February 2018 Wisconsin Professional Agent

PROFESSIONAL AGENT February 2018

What's Inside?

Insurance Agents Beware....................................11 Your Best Year Yet.............12 Reaching the Professional Summit...................................14 Scholarships Available......16 Trends in Cybersecurity.......................18 Education Section..............21 New CICs, CISRs, CISR Elites and CRMs....................... 21-22 Build a Local Brand............28 Fat, Dumb and Happy......32

Digital Editions of PIAW Magazine Available at www.piaw.org

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From the

President Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM, CPIA — President, PIA of Wisconsin

PIAW Stays in Front of the Important Issues to Wisconsin Insurance Agents.

On a day last December, 2017, I went to Madison to testify at a public hearing at the State Capitol. My testimony is excerpted (the entire text and attachments are lengthy) here so you can understand the subject was one of importance to the PIA members in their daily insurance agency operations.

This was the first time I have made an appearance in the Capitol and it was interesting in a number of respects with working with the PIAW lobbyist team that works that helps PIAW stay in front of the important issues to Wisconsin Insurance Agents.

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Our lobbyists’ law offices are conveniently located on the Capitol Square, a few steps from the State Capitol.

Our lobbying team made me feel very comfortable by providing me with written testimony ahead of time, with the facts and how this should be presented to the committee. (Committee testimony looks and sounds much better if it appears to be extemporaneous.)

At the hearing, the Committee Chair announced that “due to time constraints” each witness would be allowed only 2 minutes to testify! So, with the help of one of our lobbyists who accompanied me, we immediately shortened up my written testimony so we could comply. Talk about a “fire drill.”

This was really a neat experience to be part of the “process” and represent so many in Wisconsin that deal with similar issues.

The committee hearings are used to help the committee have a better understanding of these bills so that they are able to make informed recommendations and decisions of supporting or not supporting an issue.

My testimony went well and the Committee voted 5-0 to pass the bill we supported!!

EXCERPTS of the Testimony of Jodi Cordes President, Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin Subject: PIA Support of 2017 Senate Bill 618 Presented To: Senate Committee on Insurance, Housing and Trade Attachments: Analysis of SB 618 and a model Certificate of Insurance I. A few words about the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin My name is Jodi Cordes. I am the President of the PIA of Wisconsin. Ours is a membership organization consisting of licensed intermediaries, otherwise known as insurance agents, doing business in the State of Wisconsin… representing about 4,000 agents.

II. The PIA of Wisconsin supports Senate Bill 618 PIA of Wisconsin is strongly supportive of this legislation. We thank Senator Lasee for being the lead author of the bill and

thank the co-authors, both in the Senate and the Assembly.

III. Why does the PIA support this bill?

There are two primary reasons why the PIA is supportive of this legislation: 1. The 60-day notice. The bill preserves the 60-day notice given to the insured customer when a policy is not going to be renewed by the insuring company, but is going to be continued by an affiliate of that company…

2. Certificate of Insurance. The bill supplements the existing obligation to be truthful on a certificate of insurance by expanding those obligations to the insurance customers.

Currently, those obligations only apply to agents and insurance companies.

Allow me to elaborate on the above two points.

1. The 60-day notice…

The 60-day notice of nonrenewal is needed to enable the agent to better serve the customer. It allows the agent to evaluate whether the agent believes it’s in the best interest of the customer to have the affiliate be, in effect, the new insurer due to pricing, coverage differences, and service of that carrier. 60 days provided is just barely enough time to evaluate the offerings of other insurers, review that with the customer and place the business with the best carrier.

2. Certificate of insurance. A second feature of the bill addresses the obligations to be truthful in a certificate of insurance…

A certificate of insurance is, very simply, a snapshot of the policy. Insurance policies are complex…

Current law recognizes the potential for abuse by making it a Class A misdemeanor for our agents, or the insurance company, to misrepresent the terms of the insurance policy in a certificate of insurance. However, the current law does not discourage our customers who, on very rare occasions, demand that we do that very thing because they do not understand the importance of this “piece of paper”.

So, after this bill is law, in the rare case that a customer asks us to misrepresent the policy on the certificate, we will be able to forward a copy of section 628.34(14) to our customer with a note that says “This statute, recently passed by the Wisconsin Legislature, has made it unlawful and a Class A misdemeanor for the agent or the insurance customer to make this request…”

We believe this provision of law is going to be helpful and provide us with a diplomatic way of addressing this very rare, but extremely unnerving problem.

If you would like to see more issues that the PIAW supports, you may view this from a link on the PIAW legislative web page.

FEBRUARY 18 3

Memos from

Madison Ron Von Haden, CIC — Executive Vice President, PIA of Wisconsin

“What is my agency worth?”

TWO QUESTIONS I am frequently asked are: ”What are agencies selling for” and “What is my agency worth?” The first question is almost impossible to answer since details of most agency sales are kept confidential and not released by the buyer or seller.

Aside from pure agency value, many other considerations come into play in the sale of the business. Financing, non-compete, and agency assets are considered to determine the final purchase price. The second question is always on the mind of every agency owner. After all, the owner likely spent years building their most valuable asset and don’t want to be surprised when it comes time to sell or otherwise perpetuate their business.

PIAW has a long standing arrangement with one the country’s most respected agency valuation experts, John Dismukes, John has developed a system whereby he can give you a “range” valuation (low value to high value) after a phone call or email conversation. He has agreed to a special PIAW member-only price of as low as $500 to give you a range valuation with minimal time and information presented by you. For a more comprehensive valuation, John will thoroughly evaluate all the aspects of your agency and present a complete valuation picture at a cost that is substantially lower than most other nationally recognized experts. Members can call the PIAW office or visit the web site at www.piaw.org to obtain John’s contact information.

REMOVAL OF OBJECTS to make repairs covered?: A Kentucky agent recently asked the following to the staff at National Underwriter. Question: The insured's dwelling sustained substantial water damage. There was no insurance on the

GERMANTOWN MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY W209 N11845 Insurance Place PO Box 1020 Germantown, WI 53022-8220 Phone (262) 251-6680 Fax (262) 623-3130 www.gmic.com

SERVING POLICYHOLDERS AND INDEPENDENT AGENTS IN WISCONSIN SINCE 1854

4 FEBRUARY 18

contents but the house was occupied and fully furnished. The contractor has included the cost of some contents manipulation in order to replace the floors and floor coverings. The insurance company is refusing to pay, claiming that is a contents expense.

I disagree. The only way to repair the dwelling is to move the contents out of the way. Is the removal of contents covered in the cost of repair? Answer: The cost to remove the contents should be covered; you are correct in that they have to be moved to fix the floors. The contents aren’t being replaced or repaired, they’re being relocated in order to make repairs to the dwelling – that’s a repair expense for the dwelling, and not a contents expense. Analysis brought to you by the experts at FC&S Online, the unquestioned authority on insurance coverage interpretation and analysis for the P&C industry.

PIA’s CYBER LIABILITY policy is a hot seller. Members have been delighted at the coverage and pricing of this member-only benefit. If you don’t have a cyber policy for your agency, you are putting yourself and your clients in severe jeopardy. The PIA office can give you a quick quote simply by calling Heidi at (800) 261-7429.

AND REMEMBER….. A government that can give you all you want can also take everything you have.

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Q. Does advertising influence buying decisions?

A. Yes, it sure does.

Contrary to the popular view, this is the conclusion of a new study by Clutch, the data research company. Here is a summary of the findings: • • • • • •

Advertisements influence 90% of consumers to make a purchase.

Consumers make purchases after seeing or hearing an advertisement on TV (60%), in print (45%), online (43%), and on social media (42%).

Advertising through traditional mediums is seen as the most trustworthy: 61% of consumers trust TV, print (58%), radio/podcast (45%), and outside home such as billboards, etc. (42%).

The least trustworthy advertising mediums are online (41%) and social media (38%).

Advertising influences 81% of Millennials ages 18 to 34 to make a purchase and 57% of Baby Boomers 55 and older.

Those with higher household income (55%) are more likely to make a purchase after seeing or hearing an advertisement than middle (48%) and low (45%) household incomes.

Based on this study, advertising influences almost all consumers to make purchases. Only 10% said ads do not influence their purchasing decisions.

Takeaway: While this survey may not be the last word, it offers an alternative to the belief that it’s nearly impossible to design and implement an effective advertising program to reach the desired customers. While it’s more complicated today, this survey’s findings can serve as a helpful guide.

[Source: GrahamComm] FEBRUARY 18 5

From the

Boardroom Dan Wolfgram, AINS, CPIA, Director of PIAW

Working With Millennials...

Is it possible that over half of your employees/customers will not get along with you because of the generation you are affiliated with? And what if I told you that you might have the same attitude towards them too for just for that same reason? Could that be true? What would you or could you do about that to make sure it does not happen in your organization?

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of attending a brief but informative seminar from Ryan Jenkins. Ryan spent some time talking about the mindset of working with Millennials (no sighs here, please). Ryan is the author of The Millennial Manual (the complete how-to guide to manage, develop and engage Millennials at work). It is estimated that Millennials will make up 75% of the workforce in the US by 2025 (yes, 7 years from now). So, it might be a great idea now to take some time to learn what we can all do moving forward to thrive with each other. Before I go there, let me give you some numbers to think about: •

• • • •

52% of workers are least likely to get along with someone from another generation. Compare that number to 30% with someone from another racial background or 19% from the opposite sex.

78% of Millennials look to work for innovative companies.

82% indicated that workplace technology is an influence to take a new job.

50% are looking for more feedback than prior generations.

92% of Millennials are looking to work for an organization that wants to be measured by more than profits.

OK, so now that we know this, what are we to do about

this. Jenkin’s boiled it down to some pretty easy and digestible ideas.

First, understand that we have always had generational differences. Millennial is not a four letter word (I’ll save you the counting; it’s a ten letter word). They have a ton to offer! Be innovative in your approaches to running your business and working with technology.

Second, consider reverse mentoring with them. A reverse mentor is when the mentor is younger than the mentee.

That’s right, have some of your Millennials work with and teach your “more mature” employees. Think about it.

Millennials were the Chief Technology Officers (CTO’s) in their homes growing up. Mom or Dad would turn to them with help on the laptops, DVR, and probably the microwave oven too!

Next, understand that they communicate differently. They had a chapter in the book that talked about the 49ers football team. They shortened up meetings, had more digital touches/visuals and used today’s technology in better ways.

Last, embrace their differences. Diversity in a business (and in life) makes things better. Learn from your Millennials and engage with them. They may not have the same insurance knowledge as you might, but they can probably give you some different or unique ways of connecting with prospects and clients that you may never have considered. Let them see and be a part of your community involvement.

This can be a mutually rewarding for you, your company and yes, for the future of our industry. And besides, all of our futures rely on getting this right.

OCI Administrative

Actions Ted Nickel — Commissioner of the Office of Insurance

Madison, WI—OCI has taken the following administrative actions. In many of these cases the respondent denied the allegations but consented to the action taken. Any forfeitures paid in these administrative actions are deposited in the Common School Fund which is administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The earnings from this fund are distributed to all public K-12 schools in Wisconsin and are used by school libraries to purchase books. Copies of the administrative action orders may be viewed online at https://ociaccess.oci.wi.gov/OrderInfo/OrdInfo.oci.

OCI is responsible for overseeing the operations and marketing of insurance companies and agents in Wisconsin. OCI encourages anyone with a question or a complaint regarding an insurance company or agent to contact the office at this toll-free telephone number: 1-800-236-8517.

Allegations and Actions Against Agents Jeremy Amstadt, N71 W23321 Good Hope Rd., Sussex, WI 53089, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application.

Ramie L. Behrens (aka Ramie L. Kamenick), 1830 Babcock St., Eau Claire, WI 54703, had her insurance license revoked.

This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Seth M. Bork, 10620 W. River Rd., Brooklyn Park, MN 55443, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Minnesota on a licensing application.

Josiah Brendemuehl, 1319 W. Main St., Watertown, WI 53094, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Rachael A. Bush, 6873 Crocus Ct., Apt. 1, Greendale, WI 53129, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Charles L. Bussman, 416 E St., Eureka, CA 95501, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $2,000.00 and was ordered to timely and fully report all matters required to be disclosed to OCI. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report administrative actions taken by the states of Florida, Louisiana, and Oklahoma to OCI and failing to disclose the administrative actions on a licensing renewal application.

Donny Charpentier, S12 W31642 Glacier Pass, Delafield, WI 53018, had his application for an insurance license denied for 90 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on three licensing applications.

Toron A. Brown, 2239 W. Roosevelt Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53209, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

David E. Chessmore, 14815 61st Ave. N.W., Cass Lake, MN 56633, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Kyle R. Buehner, 2842 N. Weil St., Milwaukee, WI 53212, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Lois A. Christensen, P.O. Box 145, Adams, WI 53910, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Paula J. Bunnell, N3102 Ledge Hill Rd., Hortonville, WI 54944, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Courtney V. Cook, 3639 E. Allerton Ave., Cudahy, WI 53110, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

8 FEBRUARY 18

Michele L. Curry, 515 Harrison St., Apt. 11, North Fond du Lac, WI 54937, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jolin Damask, 2652 S. 65th St., Milwaukee, WI 53219, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Oleg P. Derlyuk, 12913 N.E. 55th St., Vancouver, WA 98682, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Washington on a licensing application.

Lisa Dominguez, 9490 S. 300 W, Ste. 400, Sandy, UT 84070, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00 and was ordered to timely and fully disclose all administrative actions as required by Wisconsin insurance law. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to timely report an administrative action taken by the state of California and providing a false answer on a licensing reinstatement application.

Nicholas P. Emerson, 118 E. North Ave., Luck, WI 54853, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Carlos A. Ferrer, Jr., 2465 N. Frederick Ave., Apt. 101, Milwaukee, WI 53211, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Blake Handrick, 2123 Folsom St., Eau Claire, WI 54703, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

George Harbison, 2142 W. Lupine Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85029, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Arizona on a licensing application.

Joshua G. Hemphill, 543 Lemon St. N., Hudson, WI 54016, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Penny L. Higley, N6809 Leicht Rd., Black River Falls, WI 54615, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Marisa S. Kohler, 509 9th Ave., Antigo, WI 54409, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Curtis J. Lindsley, 55323 Stoney Point Rd., Gays Mills, WI 54631, had his application for an insurance license denied for

31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Ryan A. Logan, 400 Loma Terr., Apt. A, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and having administrative actions taken by the state of California and FINRA. Vicente Lozano, Jr., 3301 S. 100th St., Apt. 34, Milwaukee, WI 53227, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Robert Luedtke, 1214 Milwaukee St., Delafield, WI 53018, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

John T. Mills, 1008 N. 5th St., Unit 207, Sanger, TX 76266, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Oklahoma on a licensing application.

Xochitl Morales-Zamudio, 2542A N. Holton St., Milwaukee, WI 53212, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Bilal K. Muhammad, 2976 N. 18th St., Milwaukee, WI 53206, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin and a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Matthew M. Newett, 5031 E. 69th St., Indianapolis, IN 46220, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the state of Indiana on a licensing application and failing to timely provide requested documentation to OCI. Chad E. Nicholls, 1222 2nd St., Hudson, WI 54016, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Matthew Niederbaumer, 1025 Beach Cir. N.E., Huron, SD 57350, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00 and was ordered to timely and completely report all matters required to be disclosed to OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to timely report an administrative action taken by the state of South Dakota.

Jeffrey D. Noard, N48 W14336 Hampton Rd., Menomonee Falls, WI 53051, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00 and was ordered to timely and completely report all matters (Continued on page 10) FEBRUARY 18 9

(Continued from page 9 - Administrative Actions)

required to be disclosed to OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by FINRA. Sandra Nunez, 911 S.E. 31st St., Cape Coral, FL 33904, had her application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the states of Florida and New York on a licensing application.

Joseph R. O'Brien, Jr., 17 Velmere Dr., Simpsonville, SC 29681, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having pending criminal charges that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, failing to complete a licensing application, and owing delinquent Florida and Kansas taxes.

Ryan T. Pahl, 2009 Scheuring Rd., Apt. 5, De Pere, WI 54115, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Joel S. Randazzo, 405 Pottowatamie Ct., Oswego, IL 60543, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the states of Illinois and Missouri on a licensing application and failing to timely provide requested documentation to OCI. Rebecca Rekward, S6540 Cty. Hwy. T, Readstown, WI 54652, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Ben J. Salutz, 815 E. Johnson St., Apt. 3, Madison, WI 53703, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Oscar Sauceda, 2514 14th Pl., Apt. 18, Kenosha, WI 53140, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Tracy A. Schiltz (aka Tracy A. Fischer), W1338 Lake Geneva Hwy., Lake Geneva, WI 53147, had her insurance license revoked.

This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Patty S. Schultz, 4722 S. Hunter Ln., New Berlin, WI 53151, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Michael A. Slater, 1639 Barlow St., La Crosse, WI 54601, had his

insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

James P. Stewart, II, 717 Lincoln Dr., Sun Prairie, WI 53590, had his application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose pending criminal charges on a licensing application.

Matthew Thomas, 2828 Manchester Dr., Janesville, WI 53545, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application.

Jonathan E. Timm, P.O. Box 367, New Richmond, WI 54017, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application.

Chris L. Ulwelling, 4344 W. Loomis Rd., Apt. 31, Greenfield, WI 53220, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jeff P. Vondracek, 1900 Parkwood Dr., Kaukauna, WI 54130, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00 and was ordered to timely and completely disclose all administrative actions, criminal proceedings, and lawsuits to OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to timely report criminal charges to OCI. La-Tica D. Watson, 3013 Woodland Ave., Apt. 202, Des Moines, IA 50312, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, having a conditional criminal waiver from her state of domicile, and exhibiting evidence of financial irresponsibility.

Penny D. Weber, N53 W37144 E. Washington St., Oconomowoc, WI 53066, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

William V. Werner, 195 Center Dr., Ste. 101, Luxemburg, WI 54217, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Darrell E. Wilcox, 120 28th St. S., La Crosse, WI 54601, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Jaseng Xiong, 4929 100th St., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Allegations and Actions Against Companies Independence American Insurance Company, 485 Madison Ave., Fl. 14, New York, NY 10022, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00 and was ordered to provide requested information to OCI within 10 days. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Reed Group Management, LLC, 10355 Westmoor Dr., Westminster, 10 FEBRUARY 18

CO 80021, had its insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Tavernini Agency, Inc., P.O. Box 98, Norway, MI 49870, had its insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Insurance Agents Beware: All That Glitters May Not Be Covered

By Dan Hammond, Director of Errors & Omissions Claims and Melane Humphreys, MS, CPHRM, Casualty Risk Management Specialist Jewelry is a common type of personal property, and unfortunately, it is also a common source of insurance agents Errors & Omissions (E&O) claims. A standard Homeowners Policy has limited coverage for theft of jewelry.

Obtaining higher limits and broader coverage through Inland Marine policies, or a rider to the Homeowners Policy with schedules of specific items, may be the best option depending on your client’s needs. Typically these E&O claims involve a failure to obtain coverage or inadequate limits, and a surprising number involve diamond engagement rings.

Here’s some advice to remember when clients get engaged.

Be sure your client has an insurable interest in the engagement ring.

Be aware of jewelry sub-limits on the client’s Homeowners Policy.

Be aware of changes to the jewelry insurance during carrier changes.

Obtain higher limits and broader coverage through Inland Marine policies or a rider to the Homeowners Policy.

Proper valuation is key. Get updated appraisals from your client.

Be sure your client understands the valuation method.

› › › › › ›

The most common engagement ring issues begin with lost or stolen rings while on vacation. After the loss, the customer often discovers the jewelry limit on the policy is less than the value of the item, or that his or her policy does not cover the disappearance. Issues also arise when the schedule does not list the missing jewelry. This is especially problematic when a schedule drops at the time a policy transfers to a new carrier.

Proper valuation is key. Be sure to get an appraisal or bill of sale upon issuing the policy. Request an updated appraisal if switching carriers, or if there is not a current appraisal on file. Since scheduled items may appreciate in value, an appraisal is needed to reflect any changes in value. Also, valuation methods vary by carrier and by policy. Explain to your clients how their insurance carrier will value their jewelry. After all, there may be a significant impact if it is actual cash value versus agreed value.

Depending on state law, the individual who gave a ring to his or her fiancé may or may not have an insurable interest in the ring. Be sure your client has an insurable interest in the engagement ring. Even more complex issues can arise involving whether the giver or receiver owns an engagement ring, especially if the engagement is broken off before marriage.

The answer varies depending on the applicable state law. If the engagement is mutually ended, the majority rule is that the owner of the ring is usually the giver of the ring. If one party calls off the engagement, some states do not examine which party is at fault and typically find ownership of the ring to be the giver of the ring. In other states, the party who is not at fault for ending the engagement owns the ring.

If asked to insure an engagement ring, the agent should consult with the carrier regarding which party’s policy the ring should be insured under based upon the applicable state interpretation of ring ownership. The agent should make sure that the customer provides a current appraisal for scheduling the value of the ring accurately. The agent may consider highlighting any exclusions, such as disappearance. If the customer declines to procure specific coverage for the ring, the agent may consider highlighting the limited coverage provided by typical Homeowners Policies.

The material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not for purposes of providing legal advice.You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.

5-R-1251 Ed. 12-17

JANUARY 18 11

Marketing and Sales

By: John Graham

5 Ways to Make 2018 Your Best Year Yet

1. Try something new In their “Habits Across the Lifespan” study, Duke University researchers found that nearly half of human behaviors are habitbased, regardless of age. For example, we not only have favorite restaurants, but we tend to choose the same menu items over-andover again.

It’s the same in business. After receiving a promotion, her boss asked her to serve on the selection team for her replacement, but cautioned her not to look for someone just like her.

If half of our thought processes are habitual, it takes conscious effort to try new things, whether it’s a different color of clothing, how we feel about owning a self-driving vehicle, or selecting someone to succeed us at work.

As it turns out, your smartphone can have a similar problem. When it doesn’t operate properly, it may need to change its “thinking.”

Pressing the reset button gets it back to the way it was when new. We all accumulate habits that interfere with our performance. When that happens, it’s time for a “mental reset.”

2. Take advantage of ‘fresh starts’ in making sales Birthdays, anniversaries, a new baby, graduations, and starting a new job are well-known “buying occasions.” But current research points to many more times when we’re inclined to “turn the page” and make new commitments.

In one study, researchers found that college students were more likely to visit the fitness center at the start of a new week, a new semester, or just after a birthday. These are called “Fresh Start events.”

Receiving a bonus, getting a promotion, coming back from vacation, attending a workshop, among others, can make us more open to going in a new direction.

Armed with this insight, marketers and salespeople can take advantage of “Fresh Starts.” A life insurance agent finds that a prospect has an upcoming birthday and suggests that it this might be a good time to meet.

In other words, it’s not when you and I want to make the sale, it’s when the customer is ready. Figuring that out is the job.

3. Communicate your purpose clearly Sears, Roebuck & Co. kicked off a retail revolution 125 years ago with the clear purpose of bringing thousands of products and services to rural America with its huge iconic catalog. Today, Walmart and Amazon and some others continue that tradition.

But it’s the absence of a vibrant message that’s missing with too many companies. It seems the only reason they’re in business is to sell something. It’s as if just meeting with a salesperson or seeing a pop up ad is a sufficient reason to buy. It isn’t.

From L.L. Bean’s current “Be an outsider” campaign to Opdivo’s ‘A chance to live longer’ medication for those with a certain type of cancer, the message that the brand has a purpose is clear.

4. Improve the customer experience There’s one question anyone in marketing and sales should never stop asking themselves: “What does my customer expect?” It applies in every situation, whether you’re selling autos or equities, books or bathrooms, homes or heating. There are no exceptions. Unfortunately, most get it backwards. “What can I get out of it?” is their top of mind question, an attitude that leaves the customer experience in tatters.

But today it doesn’t need to be this way. For example, sales transactions at an Apple store are virtually invisible. You see customers handed white bags, but paying for it is over so fast, you can’t catch it. With ApplePay it’s essentially seamless.

Then, there’s life insurance. Surveys show that consumers want to buy it, but don’t get around to it because they think it is timeconsuming—filling out pages of questions, making time for meetings, having a physical, and then waiting weeks to get the policy.

Now, those seemingly insurmountable road blocks are gone. It takes only minutes for a couple of phone calls, answering a few medical questions, signing the application electronically, and having the policy, up to $1 million or more, delivered by email in less than a week.

(Continued on page 34)

12 FEBRUARY 18

Expect big things in workers’ compensation. Most classes approved, nationwide. It pays to get a quote from Applied.® For information call (877) 234-4450 or visit auw.com/us. Follow us at bigdoghq.com.

©2018 Applied Underwriters, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best.

Insurance plans protected U.S. Patent No. 7,908,157.

By: Lei Wang

Stephanie is in her early fifties. She has been a business consultant for twenty years and worked her way up from a junior associate all the way to one of the few female partners in her company. She lives a comfortable life and no longer need to pull all-nighters frequently just to stay “on top” of her work. Though considered rather successful by most people, she is a bit lost as to her next step. Coasting through the rest of her professional life? Early retirement? Do something different? For many years, other than working like mad, she hardly set aside time for herself. Driven by a strong desire for success and the responsibility for taking care of her family, she never entertained the possibilities of other “options”.

Her only daughter recently graduated from college, .Now that her daughter is asking her for career advice, she finds herself questioning her own professional direction. How can she provide her daughter with the best career advice? Also, what’s next for herself?

While launching or furthering your career, knowing what success means to you will help you find greater meaning and happiness.

Here are three pillars to help you define success for yourself: 1. Make every achievement personal and measure success against your own effort rather than any external comparison.

If you rely on external comparison to validate your sense of success, you may obscure your own perception by comparing yourself to people who are less or more “successful” than you. Or you could be confused as you bounce between being applauded by a full room after a presentation, and being passed over at the next promotion opportunity.

The external criteria used for comparison is frequently random.

14

FEBRUARY 18

Yet, as an individual, you long for a consistent and trustworthy confirmation of your worthiness. The only reliable source has to come from you—not other people or commonly accepted social norm.

Every person has a different starting point and different talent. So your success can only be judged against your own effort. What matters is not where you start from, or where you are today, but how hard you are working and how fast you are making progress.

Someone starts low but consistently works hard could surpass someone who starts high but only makes a mediocre effort.

Instead of resorting to any external comparison, compare where you are today versus where you were yesterday. Keep an eye on where you want to be tomorrow, and constantly make your best effort day-after-day. Sooner than you realize, you will be surprised to find how high you have reached.

2. The energy and motivation that a challenge inspires in you will make it easier to reach the summit.

Be sure not to overachieve at the expense of being able to sustain yourself mentally and physically for the next challenge.

Do not put yourself in a position where you are in the “flow” of your work and resist taking breaks for fear of falling behind. This creates burnout—plain and simple.

You may find yourself at a critical junction that taking a break means failure and render void your previous efforts. But you have to remember, your ultimate goal, your ultimate success, is much further than the goal in front of you. The journey is a long marathon, and the finish line is further than you can see. Keep in mind: even though sprinting to reach that immediate goal in front

of you right now may appear to be the most important task, it’s just a very small step in the long journey.

What can you do to prepare yourself for the long-haul to success?

What can you do today so you will be better prepared when you face another “critical” moment tomorrow? By taking care of some important—but not yet urgent—issues today, you could avoid making every important issue today an urgent problem in the future.

In business, that’s what risk management is for; in combat or competition, that’s what training and rehearsal is for; in your daily life, that’s what learning and taking care of your health and your relationships is for.

3. Success is a journey of constant searching and reconnecting with purpose.

Any achievement, no matter how significant it may be, is just a point on this journey. You will have many opportunities for success.

While the only criterion to evaluate your success has to come from within and the journey to success is a long marathon, you still need some “target”, right?

Common goals include reaching a certain number in revenue, scoring a certain position in an organization, or attaining a certain rank in your profession. However, you need to understand that each of those goals is just a point on your journey to success. Those points themselves are not the ultimate success you are pursuing. Just like the measurement of success comes from within, the goal also needs to connect to something within yourself.

The most important question is why? Why are you in this business?

Why are you pursuing in your profession? What does reaching those goals mean to you, to your family, to your community? What is the ultimate “goal” you are trying to reach beyond those “points”?

You have to dig deeper to understand your internal drivers, and discover the purpose of your life. Once you “know” the purpose you are serving or pursuing, it will be easier to see how those “points” on your journey connect and where you are heading. Let your purpose be the guide posts on your journey. You will never feel lost no matter if you succeed or fail at reaching that immediate next point, because you always know how to find the next guide post and you know where you are heading to in the future.

Be prepared to go beyond the immediate goal or achievement. Too often we sacrifice long-term success for short-term goals. There are always new summits and new goals. You will reach further faster if you look beyond the summit just in front of you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lei Wang is an internationally-recognized adventurer, motivational speaker and author of After the Summit: New Rules for Reaching Your Peak Potential in Your Career and Life. The first Asian woman to complete Explorers Grand Slam (climb the highest peak on each continent and ski to both poles), Lei channels her experiences to convey a message of perseverance and steadfast determination that her audiences can use at work or at home. For more information about Lei Wang, please visit www.JourneyWithLei.com.

BECOME A MEMBER OF AMERICAN ADVANTAGE For more than 15 years, our member agencies have maximized their revenue through: Increased Market Access Through AAIG, we are able to represent more companies by spreading the production requirements.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Sabourin • Marketing Manager MikeS@AmericanAdvantage.com 262-548-8070

Increased Contingencies By having all of AAIG’s premium volume combined for the contingencies, the percentages paid by the companies are significantly higher. With the premium combined, we are also able to absorb larger losses.

americanadvantage.com

Retaining Full Ownership Even though all company contracts are through AAIG, the agency is still owned by you with no back-end buyout fees to terminate.

FEBRUARY 18 15

Attention:

Members, College Students & Technical College Students!

The PIA of Wisconsin’s Young Professionals Club wishes to award: up to

$25,000 in Scholarships!!!

• Do you know a student planning on attending or already attending college for insurance or a related field of study?

• If so, could they use up to $2,500 in scholarship money?

If so, we may have a scholarship for them!

Students: You must be sponsored by an active PIA Member *There is NO obligation to purchase insurance from your sponsor. In advance of submitting the application you should visit the PIAW website to find a PIAW member in your area who would be willing to sponsor you if you do not already have a member sponsor: www.piaw.org - membership/find a professional agent.

Make sure you have your sponsor’s referral paragraph before submitting your application.

You will need to copy and paste their paragraph into the form when applying.

To be considered for the scholarship, please submit the form by February 15, 2018. The online form is on our website www.piaw.org under Committees/YPC Events beginning January 1.

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road Madison, WI 53719 ▪ (800) 261-7429 ▪ (866) 203-7461 www.piaw.org 16

FEBRUARY 18

Help Build Your Family’s Financial Future With

PIA Trust Insurance Plans INSURANCE PLANS DESIGNED WITH LOCAL AGENTS IN MIND As a PIA Member* serving Main Street America, you and your employees have access to a variety of highquality, competitively priced insurance plans.

Plans available include: > Basic Term Life** > Voluntary Term Life > Dependent Term Life > Hospital Indemnity > Long Term Disability > Short Term Disability > Business Overhead Expense > Accidental Death & Dismemberment

PIA SERVICES GROUP INSURANCE FUND

*PIA National membership, when required, must be current at all times. **Only available if 100% employer paid and if the employer and 100% of the employees enroll.

No medical underwriting necessary up to guaranteed issue limits.

For additional information about PIA Trust Insurance Plans, please contact your local PIA Affiliate or call the Plan Administrator at 1-800-336-4759. Additional information is also available on-line at www.piatrust.com.

Policies or provisions may vary or be unavailable in some states. Policies have exclusions or limitations which may affect any benefits payable.

Underwritten by Unimerica Insurance Company, Portland, ME. Administered by Lockton Risk Services.

There when it matters most to agents.

TECHNOLOGY Donegal knows “ease of doing business” is important to any independent agency.

That’s why Donegal Insurance Group focuses on providing superior technology, including mobile apps for agents and customers as well as fully automated web-based systems for Personal, Commercial and Farm Lines, to give our agents optimal efficiency in quoting and issuing policies.

But offering advanced technology equal to any national carrier isn’t enough. Donegal interacts with our agents to constantly look for ways to enhance our technology offerings.

Delivering superior technology, another way Donegal is “There When It Matters Most” for independent insurance agents.

To learn more visit www.sheboyganfallsinsurance.com or call Connie Jones at 800-242-7698 ext. 2800.

FEBRUARY 18 17

Burying your head is not a plan

Trends in Cybersecurity

By Adam Stern, Founder and CEO, Infinitely Virtual Forewarned is forearmed. Ah, if only that applied to hacking. After all, if you’re not warned, it’s tough to take up arms. A recent survey conducted by a national carrier found that of 1,000 business owners nearly half (45 percent) of those who experienced phishing, hacking or other forms of cyberattacks had no idea they had been victimized.1 As reported in Becker’s Hospital Review, 57 percent of respondents said they didn’t have staff dedicated to monitoring cyberattacks; 37 percent cited cost as an issue while 34 percent didn’t anticipate being targeted by an attack in any case.

Of course, those responsible for cyberassaults typically do not send around an advance team, heralding the arrival of a hack or a Distributed Denial of Service attack. The element of surprise is kind of the point.

Insurance agencies are inherently vulnerable to data (and therefore identity) theft, given the volume of personally identifiable information upon which the industry depends. PII can walk out the door in any number of ways—some innocent, others malign. Employees may inadvertently mishandle information while accessing a public network off-site or by opening an email from an unknown source. Clicking or replying can mean giving away the keys to the kingdom. Bad intent ranges from programmatic brute force hacks to more genteel (but just as pernicious) social hacking—seemingly innocent email and even phone solicitations that get the job done more discreetly.

tougher. In May, the ransomware worm WannaCry fueled a massive attack that paralyzed some 300,000 computers in 150 countries, disabling systems at public hospitals throughout the U.K. along with those connected to Telefonica, the Spanish telecom provider, among other victims. WannaCry wreaked havoc—but, tellingly, not at the public cloud providers like Microsoft Azure, Amazon’s AWS, IBM and Rackspace. Nor the smartly managed midsize public cloud providers, either.

The cloud

In this turn of events is a counter-intuitive lesson about what was indeed a major hack. The experience of public cloud providers should put to rest the notion that the cloud isn’t safe. WannaCry makes a compelling argument that the cloud is the safest place to be in a cyberattack. Internal IT departments, fixated on their own in-house mixology, were affected greatly, raising the legitimate question of why some roll-your-own insurance agencies and other organizations devote precious resources—including, with WannaCry, Bitcoins—to those departments in the belief that the cloud is a snakepit.

Overkill? Not these days. It’s a tough world out there, and getting

Ransomware

Insurance agencies need to determine role-based access to data (i.e., who gets access to what, and when) in their organizations. They also need to determine what to encrypt and when to do it. They also need to create technical and policy/procedural measures that demand codifying, testing and periodic retesting.

18 FEBRUARY 18

A short time after WannaCry, a new strain of ransomware—a Petyaesque variant known as Petya/NotPetya—swiftly spread across the globe, affecting tens of thousands of computers. More powerful, professional and dangerous than that earlier attack, the Petya-esque ransomware uses the same EternalBlue exploit to target vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s operating system. However, unlike WannaCry, this ransomware instructs the user to reboot the computer and then locks up the entire system.

But, the takeaway needs to be that users aren’t defenseless, even in the wake of a nefarious perpetrator like Petya/NotPetya. The best antidote is patch management. It’s a sound practice to keep your systems and servers updated with patches—it’s the shortest path to peace of mind. Indeed, “patch management consciousness” needs to be part of an overarching mantra: Security is a process, not an event—a mindset, not a matter of checking boxes and moving on to the next step. Vigilance should be everyone’s default mode. Spam is no one’s friend; be wary of emails from unknown sources, which means not opening them. Every small- and mid-size business wins by placing strategic emphasis on security protections, with technologies like clustered firewalls and intrusion prevention/detection software.

In the cloud’s infancy, cloud-hosting providers touted scalability, initial cost savings and speed. However, the prospect of enhanced security in the cloud—indeed, that the better cloud deployments now mean that data is safer in the cloud than on a typical unsecured desktop—has altered the conversation. Organizations assessing cloudservice providers can now seek out those whose security controls mitigate the risks of moving to the cloud. Increasingly, businesses of all stripes are facing the challenge of dealing with outdated modes of storage and finding affordable, practical, secure solutions that meet their needs.

On the premise that the best defense is understanding the real nature of the offense or offenses (since cybersecurity addresses a multifront battleground), it’s useful to think in terms of concentric circles— broad steps your agency can take to maximize your safety. It also may help you match your level of protection to the class of threat your agency faces. Users need to be familiar with online threats and at least somewhat conversant with tools to arrest them; no single system can circumvent vulnerabilities that haven’t been patched. Still, there are things that you can and should do to maximize your safety, which include: First line of defense: The first line should be a firewall supported by intrusion detection and prevention technology, along with antivirus and anti-malware software, which is limited to blocking items downloaded over unencrypted protocols.

Second line of defense: The second line centers around the trained, educated user—someone sufficiently cognizant of threats who thinks before executing a link or downloading an attachment: a user, attuned to the real and present danger inherent in viruses and malware, and who acts accordingly.

Third line of defense: The third line is comprised of patch

management and locally installed anti-virus and anti-malware software, working together to effectively block attacks. Proper implementation of third-line defense means fewer bugs and optimized performance.

Fourth line of defense: In the event that malware or ransomware hits the system, things can proceed without a hiccup—assuming the organization was savvy enough to install application-consistent snapshot technology, a rollback process that takes just minutes and restores the server to its exact state prior to the attack.

Remember: The human element remains the most important social engineering piece of this construct. It’s always best to stop a problem early, before it festers and productivity suffers; think smoke detectors versus sprinkler systems.

The point is to make yourself as safe as you possibly can be. Yes, you can bring your own software and, yes, you may well be safe, perhaps safer than you think. However, to be safer still, you need to do these things; you need to internalize the four lines of defense. That’s how you determine precisely what “safe” means in your environment.

DDoS What technology threatens (and sometimes manages) to take away it also can restore. Consider massive volumetric DDoS—a silent killer that says, “Pay me or I’ll shut everything down.” There’s no question that massive volumetric attacks are something new and especially troubling, and no single firewall can stop them. However, a new model for real-time DDoS mitigation has emerged, in the form of technology that automatically analyzes suspected DDoS activity and deploys routing commands to ensure that immediate action is taken when legitimate DDoS attacks are detected—all without any human intervention.

The takeaway Your professional, independent insurance agency—that is, your data—is considerably safer in the cloud than parked on equipment under someone’s desk. Any cloud provider worth its salt brings to the task a phalanx of time-tested tools, procedures and technologies that ensure continuous uptime, regular backups, data redundancy, data encryption, anti-virus/anti-malware deployment, multiple firewalls, intrusion prevention and round-the-clock monitoring.

These measures (and counter-measures) represent a trend that affirms that users still have a high degree of control—if they have the wherewithal to claim it.

Stern is founder and CEO of Infinitely Virtual, which offers products and services based on virtual dedicated server and cloud computing technologies (infinitelyvirtual.com or @IV_CloudHosting). The company is based in Los Angeles.

1 Nationwide Insurance, New Business Preparedness Survey, August 2017 —Reprinted with permission from PIA Management Services Inc.—

PIAW has an excellent cyber liability policy available for members.

Call Heidi at (800) 261-7429 or email hhodel@piaw.org for a quote.

FEBRUARY 18 19

Don’t choose countless providers.

C hoose the one you can count on.

In an industry where an empty promise can be commonplace, EMC has been a reliable and trusted partner to our agents for more than 100 years. As true professionals, we treat all our agents with respect while reacting to their needs and giving them superior service and products that set them up for long-term success.

It’s a relationship you can always count on.

www.emcins.com ©Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2018. All rights reserved.

The CISR Program empowers outstanding individuals to provide exceptional customer service. Join the many thousands of insurance professionals who have already experienced the benefits.

Ellen Alwin, CISR TRICOR, INC. Madison, WI

Amber Maki, CISR, AINS Old Republic Risk Management Waukesha, WI

Tonya Tasch, CISR Family Insurance Center, Inc. Seymour, WI

Jenell Buss, CISR West Bend - A Mutual Insurance Company West Bend, WI

Nancy Petrick, CISR Rural Mutual Insurance Madison, WI

Karissa Uelmen, CISR HNI Risk Services, LLC New Berlin, WI

Lynn Simon, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Andrea Zebell-Fennigkoh, CISR Coverra Insurance Services Sparta, WI

Mari Colaiacomo, CISR Integrated Risk Solutions, Inc. Waukesha, WI Kim Kowalski, CISR Sentry Insurance Stevens Point, WI

Derik Steffens, CISR Steffens Insurance Group, Inc. Waterford, WI

This new status is for CISRs who aspire to be more, and passed all nine CISR courses.

Frances Clawson, CISR Elite, CPIW, API HNI Risk Servces, LLC New Nerlin, WI

Step Up To Elite Status

Brenda Dukat, CISR Elite HNI Risk Services Greenfield, WI

CISR Elite, That is.

For CISRs who aspire to be more-who seek to distinguish themselves as Elite.

When you love what you do, and want to be the best, It’s time to step up. it time to Become a CISR Elite.

NEW CICs

www.piaw.org 800-261-7429

The Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) Program has been the insurance industry’s premier, proven source for practical, real-world education since 1969. For insurance professionals everywhere, the 20 hour Institutes represent a thoroughly rewarding learning experience, led by accomplished insurance and risk management speakers. Are you ready to challenge yourself?

Crystal Benson, CIC Diversified Insurance Solutions Brookfield, WI

Samuel Hope, CIC CHS Insurance Victoria, MN

Jesse Lofgren, CIC Indianhead Insurance Agency, Inc. Chippewa Falls, WI

Laurie Gasser-Olson, CIC, CISR, AIS Truyman Haase Zahn Insurance Seymour, WI

Brett Hutson, CIC, AU Partners Mutual Insurance Company Milwaukee, WI

Jesse Maas, CIC M3 Insurance Wausau, WI

Dan Gluch, CIC Acuity Sheboygan, WI

Karyn Jordahl-Burcum, CIC, CISR TRICOR, INC. Madison, WI

Todd Wideman, CIC Spectrum Insurance Group, LLC Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Sara Grade, CIC, CISR Rural Mutual Insurance Madison, WI

Kay Kostka, CIC, CISR Arthur J. Gallagher RMS, Inc. Wausau, WI

Bradley Winchester, CIC M3 Insurance, Inc. Madison, WI FEBRUARY 18 21

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NEW CISRs

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NEW CRMs

Risk Managers don’t leave anything to chance! Participate in the program that gives you a dependable advantage in the demanding field of risk management—the CRM Program.

Tracie Bishop, CIC, CRM Associated Benefit & Risk Consulting Waukesha, WI

Kaye Matucheski, CRM, CIC, CISR City of Antigo Antigo, WI

Ryan Smale, CRM The Horton Group Waukesha, WI

SAVE THE DATE!

22 FEBRUARY 18

Certified Insurance Service Representative

Open to Anyone!

These courses will strengthen your ability to have productive, assured interactions with your commercial customers in the area of commercial casualty exposures and coverages.

CISR PERSONAL LINES - MISCELLANEOUS 7 WI CE Credits Course # 69340

Course Instructor Todd Davis, CIC

This course addresses the exposures created by watercraft, recreational vehicles, and business activities often encountered when working with personal lines clients. Prompting your client to identify these exposures is crucial, because the ISO Homeowners and ISO Personal Auto Programs provide only very limited coverage. You will be better able to design the appropriate coverage for these exposures. The course will also provide an analysis of the important coverage offered through personal umbrella or excess liability policies.

• • • •

Watercraft Exposures & Coverages Recreational Vehicles Business Activities of Personal Lines Clients Personal Umbrella/Excess Liability

It is recommended that students taking CISR Personal Lines Miscellaneous have already taken CISR Personal Residential or have a working knowledge of the Homeowners Policy Form.

March 22 - Appleton

LIFE & HEALTH ESSENTIALS 7 WI CE Credits Course # 69351

This course will help build a better understanding of what your clients need to know about life and health insurance. Explaining the benefits of having the proper life and health insurance is key to the financial wellbeing of your clients’ families and businesses. Be better prepared to answer questions about analyzing the need for and placement of life insurance.

• • • • • •

Course Instructor

Victor Puleo,PhD., CIC, CFP

Introduction to Life Insurance Term Insurance Permanent Life Insurance Health Insurance Concepts Regulation Consumer Driven Plans

April 25 – Madison April 26 - Tomah

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction Group Lunch Optional Exam

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

$170 Per Course Includes Lunch

Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

FEBRUARY 18 23

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STAND OUT! Set yourself apart with the CPIA designation.

The PIA of Wisconsin is a proud sponsor of the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) professional designation program. These three, one-day workshops teach practical "before", "during", and "after" sale techniques for insurance producers, sales managers, account managers and company marketing representatives. Completion rule, 3 years from first course. No exams. You do not need to commit to all three to attend one.

Participants leave with ideas that will produce increased sales results immediately. In fact, they are guaranteed: Implement the principles covered in these sessions and experience a 20% increase in personal production within six months, or your registration fee will be refunded!

The CPIA designation is maintained with a bi-annual attendance at one CPIA course or membership in the AIMS Society..

The AIMS Society is a national organization dedicated to providing interactive marketing and sales training, ongoing resources and networking opportunities to insurance professionals. www.aimssociety.org No Test. Approved for 7 Wisconsin CE credits. Utica approved.

While it is not required, it is recommended courses are taken in order.

CPIA 1 - Position for Success

CPIA 2 - Implement for Success

During this program, participants are encouraged to focus on internal and external factors affecting the development of effective business development plans.

Factors discussed include a review of the state of the insurance marketplace; analysis of competitive pressures; necessary insurance carrier underwriting criteria; and consumer expectations and understanding.

During this session participants will be provided with specific tools for analyzing consumer needs; will learn to utilize risk identification techniques to gather pertinent prospect information; will develop skills necessary to assimilate information gathered into a customized protection program; and will participate in exercises designed to promote effective delivery of proven solutions.

WI CE Course # 65338

WI CE Course # 65340

CPIA 3 - Sustain Success WI CE Course # 65339

This program focuses on fulfilling the implied promises contained in the insuring agreement. Students will review methods of providing evidence of insurance coverage; will discuss policies and procedures for controlling E&O including policy review and delivery, endorse-ments, claimsprocessing, and handling of client complaints. This course includes a review of the Professional Expectations; the Law of Agency; and Legal and Ethical Standards.

Course Schedule 8:30 – 4:00 Lunch on Your Own 12:00 – 12:45 Registration Fee per Seminar Includes:

Seminar Materials, CE Fees & Light Break Items

 PIAW Member $172.00  Non Member $207.00

Back by popular demand!

Steve Becher, CIC, CPIA Register at piaw.org

CPIA 1 – July 24, 2018

CPIA 2 – July 25, 2018

CPIA 3 – July 26, 2018

All courses conducted at West Bend Mutual Insurance Company in West Bend, Wis.

24 FEBRUARY 18

Visit the Education tab at piaw.org for a complete list of topics, descriptions, webinar demo and registration.

Several approved for Utica credit. Ethics is offered each month.

Fee per Webinar: $55 PIAW Member, $70 Non Member – Includes WI CE fees.

February 2018 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Home Business vs Home Insurance 3 WI CE # 6000004680

2/6

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CC, CISR, PLCS

Health Insurance: Myths, Truths and Solutions 3 CE # 1011195

2/7

12-3p

Karin Klaassen, CLU, LUTCF

Tricks to Fix: Closing Coverage Gaps in Home, Work and Auto 3 WI CE # 1012435

2/8

8-11a

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

ALERT: Agency Legal & Ethical Responsibilities 3 WI Ethics CE # 1010871 Utica Approved

2/8

12-3p

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

E&O Loss Prevention 3 WI CE # 1010749, Utica Approved

2/13

8-11a

Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

Certificates and Additional Insureds: Navigating the Maze 3 CE # 1011192

2/13

12-3p

Catherine Trischan, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, AU, AAI, CRIS, MLIS

Executive and Management Liability 3 WI CE # 1010876

2/14

8-11a

Catherine Trischan, CPCU, CRM, CIC, ARM, AU, AAI, CRIS, MLIS

Man vs. Machine: Cyber Exposures and Insurance Solutions 3 WI CE # 1011190

2/15

8-11a

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS

Innovations in Long-Term Care Funding with Life Insurance 3 WI CE # 1012433

2/15

12-3p

Jerry Rhinehart, CIC, CLU, ChFC, RHU

Street Level Ethics 3 WI Ethics CE # 1012437 Utica Approved

2/20

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Top Twelve Coverage Countdown: Answers, Evaluations & Revelations 3 WI CE # 1010873

2/21

8-11a

Chris Amrhein, AAI

2/21

12-3p

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

A Walk Around the Farm-Farm Property Considerations 3 WI CE # 6000004089

Register online at piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429.Contact Brenda for in-house webinar opportunities. bsteinbach@piaw.org FEBRUARY 18 25

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New Topics! Each Approved for 3 WI CE Credits. Live. No Test. No Proctor.

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O n -L i n e e d u c a t i O n

Open to Anyone & Everyone ! www.piaw.org

For The New Employee - No CE 6-8 Week Virtual Classroom •

• • •

New Agency Employee Orientation Delivering Quality Service Personal Lines Coverage Basics Commercial Lines Coverage Basics

Pre-Licensing Education Webinars: 2-3 WI CE, No Exam, No Proctor •

Over 20 Topics

Hot Topics: 4 WI CE • • •

Variety of Coverage Topics Ethics Flood

All 9 CISR Courses – 8 WI CE All 5 CIC Institutes – 20 WI CE

UTICA

Gives You the Credit You Deserve!

The following PIAW education classes are approved for the Utica premium credit.

• Any CIC Update • CIC Agency Management • CISR Agency Operations • Dynamics of Service • Select PIAW Webinars • PIAW Conducted Ethics and E&O Seminars (classroom or in house) To register online and view upcoming CE courses visit www.piaw.org

26 FEBRUARY 18

Please contact Heidi Hodel, CIC, CRIS, Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org or 1-800-261-7429 to find out how you can benefit from Utica’s E&O Loss Control Program.

Each Approved for 20 Wisconsin CE Credits PERSONAL LINES

February 14-16, 2018 Crowne Plaza – Madison, WI 886-424-0835 $111 PIA room rate through 1/14/18 • • • • •

PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL COVERAGES Sidney Earl Aycock, CIC

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G E T O U T I N YO U R CO M M U N I T Y A four-step process to Build a Local Brand

By:Matt Masiello, Executive Vice President and COO of SIAA

With the insurance industry spending roughly $6 billion a year in advertising to bring “Mayhem” and the like into America’s homes 24 hours a day, local independent agents can feel frustrated when it comes to branding. However, building a local brand within their communities can ensure a path to success no matter what Flo and the gecko are up to on the national stage.

It can be daunting for an agent—or anyone for that matter—to fathom the amount of dollars put forth by insurance companies for advertising each year. In fact, the insurance industry ranks among the top-10 industries in the U.S. when it comes to annual advertising spending growth, according to Insurance Business America. A recent report from SNL Financial, also quoted in the story, found that Berkshire Hathaway, parent company of GEICO, was the top spender at $935 million in 2015—the most recent year for which data was readily available. Other leading spenders included Allstate at $655 million, State Farm at $608 million, Progressive at $604 million and Nationwide at $297 million.

What is a professional, independent agent, who operates on Main Street or in a local strip mall, rather than high atop a big city corporate high-rise, to do in order to stand out? The answer is: Play up his or her best assets and develop a local brand.

To find success in local branding, independent agents need a multipronged approach with a plan for tracking results. They need to explore a variety of mediums and use the tools that work for them, including: websites, social media, email, newsletters, community 28 FEBRUARY 18

involvement, referrals, direct mail and more. Further, they need to remember that they can provide something else the big exclusive agencies can’t—significant variety in carrier offerings. While all of these tactics can be useful, let’s look at four ways independent agents can stand out from the pack by building a local brand.

No. 1: Accept that small, local appeal with community involvement For every independent agent who says, “I can’t compete with GEICO,” I say, “Why would you compete with GEICO in the first place?” Independent agents need to tap into their strengths to be the best community based service providers they can be. We’ve all seen the bumper stickers—“Buy Local.” In fact, many consumers in the marketplace like to buy local and keep their business dealings local when they can. Independent agents need to capitalize on that and promote the personal touch and variety of product options that the big guys just can’t offer.

Placing a banner for an agency in the little league outfield still goes a long way. Clients, as well as potential clients in the community,

see the agency’s name and know that agency supports their hometown teams and groups. Tried-and true methods of local advertising are still effective today. Agency owners might consider advertising in the local coffee shops or diners, in the church or temple bulletin, sponsoring a local charity run or walk, or buying a banner to hang in the school gym. The community residents will get to know the agency’s name— creating awareness for that local brand.

Technology and social media may be creating new ways to communicate with current and future clients, but some of these classic tactics never lose their luster. That’s not to say that these forms of communication can’t complement the more traditional methods.

Agents should consider using these tools to help with business-tobusiness support on a community level. For example, they could host a seminar for small-business owners to inform them of the importance of cybercrime protection (with insurance as well as business processes) and promote the event online and via social media.

Creating regular content on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter can bring an agency’s branding into the social-media world, but the competition out there can be intimidating. Social media is a great tool, an extension of what agents already do and can provide significant exposure to an agent’s brand; however, it takes time, patience and commitment.

Consider tip No. 1 (Think local) listed above on the importance of community involvement. Use social media to amplify that involvement and community presence. Dedicate at least 10 minutes a day to social media and consider the following tactics: • •

No. 2: Tap into carrier resources

•

Often, independent agents argue that they don’t have the numerous resources and tools at their disposal that the national insurers do. But, in fact, they usually do.

•

Many carriers offer tool kits for independent agents with marketing materials, like signage, brochures and newsletters, as well as risk management advice, online tools, website design assistance and more.

Independent agents can inquire with their carriers to find out what resources are available.

Further, agents should ensure the carriers they represent are clearly displayed on their websites and social media, and stay in regular contact with them to see how they can partner in local events.

This approach can provide maximum impact, with little or zero money. These carrier tools can help agents reach all their existing and potential clients, whether homeowners, auto, life or commercial. It’s about the local agent leveraging the strength of another known brand.

No. 3: Develop an active referral program Word of mouth is, and has always been, one of the most powerful and effective promotional tools around. A customer referral can be valuable— so valuable that an agency owner may want to consider offering rewards for those referrals. Agents can do this in two ways.

Reward the customers who directly offer a referral, depending on the state in which they operate, or reward the staff employee who obtains the referral (or both).

For example, in New England, there are agencies that raffle off a television, hand out lottery tickets and award gift cards for customer referrals. Sometimes a little incentive can go a long way.

Agencies need an active referral program and staff ought to know when and how to ask for referrals from customers. An ideal time to request a referral or testimonial is after a claim is settled and all parties are satisfied. In any case, staff should have a scripted and well-rehearsed referral request at the ready. An agent’s top customers usually are the best referral sources.

No. 4: Engage on social media

Sponsor and post pictures of an agency sign at the local baseball field; sponsor community events and share the spotlight.

Promote other local businesses in the community as well. Small businesses will return the favor. By sharing the spotlight, agents welcome people in and show good will.

Engage local youth groups. Promote their events ahead of time and share live video of the activities the agency supports and as part of the community brand strategy. Don’t be afraid to promote the agency here and there.

Share photos of reaching milestones, new hires or staff volunteer events.

In addition, independent agents can get their staff involved in social media. Let your staff know of the agency’s presence online and encourage them to view your social media and be responsive. Within a few weeks, the agency can increase its reach exponentially.

Agents would do well to focus on increasing “likes,” “followers,” and joining public groups. Additionally, posting photos, video and relevant content will keep your readers coming back to your sites.

And, agents always should remember to follow the 80/20 rule. In other words, only 20 percent of social-media posts should be sales related. Don’t sell all the time—build the presence of the brand!

Be your brand Once an agent has established that local brand, he or she has to embrace it, talk about it, tweet about it and then get others to do the same. The goal is to make the brand pervasive in the community.

Times have changed. With technology and Main Street at their disposal, independent agents have a stronger opportunity than they’ve had in years to compete with industry giants. Professional, independent insurance agents can offer what big corporations can’t—a variety of products and services from different carriers, community involvement and a personal touch.

Agents can enhance their local brand by getting engaged and providing personal service that leads clients to want to share their experiences with others. That brand represents a commitment—to the clients, quality and community.

Masiello is executive vice president and COO of SIAA (Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance) and CEO of SAN Group. He can be reached at mattm@siaa.net.

—Reprinted with permission from PIA Management Services Inc.— FEBRUARY 18 29

More than a trusted brand, AAA is the perfect lead — and close.

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Call Heidi Nienow at 608-828-2614 or email me at hqnienow@aaawisconsin.com

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."

- Thomas Jefferson

30 FEBRUARY 18

17-IA-2054 LC 3/17

FEBRUARY 18 31

Is your Sales Team Fat, Dumb, and Happy?

By: John Chapin On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is not at all, and 10 is a perfect description, how does your sales organization rate according to the following definitions?

Fat: Enough clients and business to sustain you for the short term coupled with no consistent effort at chasing new business. Everyone is simply living off of current accounts and otherwise killing time during the workweek. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Dumb: Mediocre to poor sales skills with no interest in developing good to great sales skills. No training initiatives for professional or personal development. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Happy: Comfortable because everyone can pay their bills and they’re not missing any meals. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 6 or higher on any one of these is a big problem. A 6 or higher on two of these is a major problem. And a 6 or higher on all three is an extremely urgent problem and a recipe for disaster. Sales organizations that have problems in the above areas usually also exhibit one or more of the following traits: • Top producers are supporting bottom producers • No accountability • Allowing negativity and slackers in the workplace • Very little or no actual sales training • More than content with 1 to 3% organic growth in the largest economy ever created on planet Earth So how did your organization rate? If you have a problem, is it something you want to address, or are you “happy” with mediocrity 32 FEBRUARY 18

and simple survival? Usually at this point I’m hit with something like: “We should improve BUT,…” one of the following excuses: “It’ll be too much work”, “I’m wearing too many hats and I have no time”, and/or “My people won’t change and I can’t force them to.”

First, none of those are true. It doesn’t take a Herculean effort or take a ton of time and your people will change if they see a benefit to changing. That said, step one is to make the decision. If you’re considering staying poor or average, let me give you some food for thought. For starters, we all know it’s better to be at the top, winning. Just ask any of the top sports teams or top organizations in any industry. You might also want to ask the ones at the bottom what it’s like to lose. It sucks. But if you’re fat, dumb, and happy you’re already experiencing anywhere from a little to a lot of suck.

Next, do you feel like you have an obligation and a duty to the organization you take money from? What about your obligation to the people affected by how well or badly your organization runs? If your organization is sub-standard, the client is being hurt. You also have the people who work at the company and their families. Finally, what about you and the people who are important to you? What are your hopes and dreams for the future? The college educations, the weddings, perhaps taking care of your parents, or being able to absorb a catastrophic health issue for you or a loved one? How about the dream home, the vacations, retirement, or maybe a lasting legacy that lives on long after you’re gone? Mere survival doesn’t allow any of those. Finally, is your time on Earth going to be defined as “mediocre”, and is that going to be your legacy once you’re gone?

Just some things to consider. If, on the other hand, you’ve decided to change, here are three steps that can go a long way:

Step 1) Set the vision and ask everyone for their help.

Ask people what kind of organization they want to be part of.

Highlight the fact that we spend more waking hours at work than at home and ask if it might be better to enjoy the process a little bit more. Ask if we (the whole team) have an obligation to clients, our families, and ourselves to do the best job possible and have the best lives possible. Ask what example we want to set for our kids and the other important people in our lives. We want our kids to give their best in school and other activities, should we be doing the same at work? I mean, if the job’s worth doing, is it worth doing well, or do we want to be average? Do we want to be the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers (insert favorite, great team here), or the Cleveland Browns (or other losing team)? Let them choose to get on board and be part of, or not be part of, a new positive, growing organization.

Step 2) Set expectations and hold people accountable to those expectations.

When you set the expectations, you have to let people know that sales is not a 9 to 5 job. If they’re going to make it, it’s going to take a ton of work, resilience, and persistence. Especially in the beginning they’re going to need to learn the product, your procedures, and maybe even the industry if they’re new to it. Depending upon their sales skills, they may also need to spend a lot of time developing those. You should have set those parameters in the beginning, but if you didn’t, some veterans may have to get to work too. Also, in the new atmosphere, we’re now going to hold people accountable to their quotas. You know who can sell and who can’t. You’ve known since the first week based upon attitude and motivation level. You’re going

to have to get tough here. If you’d like, you can delegate this by hiring a great sales coach who can take on the responsibilities of training, monitoring results, and holding people accountable. The key here is to require the slackers to step up or step out.

Step 3) Provide training, tools, and resources.

Put the support people and systems in place and provide sales training. You want your producers spending their day on sales activities, not paperwork and administrative details. Also, when they are selling you want them as effective as possible. This is an upfront investment that will return tenfold and make you one of the top organizations around.

The choice is yours. You know you need to change. If not now, when? The year 2000 was 18 years ago. Seems like yesterday.

Tomorrow is 2036. Change before it’s too late. It simply takes a commitment to raise your standards, reset expectations, and ask others to raise their game… If for nothing else, for themselves and their families. To prove to themselves and others what they’re capable of.

To ensure that at their end of their lives, they’re not on their deathbed with regrets, wondering “what if”, and neither are you.

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker and trainer. For his free newsletter, or to have him speak at your next event, go to: www. completeselling.com John has over 29 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. You can reprint provided you keep contact information in place. E-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com

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A nudge can make a difference “Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men,” wrote essayist E. B. White. Bootstrap beliefs and “we made it and so can you” attitudes fly in the face of the facts. We quickly forget that we’re the benefactors of the kindness and generosity of so many who gave us a helpful nudge.

Not long ago, I made my own list of some of those people. It was embarrassingly lengthy, but surely not long enough. A new year is a good time to think about how lucky we are and the difference a few nudges can make.

[Source: GrahamComm] (Continued from page 12 - 2018 Best Year Yet)

It starts and ends with doing what customers expect.

5. Learn from complaining customers We’re told that customer complaints benefit a business since they point out problems that need correcting. Even though that helps, it’s essentially a reactive strategy, like trying to get the Genie back in the bottle.

There’s a more significant problem: customers who refuse to be ignored. According to a study conducted by Edison Research, many customers may be cynical about businesses responding to complaints so they turn to social media–Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, among others.

“79% of those complaining about a brand on Twitter do so in the hopes that their ‘friends would see it.’ While 52% hope the ‘company would see it,’ only 36% expect that the brand would ‘see it and address the problem,’” according to the study.

Not only can we learn from complaining customers what needs correcting, but we can also let them know that we want to hear from them and give them easily accessible ways to communicate with us—and then respond quickly.

John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He is the creator of “Magnet Marketing,” and publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com, 617-774-9759 or johnrgraham. com 34 FEBRUARY 18

Wisconsin STRONG Since 1931 Partners Mutual Insurance Company has built lasting relationships with independent agents across the state. We are committed to the independent agency system as the only means to deliver our products and work hand-in-hand to help our agencies grow profitably.

For information about becoming a Partners Mutual Insurance Agent please contact Brian Martin at 262.432.3439; Martin.Brian@PartnersMutual.com; Mike Ottman at 262.432.3418; Ottman.Michael@PartnersMutual.com; or Charles Becker at Becker.Charles@PartnersMutual.com or 262.432.3484.

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A. Producers can share in all contingencies. Because of our size, our contingent return is more predictable and stable to our Producers.

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A. We handle staff management, HR, accounting, IT, rating, office management and other administrative details. This allows Producers to spend more time with their families or growing their book on their terms.

Q: What technology resources do you offer?

A. A dedicated IT department ensures technology resources are performing and the latest tools are being reviewed. We operate on Applied Epic and offer Zywave, AccuComp and HR Workplace Services.

Learn More: Chris Illman I cillman@robertsonryan.com I 800.258.0277 I www.RobertsonRyan.com

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Contact Heidi Hodel at PIA Wisconsin by phone at 608-274-8188 or via email at hhodel@piaw.org for more information.

FEBRUARY 18 35

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FEBRUARY 18 37

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. OFFICERS Ms. Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM, CPIA President A.F. Glass Insurance Center P.O. Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jcordes@glassinsurancecenter.com Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM Vice President M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc. 3133 W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 Phone 608-273-0655 Fax 608-273-7783 matt.cranney@m3ins.com

DIRECTORS Mr. Thomas Budzisz, CPIA BWO Insurance Group, LLC 2111 E Rawson Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone 414-768-8100 Fax 414-768-8110 tom@bwoinsurance.com Mr. Jeremy Cordova, CIC Cordova Agency, Inc. 716 E 2nd St. Merrill, WI Phone 715-536-9576 Fax 715-539-3349 jeremy.cordova@cordovaagency.com Ms. Sandy L. Hardrath, CIC, CPIA Ansay & Associates 4712 Expo Dr. Manitowoc, WI 54220 Phone 920-370-4283 Fax 920-682-7799 Sandy.Hardrath@Ansay.com

Mr. Sean M. Paterson, CIC Treasurer Robertson Ryan & Associates 12750 W. North Ave., Building A Brookfield, WI 53005 Phone 262-782-5373 Fax 262-782-6327 spaterson@robertsonryan.com

Mr. Michael Keener, CIC Keener Insurance Solutions, LLC W 175 N11081 Stonewood Dr Ste 105 Germantown, WI Phone 262-293-9144 Fax 262-293-9254 michael@keenersolutions.com

Ms. Julie Ulset, CPIA Secretary Grams Insurance Agency LLC 103 W Fulton St. Edgerton, WI 53534 Phone 608-884-3304 Fax 608-884-9616 julset@gramsinsurance.com

Mr. John W. Klinzing, CIC, CPIA Affiliated Ins. Agencies of WI, LLC 3830 Atwood Ave. Madison, WI 53714 Phone 608-310-3924

STAFF

Fax 608-441-8787 johnk@affiliatedllc.com

PIA of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road Madison WI 53719 Phone: 608-274-8188 Toll Free: 800-261-7429 Fax: 608-274-8195 Toll Free Fax: 866-203-7461 www.piaw.org

Mr. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA PIAW National Director Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc. 330 E Kilbourn Ave. Suite 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone 414-271-1561 Fax 414-271-3012 dkuhnke@robertsonryan.com

Ronald Von Haden, CIC Executive Vice President rvonhaden@piaw.org

Mr. Brian MacGillis, CPIA MacGillis Agency, Inc. W3934 County Highway H PO Box 100 Fredonia, WI 53021-0100 Phone 262-790-0000 Fax 262-790-0004 brian@macgillisinsurance.com

Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Heidi Hodel, CIC, CRIS Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org

Mitchell Tarras Nett Insurance Agency LLC 607C Eastern Ave Plymouth, WI 53073 Phone 920-893-3252 Fax 920-893-3250 mitchtarras@charter.net

Mandy Penn Executive Assistant mpenn@piaw.org Becca Prestbroten Administrative Assistant bprestbroten@piaw.org

Dan Wolfgram AINS, CPIA R & R Insurance Services, Inc. 1581 E. Racine Ave. Waukesha, WI 53186 Phone 262-574-7000 Fax 262-574-7080 dan.wolfgram@rrins.com

Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

Coming Events FEBRUARY 2018 7

CISR Personal Residential Appleton, WI (7 WI CE)

8

CISR Personal Residential Waukesha, WI (7 WI CE)

14-16

CIC Personal Lines Madison WI (20 WI CE)

38 FEBRUARY 18

MARCH 2018 14-16

CIC Commercial Casualty Green Bay, WI (20 WI CE)

22

CISR Personal Lines Miscellaneous Appleton, WI (7 WI CE)

APRIL 2018 11-13

CIC Commercial Multiline West Bend, WI (20 WI CE)

25

CISR Life & Health Essentials Madison, WI (7 WI CE)

26

CISR Life & Health Essentials Tomah, WI (7 WI CE)

MAY 2018 15

CISR Commercial Casualty 1 Madison, WI (7 WI CE)

16-17

Ruble Graduate Madison, WI (16 WI CE, 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

Independent Insurance Agents Every day, you as independent agents put on a rocking show for your clients. We are proud to give you a standing ovation!

6401 Odana Road Madison, WI 53719 Change Service Requested

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road • Madison, WI 53719 (608) 274-8188 • (800) 261-PIAW • FAX (608) 274-8195 • TOLL FREE FAX: (866) 203-7461 www.piaw.org

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Agency Name________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address________________________________________________ PO Box_______________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_________________________________________________ County_______________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________________ FAX__________________________________________________________ E-mail Address________________________________________________ Website Address________________________________________________

Primary Contact Information:

The Primary Contact will receive a copy of the Wisconsin Professional Agent magazine and all mailings from PIA State and National. The Primary Contact has voting rights at PIA national meetings. Primary Contact and all agency staff have voting rights at PIA of Wisconsin meetings.

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Which Agency Management System are you using________________________ E&O Carrier_________________________________________ Exp. Date______________ Annual P&C Prem. Vol.________________________________

Calculate Membership Amount Due:

Part-time employees count as one-half. If count ends in half, drop half. # Owners_________+ # Producers_________+ # Licensed staff_________+ # Unlicensed staff_________= Total Agency Size_____________________ DUES SCHEDULE

Total Agency Size $Amount Total Agency Size $ Amount 1 385 16 1025 2 430 17 1070 3 475 18 1110 4 520 19 1155 5 565 20 1185 6 605 21 1230 7 655 22 1270 8 695 23 1320 9 735 24 1360 10 775 25 1405 11 820 26 1445 12 865 27 1490 13 900 28 1530 14 940 29 1575

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Card No.__________________________________________________________ Exp. Date__________________________________________________________ Name as it appears on card:___________________________________________________ Billing address if different from above: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Payments to PIA are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, they may be deductible under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code as a business expense.