YOUNG AGENTS MEET IN BILOXI

By: Ben Albright IIABL Vice-President of Strategic Initiatives

The IIABL/IIAM Young Agents Conference returned this month after being cancelled during the height of the COVID pandemic last August, and it was obvious from the energy in the room that everyone was excited to get back together again. The Beau Rivage played host to the event which brought agents from throughout Mississippi and Louisiana together for networking, professional development, and, of course, some fun at the casino/resort.

Agents began arriving in Biloxi on Thursday morning for the annual Young Agents Golf Tournament and networking as the conference got into gear. Our first formal session on Friday morning was a lively discussion with agency technology expert Steve Anderson around the changing customer expectations and how agents can adapt to address those concerns. Then, in our peer group breakout sessions, young agents got to share their own tips and tricks, learning from each other how to grow their role in the agency and perfect their craft. Friday evening brought networking opportunities as young agents gathered again for a cocktail reception and exhibit hall with our sponsors. Spaced for social distancing in a massive ballroom, company reps discussed their products and built relationships with the young agents that will be the next generation in their respective agencies. After dinner, both young agents and company reps could be found throughout the Beau in groups: at the poker table, watching the baseball game in the sports book, or enjoying some drinks at the bar.

Monday morning, Steve Anderson discussed some of the emerging technologies that agents can use to get an edge. Tools for efficiently processing requests from insureds, new communication technologies to personalize your messaging, and services to automate renewal solicitations were just some of the technologies on display. Afterwards, young agent peer groups met again to discuss how to implement those technologies as well as how to deal with the hardening markets and other pressing issues in today ’s insurance market. After a quick lunch, our young agents returned to the casino or the poolside to network with company reps, meet other young agents, and relax. Finally, we gathered one last time in the ballroom for a closing reception Saturday evening before heading home.

All in all, the convention was a success. Young agents got the opportunity to learn from experts and from each other (not to mention the 6 hours of continuing education credit), had a chance to network with company reps, and had a little fun on the coast. If you are a Louisiana insurance professional aged 45 and younger and you ’d like to get involved in the young agents program, please contact Kathleen at KOregan@IIABL.com. It’s an opportunity to hone your craft, meet other young insurance professionals, and get involved in the insurance community at large.