2020 July/August WPA Magazine by Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin

PROFESSIONAL AGENT July/August 2020

2020 Agent of the Year Announced on Page 6!

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PIAW/YPC 2020 Annual Golf Outing Details & Registration....................................... 10-11 OCI Administrative Actions...................................12 E&O Q&A................................................................15 Honoring Those Who Served..................................16 Is it Time to Implement Remote Workers For Your Agency?....................................................18 Harassment Prevention Considerations with a Remote Workforce...................................................20 Is the Coronavirus Causing a Change in Client Exposures?....................................................22 Six Ways to Engage Everyone in Sales..................24 CSR of the Year.......................................................26 Education Section.............................................. 26-33 The Problem with Closing Sales.............................36 New Members...........................................................37

HAPPY

FROM PIAW

JULY/AUGUST 20 3

From the

President Sean M. Paterson, CIC — President, PIA of Wisconsin

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone I can still remember the day clearly. I was a recent college grad working in my first “professional” job. (Like many of us, I did not start out in the insurance business. My first job out of college was being a mortgage broker.) It was my first day meeting with a prospect. The job required that I walk up to a stranger’s front door, ring the doorbell and meet with them at their kitchen table to discuss refinancing their mortgage. I was absolutely horrified. Maybe it was my Mom instilling “never talk to strangers” to me when I was a little kid that was holding me back but I knew I had a choice, I had to either ring that doorbell and meet with the prospect or go find a new job where I never had to talk to strangers. After a short pause (which felt like hours) standing on the front porch of their white house with red trim, I finally rang the doorbell. That one moment of ringing a doorbell led me down a path that takes me to where I am today. Sometimes I wonder where I would be in life if I never did push that small little button next to their front door…. While I wonder how life could be different, the one thing I know for certain, that one moment of stepping out of my comfort zone was a defining moment in my life. Fast forward 20 years, here I sit at my computer writing another article for the PIA Magazine, having to step out of my comfort zone once again. I have never considered myself a great writer or being eloquent with words. I always thought to myself, “What do I have to say that’s so important that anyone would want to read an article that I write.” Again, I have a choice, write another article or fail in one of my Presidential duties and face the wrath of our Executive Director, Pete Hanson. We have all had those moments where we had a choice to step out of our comfort zones. Some of us may have taken advantage of those moments while others may have not. We know why most people don’t step outside their comfort zone… because it’s uncomfortable! This got me thinking, “Why should you step outside your comfort zone and what are the benefits to doing so?” Here are my top 5 reasons to step out of your comfort zone. 1. Reaching your maximum potential. We can all agree, life is an accumulation of experiences. Without stepping out of our comfort zone from time to time, we would be missing out on some of those experiences. 2. Finding your true self. James Allen once said,

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“Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.” You will never know what you are made of unless you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. 3. Help you deal with change. Life is ever changing and the world around us is constantly in flux. Trying new experiences, gaining insight and knowledge, will help prepare for whatever is thrown our way. 4. Motivate us. Have you accomplished all your goals and dreams yet? If you haven’t, you may need to take a different approach. Get out of your comfort zone and try something you haven’t before. You may be surprised where you end up. 5. Can help you age better. Our comfort zones tend to shrink as we get older and we become even bigger creatures of habit. By expanding our comfort zones, stepping out and trying new things we will open ourselves up to greater achievement and overall better well-being. These are just a few of the many benefits to stepping outside our comfort zones. The good news is, each time we step out of our comfort zone it gets easier and easier. Here is one more thing I want to do to step outside of my comfort zone…. Let me know what you think about this article. Email me at SPaterson@robertsonryan.com. My goal is that one person reading this will decide to take action and step outside of their comfort zone, try something new and make a positive difference in their life. Just as I did when I decided to simply push a door bell. To Your Success, Sean M. Paterson, CIC

Memos from

Madison Pete Hanson, CAE — Executive Director, PIA of Wisconsin

2020 Agent of the Year: Ron Von Haden, CIC We in the PIA family have had a few months to come to terms with the loss of a great leader. “Mr. PIA,” Ron Von Haden passed away on March 5th, 2020. In a fitting tribute to Ron, the 1752 Club of Wisconsin has named him PIA of Wisconsin’s Agent of the Year for 2020. It is the first time that this honor has been awarded posthumously. It is also the first time that anyone has been awarded this honor for a second time. It is an extraordinary measure in honor of an extraordinary man. For good measure, the 1752 Club of Wisconsin and the PIAW Executive Board have also voted to change the name of this award, in memory of Ron. Going forward, the award will be called the "Ron Von Haden Agent of the Year Award". Aside from being a leader and a transformative figure in the PIA, Ron was a good man. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and citizen. Ron was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War and he served his neighbors on the Boscobel EMS for 17 years. He loved baseball and loved watching his son and his grandsons play the game. Ron attended his first PIA meeting in 1975. On the day Ron died, he had been serving PIA continuously for 45 years. Here’s a short history: Ron was elected to the PIA of Wisconsin Board of Directors in 1977. He was elected President in 1979 and named Agent of the Year in 1982. Ron served eight years on the National PIA Board and was hired as Executive Vice President of PIA of Wisconsin in 1994. Ron served Wisconsin agents in that capacity for 25 years. For one of those years (from 2012-2013), Ron also served as PIA National Executive Vice President, splitting his time between Virginia and Wisconsin. After his well-deserved retirement, in 2019, Ron continued to serve as a consultant to both PIA National and PIA of Wisconsin. In 2019, as he presented a proclamation to Ron, PIA National President Keith Savino said this about him: It’s said that everybody can be replaced. But that’s not entirely true. Occasionally, there’s somebody who has played such a critical role in the long history of an organization—and done it so effectively—that there will never be another like them. They’re the few—the truly irreplaceable. Ron Von Haden had a tremendous impact on the PIA of 6 JULY/AUGUST 20

Wisconsin and his vision transformed the organization into the prosperous and effective association it is today. So many people served PIA under Ron’s guidance and benefited from his mentorship. His passion for PIA, its members and its mission, will be greatly missed. Ron truly earned and deserved the nickname, “Mr. PIA.” There will never be another like him.

2020 Agent of the Year Ron Von Haden

JULY/AUGUST 20 7

From the

Boardroom Steve Clements, CPIA — Director, PIA of Wisconsin

Well-Spinning Wheels or Spinning Your Wheels? Frank wasn’t sure what to do anymore. At times, he felt that his agency was doing OK. Sure, there were occasional calls for quotes, some of which he wrote. He had a good reputation in town and his administrative assistant was a committed member of his agency team. But increasingly, things seem to have fallen into a rut. A very deep rut. Throughout his time as an agency owner, Frank felt like he was always figuring things out from scratch – reinventing the proverbial wheel. Aren’t there already some really good wheels out there that can help get mine spinning faster and more efficiently? Frank often thought. Why do decisions and progress seem to come so arduously? Frank felt a growing frustration and discouragement. Maybe even loneliness. He hated to admit it, but he began to wonder whether it was worth staying in the insurance industry at all. Maybe you feel like Frank. Perhaps you know a Frank. The sad reality is that there are many Franks out there struggling every day and feeling like there is nobody to help and no relief in sight. Insurance is a complex industry which changes rapidly and frequently. It can seem overwhelming to keep up with the many facets of agency leadership – writing correct coverage and policies, changes within the industry, running an agency, and leading a staff, just to name a few. Fortunately, there exists an organization designed to serve and assist wheels of all shapes and sizes. The mission statement of the PIAWisconsin is “A community built by dedicated professionals supporting the advancement and excellence of all independent insurance agencies.” Sounds exactly like what Frank needs! Whether an agency’s wheel is square, clunky and in need of major assistance or it is a shiny, smooth-spinning gyroscope, the PIA has much to offer. Over this past year, I have had the privilege of being part of PIA-Wisconsin’s Agency Services Committee. One of our tasks was to review the impressive list of PIA member benefits (over 90 of them!) and determine which benefits are most needed, utilized, and desired by agents. If it has been awhile since you reviewed how your organization can serve you, here is a highlight of a few benefits: • •

•

Agency Errors and Omissions Coverage – excellent coverage at competitive rates Education – take online or in-person classes to fulfill your continuing education requirements or obtain that professional designation you have been meaning to earn Cyber Insurance for Agencies – Quality cyber coverage is a must, these days

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• • • • • •

Agency Marketing Tools – Turn-key digital and direct-mail marketing solutions with a $250 discount for members Agency Valuation Tools – Maximize value for agency sale and perpetuation planning Sample Producer Agreements – sample contracts you can utilize or customize Flood Insurance Access – write policies for your flood risks through preferred carriers Free Legal Consultation – Have a legal question? Free consultation with a law firm familiar with the insurance industry Collaboration Events – Attend one of the PIA conventions to earn CE, talk with carriers and industry experts, connect with other agents, and gain valuable tools to help your agency stay on-track

These are only a few of the ways the PIA strives to Educate, Advocate, and Collaborate. For more details on how the PIA can serve you, please visit www.pianet.com or www.piaw.org. Better yet, sign up to attend a PIA convention and experience firsthand why PIA members tend to feel more supported, better equipped, and more connected. Furthermore, if there are benefits you feel would be of great value to PIA members but are not currently offered, please reach out to us with your ideas. It is through the feedback and suggestions of those in our industry that the PIA is able to maximize the benefits to our most valued assets - our members. All of us can feel like Frank at times. But most importantly, we don’t have to be stuck there. I encourage you to take advantage of all the PIA has to offer. And as you meet other Franks during your time in the insurance industry, point them our way. The PIA is committed to taking great care of them, too.

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Work Hard, Play Hard: PIA of Wisconsin Young Professional’s Club (YPC) & Scholarship Golf Outing In 2003, in an early effort to bolster recruitment efforts, Ron Von Haden established the PIAW Young Professional’s Club. Off the bat, Wisconsin Mutual Insurance joined forces with the YPC as the first sponsor and remains a Premier event sponsor today. Dan Keyes, President of Wisconsin Mutual, reflects on how this initiative came into fruition: “The scholarship was brought to my attention by an independent agent, Eric Lewison of Don-Rick Insurance. Together, we pushed for the creation of the golf outing as a way to raise money for the scholarship, and the rest was history. In the first year, Wisconsin Mutual donated $500 to the scholarship; in 2019, we donated $5,000. It has been great to see its growth over the years.” After gaining traction through the annual golf outing and earning the support of our generous company sponsors, the scholarship fund has now grown to $25,000. The YPC Annual Scholarship Golf Outing, whose sponsorship and fundraising dollars are the primary sources of revenue for the scholarship fund, has evolved into one of our most popular annual events. Each year, the YPC Committee, composed of PIAW agency and carrier partners, plan an experience that keeps participants & scholarship recipients engaged both on and off the fairway. Now, more than ever, we are grateful for the rewarding, diverse, and limitless career paths our industry has to offer. Both carrier & agency support of this year’s 17th Annual YPC Scholarship Golf Outing is instrumental in empowering the next generation to take our industry to even greater heights. Visit https://www.piaw.org/pia-events/2020-ypcgolf-outing/ today for sponsorship & registration details. Thursday, August 6, 2020 Highlands Course - Grand Geneva Resort Lake Geneva, WI 10 JULY/AUGUST 20

See you in August!

August 6th, 2020 ~ The Highlands Golf Course Grand Geneva Resort & Spa – Lake Geneva, WI **ONLINE REGISTRATION AVAILABLE**

11:00 a.m. Shotgun Start – Scramble Format 144 Spots Available $150 per person (Includes: Golf, Cart, Box Lunch, 2 Drink Tickets and Reception Hors d’oeuvres) **Lodging rates available for Grand Geneva & Timber Ridge**

YES!, I would like to reserve: ______ 1 foursome for the golf outing ______ Spots for the golf outing ______ Please place me with a group **See Reverse for YPC Golf Sponsorship**

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JULY/AUGUST 20 11

OCI Administrative

Actions Mark V. Afable - Commissioner of the Office of Insurance

Madison, WIâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;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 Robert Amstadt, 108 N 79th St., Milwaukee, WI 53213, agreed to the issuance of a conditional insurance license with certain disclosure requirements. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a pending criminal charge and an administrative action on a licensing application. Roy Cambronero, 3561 S 85th St., Milwaukee, WI 53228, agreed to the issuance of a conditional insurance license, having continuing education and certain disclosure requirements and agreeing to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the states of Florida, Wisconsin, and Hawaii on a licensing application. Rommell Cooper, 5202 W Douglas Corrigan Way, Ste. 300, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, 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 North Dakota on a licensing application. James C. Faustmann, 1080 Lois Ave., Brookfield, WI 53045, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing and failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the State of Wisconsin on a licensing application. Glen R. Giroux, N8343 680th St., Colfax, WI 54730, agreed to permanently surrender his insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to comply with a previous forfeiture order, failing to timely disclose an administrative action taken by the State of Florida, failing to timely disclose criminal charges, and failing to timely respond to inquiries from OCI. Bendell Lee, 3408 N Hubbard St., Milwaukee, WI 53212, agreed to the issuance of a conditional insurance license having certain disclosure requirements. This action was taken based 12 JULY/AUGUST 20

on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application. J. Thaddeus P. McGaffey, 5115 Windwood Ct., Pinckney, MI 48169, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by FINRA and by the states of California, Kentucky, and Michigan on a licensing application and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Bredell R. Mitchell, 1624 Fordem Ave., Apt. 107, Madison, WI 53704, had his application for an insurance license denied for six months and was issued a conditional license having certain supervision requirements. These actions were taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance type marketing. Mitul A. Patel, 1901 N Roselle Rd., Ste. 800, Schaumburg, IL 60195, was ordered to cease and desist acting as an insurance intermediary in Wisconsin unless and until he obtains proper licensure. This action was taken based on allegations of making misrepresentations regarding an insurance policy and engaging in intermediary activities without a license. Alan D. Ramirez-Guerrero, 1533 7th St., Green Bay, WI 54304, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a pending criminal charge on a licensing application. David T. Sawyer, 2265 S 1100 W, Apt. D202, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions and an administrative action taken by the State of California on a licensing application and having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct. Ye Thao, 1511 Valley Rd., Appleton, WI 54915, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken

based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions on a licensing application and having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct. Jeremiah M. Lozano, 15230 Marilyn Dr., Elm Grove, WI 53122, had his restricted insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of violating the terms of a previous Stipulation and Order, misrepresenting his criminal and civil case charging and conviction history, and forging the contents

of an electronic communication. Edward E. Matthes, N16W37650 Parkview Dr., Oconomowoc, WI 53066, had his insurance license permanently revoked and was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $12,000.00 and consumer restitution of $1,036,552.64. These actions were taken based on allegations of misappropriating funds from insurance customers

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JULY/AUGUST 20 13

From the

Boardroom Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM, Past President — Director, PIA of Wisconsin

“Lead out…” This marks my last ‘From the Boardroom’ post, as my service to the PIA Board comes to an end at this year’s convention. I have read so many “last posts” from amazing Board members over the years, and it seems the theme is always a combination of thankfulness and challenge. Here is my attempt to offer the same. I don’t know about you, but I think the greatest understatement of my life might be “2020 is not going the way I expected!” A global pandemic and ensuing cataclysmic economic crash was not anywhere on my radar as I celebrated the new year with my family on December 31st 2019, and I suspect the same would be true for all of you. So many of us have seen our clients’ businesses fall apart or we’ve had people close to us affected by COVID-19. We have had to adapt to new circumstances like working from home, or working from home while simultaneously being our kids’ teachers. Words and phrases like “social distancing”, “shelter at home” and “zoombombing” have entered our vocabulary. As I write this, the “shelter in place” order is still in place and I am working from my new home “office” (a desk in the corner of our bedroom…) as my kids are logged into online classrooms downstairs. Regardless of your stance on any of the issues related to this crisis, I want to share with you a few thoughts about something I think we can all agree upon: our world has changed, and returning to the way things used to be will not be an option for any of us. The key question and my last challenge to all of you is this: What will you do? I discovered a quote from Bruce Temkin, an expert in client experience, who asked that same question in a more powerful way: “Will you choose to simply manage through this crisis or will you choose to lead out of it?” One of the things I will always remember from my time on your Board is the opportunity I’ve had to see PIA members choose to do just that – lead out: To lead your clients out when they suffer difficult losses; to lead your employees out when they go through challenges, and to lead out as an industry when our livelihoods are threatened. So, while we may not have had to face a challenge on the scale of COVID-19 before, I am convinced as individuals and as an industry, we know what we must do: We ‘go again’ and we lead out. For our clients. For our employees. For our families. For our communities. For

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all the people who look to each of us for leadership. I cannot wait to watch your amazing stories of courage, reinvention, resilience and impact. As I looked around the table at our last Board meeting in December (which now seems like a long time ago and in a completely different world…), and reflected on the strength of our association, I can also assure you that your association is strong, incredibly well positioned for the future, well led and is perfectly positioned to ‘lead out’. Let’s lead out together! I want to close with some “thank yous”. Thank you to all of the amazing individuals with whom I’ve have had the chance to serve alongside on your Board. Thank you to all the PIA Presidents I’ve had the opportunity to serve. Thank you to the PIA staff members who were always a joy to work alongside. Thank you to my M3 family for allowing me the opportunity to serve. Thank you to my family for their love, encouragement and support. Lastly, thank you to all of you, our PIA members, for your engagement and continued belief that the best days of the PIA are still ahead of us. Each year I have served on your Board we have welcomed new members as people transition off, and for me, it is one of the things that keeps your association fresh and vibrant … new voices and perspectives. Every year I have tried to challenge each new Board member to find a way to leave the association in a better place than they found it during their service, just like so many amazing people have done throughout PIA’s history. As I close out my time serving on your Board, I simply hope to have done the same.

By Mary LaPorte, AINS, CPCU, CIC, LIC, CPIA

Agent’s questions about Errors and Omissions, and how E&O losses can be prevented.

I am an account manager in commercial lines, and we have heard that because of COVID-19, we need to be careful checking and preparing renewals. We think we have always done a good job in the past, but can you give us and idea of some specific things we should be looking for? Trish, Iowa Trish, that is a timely question and one that a lot of agencies are asking me about. With the Coronavirus has come an expectation that policies should cover more than they originally intended. As a result, some carriers are including notices with the renewal clarifying that coverage for certain exposures not covered under the policy. An example is ISO’s clarification endorsement for Business Owners Policies: BP P 026 03 20 Coronavirus – Advisory Notice to Policy Holders. However, you should be alert to situations where a carrier may add an exclusionary endorsement, or revise language in an existing form in order to exclude coverage that was not excluded in the past.

Some states require that the insured be notified in situations when coverage has been reduced, but there are usually no requirements to notify the agent. I think you would agree that even if the insured had received a notice, they might not recognize it as anything important that they need to read, or may have read it but not understood it’s impact. This is where the agent can step in and make an understandable explanation, and possibly offer alternatives to secure the lost coverage. You might think that if some coverage was reduced at renewal, that the carrier would have to stand by the previous coverage if they did not notify the customer or the agent, or if it was an error. The courts do not agree. Many courts state that once the agent has received the policy and had an opportunity to review it, the coverage stands. Unfortunatley, most agents do not find out about the coverage reduction until after an uncovered claim occurs. Surplus lines forms or policies wrttien by non-admitted carriers should especially be scrutinized. Make sure that when checking form numbers and endorsement numbers that you also verify the edition date to see if it has changed. If you have a clear, detailed checklist, a well-trained assistant or support person can perform the policy checking, referring the checklist or any discrepanices to a more experienced CSR, Account Manager or Producer. It is then their responsibility to identify the differences between the prior term and the renewing coverage and address critical coverage issues with the insured.

[Continued on page 39] JULY/AUGUST 20 15

Honoring

Those Who Served

PIAW and 1752 Club Thank Joe Cordova

Featured Veteran in the Industry: Joe Cordova, Cordova Insurance - Merrill, WI The Wisconsin 1752 Club, in conjunction with the PIA of Wisconsin, are sponsoring a Badger Honor Flight for a veteran to visit their war memorial. Additionally, throughout the year we will be highlighting current PIA members who have served our nation in the military. What does it mean to be a veteran? More specifically a combat veteran. Most hear the word veteran and you likely will think of the friendly yet crusty old guy that sells poppies once a year in front of your local grocery store. This simply isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the case anymore with active wars and conflicts for the past 3 decades. I would describe a war veteran as a humble, proud patriot that internalizes a permanent burden of judging others for fact that so many take their freedom and opportunities for granted, since they having never served and fought in the worst conditions imaginable. My name is Joe Cordova, I am an Account Executive with Cordova Agency Inc and I am a Sergeant First Class in the United States Army Reserve, a combat veteran and last month I eclipsed 19 years of service. If I would have been asked 20 years ago if I would have joined the Army much less turn it into a career, the answer would have been a resounding no. My family lineage has a limited history of service, which had no relation to my decision to join. The simplest and easiest explanation was that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a patriot at heart and frankly I was a little bored at the end of my first semester of college at UW-Stevens Point. Early December 2000 I walked from my class in the College of Professional Studies (CPS) building next door to the Army recruiter and the rest is history. I joined with an open mind and motivations of finding a challenge, traveling and the allure of my education to be paid for. The fall of 2001 I attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC. The following year I attended my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training at Fort Lee, VA. Less than a year from that you would find me in Kuwait moving north into Iraq in March 2003. Since then I have found myself being called to active duty for several other mobilizations including the most recent from 2013-2016 C2CRE-A Homeland Defense mission. During this last mobilization is where I found myself 16 JULY/AUGUST 20

seeking another direction when I would return to a reservist status. My brother Jeremy had solely owned Cordova Agency Inc for several years at this point. We had been talking about possibilities to transition into the insurance field for a while. The timing for this to happen could not have worked out better since being removed from my current career for so long while on active duty it made for an easy new start. I really enjoyed my previous career as a construction foreman, but with a battered body coupled with two new children and a spouse with a demanding career I knew a lower impact job with the flexibility desired would be key to my decision. An insurance career can meet all these qualifications. Getting out to the communities of Northern Wisconsin and meeting with current and prospective clients is the best part of my job. I continue to build off all the relationships I have forged over the years within the construction industry to build a profitable book of business over the past 4 years. Finding the healthy balance in and out of office is key and has reaffirmed my decision. I am honored to be recognized for my past and present service to our nation. I look forward to many more years to come and am excited for all the potential that is ahead of me as an insurance professional.

THANK YOU VETERANS

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JULY/AUGUST 20 17

By: Al Diamond

IS IT TIME TO IMPLEMENT REMOTE W O R K E R S FOR YOUR AGENCY? Many agencies have closed in favor of all employees working remotely. Others have skeleton staffs, rotating in and out of the office to make certain the office is manned at all times but in such a way that 'social distancing' is assured. Still others have remained open for business but have instituted rules for social distancing, the wearing of masks and minimization of group meetings. In most areas we have had the opportunity to make our own rules since insurance is an "essential function" for the sake of claims, alone. And then, for a surprising number of agencies we have contacted in the last few months it's been "business as usual" from the standpoint of agency operation with the major effect of the pandemic being in the actions of the clients and prospects. A surprising number of geographic areas of the U.S. have been relatively unaffected from an illness standpoint. The REAL long-term issue will be the affect of the virus on our elderly (over 80) population with pre-existing complicating conditions. Meanwhile the politicians have tried to destroy our economy (the best we've had in many generations) and the insurance agencies will be affected as well as all other service industries because we thrive with a strong economy and suffer when our clients are hurt. So, like many advances in business and in science, NECESSITY HAS BECOME THE MOTHER OF INVENTION. What we are finding is that a surprising number of the functions of an insurance agency can be accomplished remotely. Over the past several decades most urban and suburban agencies have found the number of physical visitors has diminished severely by as much as 90% as clients have become accustomed to calling for changes and questions and using the internet to view their policies and payment status through agency portals or to the carriers directly. So, when the corona virus civil regulations forced social separation and many more remote workers, our industry suffered less than most and we have learned that we can accomplish most tasks remotely - as 18 JULY/AUGUST 20

long as we have established remote access to our databases and have telecommunications networks that permit remote call forwarding and call sequencing to distribute service and sales calls. Rules of Remote Worker Success: •

•

ELIGIBILITY - Who is eligible to be a Remote Worker? Employees who deal with customers or processes that can be handled by phone or on a remote "secure" computer can be assigned remote duties. AVAILABILITY - What schedule should be implemented? Customer or supplier (carrier) contact positions must be available during normal business hours. If you walked to an employee's workstation any time during the day, you would expect them to be there for you or for clients and carriers, right? Check in with your employees as you would normally just do it by phone. RESPONSIBILITY - Response Time Expectations? If you currently have response time expectations, keep them even if your employees are working remotely. If you don't have expected response times by work category, now is the time to implement standards. Even small agencies should have a published expectation of response time of different types of customer requests. PRODUCTIVITY MANAGEMENT - How do you know your employees are working if they are not in the office? More appropriately, how do you know they are working effectively to your productivity expectations IF THEY ARE IN THE OFFICE? And then, more to the point, do either you or your employees even know what defines acceptable productivity in their jobs?

If you are a small, informally operated agency, productivity may be as simple as requiring all customer requests (client or carrier) be handled [Continued on page 19]

[Continued from page 18 - Remote Workers...] to conclusion or as far as possible in the same day as received by the employee. This can be measured by how many client contacts were received during the day; then how many contact transactions were concluded, how many were set aside awaiting further information, and how many were in backlog (could have been done if more time were available). This information is available within the office and should also be available for remote workers.

•

In actuality, productivity is just as important for remote workers who are out of sight as for workers who are present in the office. In office, productivity measures will tell you who are your effective employees and who are your "floaters" (doing what is necessary, rather than what is available to be accomplished). This may be a shocking management application for many agency owners, but the advent of remote workers is certainly an appropriate time to implement productivity measures. •

•

EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE - Does your agency have the right system (computer, agency management system and telephone) to permit remote workers to handle their duties in the same way they would from their desks in the office? If not, now is the time to update your Disaster Recovery Program to upgrade your systems (automated and manual) to allow you to react to this pandemic and other potential disasters (fire, flood, wind, etc) to remain in business and operational for your clients. Use any lack of resources in this pandemic to identify and upgrade your agency for the future. TECHNICAL SUPPORT - Most of us have "Computer

Guys" or technical support that includes issues that your employees encounter at work. They should be converted to provide their own version of remote support to make sure employees are effective working remotely. CLIENT SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY - Many of us haven't paid enough attention to these subjects within our own agencies. If that is the case, the advent of remote employees is another warning bell that our files and systems must be secured to avoid any possibility of confidential information being available to public view. This could mean a procedure as simple as forbidding physical files to be taken out of the office. It could provide for the prohibition of customer information being printed outside the office. You must make the decisions of how to permit remote workers to manage and accomplish the tasks for which they are hired without exposing confidential client information to their families or public scrutiny. Remember, you remain exposed to liability exposure if you authorize remote work efforts that breach confidentiality.

Remote work efforts can help you retain employees in trying times when children are not permitted to go to school. It can ease tight space situations in your office when customer contact is already done remotely. But remote work efforts require MORE management than in-office work efforts. If you would like assistance in establishing procedures for your remote workers or disaster recovery programs, please call us at 856 779 2430 and we would be happy to help. Reprinted from the Agency Consulting Group Pipeline Newsletter

Single-entry, multiple-company interface (SEMCI) is like magic!

OPEN SEMCI

Acuity, long recognized as a leader in agency interface technology, is committed to supporting SEMCI in commercial lines. SEMCI drives efficiency in the quote and application process and allows you to choose how you want to do business with Acuity. Acuity currently partners with several of the leading commercial lines insurtechs. We are building, exploring partnerships, or expanding with numerous other independent agency technology solutions. And Acuity is on the forefront of integration technology, continually building the connections necessary to be ready to connect to new insurtechs as they emerge.

MAY/JUNE 20 19

Harassment Prevention Considerations with a Remote Workforce Using video conferencing apps for meetings can make for a more productive and engaging time than group discussions over the phone, but there are also some risks to consider: Attire When working from home, the desire to work in comfortable clothes could tip from casual to inappropriate. You may have seen memes and stories about employees wearing professional tops without appropriate bottoms or family members dashing by too much in the buff. Fortunately, these wardrobe malfunctions are easily preventable with a little planning on the employee’s part. Remind them to plan ahead. Backdrop Ask that employees also take stock of what’s in their background before turning video on. Could there be inappropriate personal items or art that some might consider offensive? A number of video conferencing apps have virtual backgrounds that can eliminate both the threat of harassment as well as general distractions. Video vs. Phone Call Ensure that virtual meetings are scheduled equitably. For example, if a manager checks in with men on the team over the phone, but uses video for one-on-one meetings with the women, that would be a cause for concern. Virtual Happy Hours Both the use of alcohol and the act of communicating over a screen can decrease formality. Set expectations around respectful behavior and encourage employees to drink responsibly, if allowed, during happy hours. Remind employees that harassment and other conduct policies apply, just as they would at any other company-sponsored function. Further Considerations Around Virtual Harassment • Handbook Policies: Review your company harassment and discrimination handbook policies and ensure they’re inclusive of, and applicable to, remote work and interactions. • National Origin and Race: An April 2020 Ipsos survey found that more than 30 percent of Americans have witnessed someone blaming Asian people for the coronavirus pandemic. The EEOC recently suggested that employers reduce harassment risk by clearly informing employees that fear of COVID-19 cannot be “misdirected against individuals” based on any protected characteristic, including national origin or race. Be alert for any discriminatory comments and be ready to act. • Age: Keep an ear out for jokes about employees’ age. A seemingly harmless barb about an older employee’s unfamiliarity with technology could result in a discrimination claim. Reprinted from the HR Advisor Newsletter

20 JULY/AUGUST 20

What Has PIA National Done for Me… Lately? As we begin 2020, let’s look back at last year’s newest member benefits and federal government victories.

ACORD End User License for PIA Members Thanks to an agreement with ACORD negotiated by PIA National, the majority of PIA members won’t have to pay the new ACORD license fee.

Agency Journey Mapping Brand new perpetuation program from PIA National and The PIA Partnership.

PIA DMV: PIA’s Direct Marketing Vault PIA members can now combine the best of traditional and digital marketing to get more clients.

Winning @ Talent New ways for agencies to attract, recruit and retain the best talent.

2019 PIA FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VICTORIES Tax Relief for Agencies PIA National ensured tax relief for agency owners that has resulted in millions of dollars benefitting passthrough entities, including independent insurance agencies. [A PIA Priority Issue]

TRIA extended The terrorism risk insurance program (referred to as TRIA) was extended by Congress through the end of 2027. [A PIA Priority Issue]

Efforts to Repeal the Federal Insurance Office Legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate for the first time as a result of PIA National advocating to repeal the Federal Insurance Office (FIO). [A PIA Priority Issue]

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) extended. PIA National has successfully kept cuts to agent commissions out of legislation to reauthorize the NFIP. PIA also advocated for the extension of the NFIP to September 30, 2020. [A PIA Priority Issue]

Permanent Repeal of the Cadillac Tax In December 2019, PIA’s multi-year advocacy campaign secured the total repeal of the healthcare 40 percent excise tax, known as the Cadillac Tax! [A PIA Priority Issue]

TAX

Membership in PIA just keeps growing in value! Lots more is on the way!

www.pianet.com JULY/AUGUST 20 21

Is the Coronavirus causing a change in your clients’ exposures? by Curtis M. Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA President – Pearsall Associates, Inc. and Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program

There is no doubt that the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing major issues for businesses of all sizes, primarily a loss of revenue. However, there are some other potential issues that your clients may be dealing with that could have insurance ramifications that you should be aware of, which include:

•

Businesses being used for a purpose other than what they were designed for. Examples include schools being converted to day care centers, theatres and auditoriums used for storing supplies, college dorms and hotels becoming makeshift hospitals, etc.

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Restaurants are much more active in the delivery of their products to make ends meet, as a significant part of the nation is engaged in Social Distancing or Shelter-In-Place, of varying degrees. Who is acting as the delivery service and do they have the proper insurance protection?

•

Manufacturers retooling their production lines to make much-needed medical and personal protective equipment. There is immunity, in certain circumstances, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), but these exposures should be assessed to determine if the new risk is anticipated by the current policy or policies.

•

Some businesses have been forced to shut down, potentially resulting in a vacant building scenario.

These are all issues agents need to be sensitive to and encourage their clients to bring to their attention. Will the insurance carriers be willing to continue on the coverage when the exposure is different from what they were aware of? Will the policy, as written, respond to the current risk? It is best not to assume and to contact the carriers with new exposure information provided by your clients. It is advisable to reach out to each of your clients by letter/email or via your agency website, and request that they advise you if there has been any modification to their business operation that would change the risk associated with that coverage. It is important that you document all responses and any declinations to modified coverages that are proposed. While there are moratoriums in place in several states to prevent carriers from canceling policies, this does not guarantee that the loss will be covered. Having your clients alert you to any changes in their business operations is a proactive way to address the current crisis and will put accountability on your clients to advise you of their changing exposures. This information is provided solely as an insurance risk management tool. Utica Mutual Insurance Company and the other member insurance companies of the Utica National Insurance Group (“Utica National”) are not providing legal advice, or any other professional services. Utica National shall have no liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the use of the information provided. You are encouraged to consult an attorney or other professional for advice on these issues.

Tried-and-true restaurant coverage with no surprises. Small detail. Big difference. Nobody understands the unique challenges of protecting restaurants better than Society. Ever since we developed our policies with restaurant owners more than 40 years ago, we’ve stayed on top of industry trends to deliver the most comprehensive — and reliable — coverage available. If you specialize in restaurants and are interested in an agency appointment, give us a call at 888-5-SOCIETY or visit societyinsurance.com.

Solving Problems Makes Us Attorneys; Anticipating Them, Makes Us a Partner. Our attorneys have extensive experience in the unique legal needs of insurance agencies. We have represented hundreds of agencies, agents and brokers in all aspects of their business. Agency Ownership & Operations • CSR & Producer Employment • Appearances Before OCI • Drafting Contracts • Mergers & Acquisitions • Perpetuation & Succession • E&O Consultations

MA DISON • WAUKE SHA • 6 0 8.455.67 1 3 AT TORN E YS: T I M F E N NE R , J U DD GE N DA, & R O BERT PROCTER

STAY

www.piaw.org JULY/AUGUST 20 23

6 Ways to Engage Everyone in Sales

hen asked how many salespeople he has at his company, Harold Mackay tells people that it’s 500. Astounded by this large number, most then ask how many total employees there are. His answer is always the same, 500. That’s because Mackay, the author of six bestsellers, including Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive, maintains that every employee is part of the salesforce. “To me, job titles don’t matter,” he says. “Everyone is in sales. It’s the only way we stay in business.” To create an all-in sales environment that focuses 100% of your employee base on sales, there are some concrete steps you need to take: 1. Set the expectation. Be very vocal and continually reinforce your commitment to support individual employee efforts. This requires more of a cultural shift than it does intensive training. As Mackay says, “This concept is not really news to employees. After all, they are customers somewhere too. They know how they like to be treated. They know what inspires their loyalty, and what makes them move their business to another vendor.” 2. Give the green light. While employees may inherently know the “right thing” to do, they are often scared to change a standard process or go against the way you’ve always done things. For this reason, it’s extremely important that you not only set the expectation of always having a sales mentality, but also give employees the authority to make on-the-spot decisions that can improve the customer experience. This obviously doesn’t include decisions with significant financial consequence, but small changes that tailor the experience for customers can definitely improve loyalty and long-term sales growth. 3. Provide a script. Create an “elevator pitch” or share the one you already have. This is a short, easy to remember explanation of what your agency does and how it does it better than anyone else. Just be sure it highlights a true point of differentiation, such as your areas of specialization or a unique approach to claims, policy reviews, risk management or other aspect of client service. Everyone — not just the official sales team — needs to have this elevator pitch at the ready. You never know when an opportunity to sell your agency could arise. 4. Ask for leads. Invite your employees to be the ears and eyes in the community to help you uncover new business opportunities. Leverage their existing relationships — friends, family, former employers and other professional connections. 5. Share ideas. As customers themselves, employees are bombarded with sales ideas every single day. Encourage employees to share a direct mail piece or social media post that caught their eye; discuss a positive or negative sales experience. It’s a great way to generate conversation and inspire creativity. 6. Leverage social media. Ask your employees to like, follow and share your company’s social media posts. Every connection represents an opportunity for increasing the impact of your next tweet or blog topic. Are there any other ways your company has prompted staff to be more engaged in the sales process? We'd love for you to share ideas that worked or even ones you're just contemplating. Sometimes just little changes in approach yield big results!

JULY/AUGUST 20

“Why Can’t I Grow My Business?” BWO = Independence AND Opportunity.

Tired of losing sales because you don’t have access to carriers? Become an independent BWO agent and you won’t be chasing the competition, you become the competition. You’ll be able to offer the best names in the business, no matter where you’re located throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. And because we deal with the carriers, commissions, database, etc., you can focus on what you do best: Sell! With BWO, you’ll have the tools, products and support that give you greater opportunity to compete – and a partner dedicated to your success.

BWO agents enjoy… 100% ownership · Contingency participation · Generous commissions Agency perpetuation · No joining or membership fees · No non-compete

Companies we represent: Acuity, Auto-Owners Insurance, Badger Mutual, GMIC, Hanover, Integrity, Penn National, Pekin, Progressive, Secura, Society, West Bend Mutual…and more.

Contact Tom Budzisz to join at 414-768-8100!



BWOInsurance.com

BWO2554 2020 Updated Trade Ad.indd 1

1/17/20 4:56 PM

Platinum

Gold

Silver Badger Mutual Insurance / EMC Insurance Companies Encova Insurance / Pekin Insurance Rockford Mutual Insurance Company / West Bend - A Mutual Insurance Company JULY/AUGUST 20 25

education

Wisconsin's Outstanding CSR of the Year Jenna Moehrke, CISR / R&R Insurance Services

Congratulations, Jenna Moehrke!

The Outstanding CSR of the Year Award is one of the greatest professional honors a customer service representative can receive. It confers recognition of the highest order - an acknowledgment of the recipient's dedication and ability, commitment and outstanding achievement. Wisconsin's recipient Jenna Moehrke will go on to compete for the National Outstanding CSR of the Year.

Jenna’s Winning Essay “Given changes in technology, the consolidation of agencies and societal influences, discuss four ways your clients’ expectations have changed in the last 5 years and the two most important changes you expect to see in customer service in the next 5 years?” In the last five years, the insurance industry has gone through a variety of changes, for example-- technology, increase in marketing from direct writers, but most importantly, we’ve seen changes in our client’s expectations. One of the changes that has become apparent, is the method that clients prefer to do business with their independent agents. Within the last few years, there’s been a shift of communication from meetings in person, to more online or email conversations. Many of our clients we’ve never met face to face, but have developed a rapport through these “untraditional” methods. Our clients are sending referrals to their friends and family solely based upon these email interactions that they are having with their agents. There’s an ease of doing business this way, quotes are being sent out quickly, without having to wait for them to arrive in the mail. Applications are being electronically signed, and returned within minutes of sending them out. This shapes the way we do business now, but it also changes how our clients want to do business. Because of how quickly we are able to communicate with our clients, it can also create a change in their expectations of us agents. Let’s face it, we live in a world of instant gratification. We can order something online, and know it will be on your porch by the time you get home the next day. Why wouldn’t insurance be the same in our clients’ minds? It seems that because of how quickly we are able to get other goods and services, their thoughts are that insurance must be the same. As an independent agency, we know that’s not always the case and it presents a challenge for us to try and change that thought process. The change in marketing that surrounds the insurance industry, has been a major factor in our clients’ expectations. It’s been ingrained in our client’s minds that they can go online and get an instant quote and new policy—a policy that 26

JULY/AUGUST 20

they are told by these ads, will save them on average around $600. The last few years, there seems to be a huge influx of marketing surrounding price, instead of value, and that is reflected in what our clients are asking of us. Our clients hear and see these ads almost everywhere they go, every website they visit, every commercial break on their Spotify playlists. They know that if at any point in time they are unhappy with rates or an underwriting decision, they can go online, quote and purchase their own new policy. This has posed a unique challenge for independent agents, as we’re not the only option they have, and selling our value has become even more important. With the ease of getting a quote online and being bombarded with insurance ads, clients have been getting information about their insurance policies from other sources. There’s been a shift from asking questions and getting information solely from their agent, to instead searching online and asking friends on social media their opinions and advice on their insurance policies. It seems that clients are not always relying on us the same way as they did in the past for advice, but instead making their own decisions. Our clients’ expectations have changed to match what these advertisements are telling them—it’s easy, quick, and you can do it yourself. These changes that have happened in the past five years, have been a challenge for many agents, but they also open up some additional changes and opportunities in regards to customer service. Our clients are spending a lot of time quoting themselves online and researching their own information. In the short term, there will be a bigger push for independent agents to increase their presence online, and provide our clients a “self-serve” option. Instead of our clients reaching out to others through social media, and internet searches, we need to have communication avenues and resources available to them at their fingertips. Whether it be the ability for clients to text their agents, or view and adjust their coverages through an app (with guidance), we need to be more proactive on creating these resources for our clients and developing stronger relationships through them. [Continued on page 27]

[Continued from page 26 - CSR of the Year]

education

Through the clouds of mass advertising of direct writers, there’s the potential for our clients to become numb to everything that’s being thrown at them, and start looking for a more efficient way to get what they need. This would present the opportunity for independent agents to be the resource that our clients need without having to comb through the weeds of false advertising. The personal relationship, though through different methods than the past, will continue to be an important need for our clients going forward.

2020 Wisconsin CSR of the Year Candidates

Pennie Hildebrandt, CIC, CISR – Hierl: Powered by M3 Andrea McCann, CISR – SF Insurance Group Stacey Migliano, CISR Elite – The Trottier Insurance Group Kimberly Riek, CISR, CPIA – Glass Insurance Center Jennifer Robinson, CISR – Robertson Ryan & Associates, Inc. Jody Simpson Leonhardt, CISR Elite – American Advantage

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 E&O Seminars (classroom or in house) To register online and view upcoming CE courses visit www.piaw.org

Please contact Heidi Hodel, CIC, 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. JULY/AUGUST 20 27

education

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, oneday 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 each. 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

CPIA 3 - Sustain 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.

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.

WI CE Course # 65338

WI CE Course # 65340

WI CE Course # 65339

Course Schedule 8:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4:00 Lunch on Your Own 12:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12:45 Registration Fee per Seminar: PIAW Member $172.00 Non-Member $207.00

Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA VP Optimum Performance Solutions, LLC Harrison Agency, Inc. Lake Worth, FL (August) Columbia, MO (October)

CPIA 1 August 11 Radisson, Madison

JULY/AUGUST 20

CPIA 2 August 12 West Bend Mutual, West Bend

CPIA 3 October 7 Hyatt Regency, Green Bay

Please check our website for updates. We encourage you to register as far in advance as possible at piaw.org

Certified Insurance Counselor Institutes

education

Due to distancing requirements, the September CIC is full.

16 WI CE Credits PERSONAL LINES

COMMERCIAL CASUALTY August 19-21, 2020 Red Lion Paper Valley Hotel Appleton, WI $106 Single, $116 Double PIA room rate through 7/22/20 - Call: 733-8000 •

COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY CONCEPTS AND COVERAGE

•

ADDITIONAL INSURED CONCEPTS AND ENDORSEMENTS Ted Kinney, CIC, CPCU, ARM, CPIA, AAI, AU, AINS, CRIS

•

BUSINESS AUTOMOBILE COVERAGES AND ENDORSEMENTS Samuel Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

•

WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS LIABILITY Samuel Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

WI COURSE # 6000039183 16 WI CE

December 2-4, 2020 Hilton Garden Inn Sun Prairie, WI $149 PIA room rate through 11/2/20 608-856-4500 •

PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL COVERAGES Kathleen Silvia, CIC, CPCU, CPIW

• •

PERSONAL AUTOMOBILE COVERAGES PERSONAL UMBRELLA/EXCESS COVERAGES Elizabeth Rise, CIC

WI COURSE # 6000038749 16 WI CE

COMPANY OPERATIONS - NEW December 14-16, 2020 Conducted at West Bend Mutual Insurance Company Open to Anyone! Hampton Inn & Suites - West Bend, WI $93.00, includes breakfast. Please mention PIA when making reservations. 262-438-1500 •

EXECUTIVE STRATEGIES

•

ACTUARIAL PRACTICES & ACCOUNTING John Neal, CRM

• • •

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY/POLICYHOLDER SERVICES UNDERWRITING Becky Lathrop, CIC, CPIA

Will it be easy? Nope.

Worth it? Absolutely.

WI COURSE # 6000030061 16 WI CE

Day One 8:00 – 5:15 / Day Two 8:00 – 5:00 / Day Three Optional Exam 8:00 – 10:00

education

THIS IS WHAT PIA IS ALL ABOUT! “We feel that the true value of the PIA was very evident during the initial COVID-19 pandemic as well as ongoing throughout this unprecedented time period. The PIA team has been very helpful in providing guidance with the everchanging regulations and programs that independent agencies are faced with.” Boyd Thiel, LUTCF, CPIA and Stacey Thiel Thiel Insurance Group

The New PIA Virtual Experience Is a Hit!

“The Webinar was well done! Thank you for making this available to us!!! I enjoyed the instructor too. He was very knowledgeable.” Chris Rogers, CISR R&R Insurance Services, Inc.

“The CISR Live Webinar was awesome. I was concerned about it being a webinar and not a full classroom. But the speaker was great and she kept on pace and she was easy to follow. With my most recent experience being in professional liability, this class was a great refresher on the commercial general liability policy.” James L. Candler, Jr. CISR, CPIA

CIC RUBLE SEMINARS

Exciting update options for CICs, CRMs & now CISRs! 16 WI CE (Includes 4 optional Ethics) October 21 & 22, 2020 Graduate Ruble Red Lion – Appleton

February 11 & 12, 2021 Graduate Ruble Hilton Garden Inn – Sun Prairie These seminars fill up quickly!

May 19 & 20, 2021 Graduate Ruble Acuity Insurance - Sheboygan

Open to Anyone!

LIFE & HEALTH ESSENTIALS

AUGUST

7 WI CE Credits / Course # 6000034601

5 – Rothschild

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. • • • • • •

David Grunke, CHC, RHU

education

CERTIFIED INSURANCE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

Introduction to Life Insurance Term Insurance and Permanent Life Insurance Common Characteristics of Life Insurance Policies Health Care Policies Federal Regulation and Consumer Driven Health Plans Medicare

AGENCY OPERATIONS

AUGUST

7 (1 of 7 is Ethics) WI CE Credits / Course # 69356

19 – Appleton

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

CISR Agency Operations can transform you into an indispensable team player. As you work with colleagues and customers, you’ll discover an enhanced self-assurance and a greater understanding of the dynamics within insurance organizations. Also, understanding how agencies function is essential training for both insurance agency and company personnel. • Legal & Ethical Requirements • The Insurance Agency • The Insurance Industry and Marketplace • Communication and Technology • Agency Workflow Concepts • Agency Workflow Steps • Account Management • Errors & Omissions

Instruction 8:00 – 3:45 Group Lunch 12:00 – 12:45 Optional Exam 4:15 – 5:15

$199 Per Course – Includes CE, Course Book & Lunch Register at piaw.org or call PIA at 800-261-7429

NEW! CISR Live Webinars • Anyone Can Attend • 7 WI CE Each – No Exam or Proctor Required for CE • Instructor Led Visit the education tab at PIAW.org for schedules and registration.

JULY/AUGUST 20 31

education

New Topics Added! 1 and 3 WI CE Credits. Live. No Test. No Proctor. 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.

July 2020 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Insurance Issues for Today’s World 3 WI CE # 6000042042

7/7

12-3p

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

An Hour with Kevin: Annoying Personal Auto Problems and Their Solutions 1 WI CE # 6000058107

7/8

1-2p

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

Insuring Commercial Transportation Exposures: The Business Auto and Motor Coverage Forms Course # coming

7/9

12-3p

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

Ethics and E&O: Synergy Not Rivalry 3 WI ETHICS CE # 6000042406 Utica Approved

7/15

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Insuring Condominium and Homeowner’s Associations 3 WI CE # 6000043618

7/16

12-3p

Kym Martell, CRM, CIC, CRIS, AAI

Everything’s Soaked and My Stuff Stinks: The Water Damage Webinar 3 WI CE # 6000039309

7/21

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CC, CISR, PLCS

Dead or Alive: The Many Functions of Life Insurance 3 WI CE # 6000058105

7/28

8-11a

Corey Wilkins

Alphabet Soup: The Mistakes and Coverage Behind D&O, EPLI, FLI, and EBL 3 WI CE # 6000039321

7/28

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Construction Contracts: What the Agent Should Know, Do, and Not Do 3 WI CE # 6000042031

7/29

8-11a

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

Commercial Liability Claims that Cause Problems 3 WI CE # 6000042393

7/29

12-3p

Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

An Hour with Kevin: Drones – Insuring Innovators, Enthusiasts and Idiots 1 WI CE # 6000058123

7/30

1-2p

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

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

32 JULY/AUGUST 20

education

August 2020 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

How Savvy Businesses Use Life Insurance to Hedge Against Financial Losses 3 WI CE # 6000039287

8/11

8-11a

Karin Klaassen, CLU, LUTCF

Cyber Coverage – Data Breach and So Much More 3 WI CE # 6000039289

8/11

12-3p

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

Breaking it Down: Additional Insureds, Certificates and Headaches 3 WI CE # 6000061237

8/12

12-3p

Carissa Bonner

Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging” Financially Surviving Retirement 3 WI CE # 6000061267

8/18

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Culture, Ethics and E&O: The Right Way to Run an Agency 3 WI ETHICS CE # 6000059631 Utica Approved

8/19

12-3p

Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

An Hour with Kevin: Extra Money for Bills, Beer or Both – Insuring Your Side Gig 1 WI CE # 6000059598

8/20

10-11a

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging” Understanding Social Security & Medicare 3 WI CE # 6000059682

8/20

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

Commercial Additional Insured EndorsementsStatus and Purpose 3 WI CE # 6000039310

8/25

8-11a

Robin Federici, CIC, AAI, ARM, AINS, AIS, CPIW

Homeowner’s Policy Coverage Concerns for the Modern Family 3 WI CE # 6000039288

8/25

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

An Hour with Kevin: Insuring Self-Driving Cars, Scooters & Other Modern Transit Risks 1 WI CE # 6000059681

8/26

1-2p

Kevin Amrhein, CIC

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

JULY/AUGUST 20 33

Introducing PIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NEW Agency Hiring Program PIA and The PIA Partnership are proud to introduce Winning@Talent, the independent insurance agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to hiring, motivating and retaining the best agency employees. Winning@Talent is a 3-part toolkit featuring intuitive tools that take agency employers through a simple journey that starts with determining if their agency is well positioned to attract quality candidates and ends with a happy, productive employee. Part 1, Are You Ready to Recruit?, focuses on helping agencies assess their employer brand so they can see their agency the way prospective employees see their agency. In this section, we help agency owners and managers assess their employer brand, provide tools to help them build and strengthen it, and offer best practices on how to make it resonate across communication channels and social networks. Part 2, Sourcing, Recruiting and Hiring, focuses on sourcing potential hiring prospects, recruiting them into your agency and ultimately hiring them. This section offers resources and best practices to help agency owners and managers find, screen, interview and evaluate candidates in ways that will help them reduce their time to fill key positions, build their talent pipeline and meet longterm recruiting goals. Part 3, Retaining Your Best Employees, focuses on how agencies can retain their best employees because employee retention is vital to growing any agency. This section provides best practices and resources that agency owners and managers can share with their employees to help those employees with their own career development. Get started Winning@Talent today at www.winningattalent.com. Winning@Talent is brought to you by The PIA Partnership, a joint effort of leading insurance companies and PIA. Thank you to the members of The PIA Partnership: Encompass Insurance, Erie Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, MetLife Auto & Home, National General Insurance, Progressive Insurance, Selective Insurance Group, State Auto Insurance Companies, The Hanover Insurance Group and West Bend Mutual Insurance Company.

34 JULY/AUGUST 20

Customers aren’t the only people you’re competing for. WINNING@TALENT

Your guide to hiring, motivating and retaining the best employees.

It’s often said that an insurance agency’s most important assets are the ones that show up for work every day. And while employees can make all the difference in your company’s success, it’s important to note they have lots of choices when it

WinningAtTalent.com

PART ONE:

Are You Ready to Recruit? PART TWO:

Sourcing, Recruiting & Hiring

comes to their career. Which is why we developed

PART THREE:

Winning@Talent – a 3-part toolkit to help agencies

Retaining Your Best Employees

understand how best to recruit in today’s talent marketplace, as well as, enhance the employee experience so people want to stay. We trust you’ll find this content very useful and another example of the value of our Partnership.

Winning@Talent is brought to you by The PIA Partnership – PIA’s national carrier council. Partnership companies include:

JULY/AUGUST 20 35

The Problem with Closing Sales

By: Weldon Long Becoming a top producer in sales is not a knowledge issue. It is a consistency issue. If you were consistently doing the things you already know you should be doing, your income and career would already be exceptional. But little things seem to get in your way, and although you temporarily make some changes for the better, after a short time you find yourself falling back into your old routine. You can't seem to make the changes stick. For example, you know you need to make more calls to your customers. You even do it for a few days, but before long you stop making the extra calls. You know you need to slow down your sales process and take more time with your prospects before recommending solutions. And you do just that on the next couple of leads, but before you know it you are hurrying through the process again and "dropping off proposals". You know you need to do a better job of finding new customers. You even spend a couple of days prospecting like there is no tomorrow, but after the initial burst of activity you quickly revert to your old ways of waiting for someone to call you. You know you need to spend more time with your prospects explaining why your product and service is better than your competition. You even have a couple of great calls, but soon you are back to matching your competition's low price and complaining that no one cares about quality. You know you need to study and implement a sales process to grow your company. You even look into a new sales training program, but ultimately you decide to wait. So your sales staff continue to flounder and "wing it", burning lead after lead. Like I said: It's not a knowledge issue. It's a consistency issue. 36 JULY/AUGUST 20

This is what I call "The Conundrum of Human Nature" - knowing what you need to do to create wealth and prosperity in your life and business and not doing it. Most sales professionals know what they need to do to build a prosperous sales career. The question is whether or not they are doing those things on a consistent basis. The people who are making the most money don't know anything the people making the least money don't know. They may, however, be doing a few things on a consistent basis that you are not. Knowing what you need to do to succeed in sales is simply not enough to create wealth and prosperity. Unless you take consistent action towards what you want and do what you know you should be doing, your true potential in sales will remain just out of reach. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Weldon Long is a successful entrepreneur, sales expert and author of the NY Times bestseller, The Power of Consistency - Prosperity Mindset Training for Sales and Business Professionals. In 2003, he walked out of a homeless shelter and built an Inc 5000 company with over $20,000,000 in sales in just 60 months. Today, Weldon Long is one of the nation's most powerful speakers and a driven motivator who teaches others the Sales and Prosperity Mindset philosophies that catapulted him from desperation and poverty to a life wealth and prosperity. For more information, please visit www.WeldonLong.com

NEW Members AGENCY Adam Johnston Insurance Janesville, WI

D’Angelo Insurance Agency LLC Kenosha, WI

RetireCo Enterprises LLC Delafield, WI

American Advantage – TU Agencia Milwaukee, WI

Elevated Insurance LLC Waukesha, WI

Tree Frog Insurance Services LLC Racine, WI

Bartelt Insurance Services Weston, WI

Hackl & Associates Insurance Green Bay, WI

COMPANY

Madison Mutual Insurance Company Edwardsville, IL

ready for

a new beginning? It’s time to start a new chapter in your story. Consider becoming an independent Erie Insurance agent. • 11th largest auto insurer in the U.S.1 (even though we only operate in 12 states and the District of Columbia) • 9th largest home insurer in the U.S.1 • 12th largest business insurer in the U.S.2 • Support from sales team and your own dedicated underwriter • FORTUNE 500® company • High customer retention3—over 90%

Limited appointments available, so visit BecomeAnErieAgent.com to learn more, or contact me today: Rita Napieralski Vice President, Branch Manager Wisconsin Branch Brookfield, WI 53045 Rita.Napieralski@erieinsurance.com 262-717-6300

Erie Insurance agents are independent contractors and not employees. All Erie Insurance agents are subject to all terms and policies as outlined in the Erie Insurance Agency Agreement and related policies and procedures. 1 Based on direct premiums written, Best’s Insurance Reports 2018. 2Based on direct premiums written, commercial multi-peril writers, Best’s Insurance Reports 2018. 3Based on year-over-year retention rate data compiled by ERIE as of December 31, 2018. CMS149_30 4/19

BE AN ERIE AGENT

JULY/AUGUST 20 37

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS 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

OFFICERS Mr. Sean M. Paterson, CIC President Robertson Ryan & Associates 20975 Swenson Drive, Suite 175 Waukesha, WI 53186 Phone: (262) 782-5373 Fax: (262) 782-6327 spaterson@robertsonryan.com Ms. Julie Ulset, CPIA Vice President Grams Insurance Agency LLC PO Box 336 Edgerton, WI 53534 Phone: (608) 884-3304 julset@gramsinsurance.com Mr. Tom Budzisz, CPIA Treasurer BWO Insurance Group, LLC 7472 S. 6th St. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone: (414) 768-8100 Fax: (414) 768-8100 tom@bwoinsurance.com Mr. Ryan Butzke, CIC, CISR Secretary Northbrook Insurance Associates, Inc. PO Box 780 Menomonee Falls, WI 53052 Phone: (262) 644-6027 Fax: (262) 783-4075 ryanb@northbrook-ins.com

JULY 2020 15

Clay Shoot Johnson Creek, WI

DIRECTORS Mr. Steve Clements, CPIA Clements Insurance Agency 317 6th St. Wausau, WI 54403 Phone: (715) 842-1664 Fax: (715) 848-3337 steve@clementsagency.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 Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM Past President M3 Insurance, Inc. 3133 W. Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 273-0655 Fax: (608) 273-7783 matt.cranney@m3ins.com Ms. Lacey Endres, CIC M3 Insurance, Inc. 828 John Nolan Dr. Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 288-2874 Fax: (608) 273-8873 lacey.endres@m3ins.com Ms. Sandy L. Hardrath, CIC, CPIA Ansay & Associates 4712 Expo Dr. Manitowoc, WI 54220

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. Ann Linstroth, CISR, PWCAM Fidelis Insurance Services 840 Lake Avenue, Ste. 101 Racine, WI 53403 Phone: (262) 456-0463 Fax: (262) 583-0729 annl@trustfidelis.com Ms. Tracy Oestreich, CIC, CPIA, CA, AU, CPIW PIAW National Director T4 Insurance Solutions PO Box 408 Jackson, WI 53037 Phone: (262) 423-4949 Fax: (262) 423-4959 tracyo@t4ins.com Mr. Mitchell Tarras Nett Insurance Agency LLC 607C Eastern Ave. Plymouth, WI 53073 Phone: (920) 893-3252 Fax: (920) 893-3250 mitch@bwoinsurance.com

STAFF Pete Hanson, CAE Executive Director phanson@piaw.org Becca Bredeson Administrative Assistant bbredeson@piaw.org Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Heidi Hodel, CIC Member Benefits Coordinator hhodel@piaw.org Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org Tiffanie Yocum Administrative Assistant tyocum@piaw.org PIA National President Mr. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA Robertson Ryan & Associates, Inc. 330 E. Kilbourn Ave. Ste. 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone: (414) 271-1561 Fax: (414) 271-3012 dkunke@robertsonryan.com

Coming Events AUGUST 2020

5 CISR Life & Health Essentials Wausau, WI (7 WI CE) 6 YPC Annual Golf Outing Grand Geneva, WI 11 CPIA 1 Position for Success Madison, WI (7 WI CE) 12 CPIA 2 Implement for Success West Bend, WI (7 WI CE) 19-21 CIC Commercial Casualty Institute Appleton, WI (16 WI CE) 19 CISR Agency Operations Appleton, WI (7 WI CE)

38 JULY/AUGUST 20

Phone: (920) 370-4283 Fax: (920) 682-7799 Sandy.Hardrath@Ansay.com

SEPTEMBER 2020 15

CISR Agency Operations Pewaukee-Milwaukee West, WI (7 WI CE)

CIC Commercial Property Institute West Bend, WI (16 WI CE)

OCTOBER 2020 7

CPIA 3 Sustain Success Green Bay WI (7 WI CE)

PIAW Annual Meeting Green Bay, WI

21-22

CIC/James K Ruble Graduate Seminar Appleton, WI (16 WI CE)

CISR Commercial Casualty 2 Wausau, WI (7 WI CE)

CISR Commercial Property Tomah, WI (7 WI CE)

[Continued from page 15 - E&O Q&A]

Because of the recent pandemic, there may be other areas that should be addressed with your customers. Premium basis (payrolls, sales) may need to be adjusted. Some of your customers may be involved with new products or services that grew from COVID-19. Others may have out-of-state workers which were not a consideration in the past. Determine if any events have occurred which could trigger coverage under any policy. If so, the insured should consider giving notice to the carrier as soon as possible (certainly before the expiration date) to preserve their rights under the policy. The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting agencies exposure to E&O. It is more important than ever to perform a diligent review with each customer at renewal.

Mary LaPorte is a consultant and educator with a strong background in Errors & Omissions loss prevention. Forward your E&O questions to marylp@lpinsuranceconsult.com. ĂŁ 2020 LaPorte Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved

JULY/AUGUST 20 39

Pamper your customer’s business with a policy from West Bend. Your customer’s business is their pride and joy. Now help them nurture it. An insurance policy from West Bend is the best way to keep it happy, healthy, and profitable. So wrap it in the cozy warmth of the Silver Lining®.