From Your IIABA Executive Comm. The Big "I" is in Your Corner Although I had planned for my wife Katie and I to be with you in person for your 127th Annual Convention, the year 2020 had different plans for us all. Even though we can't talk with you face-to-face, I think it is still important to get the message out of the work the Big "I" has been doing on your behalf this year.
Big "I" Hires In the 2018 Agency Universe Study, 44% of respondents cited the inability to find new qualified employees as their #1 issue. No matter the size or location of your agency, there is no getting around the people aspect. Hiring is an essential part of what you do. In order to grow your agency and be successful, finding the right talent is critical. Over the past two years, your National Association worked to build a comprehensive solution to finding and recruiting new talent, then onboarding them with ease. Big “I” Hires is that solution. It was created as a one-stop resource for independent insurance agencies to attract, identify, assess and train top performing Producers and CSRs. An array of tools and online resources are available for members to allow them to find the right hires for their agency with a few simple clicks. Please check what this service can do for your agency by visiting www.bigihires.com.
Big "I" Markets We know that market access is still an important piece of what we can offer to agencies. With that in mind, the Big "I" Markets program has been totally revamped. All the excellent products and carriers are still in place, but we've made some needed improvements. We listened to members that told us they needed a better user interface and a more efficient way to communicate with the program administrators. The new Big "I" Markets site design has been improved significantly, and the initial feedback from agents has been very positive. I would encourage you to check out the improvements and what's available to your agency at www.bigimarkets.com. The Tennessee Insuror
ACORD Form Fees On January 1, ACORD began charging all users of ACORD forms a fee, both agents/brokers and carriers. In light of this development, Big "I" negotiated an agreement with ACORD whereby Big "I" will pay ACORD an annual fee for use of the forms, and all member agencies with $50 million or less in revenue will have “free” access to the ACORD forms. This was a significant "win" for our members, and saves their agencies an average of $150 per year.
Coronavirus and Insurance I doubt any of us will ever forget how our worlds changed in March of this year. Not only were we personally affected, but many of our clients began to suffer extreme losses at the hands of this virus. While we were all in the early stages of understanding the repercussions, the Big "I" was in action. Our Executive Director of Virtual University, Chris Boggs, began researching, writing and compiling numerous articles and pieces of information on the impact of the Pandemic on our industry. I feel this knowledge was invaluable, and really gave our members an advantage as they approached many situations with their clients.
“I doubt any of us will ever f o rg e t h ow our worlds changed in March of t h i s y e a r .”
Legislatively, the Big "I" continues to work on stimulus programs like the CARES Act and make sure our needs are represented. In addition, the Big "I" Disaster Relief Fund has worked to donate funds and provide support to agencies across the country that have been affected by the Pandemic as well as wildfires, hurricanes and tornados.
Fighting for Agents Why do I sing the praises of the Big "I" so loudly? I truly believe that they are working everyday to help agents and this industry succeed. This year we may have needed it more than ever, and I'm glad they have our back! u
W. Michael McBride 23
