e-Insight - November 2021 by Big I Illinois

NOVEMBER 2021

INSIGHT LEADERSHIP &

Workplace Culture

Stories Leaders Need to Know About Employees How Employees Can Contribute to a Positive Work Environment

Plus

CONVO 2021 Wrap-Up

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November 2021

Editor & Graphic Design - Rachel Romines | Advertising - Tami Hubbell

CONTENTS 14

12 14 16 20 22 24 27 28

CONNECT: An IIA of IL Member Community New Benefit for IIA of IL Members

How Would You Grade Your Hiring Process?

By Desiree Echevarria

How Employees Can Contribute to a Positive Work Environment

By Susan Heathfield

Stories Leaders Need to Know About Employees

By Alyson Van Hooser

10 Phrases Confident Leaders Use

By Marsha Egan

Building Trust and Rapport When Selling

By John Chapin

Replacing Professional Liability Requires Attention to Detail

By Curtis Pearsall

CONVO Wrap-Up

By Shannon Churchill

In This Issue

The Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL) has been providing members with a sustainable competitive advantage since 1899.

7 9 10 13 19

President’s Message Brett’s 2 Sense Trusted Choice Industry

e-Insight

32 34 35 37 38

Associate News Agency Members in the News Board of Directors Profiles IIA of IL News Classifieds

info@iiaofil.org | www.iiaofil.org | (800) 628-6436 or (217) 793-6660 | Fax: (217) 793-6744

2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021

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.

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Board of Directors Executive Committee

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IIA of Illinois Staff Director of Information and Technology Shannon Churchill - (217) 321-3004 - schurchill@iiaofil.org

Director of Government Relations Evan Manning - (217) 321-3002 - emanning@iiaofil.org

Director of Education and Agency Resources Brett Gerger, CIC - (217) 321-3006 - bgerger@iiaofil.org

Office Administrator Kristi Osmond, CISR - (217) 321-3007 - kosmond@iiaofil.org

Accounting & Admin Services Tami Hubbell, CIC - (217) 321-3016 - thubbell@iiaofil.org

Director of Communications Rachel Romines - (217) 321-3024 - rromines@iiaofil.org

Director of Human Resources, Board Admin Jennifer Jacobs, SHRM-CP Director of Membership Services Tom Ross, CRIS, CPIA - (217) 321-3013 - jjacobs@iiaofil.org - (217) 321-3003 - tross@iiaofil.org Sr. Vice President/Chief Financial Officer Mark Kuchar Products & Services Administrator Janet White, CISR - (217) 321-3015 - mkuchar@iiaofil.org - (217) 321-3010 - jwhite.indep12@insuremail.net Chief Executive Officer Phil Lackman, IOM Director of Prof. Liability & Ins. Products Carol Wilson, CPIA - (217) 321-3005 - plackman@iiaofil.org - (217) 321-3011 - cwilson.indep12@insuremail.net Central/Southern Marketing Representative Lori Mahorney, CISR Elite - (217) 415-7550 - lmahorney@iiaofil.org

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president's message | INSIGHT

Thanks for Getting Together It was a whirlwind of a few days, but I genuinely believe CONVO 2021 was a huge success! I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took time out of their schedules to attend the event. I hope you had some great takeaways to bring back to your office and make new connections that can continue to benefit you and your business. You can view a full wrap-up of the event in this issue. Special thanks to all the sponsors and exhibitors this year. Without your support, the IIA of IL could not provide this superior of an event! I’m looking forward to getting together at future events. Until then, if you need anything at all - I’m here for you. As your association president for the next 12 months, I look forward to serving our members in all capacities. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Jay Peterson - IIA of IL President - (217) 935-6605 - jay@peterson.insurance

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CONVO 2021 Experience CONVO 2021….WOW…..Where do I start? This year’s CONVO was amazing in all aspects. I know I was a part of CONVO, and this may sound like I am tooting my own horn, but, in reality, I had very little to do with the final product but to show up and help. I felt as though every aspect was a home run. It could be that I was just clamoring to be back in person so bad that I overlooked things that I would have noticed in the past. I personally do not think that is the case. I will start with the tradeshow, which is always great as there is no better place to network. This year, I think Tami Hubbell knocked it out of the park from the layout to the placement of vendors to the vendor prize announcements. While numbers at the convention, as a whole, may have been down, I cannot remember seeing so many members engaged with the vendors, and the conversations that I overheard appeared to be fruitful for both parties. This was one of the best opportunities for our members to find a solution to a problem that they may or may not even have known that they had. Every booth that I passed seemed engaging and relevant. Kudos to everyone involved in this endeavor, as I thoroughly enjoyed the tradeshow. Food Trucks. Enough said. Mark Kuchar and Evan Manning hit a home run with this pivot from our normal convention indoor dining. Outdoor dining is one thing, but you throw in a diverse set of food trucks that are amazing by themselves but even more amazing all in one place. For instance, most people probably don’t know that Cozy dog is the original corn dog (they have the patent on how they are made). They literally are a Route 66 icon. I won’t even get into the desert truck (amazing). Next, the educational opportunities. Where else could you go and mingle with your peers/friends/companies, etc., and take care of all of your educational needs for the year? You literally could get 12 hours of CE out of the way while amongst friends and not on your couch in your jammies. The one problem with CONVO is that there are so many interesting CE choices that it is hard to choose which sessions to attend. This is a good problem, and I would liken it to having Jordan, Lebron, Shaq, Kobe, Durant, Curry, Giannis, and Embiid on the same team. Who do you start? I don’t think that you went wrong with any of the sessions that you may have chosen. Side note: CONVO attendees will have access to all the recordings soon! So, you’ll get to check out some of the programs you may have missed. Probably the highlight of CONVO was the Mock Trial led by Nicole Broch. Why, you ask? Because I destroyed Lori Mahorney and won the jury’s hearts, winning the case for my client. However, there could be some issues as I think Lori may have filed a complaint for me acting as an attorney without a license. In all seriousness, Shannon put together an incredible line-up of speakers from Alyson Van Hooser and Harrison Brooks in our main event to

Brett’s 2Sense my new nerdy best friend Beth Z. All were amazing, and when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Shannon hit us with a carrier executive panel emceed by our very own George Daly. Pekin Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual, West Bend Mutual, and Auto-Owners were all represented, and they did not disappoint. I felt the conversation flowed exceptionally well, and they discussed many issues agents are facing today and discussed issues that we can see on the horizon. After all of the years that I spent at the Department, I can’t tell you how valuable it is to have those four heavy hitters in the industry in the same room providing you with invaluable information. Furthermore, I never knew before working here what all goes into CONVO to pull it off and make it look effortless. From Shannon and Rachel putting in a billion hours fretting over every aspect of content, messaging, branding, scheduling, and coordinating; Tami pulling off the tradeshow; Mark, Kristi, Lori, Carol, Janet, Jennifer pulling off registration as well as everything else needed to make the machine run, this really is a top-notch event! Lastly, I’m appreciative of Phil and the Executive Committee for having the foresight to stay live and not pivot to virtual as many states did this year. Also, Jennifer for her guidance to pull this endeavor off as it truly is one of the best independent insurance agent tradeshows in the country. Most of all, the one common thread in all of these parts is Shannon Churchill (You are AMAZING). As always, this is just Brett’s 2 Sense, and I hope it was helpful. If you need any clarification or have any suggestions for future articles, please email me at bgerger@iiaofil.org

Brett Gerger | IIA of IL Director of Education & Agency Resources bgerger@iiaofil.org | (217) 321-3006 november 2021

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november 2021

industry | INSIGHT

Personal Lines Rates Up 6.6% in Third Quarter 2021

Catastrophe Exposed Homeowners Up Over 25% in Some Areas By MarketScout Across the US, the average rate increase in the third quarter of 2021 for personal lines was 6.6 percent as compared to up 4.75 percent in the second quarter. “We always expect more aggressive homeowners pricing in the third quarter of any given year as insurers begin to incur losses from wind and wildfire claims,” said Richard Kerr, CEO of MarketScout. The average homeowners rate increase is 4 percent for homes under $1,000,000 in coverage A value and 7 percent for homes over $1,000,000. Kerr pointed out, “The national average rate increases for homeowners are not horrific; however, for those with homes in California and Florida rates can be up as much as 25 percent. California homes $20M and above with high wildfire exposures may not even be able to secure full coverage. Rate increases of 40% are not unusual.”

The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research conducted pricing surveys used in MarketScout’s analysis of market conditions. These surveys help to further corroborate MarketScout’s actual findings, mathematically driven by new and renewal placements across the United States. A summary of the third quarter 2021 personal lines rates is set forth below.

Personal Lines Homeowners under $1,000,000 value

Up 4%

Homeowners over $1,000,000 value

Up 7%

Automobile

Up 4.7%

Personal Articles

Up 4%

Commercial Rates Up 6.8% in Third Quarter 2021 Umbrella and D&O Lead Rate Increases The composite rate for commercial insurance pricing in the third quarter of 2021 was up 6.8 percent as compared to up 5.9 percent in the second quarter of 2021. Richard Kerr, CEO of MarketScout noted, “Umbrella and D&O coverages continue to lead the price increases at 11.7 and 11.3 percent. By industry group, transportation rates were most aggressive at 10.7 percent.” Property rates were up an average of 9 percent; however, in wildfire areas of California and wind zones of Florida, rates were up over 20 percent.

By Coverage Class

By MarketScout

The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research conducted pricing surveys used in MarketScout’s analysis of market conditions. These surveys help to further corroborate MarketScout’s actual findings, mathematically driven by new and renewal placements across the United States. A summary of the third 2021 rates by coverage, industry class and account size is set forth below.

By Account Size

Commercial Property

Up 9%

Small Accounts - Up to $25,000

Up 6%

Business Interruption

Up 6.7%

Medium Accounts - $25,001 – $250,000

Up 7.3%

BOP

Up 4.7%

Large Accounts - $250,001 – $1 million

Up 8%

Inland Marine

Up 5.7%

Jumbo Accounts - Over $1 million

Up 7.3%

General Liability

Up 6%

Umbrella/Excess

Up 11.7%

Commercial Auto

Up 9%

By Industry Class

Workers’ Compensation

Up 0%

Manufacturing

Up 6.7%

Professional Liability

Up 6.7%

Contracting

Up 6%

D&O Liability

Up 11.3%

Service

Up 6%

EPLI

Up 9%

Habitational

Up 9%

Fiduciary

Up 2%

Public Entity

Up 5.3%

Crime

Up 2%

Transportation

Up 10.7%

Surety

Up 1%

Energy

Up 7%

november 2021

insight

How Would You

Grade Your Hiring As hiring experts, we know how important it is to make good hiring decisions. Without the right people in the right roles, your business can’t reach its full potential. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers are finding it more difficult than ever to fill their open roles. Since spring 2020, the job market has gone through dramatic shifts that have, at different times, left both job seekers and employers struggling. As of this writing, it’s a candidate’s market – meaning there are more open roles than there are candidates to fill them – so job seekers have the advantage of being selective about where to work. With market conditions changing so rapidly, you may want to stop and ask yourself: Is there anything I need to change in my hiring process that would put me in a better position to recruit top talent? That’s why CareerPlug has created a free Hiring Process Grader tool. Answer a few simple questions about the processes and technologies you use to attract, communicate, and evaluate candidates, and our Hiring Process Grader tool will show you areas where you’re excelling – and where you need to improve in today’s competitive hiring market. To get started, go to https://careerplug.outgrow.us/hiring-process-grader.

The 4 Components of a Great Hiring Process We measure a hiring process based on the four main components of our own proven process, which has helped more than 12,000 small businesses make the right hires. 1. Attract Your job postings should first be distributed to all of the popular job boards where candidates are looking. You should also go one step further and recruit from sources outside of the major job boards, like employee referrals and smaller job boards that are niche, industry-specific, or local. We’ve found that these sources produce the highest quality candidates overall. 14

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Finally, employers that perform well in this category do a great job of enticing candidates to apply by showcasing their workplace culture, benefits, and employer brand on their own unique company careers page. 2. Communicate Our data shows that candidates consider communication one of the most important aspects of a great candidate experience. They want employers to respond quickly after they apply and continue to be responsive throughout the hiring process. Remember that a great hiring process centers around the candidate experience. Create interview invitation templates you can quickly send to let candidates know you’re interested, as well as rejection letter templates in case you decide not to proceed with them. To reach candidates quicker and more reliably, consider using text recruiting in addition to email. The average response time for an email is 90 minutes compared to just 90 seconds for an SMS text message. When candidates are on the job hunt, they’re typically pursuing multiple opportunities at once – if you wait too long to communicate your interest, they could have moved on to another opportunity by then. 3. Evaluate The only way to make great hires consistently is to evaluate consistently. One of the biggest mistakes hiring managers make is failing to create an ideal candidate profile before they post a job. This can be a simple document to help employers identify the skills, behaviors, and traits necessary to be successful in the role so that they know what to look for when evaluating candidates. Download our free ideal candidate profile template by clicking the button below.

november 2021

g Process? By Desiree Echevarria

A strong evaluation process should also include:

multiple job boards at once, send them alerts via email or text anytime a qualified candidate applies, automatically remove unqualified applicants, and send new hire paperwork and onboarding materials.

• Having pre-screening questions in the job application • Requiring candidates to complete assessments to demonstrate their fitness for the role • Creating a standard set of interview questions designed to reveal the behaviors you’re looking for • Conducting reference and background checks to verify your hiring decision

Desiree Echevarria is the Content Marketing Manager at CareerPlug. For additional information on CareerPlug and the IIA of IL partnership, go to https://tinyurl.com/IIA-CareerPlug or scan the code below.

4. Automate A great hiring process should work like a well-oiled machine while producing predictable results. By automating tedious and repetitive hiring tasks, employers save time and create a consistent and positive experience for candidates. Businesses that score well in this category use tools that automate the publishing of your jobs across

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

november 2021

insight

How to a P

Ways

The workplace experience that employees have can be largely driven by their work culture and interaction with colleagues and customers. An overall culture that emphasizes a sense of belonging at work can nurture a positive environment, one in which achievements are recognized and rewarded, and employees are empowered and more motivated to contribute to a company’s success.

What Exemplifies a Positive Work Environment? A positive work culture and environment typically embodies these characteristics: • Reinforces employee comfort and safety • Features visible, responsive, trustworthy leadership • Helps employees interact comfortably and effectively with their colleagues • Promotes positive social connections inside and outside of work • Supports employees’ abilities to stay positive and bring their positivity to their workplace • Emphasizes positive reinforcement and offers sincere recognition and gratitude

Benefits to Employees and Employer In its 2020 Global Human Capital Trends survey, Deloitte found that many of these aforementioned characteristics made employees feel more comfortable, connected, and productive at work. In fact, 25% of respondents felt that being treated fairly and allowed to bring their true, authentic selves to work were the biggest drivers of creating belonging. Meanwhile, 44% said being aligned with their company’s mission, vision, and purpose, as well as being valued for their individual contributions, were most important in making them feel like part of the team. 1 According to the Deloitte study, organizations that are able to establish this inclusive culture are significantly more likely to meet and exceed financial targets, be high performing, be innovative and agile, and achieve better business outcomes. 16

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IMPORTANT: When employers understand the importance of fostering this work environment, they can build a positive brand that attracts the best talent, retains critical employees, and accomplishes their business goals.

How Employees Can Contribute to a Positive Work Environment While employers bear much of the responsibility in fostering a positive work environment, the employees themselves can play a valuable role in the process. These ideas can help them increase their contributions to a more desirable workplace. Reinforce Employee Comfort and Safety A positive work environment is one in which employees can work safely and comfortably - especially during the time of a pandemic when physical and mental health are primary concerns. As an employee, you can help mitigate this by: • Following all safety measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) including wearing a mask, staying a minimum of six feet away from colleagues, and scheduling your use of shared facilities • Holding as many essential meetings via Zoom or other video conferencing platform method to reduce contact, remotely or onsite • Avoiding coming into work if you absolutely do not need to be on the premises • Maintaining awareness of your mental health and watching for symptoms of stress or anxiety • Keeping mentally and physically healthy through relaxing activities, exercise, fresh air, and eating properly • Speaking with your manager to have a positive impact on any work processes, expectations, or concerns that are affecting your mental health.

november 2021

w Employees Can Contribute Positive Work Environment

ays to Grow Into and Share Your Best Self at Work

By Susan Heathfield

Expect Visible, Responsive, and Responsible Leadership

Here are ways you can strengthen these connections:

Trust that you can have an impact on the quality of leadership at work. Your manager may not know what you need from them without your input. Here are some ways to communicate with those in leadership positions:

• Participate in any remote team building session your organization may sponsor or schedule. • Make your remote meetings effective whether you are working from home or minimizing contact with others onsite. • Organize team building activities, ice breakers, and team building sessions that promote relationships (you don’t need to rely on the employer).

• Tell your manager what you need from them such as how often you’d like to receive updates, have meetings, and the types of emotional support that would help you work either onsite or remotely. • Ask your manager for feedback on your performance and input on how you can improve your contribution. • Schedule a meeting if you are struggling with the objectives of a project, knowing the best way to proceed, or if you disagree with the direction your manager is taking. Interact Comfortably and Effectively With Colleagues Make communication and collaboration with your colleagues a priority to reinforce the positive work environment you want to create. You can accomplish this by: • Asking your team members how often they’d like to meet, receive feedback, or discuss the progress of your current project • Being self-aware during team interactions, like taking notice if you are monopolizing the time and conversation in a Zoom meeting • Practicing your most intuitive emotional intelligence while striving to understand what your colleagues are saying, experiencing, or feeling Promote Positive Social Connections In and Out of Work Whether in the office or remotely, the social connections you maintain with colleagues are critical to your sense of wellbeing and developing a positive work environment.

Bring Positivity to the Workplace Positive attitude, interactions, and outlooks can promote a healthier work environment. If you find yourself bringing negativity to work or an online meeting, determine what you can do about it. Be willing to ask yourself if you are the negative employee, and provide critical feedback to colleagues if they demonstrate workplace negativity or try to tear each other down. TIP: For your and your workplace’s sake, try not to engage in unhealthy gossip. Instead, talk to those taking part, think of positive things to say, and also make your manager aware so they can address the issue with the staff directly. Foster an Environment that Encourages Respect, Trust, and Fairness Respect is one of the first words employees respond to when asked how they want to be treated at work. A positive environment enables all employees to feel as if they are being treated fairly and with dignity and respect regardless of background, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. To play your part, keep the following in mind: • Your words and actions ring loudest when you show respect for your coworkers. • When interacting with colleagues, start from a position of trust. Make the assumption that your colleagues are honest until proven otherwise. continued...

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• Focus on building strong alliances with people in the interest of promoting company and colleague success. Embrace Workplace Flexibility As the coronavirus pandemic made remote work the norm, people showed that they could actually be just as, if not more, productive working from home.2 This bodes well for a positive workplace future, one in which work flexibility will play a crucial role. As an employee, you should take advantage of any opportunity your employer provides for flexibility if it is in the best interests of you and your household to do so. TIP: If your employer seems less inclined to offer you such amenable working options at first, try to negotiate a flexible schedule during, say, your next salary negotiation or positive performance review.

Emphasize Positive Reinforcement A positive work environment is built largely on healthy, productive interactions between employees and teams, as well as positive reinforcement. You can help play a major role and set an example by providing positive feedback, heartfelt gratitude, and recognition to both colleagues and managers for their contributions. This article originally appeared on The Balance website at www.thebalancecareers.com/how-employees-contributeto-positive-work-environment-5095977 Susan M. Heathfield was a writer for The Balance Careers covering human resources and people management. For more information on The Balance Careers, go to www. thebalancecareers.com.

Whether in the office or remotely, the SOCIAL CONNECTIONS you maintain with colleagues are critical to your sense of wellbeing and developing a POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT. ENVIRONMENT

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AmGUARD • EastGUARD • NorGUARD • WestGUARD november 2021

e INSIGHT -

online journal at www.iiaofil.org/Resources/Insight

N OV EM BE R

20 21

INSIGH T

LEAD

WorkpERSHIP & lace C ulture

Storie s Lead ers Ne How ed to K now A Work EEmployees C bout E nviron mploye mentan Contribute es to a Po sitive Plus CONVO 2021 W rap-Up

The

TOP TEN Causes of

EMPLOYEE TURNOVER in 2021

(And How to Address Them) By Nora St-Aubin, Officevibe.com november 2021

In this month’s e-Insight. insight

STORIES

LEADERS Need to Know About

EMPLOYEES By Alyson Van Hooser

How do leaders know how to lead whom?

Storytelling and story seeking. 20

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november 2021

Strategies you’ve heard that promise to help you recruit, retain, and lead great employees - but allow no room for individual customization - likely won’t work for leading the current and future workforce. Why? Our economy and diversity. The workforce is more diverse than ever education, experiences, expectations, and more. In our economy, people have access to hundreds of thousands of jobs just a click away on their phones. Empirical evidence suggests that leaders who take an individualistic approach to lead their team will ultimately be much more successful than those who don’t. How do leaders know how to lead whom? Storytelling and story seeking. When it comes to understanding how to lead people, stories tell you what statistics can’t. Stories capture attention, are memorable, and are personal. Stories break down barriers and build bonds. Storytelling and story seeking shouldn’t be random. Instead, it must be intentional. Here are 3 stories every leader needs to know about employees.

Defining Memories Unless something extremely significant happens, most of how we show up in the workplace is shaped by what we experienced growing up. As a child and young adult, we learned how to build relationships, respond to rejection, achieve success, deal with conflict, work as a team, and more. One story you might share and seek would be the story about how you/they learned their work ethic. Think about this… • My husband learned from his dad that showing up and working hard - even when it’s not convenient — will end up earning you experience, success, and respect for decades to come. From a leadership perspective, if an employee grew up learning a strong work ethic and realizing the benefits, it’s a safe assumption that they’ll show up with a strong work ethic throughout their time in the workforce, too. • On the other hand, I grew up with parents who did not work. I saw, felt, and lived the negative effects of that. I never want that for myself or my family. As a leader, if you have an employee that was dealt a tough hand and they overcame, it’s likely they’ll continue that same positive trajectory going forward. • It could be that you are interviewing a potential candidate. If you ask them where/how they learned their work ethic and they have no response, this could potentially be a red flag or sign of challenges to come from a dependability or performance perspective. A leader who understands an employee’s past can predict and prepare for how the employee will act in the future.

Today’s Heartbeat

and giving their best so you can make sure you don’t stop doing what they’re liking…whether it’s the way you give feedback, the flexibility their position offers, etc. A story you might share and seek would be the story about what a perfect day in their work-life would look like. One employee may be quick to tell you that they would come in, keep their head down, do their job, not hear from anyone, and get to leave on time. Another employee might tell you that they’d want to be involved in many different projects, interacting with lots of different people, and wrap the day up with a one-on-one meeting with you to discuss progress. Ultimately, you may hear little nuggets from the employee about when, how, or what they need from you. A leader who understands why their employees stay is more likely to never have to watch them leave.

American Dreams Do you know where you and your employees want to be in one, five, ten years? If you haven’t had a personal conversation about this in the past year or two, now would be a great time. To get them to tell you a story, ask them to tell you a story about what success will look like to them after ten more years. Someone may surprise you and tell you that they picture themselves being an entrepreneur. As a leader, you need to know if someone is not in it for the long haul. Another employee may tell you that they want to be a leader in a different department in the organization. As their leader, there’s your sign that you should start giving them opportunities to grow, as well as, making time to develop their replacement when they get promoted. When a leader understands the destination, they can make plans to take roads to get their team there faster, better, stronger.

The One Time Leaders Should Talk Before They Listen If you’ve ever been in our comprehensive leadership development program, you know how critical it is for leaders to listen first. However, this may be the one time that I suggest that leaders should actually talk first. People are more willing to share personal, insightful stories with people they trust. Before you jump straight into asking employees about their stories, start by sharing yours. When you intentionally open up to people about your life, they’ll feel you trust them more. In turn, they’ll be more likely to feel they can trust you, too. Alyson Van Hooser is a leadership keynote speaker, trainer on Millennials, Gen Z, and Women in Business. She was also the keynote speaker at CONVO 2021. She can be reached at hello@vanhooser.com.

Many organizations do exit interviews. Fewer organizations have implemented “stay interviews”. It’s important for leaders to know what keeps an employee showing up

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“Ask me anything.” This phrase exudes openness. It basically reflects that the leader is available, wants to make sure that team members feel comfortable talking with him or her, and in a non-punitive way.

“Here is what is going on and what it means to you.” This phrase reflects honesty and respect. By not sugarcoating an issue and sharing not only the truth about what is happening but also a view from the team member’s perspective in a transparent way, the leader builds trust and understanding. “No.” Strong leaders are decisive. Leaders make decisions, and sometimes they are not popular. There are times when some things simply cannot be done or approved. When the answer is no, the leader shares that point of view, provides the explanation, and does his or her best to make sure the decision is understood. “Let’s try it.” Confident leaders are not afraid to encourage their staffs to try new things. This phrase emphasizes the “we” rather than the “you.” It allows growth and even learning from mistakes. By promoting independent thought, the team’s creativity can abound. And by saying “let’s try it,” it reflects a team effort. “What do you need from me?” Many times, the leader’s support is necessary or useful to get certain tasks done or moved forward. When leaders are open and willing to help others achieve their goals by using their resources or knowledge, it becomes a winwin for the organization. It shows that the leader sees himself or herself as a resource.

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Communication is a key leadership skill. To lead o paramount. It not only delivers tasks but provid teams and followers need to move an organ

I like to suggest that strong leaders co than to people. Here are 10 phrase leaders use when working wit organiza

10 Phra Confid Lead Us

While these are just some of leader might use, they all have sincerity, transparency, trust, respect, They focus on the “we” rather than the phrases, meaning that the leader

Isn’t that what

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ead others effectively, excellent communication is rovides the motivation and confidence that rganization positively toward its goals.

rs communicate with people rather hrases that I have seen confident with the people in their anizations.

10 ases fident ders se By Marsha Egan

me of the phrases a confident have common threads: honesty, ect, support, appreciation and energy. n the “I.” And all of them are proactive ader initiates the communication.

“Can you help me?” Strong leaders are not afraid to ask for help from anyone, including their staffs. By asking a team member for help, it shows respect for that team member’s abilities, it builds trust, shares responsibility and recognizes the potential for a better result. “Show me. Help me understand.” Leaders cannot know everything, and by asking team members to educate them, they not only personally learn but reflect the trust and respect they have for the team member’s work and knowledge. This phrase goes beyond asking for input; it’s asking to be trained or educated. Leaders are lifelong learners and have no hesitancy to learn from their team members. “That was my mistake.” Strong leaders admit mistakes when they make them. They are forthright in claiming the mistake without giving excuses. They do not hide the fact that they made a mistake or blame someone or something else. They apologize sincerely, without condition, and take an active role in remedying the situation. “Thank you.” Confident leaders are proactive in their appreciation, understanding that appreciation is a great motivator. They find ways to thank people specifically for tasks well done. They share specific praise and find opportunities to catch people doing things right. They share appreciation both publicly and privately - and always sincerely. “Absolutely!” Instead of just saying “yes” or “OK,” motivational leaders use phrases like “absolutely,” “of course,” “happy to help” and “it is my pleasure.” These phrases raise the positivity of the communication. They show a quick willingness that provides energy to the communication

hat leaders do?

This article was originally published on the Carrier Management website. Marsha Egan, CPCU, CSP, PCC, is a Success Strategist and CEO of The Egan Group, a Nantucket, Mass.-based professional coaching firm. Visit Marsha’s website at www.marshaegan.com for more information, or contact her at marsha@marshaegan.com.. november 2021

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BUILDING TRUST AND RAPPORT WHEN SELLING By John Chapin You’ve probably heard the sayings that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”, and “people need to know, like, and trust you before they’ll do business with you.” The truth is: until people know you care, most view you simply as a salesperson trying to make a sale. With that in mind, how do you build trust and rapport rapidly and let people know you have their best interest in mind so you can move toward the sale? SEVEN IDEAS TO BUILD TRUST AND RAPPORT 1. Treat everyone you meet as if they are a close friend or family member. Imagine your best friend needs your product or service. Would your mindset be the same as if you were talking to a prospect you’ve known for a few minutes? It should be. When you’re talking to your best friend you will most likely have their best interest in mind versus being focused on making a sale. People have a sixth sense and they know when you are more interested in making a sale than you are in helping them out. Focus on the other person and what is best for them, as opposed to focusing on you, your company, your product, or the sale.

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2. Work on the relationship and the connection before you focus on the sale. Most salespeople are so focused on the sales process, the questions they need to ask, possible objections, and the points they need to make, that they forget to make a personal connection before proceeding with the sale. Look, you have to focus on the sales process at some point, just make sure you make a personal connection and build some rapport before moving into the sales portion of the call. When first interacting with someone, I’ve found a good way to make a connection is to think to myself “I really like this person and really want to help them”, and then focus completely on being positive and pleasant in the first few moments of the interaction. 3. Make a friend. Your first objective is to be likeable, agreeable, get along, and make a friend. Many times we want to impress people with how much we know and why they need to work with us. This can lead to us subtly, or not so subtly, debating them over what they think they need and what we know they need. This causes a disconnect and usually leads to objections such as: I need to check two other places, talk to someone else, or think about it. Your focus is not on showing the prospect how much you know or how little they know, or in getting in a debate with them. Whatever they think they need or say they want, do you best to agree november 2021

with them initially. Once you’ve connected with them and built some rapport, then they will be more open to your suggestions. Before you can educate the prospect and have them listen, or lead the prospect and have them follow, you must have a good connection and rapport.

These tips will help you build trust and rapport rapidly and make a good first impression. Once you’ve made a good first impression, make a good second, third impression, etc., by following up and doing what you say you’ll do when you say you’ll do it.

4. Focus completely on the person to whom you’re speaking.

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker, coach, and trainer. He has over 33 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia (Axiom Book Awards). John can be reached at johnchapin@ completeselling.com.

Be present with the person to whom you’re speaking and make sure you are paying close attention, asking good, thoughtful, relevant questions, and listening well. Do not focus on the phone in your pocket, the siren on the fire engine driving by, or the person who just walked in the door, give the person you’re talking to your undivided attention. 5. Treat each person as the most interesting person in the world. If you ask people who they are most interested in, the majority will say themselves if they answer honestly; treat them as if they are. Ooze caring, empathy, and understanding while keeping in mind that these feelings must be genuine. 6. Have friendly, relaxed conversations. Going back to that situation where you have a close friend who needs your product or service, imagine what that conversation would be like. Typically, it would be a friendly, relaxed conversation, like most conversations you have with them. This is your goal when speaking with prospects. If you are friendly and relaxed, they will most likely be friendly and relaxed eventually if not initially. People tend to be mirrors and return what you send out. If you are relaxed, open, conversational, and show you care, your prospects will usually follow your lead. 7. Make sure everything about you sends the right message. Make sure you are perceived as a consummate professional. Speak professionally and intelligently, in other words, use proper grammar and be knowledgeable about your industry. Dress the part and be well groomed, have a good handshake, make good eye contact, and conduct yourself professionally at all times.

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2021 JM Wilson CF Insurance Insight.indd 3

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Replacing professional liability requires attention to detail by Curtis M. Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA President – Pearsall Associates Inc. and Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program Much has been written about pricing increases, with professional liability probably most heavily impacted. This is prompting agencies to remarket the coverage, hoping to secure better pricing and terms. This can be fraught with problems unless your agency has a strong focus on details. What makes management of liability troublesome is that there is virtually no standardization of carriers’ coverage forms.

Consider these key issues: The app.

Accuracy is critical, so have the client complete the app. At minimum, ask the questions and document the answers

accordingly when meeting with the client. Ask the client to review and sign the app to ensure the information was taken down correctly. Information may have changed since last year, so be sure the app reflects current information.

Marketing timeframe. Allow sufficient time to propose the coverage, as the marketplace is currently difficult to predict. Review the carrier proposal.

Ensure the coverage requested is the coverage proposed – which is difficult to do without

reviewing the proposal. Secure a specimen form to identify any issues, especially reductions, which need to be brought to the client’s attention. Provide the client with the specimen form to enable them to review it and identify any issues of concern. Concern should be heightened when the coverage is reduced.

Coverage issues that can vary from carrier to another include, but are not limited to, the following: What activities are covered/excluded?

Significant differences involve the description of covered professional services/

covered activities. Providing the client with a specimen form will be especially helpful if a problem subsequently develops. Just because the activity is mentioned on the application does not mean coverage for that exposure is being provided. Review exclusions with the client to determine, to what degree, those exclusions are of concern.

Who is insured?

This is a common area where professional liability policies can vary from carrier to carrier.

Is there “full prior acts” or a “retroactive date”?

Professional liability is typically written on a claims-made form. There have been many large E&O claims dealing with a misunderstanding of this coverage form. The retroactive date will play a key role in whether there is coverage for a specific incident. Secure full prior acts coverage. If the professional liability contains a retroactive date, bring it to the customer’s attention and explain the significance.

Defense costs and how they work.

Defense costs can apply “in addition to” the limit of liability or “within” the limit of liability. The basic duty is to obtain the coverage requested. The customer makes the decision as to what to purchase. It would be better to offer the options and let the customer decide. Create a paper trail. Documenting these discussions in an email to the insured is critical.

Deductible or Self-insured retention. A deductible can apply to defense costs and the judgement, or possibly only require payment of the deductible if the client is determined to be liable. A self-insured retention may require the client to handle their defense until the limit is reached. Make sure your client understands their obligations at claim time.

5-R-1404 Ed. 8-21

Utica Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliated companies New Hartford, NY 13413

iia of il

So G Everything we do at the Association is for you, our members. Although we enjoyed parts of the Virtual 2020 CONVO, the biggest piece missing was getting to see and interact with so many of you face-to-face. Held at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL, on October 5-7, this year’s event brought back the elements of CONVO we all have come to know and love: Illinois’ largest industry tradeshow, one-of-a-kind education sessions led by industry experts, casino night, silent auction, and, of course, fun, fun, and fun! It felt good to be back in person and see those of you who could join us. The golf outing and education sessions kicked off the event, including the E&O Mock Trial and our nerdy best friend Beth Z, who presented Powered Productivity: Super Tech Tools to Help Us Get Stuff Done. Our Dutch Dine Around dinners and some company-hosted outings allowed attendees to network in a casual, intimate setting. Everyone came back for the popular casino night hosted by Young Agents. With the support of attendees, the Young Agents Committee was able to raise $800 for the Make-AWish Foundation. The General Session on Wednesday morning included two keynote presenters: Harrison Brooks of Reagan Consulting and Alyson Van Hooser. Both brought the house down with their presentations. Attendees couldn’t get enough and literally packed their afternoon breakout sessions. Attendees reported having lots of takeaways, and valuable information were some of the keywords I heard from those that attended. Our General Session also included the award presentations for Agent of the Year, Agency of the Year, Young Agent of the Year, Regional Director of the Year, and Chairperson of the Year. Check out the accompanying pages for pictures of some of the recipients. Following the General Session, we started what I believe will be a new tradition! Lunch featured local food trucks so everyone could get a taste of Springfield flair. It was all delicious, and we already have requests for items to feature next year. After lunch, attendees headed back to more breakout sessions where they could customize their schedules to fit their interests. The range of topics included sales, cyber, home-sharing, emerging trend roundtables, a legislative update, employment-related litigation, and more - a little something for everyone.

inside. But we made the best of it, and attendees enjoyed the great music from The Shenanigans and watched the MLB game on the big screen. The IIAPAC Silent Auction was back by popular demand and had a plethora of items for everyone to place bids. This year’s event raised $6,000 for IIAPAC and $2,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event wrapped up Thursday morning with the State of the Association Address and Carrier Executives Panel featuring Dan Connell with Pekin Insurance, Rich Meuret with Liberty Mutual, Jim Schwalen with West Bend Mutual Insurance, and Jamie Whisnant of Auto-Owners Insurance. Topics discussed included workforce changes due to the pandemic, perpetuation and M&A, insuretech tools, change in marketing strategies, diversity, customer experience, and many more. Finally, a big thank you to everyone who came to get together with us. It was wonderful to have everyone back in person and to see all of you! Thank you to the exhibiting & sponsoring companies for supporting the event and the IIA of IL members. This event would not be possible without these groups coming together, and we thank you! Plans are already underway for 2022 - back at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, October 4-6. Make sure you save the dates on your calendar now. Photo highlights can be found on the Association’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/iiaofil. Session recordings will be available to attendees soon. Wishing you could have attended this year to hear the great speakers? Stay tuned to www.ilconvention.com – we have a special announcement coming soon!

The tradeshow was the star of the show with over 100 exhibitors providing information to attendees. Seeing everyone back together, sharing and collaborating, was definitely a highlight! Check out the website for a list of all the exhibitors. We finished Wednesday with the Party in the Parking Lot, which, due to weather, had to be moved

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november 2021

Good to Get Together

By Shannon Churchill

Award Recipients

Agency of the Year

Daniel McNeely

Bailey Family Insurance

Unland Companies

Young Agent of the Year

Regional Director of the Year

Chairman of the Year

Agent of the Year

Tyler Sandrock

(Less than 10 Employees)

Joe Heneghan

(10+ Employees)

Randy Jacobs

Photo Highlights on Next Pages november 2021

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INSIGHT | associate news Thank you to our Associate Members.

Diamond Level

Platinum Level

Progressive Surplus Line Association of Illinois

Gold Level AAA Insurance Arlington/Roe Blue Cross/Blue Shield of IL Keystone Insurance Group, Inc. Pekin Insurance

Silver Level Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company Imperial PFS

IMT Insurance West Bend Mutual Insurance Co.

Bronze Level A. J. Wayne & Associates AMERISAFE Auto-Owners Insurance Co. Badger Mutual Insurance Company Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Companies Chubb ClickVSC Columbia Insurance Group Continental Western Group Cowbell Cyber CRC Group Donald Gaddis Company, Inc. Donegal Insurance Group EMC Insurance Encompass Insurance Encova Insurance Foremost Choice Property & Casualty Foremost Signature Auto & Home Forreston Mutual Insurance Company Frankenmuth Insurance Grange Insurance Homeowners of America Insurance Company Illinois Mine Subsidence Ins. Fund Illinois Public Risk Fund Indiana Farmers Insurance Insurance Program Managers Group 32

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J C Restoration J M Wilson Kemper Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance Madison Mutual Insurance Company Marble Box Marsh, Berry & Company Maximum Independent Brokerage, LLC Mercury Insurance Group Midwest Insurance Company Nationwide Previsor Insurance PuroClean Emergency Restoration Services RT Specialty - Naperville ServiceMaster DSI Society Insurance Specialty Risk of America Synergy Select The McGowan Companies Travelers UIG - The Agent Agency United Fire Group Utica National Insurance Group W. A. Schickedanz Agency, Inc./Interstate Risk Placement Western National Insurance Westfield november 2021

associate news | INSIGHT Rockford Mutual Insurance Company Named One of 2021 Best Places to Work in Illinois

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company (RMIC) was recently named as one of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Illinois. This awards program began in 2006, promoted by The Daily Herald Business Ledger in partnership with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, MRA-The Management Association, the Small Business Advocacy Council and Best Companies Group. This statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Illinois, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce and businesses. The 2021 Best Places to Work in Illinois list is made up of 35 companies in the small employer category (15-99 U.S. employees), 22 companies in the medium employer category (100-499 U.S. employees), and 12 companies in the large employer category (500 or more U.S. employees). RMIC has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Illinois in the small category. Statewide, companies entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Illinois. Approximately 25% of the total valuation is based on workplace policies, practices and demographics; while 75% of the total valuation is based off of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Illinois, analyzing the data and using their expertise to determine the final rankings. RMIC will be recognized and honored at the Best Places to Work in Illinois awards virtual ceremony coordinated by The Daily Herald Business Ledger on Thursday, May 13. The final rankings will be announced at the event, posted on the Business Ledger website, and published in a special commemorative section on June 21. An unranked list of all honorees will be announced in the April 26 issue of the Business Ledger.

West Bend Honored as a National Best Company and Workplace

West Bend Mutual Insurance Company was recently honored with several best company/best workplace honors from national organizations. America’s Best Insurance Companies 2022 In its inaugural edition of this national award list, West Bend was recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Insurance Companies 2022! This recognition was created through a survey of 16,000 U.S. consumers who provided recommendations for insurance products in seven categories: Auto, Homeowners, Renters, Pet, Term Life, Permanent Life, and Dental. Consumers were asked about their overall satisfaction with their insurance products and their willingness to recommend them to others. Forbes also assessed the quality of the company’s customer service, financial advice, price/performance ratio, transparency, and damage/benefit ratio. Of the thousands of companies eligible for this recognition, West Bend is one of only 90 to make this list. America’s Best-In-State Employers The company was named one of America’s Best-In-State Employers in 2021 by Forbes and market research company Statista. After compiling anonymous survey responses from 80,000 Americans working for companies with at least 500 employees, the final list of 1,330 employers was divided into 51 rankings, one for each state and the District of Columbia. West Bend ranked ninth and was the highestranked insurance company on the list of 75 Wisconsin employers. America’s Best Employers for Women Forbes and market research company Statista named West Bend one of America’s Best Employers for Women in 2021. West Bend was a top-10 company in the insurance industry. The 300 companies included on the list were chosen based on an independent survey of 50,000 employees currently employed at companies with at least 1,000 workers in their U.S. operations. The survey sought opinions from all respondents on general work topics like working conditions and development opportunities. It also asked women to rate their own employers on topics especially relevant to women, such as parental leave, flexibility, discrimination, and pay equity. Best Workplaces for Millennials™ Fortune and Great Place to Work® recognized West Bend as one of the Best Workplaces for Millennials in 2021. Inclusion on the list was based on anonymous survey feedback to more than 60 questions. Eighty-five percent of the award evaluation was based on what millennials say about their experiences of trust and reaching their full human potential as part of their organization, no matter who they are or what they do.

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INSIGHT | agency members in the news TW Group, Inc. Celebrates 75th Year Anniversary

The year was 1946, when 24-year-old Naval Bombardier Tom Walsh finished his enlistment and returned from war. On the advice of one of his Naval Officers/mentors, he entered the insurance business as an agent trainee at the Travelers Insurance Company. He spent his first few years working at 175 West Jackson in Chicago, known as the Insurance Exchange building. Upon completion of training, Tom moved his agency to the Southwest side of Chicago and began doing business as the Tom “Insurance” Walsh and Associates agency. The agency grew and added other insurance company partners while focusing on commercial and personal property and casualty and some life and health lines of business. In 1972, Tom moved the business to Hinsdale to get closer to the I-88 (formerly I-5) corridor where many commercial opportunities were growing. For years, Tom and his wife, Mary Anne built and worked the business together, while also raising their 10 children. In 1976 the first of three children Mary Therese (Teri) joined the agency. At the same time, Tom Jr. entered the Travelers Agent Development Program (thirty years after his dad) and began his insurance career. In 1979, Tom Jr. completed the Travelers program and joined his parents and sister in the family agency. The agency lost Its founder, Tom Sr., to cancer in 1980, but to this day continues to immulate his ethical and professional commitment to their clientele and agency partners.

Cooley Joins Allen Insurance Group

Lisa Allen, owner of Allen Insurance Group, LLC, is pleased to announce that Laramie Cooley has joined the Allen Insurance Group team as a Licensed Insurance Agent. Laramie comes to Allen Insurance Group with over seven years of insurance and sales experience. Her experience and skills will increase the company’s capacity to meet the needs of the area customers as the company continues to grow. “I’m thrilled to join Lisa and her team. We’ve known each other for years and I’ve always appreciated the respect and dedication that each customer receives,” Laramie said. “I look forward to helping customers find the perfect level of coverage and value to protect their family or business while working with a truly talented group of professionals.” Laramie, and her husband Sean, live in Edwardsville with their two kids and enjoy making the community their own. Originally a military family, they decided to make our area theirs 10 years ago. Allen Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency located in the Maryville/Edwardsville area that offers personal home, auto, business, and life insurance coverages. As an independent agency they are able to reach out to several different insurance carriers in order to find the best match of coverage for each individual need. Allen Insurance Group was established in 2015 by Lisa Allen and the group brings together over 20 years combined insurance experience in the Illinois and Missouri markets.

Tom Jr. and Mary Anne (Mom) continued growing the business, while Teri moved to Connecticut to complete her college education. Teri eventually stayed in Connecticut and became partner and then owner of Sachs Walsh Insurance in Westport, CT. Bob Walsh also joined the agency after college and worked a number of years before focusing on the benefits business and starting a benefits agency of his own. In 1992, the agency again suffered the loss of one of its founders, when Mary Anne (Mom) was killed in a car accident. Shortly after Mary Anne’s passing, another Mary (Tom Jr.’s wife) joined the firm. In 1993, the agency re-branded as the TW Group, Inc. as it is known today. In January of 2000, the agency moved from Hinsdale to Westmont and in 2006 built the office building it currently resides in today. The second-generation family-owned agency has 18 employees, represents multiple standard insurance companies, and remains dedicated to building a clientele with their best interests in mind, one relationship at a time. The team at TW Group is looking forward to year 76 and beyond! The IIA of IL Board of Directors and Staff send a big congratulations to TW Group.

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november 2021

Board of Directors Profiles Steve Foster

Farm Agents Council Representative Musso Insurance Agency, LLC, Virden, IL Agency Owner Number of Years with Agency: 10 Year You Started in Insurance: 2006 Education: Bachelors Degree from Blackburn College What do you feel are major challenges facing our Association today? I feel the association is fighting an uphill battle with our lawmakers. It seems our lawmakers are constantly attacking our licensing dues, or taxation inside life insurance policies. The association does a great job of trying to keeping on top of these issues. What do you see at the greatest benefit to IIA of IL membership? The networking with carrier representatives and other like minded individuals. Most agency owners are very similar, we have similar staff sizes and similar issues inside the office. The networking events allow agency owners to exchange ideas about the best way to deal with issues facing our agency.

Jeff McMillan

At-Large Board Member

McMillan Insurance Services, Inc, Gilman, IL President Number of Years with Agency: 20 Year You Started in Insurance: 1989 Education: Graduate of the University of Illinois What do you feel are major challenges facing our Association today? I feel the biggest challenge today is finding quality people to work in our agencies. What suggestions do you have to respond to these challenges? I think we need to get out into the high schools and colleges and let the future workforce see what our industry actually does and how rewarding it can be.

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What do you see at the greatest benefit to IIA of IL membership? There are many benefits to belonging to the association from education to legislative updates but I feel my biggest benefit is the camaraderie of the other agents that I meet through the association. insight

INSURANCE PROGRAM MANAGERS GROUP CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SERVICES

IN THE WORLD OF INSURANCE, CLAIMS DO HAPPEN. IPMG’s Claims Management Services division (CMS) is that partner. As a full-service claims management company, IPMG CMS accepts the responsibility and expects to be held accountable for the results we achieve on behalf of our clients.

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Workers’ compensation claims management Property and liability claims management Auto liability and physical damage claims management Professional liability claims management » Strong emphasis on public entity and long-term care sectors Nurse case management Risk management/loss control Medical bill review Pharmacy benefit management Aggressive litigation management Utilization review Electronic claim reporting with immediate acknowledgment and adjuster assignment 4-hour assigned adjuster contact on every claim Online claim review including adjuster notes and financials Industry leading analytics with national database for benchmarking purposes

INTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL AND COST CONTAINMENT PRACTICES: » Adjuster book of business analysis – to ensure workload does not affect service levels » Closing ration analysis – a monthly review to ensure adjusters are achieving maximum production » Claims diary tracking » Formal litigation handling guidelines and practices » Comprehensive medical bill review – average 59% cost reduction » Pharmacy benefit program – average 35% cost reduction » ISO claims search » Medicare section 111 data reporting and compliance

For more information please contact:

MIKE CASTRO

BOB SPRING

Sr. VP, Claims Management Services Mike.Castro@ipmg.com 630.485.5895

VP, New Business Development Bob.Spring@ipmg.com 630.485.5885

iia of il news | INSIGHT

Education Classes november

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E&O-Homeowners Endorsements & PIM Webinar Pre-Licensing-Property & Casualty Virtual E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto & Umbrella Ins Webinar CIC - Commercial Property Springfield & Virtual

n! Perso

In-

Agents E&O: Duties, Operations, Checklists Webinar E&O – Meeting the Challenge of Change Webinar E&O Roadmap To Cyber & Privacy Insurance Webinar Pre-Licensing-Life & Health Virtual Agents E&O: Documentation, Social Media, Cyber Webinar E&O: Identity Theft, Red Flags, and Money Laundering Webinar CISR - Personal Lines Miscellaneous erson! Springfield In-P

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december

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E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto Webinar Flood Insurance and the NFIP Webinar Agents E&O: Duties, Operations, Checklists and More Webinar Pre-Licensing-Life & Health Virtual E&O-Roadmap to Homeowners Endorsements Webinar The Evolution of Ethics in Insurance Webinar Pre-Licensing-Property & Casualty Virtual E&O – Meeting the Challenge of Change Webinar CIC-Ruble Virtual Agents E&O: Documentation, Social Media, Cyber Webinar E&O Roadmap to Personal Auto Webinar CISR-Insuring Personal Auto Exposure Virtual E&O: Identity Theft, Red Flags, and Money Laundering Webinar

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INSIGHT | classifieds for the insurance professional by the insurance professional

OPPORTUNITIES/SPACE AVAILABLE/RETAIN OWNERSHIP

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Nancy Solomon Martini, Miller & Schloss, Inc. (847) 291-1313 Ron@martini-miller.com

AGENCY WANTED

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Visit www.ciagonline.com for contact information.

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.

INSURANCE AGENT POSITION AVAILABLE

19. Lansing, Illinois agency is seeking an Insurance Agent to join our team! You will be responsible for expanding the company’s book of business by selling various types of insurance policies to new and existing clients. • Must have at least 3 years insurance experience and active Illinois AND Indiana Insurance license for P&C and Life & Health (resident and/or non-resident) • No sales quotas • Outlook Mail and Microsoft Office Products • Knowledge of AMS360 a plus, not required

Cheryl Abbott Schultz Insurance Agency (708) 474-1310

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

GALO Insurance Agency, Inc (847) 832-0888 steve@galoagency.com

insight

november 2021

Commercial | Personal | Farm-Ag | Specialty

Matthew B. Illinois Sales Manager

Tricia B. Personal Lines Underwriter

Tyler H. Agribusiness Lines

Underwriter

Honest relationships SECURA’s team of insurance experts is making insurance genuine. They are here to support you and your clients. Our underwriting teams are quick to reply, open-minded, and know their stuff. Plus they are backed by our caring claims group who will get your clients back on their feet.

Interested in building a relationship? Contact us at secura.net/IL-agents.

Tyler S. Specialty Lines Underwriter

Kelly L. Commercial Lines Underwriter

Hear from our experts. Want to learn more about what SECURA has to offer? Scan the QR code or visit secura.net/IL-agents for more information about the SECURA team.

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