INSIGHT
DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL NICHE
STRATEGIES plus
SALES
HOW TO SET PRODUCER SALES GOALS
FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELLING YOUR AGENCY
FEBRUARY 2023
Managing General Agents | Wholesale Insurance Brokers Aviation | Bonds | Cannabis | Casualty | Commercial Agribusiness | Farm Healthcare & Human Services | Personal Lines | Professional Liability | Property | Transportation | Workers’ Compensation 800.878.9891 ArlingtonRoe.com Let us help you find the right solutions. Experience you can trust. Service you can rely on. Our knowledgeable underwriters and brokers coordinate among specialty teams to meet the needs of multi-faceted risk opportunities. Our specialties extend beyond commercial lines into personal lines, farm and ranch, bonds, cannabis and more. We have a dedicated medical malpractice team and one of the strongest aviation teams in the Midwest. Our goal is to provide one-stop solutions for our independent producers’ local and nationwide insurance coverage needs. Specialty teams to piece each risk puzzle together for you.
CONTENTS How to Find, Build and Succeed in an Insurance Niche By Safeco/Agent of the Future The Four Components of Finding a Niche for Your Insurance Agency By Brent Kelly How to Set Producer Sales Goals By Kelly Donahue-Piro Five Insurance Selling Strategies for Commercial Agents By Katy Kelly FAC Will Cook Memorial Scholarship A Roadmap to Commercial Insurance Sales Success By Jeff Swanson Five Things to Consider When Selling Your Agency By Jeff Smith 12 16 18 22 24 25 26 The Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL) has been providing members with a sustainable competitive advantage since 1899. Insight is the official publication of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL). The magazine is published monthly for the members of the IIA of IL, with the office located at 4360 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, Illinois 62711-7009; Consumer Website: www.ChooseIndependent.com. The IIA of IL welcomes letters discussing concerns of the insurance industry, articles, editorials, other matters of interest to the membership. The editor reserves the right to edit and select submissions for publication. Address submissions for review to Rachel Romines at rromines@iiaofil.org. For advertising information, contact Tami Hubbell at thubbell@iiaofil.org. In This Issue President’s Message Brett’s 2 Sense Industry Trusted Choice 7 8 10 14 info@iiaofil.org | www.iiaofil.org | (800) 628-6436 or (217) 793-6660 | Fax: (217) 793-6744 Editor & Graphic Design - Rachel Romines | Advertising - Tami Hubbell e-Insight Associate News IIA of IL News Classifieds 15 28 29 30 February 2023 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 22 18 25 26
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Chairman of the Board | Jay Peterson, AFIS, LUTCF (217) 935-6605 | jay@peterson.insurance
President | Kevin Lesch (630) 830-3232 | klesch@arachasgroup.com
President-Elect | Allyson Padilla (618) 393-2195 | allyson@blanksinsurance.com
Vice President | Patrick Taphorn, CIC, CSRM (309) 347-2177 | ptaphorn@unland.com
Secretary/Treasurer | Cindy Jackman, CIC, CISR (800) 878-9891 x8745 | cjackman@arlingtonroe.com
IIABA National Director | George Daly (708) 845-3311 | george.daly@thehortongroup.com
Regional Directors
Region 1 | James Sager (618) 322-9891 | james@sagerins.com
Region 2 | Ray Roentz (618) 639-2244 | ray.roentz@hwcrins.com
Region 3 | Christopher Leming (217) 321-3185 | cleming@troxellins.com
Region 4 | Bart Hartauer, CIC (815) 223-1795 | hartauer@hartauer.com
Region 5 | Noele Tatlock (309) 642-6855 | ntatlock@unland.com
Region 6 | Thomas Evans, Jr. (779) 220-6564 | tevans@crumhalsted.com
Region 7 | David Jenk, Esq. (312) 239-2717 | djenk@nwibrokers.com
Region 8 | Charles Hruska (708) 798-5700 | chas@hruskains.com
Region 9 | Lindsey Polzin (630) 513-6600 | lpolzin@presidiogrp.com
Region 10 | Mohammed Ali CS (847) 847-2126 | mali@aliminsurance.com
At-Large Director | Amiri Curry (847) 797-5700 | acurry@assuranceagency.com
At-Large Director | Jeff McMillan (815) 265-4037 | jeff@mcmillanins.com
At-Large Director | Patrick Muldowney (312) 595-7192 | patrick.muldowney@alliant.com
At-Large Director | Luke Sandrock, CIC (815) 772-2793 | lsandrock@2cornerstone.com
Committee Chairs
Budget & Finance | Cindy Jackman, CIC, CISR (800) 878-9891 x8745 | cjackman@arlingtonroe.com
Education | Lisa Lukens (618) 942-2556 | salibainsurance@gmail.com
Farm Agents Council | Steve Foster (217) 965-4663 | s.foster@ciagonline.com
Government Relations | Dustin Peterson (217) 935-6605 | dustin@peterson.insurance
Planning & Coordination | Nick Gunn, CIC (309) 691-1300 | nickgunn@nixonagency.com
Technology | Brian Ogden (217) 632-2206 | brian@ogdeninsurance.com
Young Agents | Renee Crissie (224) 217-6577 | renee@crissieins.com
Director of Information and Technology Shannon Churchill - (217) 321-3004 - schurchill@iiaofil.org
Director of Education and Agency Resources Brett Gerger, CIC - (217) 321-3006 - bgerger@iiaofil.org
Accounting & Admin Services Tami Hubbell, CIC - (217) 321-3016 - thubbell@iiaofil.org
Director of Human Resources, Board Admin Jennifer Jacobs, SHRM-CP - (217) 321-3013 - jjacobs@iiaofil.org
Sr. Vice President/Chief Financial Officer Mark Kuchar - (217) 321-3015 - mkuchar@iiaofil.org
Chief Executive Officer Phil Lackman, IOM - (217) 321-3005 - plackman@iiaofil.org
Central/Southern Marketing Representative Lori Mahorney, CISR Elite - (217) 415-7550 - lmahorney@iiaofil.org
Director of Government Relations Evan Manning - (217) 321-3002 - emanning@iiaofil.org
Office Administrator Kristi Osmond, CISR - (217) 321-3007 - kosmond@iiaofil.org
Director of Communications Rachel Romines - (217) 321-3024 - rromines@iiaofil.org
Director of Membership Services Tom Ross, CRIS, CPIA - (217) 321-3003 - tross@iiaofil.org
Products & Services Administrator Janet White, CISR - (217) 321-3010 - jwhite.indep12@insuremail.net
Director of Prof. Liability & Ins. Products Carol Wilson, CPIA - (217) 321-3011 - cwilson.indep12@insuremail.net
IIA of Illinois Staff 32 2 8 5 20 27 Cover Tip 31 6 APPLIED UNDERWRITERS ARLINGTON/ROE BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY GUARD INS. GROUP ENVISION GRINNELL MUTUAL IA VALUATIONS OMAHA NATIONAL UNDERWRITERS SECURA INSURANCE WEST BEND MUTUAL INSURANCE CO ADVERTISERS Find us on Social Media
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Help Save Your
It shouldn’t take four days with no power, water, or communication to find out who your friends are.
BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES.
And that’s the Silver Lining®.
Girl Scout Cookies and Best-Selling Lines of Insurance
Recently, the granddaughter of one our partners came into our office to sell Girl Scout Cookies. While her sale’s pitch may need a little improvement, she did fantastic for a 7-year-old, and sold a fair amount of girl scout cookies. (I am down for 8 boxes so far).
Soon after her visit, I did some google searching and found that annually over 200 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies are sold each season. (that’s 200 billion calories worth of cookies).
The best-selling Girl Scout cookies are:
• 25% - Thin Mints
• 19% - Samoas
• 13% - Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs
• 11% - Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos
• 9% - Shortbread/Trefoils
• 23% - Other assorted other varieties combine to account for the remaining
I think that I have purchased girl scout cookies every year for about 30 years. I know I have eaten them for at least 35 years straight. In that time, the salesperson has changed probably 45 times (yes, I have used multiple buyers some years, I may have an addiction).
Of course, that led me down a rabbit hole, and brought me to the stats below.
The best-selling lines of insurance (as a percentage of total policy premium) in 2021 were:
• 33.5% - Private Passenger Auto Insurance
• 14.8% - Homeowners Insurance
• 12.4% - Commercial Liability
• 7.2% - Workers Compensation
• 6.6% - Commercial Auto
• 6.3% - Commercial Mutli-Perils
I am not sure what any of this means, or what it has to do with Girl Scout Cookies. I have been a Peanut Butter Patty man most of my life. Pretty much my go to Girl Scout Cookie. However, looking at these numbers, maybe I am not giving thin mints a chance.
Just like the girl scouts, our agency sets goals. We look to market and make sales where the opportunity is greatest. Personally, I had no idea that personal auto insurance accounted for such a large portion of our industry. My next project will be to analyze the breakdown of my office and see where the opportunities lie within our book of business.
For the month of February, I will continue to talk in code. My sales staff has no idea what I mean when I tell them that our Thin Mint only clients need Samoas as well. But dammit they do.
My book of the month is a recommendation by the girl scout’s grandpa, a Patrick Wyman book called The Verge, Reformation, Renaissance, And Forty Years That Shook the World 1490-1530.
february 2023 insight 7 president's message | INSIGHT
Kevin Lesch - IIA of IL President - (630) 830-3232 - klesch@arachasgroup.com
President Lesch with Arachas Group staff, including the Girl Scout’s grandpaGreg Mattingly, second from left.
More Vendors. More Solutions. Find the right fit for your agency. All Big “I” members are eligible for up to $1,000 in reimbursement when working with select vendors! Visit trustedchoice.independentagent.com/MRP Leverage New Digital Tools to Help Your Agency Grow Explore the EXPANDED Marketing Reimbursement Program
By Jenna Kleiber, Jenesis
february 2023 insight 15 online journal at www.iiaofil.org/Resources/Insight INSIGHTeINSIGHTFEBRUARY 2023 DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL NICHE HOW TO SET PRODUCER SALES GOALS FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELLING YOUR AGENCY SALES STRATEGIES plus In this month’s e-Insight.
Insurance Niche Marketing 101
“Trust in Tomorrow.” and the “Grinnell Mutual” are registered trademarks of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. © Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, 2023. grinnellmutual.com TRUST US TO SERVE THEIR BUSINESS Our restaurant package has a menu of options from equipment breakdown to credit card forgery protection so restaurant owners can focus on their bread and butter — customers. Trust in Tomorrow.® Contact us today. AUTO | FARM | BUSINESS
$1,000
WILL COOK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:
Be a high school senior Plan to pursue an agricultural area of study, including, but not limited to, farm labor, grower, farm/ranch management, biology, horticulture, farm science, agriculture sales or insurance
Be in good academic standing
Be a US Citizen residing in Illinois
How to Apply
Scan theQR code to go to www.ILFarmAgents.com/Apply
Deadline
All applications must be received by March 1, 2023. Incomplete applications or those received after the deadline will not be considered.
The Will Cook Memorial Scholarship is available to qualifying students for the 2023-2024 school year. The $1,000 scholarship will be payable to the Financial Aid Department of the recipient’s college in one payment for the fall semester. The award will be credited to recipient’s account. The Farm Agents Council (FAC) is a subsidiary of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL). Members of the FAC are licensed independent insurance agencies that write farm, agri-business, and/or crop insurance through more than one carrier. For more information on the FAC, go to www.ILFarmAgents.com. The membership of the IIA of IL are Trusted Choice independent insurance agencies located in Illinois and represent over 10,000 agency personnel. For additional information on the IIA of IL or Trusted Choice, go to www.iiaofil.org or www.trustedchoice.com.
Thank you to our Associate Members.
Diamond Level
Platinum Level Progressive Surplus Line Association of Illinois
Silver Level
Imperial PFS
IMT Insurance
SECURA Insurance
Gold Level
Arlington/Roe
BlueCross/Blue Shield of IL
Keystone Insurance Group, Inc.
Pekin Insurance
West Bend Mutual Insurance Co.
Bronze Level
AAA Insurance
A. J. Wayne & Associates
AMERISAFE
AmTrust North America
Auto-Owners Insurance Co.
Badger Mutual Insurance Company
Berkley Management Protection
Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Companies
BluSky Restoration Contractors
Central Illinois Mutual Insurance Company
Chubb
ClickVSC
Columbia Insurance Group
Continental Western Group
Cornerstone National Insurance Company
Cowbell Cyber
CRC Group
CRDN of Chicago (formerly Restoronics)
Donald Gaddis Company, Inc.
Donegal Insurance Group
EMC Insurance
Encova Insurance
Erie Insurance Group
Family Financial Solutions Group
Foremost Choice Property & Casualty
Forreston Mutual Insurance Company
Frankenmuth Insurance
Grange Insurance
Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company
Illinois Mine Subsidence Ins. Fund
Illinois Public Risk Fund
Indiana Farmers Insurance
Insurance Program Managers Group
J M Wilson
Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance
Madison Mutual Insurance Company
Main Street America Insurance
Marble Box
MarshBerry
Maximum Independent Brokerage, LLC
Mercury Insurance Group
Method Workers Comp
Midwest Insurance Company
Nationwide
NHRMA Mutual Workers’ Compensation
Pouch Insurance
Previsor Insurance & Missouri Employers Mutual
PuroClean Emergency Restoration Services
Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
RT Specialty - Naperville
Sensa, Inc.
ServiceMaster DSI
SERVPRO of Gurnee
Society Insurance
SPRISKA - Specialty Risk of America
Synergy Select
The McGowan Companies
Travelers
UFG Insurance
UIG - The Agent Agency
Utica National Insurance Group
W. A. Schickedanz Agency, Inc./Interstate Risk Placement
Western National Insurance
Westfield
28 insight february 2023 INSIGHT
| associate news
Education Classes
E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto Webinar
Pre-Licensing-Property & Casualty Virtual
E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar
E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar
CISR-Elements of Risk Management Virtual
Protégé Sales Bootcamp Bloomington
E&O - Roadmap to Policy Analysis Webinar
CIC - Agency Management Virtual
Pre-Licensing-Life & Health Virtual
Ethical Dilemmas Webinar
E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar
E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar
E&O: Identity Theft, Red Flags, and Money Laundering Webinar
CISR-Insuring Personal Auto Exposures Virtual
Agent’s E&O: Duties, Best Practices, Operations, Workflows, and Certificates Webinar
Pre-Licensing-Property & Casualty Virtual
E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto Webinar
CISR-Other Personal Lines Solutions Virtual
All-Things Ethics: Agent Obligations, Standards, Authority, and More Webinar
Agent’s E&O: Defenses and Preventions for the Insurance Professional Webinar
E&O - Roadmap to Policy Analysis Webinar
CIC-Life & Health Virtual
CISR-Insuring Commercial Property Virtual
E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar
Flood Insurance, FEMA, and the NFIP Webinar
CISR-Life and Health Essentials Virtual
E&O-Roadmap to Homeowners Endorsements Webinar
E&O - Roadmap to Policy Analysis Webinar
Comstock Insurance Agencies Inc Grayslake, IL
Hub International Midwest Limited Downers Grove, IL
Insurance Force Group LLC Elgin, IL
Maestro Brokerage Services LLC Mount Prospect, IL
For information regarding IIA of IL membership or company sponsorship, contact Tom Ross, Director of Membership Services, at (217) 321-3003, tross@iiaofil.org.
february 2023 insight 29
february iia of il news | INSIGHT
13 15 22 23 23 28 28 30 march 1 7 7 8 9 10 15 15 21 21 22 23 27 28 28
7 8 9 9 9
New Members member agency
Murfee & Weishaar Insurance Agency, LLC Effingham, IL Sellman Cox Agency Geneseo, IL
for the insurance professional by the insurance professional
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: AUTO-OWNERS INSURANCE
27. We hire people from all educational backgrounds. In claims, underwriting or marketing, you might find degrees in business administration, liberal arts, insurance and more. For jobs like accountant, actuary, attorney and computer programmer, specialized degrees in accounting, math, law or computer science are common.
Check out our Field Claim Representative open positions in Illinois and more open position in many states:
https://www.auto-owners.com/about/careeropportunities
INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENCIES WANTED
17. We are an Independent family-owned agency located in the Chicago area. We are looking to expand through growth and acquisition. If you have a small to medium sized agency and are looking to sell, call or send us a message. We are strictly looking for Personal Lines and Small Commercial accounts with preferred companies.
GALO Insurance Agency, Inc
(847) 832-0888
steve@galoagency.com
AGENCY WANTED
20. Since 2004, Central Illinois Agents Group LLC has been providing independent agents with a variety of markets with contingency opportunities. Agents have availability to several markets that they may not be able to sustain or maintain on their own. We have markets for personal, commercial, agricultural and crop insurance lines. Let us help you get to the next level.
Visit www.ciagonline.com for contact information.
AGENCY/AGENTS/PRODUCERS WANTED
02. Forest Park/Oak Park agency for over 60 years, will meet your needs by providing space, markets, marketing & sales support, automation, merging with or purchasing your agency. Perpetuation/ Succession Plans, BuySell Agreements also available. We have experienced, educated and dedicated staff for you and your clients. Have access to our numerous companies, office services and many other resources. Retain ownership in your book with contingency. Please look closely at us- we are an agency you want to do business with! We’ve done it before, we know how- we make it easy! Visit our website at forestagency.com/agents.html, or call for a confidential discussion and a list of Agency benefits.
Dan Browne will provide an agency evaluation/appraisal at little cost to you. Please call:
Dan Browne or Cathy Hall
Forest Insurance
(708) 383-9000
www.forestinsured.com/mergers-acquisitions
OPPORTUNITIES/SPACE AVAILABLE/RETAIN OWNERSHIP
13. We are a 100 year old Northbrook agency looking to discuss any mutually beneficial opportunity. Our producers, mergers, clusters and agency purchases receive 50% commissions on new and renewal business without any expenses. We can provide: office space, phones, agency management system, service renewals and changes. The companies we represent are: Badger Mutual, Employers Mutual, General Casualty, Guide One, Hartford, Kemper, Progressive, Rockford Mutual, Safeco, State Auto, Travelers and Met Life. Contact:
Nancy Solomon
Martini, Miller & Schloss, Inc.
(847) 291-1313
Ron@martini-miller.com
We Make Hiring Easier +
CareerPlug’s hiring software helps agents attract more qualified candidates, identify the right candidates with confidence, and improve hiring results.
CareerPlug will provide IIA of IL members access to a free account that can be used to post jobs, manage applicants, and improve the organizations’ employment brand. Association members can also access a “Pro” version of CareerPlug for a special rate to take hiring to the next level.
Learn more about CareerPlug and check out the brand new IIA of IL job board at www.iiaofil.org
30 insight february 2023
INSIGHT | classifieds
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