Dallas Insurance Insider Fall 2014 Issue

DII Dallas Insurance Insider What Texas Mutual’s Independence Would Mean for Texas Businesses and Agents Are You a Modern Agent?

Fall 2014

Millenials in the Workforce

The Agents Role in Protecting Clients from Workers’ Compensation Claim-Related Fraud

Official Publication of the Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5

Presidential address

7

EXECUTIVE ADDRESS

9

young agents presidential address

11

IIAD AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER LUNCHEON AND CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE

25

26-27 three ways to get more referrals through social media by robyn sharp

28 13

THE AGENTS ROLE IN PROTECTING CLIENTS FROM WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIM-RELATED FRAUD

BY RANNEY PAGELER

iiad’s amcl designation awardees

THE SILVER TSUNAMI BY JAIMEE GOEHRING 29-31 millenial INfographics

15 17

INSURANCE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 33

HOW TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE

34

DATA NEVER SLEEPS

35

ARE YOU A MODERN AGENT?

37

STAY CONNECTED / IIAD VISITS CHAMPION COMMERCIAL

38

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

YOUNG AGENTS’ AUGUST KICKOFF SOCIAL

18-19 WHAT TEXAS MUTUAL’S INDEPENDENCE WOULD MEAN FOR TEXAS BUSINESSES AND AGENTS BY RICHARD GERGARSKO AND ROD MEDLIN

20-21 IIAD MEMBER BENEFITS AND NEW MEMBERS 22-23 ALL INDUSTRY DAY 2014: GAME CHANGER

3

© 2014 Texas Mutual Insurance Company

Your Clients Belong at the Corner of Safety and Dividends.

What if there was a workers’ comp provider that really cared about safety?

They cared so much that they rewarded policyholder owners who prevented accidents with $1.6 billion in dividends? That would make a real difference—so we made it happen. Texas Mutual is committed to helping agents deliver one, simple message: Work Safe, Texas. It ’s not just good advice—it ’s the place where Safety and Dividends come together. And it’s where your clients belong.

Learn more about safety-focused workers’ comp at WorkSafeTexas.com.

While we can’t guarantee dividends every year, Texas Mutual Insurance Company has returned over $1.6 billion to safety-conscious policyholder owners since 1999. Texas Mutual Insurance Company is rated ‘A’ by A.M. Best Company.

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The people of our industry are ingrained with a tremendous work ethic and integrity.

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ith a new fiscal year started, our Board and Staff are off to an exciting fall headlined by All Industry Day. The AID Committee is making great headways to assure another outstanding industry event. You will not want to miss this event to network, visit exhibitors and receive vital industry news and updates. Many thanks go to our staff and AID Committee for another outstanding event that will capture all of our expectations as the finest one-day industry event in the Nation.

Every year, IIAD conducts an Agency member survey to solicit feedback on topics of importance, to in turn provide programming that adds value and addresses concerns. The IIAD Board will begin shortly to drill down on those compelling questions. We encourage your responses so IIAD may provide the benefits that will be needed to face agency challenges in the future. Look to receive this survey the latter part of the year and please respond with your candid comments.

Now a thought or two about what we face as a City, State and Nation that could affect our lives and our livelihood if we let it. Daily we are challenged with incredible events that on surface may seem overwhelming: an Ebola outbreak, Middle East turmoil, Eastern Europe-Russia hostilities, alleged Police aggressiveness, Congressional and Government Gridlock, Immigration confusion and other economic, cultural and political challenges. All could cause us a bit of cynicism about the here and now, and a bit of hopelessness.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS However, the American Spirit, based on cultural virtues and multi faith traditions, tells us otherwise.

The American Spirit of good will and the ability to overcome and defeat adversity will persevere and hold us in good stead both now and in the future. I am banking on everything that is good and virtuous about America; steeped in incredible resolve and ingenuity, we will overcome that which is evil and disruptive to the goodness of humanity. I feel the Insurance Industry is a prime example of what makes our great Nation ultimately succeed. The people of our industry are similar to the people in other work places of America, ingrained with a tremendous work ethic and integrity. We are the face of America and America is the Shining Star that the world looks to bestow Leadership, Goodness and quality Virtues for the challenges that confront us all.

Your presdient,

Brook CRAWFORD

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EXECUTIVE ADDRESS Brook Crawford and I toured the Make a Wish North Texas Headquarters in August.

Trusted Choice makes grant money available annually specifically for Make A Wish, and we are fortunate that they have approved our grant request again this year. By doing so, IIAD will be able to present a $7,500 check to Make A Wish at All Industry Day 2014, and I hope you are on hand to share in the joy that comes from giving.

Speaking of All Industry Day, please make plans to join us on November 5th at the Irving Convention Center. A Game Changing day of unique experiences has been planned for you. Brian Williams of Perspectivity will lead us off with a workshop designed to improve and hone our communication skills. Fun will ensue with the Family Feud rivalries set up between four

“

former past IIAD presidents and their teams. The tradeshow will be bustling with exhibitors that have new products and ideas to take your business forward. Our keynote speaker, a distinguished educator and inspirational leader, is Dr. C.J. Huff. He restored hope to the community of Joplin, Missouri, after one of the most devastating tornadoes in history. His resilience and leadership during the tragedy led to his being named one of People magazine’s 2011 heroes, and you will want to hear this story. A special feature this year is Dessert with the Commissioner: Julia Rathgeber, Texas Commissioner of Insurance, will be joined by Pat Arthur and Senator Larry Taylor to discuss the current state of the industry and the 2015 Texas Legislative Session.

Thank you in advance to the Game Changing All Industry Day Committee! They are working diligently to put on the best show ever! It may be a cliché, but you definitely don’t want to miss All Industry Day 2014.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IIAD,

TAMMY LAND

A Game Changing day of unique experiences has been planned for you.

7

YOUNG AGENTS PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS After speaking to a group of students at a local university, I realized that there was a lack of knowledge and interest in a career as an Independent Insurance Agent.

The agency side of the industry needs exposure. There is not necessarily a lack of interest in the agency career, but the industry itself is widely unfamiliar to the masses. Combined with a lack of understanding about the role of the agency, young professionals are steered towards a carrier career.

We need to show students that a career within the agency offers a myriad of benefits, such as perpetual education, diversity in duties, exible schedules, opportunity for advancement, and excellent compensation.

The Young Agents are working to address this issue. Annabel Williams and Shanda Swallers are leading the InVEST committee and will be working to schedule volunteers at Woodrow Wilson High School throughout the year. This initiative combined with other efforts to recruit students will ensure the future of the Independent Insurance Agency Channel.

We encourage you to participate in our efforts, as well as attend our social events and monthly brown bag lunch. Please contact Elizabeth Nelson with IIAD to get involved.

Young agents president,

Gary LINDSEY

9

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August Officer Installation Luncheon On August 21st, 2014, the Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas IIAD held their annual installation of officers at the Bent Tree Country Club. Brook Crawford, CEO of AmeriCap Insurance Group, was duly installed as President of IIAD. During the luncheon, IIAD awarded Andrea Ortega, WWHS student, with a $1,000 scholarship. Over 200 industry professionals were in attendance.

Pictured above are Bill Jackson with Texas Mutual and Kay Nelson with Champion Commercial Insurance Agency. Kay was randomly selected from 100 luncheon registrants and won 4 tickets to the Texas Rangers Game.

August Continuing Education Course Candee Perry-Fields with AFCO taught two hours of Premium Finance. Contuning Education courses are free of charge and exclusive to IIAD Members.

September Legislative Luncheon Over 150 attendees joined 7 Texas Legislative guests for the IIAD September luncheon including Senator Kelly Hancock – Senate District 9, Senator-Elect Van Taylor – Senate District 8, Representative Angie Chen Button Texas House District 112, Representative Cindy Burkett – Texas House District 113, Representative Jodie Laubenberg – Texas House District 89, and Representative Pat Fallon Texas House District 106. Senator Kelly and Senator-Elect Van Taylor discussed current issues affecting Texas and our industry.

September Continuing Education Course Heather Billingslea with Chubb taught two hours of Ethics.

Contuning Education courses are free of charge and exclusive to IIAD Members.

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The Silver Tsunami

by Jaimee Goehring, Insurance Employment Services Director The Independent agency system in Dallas has been marked by many changes and challenges in the past several years, with one of the most time sensitive being the aging agency services workforce. This year, it is expected that 38 million Baby Boomers in their mid-60’s or older are entering retirement or considering retirement. According to an analysis by the St. John’s University School of Risk Management, fifty percent of the insurance industry will turn over and half of the industry’s current talent pool will retire over the next fifteen years.

In addition to programs that are sponsored nationwide and supported by our association, the Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas is committed to helping introduce more solutions for our local Dallas membership. IIAD, in conjunction with Insurance Employment Services, is in the final stages of an executing a new initiative to recruit and train prequalified candidates for entry-level agency positions.

Our successful candidates will complete a sixweek training program that combines online and classroom training to enable them to enter the workforce with a license, an industry designation, and the ability to immediately perform valuable technical tasks upon placement.

We are extremely excited to be able to assist our membership with employment services in a more comprehensive approach and are looking forward to a very successful launch within the coming months. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions.

Jaimee

Goehring

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Get Lower Workers’ Comp Premiums for Your Construction Clients.

Earn a $100 Bonus.

Place your Texas Mutual insureds into a Texas Construction Association (TCA) safety group, and receive $100! TCA safety groups save your clients money and build your loyal customer base — you keep all the commission and control of the account.

1. If your client is not already a TCA member, they can join TCA direct.

Fill out the TCA membership application at txconstructionwc.com.

Membership dues start as low as $200/year.

2. Submit a workers’ comp application directly to Texas Mutual Insurance Company, and ask them to quote it in the TCA group.

txconstructionwc.com/rewards Gina O’Hara: info@txconstructionwc.com 888.275.2626, ext. 6324

INSURANCE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Dedicated to bringing people and companies together in a working relationship IIAD STAFFING SERVICES Annual Salary

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inding the right person with the right skills and personality for your team is difficult. Posting ads, sorting through applications and resumes, conducting interviews, checking references, and testing skills takes time away from your regular duties. IES empowers you to focus on core job functions while we find you qualified workers.

Visit the Staffing Services tab at IIADallas.org for more information on job postings, job descriptions, resume and interview tips, and more.

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15

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The Young Agents of Dallas August Kick-Off Social | PARK TAVERN | AUGUST 21 Left Photo: Meredith Hay with Alonso & Berrian, Aaron Blain with AIG, Adam Sammons with MHBT Right Photo: David Shotts with Baldwin-Cox, Jose Flores with AIG, and Gary Lindsey with Hotchkiss - Jose Flores is the treasurer of YA, Gary Lindsey is the current YA president, and David Shotts is the presidentelect.

Left Photo: Curtis Beadling and Jarrod Gardner with Risk Transfer Partners Right Photo: Curtis Beadling and Jarrod Gardner with Risk Transfer Partners

Left Photo: Duke Revard with Surety Solutions, Lindsey Kluempers with AmTrust, Oscar Silva with Great American Right Photo: Elizabeth Nelson with IIAD and Lindsey Kleumpers with AmTrust

Left Photo: Reid Williams and Melanie Bass with AIG Right Photo: Debra Richardson with UNT, Daniel Kerr with MarketScout

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What Texas Mutual’s Independence Would Mean for Texas Businesses and Agents

By Rich Gergasko, Texas Mutual Insurance Company, and Rod Medlin, Scarbrough, Medlin & Associates

Texas Mutual Today Texas Mutual, the state’s largest provider of workers’ compensation insurance, has a lot to celebrate this year. Our company writes more than $1 billion in premium annually, serving more than 60,000 policyholder owners and covering approximately 1.4 million Texas workers.

Texas Mutual was first established as the Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund by the Texas Legislature in 1991 as part of a series of legislative reforms to repair the broken workers’ compensation system. In 2001, the Legislature changed the company’s name to Texas Mutual Insurance Company and authorized it to operate as a domestic mutual insurance company owned by its policyholders. This change was made in response to previous attempts by the state to appropriate and divert some of the company’s surplus. The Legislature’s decision clarified and affirmed the fact that Texas Mutual’s assets belong to its policyholder owners.

Because Texas Mutual’s assets are owned by its policyholder owners, we reward them when we experience success. In fact, part of our success as a company is due to the dedication of Texas employers who work hard to keep their employees safe. This year we distributed a company-record $200 million in dividends among our policyholder owners. Over the last 15 years, Texas Mutual has paid $1.6 billion in dividends, paying the majority of that total—$1 billion—since 2008.

Beyond dividends, Texas Mutual also launched safe-driving campaigns geared toward oil and gas workers in Amarillo and Victoria this year and supported four Texas colleges through grant programs that support free safety training classes to local employers and employees.

We are proud to share our financial success with our policyholder owners and are proud to have agents, health care providers and other industry organizations across the state that partner with us to keep Texas safe.

2015 Legislative Proposal Alongside these successes, Texas Mutual is planning an important legislative initiative for 2015 to achieve independence from the state. This initiative will benefit Texas business owners, their employees and our ability to serve them.

This proposal will put the power and control completely in our policyholders’ hands and end government involvement in private business. Policyholders would elect all nine board members, rather than the governor’s appointing five of the members, including the chair of the board. This ensures that any future board will have the best interests of Texas Mutual policyholders, who are the owners of the company, at heart.

Rest assured, there will be no change to company fundamentals that have proven to be an important part of our successful business model, including consistent pricing for policyholders, an emphasis on quality customer service, and a broad underwriting appetite – cornerstones of Texas Mutual’s success today. Texas Mutual also will continue to work with our agent partners to ensure the best experience for them and our mutual clients.

As an independent company, Texas Mutual will continue to be regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance and maintain our mutual company structure to ensure that profits are retained for policyholders. In fact, this legislation would support the continuation of policyholder dividends by removing the final remnants of government control.

The Agent Perspective From an agent perspective, an independent Texas Mutual will be better able to serve our mutual clients. The company plans to continue its commitment to dividends, competitive pricing and broad market access. Texas Mutual has proven to be an economic boon for its more than 60,000 policyholder owners and the Texas economy as a whole. This change will help ensure that the company’s surplus continues to be controlled by the policyholders and is available to support Texas businesses for decades to come.

This proposal would make it easier for agents to place multistate risks with Texas Mutual and would allow the company to fully serve Texas employers. The change would enable us to provide seamless coverage for Texas-based policyholders who have business operations in other states. Texas Mutual’s first priority will always be to support businesses in Texas.

Implementation This legislation would implement a gradual change over the next several years. The all-elected board would be in place by Jan. 1, 2017 and Texas Mutual’s previous statute would be fully repealed by Jan. 1, 2019. Also on Jan. 1, 2019, an industrysupported residual market plan managed by TDI would be in place, ensuring that the responsibility of the residual market is shared by the entire workers’ compensation industry.

Texas Mutual is committed to the long-term success of Texas businesses, both large and small. We seek to achieve this legislative effort because we would like our future to belong completely to our policyholders, the Texas business owners who have come to rely on us to meet their workers’ compensation needs.

Rich Gergasko is the president and chief executive officer of Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance.

Rod Medlin is the chief operating officer of Scarbrough, Medlin, & Associates and a past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas.

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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Recruiting

Networking

Education

Save money by using IIAD’s in-house recruiter, Jaimee Goehring! Not only will your find your future star employee, but you’ll do it for a fraction of a traditional recruiter’s Finders Fee!

No need to search out carriers throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, meet them at one of our networking events!

Attend our lectures and seminars held throughout the year and learn more about topics that regularly affect your business.

“

We at IIAD are very proud of the services and benefits we bring to our industry. From recruiting and networking to education and young professional forums, IIAD is here to serve.

Tammy Land, IIAD Executive Director

WELCOME NEW IIAD MEMBERS! Patrick Burns 469-774-8121 pburns@capitalsource.com

Chuck McMillan 855-371-7310 chuckm@apollomga.com

Karen Ensley Dallas, TX 75251 kensley@cutler-smith.com Charles Read 972-353-0000 cjr@custompayroll.com

Ben Wasson 817-789-1522 bwasson@lsrinc.org

Brian Costanza 972-991-6084 b.costanza@cia-tx.com

Brazos Specialty Risk Stephen Su 877-282-7637 stephen@BSRinsurance.com Carl Shockey 972-473-4813 cshockey@paragoninsagencies.com

Minerva Espinoza 469-878-3374 minerva@omega-tx.com Tim MezhlUmov 972-348-6399 tmezhlUmov@finaNcialguide.com

Jared Roy 21 440-392-6560 Jared.Roy@MarshBerry.com

All Industry Day, taking place on November 5th at the Irving Convention Center, has truly become the “Game Changer” in Texas for a variety of reasons, including opportunities for: •Forging business partnerships and affirming existing partner relationships • Introducing exciting products • Facing emerging trends and a state of the industry brief • Strong peer interaction opportunities • Access to renowned Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) • Face time

with insurance company, wholesaler and service provider senior leadership

Morning Session 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Brian Williams with Perspectivity will lead the morning session on effective communication. His fresh and innovative teaching style will keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat.

Trade Show 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Engage with 90+ carefully selected industry partners and find out how they can improve your bottom line.

Family Feud 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Keynote Luncheon 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Four teams will compete to see who knows the most about life...and insurance!

Dr. Huff ’s “Leadership in Action” speech will remind us all of the vital role our

Dessert with the Commissioner

industry serves for our customers on a daily basis.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Julia Rathgeber, Texas Commissioner of Insurance,

will be joined by Pat Arthur and Senator Larry Taylor to discuss the current state of the industry and the 2015 Texas Legislative Session.

Register for All Industry Day at IIADallas.org Individual registration, sponsorship, and exhibitor opportunities are still available.

Grand Prize Drawing 3:30 PM - 3:45 PM The grand prize this year is a $500 voucher for Southwest Airlines. Three other cash prizes will be awarded.

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The Agent’s Role in Protecting Clients from Workers’ Compensation ClaimRelated Fraud

By Ranney Pageler, EMPLOYERS

W

orkers’ compensation has received significant attention in Texas, from this summer’s resignation of the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Rod Bordelon to the adoption of the pharmacy closed formulary approach.

One issue that has not been widely discussed, however, is workers’ compensation fraud and how it can negatively impact policyholders and their employees.

Independent insurance agents play a key role in tackling workers’ compensation fraud and protecting their policyholder clients from the negative impacts of this crime.

Why Workers’ Compensation Fraud Matters

T

here are two different types of workers’ compensation fraud that can directly impact businesses: claim-related fraud and policy-related fraud. Both are serious crimes. Policyrelated fraud occurs when a policyholder or insurance agent engages in fraudulent conduct to obtain a workers’ compensation insurance policy at less than the appropriate cost.

Claim-related fraud can be perpetrated by parties such as the claimant, a medical provider, vendor, or the policyholder in the course of the workers’ compensation claim process.

T

his article focuses on claim-related fraud committed by an employee. This occurs when an employee falsely claims that a work-related injury or illness occurred, or exaggerates an existing injury or illness, to gain a workers’ compensation insurance benefit.

By helping policyholders understand workers’ compensation claim-related fraud, including how to detect and prevent it, agents provide a value-added service to their clients and ultimately strengthen their relationships.

A

An

ccording to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), claim-related fraud is the most common reason for a workers’ compensation claim to require further investigation.1 From 2010 to 2012, questionable claim incidents regarding workers’ compensation and employer’s liability claims increased 25 percent in Texas.2

W

o r k e r s ’ compensation claimrelated fraud can strain business operations as well as lead to higher insurance costs for law-abiding businesses. It also ultimately hurts workers who are legitimately injured on the job by undermining the perceived validity of claims.

How Can Agents Help?

appropriate time to discuss workers’ compensation claim-related fraud prevention is during policy renewal periods or when meeting a new client.

In addition to one-on-one conversations, education can also be provided through white papers, videos, agency newsletters, client workshops or seminars.

T

o provide this education, agents themselves need to know the warning signs of claimrelated fraud as well as know the basic procedures and documentation required to report suspected workers’ compensation fraud to the proper authorities.

(continued on page 32) 25

3 Ways To Get More Referrals Through Social Media

By Robyn Sharp, Mega Agency Marketing Networking can be an excellent way to bring in new business. But if all you’re doing is collecting Are you tired of networking? You keep going to the business cards once a month at the Business After same events and seeing the same people, month after Hours event or having a nice country club lunch month, but not really seeing much new business with the local real estate agents than you’re missing come from it. If that’s the case, it’s time to upgrade out. Now you can focus in on your efforts and your networking techniques and start mixing in a implement three new ways to get more referrals by little bit of social media! using social media marketing.

Step One: Connect online after the event.

You’ll get to learn all about them and at the same time they’ll get to learn about you. They’ll probably know how many kids or grandkids you have and where When you meet someone new, you typically exchange you last went on vacation. They’ll also get to learn business cards. It’s a standard networking technique. more about your business! So when those casual But it can sometimes be awkward to know what to do networking connections (or their friends) have a rate with them after the fact. Unless the person specifically increase or buy a new house, your name is going to be asked for a call or a quote, you don’t really have a much more recognizable and likely to earn a referral! reason to contact them - until now.

The key to this process is to make it an automatic When you get back to the office, take that stack of system in your agency. Write a basic template email cards and put them to good use. Write a simple email and just personalize it a bit for each person you to each person you met. Let them know that you contact. You can even hand over your stack of cards enjoyed meeting them and would like to keep in touch to your assistant and have them take care of the email through social media. Include a link to all of your introductions for you. Try to send them out within social media profiles that you want to use for business. 24 hours of meeting at an event so it is still fresh on This could include your personal Facebook profile, everyone’s mind.

Facebook Business Page, Linked In profile, and your Twitter name.

Now you don’t have to shove the card in your desk drawer and wait for a good excuse to use it. The ball is in their court. They can connect with you in whatever method they would like and typically most of them will choose at least one of these methods! But what good does this do you?

Well, now you’re going to have much more opportunity to get to know this person. Instead of just seeing each other for 10 minutes once a month, you’re now able to connect very casually on a regular basis.

Step Two: Share your Referral Rewards program on Facebook.

Referral rewards are a very popular marketing tool.

If you’re not using one currently, the concept is simple. Every time someone refers someone to your agency for a quote, they get a reward like a gift card or an entry into a monthly contest. The great thing about referral rewards is that they are very social and provide the perfect opportunity to share on Facebook!

Here are the best ways to incorporate your rewards program on your page.

-Show your referral rewards program on it’s own custom tab and make it easy for someone to send a referral to your agency. You can easily include a short form that

allows customers to fill it out and email you with the referral information. Then you send them their reward! Very easy and efficient.

-Post photos of winners. When someone wins

your monthly drawing, have them stop by to pick up their reward and snap a photo. Then post the photo on your page. This gives social “proof ” to your followers that you really do give out rewards and that others are referring their friends!

-Mention your program on a regular basis through your status updates. People always

want to know “what’s in it for them.” When you ask for referrals, make sure you take the opportunity to show how you reward them and what they mean to your agency.

If each member of your team was involved in at least one organization, think how much more exposure your agency would get in the local community. But why not give them a little incentive at the same time?

sends a referral, take just a moment to publicly thank them on your Facebook page. Recognition makes people feel good and it is more social proof to your other followers.

Just in the same way you reward your clients for referrals, you can also reward your team members.

Start tracking where quotes and referrals are coming from and offering monthly contests to your team. Not only is it a fun way to keep everyone involved, but it also helps build confidence and get them to push a little harder.

And if you followed Step 1, then you’re already filling up your friends and followers list with those new networking connections. They will see your clients referring business and the great way that you value and reward them for it, which will help them spread the word about you even faster.

You can track who gets the most new fans on the agency Facebook page or the most Linked In connections that month. The prizes don’t have to be large but the recognition can give them measurable goals for building their networking skills both in person and through social media.

Step Three: Get your staff involved too.

When you put all of these tactics together you’ll begin to see results! Start setting new goals for your networking, give incentives to your clients for referring friends, and train your staff to look for opportunities all while putting the power of social media to work for you.

-Post a thank you message. When a client

If you can create more referrals and drive new business through networking and referral rewards, then why not multiple your efforts? Have each of your licensed sales producers join one networking organization and teach them how to connect and build those relationships in the exact same way.

Robyn Sharp is a former insurance agent and owner of Mega Agency Marketing.

Visit www.agencyupdates.com for free insurance marketing tools to help you get more clients.

27

Congratulations to the July AMCL Designees: Ashley Foster with ANBTX, Cindy Tran with Davis-DyerMax, and Chris Keating who is a student at UNT. Independent Insurance Agents of Dallas (IIAD) has teamed up with WebCE to bring you a unique certification program designed specifically for the Account Manager.

IIAD’s Account Manager Certification Program is a blend of online and classroom training courses that will set the foundation of knowledge about Commercial lines that a new Account Manager needs to be successful in an independent agency.

Each track will include online training, provided by WebCE, intended to cover an overview of the lines and two ½ day classroom courses taught by experienced IIAD members discussing the lines in more detail; adding real-world experience and examples to the concepts.

Online courses will be offered by WebCE. Classroom courses will offered once each quarter by the IIAD. Once a student has completed both the online and the classroom courses within their chosen track, he or she will receive the corresponding certification.

29

31

The Agent’s Role in Protecting Clients from Workers’ Compensation Claim-Related Fraud

By Ranney Pageler, EMPLOYERS (Continued from page 25)

What Agents Need to Know

A

s the foundation of an effective anti-fraud strategy, agents should educate policyholders on the warning signs of workers’ compensation claim-related fraud. The presence of two or more of the following potential “red flags” may warrant further inquiry.

• Monday morning (or start of shift) injury reports.

The alleged injury occurs first thing on Monday morning, or the injury occurs late on Friday afternoon but is not reported until Monday.

• Employment change.

The reported accident occurs immediately before or after a strike, job termination, layoff, end of a big project, or the conclusion of seasonal work.

• Suspicious providers.

An employee’s medical providers or legal consultants have a history of handling suspicious claims, or the same doctors and lawyers are used by groups of claimants.

• No witnesses. There are no witnesses to the accident and the employee’s own description does not logically support the cause of the injury.

• C o n f l i c t i n g descriptions. The employee’s description of the accident conflicts with the medical history or injury report.

• History of claims.

The claimant has a history of suspicious or litigated claims.

• Treatment is refused. The claimant refuses a diagnostic procedure to confirm the nature or extent of an injury.

• Late reporting.

The employee delays reporting the claim without a reasonable explanation.

• Claimant is hard to reach. The allegedly disabled claimant is hard to reach at home and does not respond promptly to messages.

• Changes.

The claimant has a history of frequently changing physicians, addresses or jobs.

B

eyond being able to recognize these red flags, agents should be able to educate their clients on what to do if they suspect fraud. When potential fraud is suspected, policyholders should be advised to immediately contact their workers’ compensation carrier’s claims department and special investigations unit or fraud investigation department so the carrier can determine whether further investigation is needed. It is critical that policyholders report suspected fraud in a timely manner. If the agent or the policyholder feels the need to go further with the referral of a suspected case of workers’ compensation fraud, they may contact the Insurance Fraud Unit of the Texas Department

of

Insurance

directly.

A

gents can also assist their clients in other ways. Agents should advise their clients to gather as much information as they can to support the claim, including identifying witnesses and relevant statements. If a claim results in criminal conviction, the agent can help the policyholder remove the fraudulent claim, or the fraudulent portion thereof, from its experience rating.

Additionally, agents can provide clients with resources to help them convey to employees both a commitment to workplace safety and zero tolerance for workers’ compensation fraud.

Anti-fraud materials, such as breakroom posters and payroll stuffers, are often available from insurance carriers at no additional cost.

W

orkers’ compensation claim-related fraud can be a costly crime. By recognizing the potential warning signs and knowing how to educate their clients,

agents can play a meaningful role in helping to prevent it.

# 1

# National

#

Insurance

Crime

Bureau (NICB), Data Analytics Forecast Report, 2010, 2011, 2012 QC Referral, February 12, 2013.

2

National

Insurance

Crime

Bureau (NICB), Regarding: Texas Questionable Claim Referrals: 2010, 2011, 2012, November 8, 2013.

Ranney Pageler is Vice President of

the

Fraud

Investigations

Department for EMPLOYERS®, America’s small business insurance specialist®, which offers workers’ compensation services

insurance

through

and

Employers

Insurance Company of Nevada, Employers

Compensation

Insurance Company, Employers Preferred Insurance Company and Employers Assurance Company.

Insurance is not offered in all jurisdictions. For more information, please visit www.employers.com.

Copyright 2014. EMPLOYERS. All

rights

reserved.

33

35

Tammy Land, Executive Director of IIAD

Jaimee Goehring, Director of Insurance Employment Services

Elizabeth Nelson, Marketing and Communications Director of IIAD

Chisty Pope, Administrative Assistant of IIAD

IIAD Visits Champion Commercial Insurance Agency From time to time, IIAD pays a visit to its members.

Recently, IIAD visited Champion Commercial Insurance Agency to help them troubleshoot an internet browser issue. While we were there, we captured a few photos of the office. The agency is located on Commerce Street in the Deep Ellum district and the location scored brownie points with IIAD. The top picture is Carolyn Sams, Commercial Account Executive and active Young Agent Committee member. The bottom photo is Bruce Sams, President at Champion and Director at IIAD.

Champion Commercial Insurance Agency LLC has been servicing your insurance needs for years. We are built on the principles of providing superior customer service and quality insurance solutions for our customers. As an independent agent, we work with select insurance companies that have proven their performance over the years. We are dedicated to getting you the best insurance products and services available today to protect you, your family, and your business.

37

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

2

MYRON STEVES www.myronsteves.com

16

western security surplUS www.wssib.com

4

TEXAS MUTUAL www.texasmutual.com

24

6

HULL & CO www.hullco.com

CRC | CRC CRUMP www.crcins.com MIDLANDS www.midlandsmgt.com

24

28 8

www.chubb.com

GENESIS RESOURCES www.genesisresources.com 36

10

12

14 14

chubb

www.usrisk.com

BURNS & WILCOX www.burnsandwilcox.com 39

towerstone www.towerstonecorp.com

40

SERVICE LLOYDS INSURANCE COMPANY www.servicelloyds.com

AmWINS BROKERAGE OF TEXAS www.amwins.com JANET BERNSTEIN - DALLAS PHOTOGRAPHER JANET@CAMPSTEINPHOTOGRAPHY.COM TEXAS CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION www.txconstructionwc.com/rewards

u.s. risk

For the DII Media Kit and advertising inquiries, please email Elizabeth@IIADallas.org.

THE DALLAS INSURANCE INSIDER IS CREATED

BY ELIZABETH NELSON. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE CONTENT, PLEASE EMAIL ELIZABETH@ IIADALLAS.ORG.

Contact us for a fast, competitive quote!

Towerstone, Inc. is a dynamic wholesale insurance broker and Managing General Agency providing diverse market access and industry expertise to insurance agents and brokers representing a wide variety of industries.

We are employee-owned; which means you can rest assured that we have a stake in your success.

Our professionals enjoy long-standing relationships with numerous brokerage markets, allowing us to best meet your needs, with nationwide service. Let us help you find effective solutions for your risk management needs.

Towerstone provides: • Expertise in energy and construction • Custom designed insurance programs • Industry-specific risk management • In-house binding authorities • Hands-on approach to claims settlement A proud member of: • Association of Energy Service Companies (AESC) • Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) • National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices, Ltd. (NAPSLO) • Texas Surplus Lines Assn., Inc. (TSLA) • American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA)

Dallas Centura Tower 14185 Dallas Parkway, Suite 1000 Dallas, TX 75254 972.725.2100

San Antonio PO Box 700624 San Antonio, Texas 78270-0624 210.587.1380

www.towerstonecorp.com info@towerstonecorp.com

CA: dba Towerstone Insurance Services (Lic#0F60676)

We’re still the same Texas workers compensation carrier you have counted on for over 30 years.

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