Breakdown of top 15 insurance bills for the 2016 Legislative Session
ULM Got Insurance Talent
Young Agents Crawfish Boil
Special Session Summary
IIABL STAFF Jeff Albright Chief Executive Officer jalbright@iiabl.com Francine Berendson Director of Communications & Events fberendson@iiabl.com
2016 Insurance Bills
4-8
ULM Got Insurance Talent
8-9
Young Agents Crawfish Boil
9
Member Benefit-Ship for Less
10
UM Ruling
11
New Members
11
Flood News
18
Special Session Recap
19
Mike Edwards, CPCU, AAI Director of Education medwards65@aol.com
Commissioner’s Corner
13—17
Ask Mike
21-28
Tech Tips
29
Rhonda Martinez, CIC Director of Insurance rmartinez@iiabl.com
Rate & Rule Filings
27
Jamie Newchurch Insurance Services jnewchurch@iiabl.com
IIABL Calendar
25
Lisa Young-Crooks Executive Assistant lyoung@iiabl.com
IIABL Partners
32
Kim Jackson Education & Membership kjackson@iiabl.com Karen Kuylen Director of Accounting kkuylen@iiabl.com E. Lee Mowe Marketing Representative lmowe@iiabl.com
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2016 Insurance Bills The 2016 Legislative Session promises to be very active for insurance issues. IIABL is currently tracking 139 bills directly or indirectly related to insurance. Following is a breakdown of the top 15 bills. For complete details on any bill, click on the bill number. HB 345
Broadwater, Chris(R)
Provides relative to confidentiality with respect to workers' compensation. HB 345 would allow the sharing and sale of confidential WC policy information. IIABL opposes HB 345.
HB 352
Huval, Mike(R)
Provides for the retention of certain insurance records by producers and adjusters. HB 352 is a LDI bill that would require producers and adjusters to retain specific detailed records for five years and to produce such record upon order of LDI. IIABL opposes HB 352.
HB 476
Huval, Mike(R)
Specifies that insurance producers may not be required to provide certain information regarding insurance coverage. HB 476 addresses certificates of insurance. IIABL is working with Rep Huval on amendments to the bill. IIABL supports HB 476 with amendments. Continued page 6
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HB 596
Huval, Mike(R)
Provides for notification and effectiveness of a material change in a contract between a health insurance issuer and a producer. HB 596 requires health insurers to provide 90-days notice before changing the terms of the producer contract. IIABL supports HB 596.
HB 611
Brown, Chad(D)
Provides relative to confidentiality with respect to workers' compensation. HB 611 would allow the sharing and sale of confidential WC policy information. IIABL opposes HB 611.
HB 663
Thibaut, Major(D)
Requires notice to a non-captive insurance producer prior to an insurance company terminating the producer's appointment. HB 663 was introduced at the request of IIABL, and would require insurance companies to provide a six-month written notice before terminating an agency agreement. IIABL supports HB 663.
HB 746
Thibaut, Major(D)
Provides for licensing and regulation of insurance consultants by the commissioner of insurance. HB 746 was introduced at the request of IIABL, and would require insurance consultants to be licensed and regulated by the commissioner of insurance. IIABL supports HB 746.
Continued page 7
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HB 854
Huval, Mike(R)
Provides relative to types of motor vehicles that are required to be covered by an automobile liability policy pursuant to the Compulsory Motor Vehicle Liability Security Law. HB 854 clarifies the definition of motor vehicles subject to financial responsibility requirements so that the language matches language in the automobile insurance policy. IIABL supports HB 854.
HB 915
Huval, Mike(R)
Provides relative to the sale of policies issued by the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. HB 915 limits the sale of Louisiana Citizens policies to resident insurance producers. IIABL supports HB 915.
SB 44
Gatti(R)
Provides for workers' compensation insurance premium reductions to certain employers. SB 44 would prohibit premium or experience modification increases when there is subrogation recovery on a WC claim. IIABL opposes SB 44.
SB 103
Smith(R)
Provides for notification to the commissioner of insurance of breaches of data security in systems containing certain personal information relating to consumers. SB 103 authorizes the commissioner of insurance to regulate data breaches of any licensed insurance person. IIABL opposes SB 103.
SB 200
Gatti(R)
Provides relative to the authority of the commissioner to address violations of rules and regulations. SB 200 authorizes the commissioner of insurance to enforce rules and regs with the same authority as statutes. IIABL opposes SB 200.
Continued page 8
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SB 237
Allain(R)
Provides relative to the State Uniform Construction Code. SB 237 authorizes local government to amend the State Uniform Construction Code. IIABL opposes SB 237.
SB 343
Gatti(R)
Provides relative to the issuance of private letter rulings by the commissioner of insurance. SB 343 authorizes the commissioner of insurance to issue private letter rulings to insurance companies on regulatory issues. IIABL would like SB 343 amended to provide insurance producers with the same ability as insurers to receive private letter rulings.
ULM Got Insurance Talent Are you looking for talented young people to work in your agency? If you are, and you are not recruiting students from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) Risk Management & Insurance program, you are missing a sure bet! On March 3rd, the ULM Risk Management & Insurance department held their semiannual Risk & Insurance Talent Search, showcasing over 120 risk & insurance ma-
jors who are looking for jobs in the insurance industry. Students listened to presentations from insurance companies, wholesale brokers and agent associations about careers in insurance. They also visited potential employers during the job fair. Dr. Christine Berry, who has industry experience and teaches the insurance classes at ULM does a great job of preparing students for careers in insurance. Not only does she provide them with a solid fundamental insurance education, but she really emphasizes practical knowledge and application of what she teaches. Continued page 9
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Dr. Berry’s enthusiasm for the insurance business clearly shows in the growth of the ULM Risk Management & Insurance program, and the interest ULM RMI students take in insurance careers. IIABL CEO, Jeff Albright, participated in the Talent Search, urging students to consider careers in independent insurance agencies. A number of students expressed interest in working for IIABL member agencies, and are prepared to locate almost anywhere in Louisiana for a good career. IIABL maintains ULM student resumes on our website. If you need good young talent in your agency, CLICK HERE to review ULM student resumes from the ULM Risk & Insurance Talent Search.
YOUNG AGENTS CRAWFISH BOIL RAISES $713.00 FOR INSURPAC It was a little rainy, but that did not deter our great group of attendees at the annual IIABL Young Agents Crawfish Boil. The winner of the 50/50 Insurpac Drawing was Jarrod Gardner with Risk Transfer Partners, In addition to winning, Jarrod was gracious enough to give 50% of his winning back to Insurpac. Thanks Jarrod for helping us exceed our goal!
Pictured are Jarrod Gardner with Risk Transfer Partners & Young Agent Chair, Lydia McMorris with Regions Insurance.
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Member Benefit Ship for Less
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70% or more on UPS Freight shipments more than 150 pounds These discounts are available even if you already have a UPS account. To enroll and start saving, visit savewithups.com/ iiaba or call 1-800-MEMBERS (1-800-6362377) Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
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LA Supreme Court Rules on UM Form Over many years, the Louisiana Supreme Court has been notorious for repeatedly ruling that UM selection forms were invalid for a wide variety of imperfections. In Jose Chicas v John Doe, the Louisiana Supreme Court reversed the district court ruling and held that the failure to show a policy number on a UM selection form did not invalidate the form. The Court held that the LDI Bulletin 08-02 clearly stated that completion of the policy or binder number was optional and that "this box does not need to be filled in for the form to be valid." This issue has caused a number of E&O claims for IIABL member agents. This ruling from the Louisiana Supreme Court is great news for agents and the validity of UM selection forms. A copy of the ruling can be found here.
IIABL Welcomes The Following New Members! The Firm of Louisiana Property & Casualty LLC 2356 E. McNeese St Lake Charles, LA 70607 337-477-8312 Contact: Andy Dressler andy@thefirmofla.com Adam M. Martin Martin International P.O. Box 4180 Covington, LA 70434 424-343-3232 Contact Adam M. Martin amartin@insuringyourlifestyle.com Gail Williams & Associates Risk Management Consulting 761 Holyoak Place Terrytown, LA 70056 504-214-7088 Contact: Gail Williams gailsw1125@gmail.com
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Commissioner’s Corner
Louisiana Department of Insurance Proposed Legislation Following the conclusion of the 2016 First Extraordinary Legislative Session, we have now entered the Regular Session and once again the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) is working with legislators on a number of measures we hope will better serve consumers and industry. In the area of property and casualty, our legislative package includes a measure, HB 559, that would prohibit the use of aftermarket, non-original parts when they affect the operation of air bags and anti-lock braking systems. Our legislation states that a nonOriginal Equipment Manufacturer safety part may only be used if an OEM part is not commercially available. If a non-OEM part is used
to repair a vehicle, the vehicle owner must be advised in writing.
Another bill we are proposing, HB 839, would implement the Louisiana Property Insurance Mediation Program as an optional dispute resolution procedure. Our legislation establishes a process for mediation and what types of property claims would be eligible for mediation. Residential and commercial residential properties (such as apartment buildings) would be eligible. The cost of mediation would be paid by the insurer. Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana implemented a very successful mediation program that was designed to serve as a non -adversarial alternative to litigation. Of the more than 12,000 cases in the program, 80 percent were settled prior to or during mediation. During the Hurricane Katrina Mediation Program, many policyholders were satisfied because there was no cost involved for them; they felt more involved; and it helped them reach a settlement quicker, expediting the Continued page 14
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process of rebuilding. We are also proposing two measures regarding Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. The first would limit sales of policies issued by Citizens to resident licensed producers. A second bill we are proposing would prohibit the recovery of penalties in class action lawsuits against Citizens. In the area of health, HB 836 provides for the Department’s prior approval of major medical health rates. Louisiana is one a handful of states without approval authority over health insurance rates. According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, states with rate approval authority had final rates in 2015 that were 2.9 percent lower than what was initially proposed by issuers. Under current law, I review and approve rates for most other types of insurance in Louisiana – from homeowners and auto insurance to long-term care. There should not
be an exemption for health insurers and our proposal would help ensure consumers receive value for their premium dollars. This bill giving us authority to review and approve rates is a commonsense measure that would maintain local control instead of handing that authority to the federal government. We are also proposing legislation that will attempt to protect consumers from “surprise bills” for any services that arise as the result of an emergency condition. HB 412 would require a health care provider who is not under contract with a health insurance issuer to file a claim with the issuer – and that noncontracted provider would then be paid by the issuer according to certain guidelines. Our legislation would also prohibit noncontracted providers from surprise billing insureds in emergency situations, except for the amounts the insured is responsible for. SB 193 addresses network adequacy. The use of narrow netContinued page 16
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works by qualified health plans, or QHPs, sold on both state-based and federally facilitated exchanges has received a great deal of attention in recent years; but issues related to network adequacy are nothing new. Ever since insurers began using networks, there have been concerns regarding their ability to meet consumer needs and state regulators have been examining network arrangements to ensure that they provide sufficient access to care for consumers. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has worked on updating its Network Adequacy Model for some time. Our legislation significantly mirrors the NAIC’s model law that provides regulatory flexibility to allow innovative plan designs - but still protect the consumer’s access to necessary healthcare providers. We also have a proposed bill, HB 865 that makes some changes in the area of producer licensing. Our current law calls for someone seeking a producer license to first submit an application to the Department – and the next step would be to take and pass a licensing examination. Our proposed legislation would allow an applicant to first take the exam, and once they have passed they would apply for a license. Typically, the passage rate for first-time test takers is about 50 percent. The intent of this legislation is to streamline the application process so that we are not processing applications from applicants who do not pass the exam and later change their minds about becoming a producer. We are also putting forth legislation, HB 352 that will require insurance producers and licensed claims adjusters to maintain their records of transactions with clients for at least five years. Currently insurance companies are already required to maintain some of these records; requiring that producers and adjusters also retain them would be consistent with the requirement for companies. We are addressing the growing threat of cyber breaches with a bill that would require anyone regulated by the Department of Insurance to notify us if they experience a data breach. SB 103 requires also requires notification to the LDI if a thirdContinued page 17 Louisiana Agent 16
party service provider they conduct business with experiences a security
breach that involves the personal information or protected health information of Louisiana residents. Notification to the Department would have to occur within ten days of discovery of a data breach. Additional information required by the Department would include the number of people affected both in Louisiana and outside of the state, as well as a copy of the notification to be sent to those impacted. The legislation would also give me the authority to order specific corrective actions such as providing credit monitoring services for those affected by the breach. Louisiana, like most states, has an existing state law that requires notifications be sent to residents whose personal information has been accessed – and that the Attorney Gen-
eral be notified. But that law addresses consumer notifications only and there is no current requirement that the information be reported to the Department of Insurance. A handful of other states including Montana, Washington, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts have laws requiring notification to the state insurance regulator. As always I encourage you to become involved in the legislative process by logging into the Legislature’s website at www.legis.la.gov. You can also connect with the Louisiana Department of Insurance on social media by following us on Twitter @LAInsuranceDept for updates on the status of LDI bills. I look forward to a successful and productive session and, as always, welcome your input on measures that will help us foster an effective regulatory environment.
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FLOOD NEWS Upcoming NFIP Changes Selective Insurance Company of America is the Big “I� endorsed WYO carrier. There will be changes in April to the program. Selective has compiled a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) regarding these changes. This high level summary of these changes can be accessed by clicking here. Reminder: Your local Selective Flood Representative is Gregg Porter, gregg.porter@selective.com, 225.397.3658. Give Gregg a call today!
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What Happened in the Special Session in Regards to Insurance Insurance Premium Tax Credits Reduced No doubt you have heard and read a great deal about the tax increases passed by the Louisiana Legislature during the recent Special Session. You heard about the sales tax increase and the reduction of exemptions. But you may not have heard about the reduction in premium tax credits. Insurance companies pay premium taxes. But Louisiana has long allowed insurance companies to reduce their premium taxes by earning credits for the investment of assets in Louisiana. Qualified investments include cash deposits, CDs, real estate loans and investments in Louisiana company stocks. During the First Special Session of 2016, the Louisiana Legislature passed Act 10, HB 887, which made two changes to reduce insurance premium tax credits. First, Act 10 eliminated cash deposits and CDs as qualified investments for premium tax credits effective January 1, 2017. Second, from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017, insurance companies can only earn 95% of their premium tax credits. The tax credit has been reduced by 5% for two years. There is an exemption for life insurance companies with admitted assets of $15 Million or less. The premium tax credit will return to the full amount on January 1, 2018. For complete details, please click on the bill number below:
HB87
ANDERS
Signed by the Governor Act 10
more...
TAX/INSURANCE PREMIUM: Reduces the amount of the insurance premium tax for certain Louisiana investments (Item #6)
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IIABL Director of Education, Mike Edwards is your source for technical questions. Contact Mike at medwards65@aol.com or 678.513.4390 Q. I am dealing with a claim situation that
seems to be headed into the tall weeds, and would appreciate your thoughts. My insured is a psychologist who specializes in testing and evaluations, and most of her clients are referred by the courts, schools, and geriatric physicians. Her office is on the second floor of a small office building which recently had a fire. She had some smoke damage, but was only closed for 2 days.
A. Here are the insurance issues I see in this situation. Assume that Jill Smith is the psychologist who owns JS Diagnostics, and had the same loss you described. Coverage discussion below is based on ISO coverage forms. Proprietary forms may be different.
1. Business Income & Extra Expense (BI/EE). Excerpt:
The problem is that other parts of the building had significant damage, and the noise from the rebuilding is causing a serious disruption to her work. In particular, many of the elderly clients are unable to complete the testing. In addition, the front entrance/lobby area frequently has scaffolding, which makes it difficult for people with limited mobility. Another issue is that the side entrance is not close to adequate parking. As a result, her business is off about 50%. However, her insurer indicates that they do not consider this a business income or extra expense loss, since none of it is caused directly by the smoke damage to her office.
The latest wrinkle is that she heard from another tenant that the city building inspector is probably going to recommend that the remainder of the building be demolished and rebuilt, due to the extent of damage, and the building code violations that were found. So it looks like we’re going to be dealing with an ordinance & law problem as well.
CP 00 30 06 07 Business Income (And Extra Expense) Coverage Form A. Coverage 1. Business Income
We will pay for the actual loss of Business Income you sustain due to the necessary "suspension" of your "operations" during the "period of restoration". The "suspension" must be caused by direct physical loss of or damage to property at premises which are described in the Declarations and for which a Business Income Limit of Insurance is shown in the Declarations. The loss or damage must be caused by or result from a Covered Cause of Loss. With respect to the requirements set forth in the preceding paragraph, if you occupy only part of the site at which the described premises are located, your premises means: Continued page 22
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sumed at a new permanent location. (a) The portion of the building which you rent, lease or occupy; and (b) Any area within the building or on the site at which the described premises are located, if that area services, or is used to gain access to, the described premises.
F. Definitions 3. "Period of restoration" means the period of time that: b. Ends on the earlier of: (1) The date when the property at the described premises should be repaired, rebuilt or replaced with reasonable speed and similar quality; or (2) The date when business is re-
6. "Suspension" means: a. The slowdown or cessation of your business activities; Comments: (1) While I think her insurer is probably correct that her loss of income is not the direct result of the minor smoke damage to her office, the ISO BI/EE form includes additional provisions for tenants. (2) Referring to excerpt A.1.b. above, note that coverage also applies if the suspension of operations is caused by covered damage to an area that “services, or is used to gain access to, the described premises.�
Continued page 23
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(3) Note also that “suspension” of operations includes a “slowdown,” which is what Jill has experienced. [See Definition 6. a. above.] (4) The lease may have provisions related to habitability or suitability for the tenant, so Jill might consider discussing this with her attorney.
2. Leasehold Interest Leasehold interest coverage may be needed by JS Diagnostics in this loss. This coverage is designed for tenants who have exposures for any of the four coverage options available in the form (CP 00 60 06 95). Coverage is triggered by the cancellation of the lease, due to damage by a covered cause of loss. Excerpt: CP 00 60 06 95 Leasehold Interest Coverage Form A. Coverage
We will pay for loss of Covered Leasehold Interest you sustain due to the cancellation of your lease. The cancellation must result from direct physical loss of or damage to property at the premises described in the Declarations caused by or resulting from any Covered Cause of Loss. 1. Covered Leasehold Interest Covered Leasehold Interest means the following for which an amount of "net leasehold interest" at inception is shown in the Leasehold Interest Coverage Schedule: a. Tenants' Lease Interest, meaning the difference between the: (1) Rent you pay at the described premises; and (2) Rental value of the described premises that you lease. b. Bonus Payments, meaning the Continued page 26
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Webcasts E&O Risk Management February 2, 9 & 18 March 3 & 17
Ethics February 16 March 3 & 15 April 13
Flood March 22 April 28
Commercial & Personal Lines Courses Click above title for courses & dates for 2016
E&O Risk Management April 6, 2016 Lafayette Tuesday April 19, 2016
E&O Risk Management April 7, 2016 Baton Rouge Speaker: Cheryl Koch The Independent Agency of the Future
E&O Risk Management April 8, 2016 Kenner Baton Rouge Crowne Plaza
IIABR April Luncheon April 7, 2016 Juban’s Restaurant Speaker: former police chief Jeff LeDuff
Trusted Choice Make A Wish Bowling Event April 8, 2016 – Shreveport, Monroe, Lafayette, Baton Rouge April 14, 2016 New Orleans Sponsorship Form
CSR Training: The Customer Service Representative is key employee in every agency and is a difficult commodity to find.
Environmental Strategists (eS) Becoming a certified environmental Strategist™ (eS) will equip you with the knowledge to identify, manage and transfer environmental exposures impacting everyday business.
Seminars E&O Risk Management April 5, 2016 Monroe 2016 Education Conference
Events IIAGNO Installation Banquet April 6, 2016 Ralph’s On The Park
On-Demand Webcasts Masters Series: The Master Series are unique agency management courses from industry experts. in the Masters Series.
Cyber Risk Manager (cyRM) Completion of the Cyber Exposures & Insurance – Training for Agents & Brokers course qualifies you to register for the cyRM certification for FREE.
Pre-Licensing Online prelicensing 3 optional study packages available Click here
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unamortized portion of a cash bonus that will not be refunded to you. A cash bonus is money you paid to acquire your lease. It does not include: (1) Rent, whether or not prepaid; or (2) Security. c. Improvements and Betterments, meaning the unamortized portion of payments made by you for improvements and betterments. It does not include the value of improvements and betterments recoverable under any other insurance, but only to the extent of such other insurance. Improvements and betterments are fixtures, alterations, installations or additions: (1) Made a part of the building or structure you occupy but do not own; and (2) You acquired or made at your expense but cannot legally remove.
d. Prepaid Rent, meaning the unamortized portion of any amount of advance rent you paid that will not be refunded to you. This does not include the customary rent due at: (1) The beginning of each month; or (2) Any other rental period. Comments: (1) The real estate market is subject to change. Measured by recent history, that would be a considerable understatement. If JS Diagnostics had the good fortune to secure a very favorable lease when it opened at its present location, but was forced to procure a replacement location due to the cancellation of the lease, there could be a significant differential between the present rent, and the rent at the new location. Coverage for this exposure is provided under “Tenants’ Lease Interest.� [A.1.a. above.] Continued page 27
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Coverage Type
Overall % Impact:
Overall $ Impact:
Number of Policyholders:
Requested Effective Dates:
American Fire & Casualty; Ohio Casualty, Ohio Security, West American
Commercial Automobile
9.265
$1,130,489
981
New: 9/1/2016 Renewal: 9/1/16
Occidental Fire & Casualty North Carolina
Homeowners
3.5
$470,155
7816
New: 1/15/2016 Renewal: 2/28/2016
State Farm
Other Liability
13.100
$2,004,491
20165
New: 3/15/2016 Renewal: 5/15/2016
Ace American Insurance Co
Workers Comp
-3.10
-$831,476
644
New: 5/1/2016 Renewal: 5/1/2016
Company
(2) JS Diagnostics might also have negotiated favorable lease terms by prepaying a bonus, and /or prepaying rent. These prepayments are often not subject to refund in the event of the lease being canceled. If so, coverage for either or both is provided under “Bonus Payments” [A.1.b.], and “Prepaid Rent” [A.1.d.] above.
by the fire. (4) While a loss caused by an ordinance or law is excluded under the ISO Causes of Loss forms (CP 10 10 Basic Form, CP 10 20 Broad Form, and the CP 10 30 Special Form), there is an exception for the Leasehold Interest Coverage. Excerpt: Causes of Loss – Special Form
(3) The fourth exposure JS Diagnostic could face is the loss of the unamortized value of their tenant’s improvements and betterments (known as TIB, or just I&B). [A.1.c.] If the lease is cancelled due to the enforcement of an ordinance or law, JS would lose the unamortized value of the TIB which were undamaged
CP 10 30 06 07 B. Exclusions 1. We will not pay for loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by any of the following. Such loss or damage is excluded regardless of any Continued page 28 other cause or Louisiana Agent 27
2. event that contributes concurrently or in any sequence to the loss.
Just For Fun!
a. Ordinance Or Law The enforcement of any ordinance or law: (1) Regulating the construction, use or repair of any property; or (2) Requiring the tearing down of any property, including the cost of removing its debris.
Young Agent Chair and resident insurance nerd, Lydia McMorris with Regions Insurance in Baton Rouge recently developed and Insurance Word Search puzzle. Test your insurance knowledge & your word search skill.
4. Special Exclusions The following provisions apply only to the specified Coverage Forms.
Click here for the word search and Good Luck!!
b. Leasehold Interest Coverage Form (1) Paragraph B.1.a., Ordinance Or Law, does not apply to insurance under this Coverage Form. Comments: (1) For any of the four coverage options available under the Leasehold Interest Coverage Form (Tenants’ Lease Interest [A.1.a], Bonus Payments (A.1.b.], Improvements and Betterments (A1.c.], and Prepaid Rent [A.1.d.]), the Ordinance or Law exclusion in the Causes of Loss form does not apply.
3. Additional Resources. “Should Property Addresses Include Suite Numbers?” “Tenants Improvements & Betterments – OWNER Beware!” “Complying with Triple Net Lease Insurance Requirements”
These materials are intended for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please consult a qualified attorney for legal advice.
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By: Steve Anderson
Quickly Join Conference Calls with One Touch I participate in many conference calls. Scheduling calls with clients, listening to webinars, and participating in ACT workgroup calls are just a few examples. For most of these calls, I need to use my cell phone to join the call. Using your mobile phone to dial a long conference call number is a pain. First, there is the phone number and then the dreaded passcode! It might be my age, but I find it almost impossible to remember the correct passcode. You certainly should not try this while you are driving! Once I do get on the call, if I somehow lose connectivity I have to go through the entire process again. It is very frustrating. Several years ago I discovered an app for my phone — MobileDay — that allows me to dial into a conference call with just one touch. It continues to be one of my more useful apps!
Here is how it works: You allow MobileDay access to your calendar. MobileDay can recognize the calling pattern for all the main conference services. So, as long as you have the conference call number and passcode as part of your calendar entry, you simply touch the big button with the phone on it and the conference call number and passcode will be dialed for you automatically.
This one-touch dialing feature works both as a host of a teleconference or as a participant.
Since connectivity can be iffy on a cell phone, MobileDay allows you to reconnect with just one touch, minimizing downtime. If you are running late, you can send a message to all attendees letting them know via email or SMS.
MobileDay is available in the iTunes Store, as well as on Google Play as an Android app.
The basic app is free and is likely all you need. There is a MobileDay Business version for an additional cost that allows managing multiple employees.
This app continues to be a very useful tool that I use often. It makes joining conference calls quick, easy, and painless.
What tools have you found useful for your conference calls? Let me know
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If your local chapter or insurance group would like to include meeting dates, event flyers, etc. Please send your information to Francine Berendson, fberendson@iiabl.com to be included in the Louisiana Agent Newsletter.
The Independent Insurance Agents of Baton Rouge’s guest speaker for March was WBRZ Meteorologist Robert Gauthreaux. What a timely presentation considering all of the water events that occurred just a week before his presentation. Our audience thoroughly enjoyed his presentation and he is very enthusiastic about what he does for a living! The April luncheon speaker is former Baton Rouge Police Chief, Jeff LeDuff. Mr. LeDuff has a new venture in safety training & consulting and will share valuable tips. His company is called OPEN EYES LLC. Join us on Thursday, April 7th!
Pictured are Robert Gauthreaux and IIABR President, Brad Hughes
Robert’s presentation included a chart on forecasting with climate that was amazing!
Events Calendar
IIABR Luncheon Charity Golf Tournament
IIAGNO Charity Golf Tournament Registration Form Sponsor Form
April 7, 2016 May 5, 2016
Juban’s Restaurant Carter Plantation
May 20, 2016
Audubon Golf Course
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GOLD LEVEL
SILVER LEVEL
BRONZE LEVEL
AMERISAFE
AMERICAS INSURANCE
AMTRUST GROUP
BANKERS INSURANCE
CNA INSURANCE
EMC INSURANCE
ENCOMPASS INSURANCE
FOREST INSURANCE
GULFSTREAM P&C
HOMEBUILDERS SIF
LUBA WORKERS’ COMP
MAISON INSURANCE
MARKEL FIRST COMP
RPS COVINGTON
SUMMIT CONSULTING
ASI
LANE & ASSOCIATES
Louisiana Agent 32
IIABL 2015—2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS David Dethloff President Dethloff & Associates—Shreveport Richard D. Jenkins President Elect Moore & Jenkins Insurance—Franklinton
Neil Record Secretary/Treasurer Record Agency, Inc.—Clinton H. Lee Schilling, Jr. National Director Schilling & Reid Insurance—Amite
Ross Henry Henry Insurance Service—Baton Rouge Bret Hughes Hughes Insurance Services—Gonzales Philip McMahon Paul’s Agency—Morgan City Lydia McMorris Young Agent Representative Regions Insurance—Baton Rouge Joseph A. O’Connor, III The O’Connor Insurance Group—Metairie
Mickey Bennett Past President Bennett Seymour Insurance—Monroe
Paul Owen John Hendry Insurance Agency-Zachary
John L. Beckmann, III J. Everett Eaves—New Orleans
Martin Perret Quality Plus—Lafayette
Byram H. Carpenter, III Moreman, Moore & Co—Shreveport
David T. Perry Arthur J. Gallagher RMS—Baton Rouge
Brenda Case Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien—Slidell
Robert Riviere Riviere Insurance Agency—Thibodaux
Joseph Cunningham, Jr. Cunningham Agency—Natchitoches
Armond Schwing Schwing Insurance Agency—New Iberia
Donna DiCarlo Riverlands Insurance Services—LaPlace
Michael D. Scriber Scriber Insurance Services—Ruston
Morris Funderburg Reeves, Coon & Funderburg—Monroe
Donelson P. Stiel David H. Stiel, Jr. Agency—Franklin Louisiana Agent 33