March 2015 Wisconsin Professional Agent

professional agent MARCH | 2015

What’s Inside?

Customer Pleasing.............14 Documentation................ 20 Agent Planning................ 26 New CICs & CISRs............. 28 The Difference.................... 30 Between Doing and Managing

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

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From the

President LouAnn Herriges, CIC, CISR — President, PIA of Wisconsin

Resources—Resourceful—Resourcefullness Writing these articles each month has been of great benefit to me as a person. Finding a topic to write about has been an opportunity for me to not only examine myself as a person but also realize how very fortunate we all are for what we have available to us. Not only the value we find in ourselves, the value we find in others, but also the value we find in our association.

This month is all about resources. The definition of resource according to Dictionary.com is: “a source of supply, support, or aid, especially one that can be drawn upon when needed”. Whereas, resourceful is defined as “having the ability to find a quick and clever way to overcome difficulties”.

While doing research I also came upon an article entitled “7 Things Really Resourceful People Do” by Bill Murphy, Jr. The article listed the following 7 things: • They bend the rules. They cultivate an attitude that says you are out to accomplish things, not just go along with how things have always been done.

• They look for the common good. Resourceful people recognize that they need help. The more you can show other people that by working with you they will advance their goals, the more likely you are to succeed.

• They don’t apologize unnecessarily • They burn their ships • They adapt and apply other experiences • They play a few hands at once • They dare to ask for what they need To me the definitions of resource and resourceful and the article regarding resourceful people not only describes insurance agents but also describes the PIA organization.

Before we talk about the resources available let’s talk

im

Insurance Marketing Partners

InsuranceMarketingPartners.com

about your membership in PIA of Wisconsin. The Board of Directors and staff are instructed from day one, that this organization is all about the “members”. Members are priority “one”. We work throughout each year attempting to provide our members with the resources and benefits needed to be successful. It would be too lengthy to list all of the resources available. A few are: • PIA Logo ( renowned locally and nationally) • PIA Newsline (providing local and national happenings in the insurance arena) • PIA Member webinars such as “Using Linked In & Twitter to Promote your Agency” • Digital and hardcopy Professional Insurance Agents Magazine • Educational Offerings – Offerings available via “in class” or “online” • Free consumer brochures, press releases, public service announcements The list goes on and on. If you want to take a journey, make a trip to the PIA website. The website recently changed and now provides more information regarding the resources available to you as a member. Make a point of visiting the website often. You will be amazed by what you will find.

Please feel free to call the PIA office or any of the board members or committee chairpersons listed on line or in the magazine for more information Quotes for this month are: “Being resourceful is an ultimate source of knowledge” — Anonymous “Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them”—Anonymous

A partnership to help build your agency’s book of business Call: 715-797-2432

Branding | Marketing Strategy Client Communication | Custom Content Training and Analysis MARCH 15 3

Memos from

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

Stated Amount Insurance STATED AMOUNT is not always the recoverable amount.

We recently read a question from a PIA member who was concerned about the amount paid for a stolen antique auto that was insured under a business auto policy for a stated amount. Could the loss be settled for less than the stated amount shown on the policy? The answer is Yes. The Stated Amount Insurance (CA 99 28) endorsement on the BAP should not be confused with a “valued” policy, such as a life insurance policy or a fine arts floater. Assuming the company can back up its offer using data from standard valuation manuals, the insurer may pay less than the stated amount.

Even though a “limit of insurance” is specified in the endorsement, the policy terms explain that this is not necessarily the amount that the insured will receive in the event of a total loss. The policy language states: “The most we will pay for ‘loss’ in any one ‘accident’ is the least of the following amounts minus any applicable deductible shown in the Schedule: a) the actual cash value of the damaged or stolen property as of the time of the ‘loss’; b) the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged or stolen property with property of like kind and quality; or c) the amount shown in the Schedule.”

The scheduled amount merely establishes a maximum amount of coverage in the event the value of the antique car appreciates, as well as serving as the basis for rating

4 MARCH 15

purposes. However, it is quite possible the insurer will determine that the value of the vehicle is less than the amount stated in the schedule.

Agents must know what their policies say and give proper counsel to their clients. Values should be verified regularly and stated values adjusted accordingly.

THE IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) released its latest report on the safest and deadliest vehicles on the road. In data from 2011 models (the most recent data available), three cars had over 100 deaths per million registered vehicles. On the safest end of the scale, several vehicles had 0 deaths per million vehicles registered.

The cars with the worst rankings were: Ford Focus (70), Nissan Versa hatchback (71), Honda Civic, two door (76), Chevrolet Silverado (79), Chevrolet Camaro coupe (80), Hyundai Accent, two door (86), Chevrolet Aveo (99), Hyundai Accent, four door (120), Nissan Versa sedan (130) and Kia Rio (149).

The safest vehicles were: Audi A4 4WD (0), Honda Odyssey minivan (0), Kia Sorento 2WD (0), Lexus RX 350 4WD (0), Mercedes GL class 4WD (0), Subaru Legacy 4WD (0), Toyota Highlander 4WD (0), Toyota Sequoia 4WD (0), Volvo XC90 4WD (0).

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MARCH 15 5

From the

Boardroom Kathy Mulder — Director, PIA of Wisconsin

What Did You Just Say? You are taking my what away from me? You are getting rid of my management system! This was a tough day in our agency and has led us down a path of discovery.

• security settings – (HIPPA compliant – life, securities, health.)

Our agency began the arduous task of finding a new management system in April of 2014. I was extremely pleased at the number of management systems available. I knew that the independent agencies which were placed in the same situation would be able to find the system that best matched their agency’s needs.

• ongoing monthly pricing – (what is the last 5 years of pricing history for the company?)

I started a spreadsheet of what features I could not live without. Some of those features were: • claims download – (now that we have the capability, we do not want to lose it.)

• cross referencing personal and commercial clients – (need to know the relationship.)

• easy issuance of certificates of insurance – (as few clicks as possible.)

• data conversion – (big one for our agency – if the data is not downloaded, what will actually be converted?)

• our voice within their company – (will our agency make a difference – will our concerns be heard?)

• template usage – (these have become vital to protect our errors and omissions and streamline tasks.)

• mobile producer – (it is important for the producers to be able to update and look up coverage while in the field.)

• built in renewal procedures – (these are used for consistency and to protect our errors and omissions.)

• renewal checklists – (can’t live without them – every employee can follow the same procedure.)

• training options – (webinars, in house, being able to talk to other agents, all important e and o protection for our employees and for our agency.)

• marketing emails and ease of use – (drip marketing, mass marketing, you name it we want it.)

• up front pricing – (what exactly does it include?)

For me personally, pricing was lower on the priority list because I knew we could make any system work for our agency. I wanted to find a management system that was the best fit today and going forward in the fast paced, ever changing electronic world of the agent.

I knew that whatever system our agency purchased we would be able to implement and make it our own. Our agency has always firmly believed that if you invest time and knowledge into your management system your agency will also reap the benefits of your automation system.

After 8 months of investigation the owners of our agency came to an agreement and signed the contract for a new management system. We have no illusions that the year will be all rainbows and butterflies but what I know today is that we have made the best decision possible, FOR OUR AGENCY. Since many of us agents are in the same place I am asked, "What management system did we go with?" My answer to that question would be another question, “What features of your current system can you not live without?” All management systems are not alike and all agencies are not alike but there is a management system for every agency out there. Find the system that meets your specific agency requirements. If you do not have a list started just ask anyone at your office what features they most like on your current system. This will be a starting point on the road to partnering with a new management system.

I am confident that the next generation of management system in our agency will be mobile, intuitive and will meet our agency needs. Kathy Mulder – kmulder@nolanins.com

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6 MARCH 15

For All That Matters

WWW.ACUITYU.COM

ACUITY 7 MARCHCE15VIDEO

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

Tinika Aboagye, 2231 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 300, Phoenix, AZ 85016, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Lisa Amrein, 823 W. Pine St., Washburn, WI 54891, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having an unpaid civil money judgment and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Giuditta Angelini, 5737 Winthrop Ave., Mount Pleasant, WI 53406, had her application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the Wisconsin State Medical Examining Board on a licensing application and for having her medicine and surgery license revoked.

Khoonthai Baccam, 2405 Apache Dr., Fitchburg, WI 53711, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Edward M. Banks, 3581 S.W. Kromrey St., Port Saint Lucie, FL 34953, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Nelson S. Beltran, 8468 Bridge Rd., Grosse Ile, MI 48138, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Peter L. Bishop, P.O. Box 121, Sauk City, WI 53583, had his 8 MARCH 15

insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Patrick J. Byrne, 811 Burr Oaks Dr., Unit 201, West Des Moines, IA 50266, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the states of New York and Kansas on a licensing application.

Deborah P. Carr, 688 W. Golden St., Gilbert, AZ 85233, had her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days.

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

Jacob L. Chamness, P.O. Box 156, Mayflower, AR 72106, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Yalonda Clay, 1400 Union Meeting Rd., Ste. 202, Blue Bell, PA 19422, had her application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Ever E. Contreras, 1131 Marshall Dr., Euless, TX 76039, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide a resident state federal crime waiver and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Ikechi O. Dixon, 4225 S.W. McClellen St., Port Saint Lucie, FL 34953, had his application for an insurance license [continued on page 10]

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OCI Administrative Actions [continued from page 8] denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Betty Dulin, 1716 Clarence Dr., Hopkinsville, KY 42240, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Donald L. Erwin, Jr., 24650 E. Applewood Cir., Unit 639, Aurora, CO 80016, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide evidence of resident state surplus lines licensure and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Gidget A. Escudero, 1033 Shawnee Trace, Grand Prairie, TX 75051, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on failing to withdraw a duplicate licensing application and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. John B. Fisher, 1850 Bassett St., Apt. 310, Denver, CO 80202, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to report administrative actions taken by the states of Delaware, Georgia, and California on a licensing application.

Christina M. Ganske, 1086 Stonehaven Dr., Sun Prairie, WI 53590, had her application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to complete the digital fingerprinting/criminal background check and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Lisandra M. Hall, 151 Laurel Dr. S., West Bend, WI 53095, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to complete prelicensing education, failing to complete an examination, failing to complete the digital fingerprinting/background check, and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Joseph Harp, 2000 U.S. Business Hwy. 287, Ennis, TX 75119, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Veronica Harrison, 2231 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 300, Phoenix, AZ 85016, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Daniel J. Hubbard, 5324 Orchard Ln., Greendale, WI 53129, 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.

Wendy L. Hull, 8755 Hartman Rd., Minocqua, WI 54548, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Nickesha King, 500 S.W. 101 Terrace, Apt. 110, Pembroke Pines, FL 33025, agreed to a 31-day denial of her application for an insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Zachary Kinney, 4200 Hawthorne Rd., Chubbuck, ID 83202, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and having a probationary resident insurance license rather than a permanent resident insurance license.

Sherry M. Lowe, 501 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee, WI 53203, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose pending criminal charges on a licensing application and having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Gabrielle R. Mallory, 5237 N. Sherman Blvd., Apt. 3, Milwaukee, WI 53209, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, having unpaid civil money judgments, and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Jesse O. Martin, 675 Ridge Rd., Trlr. 201, Mosinee, WI 54455, had his application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide timely notice of address changes to OCI, providing inaccurate address and residency information on licensing applications, and having an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin.

Todd S. Hill, 129 N.W. Magnolia Lakes Blvd., Port Saint Lucie, FL 34986, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI.

Jesse A. Mays, 5100 S.W. Macadam Ave., Ste. 180, Portland, OR 97239, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI.

Kimberly M. Holmes, 943 W. 6th Ave., Corsicana, TX 75110,

Daniel W. McDermott, 8836 45th Ave., Kenosha, WI 53142, had [continued on page 12]

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OCI Administrative Actions [continued from page 10] his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Veronica Mendez, 11620 Jennifer Dr., El Paso, TX 79936, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide evidence of resident state surplus lines licensure and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Stephen T. Mertz, 9054 Hyland Creek Rd., Bloomington, MN 55437, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide evidence of resident state surplus lines licensure and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. William T. Miller, 1500 Parklawn Dr., Unit 628, Charleston, SC 29414, 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.

Earl Morgan, Jr., 34 Hilldale Rd., Cheltenham, PA 19012, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Nikolas K. Newgard, 202 1/2 Gibson St., Eau Claire, WI 54701, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Katie M. Pemberton, 746 Pacific Ave., Kansas City, KS 66101, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support.

Latrice Porter, 5976 N. 37th St., Milwaukee, WI 53209, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide a valid mailing address on a licensing application, failing to surrender or convert another state’s active resident insurance license, and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Thomas P. Reim, P.O. Box 892, Bismarck, ND 58502, 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.

Allegations

and

Amy S. Sarbacker, 6519 County Rd. DD, Mineral Point, WI 53565, agreed to the 60-day denial of her application for an insurance license, agreed to provide certain documentation to OCI, and agreed to respond promptly in writing to all inquiries from OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of having unpaid civil money judgments, failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of Wisconsin on a licensing application, and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Joseph D. Shaw, 405 River Bend Rd., Apt. 3, Madison, WI 53713, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to complete required prelicensing education and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Christine Spoo, 724 Elm St., Unit 205, West Bend, WI 53095, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application and having a criminal conviction which may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Mary L. Silas Sutherland, 11603 W. Coker Loop, Ste. 200, San Antonio, TX 78216, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Cynthia Thornton, 2231 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 300, Phoenix, AZ 85016, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Derrick S. Wilson, 150 N. East St., Bethel, OH 45106, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI.

Actions Against Companies

Acentria, Inc., 4634 Gulfstarr Dr., Destin, FL 32541, had its application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose criminal convictions of a company officer on a licensing application and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Medica Health Plans of Wisconsin, P.O. Box 9310, Minneapolis, 12 MARCH 15

Brenda L. Santiago, 1310 Minnesota Ave., South Milwaukee, WI 53172, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to pay delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

MN 55440, agreed to cease and desist from utilizing unfiled premium rates, agreed to provide a letter of acknowledgment to each affected consumer, agreed to verify that quoted premiums for new enrollment and renewal files are consistent with filed rates, and agreed not to issue revised billing statements to affected insureds. These actions were taken based on allegations of utilizing unfiled premium rates.

Friday, May 8, 2015

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Name _____________________________________________ Number of tickets being purchased _________ Guest(s) _________________________________________________________________________________ Agency/Company Name ____________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ____________________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________ Fax ________________________________________ Cell Phone __________________________________ Email ______________________________________

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Card # _________________________________________________ Ex Date _____________________ Confirmation will be sent upon receipt of registration. Sorry no refunds, only substitutions.

Register online at www.piaw.org or return completed form and registration fee to: PIA of Wisconsin Inc.∙ 6401 Odana Rd.∙ Madison, WI 53719 ∙ Phone: 800-261-7429 ∙ Fax: 866-203-7461

MARCH 15 13

Going beyond customer satisfaction . . .

Customer-Pleasing Marketing and Sales Ideas

by John Graham

T

There’s an over supply of useless, whacky, and just plain dumb marketing and sales ideas.

For example, if someone says the best time to email customers is 10 am on Thursdays forget it. What if you’re aiming at teachers, lawyers, nurses, boomers or just about anyone else? One solution never fits everyone, even if they’re in the same market segment. So, forget about simple solutions to issues that require serious thought.

14 MARCH 15

Right at the top, an idea that makes sense must pass the useful test; it’s only good if its works — if it gets the desired results.

Here are seven useful marketing and sales ideas that will please your customers.

#1. Make them happy. Satisfied customers aren’t necessarily happy customers. Happiness doesn’t come from being satisfied; it comes from the unexpected. The customer told the self-storage manager his lock didn’t fit on the locker and he needed to buy a new one. The manager grabbed one from the wall display and handed it to the customer. “Take this. We’re glad to have you here,” he said. That’s happy.

And so is getting a free container of paint mixed to the right shade to take home to see if it works. Or receiving a follow up email or phone call to see if all is well and to ask if they could do anything better. Happy is free shipping, easy returns, or a chat line.

# 2. Dispel their doubts. Today’s customers are skeptical.

Just because we say it’s so doesn’t mean they believe it. In fact, they probably don’t. Even so, businesses and salespeople say that “customers come first,” and that they’re trustworthy, reputable, and reliable. And no one believes them. No one.

What can you do to become credible? A recent Nielsen study commissioned by inPowered points the way. According to Research Brief, the study indicates that expert content, or what they call “credible, third-party articles and reviews” is the “most effective source of information in impacting consumers along all stages of the purchase process, across all product categories.”

# 3. Spot their problems. More often than not customers may not even know they have a problem and even if they’ve figured it out, they may not want to talk about it. Your value to customers rests in your ability to spot problems, many times those that others either ignore or fail to see.

You’re the “primary care physician” that customers want.

Anyone can sell “stuff”, but only an expert salesperson can identify and come up with the right diagnose for a troublesome issue. Now, here’s the kicker: the problems you spot don’t need to be related to what you’re selling, and neither do they need to be something huge. It makes no difference because pointing them out shows you care about the customer, not just about the sale.

# 4. Create their interest. After speaking with the new sales director for an insurance product, the consultant recognized why he seemed to be floundering. He was clearly competent, knowledgeable, and came with a good track record, but wasn’t fully engaged.

Candidly, he didn’t know what to do to get moving quickly.

He made phone calls when he had time, but the results were zilch. He was busy, but not productive. It was clear he didn’t have any understanding of why anyone should do business with him, which sent the message that he was just another salesperson to be ignored.

How could he succeed without creating interest? His database was non-existent and he had no way to communicate with prospects (other to ask for business on the phone), no way to share helpful solutions, new information, and success stories that would attract their interest and help develop a reputation as the go-to person in his field.

# 5. Engage them their way. Apps in themselves aren’t the key to getting close to customers. There are good ones, but most fail to deliver the right results because they’re designed to serve senders, not users, which is the problem with just about all types of communication.

To prove the point, close to 90% of apps are disregarded shortly after downloading. However, some companies are offering apps that are simple, user friendly, and provide customers with what they need. By understanding why, how, and when customers use the app, companies boost their relevancy ad retention. All this sends the positive message that the customer is in charge.

If you want to engage customers, start by asking what customers want and then follow through.

# 6. Do it for them. What’s easier than making a purchase on Amazon? The answer may be surprising: returning it. If you want UPS to pick it up, the instructions are emailed instantly, including when UPS will arrive with the return label in hand.

No stress. No what ifs. It’s taken care of. Oh, yes, there’s a confirmation as to when the replacement will arrive.

That’s not all. “Amazon Local Services” is on the way. If you make an Amazon purchase, they can arrange installation.

If you need local professionals for home repair, automotive, lawn and garden, computer and electronics services, they’ll find and vet them. And the work is guaranteed.

What customers want is to know that someone will “take care of it” and they can go about their business.

#7. Keep them believing. Of all business dangers, losing your edge towers above all others. Joseph Jaffe points out in his onlineSPIN column that startups care more about customers than long-established companies and brands.

“Here’s the thing,” he says. “There are no more ‘best practices’ without the ability to innovate, evolve and adapt.”

He suggests ‘different practices’ or ‘new practices’ that lead both customers and competitors.

Whether you’re large or small, the key to keep customers believing is the same curiosity that drives startups and gives them their edge. It’s what customers are looking for.

While we revel in the inspiration of what we think of as “great ideas,” it’s useful ideas that are powerful and make a difference to our customers.

John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategistconsultant and business writer. He publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com 617-774-9759 or johnrgraham.com.

MARCH 15 15

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MARCH 15 19

Is Documentation that Important?

Really

by Curtis M. Pearsall

For some strange reason, this is a common question among agency staff. For those staffers who have never experienced an errors-and-omissions claim, possibly it is hard for them to truly and totally comprehend the value of good quality documentation.

Hopefully, the agency veterans can emphasize the significant value documentation provides related to the direction E&O claims can take.

20 MARCH 15

An important element Documentation is one of the most important elements of a quality E&O culture and commitment within an agency.

However, for an agency staff member to state that he or she documented the conversation in the file may not be good enough. What does the documentation say? What story does it tell? A number of components are essential for documentation to possess its true value.

1. The documentation should be performed promptly.

This does not mean at the end of the work day or “when I have a minute.” Ideally, it means as soon as the conversation has concluded. For those that can multi-task, documenting the discussion while you are having it is great as it enables you to accurately note the various items/topics being discussed.

2. The documentation should include details such as with whom you spoke, what was discussed, whether there are any open items and who has what responsibilities and duties moving forward.

3. The documentation should be professional. This may fall into the “common sense” category, but there is the possibility that the discussion was emotional in some manner. The agency staff should be careful to ensure the documentation does not reflect this emotion.

The saying “don’t put anything in the file that you wouldn’t want a jury to read” comes to mind. For example, the following statements recovered from actual files did not help the agency’s defense: “I’m sorry I could not get back to you sooner” and “I’ve been too busy.”

4. The documentation should tell a story. If the customer calls back and the initial staff member is not available, the staffer helping the customer will be able to read the documentation, know exactly what was discussed and determine what any “next steps” are.

5. At times, the file should reflect some form of written communication (e-mail, letter, etc.) that memorializes the conversation. When a person documents a conversation, he or she is, in essence, documenting his or her version of it. Is it possible there was a misunderstanding or that the customer didn’t provide the information he or she thought?

This does happen, so documenting the details of the conversation back to the customer is a solid E&O loss prevention tool. The goal is to make the customer accountable for his or her insurance decisions.

Documentation is key If agencies followed these straightforward concepts, there would be fewer E&O claims and a greater percentage of E&O claims that did develop would be closed for “no pay.”

Unfortunately, this does not always occur and, invariably, the most important document in the E&O matter is the one that

is not in the file. It involves those declinations/deletions of coverage and explanations or answers to various insurancerelated questions.

It is amazing how at the time of an E&O claim, one of the parties (typically the insurance professional) will be adamant that he or she had a conversation with the customer and can almost recite “chapter and verse” details of that conversation. Ironically, the other party (the customer) will have a totally different version of that conversation or may actually allege that he or she does not even remember the discussion ever happening. Therefore, is it to be assumed that this will happen and that everyone will have a different story? Perhaps. This in itself shows the value of good quality documentation.

Imagine an E&O claim has occurred and you are asked to produce various documents as is typically the case. As the agency producer/CSR on the file, you produce records of detailed conversations with the customer. Let’s presume that your customer, who will be asked to produce his or her various documents, has nothing. Who do you think will have more credibility in the eyes of the court? Showing a solid track record of providing consistent quality documentation will certainly enhance your credibility.

Now take the opposing perspective. You as the agency staff member comment that you remember explicitly the exact conversations you had with your customer. However, when you are asked to produce details of those conversations, you have nothing. A common phrase used by attorneys in E&O matters is “If it’s not in the file, it didn’t happen.” Your memory of those conversations will not carry the same weight as the necessary detailed documentation.

There have been a significant number of E&O claims where good quality documentation heavily determined the direction of the claim. In fact, many E&O carriers state year after year that they are closing 2 out of every 3 E&O claims for no payment. That is an impressive statistic which speaks to the quality of the defense counsel, the agencies the carrier insures and the agencies’ strong commitment to solid E&O loss prevention.

Unfortunately, there have been a significant number of E&O claims where the lack of quality documentation resulted in the agency being responsible for the damages when it probably should not have been. There were cases where the CSR stated that he or she was “just too busy” to do the proper job of documentation. Imagine being on a jury and hearing that!

Clearly, good quality documentation is the key. As Aristotle once stated, “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

Sounds like a pretty smart man.

Curtis M. Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA President, Pearsall Associates Inc. and Special Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program 21 MARCH 15

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MARCH 15 25

What's Your Plan This Year?

Create & Implement

a Plan that Makes a Real Difference, Short- and Long-Term

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

By Brian S. Cohen

W

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I used to get that question all the time when I was younger. I would always answer by saying what I wanted to be — a doctor, a lawyer, a successful businessman. I always had an answer, but I never had a plan. I would have benefitted a lot from the person following up and asking me “How are you going to get there?”

“How did you get in the insurance industry?” If you ask ten insurance agents that question nine times out of ten you get the same answer, “I just fell into it. I had no plan to be in the insurance business.”

I’ve spent most of my insurance career working and dealing with agents, and while they have action items to grow their business, almost all of them don’t have a formal planning process. Instead, they react to the issue the day when they are confronted by it.

26 MARCH 15

It’s natural to wait and react. But the best organizations in any industry always have a plan. They don’t react; they act with discipline and focus. This article can provide you with a road map for designing your current year business plan and your long-term plan.

A plan has to be something basic that you can live by during the year—not a 25-page document that gets put in a desk drawer and forgotten. Instead, it’s a short document that sets forth the path you want to take for your agency in a given year. Plans change. They always do, based on what actually happens. But having a plan lets allows you to be in control of your business.

Is it too late to have a plan this year? No. There is still plenty of time left. Here’s a model I’ve used to develop several successful business plans.

1.

Start with an assessment of your business year-to-date.

How’s your year going as compared to last year? Is production up? How about profitability? Spend time analyzing your book of business and understand the difference between your results for the year-to-date period this year versus last year. This shouldn’t take too much time.

2. Identify your gaps. Profitability might be up but new business production down. Why is new production down? Is it taking more leads to generate a sale? Is a new competitor pulling business away from your agency?

Understand your situation. Focus on the big issues. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, including your business.

3. Develop solutions. This is the toughest part of any planning exercise. It’s usually easy to identify a problem.

It takes a lot more thought to come up with a solution, especially one that requires you to change the way you conduct your business. Try to identify little changes you can make. Pick a new lead source and experiment with it first. If it works, then incorporate it into your day-to-day operations. Implement several small changes at once. I call them “initiatives.” They are more like experiments. If they don’t work perfectly, that’s okay because can always learn something new about your business that you can apply to your next initiative.

CONCEPT IN ACTION Let’s stay with the scenario described above, namely that new business production has fallen. You discovered that it is taking your agency more leads to close a sale. One way to increase production is to increase the number of leads. That will probably increase costs because you have to purchase more leads and/or need additional staff to generate new leads. That will hurt your agency’s profitability.

Yet, that’s what most people do. I call it the “Do What You’re Doing, Just Do It Better” strategy. It typically fails.

Instead, focus on new tactics. Change the way you are conducting your business. Experiment, experiment, experiment! Try different initiatives. You will typically know if they are working fairly quickly. Don’t be afraid to stop doing something if it is not working. Move to the next idea and continue to iterate.

In our example, a new initiative might be to target a specific group of potential customers based on criteria you develop that makes them attractive customers. Another initiative might be to develop an affinity group that you can then target for new business. If the initiative works, you can incorporate it into your business. If it doesn’t – and you will typically know within 30 to 60 days – move on.

4. Create Check Points. You can’t expect what you don’t inspect. Track your agency’s results on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Meet with your staff consistently. You want to create a culture of accountability.

5. Be Transparent. You need to share your plan with

everyone at your agency. Make sure your team is incorporating the overall plan into their day-to-day duties. Have you properly communicated and delegated specific initiatives to your staff? Is your CSR up-selling?

Is your receptionist setting appointments when the office is quiet? If people don’t know what you are trying to do, they will just do what they think you want them to do.

6. Stay Focused. Plans fail when people lose focus. Your job as the leader of the organization is to keep the organization on the right path. A well-defined plan provides the framework to make sure you are staying the course. It enables you to make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done.

Ignoring the Long Term Nothing lasts forever. Yet it is surprising how few agency owners have a long-term plan for their business. Instead, most agencies die a long slow death, keeping the agency owner a prisoner of his or her own business as the staff leaves and he or she tries to hold onto renewal commissions as long as possible.

I attribute this common situation to the fact that most agency owners don’t have a long-term plan for their agency and for their personal life. In the early years of an agency, everything is focused on new-business production. As the agency matures, the service requirements of operating a P&C agency create daily challenges that keep the agency owner’s attention occupied. It’s easy to procrastinate until it’s too late.

Stop reading this article. Grab a pen and paper and answer the following question. How do you want to leave your business? As a thriving organization that survives you? A business you can pass on to your children? To your junior partners? A business that you can sell? What’s your vision for the future of your agency?

Spend some time today and put together your plan for the long time future of your agency. Knowing where you want to be tomorrow, today, will make it more likely you will end up where you want to be.

Brian Cohen is an Operating Partner with Altamont Capital Partners. He was formerly the Chief Marketing Officer of Farmers Insurance Group and the President and CEO of a regional property/casualty carrier based in Menlo Park, California. He can be reached at bcohen@altamontcapital.com. LinkedIn: http:// tinyurl.com/mmfbvsr.

Brian is a dynamic and resourceful leader with a track record of success across insurance, software and tech services, financial services, and consumer retail. A strong work ethic combined with a collaborative and adaptable management style has enabled Brian to run small and large organizations both domestically and internationally; manage turnaround and growth situations, and B2C and B2B businesses. He led several strategic transactions, including IPO, and M&A on both buy-side and sell-side.

MARCH 15 27

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MARCH 15 29

The Difference

Between Doing and Managing Most agents are “doers.” They sell insurance and interact with clients to keep them satisfied.

Far fewer agents are “managers” who understand the ramifications of their actions and track their successes and failures to learn from the past, avoid pitfalls that block progress and repeat the steps that prove valuable in the achievement of their goals.

How much do you know about your agency and about your book of business? Is it important to know specifically how much business your agency writes and how much is retained in each of the divisions of the agency (typically personal lines and commercial lines)?

Most of us would say that these statistics are meaningful and important. But few of us actually know those statistics on a day-by-day basis. We think that because we think we can access that data, it is sufficient.

But if you were to get into your car and drive – without direction and a plan, simply knowing that your destination was 1,000 miles away, what would happen?

You could certainly say that you were motivated to reach your goal and you would spend the time and effort to 30 MARCH 15

accelerate the vehicle for the time needed to make the trip.

But unless you actually stopped and referred to a map to determine where you had gone; unless you understood the need to re-fuel and refresh every so often, you would quickly become lost and run out of gas and energy before achieving your goal.

A better plan is to pre-plan your route including pit stops for fuel and food. That way, you could monitor your results as you drove and make adjustments, as needed, to reach your goal refreshed and on time.

Similarly, “managing” your agency differs from simply selling insurance whenever possible and processing customer requests and transactions. The critical issues in your agency are how much (commission dollars) and how many

(customers and policies) are being written as new business as your trip (your year) progresses, how much commission and how many customers are being retained or lost during the process, and whether the results will allow you to reach your GOAL (the destination for the agency for the year).

How would you know where you are going in your road trip if you didn’t even have a goal? Would you consider going on a driving vacation with no target planned? How would you know if you have reached your goal if you don’t even have one?

Using this analogy, have you identified the New Business and Retention (commissions and customers) GOALS of the agency for the year? Suggesting that it is impossible to tell how many new clients you will write or how many will leave you and that your goal is to write “as much new commission and as many new customers as you can” is a ‘cop out.’ We know that you would never consider stopping writing new business simply because you reach your target. That certainly doesn’t imply that you shouldn’t HAVE a target, does it? A target, whether the goal of your vacation ‘road trip’ or the goal for new business and retention in your agency, defines your expectation and the position that would define “success” for you. In your vacation, the target is your destination.

In your agency, the target is the level of combined New Business generation and Retention that would allow you the compensation and profit needed to support your personal needs and your business needs.

One troubling situation we encounter with agents all over the country is their reluctance to Plan and monitor the plan because they work as hard as they can and they don’t want to find out that they are not achieving their goals for as long as possible. Not achieving goals depresses the agency owners. But they inherently know that they are not ‘making the numbers.’ The owners choose to blindly ‘accelerate’ and continue the trip rather than analyzing what is happening and making adjustments to increase the chances that they reach their goals for the year.

No, it is NOT ‘comfortable’ to review the numbers and find them wanting. But if you don’t analyze your results vs. your expectations and goals on a regular basis during your ‘road trip’ you will a) eventually run out of gas at the least opportune moment, and b) never reach your goal in the time allotted for the trip.

What do you need to do to avoid “empty” in your agency ‘road trip’ this year?

1. SE T A PL AN WITH OBJEC TIVES FOR THE CRITICAL ITEMS OF NE W BUSINESS COMMISSION AND CLIENTS AND RE TENTION OF COMMISSION AND CLIENTS. This is similar to setting your destination in the ‘road trip’ each year. The components of the Agency Plan is the combination of NB and Retention just as the components of the road trip is following the map’s guidance and making sure you have enough fuel in yourself and in your vehicle to reach your goals.

2. CRE ATE AC TION PL ANS THAT YOUR E XPERIENCE TEL L S YOU WOULD LIKELY ACHIE VE THE DESIRED RESULTS FOR NE W BUSINESS AND RE TENTION. Every road trip is marked by way-points and expectation of average speed and time you will travel daily. In your agency, simply telling your staff to work harder is insufficient to assure that they reach the way-points that define interim success on your annual journey. Action Plans define the “How To” of generating NB and retaining clients.

3. BENCHMARK YOUR RESULTS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND MONITOR THOSE RESULTS AGAINST THE PL AN TO SEE IF YOU ARE ACHIE VING E ACH AC TION PL AN AND RE ACHING THE BENCHMARK POINTS ON YOUR ANNUAL ‘ROAD TRIP ’ If you don’t look at how far you’ve gone until you either reach your destination or run out of gas you will likely not have a wonderful trip. Similarly, if you don’t look at the progress of your NB plan and your Retention plan until the end of the year, you give yourself no opportunity to make adjustments and you never know whether to pat yourself and your staff on the backs for a job well done or understand that you are not achieving your expectations. All you know on a dayby-day basis is that you are coming to work, answering the phone and doing what the customers expect of you. In other words, you are the agency’s “driver” but not its manager.

4. MAKE QUAR TERLY ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR AC TION PL ANS AND TO YOUR GOAL S TO ASSURE YOURSEL F THAT YOU GIVE YOURSEL F THE BEST CHANCE OF RE ACHING YOUR DESIRED ‘DESTINATION’ OR, IF YOU CAN PREDIC T THAT YOU WON’ T RE ACH THE DESIRED GOAL , AT L E AST CHANGE THE OBJEC TIVE TO ONE THAT WIL L BE ACHIE VED THROUGH YOUR CONTINUED EF FOR TS BY THE END OF THE YE AR. If your goal is to get from New York to San Francisco but your progress monitoring indicates that you will only reach Kansas City by the end of the year, what good is leaving the goal at San Francisco?

Either make the minor adjustment of increasing your speed (changing the Action Plans) to reach the desired goal or, if you have no other ideas for moving your agency faster, change your goal to Kansas City and identify what you will be able to do (with the revenue that you will eventually generate in total) once you get there. Will you be able to make a profit? Will you be able to pay yourself what you had planned? Will you need to ‘lighten the load’ or will you have to live on less income?

The implication of asking and answering these questions defines whether you are just the driver or are managing your agency as well as motivating it forward.

Reprinted from The Pipeline, a publication of Agency Consulting Group, Inc., 507 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. 1-800779-2430. info@agencyconsulting.com MARCH 15 31

COMMUNICATION 32 MARCH 15

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The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.—Joseph Priestley

Find an Agency Management System Vendor . . .

with help from Since our hugely successful and informational Automation Seminar in May, PIA of Wisconsin has been receiving many inquiries regarding the PIAW. Agency Management System vendors. As a service to our members, we have developed a special section on our web site to list the name, contact information and short description of vendors that agencies can contact for questions and inquires.

Please visit our website to view the list, www.piaw.org.

MARCH 15 33

Choose 5 of 9 to improve your 9 to 5.

CISR EDUCATION FOR INSURANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

It still takes 5 courses to earn a CISR designation but now you have the flexibility of 9 course options. This allows you to focus on what’s important to you. We understand not everyone learns the same way or even at the same pace, so we offer courses in the classroom, online and in-house.

Find out how CISR can improve your 9 to 5. Call or visit us on the web today.

• • • • • • • • •

Commercial Casualty I Commercial Casualty II Insuring Commercial Property Insuring Personal Auto Exposures Insuring Personal Residential Property Personal Lines Miscellaneous Agency Operations Elements of Risk Management Life & Health Essentials

More and more owners, managers, and producers are taking advantage of the solid education provided by the CISR designation program—and for good reason. The “S” in CISR could stand for “Sales” as well as “Service.” CISR courses are a perfect blend of foundational technical training and the skills producers need to create long-term relationships.

CISR courses are convenient one-day classroom courses—also available in self-paced online and in-house formats. The practical knowledge of risks, coverages, and exposures, complement the cross-selling and account-rounding skills taught in CISR courses.

www.piaw.org 1-800-261-7429 34 MARCH 15

CISR is a solution to satisfaction for your clients, the agency, companies, and you!

Contact PIA of Wisconsin today!

1-800-261-7429 • www.piaw.org

CyberTech (6 WI CE Credits, # 70764)

2015 March 31 – Radisson / Appleton April 1 – Marriott Milwaukee West / Waukesha 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Jerry Hargrove, J.D., CIC, CPIA, SCLA, FCLA, PICS, LICS Insurance Litigation Counselors Euharlee, GA

How many of your clients have a third-party exposure because of technology/innovation and have no idea their traditional liability and property policies are woefully inadequate? Are you doing your job in offering intangible loss coverage to protect your clients and manage your own errors and omissions risk? Today, Cyber Insurance is a critical additional cost of doing business. Cyber coverage is not a future need, it is here now!

• •➢ •➢ •➢ • •➢ • •

When Traditional Bricks & Sticks Policies Don’t Work Cyber Insuring Agreements including Privacy and Security Liability Crisis Management Cyber Extortion Media or Web Content Liability (Copyright & Patent Infringement) Custom Design of Coverage for Intangible Risk IT Failure Electronic Data

Register at www.piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429. $85 PIAW Member / $105 non-member Includes break items and lunch.

V i s i t o u r g en e r o u s s p o n so r a t www.er i cks o n l ar s en i n c. c o m

Attention CICs!

Exciting update options; they fill up quickly.

CIC Ruble Seminars April 14 & 15 | Executive Risk | Sheraton – Brookfield, WI October 14 & 15 | Graduate| Radisson ­­– Green Bay, WI 16 WI CE (October includes 4 optional Ethics)

visit www.piaw.org or call PIA at 1-800-261-7429

MARCH 15 35 2015 CyberTechSeminarFINAL.indd 1

11/20/14 8:55 AM

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69334

COMMERCIAL CASUALTY 1 This course strengthens your ability to have productive, assured interactions with your commercial customers in the area of commercial casualty exposures and coverages.

• • • • •

Essentials of Legal Liability CGL Introduction Commercial General Liability Coverage Parts CGL Other Provisions Additional Insureds

CLASS SCHEDULE

Instruction 8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Group Lunch 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Optional Exam 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

March 18 • Rothschild March 19 • Fond du Lac

Course Instructor

$170 Per Course

Todd Davis CIC

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

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE, 1 of 7 Ethics, Course #69356

AGENCY OPERATIONS

This course will help you become an indispensable team player. As you work with colleagues and customers, you will do so with enhanced self-assurance and a greater understanding of the dynamics within insurance organizations. How agencies operate is essential training for both insurance agency and company personnel.

• • • • • • • Course Instructor

John Dismukes CIC, CPCU, AAI, ALS Tulsa, OK

Legal & Ethical Requirements The Insurance Agency The Insurance Industry and Marketplace Communication Agency Workflow Account Management Errors & Omissions

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction Group Lunch Optional Exam

36 MARCH 15

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

april 21 • brookfield

$170 Per Course Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

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. The CPIA designation is comprised of a series of Insurance Success Seminars. These three, one-day workshops, teach practical "before", "during", and "after" the sale techniques for insurance producers, sales managers, account managers and company marketing representatives. Completion rule, 3 years from first course. No exams.

Participants leave with ideas that will produce increased sales results immediately. In fact, The Insurance Success Seminars 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!

To maintain the CPIA designation: fulfill a bi-annual update by attending one of the three core seminars, an Advanced Insurance Success Seminar, a Pro-to-Pro Retreat, or maintain an active Level 2 or Level 3 membership in the AIMS Society. The CPIA designation is approved by Utica Mutual as part of the premium discount program.

10/13/15 Advanced Insurance Success Seminar: “Prospecting” with Steve Anderson, CIC. Steve is the leading authority on Insurance Technology, Productivity & Profitability.

Open to Everyone. A CPIA update option. Utica approved for premium discount. Green Bay. (7 WI CE Pending) 

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 You can attend the CPIA courses in any order. No Test. Approved for 7 Wisconsin CE credits.

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

CPIA 1 – May 26, 2015 Radisson Green Bay

WI CE Course # 65340

CPIA 2 – May 27, 2015 Kelmann Restoration Wauwatosa

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, endorsements, claimsprocessing, and handling of client complaints. This course includes a review of the Professional Expectations; the Law of Agency; and Legal and Ethical Standards.

CPIA 3 - May 28, 2015 Wisconsin Mutual Ins. Co. Madison

Course Schedule 8:30 – 4:00 Lunch On Your Own 12:00 – 12:45 Registration Fee Per Seminar: Includes Seminar Materials, Coffee a.m. & Soda p.m.  PIAW Member $155.00  Non Member $190.00 Register at www.piaw.org or call PIA at 1-800-261-7429 MARCH 15 37

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

Ms. LouAnn Herriges, CIC, CISR President Anderson's Insurance Associates 17500 W. Liberty Lane New Berlin, WI 53151 Phone 262-789-8500 Fax 262-754-6038 louannh@iaanetwork.com Mr. Rick Clements, LUTCF, MDRT Vice President Clements Ins. Agency, Inc. 317 N. 6th St. Wausau, WI 54402 Phone 715-842-1664 Fax 715-848-3337 rick@clementsagency.com

March 2015

Mr. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA PIAW National Director Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc. 330 E Kilbourn Ave. Suite 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-271-1561 Fax 414-271-3012 dkuhnke@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. Kathy M. Mulder Nolan Insurance Agency LLC PO Box 238 Brandon, WI 53919 Phone 920-346-2241 Fax 920-346-5600 kmulder@nolanins.com Mr. Trey Neher, CIC, CISR THZ Insurance Group 420 E. Northland Ave. Appleton, WI 54911 Phone 920-730-0123 Fax 920-833-6870 tneher@thzins.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 Ronald Von Haden, CIC Executive Vice President rvonhaden@piaw.org Darcy Brown, CPIA Member Benefits Coordinator dbrown@piaw.org Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Mandy Penn Administrative Assistant mpenn@piaw.org Becca Prestbroten Special Project Coordinator bprestbroten@piaw.org Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

18, 19

CISR COMMERCIAL CASUALTY 1 Rothschild, Fond du Lac (7 WI CE)

31

CYBERTECH 2015 Appleton (6 WI CE)

1

CYBERTECH 2015 Waukesha (6 WI CE)

14-15

CIC EXECUTIVE RISK RUBLE Milwaukee (16 WI CE)

21

CISR AGENCY OPERATIONS Brookfield (7 WI CE, 1 is Ethics)

22-24

CIC LIFE & HEALTH Milwaukee (20 WI CE)

13

CISR ELEMENTS OF RISK MANAGEMENT Tomah (7 WI CE)

20, 21

CIC JAMES K. RUBLE GRADUATE SEMINAR Middelton (16 WI CE, 4 of 16 optional Ethics)

26

CPIA1 – POSITION FOR SUCCESS Green Bay (7 WI CE)

27

CPIA2 – IMPLEMENT FOR SUCCESS Wauwatosa (7 WI CE)

28

CPIA3 – SUSTAIN FOR SUCCESS Madison (7 WI CE)

3, 4

CISR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Green Bay, Madison (7 WI CE)

16

CISR PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL Wausau (7 WI CE)

17-19

CIC PERSONAL LINES Rothschild (20 WI CE)

21-23

CIC COMMERCIAL CASUALTY Appleton (20 WI CE)

June 2015

May 2015

38 MARCH 15

April 2015

July 2015

Coming Events

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. Jeff J. Glass A.F. Glass Insurance Agency PO Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jglass@glassinsurancecenter.com

Ms. Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM Secretary 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. John W. Klinzing, CIC Affiliated Ins. Agencies of WI, LLC 3830 Atwood Ave. Madison, WI 53714 Phone 608-310-3924 Fax 608-441-8787 johnk@affiliatedllc.com

Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc. 3133 W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 Phone 608-273-0655 Fax 608-273-7783 matt.cranney@m3ins.com

Mr. Brian MacGillis, CPIA Treasurer 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

Mr. Thomas Budzisz BWO Insurance Group, LLC 2111 E Rawson Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone 414-768-8100 Fax 414-768-8110 tom@bwoinsurance.com

STAFF

West Bend knows Preferred Risk Types: – Manufacturers of small stamped, rolled, turned, pressed, cut, machined, or soldered/welded products or component parts that are made from material other than wood – Manufacturers that generally produce items that are simple in nature and physically small

Light Manufacturing.

At West Bend, we’re proud of our broad base of knowledge when it comes to commercial risks. Over the years, however, we’ve developed extensive expertise of certain risks and the skills needed to underwrite them.

That’s why we’re more competitive in writing these classes.

Like light manufacturing.

If you have a light manufacturing risk, contact your West Bend underwriter. We look forward to sharing our expertise with you, and providing the best coverages necessary to protect your valued customers.

MARCH 15 39

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.

Name & Designation

DOB

Gender

Employment Status

o o

Male

o

Corporation

Female

o o

Part-time

Licensed Owner

Magazine

Nat’l Voting

INCL

INCL

o

Licensed Producer

Privilege

Agency Information: Agency Type:o Sole Owner

o

Top 3 P&C Companies (list in order)

Partnership

Other Association affiliated with_____________________________

1)__________________________ 2)__________________________ 3)____________________________

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

15 985 30 & Over 1610 I certify that the information on this application is true and correct.

Signed_______________________________ Dated_______________________

Total Amount from Dues Schedule $_______________ Send:

o

Check

o

MC

o

VISA

o

DIS

o

AMEX

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.