Wisconsin Independent Agent | December 2022 Magazine

FROM THE IIAW

“Let me consult my crystal ball.”

SAID NO AGENT EVER.

There’s no hocus pocus needed to find the right small business coverage. Think BOP-Pro from UFG Insurance. BOP-Pro helps take the complexity out of small business insurance with more than 35 property and liability coverages. It can even be tailored with coverage boosting endorsements, especially when it comes to the unique needs of restaurants and contractors.

But don’t take our word for it. Check out BOP-Pro products from UFG today. No crystal ball required.

ufginsurance.com/bop-pro

COVER STORY:

We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season. Come one, come all - InsurCon registration is now open! This month's magazine covers all the info you need to know about this year's event.

INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN

725 John Nolen Drive Madison, Wisconsin 53713

Phone: (608) 256-4429 Fax: (608) 256-0170 www.iiaw.com

2022-2023 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President: Nick Arnoldy | Marshfield Insurance Agency, Inc., Marshfield

President-Elect: Michael Ansay | Ansay & Associates, Port Washington

Secretary-Treasurer: Joanne Lukas Szymaszek | Johnson Insurance Services, LLC, Racine

Chairman of the Board: Marc Petersen | American Advantage - Petersen Group, New Berlin

State National Director: Steve Leitch | Leitch Insurance, River Falls

2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Janel Bazan | Avid Risk Solutions/Assured Partners, Middleton

Mike Harrison | R&R Insurance Services, Inc., Waukesha

Aaron Marsh | Marsh Insurance Services, Inc., Rice Lake

Kash Motlani | Ansay & Associates, Inc., Port Washington

Dan Lau | Robertson Ryan & Associates, Milwaukee

Andrea Nelson | Unisource Insurance Associates, LLC, Wauwatosa

Brad Reitzner | M3 Insurance Solutions, Madison

IIAW Staff

Matt Banaszynski | Chief Executive Officer 608.256.4429 • matt@iiaw.com

Mallory Cornell | Vice President and Director of Risk Management 608.210.2975 • mallory@iiaw.com

Kim Kramp | Accounting Supervisor 608.210.2976 • kim@iiaw.com

Trisha Ours | Director of Insurance Services 608.210.2973 • trisha@iiaw.com

Evan Leitch | Agency Solutions Advisor 608.210.2971 • evan@iiaw.com

Kaylyn Staudt | Marketing and Communications Coordinator 608.210.2977 • kaylyn@iiaw.com

Jeff Thiel | Director of Agency Success 608.256.4429 • jeff@iiaw.com

Andrea Michelz | Education & Membership Engagement Coordinator 608.210.2972 • andrea@iiaw.com

Diana

Wisconsin Independent Agent is the official magazine of the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin (IIAW) and is published monthly by IIAW

725 John Nolen Drive, Madison WI 53713. Phone: 608.256-4429. IIAW does not necessarily endorse any of the companies advertising in publication or the views of the writers. IIAW reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject advertising that does not meet IIAW qualifications or which may detract from its business, professional or ethical standards. © 2022 For information on advertising, contact Kaylyn Staudt, 608.210.2977 or kaylyn@iiaw.com.

Company Spotlight Integrity Insurance

With a long history of supporting independent agents, an “A” rating from A.M. Best and a customizable lineup of home, auto, life and business insurance, Integrity Insurance offers the stability of a large insurance carrier and the personalized service of a small business. Integrity builds productive, unique relationships with our agents and combines that with a focus on Ease of Doing Business® that gives our agents the best chance to succeed.

Proud Partners with Grange Insurance

Integrity's partnership with Grange Insurance is more than two decades strong. The relationship gives Integrity access to modern insurance products and services that create a better experience for customers and agents.

Commercial Lines

Integrity offers our agents a crystal-clear appetite that covers more than 1,700 classes and a wide variety of commercial products including Businessowner’s Policy (BOP), Commercial Package, Worker’s Comp, Commercial Umbrella and Commercial Auto.

Integrity also provides coverages such as, Cyber and Employment Practices and Liability Insurance and Equipment Breakdown Coverage that’s crucial for your clients in the modern workplace.

Our commitment to providing the best to our agent partners

Committed. Connected. Partners.

includes services and policies that are true differentiators. Our 36-Month Package Policy offers rate stability for your clients. Our Commercial Service Center takes care of the little things so you can grow your business. Our Risk Management Consulting team gives businesses of any size a partner to help identify issues and develop solutions.

Personal Lines

Integrity Personal Lines offers a full suite of customizable Home and Auto products that can help agents meet the needs of any client.

Additional coverages such as ID Theft, Cyber, Umbrella and Underground Service Line give your clients the peace of mind and protection they expect from their insurance. OnTrack, our usage-based auto insurance app, can help your clients earn a discount with their safe driving.

Life

Backed by Kansas City Life, Integrity agents can offer their policyholders a variety of life insurance and financial products including Term Life, Whole Life and Annuities. Visit kclife.com for more information.

A Digital World

Integrity policyholders and agents have access to the latest developments in technology. Policyholders can access their billing and policy documents from any desktop or mobile device with our Integrity Insurance app or a MyIntegrity online account.

Policyholders can also pay their bills via EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) and receive claims payments via electronic claims payment. Integrity also has self-service options for policyholders such as our DIY Home Inspection tool and our Easy Snap for minor auto claims.

Integrity Insurance has been Committed, Connected, Partners for its independent agents as a stable, supportive presence for their business. For more information about Integrity, visit integrityinsurance.com.

Contact: Cathy Colón Regional Sales Manager (920) 968-9326 ccolon@imico.com

About Integrity Insurance

Integrity Insurance was established in 1933 and offers auto, home, business and life insurance protection through a network of independent agents throughout Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. With partner Grange Insurance based in Columbus, Ohio — the 13-state Grange Enterprise has $3.3 billion in assets and $1.4 billion in annual revenue and holds an A.M. Best rating of "A" (Excellent). Learn more by visiting integrityinsurance.com.

Schedule of Events

TUESDAY, MAY 16TH

1PM-5PM

Founders Wing

BRENT KELLY President of Sitkins Group

8PM-11PM NETWORKING SOCIAL

Mineshaft

Hosted by the IIAW Emerging Leaders

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17TH

8AM-9AM

EAA Main Entrance

9AM-1:15PM

EAA Breakout Rooms

BREAKFAST

FLIGHT PATHS

Brent Kelly, Sitkins Group, brings his extensive hands-on insurance industry experience to InsurCon2023. Our kickoff presentation for this year’s event, Brent will help you gain influence, maximize your potential and grow your book of business.

Join us at Mineshaft where will be enjoying food, drinks and games. Our evening social is included in your InsurCon registration.

Stop by the registration desk at the EAA Main Entrance to pick up your breakfast before heading to your flight paths.

Choose the breakout session that aligns with your interests. Grab-n-go lunch will be provided in each breakout session. See our InsurCon Packet for more information about each flight path.

TOP GUN COMMUNICATION & NEGOTIATION SKILLS AGENCY PLANNING: MAPPING FUTURE FLIGHT PATHS

New Level Partners

Every insurance professional must be skilled to influence or negotiate on a regular basis, so this flight path is open to anyone looking to improve in these areas.

1:30PM-4PM EXHIBITOR

Education Center

Carey Wallace, Agency Focus Security Financial Bank

Josh Johanningmeier, IIAW General Counsel

We encourage current and future leaders within the agency and industry to come learn more about the future of the independent agency.

SHOWCASE

FLIGHT PATH TO DIGITAL MARKETING

Viral Solutions

Enhance your digital presence, both personally and as a brand, during this hands-on digital marketing experience.

Grab a drink from the bar and experience the EAA’s brand new Education Center while you network with other professionals. Agency attendees can win great prizes during Blackout Bingo and exhibitor Super Door Prize Giveaways.

Take time to clear your emails, check into your hotel and catch up with old friends prior to the exciting evening lineup.

Celebrate our 2023 awards winners in the Eagle Hangar. Join us as we present Rick Parks, CEO of Society Insurance with the EJ Tapping Lifetime Achievement Award. Eagle Hangar 5PM-6PM AWARDS CEREMONY

Eagle Hangar 6PM-7PM

EAA Museum 7PM-10PM

PRESENTATION Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman

This year’s evening entertainment features Waldo Waldman! Waldo is a real-world Top Gun, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, executive coach and expert on resilience, overcoming adversity & managing change.

Our final event for InsurCon will surely end this year’s convention on a high note. Take in over 200 historic aircraft while enjoying dinner, drinks and networking. The IIAW has reserved the EAA Museum exclusively for this evening event!

Choose Your Flight Path

Choose the flight path that best fits your interests, and get ready to take off at InsurCon2023!

TOP GUN COMMUNICATION & NEGOTIATION

SKILLS

New Level Partners

New Level Partners will lead the engaging & interactive Top Gun Communication & Negotiation Skills flight path. This workshop will include essential preparation steps to improve your negotiation readiness. Gain techniques for creating an impactful opener, dropping an anchor early, responding to “no,” and handle objections with confidence.

FLIGHT PATH TO DIGITAL MARKETING

Viral Solutions

The superstar pilots at Viral Solutions will lead this Flight Path to Digital Marketing, guiding you through developing a balanced and effective marketing strategy, creating compelling content for your website and enhancing your company’s internal and external communication with tips for generating clear and simple messaging.

AGENCY PLANNING: MAPPING FUTURE FLIGHT PATHS

Carey Wallace (Agency Focus), Security Financial Bank Josh Johanningmeier (IIAW General Counsel - Godfrey & Kahn)

Sometimes financial & legal planning at an agency take a backburner to day-today activities. However, understanding your financials is a critical component of your operational and strategic success. Come soar with this workshop’s industry experts as we explore perpetuation and financial planning, carrier contracts, legal issues, banking strategies and so much more more to help you take your agency to new heights.

CON

EAA

Our keynote speaker:

Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman, The Wingman, is a Hall of Fame leadership speaker, executive coach and the author of the New York Times Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Never Fly

. He teaches organizations how to build trusting, revenue producing relationships with their employees, partners and customers while sharing his experiences as a combat decorated F-16 fighter pilot, sales manager and entrepreneur.

Learn more about Waldo Waldman and watch his inspiring video: bit.ly/MeetWaldo

Speaker Lineup

BRENT KELLY, SITKINS GROUP

Brent Kelly is the President of Sitkins Group, the leading firm for empowering independent insurance agencies to become their best version possible. As a sought-after expert in the industry, he has worked with several of the top 100 agencies in the country to help them gain clarity, build consistency and maximize their performance. Brent’s deep expertise has led him to partner with the Cincinnati Insurance Company and Reagan Consulting as an integral part of the Agency Leadership Institute.

CAREY WALLACE, AGENCY FOCUS

Carey Wallace is a relationshipfocused proven leader who is passionate about helping small businesses win. She’s focused on helping small business owners leverage data to make informed business decisions, grow and succeed.

JOSH JOHANNINGMEIER, IIAW GENERAL COUNSEL

Josh serves as the IIAW’s General Counsel, helping members navigate the complexities of the law as it pertains to the various aspects of our industry.

MEAGAN VAN AHN, VIRAL SOLUTIONS

Coming from years in the nonprofit sector, Meagan understands that a story is the best tool you have to win people over. Meagan’s career has focused on creating content, managing creative teams and building strategic partnerships.

NEW LEVEL PARTNERS

Over the last twenty years, New Level Partners has proven that insurance training doesn’t have to be boring. With their learning approach, they achieve what many think is impossible - making insurance training enjoyable.

SECURITY FINANCIAL BANK

At SFB, they understand the complexities of the insurance industry. They have created a niche, right here in Wisconsin, in working with and lending to independent insurance agencies.

AARON SALATA, VIRAL SOLUTIONS

Aaron has spent 15 years in sales leadership roles in insurance and insurtech industries. Currently, he leads the sales team at Viral Solutions, partnering with insurance agencies across the country to help them GROW!

TOM VON AHN, VIRAL SOLUTIONS

From life insurance to kitchen cabinets, if you can name it, Tom has probably sold it at some point in his career. Today he is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Oshkosh-based Viral Solutions, where he focuses on helping his clients navigate the ever-changing waters of marketing. With a deep knowledge of both sales and marketing psychology, Tom knows how to build a marketing strategy that works.

Registration Information

Registration open now at iiaw.com/insurcon.

Includes:

• Admission into all events and activities

• Lunch, dinner and two drink tickets

Includes:

• Admission into all events and activities

• Lunch, dinner and two drink tickets

Event Information

Hotel Information

Hilton Garden Inn: 1355 W. 20th Avenue in Oshkosh (1.8 miles away from EAA)

Comfort Suites: 400 South Koeller St. in Oshkosh (1.8 miles away from EAA)

Best Western: 1 North Main Street St. in Oshkosh (3.5 miles away from EAA)

Holiday Inn & Hotel & Suites: 2251 Westowne Ave. in Oshkosh (4.3 miles away from EAA)

TownePlace Suites: 1365 North Westfield St. in Oshkosh (4.3 miles away from EAA)

Feel free to stay at any of the hotel options Oshkosh has to offer. No room block code is required this year.

Dress Code

During sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, our dress code will be business casual for the events at EAA. Mineshaft attendees can dress casual for this fun networking event.

For more information, please visit our website, iiaw.com/insurcon.

Includes:

• Admission into awards ceremony, keynote, dinner and evening social only

Networking Event

Join us for a fun night of networking at Mineshaft in Oshkosh on Tuesday, May 16th! Mineshaft is a fun-filled restaurant that offers food, drinks and plenty of game time in their expansive Game Room! Registration for this event is included with your InsurCon2023 registration.

Coming Soon - Event App

New for InsurCon2023 we are offering an event app, coming soon! Attendees and exhibitors can access the app to see the exhibitor booth map, session information, event schedule and so much more right at their fingertips. We’ll also use the app to send out push notifications about different InsurCon activities (such as Door Prize winners) leading up to and throughout the event.

Questions

Please call the IIAW at 608-256-4429 or email info@iiaw.com with any questions. Refer to iiaw. com/insurcon for complete event details.

In 1919, A group of Pennsylvania farmers founded Penn National Insurance to provide affordable workers’ compensation insurance.

Today, Penn National Insurance sells property-casualty insurance in 11 states by partnering with more than 1,200 independent agency operations. In 2012, we affiliated with Wisconsin-based, Partners Mutual Insurance Company. As one company, we bring the personal attention and local focus of a regional carrier, along with the quality of products and ser vices of national carriers.

Interested in partnering with a thriving insurance carrier with superior customer experience? We are looking for select commercial-lines agencies in Wisconsin.

Contact: Vicki Lentz 262-432-3420 vlentz@pnat.com

Contact: Clayton Zogata 715-383-5454 czogata@pnat.com

• Strong financial performance and A.M. Best Financial Strength Rating of A-

• Expanded Commercial Lines products and services with competitive pricing and comprehensive coverages to help our agents grow profitably

• Comprehensive Personal Lines product offerings, including Homeowners Equipment Breakdown and additional protection plans

• State-of-the-art quoting, processing and self-service tools, making it easier and faster to meet your customers’ needs

• Local, experienced underwriting, claims and management staff

E M P L O Y E E P R O T E C T I O N S

W i s c o n s i n e m p l o y e e s a r e p r o t e c t e d ( w a g e s a n d m e d i c a l c o s t s ) f r o m a n y i n j u r y t h a t o c c u r s a t w o r k .

E M P L O Y E R P R O T E C T I O N S B R O A D C O V E R A G E

E m p l o y e r s a r e p r o t e c t e d f r o m f r i v o l o u s l a w s u i t s .

W o r k e r s g a v e u p t h e r i g h t t o s u e i n r e t u r n f o r b e n e f i t s .

W i s c o n s i n ' s W o r k e r ' s C o m p i n s u r a n c e p r o g r a m i n s u r e s c o v e r a g e f o r n e a r l y e v e r y o n e e m p l o y e d i n W i s c o n s i n .

A S S U R E S P R O G R A M I S U P T O D A T E

T h e W o r k e r ' s C o m p A d v i s o r y C o u n c i l m a k e s u p d a t e s e a c h s e s s i o n t o k e e p p a c e w i t h m a r k e t c h a n g e s .

B A L A N C E D S Y S T E M L E A D S T O C O M P R O M I S E

A n e x c e e n o u c e o C A v a m n E a n d v a m n K H a s a n o x d a n p o p e e s

S T A B I L I T Y P R E V E N T S U N K N O W N S

L a b o r , M a n a g e m e n t , D e m o c r a t s a n d R e p u b l i c a n s a l l h a v e a s a y o n a n y p r o p o s e d c h a n g e s t o t h e l a w .

T h e s y s t e m h a s w o r k e d f o r m o r e t h a n 1 0 0 y e a r s . B o t h s i d e s k n o w w h a t t o e x p e c t a n d w o r k t o k e e p c o s t s d o w n .

WORKER'S COMP WORKS IN WISCONSIN

The goal of the Wisconsin Worker's Comp Works Coalition is to preserve what is nationally known as the most stable and reliable worker's compensation system in the country.

The coalition includes a diverse group of employers, trade associations and policy makers committed to protecting the system and the role the Worker's Compensation Advisory Council (council) plays keeping the system up to date. Activities include educating employers, policy makers and influencers about what it is, how it came about, how it works and why it works.

What it is

Wisconsin's worker's compensation system stands out as one of the state's most notable legislative accomplishments. As the oldest continually effective worker's compensation law in the U.S., it has been repeatedly praised, by labor and management alike, as a model for the nation. It returns workers to their jobs faster than virtually any other state. It costs, including the cost of administration and adjudication, are borne entirely by employers and insurers without the use of any tax dollars.

How it came about

Wisconsin's worker's compensation law became effective on May 3, 1911. Prior to that, workers injured on the job received no compensation for their loss unless they could show that the employer or some other party was guilty of negligence that caused the injury. If they did so, they met the three most common defenses to such actions: contributory negligence, assumption of risk and the fellow servant rule, which prevented workers from recovering against the employer for negligence caused by a coworker.

Why it works

The Wisconsin law is often referred to as the Grand Bargain. Under the agreement, employers have committed to provide compensation for the basic economic loss caused by work injury - primarily medical expenses and some compensation for loss of earnings.

In return, employees gave up the right to bring a civil claim

in tort against employers, and therefore gave up the right to claim genera damages and agreed to accept the limited benefits provided by the worker's compensation act.

How it works

What was most notable and truly unique to Wisconsin, is that the worker's compensation system is both a product of, and a continuing project for, both labor and management working in cooperation.

Since enactment, a group of business and labor representatives have developed changes to the worker's compensation system. In 1967 the legislature codified this activity by creating the council which under state law consists of five representatives of employers and five representatives of employees and is presided over the Administrator of the Worker's Compensation Division of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Since its inception, operated through the "agreed bill" process. The council meets regularly, and each side makes proposals. Public hearings are then held to collect comments on the proposals.

The council, after negotiations, puts together a bill with whatever amendments to the law have received unanimous approval from all members of the council. That bill is then sent to the legislature and has traditionally passed without change.

The system works because the council provides balance by allowing the council to be a step removed from partisan political influence of the party in charge at the time. Other states that don't have a moderating council risk being exposed to the winds of politics.

The Worker's Comp Works Coalition is working to bring present day stakeholders together to maintain and strengthen this proven system. Visit us online at workerscompwork.org to learn more.

REVIEWING CONTRACT LANGUAGE FOR CERTIFICATE REQUESTS

“I need a certificate of insurance. Please see the attached contract for requirements.”Sound familiar? Many commercial lines customers will simply share the contract for the agency to review and fulfill the certificate of insurance request. This is not only a time-consuming task, but some contracts may be very technical and long in nature.

It is not realistic to believe the behaviors of those making these requests can be changed, but what can be done is to change the way in which an agency responds to these requests. An agency should feel empowered and encouraged to review its current workflow and identify opportunities to improve the process. Process improvement includes streamlining the response to certificate requests (without sacrificing quality or service).

Here are two quick and easy steps to consider for updating the agency’s response to certificates of insurance, especially the requests that include a contract to review:

1. Have one or more dedicated personnel who respond to certificate requests. Having dedicated staff for certificates provides ownership to the process, helps prioritize responses to certificate requests, and minimizes the exposure of errors in certificate requests by maintaining consistency in responses.

2. Utilize standard language, where possible. An agency should be cautious if filling in specific

information in the Description of Operations section of the ACORD form. Staff should also, when possible, use a potential disclaimer to protect themselves from any contract interpretation.

When responding to a certificate of insurance request, always include standard language. Here is an example of what should be included in the email (hint: use Microsoft QuickParts to easily input the text into an email).

“Attached you will find the certificate of insurance as requested. Certificates are issued based on our review of the insurance requirements provided and the insurance coverage included in the current insurance program. Please review the certificate and your contract to be certain the coverage provided meets your contractual obligations. Please contact our agency to request any needed changes.”

Updating internal workflows can seem like a timeconsuming task, but often there are quick and easy changes that can make work more efficient and protect the agency from errors while maintaining strong customer service. If your agency is interested in reviewing your current response to certificate requests or any other internal workflows, please feel free to contact me at mallory@iiaw.com.

> Mallory Cornell, Vice President, IIAW

PERSONAL LINES

BACK TO BASICS - WHAT IS A PERSONAL UMBRELLA POLICY?

Personal lines policies offer liability coverage limits that protect your insureds if they injure someone or damage their property. But with today's ever-increasing jury verdicts, it's not hard to see how a minor accident can morph into something that plows through, if you'll excuse the pun, the $300,000 combined single limits (CSL) on your insured's auto policy.

What can happen when your insured's chosen limits of liability do not cover the damages they face after an accident or injury? This can occur if the insured's “primary" limits on their personal lines policies are too low to pay for all the damages.

Let's look at a typical auto accident case study.

Case Study – Auto Versus City Bus

You write the coverage for John Cross and his wife, Amelia. They have two young kids, own a home valued at about $350,000, and John has a successful public sector career as a public works director. Amelia works for a public relations agency. Both have clean driving records and drive latemodel vehicles.

When they came to your agency after their neighbor referred them, you carefully described the liability options available under their auto and homeowners policies. You also mentioned the umbrella policy, describing it as “One of the most important and most economical insurance coverages available."

You provided them with a quote for $300,000 combined single limits (CSL) on their auto and their homeowners policy, both quoted by the same carrier. You also supplied a quote for a $1 million umbrella policy, which they declined. They felt that $300,000 was “more than enough coverage for them." You ask them to initial a declination on the umbrella line of the quote, and you bind coverage.

A few years into their coming to your agency, John Cross has an accident. He's heading home after work, talking on his cell phone to wrap up a few work issues that arose that day. Distracted, he changes lanes to get on the freeway entrance ramp and strikes a city bus. The bus strikes the freeway concrete ramp. The impact injures four passengers, two of them seriously, as well as the bus driver.

All of those injured except the bus driver retained

attorneys, and quickly filed suits to determine policy limits. The bus driver, covered by workers compensation, files a claim for his pain and suffering, and the comp carrier asserts a lien for his medical and lost wage costs.

The damage to the concrete freeway entry area alone exceeded $100,000. The adjuster determined the bus was a total loss, at a cost to replace of over $55,000. You can see where this claim is headed, right?

What happens now? Given the serious injuries of the passengers, the adjuster sets the claim reserve at policy limits of $300,000. The insurer's adjuster issues a letter to the insureds advising them that their liability limits may be inadequate. This is known as an “excess letter" or “excess ad damnum letter." Your insured calls you, upset, angry and fearful.

In today's era of high “social inflation" impacting both settlement awards and jury awards, it's not hard to exhaust limits on underlying personal lines policies.

Enter the umbrella policy.

How the Umbrella Policy Can Help

The umbrella policy comes in two forms: The umbrella, which can “drop down" to cover some liability claims not covered by the underlying policy, or the excess policy, which usually provides the same coverage as the underlying policy it extends above. The latter is also called a “follow-form" excess policy. Most standard carriers write true umbrella policies rather than follow-form policies. For the purposes of this article, we'll focus on the umbrella policy.

Typical umbrella limits begin at $1 million, which means if your insured has $500,000 CSL, for example, he or she now has $1.5 million available if a covered event exceeds the underlying limit of $500,000.

The umbrella can “sit over" the auto and/or the homeowners policy, and typically covers these types of liability claims.

• Bodily injury claims filed against your insured

• Property damage caused by your insured

• Protection against non-business-related personal injury claims like libel, slander, wrongful eviction, or false arrest, unless excluded

• These coverages can be invaluable for insureds with tenants on site or who have teenagers, who may misuse social media

• Defense costs for a covered claim, including attorneys' fees and court costs

• Worldwide coverage subject to certain limitations

How Does the Umbrella Policy Work?

The personal lines policies – homeowners, auto, watercraft and even motorcycle policies – contain specific liability insurance limits. The umbrella policy steps in, when underlying policy limits are insufficient to protect your insureds.

Homeowners such as those in our case study with ample assets have a lot to lose if the injury or damages they cause exceed their underlying policy limits. Also at risk can be future assets such as retirement income.

Liability limits can start at $1 million and go much higher, so be sure you're offer limits over and above $1 million umbrella coverage when you provide a quote. Rates usually get cheaper the higher the coverage amounts, because of the unlikelihood a claim will “pierce" those limits.

As jury verdicts continue to escalate in today's world, juries may award a run-away verdict that surprises even the seasoned claims handler.

Who Needs an Umbrella Policy?

While any of your insureds can benefit from an umbrella policy, those with significant assets to protect need an umbrella policy. These assets can include home equity, rental properties (perhaps even those “protected" by formation of a limited liability corporation), funds in various accounts such as a 401k and future income such as retirement income.

The umbrella policy provides an additional layer of liability protection that offers your clients security and peace of mind at a minimal cost. According to some insurance experts, the umbrella policy is one of the most costeffective policies in the industry.

How Much Coverage Does Your Insured Need?

A frank discussion with your insured can help your insured choose an adequate umbrella limit. Here are some questions you can ask.

• What assets do you currently own and what is their value?

• Can you estimate the value of your future assets, including potential inheritances?

• Do you have teenagers who are driving or who are active on social media?

• Do you own multiple properties or have a roommate or on-site tenant?

• What recreational activities do you take part in?

• Do you own a corporation, is your name frequently in the news, or do you have significant social visibility? If so, you may be a “high-target" defendant.

• Do you own any dogs the homeowners insurance excludes, or is there a canine liability sublimit?

• Don't assume the umbrella policy will “drop down" in the event of a canine liability incident. Check with the insurer.

There is one rule of thumb that some agents use. Ask your insured to decide how much coverage they believe they need, then add another $1 million to that amount. Dollar for dollar, the umbrella policy is one of the best values in insurance.

Keys to Avoiding an Errors & Omissions Claim on Personal Lines Exposure

Here are some tips to avoid an E&O claim from your insureds arising from allegations of insufficient policy limits.

• Inform every insured, not just those with significant assets, of the availability of umbrella coverage.

• Have your insured sign or initial a declination if they decline obtaining a quote or don't purchase the umbrella policy.

• Know the various policy forms. While dated, this spreadsheet is a good starting place to determine coverages available under various umbrella or excess forms.

• Ensure you research the minimum underlying liability limit the umbrella form requires. In one claim, the agent allegedly left a $250,000 gap between the auto policy limit and the limit required by the umbrella writer, which was a different insurer than on the underlying auto policy.

• Whenever possible, use the same carrier for the umbrella as (at a minimum) the underlying auto and homeowners policies.

• Whenever possible, keep the same effective date between the underlying policies and the umbrella policy.

• Make sure to list any vacant land the insured owns on the umbrella.

• Determine if uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is available on the umbrella.

• Don't rely on the adjuster to notify the umbrella carrier if you write coverage with a carrier that does not cover the underlying policies. Put them on notice of any claim that might hit their coverage layer.

The umbrella policy is a robust coverage at an economical cost to provide that extra layer of protection to your insureds.

This article was originally published on iamagazine.com in November.

> Nancy Germond, Executive Director, Risk Management & Education, Big I

MANAGING YOUR FLEXIBLE WORKFORCE

It’s been more than two years since the global workforce was sent into quarantine. The immediacy of the move created an excess of complexities that many managers had to work through, not least of which was how to manage remote employees and still meet customer needs.

Funny thing happened on the way to adapting to a remote workforce model. Many organizations realized that remote work gave them something they hadn’t expected – more productive employees. It seems working from home gave businesses more from their workers than they were able to glean in an office setting.

Good thing, too. A Prudential Pulse of the American Worker Survey revealed that employees are demanding more choice: 87% of workers who have been working remotely during the pandemic want that to continue at least one day a week. Likewise, 68% of workers would be happier if offered a hybrid workplace model.

Given the ongoing hiring crunch and lack of qualified workers, particularly within the insurance industry, that kind of data should incentivize agency managers and insurance organizations to rework how they view their workplace offerings.

It’s a big ask, but currently the finance and insurance sector is short by 313,000 employees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With many employees looking for flexible work arrangements, employers should be working on how they manage these remote workers.

Having operated WAHVE as a fully remote organization since our beginnings, we have built a successful management process specifically for the remote workforce.

Rethink 9-to-5: Allowing your workers to produce during their best hours just makes sense. When your worker can focus fully, productivity soars. The old way – requiring an eight-hour day or certain work hours – could be hampering your employee’s best work.

It’s a thought that’s been proven out: Microsoft Japan tested a four-day workweek. The result: employee productivity jumped by 40%. Salesper-employee figures rose 39.9%. An added bonus: Utility costs and printing costs dropped 23.1% and 58.7%, respectively.

Measure success differently: Did it ever make sense to measure an employee’s value by how many hours they put in?

We at WAHVE have a process that includes regular meetings with individual employees to discuss productivity, challenges, and employee needs. We also measure employee success by benchmarks met and deadlines achieved.

We also recommend creating a shared folder that contains notes on your conversations with your employee. Plus, encourage them to reach out at any time – and give them the tools with which to do so. Each employee’s productivity should be a shared goal between management and the employee.

Create collaborative cultures: Weekly team meetings that are short and purpose-driven should also allow for feedback and discussion.

Employees should drive the meetings, and problems should be brainstormed as a group, not within each department.

Sharing ideas across the organization can help each other feel connected and working toward a common goal.

Have fun: Even workers who are not face-to-face should celebrate and have fun together. We hold virtual parties, cocktail hours, and game events. The more people can communicate outside of work, the stronger your team’s bonds to each other.

To achieve a more successful remote management process, prioritize communication. The more you and your employees are talking constructively, the better positioned your team is to be its most productive and most engaged.

6 CRITERIA FOR FINDING THE RIGHT COMMERCIAL INSURANCE SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR AGENCY

Consumers have been able to buy and service personal lines coverage through an online portal or app for some time. Now, commercial insurance is ripe for similar changes that will remove friction and enable a digital experience across the entire insurance value chain. Importantly, independent agents need to be ready to not only navigate but also embrace this accelerated digital wave.

Prior to the pandemic, a small number of your clients probably began their search for commercial insurance online. Today, an ever-increasing number of commercial customers are starting their insurance journey online. They want the option of interacting with your agency through multiple channels and seek the same digital service experience and ease of access they enjoy with Amazon or their financial institutions.

In response, a growing number of InsurTechs with digital platforms now offer commercial lines quoting and binding services for agencies. These platforms allow you to quickly quote and issue commercial property, general liability, auto, workers compensation and umbrella coverages via their carrier partners. Some vendors take it a step further and offer agency management systems that include work management capabilities, data processing and connectivity with carriers.

Agents who effectively harness these complementary technologies into their service offerings will be able to offer more value to their commercial clients, place a greater volume of business at a faster pace, achieve more efficient operations and serve their clients where they want to be served.

As you consider which commercial lines platforms might be best for your agency, here are six things to consider:

1) Digital transformation is not about replacing humans. The ultimate goal is to empower humans

at the point of sale or service. People should always be at the heart of your strategy and the digital ecosystem. Build your systems with the user and customer at the center.

2) Technology is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Develop a digital ecosystem that fits your business model and not the other way around.

3) Automating a bad workflow will not give you the outcome you desire. Develop the optimal workflow for your team and use automation to make it more efficient. Make sure the technology you buy solves the needs of your producers, customer service representatives and clients.

4) Choose your partners carefully. Pick the ones that fit your needs and business model, and will help you grow efficiently and effectively. Which digital platforms make it easier to do business? Which ones are scalable and will help you acquire more commercial accounts? It's not just a matter of choosing the right platform but also making sure the preferred carriers you do business with are signed up for that platform.

5) Look for solutions that allow you to transact business across channels. Every agency is different, but all are looking for speed, efficiency and flexibility in how they submit business. You want to be able to select the channel that has the least friction and quickest turnaround for your agency and, more importantly, for your clients.

6) Make incremental changes in your commercial offerings. Instead of worrying about digitizing everything all at once, develop a vision and then incrementally enable different components of your digital ecosystem in alignment with that vision.

This article was originally published on iamagazine.com in October.

> Amir Farid Chief Operating Officer and Chief Transformation Office for Commercial Liness, Westfield

CREATIVE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR FINDING THE

RIGHT CANDIDATE

Interview questions usually revolve around a candidate’s work history, experience and unique qualifications. While these questions can help determine how qualified a candidate is in terms of life experience, it won’t tell you if a candidate can fit into your culture and team.

Creative questions can help. They can provide insight into a candidate’s sharpness, personality, sense of humor and industry knowledge. Creative interview questions can also ease tensions at the beginning of an interview, or serve to break up the strings of business-focused questions. They can be used to make connections and develop rapport. The following creative interview questions can yield results that traditional interview questions wouldn’t.

Before You Ask…

Make sure to clarify that the interview will be shifting to a few less-serious questions. Be sure not to ask anything illegal, such as whether candidates are planning to have a family, questions about their race, or other questions that may make them uncomfortable. While this is a change to a more lighthearted section of the interview, it should never make the candidate uncomfortable.

Additionally, try to be transparent; expecting candidates to pick up on some hidden meaning in what is meant to be a lighter question might not yield the best results. A good way to test these questions is to ask coworkers and even come up with an answer for yourself.

1. If You Were a Vending Machine, What Would You Vend?

This question requires a bit of creativity to

answer. Candidates’ answers can tell you about their values. For example, they might say they’d sell some particular thing because it resembles their beliefs in some way. It can also give some insight to their personality with what snack characteristics they relate to themselves – such as sweet, reliable, old-fashioned, etc. If they don’t elaborate on why they picked that, make sure to ask follow-up questions to understand the thought process behind their answer.

2. Where Should I Go On Vacation?

This question is particularly good for sales positions. Instead of telling you their favorite place they’ve been, a great salesperson might ask where you’ve been in the past that you’ve enjoyed, or things you’d like to do while on your vacation.

Keep in mind that this question, like many creative interview questions, may not allow you to directly assess a person’s qualification for the position. However, this will let you see how the candidate considers all the information. If they want to answer the question in a thoughtful way, they will find out your needs and wants before making the pitch. The more considerations they take, the more of a connection you can see in their potential as a candidate.

3. Is There a Fictional Character You Identify With?

A candidate’s answer to this question can tell you a lot about how they see themselves. It can demonstrate both the values they care about, and the type of person they aspire to be or a character flaw they see in themselves as well.

This is another question where the ‘why’ is equally

as important as their answer. If you don’t get the why, you’ll want to ask more questions to find out the thought process. It can also be a good way to get to know the candidate’s interests and how they use perspective to relate to others.

4. What Industry Resources Do You Follow?

While this question is less ‘fun,’ it can tell you a lot about how invested the candidate is in the industry as a whole, and whether they stay up to date on new developments. Do they stay up to date on any certifications, course work or local meetings? This can be another way to assess their knowledge of the industry without it being about their personal experiences.

5. What is Your Favorite Work Memory?

This question can tell you about the value a candidate places on culture, which is crucial in many roles. One purpose of many of these creative interview questions is to assess how well a candidate will mesh with your company.

If their favorite memory clashes with your company’s values, then this would be a key indicator of a poor fit. This can also show you how a candidate bonds with fellow coworkers or supervisors, or give insight to why the candidate might have left a particular job.

6. If You Could Switch Places with Anyone, Who Would it Be?

There are many questions like this you could ask, but they all serve the same purpose. The answer isn’t the important part; rather, their reasoning or explanation for ‘why’ is what matters, and can give you an insight as to what kind of person they are. This might tell you what they believe they are missing in their life, or some of their goals. If it is a well thought out answer, it can show their analytical side or if they ask questions such as, “How long would I switch places with the person?”, then you can see that they have a longterm focus and understand time constraints.

7. What Questions Were You Expecting That We Didn’t Ask? Why?

This spin on the common question ‘do you have any questions for us?’ is a more interesting one. It allows the candidate to provide answers

to questions they may be very prepared for that highlight some of their experience or qualifications for the role, but weren’t asked in the interview.

It also shows you how they prepared for the interview. If any of the questions interest you, then you can use that as a segue to ask the question and find out their answer and reasoning behind it.

8. What’s the Best Mistake You’ve Ever Made? This question forces candidates to draw learning lessons from experiences that might have been less than ideal, but also shows you how they can deal with criticisms, conflicts, or major issues. It highlights their problem solving skills as well as their outlook. Does their answer indicate a shortterm or long-term focus? Are they a big picture or little picture kind of thinker? Overall, it gives you insight to their values and morals as well.

9. What Did You Want to Be When You Were Younger?

This question often gets candidates to open up a bit about how their interests have changed over time, how they ended up in this field, and whether they’re passionate about it. This can be one of those questions that help show you if they fit into the company culture.

For example, if they wanted to be a nurse because they like to help people and your company values giving back, then you could see that they value similar things. It also might give you more of an idea about what skills they have. Maybe they were on the path to go to a different field and have certifications or training in areas that your company is lacking. Building a successful team is important for any business. And having the right insurance coverage in place is critical.

> Society Insurance Team

IIAW CONTINUING EDUCATION

2022-2023 ONLINE EDUCATION & CE CLASSES

DATE TIME COURSE DECEMBER & JANUARY SCHEDULE

DECEMBER

12/12 11AM-2PM E&O Risk Management: Agency E&O Exposures and Defenses

12/12 12PM-2PM Business Auto Claims That Cause Problems 12/12 2PM-5PM E&O Risk Management: Understanding Risk Mitigation & E&O Claims

12/14 8AM-11AM Agency Management Based E&O and Ethics 12/14 12PM-2PM Builders Risk and Contractors Equipment 12/15 8AM-10AM Insight on Modern Day Cyber Exposures & Risk 12/15 8AM-10AM Personal Lines That Keep You Up at Night 12/16 8AM-10AM Those Kids and Their Cars 12/16 9AM-12PM E&O - Commercial Property Coverage Gaps & How To Fill Them

12/20 8AM-9AM Claims-Made Policies - The Most Dangerous Insurance Policies 12/20 12PM-3PM Ethics in the Insurance Industry 12/22 8AM-10AM Contracts Agents Should Read 12/22 12PM-3PM Commercial Lines Claims That Cause Problems 12/23 8AM-10AM Business Auto Claims That Cause Problems 12/29 8AM-10AM Builders Risk and Contractors Equipment 12/29 12PM-3PM Agency Management Based E&O and Ethics

JANUARY

1/3 8AM-10AM Insight on Modern Day Cyber Exposures & Risk Mitigation

1/3 10AM-12PM Personal Lines Issues That Keep You Up at Night 1/3 12PM-1PM Setting Business Income Limits: It’s Easier Than You Think! 1/4 11AM-2PM E&O - Commercial Property Coverage Gaps & How To Fill Them

Members in the News

ACUITY EARNS TOP TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

and benefits, but also personal job satisfaction and good positive relationships with their supervisor. Winning agencies score high overall in every benefits category including wellness programs and working conditions (flexible work environment). The agencies also provide employees with a strong sense of purpose and enable career development. Over 3,500 customer service representatives, account managers, producers, managers and other agency staff participate in filling out the survey.

You can read more about the survey at bit.ly/3VxhOCL.

TRAVELERS RECOGNIZED FOR MILITARYFRIENDLY CULTURE

Sheboygan, WI (10/21/22) - Acuity earned the Pinnacle Award from Applied Systems for the insurer’s innovative use of technology in driving digital transformation with its independent agents and across the insurance industry. Acuity is the only insurer in the nation to receive a Pinnacle Award in 2022.

“As the industry works to create value and efficiency through connectivity, Acuity has held the torch for its peers in connecting to the digital ecosystem of insurance,” said Taylor Rhodes, Applied Systems CEO. “We are pleased to announce Acuity as a 2022 Pinnacle Award winner, recognizing its innovative use of technology for the benefit of the entire industry.”

“Acuity strives to be the easiest carrier to do business with, and technology is central to achieving that goal,” said Ben Salzmann, Acuity President and CEO. “Our partnership with Applied Systems has strengthened our agency relationships by automating the exchange of information between Acuity and our agency force.”

Acuity Insurance, headquartered in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, insures over 125,000 businesses, including 300,000 commercial vehicles, and nearly a half million homes and private passenger autos across 30 states. Rated A+ by A.M. Best and S&P, Acuity employs over 1,500 people.

ANSAY & ASSOCIATES NAMED ON INSURANCE JOURNAL'S 2022 BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR LIST

Hartford, CT (11/11/22) - The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) today announced it has once again been named a Best for Vets Employer by Military Times, as well as a Military Friendly® Employer and Military Friendly® Spouse Employer by VIQTORY.

“These recognitions demonstrate our steadfast commitment to creating a welcoming environment for the military community,” said Diane Kurtzman, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Travelers. “Service members and their families add incredible value to our workforce, and we’re proud to support them.”

Travelers offers a robust suite of military-friendly programs and benefits, including:

• An employee resource group focused on building awareness of veterans’ skills and experiences. Since its launch in 2013, the Military and Veterans & Allies Diversity Network has grown to more than 3,100 members.

• A recruiting initiative designed specifically to help military spouses. Since 2020, the company has hired more than 200 military spouses and recently created a forum where they can come together to share tips, exchange resources and offer support to one another.

• A partnership with American Corporate Partners, a national nonprofit that helps veterans discover their next careers. Since 2010, Travelers employees have mentored hundreds of post-9/11 veterans.

• Comprehensive benefits for employees deployed on active duty, which include full benefits that are in addition to supplementing employees’ military pay for up to five years of their deployment.

• The company has also signed the Statement of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at both state and national levels and is part of the Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership.

• In addition, Travelers was named a 2021 Employer for Outstanding Support by the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Port Washington, WI (11/9/22) - Each year agencies compete to be named "Best Agency to Work For." This prestigious award is given to agencies who are nominated by their employees. Results are based on the Insurance Journal's "Best Agencies" survey. Ansay & Associates is honored to receive the Bronze award for the Midwest region.

The survey asks employees to rate the agency on competitive salary, employee benefits, training and education, resources, and additional perks. More than ever employees are looking for not only compensation

To learn more about Travelers and its commitment to recruiting military service members, visit Travelers.com/ military.

ABOUT TRAVELERS

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has approximately 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately $35 billion in 2021. For more information, visit Travelers.com.

BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES.

And that’s the Silver Lining®.

It shouldn’t take a storm of immense proportions to find out who your customers can count on.

THE IMPACT OF BUDGETING FOR YOUR BUSINESS

I saw a post on LinkedIn today by an Agency Owner, Mike Crowley, describing how he is planning for his agency this year. He shared that like many others, early in his career his approach was best described as “just going through the motions” and “shooting from the hip”. I think any entrepreneur or leader can relate to that. This year, however, Mike is planning for his agency by meeting with a mentor, sharing his goals, and committing to holding each other accountable to the plans they map out for their agencies. That is impressive, and it got me thinking about the impact that shift in thinking can have on an agency’s growth potential and ultimately its value. It can seem daunting to find the capacity to pause and plan but the impact can be incredible. I would like to help as many agency owners as possible make that shift, and if you ask me, “What’s the Number 1 thing I should plan for my business?”, my answer would be, “A budget”.

A budget is simply an estimation of income and expenditures for a set period of time. What makes a budget powerful is – when it is based on your goals – it can help you determine where to invest, reallocate resources, and identify things you need to stop doing. Building a holistic view of the business, rather than individual transactions or decisions allows you to see the impact of your decisions and the opportunity to make betterinformed decisions. Seems simple right? According to a survey by Clutch, 54% of small business owners have a documented budget in 2021. That number was only 39% in 2018. Given the economic challenges that we are facing, every business should be taking the time to budget and plan. Many will have a budget and a contingency budget to plan out what they will do if key assumptions and factors change.

The businesses that take the time to build a budget perform better than those that do not. In fact, over 70% of the businesses that have budgets in place report that this year’s budget is greater than the previous year’s budget. This makes sense because if you have no defined goals or performance metrics you don’t have any way of knowing how you are doing. It is like driving with no destination in mind – it is impossible for you to know when you have arrived.

Another way of saying it, “What gets measured gets managed,” and a budget allows you to manage based on the defined goals.

Having a plan and a budget for your business provides you with the insights you need to act fast and implement a new course of action. If an organization must wait until the end of the year to know if they are going to be profitable, it will most likely take longer to make investment decisions than an organization that can see its performance trends throughout the year. This delay can be incredibly costly. The ability to make quick decisions creates a competitive advantage for small businesses and having those decisions be fueled by data is key.

Some business owners think that having a budget will limit their ability. In many ways, I believe it provides the opportunity to know and consider more options for your business. A budget is guide, and in some cases, businesses break their budgets for the same reason that we all break our personal budgets from time to time. Things like unexpected expenditures, new opportunities, or significant changes in circumstances can cause us all to want and need to pivot. By monitoring performance, on a 30-day basis, the ability to react to these unexpected and unforeseen circumstances is greater. In some instances, the need for an adjustment can be identified and implemented quickly, minimizing any potential negative impact and maximizing a potential opportunity much faster than if there was no budget or plan in place.

We all have experienced times when we didn’t have a defined plan – building the plane while we are flying – but there comes a time in every business when having a plan, writing it down, and managing to that plan is imperative. As we approach the end of the year, there is no better time to make this shift, and to pause, focus, and plan for the year ahead inside your agency.

If you want to learn more about how you can build a budget for your agency, visit agency-focus.com or email me at carey@agency-focus.com.

> Carey Wallace, Business Consultant, AgencyFocus

WISCONSIN VOTERS ELECT TO KEEP DIVIDED STATE GOVERNMENT

Wisconsinites voted this past November to keep a divided state government as a new two-year legislative session begins early next year. Republicans will maintain control of the Legislature with even larger majorities in both chambers and Democrats will hold the top two constitutional statewide offices with the re-election of Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul.

Incumbent Governor Evers defeated his Republican opponent Tim Michels by a margin of 51 to 48 percent, while Attorney General Josh Kaul defeated his GOP opponent Eric Toney in a tighter race of 51 to 49 percent. Evers outperformed all other candidates on the statewide ballot with the most overall total votes cast and yielding more votes than he did in 2018 when he unseated Governor Scott Walker. Meanwhile, Evers’ opponent Tim Michels underperformed and garnered less overall votes than the Republican statewide candidates running for Attorney General and U.S. Senate. Michels received less total votes than when Walker lost in 2018. Evers' and Kaul’s reelection to another term represents a major win for Wisconsin Democrats in an election year where they faced strong political headwinds nationally. Generally, when one party controls both The White House and Congress, elections historically swing in the other direction. However, Evers and Kaul bucked that trend.

And Evers is the first Wisconsin governor in more than three decades to win re-election in a midterm while a president from the same party held office. Evers' vote totals were due in large part by overwhelming turnout in the Democratic stronghold of Dane County which has accounted for an increasingly large share of Democratic votes statewide, and despite a lower turnout than usual in Milwaukee County. On the flipside, Michels failed to produce enough voter

support and turnout in key areas of the state that historically produce large Republican votes. The race for Governor was the most expensive in state history with both candidates and groups spending in excess of $115 million.

Meanwhile, despite a less than stellar performance by Michels for Republicans at the top of the ticket, incumbent U.S. Senator Ron Johnson narrowly won reelection to a third term with his victory over Democrat opponent Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes with just over 26,000 votes between the two of them. Nevertheless, Democrats managed to maintain their slim majority in the U.S. Senate, while Republicans regained control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Barnes easily won the Democratic primary in August in a field of nine candidates at one point, but suffered in the general election with voter turnout setbacks in his home area of Milwaukee County and he did not get support like Evers did with the high turnout in Dane County. Now with the midterms behind us, another important election just happens to be around the corner and will be one of the more consequential elections in recent state history. Wisconsinites will be asked to cast their votes in the statewide, non-partisan Supreme Court election in February and April of 2023. The outcome of that election will determine whether the conservative or liberal justices hold the majority on the court (currently 4-3 in favor of conservatives) and which could have serious implications with legal challenges over issues such as abortion, redistricting, executive versus legislative branch powers, and environmental matters just to name a few. Next year’s court race is likely to be one of the most expensive electoral contests in state history, and while it’s technically a “non-partisan” race, the political parties and partisan groups are certainly going to be heavily engaged in this election due to its significance.

There will be 31 new members joining the Legislature in January where Republicans will control the Senate 22-11 and the Assembly 64-35. The GOP fell short of the 66 members needed in the Assembly to gain a supermajority and have the power to override vetoes from the Governor. Divided state government continues here for at least another four years and prevents either party from ramming through their agenda without working with the other party.

All four partisan caucuses recently elected their new leadership for the 2023-24 session:

SENATE REPUBLICANS

Senate President – Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield)

Senate President Pro Tempore – Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point)

Majority Leader – Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg)

Assistant Majority Leader – Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac)

Caucus Chair – Van Wanggaard (R-Racine)

Caucus Vice Chair – Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan)

SENATE DEMOCRATS

Senate Minority Leader – Melissa Agard (D-Madison)

Senate Minority Assistant Leader – Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick)

Senate Minority Caucus Chair – Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee)

Senate Minority Caucus Vice Chair – Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton)

ASSEMBLY REPUBLICANS

Assembly Speaker – Robin Vos (R-Rochester)

Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore – Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca)

Majority Leader – Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva)

Assistant Majority Leader – Jon Plumer (R-Lodi)

Caucus Chair – Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer)

Caucus Vice Chair – Cindi Duchow (R-Town of Delafield)

Caucus Sergeant at Arms – Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi)

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS

Assembly Minority Leader – Greta Neubauer (D-Racine)

Assembly Minority Assistant Leader – Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee)

Assembly Minority Caucus Chair – Lisa Subeck (D-Madison)

Assembly Minority Caucus Vice Chair – Jill Billings (D-La Crosse)

Assembly Minority Secretary – Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay)

Assembly Minority Sergeant at Arms – Lee Snodgrass (D-Appleton)

> Misha Lee IIAW Lobbyist

has your back.

At Western National Insurance, nice is what’s guided us for over 100 years. And we’re just getting started.

Western National Insurance. The power of nice.

Team Atmosphere. Tailored Solutions.

At Johnson Financial Group, we build strong relationships with our clients by working as a team to provide comprehensive insurance, bank and wealth solutions, paired with exceptional customer service.

We are committed to our strong values, keeping our associates engaged, and cultivating a culture of development and collaboration. No matter where you are on your career journey, Johnson Financial Group is a place where you can get involved and make a difference. Join our team.

Learn more at johnsonfinancialgroup.com/join-insurance

Products and services offered by these Johnson Financial Group Companies: Johnson Bank, Johnson Insurance Services, LLC. and Johnson Wealth Inc. Recognized as a Top Workplace by USA Today in 2020, 2021 and 2022; Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality by Human Rights Campaign Foundations 2022 Corporate Equality Index; and 2021 and 2022 Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).