.com. Whichever assessment you use is a tool it is not the determining factor for the hire. You make a serious mistake if you simply opt in or out of a hire because of a test result. Continued on page 4 Page 3
March, 2013
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You should have a Job Description that you can go over with the candidate describing the duties and expectations of the position. If the job is a sales job, you will cover the validation schedule within the expectations of the job. Call us if you would like to discuss our Producer Compensation Program that provides validations schedules for a variety of compensation programs for producers. Only finalize the offer to the candidate if they are amenable to the roles, goals and compensation that you are willing to offer. Negotiations are certainly possible, but you should NOT put yourself in the position of buying an employee at any cost. There is a limit to what you can expend and any employee must be able to give you value for the cost you project.
The Hiring Process Continued from page 3 However, the assessment you use should be testing the candidate’s personality against the traits needed for the job for which you are hiring. If you apply a wonderful service-oriented person to a producer’s assessment it will reflect poorly. Similarly, if you assess a great sales personality for a service job, that, too, should give terrible results. Call us if you want more information on assessment programs. Use the assessment only for candidates that pass your first interview screening. It is the device that will surface more questions if done properly that you will use in subsequent interviews.
Hiring people is a process. Few of us savor adding or replacing staff members because of the risk involved. We have ways of perfecting the risk for either producer or non-producer employees and would be happy to discuss your particular situation. All you have to do is contact us. But the key to your successful hiring of long term employees is the care you take in the hiring process. Every one of us is tempted to hire based on liking a candidate when they appear before us. It is much easier and a load off our minds if we interview the person, feel that they could work, and hire them expecting the best. But the cost of a bad hire can sometimes extend to two to three years of compensation for the mediocre employee, lower productivity and potential loss of existing employees and, sometimes, serious side effects to our clients and underwriters.
Step Four: Have someone else interview, but make sure that you give the interviewer both questions to ask and their objectives – things you want them to find out about the candidate in their interview. Step Five: Assuming that the candidate passes your initial interview, scores well on whichever assessment you choose, is acceptable to the other interviewers you use and/or still impresses you in your own subsequent interviews, you are ready for the OFFER. During your own interview process you should have determined the candidate’s compensation expectations or needs, if any. During this meeting, you should lay out how you pay your employees in the category for which you are interviewing. Presumably, if the candidate is far ahead of your compensation expectations (they expect $75,000 when you are prepared for a $45,000 employee) you will never reach this stage. You would have determined that the candidate’s needs and yours don’t mesh.
Be careful. Follow the steps. You will be much more likely to hire ‘keepers’ than ‘warm bodies’. Agency Consulting Group, Inc. THE PIPELINE | THE HIRING PROCESS - WHY MISTAKES ARE MADE | Copyright © 2013 Agency Consulting Group, Inc. Agency Consulting Group, Inc. | 800-779-2430 | Visit The Pipeline | Subscribe to The Pipeline
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March, 2013
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Agency Held Hostage Most agency owners think they own their business, but owning and controlling are two different things. You may technically be the proprietor by investing all of the money and signing for all of the liabilities and debts but you don’t really own the business if you are being held hostage by a key employee. It happens more often than you think.
Ricky, one of the insurance industry’s “Movers & Shakers” was recently telling me that his sales are booming but the debts are piling up. He will soon have to move more of his retirement nest egg into the agency’s bank account. I asked several questions and came up with the following scenario:
The “Hostage Taker” may be your office manager of long standing. He / She may be a hot salesperson who threatens to leave and take policyholders if you don’t cough up the big bucks or acquiesce to their whims.
Lucy, his longtime employee, took over as agency manager two and a half years ago and allowed my friend to spend more time on other interests. Now Lucy controls every aspect of the operation – from hiring and training employees to choosing the carriers sold through the agency. She is also the person most visible to the customers who usually insist upon her personal service on their accounts.
Many agency owners were at one time the agency’s “Hotshot Salesperson” mainly because they were the only employee! As business grew the agency owner became more involved with other tasks and less involved in the day-to-day routine. More often than not, agency owners become hostages simply because they fail to recognize what’s happening in the agency or fail to act on the problems they do recognize.
Lucy doesn’t concern herself with having a profitable business, however. My friend told me that he tried in vain to get Lucy to focus on the financial problems. Continued on page 8
Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
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March, 2013
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Agency Held Hostage Continued from page 6 Lucy had reluctantly agreed to allow my friend to bring in an agency consultant. It didn’t take long for the consultant to find that the agency was grossly overstaffed and that Lucy’ favorite carrier paid such little commission that the agency lost money on every sale. Lucy instructed the staff to “try to place” the business with higher commission carriers but went back to the low-commission carrier after a couple of months. She refused to reduce payroll because “Everyone is overworked as it is!” She insisted on running the agency her way, but her way was putting my friend deeper in debt.
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My friend asked me what I thought. I said that before giving my opinion I’d like to visit the office.
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Ricky was at the office when I arrived and introduced me to Lucy and the rest of the staff. Quick glances around the office told me what I needed to know. The office was a disaster. Applications, checks and unopened envelopes were on every desk.
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The Profit & Loss Statements provided by Lucy did not provide any useful information.
Ad Size
Monthly
Pre-Pay 6 Issues
If you don’t have good records, it’s because you don’t know how to keep them or you don’t want them. In any case, I knew my friend shouldn’t be entrusting his money to someone who couldn’t account for what she was doing with it.
Full Page
$175.00
$900.00
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$500.00
On the other hand, I could also see that the office was potentially a moneymaking proposition. The phones were ringing, folks were coming into the office in steady streams and most were buying insurance on the spot. In fact, if Lucy had cut back the payroll as the consultant had suggested, my friend could have paid all of his bills and still had a modest profit.
(7.5” x 5”) $75.00
$375.00
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$250.00
Undoubtedly, the money was being wasted in other ways as well. Tighter controls, cutting out the waste and plugging the cash drain would turn this office around in a hurry!
(3.75” x 2.5”)
Obviously, the office wasn’t being run in a business fashion. How can anyone make sound business decisions if they don’t have good records? (7.5” x 10”) Half - Page
Quarter-Page (3.75” x 5”) 1/8 - Page
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I explained all of that to Ricky and told him he had two options. One, he could sell the business at a fire sale price since his records were so inadequate. Or two, he could fire Lucy and start running his office once again. Letting the situation continue was not a viable option. Any money invested from his retirement account would be lost. Not investing more money would soon result in bounced agency checks; loss of markets and eventually the office would close. Continued on page 10 Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
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March, 2013
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Agency Held Hostage Continued from page 8 Ricky was stunned by my advice. He wasn’t ready to sell but he wasn’t ready to fire Lucy. How could the office even survive without his longtime employee, the favorite of most of his customers? Would the rest of the staff, her personal friends, quit in protest? Couldn’t he try to get Lucy to change instead? I knew the office would survive without Lucy as well as I knew she would not be willing to change. Ricky had to be convinced. I suggested Ricky ponder the situation for a couple of weeks but try a little experiment in the meantime. First, drop in the office one day unannounced an hour or so after it opened. I told him that he would find one or more employees not at the office even though he’s paying for a whole day’s work. I told him that the other employees would make excuses for the missing employee. I also told him that if he goes back a couple of days later unannounced, he’d find someone else wouldn’t be there.
Ricky’s presence in the agency uncovered where the money was going. He was opening envelopes as suggested and decided to reconcile the bank statement. Further investigation revealed that the staff was uploading cash payments to carriers and pocketing the money without recording it in the daily agency management system. Lucy herself was paying some of her household bills out of the agency and coding them to office expenses on the P&L statement. Ricky fired them all on the spot. Yes, he had to put in a lot of overtime for a while but soon he hired (& personally trained) a new staff. He spot-checks all activity in the agency on an unannounced regularity. Profit has returned and Ricky is once again truly an owner at last. His only regret is that he hadn’t acted sooner, which is almost always the case. There is never a good business reason to let an employee hold an agency hostage.
I told him to take over a simple task such as opening the mail for one week. He replied that Lucy would call him the highest-paid clerk in the business and suggest he spend his time on more important tasks. My ulterior motives were twofold. In the first instance, I wanted Ricky to see how his money was being squandered. In the second, I wanted him to see that Lucy would resist his efforts to ferret out the mysterious money drain. Sad to say, I was right on both counts. Employees covered for each other and came and went as they pleased. Ricky found the employees abused his kindness, abused his phones and Internet, misfiled, couldn’t quote, and never completed assignments. But Ricky still wasn’t convinced to fire them. He was scared to say anything for fear they would quit and he wouldn’t be able to replace them. The folks he had interviewed wanted more salary and benefits that he felt he could not afford. My advice was firm. Fire them as soon as possible. What kind of life is it when the folks around you make you miserable? You hate going to work. You’re living in fear. He deserved better and would feel better as soon as he made the decision to let them go. Replacing them would be a lot easier than he could imagine. If he couldn’t offer more money or benefits, possibly he could offer an alternative such as a flexible work schedule. But the straw that broke the camel’s back came sooner than he could imagine.
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March, 2013
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The REAL Reason Insurance Agents Fail to Sell by John Chapin You can give an agent all the sales skills training in the world. You can lay everything out and tell them exactly what to say and do in each and every situation and yet, if they have either of the two afflictions I’ll talk about here, no amount of sales or product training will help them. When an insurance agent fails over the long haul, it is always a failure in activity, a failure to do the things necessary for success. Below are the two reasons agents ultimately fail to do the necessary work and, in the end, fail to sell, along with some ideas on what you can do about it. Reason #1: They’re scared.
had only sold one policy in six months to… you guessed it… a family member. How to move agents out of their fear and comfort zones: First, it’s extremely important to have a good working environment that is conducive to doing business and supports the agent. This includes proper incentive and recognition plans, good training, good support people, and an office where other producers are producing and everyone is professional, generally happy, gets along, and everyone is treated with respect.
At the request of an agency owner, I sat down with an agent to listen to her make some prospecting calls. He was concerned because she hadn’t sold a single policy in five months. When she picked up the phone, she began to shake with fear. She then put down the phone and said, “I can’t, I just can’t do it! Not with you sitting here!” I offered to stand outside the door. When that didn’t work, I told her she could record the calls and I’d listen to them afterwards. She then got up, marched into the agency owner’s office and said, “This isn’t going to work! I quit!”
Second, it’s imperative that you have strict standards and measurements of success for each agent and that they are measured against those every 90 days. Each agent needs to have reasonable but challenging goals and objectives. It’s also important that you create these goals and objectives with the agent and you both agree they are attainable. Agents should be pushed out of their comfort zone but they have to believe they can do what you’re asking of them.
Whatever the fear, be it fear of rejection or the fear of being yelled at or hung up on, all fears lead to extraordinary effort to avoid doing the things necessary to be successful. They all leave the agent frozen and unable to consistently do what needs to be done.
Each agent needs to be held accountable. You must hold their feet to the fire. If an agent does not hit their 90day goals and objectives, you need to find out why, make the necessary changes and adjustments, and then review these with the agent in another 30 days to see where they’re at.
Reason #2: They’re comfortable. An agency owner recently said to me, “When the clock hits five, Jim runs out of the office like a scalded cat!” After a couple of questions it became apparent as to why. Jim was fresh out of college with no student loans, he lived at home, his parents had bought him a new car and they were also paying all his bills. Jim’s base pay was $650 per week plus benefits. That was more money than Jim had seen in his life, probably more than his buddies were making, and ultimately it was more than enough beer money. The bottom line: Jim was comfortable and he had absolutely no motivation to take on the world and chase down business. That’s why he was running out at five and Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
If they are not hitting their goals, look at their daily activity and determine the problem. If they are simply not doing the necessary activities, you have to introduce the “fear” of losing their job if they don’t get to work. This will move most of your fearful and comfortable agents either to action or out the door. If they don’t move, and they continue to miss their numbers and skirt the necessary work, then you have to put your foot down and move them out the door yourself. Keeping these people around will kill morale, cause you major headaches, and at the end of the day, you’re not doing yourself or them any favors. It’s time for them to go find themselves… somewhere other than at your company.
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Continued on page 14 March, 2013
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The REAL Reason Insurance Agents Fail to Sell
You control your own success or failure. It has nothing to do with the economy, your parents, or that bad break in high school, at the end of the day it comes down to you.
Continued from page 12 Remember that each individual is motivated differently. Most are motivated by money, other incentives and gifts, but people also like recognition and appreciation. Let them know through your words and actions that you care about them, support them, and you want them to be successful.
For access to John Chapin’s free monthly newsletter, visit John's website at http://www.completeselling.com John is an award-winning sales speaker, trainer and coach, number one sales rep in three industries, and author of the gold-medal winning "Sales Encyclopedia".
If you are the failing agent, here’s what to do: Take 100% responsibility for your life and truly commit to your job. Let your boss know you’re on board and you’re going to do whatever it takes to be successful and ask for his or her help. Get disciplined, face your fears, and get comfortable being uncomfortable. You simply must get yourself to do the necessary activities whether or not you feel like it, whether or not you’re scared, and whether or not you’re comfortable. Find your motivation. Why must you be successful? What are the benefits if you succeed and the disadvantages or pain if you fail? If you have powerful enough reasons WHY you have to succeed, you will.
For permission to reprint, or if you have sales questions, e-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com. John Chapin Complete Selling, Inc. Helping you find and get all the business you want Cell: 508-243-7359 johnchapin@completeselling.com www.completeselling.com LINKEDIN: once logged in find me under: johnchapin1 FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/johnjchapin TWITTER: http://twitter.com/johnjchapin
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March, 2013
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Wayne Hooper Reports: Things I Learned about Commercial Lines By Wayne Hooper
The paper app has gone away, so your computer and printer are critical. You must have a good one. The printer is not where you want to cut corners. It is also important to have a backup printer and extra supplies on hand when using a network setup. Printer problems are production problems. 3. Standard Carriers have great Business Owners policies (BOP) and excellent rates, but they reserve and protect these programs with underwriting restrictions requiring the customer to be in business for three years, documenting with loss runs showing three years of continuous coverage.
I retired in October as a company marketing rep after a long career focused on personal lines. In my various career jobs, I enjoyed being a commercial lines producer during the boom years in Georgia. Since I have an underlying retirement income, I thought I would go back into the Commercial lines market to write business on a part time basis. To me, personal lines vs. commercial lines are like the difference between hunting squirrels or big game. You can eat regularly with Squirrels, but the big game insurance hunter gets an ego boost when he lands a big account. I found the market place has greatly changed from the good ole days. You can starve to death starting out as a Commercial lines agent without other product lines to sell unless you land the mega account immediately. (I did that once!) I also found you can't do commercial lines part time, it's a time hog if you do it correctly. The following are old lessons, I had to learn again. Most of you know these, but a few may not which is why i mention them to the FYI Express readers. 1. You can't land a large account without competitive carriers, so I affiliated with an agency with good "A" rated carriers. I had to get licensed, take webinar training and learn the carrier’s quirks which took several months in the holiday period. (No money earned)
When I started in the insurance business the old timers had a saying which is almost meaningless in our plastic society, but it went. “Oh yes, he’ll write the business on a Fire policy covering pig iron under water". To translate this without the history, this means the company won't reject a risk, but they will only allow coverage when it is impossible to have a loss. Some of the underwriting on the BOP and commercial programs seems to reflect this very old concept. 4. The Excess and Surplus (E&S) lines underwriters in Managing General Agencies are an excellent source for writing the unusual or startup businesses. They can be very flexible in custom designing a program for a customer. The downside is they usually take longer to do a quote because in most cases the process is not as automated as personal lines. The E&S pricing is usually higher than a standard carrier filed program as it includes cost for the agent's commission, MGA commission, Taxes and fees plus the actual premium. Having said the MGA's are usually higher, I have found they can be very competitive on large specialized risk if it is a target market such the trucking industry or construction firms where there is a lot of premium involved. It is important to develop a personal relationship with at least one E&S underwriter with several MGA’s because they may have access to different carriers, one of which might love the particular risk you need quoted. E&S underwriters move around so keep track as to where they go if they leave your favorite MGA. You can't have too many friends in E&S market but you may find it hard to send business to all of them.
2. You need good agency management software 5. The best customers rarely call shopping for a to quickly quote and service commercial lines. The quote at renewal. You must find them through software should provide you with ACCORD forms and advertising, websites, phone calls and cold calls. allow you to quickly issue Certificates of Insurance. Our Establishing a follow up list on expirations is critical to agency has a full time employee dedicated to issuing keeping your production pipeline full. In my short time in endorsements and Certificates of Insurance, it's that the market, I'm starting to get referrals from my contacts, important. This is also the hidden cost in servicing some which is also part of my marketing plan. lines of commercial business such as a plumber or electrician who might require hundreds of certificates of Continued on page 18 insurance. Texas PIA’s Texas Connection Page 16 March, 2013
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Things I Learned about Commercial Lines Continued from page 16 It may be politically incorrect to say this, but I have found that customers from cultures where the price is haggled in an open market place see insurance as a commodity they can haggle over. They appear to believe the agent has greater control over the pricing than we do. This idea is sometimes reinforced by agents who reduce the coverage to hit a target price without advising the customer of the changes. My philosophy is being honest and truthful in dealing with the customer. If I cannot improve on his coverage, the pricing or the carrier, I'll advise him to stay where he is insured, but call me if anything changes. I recently did that on an alternator/generator repair shop that had an excellent program that I could not touch without reducing his coverage. His shop did various other products and programs to stay afloat, such as modifying golf carts, which put him into a class my standard carriers, would not write. I didn't get the business but I made such an impression on him that before I left his business, we brainstormed on how he could develop a customized golf cart that would qualify as a licensed vehicle in Georgia, and then reviewed the problems of range and the ability to tackle steep grades. (Electric golf carts don't have transmissions.) You can meet some really interesting people writing commercial lines! 6. If you don't ask the question, you don't get the answer. The customer assumes what you don't know won't cost him, which is not always true. Commercial lines require you to ask questions that some producers might be uncomfortable asking, but it is, what it is. You can go straight off the application; use a check list or the open conversation method to gather the necessary information. I prefer having a check list as backup, but engage in an open ended conversation about the customer's history, the business and his expectations for the insurance quote. In that conversation, I’m getting his sales history, his Federal Tax ID, Loss history, how he feels about his current agent, his employee count and payroll, plus the normal application questions. I am also paying attention to his body language, eye movements, and tone of voice, office decorations and pictures. This allows me to decide on how accurate the information I'm gathering may be. These clues lead me into follow up questions on a subject I feel needs to be explored.
The trucking company could not afford the insurance needed for a contract with MACY's so it merged into another company to be under their insurance. The difference on this situation was i knew getting this quote what was the true situation rather than being blindsided when the loss history was discovered and it blew up. I recently added an APPLE IPAD to my sales call tools due to its excellent camera system. (You can also use your smart phone.) It really helps when you have a risk with multiple vehicles and drivers. I photograph the old policy information, the VIN’s and all the employee driver licenses. It makes the call go quickly when the information is on hand, plus it allows you to review the coverage later to make sure you have not missed a vital detail. You can also document the premises so you can go back and look it see if the building had sprinklers or a fire hazard you might have missed. The IPAD camera takes a 2 Mega pixel picture so it is possible to blow up an image to see very small details or read print at a distance. It appears to have a self-focusing ability on documents and print as little as foot away. (Apple can send the check for this advertisement to the FYI Express) 7. Workman's Comp. on a startup business will almost always go to the assigned risk (NCCI). I found the NCCI class codes are so out of date. I.e. it is easier to find a "blacksmith" code than a cell tower equipment installer. The cell equipment installer performs multiple functions so it gets multiple codes. Simple, right! I called about a Cell tower equipment installer to get a code where they make a small concrete pad in order to set the power box on it. The NCCI does not have a job code for cell tower so they split the code based on the percentage of different types of work performed. The making of the equipment pad for the phone involved digging a hole, one code, pouring the concrete into the hole, another code, setting the equipment on the pad, yet another code. Climbing the tower was the big ticket code! This detail breakdown actually saved the customer money but it was a painful process and highly subjective. The devil was in the details of the job, but you have to ask the questions to get the answers. The NCCI Workman’s comp. code book cost serious money to purchase, yet the codes are posted on the internet by various sources for free! Those codes not posted can be determined by phoning the NCCI and asking for the code.
I recently quoted a small appliance trucking and It is important to get setup with the NCCI by installation company where it was obvious the owner registering on their website before getting too deep into was lying about previous losses. He needed to get quoting workman's comp on a start businesses because insurance for a contract with MACY's to install they will not speak with you unless you can identify appliances. I made a call to his previous agent and yourself as a registered agent. found out he was being terminated for having 14 claims in three years, with losses well over $100,000. I got the proper quotes for the prospect, but at a much higher Continued on page 20 premium than his previous carrier. (MACY's required very high limits which was cost prohibitive for this small business with a poor loss history) Texas PIA’s Texas Connection Page 18 March, 2013
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Things I Learned about Commercial Lines Continued from page 18 8. It is better to specialize for initial training in target markets, due to the complexity of some of the more unusual jobs we find in modern society. Most standard carriers have target customer programs which are easy to use and quote. The down side is there maybe 10 other agents quoting the same carrier in the target market, that's where being “first-est with the mostest" counts. 9. Standard carriers have retreated into the square peg in the square hole mentality. Tradition risks such as a barbershop, might find great rates and coverage under a Business Owners policy (BOP) with a highly automated quoting function. The assumption appears to be that agent just bangs away on his keyboard capturing information on the phone without qualifying the risk. Several carriers pre-screen the quoting function with initial underwriting questions such as; has the customer been in business three years? Has he maintained coverage for three years? Any losses? The wrong answer stops the quote process, which I admit is good thing, but it fuels the specialty markets with the rejects. The Specialty Markets are highly flexible on difficult risks assuming the customer can handle the premium. This goes back to the original assumption in insurance that all risks are insurable subject to correct premium being charged and collected. i.e. “An arsonist set to burn up his house is insurable if the premium is set at the cost of the loss plus handling fees and profit, plus you get the premium before the loss." In the real world that never happens but it is the basic concept behind insurance, then comes the sharing of risks to lower the premium cost. The real trick is determining the correct premium. In summary, I am on a quest to learn all I can about the current Commercial lines market for fun, profit and the FYI EXPRESS. I hope to share some of my war stories of the more colorful characters and situations I meet along the way. Eddie and I will have a Commercial Lines Roundtable at the July EXPO where I hope to gather some experts from the E&S markets to discuss what is available and to answer product questions. Make plans to come and be with us! Wayne Hooper - Editor for the FYI EXPRESS (Editor’s note: Do you have any “War Stories” to share? Send them to wayne@fyiexpress.com, anonymously if you wish. We have yet to ever betray a confidence.)
Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Pedro Castaneda, Area Sales Representative - East Coast Region for Superior Access Insurance Services, Inc. provided me with some great information on BOPs: We have found that many of the Personal Lines Agents we work with want to branch out to Commercial Lines. We've learned that many times an agent that specializes in Personal Lines has little to no experience with Commercial Lines. The lack of Commercial experience makes them hesitant to take that step over into the unfamiliar world of Commercial Lines. With that in mind, here's a basic introductory to the most common Small Commercial product, a Business Owner's Policy or BOP.
BOP - What Is It? A Business Owner's Policy (BOP) provides broad coverage for your client's small business. A Business Owner's Policy (BOP) is recommended for most small businesses, as it is often the most affordable way to obtain broad coverage. Combining both property and liability insurance, a BOP will cover a small business in the event of such things as property damage, suspended operations, or lawsuits resulting from bodily injury or property damage to others. A BOP policy is very similar to a Homeowner policy, combining two of the most critical coverages for a small business - Business Liability and Property. Business Liability coverage typically protects a business from claims for damages caused by employees, products and services. It also helps cover the cost of defense. It’s important to keep in mind that the type and amount of liability coverage needed may vary based on the type of business. While every business is unique, many businesses own or lease property that is vital to their day-to-day operations. In the event of a loss, property insurance not only provides coverage for damage to the insured buildings and furniture, but also for inventory, computers, tools and other property needed to keep the business running. Not every small business qualifies for a BOP. Factors like the type of business, the size of the premises, the number of employees, and annual revenue can also determine eligibility. Always refer to the carrier underwriting guidelines when determining if your client's small business is eligible for a BOP policy.
Page 20
Continued on page 22
March, 2013
CMLP CENTURION MEDICAL LIABILITY PROTECTIVE We have been providing premium relief to Texas Physicians for the last 10 years We offer the best customer service and commissions in Texas Our Company is owned and operated by Physicians Our goal is to offer the most affordable premiums, and the highest quality coverage Financial Stability Rating of A, Exceptional
518 Peoples St Corpus Christi, TX 78401 www.cmlpins.com Phone: 512-377-1757 Fax: 512-628-3373 info@cmlpins.com
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BOP - What Is It? Continued from page 20 The Hartford publishes a Business Owner's Playbook you may find helpful when working with your insureds to determine their insurance needs. The Playbook is too large for us to include in this email, but you can click here for a few pages with helpful conversation starters for you and your client during the various phases of their business' life cycle. I am happy to share the entire Playbook with you, just let me know if you would like to receive the entire 44 page brochure via separate email. You can click here to request a copy, or give me a call at the number below.
Membership & General Information Rebecca Ellis Executive Director
I hope you find this information helpful to your agency. I would love the opportunity to talk with you about your agency and understand how Superior Access can help you grow.
Toll Free: 1-800-829-9838 TEL: 512-301-0226
FAX: 512-301-0265
PCastaneda@superioraccess.com
Rebecca@piatx.org
PIA@piatx.org
www.SuperiorAccess.com
PIA National
www.pianet.com
Main Office: 703-836-9340
E&O Solutions Renewing your E&O every year isn’t much fun, is it? Don’t you want to make sure that you’re getting the best price for the best coverage you can get on your renewal? Get a Complimentary Assessment
Website
&
Marketing
Your website affects your social media, email marketing, lead generation, brand awareness and sales strategies. Find out how to turn your online presence into a full-fledged inbound marketing in a complimentary website & marketing assessment. Your assessment will cover: • A full diagnostic opportunities to improve
of
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Why not compare with another company for your peace of mind? It costs you nothing and you don’t have to be a member of PIA of Texas to move your coverage. Go to the E&O Program link at www.PIATX.org and print the applicable application and e-mail or fax it to us. Do you want higher E&O limits but your carrier won’t quote what you want? That’s not a problem. Go to the E&O Program at www.PIATX.org and print the umbrella application from the link shown. Fill out the application and send it to us.
• How your marketing compares against your competitors Send an email to eddie@fyiexpress.com
E&O Contacts
E&O Contacts
Houston area
Dallas area
Bob Dixon
Ray Reyes
bdixon@piatx.org
ray@piatx.org
866-577-7428
214-618-2365
832-375-0787
Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Page 22
March, 2013
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• Create agency business listings for visibility with more than 10 of the biggest listing and social media sites: Facebook Business Page Twitter for Business Account Google Places Listing Bing Listing Yahoo Listing Yelp! Business Listing CitySearch Listing …and more! • Independent Agency blog for inclusion in your agency website Professional content added regularly Make your site interesting to customers, potential customers, and search engines • Inclusion as preferred agent in our online directory listing of local agents • Basic monthly analysis of online presence • Setup and monitoring of Google Ad Word campaigns based on a budget you specify
• Up to 30 pages of content • Custom design services for a unique look • Custom submission forms for your preferred lines • Online chat • Insurance Glossary • Multi-location interactive maps • Regular changes by our staff upon request • Optimized for mobile devices
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AgencyThrive - Insurance Agency Internet Marketing & Social Media
Web Consultant Service $1995 setup, $250/month
Includes all the features of the Web Marketing Service, PLUS SO MUCH MORE: Elite Website included with Instant Auto Quote (where available) Weekly updates of Social media sites Includes Google Adwords campaign (no additional click charges) Monthly email blast to your customers upon request Monitoring of online reviews to protect your reputation Detailed monthly analysis of online presence Preferred placement on our directory listing site of local agents Monthly action plan to increase traffic and sales
More “News, Satire & Opinions for Independent Agents from Independent Agents” at www.PIATX.org
5 Tips for Recruiting Great People Steve Anderson
Insurance organizations will have to replace over 50% of their current staff over the next 10 years – at least according to several presentations I have listened to over the last few months. Finding, recruiting, hiring, training, and then keeping new staff is perhaps one of the biggest strategic issues facing the insurance industry. Younger workers don’t seem to have a career in insurance at the top of their list of “fun” jobs. When the news broke recently that some companies were demanding Facebook login information from job applicants, people everywhere were horrified. Those who were employed, those who weren’t employed – even employers themselves – were antsy at the thought of corporate America demanding passwords to personal accounts. This example simply highlights how expectations of job applicants as well as employers have changed. Competition will become fierce for talented employees, making it more important than ever that you not scare away a great future employee by allowing preconceived notions to cloud your hiring judgment. Following are five tips to help you find and attract the very best and brightest to your organization: Don’t make unreasonable demands. Most of today’s job seekers will find your demanding personal account passwords unreasonable. Just as you wouldn’t want existing employees to provide passwords to work accounts to those outside the workplace, you shouldn’t demand that your employees hand over passwords to personal accounts either. In fact, it's illegal in six states. I'm certain more will follow. Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Don’t make snap judgments. For several years employers have been searching social platforms for information on potential new employees. Job seekers were warned not to post wild party pictures or other inappropriate personal data publicly. Why? Because employers were making snap judgments about employees who might otherwise be dedicated, hardworking, career-minded individuals. But one bachelor party or a few old college pictures ruined it. Think about the hiring decisions you make and ensure they are based on all information and not some assumption you’ve made based on past experience. Give them a chance. Over the past few years, many great employees have become unemployed. Don’t assume they are not good candidate material. In any job market, good employees are subject to layoffs, sudden termination, and even voluntary termination. Don’t assume if a candidate is not currently employed they are not a good fit for the organization. Don’t judge a book by its cover. So your last job ad received 100 resumes and you’re limited on time. It’s easy to immediately delete any resume that doesn’t have the font you like or comes via snail mail instead of email. At least glance over those resumes, and make sure you aren’t missing out on a great potential hire who simply hasn’t quite mastered the art of job hunting. Not everyone is great at searching for employment. Besides, young, eager people can bring fresh energy to your agency. Do background checks. While it’s important to avoid generalizations, every employee should be subjected to a thorough background check. This includes checking references and doing criminal background checks. Be sure to require proof of education. Anyone can say they have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Make this a part of your preemployment process to avoid unpleasant surprises down the line. You likely know how crucial good employees are to an agency’s success. If you’re seeking qualified candidates, keep in mind that you need good employees as much as they need a great career opportunity. By approaching the employment process with a positive attitude and open mind, you’ll find the best employee for your organization. What tips do you have for recruiting new employees? Have you hired someone new who you wouldn't have hired in the past? Let me know in the comments. Page 24
March, 2013
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Are Your Independent Contractors Really Employees? Q&A
The Department of Labor (DOL) sued the company because home workers paid to answer texts on a piece rate basis were actually employees subject to minimum wage and overtime requirements and not independent contractors. Because of the misclassification, the employer also violated Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) recordkeeping requirements. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has stepped up its enforcement activities to target employers with misclassified workers that are not paying appropriate payroll taxes such as Social Security and Medicare.
By Robin Thomas, Managing Editor Follow PPS on Twitter for daily updates -@ppshrpolicies February 26, 2013, Volume 15, No. 9 Click here for an online copy Misclassified workers mean big money for the IRS and DOL and big headaches for employers. Find out the five steps you can take to make sure you have classified independent contractors correctly so you won’t face big fines. Q: We would like to use independent contractors instead of employees to work on several special projects beginning next month. However, we are not sure how long the projects will last, and it is likely the contractors will only be working for us. Is it safe for us to classify them as independent contractors? A: As often is the case with HR questions, the answer is “it depends.” And, what it depends on is how much control your organization exercises over the workers. If you exert too much control over these workers, such as telling them when, where, and how to do the work, providing the tools needed for the work, and reserving the right to fire them at any time, they may not be properly classified. (Download free Pay Procedures model policy including HR best practices and legal background.) There is no question that independent contractors are attractive to hire instead of employees. If you have a special project that requires a level of expertise none of your employees have, hiring a consultant to do the work can jump-start the project and ensure it is completed correctly. In addition, using independent contractors gives you more flexibility to “staff up” or cut back, without incurring the costs of hiring or layoffs. Further, because independent contractors are not considered your employees, your organization does not have to pay taxes on their behalf or allow them to participate in any benefit plans. Also, they typically are not covered under state workers’ compensation or unemployment compensation statutes; they are not entitled to overtime under wage and hour laws; they cannot sue under discrimination statutes; and they cannot take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. But, these workers can actually end up costing you more in headaches, back taxes, overtime costs, and penalties if they do not actually meet the criteria for independent contractors. Earlier this month, a company was ordered to pay $1.3 million in minimum wage compensation to over 14,500 employees who were misclassified as independent contractors. Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
So, how do you make sure that your independent contractors are properly classified? Answering that question is particularly tricky since three different standards commonly are used by the courts and agencies to determine independent contractor status: (1) the IRS 20-factor analysis, for coverage under federal withholding requirements; (2) the “economic reality” test, used to determine compliance with requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); and (3) the common law “right to control” test, used by many courts to administer discrimination and benefits statutes. These three tests share several common factors, the most important of which is the amount of control the employer exercises over the work relationship. The IRS considers the existence of an employeremployee relationship to depend on whether the worker is subject to the will and control of the employer, based on 20 factors, including: (1) how much instruction is provided (employees typically must follow instructions as to when, where, and how to perform the job); (2) training (requiring training supports employee status); (3) integration of the worker’s services into the business operations suggests that the hirer directs and controls the worker; (4) whether services are rendered personally by a specific worker, suggesting the hirer controls the methods used to complete the work; (5) whether there is an ongoing relationship, which suggests that an employer-employee relationship exists; (6) whether the establishment sets hours of work, implying control over the worker; (7) whether full-time work is required, which suggests control over the worker; (8) whether the hirer provides tools and materials, which suggests an employer-employee relationship; (9) whether the worker serves more than one firm, which generally supports an independent contractor relationship; and (10) whether the hirer may discharge the worker at any time, indicating an employer-employee relationship. (If you are a subscriber to the PPMS and HR Policy Answers on CD, you can find the full 20-factor IRS test in Pay Procedures, Chapter 305, note 7.)
Continued on page 27
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March, 2013
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Are Your Independent Contractors Really Employees? Q&A
3. Use independent contractors that are set up as separate business entities.
Continued from page 26
4. If you are using an independent contractor to perform a job that is also performed by current employees, consider carefully whether the independent contractor really meets the criteria. Courts and administrative agencies are less likely to accept the classification if the independent contractor is doing the same job as employees.
The DOL uses the “economic realities test” to determine coverage under, and compliance with, the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the FLSA. The following are among the factors considered by the DOL: (1) the degree of control exercised by the hiring party over the manner in which the work is performed; (2) the relative investments by the hiring party and the worker in materials and equipment; (3) the degree to which the worker’s opportunity for profit and loss is determined by the hiring party or the worker’s own managerial skill; (4) the skill and initiative required in performing the job; (5) the permanency of the relationship; and (6) whether the service is an integral part of the hiring party’s business.
Be particularly careful if you have an employee who works two jobs for you, and you classify the second position as an independent contractor. This action may raise a red flag. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The common law “right to control” test is used by courts to determine employee status in various types of cases, including employment discrimination and benefit cases, tax cases, and tort (wrongful act) liability cases. The common law test, as applied by the courts, includes the following ten factors: (1) the extent of control which, by agreement, the hiring party may exercise over the hired party; (2) whether the hired party is engaged in a distinct occupation or business that is usually done by a specialist without supervision; (3) how the worker’s helpers are hired and whether they are paid by the hiring party or the worker; (4) the skill required in the particular occupation; (5) who supplies the means, tools, and place of work; (6) the length of time for which the person is hired; (7) the method of payment, whether by time or the job; (8) whether the work is part of the regular business of the hiring party; (9) whether the parties believe they are creating an employment relationship; and (10) whether the hired party is an actual business entity.
Content for your HR Matters E-Tips newsletter is developed from our flagship publication, the HR Matters Tools and Resource Center, featuring the Personnel Policy Manual System (PPMS). See how it works. Subscribers to the PPMS and HR Policy Answers on CD can find more information on independent contractor status in Pay Procedures, Chapter 305, note 7. If you don't have access to the PPMS, but would like to have a free, no-obligation 14-day review, go to: www.ppspublishers.com/ppm-ez.htm Or just give us a call at 1-800-437-3735. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ YOU CAN TRUST PPS Information provided in HR Matters E-Tips is researched and reviewed by the HR experts at Personnel Policy Service as well as employment law attorneys. However, it is not intended as legal advice. Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate legal or other professional advice. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Download free Pay Procedures model policy including HR best practices and legal background.) Fortunately, there are five steps you can take to protect your organization against misclassifying employees: 1. Make sure you understand the various tests and apply them to each independent contractor relationship. It is not enough to meet the standards of one of the tests. You could face a challenge from one agency that results in an investigation by another, so you should try to comply with all of the factors. Further, states may have their own standards that you may need to meet. 2. Enter into a contractual agreement with the worker that explains the independent contractor relationship. The contract will help show what both the hiring party and the worker understood and intended the relationship to be. However, the contract by itself is not determinative; the worker still must meet all independent contractor criteria. Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Interested in using an article from HR Matters E-Tips on your Web site or in a newsletter? Please contact Robin Thomas, Managing Editor of Personnel Policy Service, Inc., to request permission. You can contact her by email at editor@ppspublishers.com. Please note that the information in every issue of HR Matters E-Tips is the original, copyrighted work of Personnel Policy Service, Inc., and is protected under U.S. copyright laws. As such, you may not reprint or publish in any format any article or portion of article from HR Matters E-Tips without the express permission of Personnel Policy Service, Inc. Remember, too, we encourage you to pass along any issue of the E-Tips by forwarding it to friends and colleagues. Page 27
March, 2013
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Some of you are too young to remember these signs. When I grew up I always counted the length of the drive by the number of Burma Shave signs along the way, Seems like an eternity ago! Remember you are only as old as you feel.
For those who never saw any of the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's and '40's. Before there were interstates, when everyone drove the old 2 lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers' fields. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4 line couplet.......and the obligatory 5th sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream. Here are more of the actual signs:
SHE KISSED THE HAIRBRUSH
AROUND THE CURVE
BY MISTAKE
LICKETY-SPLIT
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS
BEAUTIFUL CAR
HER HUSBAND JAKE
WASN'T IT?
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD
NO MATTER THE PRICE
TO GAIN A MINUTE
NO MATTER HOW NEW
YOU NEED YOUR HEAD
THE BEST SAFETY DEVICE
YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT
IN THE CAR IS YOU
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
DROVE TOO LONG
A GUY WHO DRIVES
DRIVER SNOOZING
A CAR WIDE OPEN
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
IS NOT THINKIN'
IS NOT AMUSING
HE'S JUST HOPIN'
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
BROTHER SPEEDER
AT INTERSECTIONS
LET'S REHEARSE
LOOK EACH WAY
ALL TOGETHER
A HARP SOUNDS NICE
GOOD MORNING, NURSE
BUT IT'S HARD TO PLAY
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
CAUTIOUS RIDER
BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL
TO HER RECKLESS DEAR
EYES ON THE ROAD
LET'S HAVE LESS BULL
THAT'S THE SKILLFUL
AND A LITTLE MORE STEER
DRIVER'S CODE
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
SPEED WAS HIGH
THE ONE WHO DRIVES
WEATHER WAS NOT
WHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKING
TIRES WERE THIN
DEPENDS ON YOU
X MARKS THE SPOT
TO DO HIS THINKING
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
THE MIDNIGHT RIDE
CAR IN DITCH
OF PAUL FOR BEER
DRIVER IN TREE
LED TO A WARMER
THE MOON WAS FULL
HEMISPHERE
AND SO WAS HE.
Burma Shave
Burma Shave
DON'T STICK YOUR ELBOW OUT SO FAR IT MAY GO HOME IN ANOTHER CAR. BURMA SHAVE
TRAINS DON'T WANDER ALL OVER THE MAP 'CAUSE NOBODY SITS IN THE ENGINEER'S LAP Burma Shave
Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Page 28
March, 2013
NEW MARKETS... HIGHER LIMITS… MORE CLASSES OF BUSINESS Southeast Surplus has added several new commercial lines markets that have given us additional capabilities. Some of our enhancements are: Single policy property limits of up to $10,000,000 Excess liability limits up to $10,000,000 Special programs for churches, restaurants & bars, convenience stores, roofers, barber shops, and beauty salons Liquor liability can be packaged with the appropriate classes Some of the classes of business that have been added or enhanced are:
Apartments Artisan contractors Barber shops & beauty salons Bars & Taverns Bowling alleys Churches Convenience stores and grocery stores
Family entertainment centers General contractors Hotels & motels - including business class hotels Restaurants Retail stores Skating rinks Warehouses
Call Diane Dunlap (ext. 714) or Cathy Johnson (ext. 731) at (800) 554-3301 with any questions. Applications can be faxed to (409) 924-8282. Email applications to them at ddunlap@ssuga.com or cjohnson@ssuga.com. P. O. Box 3730 Beaumont, TX 77704-3730 www.ssuga.com (800) 554-3301 (800) 222-2329 - fax
Why flood insurance from The Hartford? The Hartford has been offering flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for nearly three decades. We’re one of the largest flood-insurance providers in the country, offering coverage for both consumer and commercial properties.
Coverage features Federal flood insurance can help protect your buildings and contents from damage associated with flooding. Coverage includes: Structural elements, including walls, floors, equipment, and fixtures Contents, such as furniture, appliances, carpeting, wall and floor coverings Personal items like clothing, audio equipment and televisions
Consider the facts* Hurricanes, winter storms and snowmelt are common (but often overlooked) causes of flooding. Anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods. People outside of high-risk areas file over 20 percent of NFIP claims and receive one-third of disaster assistance for flooding. Ninety percent of all natural disasters in the U.S. involve flooding. An inch of water can cause an estimated $21,000 in damages to a 2,000-ft² property. The average flood claim paid over the past 10 years was about $48,000. In a high-risk area, your home is more than twice as likely to be damaged by flood than by fire. Federal Disaster Assistance is only available if the President declares the flood area a federal disaster, and aid comes in the form of a loan that must be repaid.
Don’t be a statistic The average flood policy costs less than $570 per year and a preferred risk policy can cost as little as $119 per year. Don’t put yourself at risk; contact our flood team today at flood@thehartford.com. *Source: floodsmart.gov
All policies are written subject to the National Flood Insurance Program. © March 2012 The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. The Hartford, Hartford, CT 06155
Bring flood risk into focus Flood Safety Awareness Week is March 18 –22. Now is the perfect time to get the facts about flood insurance and be sure you are protected. Hurricane Sandy may have been a fluke of nature, or a vision of what is to come in the future. Because foresight is not 20/20 and flood damage can occur anywhere, it’s important to prepare for the possibility of a flood. Hurricane Sandy lessons After this super-storm, we learned that far too many property owners did not have basic property and flood insurance coverage. They may have thought the risk of a flood in their area was so low, they could take a chance. Or, they weren’t aware that their homeowner’s or property insurance policy didn’t cover flood damage. It seemed that many individuals weren’t familiar with the cost-effective flood plans available through The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Whatever their reasons, we want you to be an educated consumer. Avoid costly mistakes Take time to review your homeowner’s and/or property insurance policy. It’s possible that it doesn’t protect you against flood damage. You can, however, purchase a separate policy through the NFIP to cover for flood damage. The Hartford is a major carrier for flood insurance and you can purchase coverage through your local Hartford agent or directly through our flood program call center. You’ve worked too hard to have everything swept away. Consider the following: Flood insurance is available nationwide. You can get insurance even if your property is in a floodplain or a high-risk flood zone. Flood insurance costs are lower if your property is outside of a floodplain or in a low or moderate flood-risk area. You can get flood insurance even if your property has been flooded before. You can get flood insurance from insurance agents in your area. You can get flood insurance even if your mortgage lender doesn't require it. More information With the proper information about your flood risk and protection options, you can make more informed decisions to help protect your hard-earned financial investments. We’re here to help, call 1-800-296-7542 or email your flood questions to The Hartford Flood Program at flood@thehartford.com. All policies are written subject to the National Flood Insurance Program. © March 2013 The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
More “News, Satire & Opinions for Independent Agents from Independent Agents” at www.fyigeorgiaviews.com
President’s Message THE TAXERS ARE KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR We Ignore Them at Our Own Peril If by now if you aren’t acutely aware of the out of control federal spending, I would have to believe that you have been marooned on some small desolate and deserted island at the far reaches of the south Pacific. Do images of Tom Hanks in the movie “CASTAWAY” come into your mind? That particular movie was a product of Hollywood’s great sense of imagination. However, my sense of reality is that you aren’t sitting on that remote island. Of all the things to be called these days in Washington, D.C., a “tax expenditure” might be the most insulting. That’s the name as well as the Bulls-Eye hanging around the neck of life insurance as Congress takes aim at tax reform. Tax treatment is what the insurance industry prefers to call the government’s hands-off approach to key features such as the death benefit and the inside build-up in permanent life policies. The favorable tax treatment legacy of Permanent Life Insurance turns 100 this year. A century ago insurance agents with the National Association of Life Underwriters descended on Washington to make the case why life insurance deserved special status as legislators established an income tax system. While the name of that past association has changed, as well as the people involved, the fight has not. Legislators are currently edging a real tax reform effort once again. Members of both Political parties are supporting these reforms. The ground work for reform was laid out in the bipartisan Simpson-Bolls proposals. Congress may get finally get around to it this time around. Everyone’s head is hitting the debt ceiling every few months. The national debt is past $16.5 trillion and the United States is adding to that with a deficit of about $1 trillion a year. For a sense of how fast the debt is growing, visit www.usdebtclock.org. However, viewing the clock is not recommended for those prone to motion sickness. Those questions about sustainable revenue lead to louder demands for comprehensive tax reform, which goes down a familiar path. Is Washington Crying ‘Wolf’ Again this Time? Haven’t we all heard this before? Like maybe every year for the past several? For decades, even? Congress is not very good about moving very fast and it seems like their feet have to be totally in the fire before they make a decision. One of the reasons to be vigilant is because when Congress moves, it seems to move in light speed. Something can happen so much more quickly than it used to be able to happen. Do you reminder the infamous words: “We need to pass the Legislation in order to know what is it”? That’s because people don’t even have to read bills and legislation gets attached to other pieces of legislation. Then you pick up the paper one day and find out something’s been passed before you even knew it was being considered. This is particularly important as the heat turns up. Look at the desperation and how quickly we have to revisit issues and extend short-term fixes. Why then discuss the Life Insurance Industry when our Organization tends to focus on the Property & Casualty side of the industry? The reasons are the FACTS: Life insurers are the single largest source of bond financing for American businesses, holding more than 18 percent of all U.S. corporate bonds. This helps fuel the growth of private sector research, innovation and jobs. In many Instances the ROE (Return Of Equity) from Carriers Life Insurance Divisions allows them to stay financially viable while their P&C counterparts are underperforming from a profitability stand point. Life insurers pay out $1.5 billion to families and businesses every day. The life insurance industry generates approximately 2.5 million jobs in the United States One out of every five dollars of Americans’ long-term savings is in life insurance and annuities. With $4.9 trillion (90 percent of the industry’s total assets) invested in the U.S. economy, life insurers are one of the largest sources of investment capital in the nation. Continued on page 34 Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Page 32
March, 2013
More “News, Satire & Opinions for Independent Agents from Independent Agents” at www.fyigeorgiaviews.com
President’s Message Continued from page 32 The Most Effective Voice Members of Congress deal with so many issues that they rely on their constituents for educating them on specific issues. Constituents who have an understanding in a given area and can clearly articulate the realities of some of the decisions that they might need to make. And that’s what our agents need to be doing. Now more than ever we need to make the case of the value of all necessary insurance products as well as the value of the professional independent insurance agent. We need our voices to resonate in their ears. I encourage you to get involved in the Texas PIA or the PIA National Legislative Summit coming up in early April. Better yet, the most effective voice in Washington is one from a legislator’s own district. Otherwise, if we continue to ignore the TAXERS at our doorsteps, we may very well wake up one day and find ourselves on that deserted South Pacific island cracking coconuts for food, and talking to a volleyball that goes by the name of “Wilson”.
Carl Shockey 6305 Preston Road, Suite 1000 Plano, TX 75024 ph# 972-867-9797 toll free# 1-888-575-9212 fax# 972-473-8043
cshockey@paragoninsagencies.com
TEXAS PIA CONNECTIONS 2013 June 7 – 8, 2013 The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center 1601 Lake Robbins Drive · The Woodlands, Texas 77380
Localize, Mobilize, Socialize Texas PIA’s Texas Connection
Page 34
March, 2013
TEXAS PIA CONNECTIONS 2013 June 7 – 8, 2013
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center 1601 Lake Robbins Drive · The Woodlands, Texas 77380
Localize, Mobilize, Socialize Why Should You Attend? It's 2 days of non-stop action and education designed especially for the Professional Insurance Agent Industry. Get up to 10 hours “How To” Workshops! Meet & Greet in the Trade Fairs on Friday & Saturday Free workshops & CE for Texas PIA members and Producers of Workshop Sponsors Non-PIA members pay $25 for one day or $39 for both days’ registration
Texas PIA Connections 2013 Invitation
How to Market & Sell Workshops We’ve got the best companies and the best training available anywhere I know. Come learn how to get the phone ringing … and what to do when you pick up the phone! Agency Management, Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, Premium Finance, Profit Centers, Internet Visibility … we have them all just waiting for you.
Agent / CSR Online Registration at http://piatx-agent-2013.eventbrite.com
more info at www.PIATX.org
TEXAS PIA CONNECTIONS 2013 June 7 – 8, 2013
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center 1601 Lake Robbins Drive · The Woodlands, Texas 77380
Localize, Mobilize, Socialize Why Should You Attend? It's 2 days of non-stop action and education designed especially for the Professional Insurance Agent Industry. Get up to 10 hours “How To” Workshops! Meet & Greet in the Trade Fairs on Friday & Saturday Free workshops & CE for Texas PIA members and Producers of Workshop Sponsors Non-PIA members pay $25 for one day or $39 for both days’ registration
Texas PIA Connections 2013 Invitation
How to Market & Sell Workshops We’ve got the best companies and the best training available anywhere I know. Come learn how to get the phone ringing … and what to do when you pick up the phone! Agency Management, Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, Premium Finance, Profit Centers, Internet Visibility … we have them all just waiting for you.
Agent / CSR Online Registration at http://piatx-agent-2013.eventbrite.com
more info at www.PIATX.org
Texas PIA Connections 2013 Tentative Agenda Saturday, June 8
th
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Montgomery A – Part 1 of 5 hours County Mutual Pre-Licensing Course by AmWins 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Montgomery B – Part 1 of 3 hours Anatomy of Insurance Agent E&O Lawsuits Mock Trial CE by Gauntt, Earl & Binney, LLP 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Montgomery C – “Localize, Mobilize, Socialize” How to keep your online presence Top of Mind (non-CE) 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: “Localize, Mobilize, Socialize” Trade Fair
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center Do you have a favorite seminar topic? Contact Eddie K. Emmett and we’ll try to add it!
Friday, June 7
th
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Registration Check-In & Exhibitor Move-In – Waterway Ballroom 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Montgomery A - 5 hours County Mutual Pre-Licensing Course by Tejas Seguros 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Montgomery B - “Jewelry Appraisal Workshop (non-CE) 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: “Instant Bling Clean” Bring your jewelry for appraisal and free jewelry cleaning 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Montgomery B - 3 hours Flood Insurance CE by Hartford Flood 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Montgomery C – 3 hours Utica E&O CE presented by TIPS 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: “Localize, Mobilize, Socialize” Trade Fair & Welcome Reception 7:00 p.m. – Explore the Waterway on your own
12:00 p.m.: - Exhibitor Move-out 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Montgomery B – Part 2 of 3 hours Anatomy of Insurance Agent E&O Lawsuits Mock Trial CE by Gauntt, Earl & Binney, LLP 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Montgomery B - How to handle your Agency’s Legal Traps (non-CE) 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: - Part 2 of 5 hours County Mutual Pre-Licensing Course by Endeavor General Agency 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: YIP’s Pool Party Adult Beverage Cosponsor: Centurion Medical Liability Protective The Young Insurance Professionals of Texas (YIPS) is an association committed to providing benefits and services that assist young professionals with career development. YIPS is dedicated to: • Creating a network of young insurance professionals for the purpose of exchanging information and ideas. • Providing timely information and promote quality education to foster the career development of the members. • Enhancing the image of the young insurance professional through community involvement and consumer awareness efforts. • Coordinating with the Texas PIA toward the fulfillment of mutual objectives. •
Cultivating future leaders of the Texas PIA.
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The Importance of Qualified Jewelry Appraisal. Jew elry is recognized as transparent w ealth. Seldom do w e realize how inflation impacts the current value of jew elry. W hen you lose or damage a piece of jew elry, you not only lose something of value, but something sentimental. Nothing can replace the sentiment, but w ith proper documentation the piece can be restored or replaced.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
The first step in securing your valuables is to make sure the article is properly documented. Our comprehensive jewelry appraisal report will update items to current market value and define specific details of the metal, construction, gemstones and design of each article along with a digital photograph. Our Graduate Gemologists appraise jewelry, diamonds, gemstones and watches. Contact us to discuss your needs and set up an appointment. Why National Jewelry Appraisers? EXPERIENCE
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You have a direct access to our nationallyknown team of Graduate Gemologists, who are professionally trained jewelry appraisers with over 30 years of experience. Our experts can help you with a jewelry appraisal report, jewelry appraisal review, insurance claim support and gemstone evaluations.
Strict confidentiality and your trust is of utmost important to us. You can rest assured that our services will meet the highest standards in the industry. Whether in-store, at your location or throughout the world, our experts have been providing exceptional customer service to the industry, individual, and celebrity clients for over 30 years.
National Jewelry Appraisers maintains a complete state-of-the-art, on-site gemological laboratory to serve all your jewelry appraisal needs. All gemstones and jewelry are thoroughly inspected, cleaned and tested. All items are digitally photographed for your records. All property is inspected in front of the client prior to the appraisal being performed.
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National Jewelry Appraisers 5001 Spring Valley Suite 400 East Dallas, TX 75244 P 972 383 1240 info@nationaljewelryappraisers.com
Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Central Standard Time) By appointment only
www.nationaljewelryappraisers.com
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8 MUST READ Tax Preparation Tips The deadline to file your taxes is right around the corner. Whether you hire a professional tax service, use software, file online or via mail these tips are designed to help you make the right decisions. 1. Procrastination Costs Money - Many individuals put off filing their taxes until the last minute, but waiting may be costly. The pricing of tax preparation services often increases as filing deadlines approach. Disorganized late filers may pay late fees, miss key deductions or make costly mistakes. 2. Documents - If you do not have adequate documentation to prove your deductions are legitimate you could end up in hot water. Do not claim anything you cannot back up with documentation. Save copies of your return as well as all of the receipts and other documents you use to prepare your taxes. You may need them in the future. 3. Select Professional Preparers Carefully - Professional tax preparation can be invaluable to businesses and individuals with complex personal finances. If you decide to utilize a professional tax preparer find someone you can trust and always make sure they sign the return.Click here to read Ten Tips to Help You Choose a Tax Preparer. 4. Online Filing - Online tax preparation and filing is quickly growing in popularity. You may be eligible for free online filing if you meet certain income requirements (learn more U.S. and Canada). 5. Direct Deposit - The IRS and Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) offer direct deposit for refund payments. The earlier you file the faster you can get your refund via direct deposit. 6. Security - Whether you file online or use a professional you must keep your personal information safe. Tax returns are a goldmine for identity thieves. Never store sensitive information on public computers or transmit financial information through unsecured Wi-Fi. Also, keep paper copies of your return in a safe location. 7. Avoid Scams - Tax scams can come in all shapes and sizes. Be cautious. If you have any questions or feel you may be the victim of a scam call your LegalShield provider law firm. Click here to read the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams. 8. Check Your Work - No matter how you prepare your tax filing you should always double-check the work. Compare your current return to last year’s. Unless you have experienced major financial changes your refund or the amount you owe should be similar to the prior year.
For more information on this valuable service or to learn how to become independently wealthy, contact Rick Pegram at www.rickrpegram.legalshield.com The content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. Readers should be aware that while certain principles outlined on this site may be similar to principles followed in their own state or province, laws can vary considerably. © Copyright 2012 Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. d/b/a LegalShield℠ One Pre-Paid Way, Ada, Oklahoma 74820 www.mylegalshield.com
7 Legal Tips for Starting a Business Starting a successful business takes time, money, patience, determination and a healthy dose of luck. Getting off to a good start means being prepared for any number of challenges. If you are a small business owner or are planning to start a new business, these tips may help put you on the path to success. If you have any questions, contact your LegalShield provider law firm today. 1. Business Plan - Every business should start with a well crafted business plan. Your plan should cover basic topics such as your company’s goals, management structure, services/products, target clients and marketing strategies. A business plan provides internal guidance and increases external confidence in your business, making it more likely to secure funding. 2. Insurance - There are many different types of coverage you should consider, from general business liability insurance to business errors and omissions insurance for directors and officers. Depending on the number of employees and state or provincial laws governing your business, you may be required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance. You may also need to pay unemployment insurance. Talk to an experienced insurance agent and become familiar with best practices and the regulations that govern your industry. 3. Business Entity Formation - There may be significant benefits to forming a limited liability company (“LLC”) or corporation. These types of entities may benefit you in regard to personal liability, taxation and protection of personal assets. Consult with an attorney or CPA to determine which business entity, if any, will be most beneficial to your business. To learn more about the laws and requirements in your state or province, call your LegalShield provider law firm. 4. Permits & Licenses - Before you begin operating a business, check with your state or provincial regulatory agencies to ensure that you have the authority to proceed. Certain businesses require special licensing or certification. 5. Intellectual Property (IP) - IP laws can be incredibly complex, but they should not be ignored. Make sure you understand what can be done to protect your IP. Call you LegalShield provider law firm and speak with an experienced attorney. 6. Advisers - Consult with attorneys, accountants and businesspeople that have experience in your industry. Surrounding yourself with advisers who are knowledgeable will help you get off to the best possible start. 7. Commitment - Your business will only be successful if you commit to it completely. Understand that there may be setbacks and challenges along the way but learning from and moving past those difficulties will make you and your business stronger.
For more information on this valuable service or to learn how to become independently wealthy, contact Rick Pegram at www.rickrpegram.legalshield.com The content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. Readers should be aware that while certain principles outlined on this site may be similar to principles followed in their own state or province, laws can vary considerably. © Copyright 2012 Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. d/b/a LegalShield℠ One Pre-Paid Way, Ada, Oklahoma 74820 www.mylegalshield.com
What You NEED to Know About Collection Scams Recently, LegalShield provider law firms have seen a rise in the number of calls from members regarding collection scams. Criminals posing as debt collectors use extreme legal threats and intimidation to coerce victims into making immediate payments on debts that do not exist. If a debt collector contacts you, threatens or asks you to make an immediate payment toward a debt you are unfamiliar with, call your LegalShield provider law firm immediately. Here is what you need to know: Ask for written verification of any debt before you make a payment. If the individual refuses to provide written verification, chances are they are not a legitimate agent or attorney. Ignore any collection notices sent via email. Legitimate collection letters will be sent through the mail. Scammers may pose as collection agency representatives or even attorneys with the intent of obtaining your personal information. Do not give out any personal information to debt collectors. Collection agents and attorneys are governed by strict rules. They may not use unsubstantiated legal threats, threats of violence or abuse to collect a debt. Some scammers will claim that the police or sheriff’s departments are on their way to apprehend you or confiscate your valuables. If anyone threatens you with a legal action, contact your LegalShield provider law firm before making a payment or responding. If you do receive written notice of a debt or are harassed by a collection agent, contact your LegalShield provider law firm for assistance.
For more information on this valuable service or to learn how to become independently wealthy, contact Rick Pegram at www.rickrpegram.legalshield.com The content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. Readers should be aware that while certain principles outlined on this site may be similar to principles followed in their own state or province, laws can vary considerably. © Copyright 2012 Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. d/b/a LegalShield℠ One Pre-Paid Way, Ada, Oklahoma 74820 www.mylegalshield.com
Atlas Commercial Division Workers' Compensation products now available in your area! Workers' Compensation Underwriting Appetite The Atlas Commercial Division maintains a portfolio composed of classes that it believes provide the best opportunity for rate redundancy and profitability. Appetite includes: Amusement Park or Exhibition Operations Animal Shelters & Veterinarian Hospitals Artisan Contractors Auto Service Repair Barber / Beauty Shops Bars, Taverns & Nightclubs Building Material Dealers Building Operations Child Day Care Centers Convalescent or Nursing Homes
Country Club Farm Equipment Dealers Furniture Manufacturing & Assembly Gasoline Stations - Self Service & Convenience Store Grocery Store Hardware Stores Hospitals Hotel / Motel / Inn Bed and Breakfast Iron or Steel Scrap Dealers Janitorial
Landscaper Manufacturing Printers Property Management Restaurant / Deli Retirement Centers Swimming Pool Construction Tire Dealers Wallboard Installation Wholesale Distributors
Program Highlights Multiple "A" rated markets available Available in most states Competitive pricing structure Flexible payment plan options Lapses in coverage acceptable pursuant to carrier guidelines New ventures acceptable pursuant to carrier guidelines (some contractors excluded) Loss control / prevention services
About Atlas Commercial Division The Atlas Commercial Division is a division of Atlas General Insurance Services that offers a wide range of insurance solutions with a focus on small to medium- sized business throughout the nation. The Atlas Commercial Division offers workers' compensation, general liability and additional lines of coverage. The Atlas Commercial Division is committed to providing exceptional service and unique options for your clients.
Gaining an Appointment To become an appointed producing partner with the Atlas Commercial Division, please visit www.atlas.us.com/get-appointed for more information. You can also download the appointment application by clicking HERE. Commercial Division Contacts:
Garland Byrd, Vice President, Marketing, 865-719-7163 Jonathan Hooven, Operations Manager, 619-814-8907 Lowrey Young, Marketing Representative, 901-308-3387
To learn more about our products, visit us at www.atlas.us.com Submissions should be faxed to 619-814-8915, or click HERE for email submission instructions and other contact information. Questions? Need help with an account? Use this form (or just reply back and ask). 8954 Rio San Diego Drive, Ste 600, San Diego, CA92108 | Toll Free: 1-877-66-ATLAS We sent this email advertisement to !*EMAIL*!. Please reply with "Remove !*EMAIL*!" as the subject to stop future ads.
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A Service of your Agent and...
National Association of Professional Insurance Agents
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Why is my flood insurance premium increasing? E
ven though you purchase your insurance through an independent agent, your flood insurance is written by a federal entity called the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In July 2012, Congress passed laws that made major reforms to the NFIP. As such, rates are likely to increase to reflect the true flood risk of your property and many premium discounts that you may have received are being eliminated.
Does this affect me? Below are some of the most common reasons your premium may increase: • Change of ownership on the insured property • Lapse in flood insurance coverage • Increased risk of flood damage to property • Substantial damage to the insured property • Major improvements to the property
What types of premium discounts are being removed? The NFIP is taking immediate action to eliminate a variety of premium discounts. These include discounts for: • Non-primary residences • Severe Repetitive Loss properties (residential properties that have had four NFIP claim payments over $5,000 in which at least two payments exceed the market value of the building) • Business properties • Properties that have incurred major flood damage
Did You Know? • Floods happen in all 50 states and everyone lives in a flood zone • Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage • Floods are the #1 most common natural disaster in the United States • The average flood insurance claim is more than $35,000
Is there a way to save money and be properly insured? The best thing you can do is talk to your professional independent insurance agent about your coverage options and let them find solutions that fit your needs. Their knowledge and professionalism is your greatest asset.
Web Presence Management… Building Online Dominance
Be Seen
- Be Found
- Be Dominant
Is your website a lead generating, dynamically interactive marketing tool that keeps you relevant in your community and dominant in internet search results…. …or, is it just an online brochure that will soon be almost impossible to find in search results?
With the new ways people are choosing to do their research to find products and services, Internet Dominance for a business is imperative today and will become even more so in the future. The recent drastic changes in the internet world are very exciting to those that embrace the changes. Your Web Presence can now be so much more than just a website. Fresh content is the driver of your web presence and the key component that allows your site to be found. Adding content in the form of blog posts and social media outreach will establish your business as relevant in your community and will determine your dominance in search results, allowing new customers to find your business. The new rules, established by Google, make it imperative to build a social media platform that can’t be ignored and require constant updates of fresh content in the form of blogs.
TrustWorkz® provides Web Presence Management through Target Audience Social Media, Content Marketing using blog posts and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). We do all the work so you can concentrate on running your business. A web presence (not just a website) causes your business to come alive online, connecting you to your existing and potential clients in new and powerful ways never before thought possible, allowing you to become relevant in your community and dominant in local internet search results. A Web Presence (not a website) will get top placement on Google, driving more potential clients to your business.
TrustWorkz® unique factors include: -A personal Web Operative (WebOp®) for your business who will be charged with managing your online presence and bringing you measurable results through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), placing your business in a dominant position on the web. Your WebOp® will become your voice on the internet through social media, blogging and maintaining your website, all the things you, as a business owner, probably don’t have the time, knowledge or desire to do on your own. We build you a supremely functioning website designed with SEO as the key goal. We then utilize the tools listed below on a continual basis to drive potential clients to your site and build a web presence that can’t be ignored: Facebook – Twitter - You tube - Google+ - Active Blogging
- When you partner with TrustWorkz® you align your business with professionals that truly have the most up to date pulse on internet marketing. Our staff is comprised of industry leaders that bring a wealth of expertise to your efforts. Not only do we offer the best program to get you found, we offer the intellectual resources of experts that are plugged into every nuance of the internet to allow us to monitor and react with lightning speed to any changes in the internet platform controlled by Google and other search engines that might affect your Web Presence. We are agile enough to react quickly to address the changes needed to keep you dominant online.
- The sole measure of our performance is results for your business. Sustained results, exceeding expectations is the only fuel driving the program. We provide complete analytics to measure the results.
Call Susan Wright at 678-899-0509 or email: susan@trustworkz.com trustworkz.com – twitter.com/trustworkz facebook.com/trustworkzinc
With millions of people searching the internet every month to find your service or product, you want them to find you! Don’t lose sleep‌ Call TrustWorkz Today
We provide Web Presence Management that will gain new clients and capture significant market share for businesses, and we do it better than anyone else!
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