PIAW May/June 2022 Magazine by Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin

[ MAY/JUNE 2022 ]

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CONTENTS 4 From the President 6 Memos from Madison 8 From the Boardroom 10 Capitol Update 13 Eye On The Law 14 OCI Administrative Action 16 Community Corner 20 How to Hire Producers 22 HR Snapshot 24 Shadow Stock: The Golden Handcuffs of Agency Participation 27 Keeping it Conversational 28 Please Check Out PIA’s New Program to Offer Opportunities to Prepare for Cyber Security Winning@Cybersecurity Defense 30 Education 36 New Members 37 Upcoming Events 38 Directory We are a community of independent agents and other dedicated insurance professionals, working to promote and improve the independent agency channel. Our mission is to support the advancement and excellence of all independent agencies.

EDUCATE. ADVOCATE. COLLABORATE. EDUCATE

We are the premier association for insurance education in Wisconsin. Grow your knowledge and your bottom line, at our education sessions. Whether you want to pursue a CIC, CPIA, CISR or CRM designation, or just meet your bi-annual Wisconsin CE requirement, you have come to the right place.

ADVOCATE

With lobbyists representing you in Madison and in Washington, D.C., PIA is looking out for your interests and promoting the independent agency channel within state and federal government. Our goal is a regulatory environment that allows your agency to grow and prosper.

COLLABORATE

PIA is a place for you to collaborate with, and learn from, other agents and many other professionals in the industry. Starting an agency? We’ve been there. Growing an agency? We’ve been there. Considering a new agency management system? PIA members have been there. Whether at our PIAW Winter Get-Away event in Minocqua, Annual Convention, Scholarship Golf Outing or dozens of other events, you can collaborate with other professionals who have “been there.”

6401 Odana Rd. Madison, Wi 53719 | (800) 261-7429 | www.piaw.org

PIAW.ORG [ 3 ]

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Your involvement is what makes PIAW a great organization to be a part of.

RYAN BUTZKE, CIC, CISR President, PIA of Wisconsin

WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER It’s hard to believe that I am over halfway through my presidency here at PIAW. Looking back at the past 6 months, I’m excited to inform you PIAW is in a very strong position. We have many new items to report on and I’m happy to do so in this article.

young talent to the industry and to PIA membership. Given the difficult labor market we’re in, I can’t think of a more important focus for our younger generation of members. I look forward to seeing the benefits of this group’s efforts for years to come.

I hope you all like our award-winning new magazine design. This magazine is one of many great opportunities for us to share successes, updates, education opportunities and social events PIAW has to offer to our members throughout the year. Did you know that the cover of the new PIAW magazine has a hidden image of the state of Wisconsin? Check out the cover of this publication and previous magazines to see if you can find our great state of Wisconsin!

Pete, Brenda and I recently visited The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research headquarters in Austin, TX. There we met with William J Hold, CRM, CISR and his team to discuss the educational partnership between our organizations. COVID forever changed the educational landscape with online learning and webinars becoming more streamlined and accessible to our members. Because of that more and more insurance education vendors are entering the online learning arena giving our members more opportunities to gain CE than ever before. The National Alliance shared with us what they’re doing to move the needle forward and separate themselves from the ever-increasing competition. The CISR, CIC & CRM designations will continue to be the elite amongst our peers in the insurance industry, and I can’t wait for you all to see the innovations that are coming to these programs! I strongly encourage you to seek out one or multiple designations from The National Alliance if you haven’t done so already.

The current PIAW office location is going to be redeveloped, which means we have to move to a new location. PIAW hired a commercial tenant representative to find an office space to fit the needs of our staff and members alike. I’m happy to announce we have secured a new office suite on the west side of Madison, just two exits west on the Beltline Highway from our current location. Our new address will be 725 Heartland Trail, Suite 108, Madison, WI, 53717. Please look to all our media outlets for future posts, pictures, and information of PIAW’s move to the new location. The YPC (Young Professionals Club) has now been rebranded as the YPI Network (Young Professionals Insurance Network). They have developed a new YPI Network logo which incorporates the three “pillars” that stand at the core of their new initiative: Connect, Develop, and Support. While the focus of the YPC was running our annual golf outing and scholarships program, the YPI Network is going to focus on recruiting MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 4 ]

I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve as your current president. I look forward to the continued support of PIA initiatives by our members. Please contact the PIA offices to get involved with one of our committees or to sign up for one of our upcoming social events. Your involvement is what makes PIAW a great organization to be a part of. Remember…“We Are Better Together”!

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MEMOS FROM MADISON

we are continuously working to build the value of your membership...

PETE HANSON, CAE, CISR Executive Director, PIA of Wisconsin

NEW OFFERINGS May 1 is the start of a new membership year and fiscal year for PIA of Wisconsin. As I write this column, it’s still April but 80 percent of you have already renewed your memberships – well ahead of the deadline. On behalf of the staff and our Board of Directors, I want to say “thank you” and let you know that your support means a lot. Having so many members renew early is a “shot in the arm” for all of us!

Agency Processes Insurance 101 will run for the first time on June 28th. This webinar will cover workflows such as new business, policy changes, renewals and cancellations. It will also cover E&O loss control and the importance of good documentation. To sign up for either of these classes, go to our education calendar at piaw.org and scroll down to that date. [Or, see Page 35, for more details]

I also want you to know that we are continuously working to build the value of your membership, so that you get more services, discounts, information, advice and advocacy for your dues dollar. Here are a few things that are new, at PIA of Wisconsin:

Agency Journey Mapping Every agency, whether it’s been in business for three years or three generations, needs a plan for the future. For the sake of the staff, the clients and the owner/partners, it’s imperative that you take some time to develop – and periodically update – a plan for the future. That plan should include strategies for growth, maximizing the value of the agency and perpetuating the agency.

Insurance 101: New Employee Onboarding Webinars We know that small insurance agencies can’t put thousands of dollars per year into training platforms to train up their new hires, so we’ve developed a new series of three webinars that will train employees in the basics of Property & Casualty, Life & Health, and Agency Processes. Each webinar is developed and delivered by a true expert with decades of experience in the field. The first one, Property & Casualty Insurance 101, ran for the first time on April 28th as a live, 4-hour webinar. But don’t worry, we are going to offer it regularly! This webinar introduces new employees to the theories behind insurance and the basic types of personal lines and commercial policies and coverages. Life & Health Insurance 101 will run for the first time on May 26th. This webinar is great for new employees or anyone who wants to expand their knowledge to include life insurance products, group benefits, HSA’s, Medicare products and more. MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 6 ]

Fortunately, PIA can help. While the Agency Journey Mapping program has been available to members for a couple of years, now, June 29th will be the first time we will offer the seminar in a virtual (webinar) format. When you’re the gal or guy in charge, we know it can be hard to get away. That’s why we’re bringing this valuable information right to your desk. It’s a four-hour, live webinar with agency planning expert Al Diamond, worth 4 WI CE credits. Afterwards, you can schedule a 30-minute private consultation with Mr. Diamond, to discuss a plan for your unique agency. This webinar is the start of a program that will end with you having an individualized plan to grow and perpetuate your agency. Sound good? See more at piaw.org, on the education calendar – or Page 34 of this magazine.

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FROM THE BOARDROOM

Once you become involved, you see all the opportunities available to you.

JON STROM

Secretary, PIA of Wisconsin

“JUST ASKING” I have always tried to live my life by the golden rule of “you get out of something as much as you put into it.” I know this is an old cliche, but it speaks volumes. It certainly relates to your PIA of Wisconsin membership. Once you become involved, you see all the opportunities available to you. If it’s your thing, the Clay Shoot is coming right up and it’s a good place to start. Hosted at the Milford Hills Hunt Club in Johnson Creek, this event will be on May 18 from Noon-5:00. If you haven’t signed up already, you will have short notice to sign up once you read this. The cost is $125 per person, and every dollar of your contribution goes to the PIA-PAC, PIA’s non-partisan political action committee. The group helps support candidates for state elective office who agree with our members on key political issues that affect small businesses and the insurance industry. The next event coming up on our calendar is the 19th Annual PIA Scholarship Golf Outing, on August 3rd, at the Wild Rock Golf Club in the Wisconsin Dells. Monies raised at this outing will help support scholarships for students entering the insurance industry. As I write this article, our Scholarship Golf Outing Committee is grading scholarship applications to determine which students have earned a piece of the $25,000 in scholarship money that will be raised at this event! In October, we will welcome you to the beautiful Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake for our annual convention, Engage 2022. Our convention was re-formatted last year and well-received by attendees and exhibitors, alike. This convention is filled with information and fun social events for you to network and learn from both agents and companies. It can be done as a 2-day event, if you need CE and want to network at the opening reception on Day 1. Or, you can do it in a single day, catching our annual meeting, MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 8 ]

breakout sessions, Awards Luncheon, trade show and keynote speaker. All on Day 2, and you’re out before 5:00! Join us on October 12 & 13 for learning, networking and fun! February 1-3, 2023, will be the everpopular Winter Get-Away, in Minocqua. This has been the fastest growing event for our organization, getting bigger and better each year. So, when registration comes out, I urge you to reserve your rooms as quickly as possible. The event has grown so much in recent years, that we need the two largest hotels in town to house everybody. You will spend 2-3 days to attend this event, but you will get 10 CE’s worth of education. You will also get two dinners, two lunches and multiple networking events for the low registration fee of $149 for members. As with all organizations, we are hoping you will step up and join a committee. The event committees that organize the above events are a good place to start, but we also have committees that handle education programs, advocacy and public policy, our political action committee and the new Young Professionals Insurance Network, which you will hear about soon. We are grateful to have so many members in our group; however, we don’t always know each one of you. If you would like to be a part of a committee or learn more about how your expertise or experience could be beneficial, call Executive Director Pete Hanson at the PIAW office: 608-274-8188. He will be happy to answer all questions and get you in touch with the right people. The more, the merrier! For more information on PIAW events, visit www.piaw.org/pia-events Consider this my way of “just asking” you to get involved in the PIA of Wisconsin. I look forward to seeing you very soon.

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CAPITOL UPDATE

NATALIE WHITE

Communications Director

Just like that, the 2021-22 Legislative Session has ended. Legislators converged on Madison for several session days at the end of February and in early March, as the last batches of bills were voted on and sent to the Governor. Among those bills was PIA-backed Assembly Bill 911, the bill agreed-upon from the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council (WCAC) that was discussed in the last issue. It has now been signed into law as 2021 Wisconsin Act 232. Since adjourning, legislators have been pondering their futures and coming to a decision on the important question: Are they running for another term? For many (and still counting!) the answer has been “No.” At the time of writing, there are twenty-nine incumbent

legislators who have made the decision that they will not be seeking re-election. Of those, twenty-two are representatives and seven are senators. As retirement announcements continue to come in, this election cycle has the potential to have the highest number of incumbents not seeking reelection in thirty-one years, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau. Many of those who have announced their retirement mention that they have served their time in public service, are moving on to other opportunities or want to spend more time with their families and young children. In any case, it is certain that there will be plenty of new faces coming to serve in the Capitol next session.

Next, the committee was pleased to welcome Past President and current Chair of the Senate Insurance, Licensing and Forestry Committee, Senator Mary Felzkowski. Senator Felzkowski discussed the important work that the committee did during the session and issue areas she is watching that will be important to small businesses and agents in the coming session.

In preparation for that coming session, the PIA Legislative Committee came together for a meeting in Madison to discuss current issues for agents and spend time speaking with those leading insurance policy in Wisconsin. First, the committee sat down with OCI Commissioner Nathan Houdek and new Deputy Commissioner Rachel Cissne Carabell to discuss important happenings at OCI and current regulatory practices.

During the campaign season, PIAW is continuing to fine-tune our policy priorities for the next session and the PIA-PAC is supporting candidates who support small businesses and policy that helps independent insurance agents.

MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 10 ]

Representative David Steffen also joined the committee to talk about his work as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Insurance and discussed the status of future insurance bills and issues that he has been working on to help Wisconsin stay an attractive place to live.

Please continue to stay up to date with PIA Advocacy efforts with our Capitol Report and on the PIA Blog at piaw.org.

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Axley’s free insurance hotline is available to all PIAW members. Our attorneys will respond as quickly as possible. Calls do not constitute an attorney-client relationship. If your issues require more in-depth legal action or advice, you may be directed to seek private counsel. MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 12 ]

Eye on the Law Annuities–Looking Out for the Consumer’s Best Interest Governor Evers just signed into law a bill that will change the standards for selling annuities in Wisconsin from a “suitability” to a “best interest” framework. The best interest standard comes from model regulation advanced by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). To date, twenty states have adopted the model regulation. Wisconsin has historically been a leader in setting standards as to annuities, and Richard B. Wicka, Chief Legal Counsel at the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) and a member of the NAIC Annuity Suitability Working Group, explains that:

“Bringing the best interest standard to Wisconsin will help ensure that annuity sales be made with the consumer’s interest in mind- as the vast majority of agents do already. While the suitability standard did a lot to prohibit inappropriate annuity sales, we saw instances where those sales met the minimum standard for suitability yet were not in the consumer’s interest. This change is an important consumer protection improvement, and we are looking forward to it becoming law in Wisconsin.” “Best interest” is a higher standard than suitability. The new law requires that an insurance intermediary act in the best interest of the consumer when selling an annuity. An annuity may be “suitable” for a consumer, but it may not be in that person’s best interest. To meet this standard, the intermediary must satisfy four obligations: (1) care, (2) disclosure, (3) conflict of interest, and (4) documentation. Care Obligation To satisfy the care obligation, the new law sets forth a laundry list of requirements, which include that the intermediary: • Know the consumer’s financial situation, insurance needs, and financial objectives. • Understand the available recommendation options after making a reasonable inquiry into the options available to the intermediary. • Have a reasonable basis to believe the recommended option effectively addresses the consumer’s financial situation, insurance needs, and financial objectives over the life of the product, as evaluated in light of the consumer profile information.

• Communicate the basis or bases of the recommendation to the consumer. Disclosure Obligation To satisfy the disclosure obligation, the new law requires that the intermediary provide a disclosure form which includes: a description of the intermediary’s relationship with the consumer and role in the transaction; the intermediary’s license and carrier appointments; the sources and types of compensation to be received by the intermediary; and a notice of the consumer’s right to obtain additional information. OCI will be issuing a form for intermediaries to use based on the NAIC model form. Conflict of Interest Obligation The intermediary must identify, avoid or reasonably manage, and disclose material conflicts of interest. The intermediary’s financial interest may not influence the intermediary’s recommendation to purchase or not purchase an annuity. Documentation Obligation The new law requires the intermediary to document in writing the recommendation and the basis for the recommendation. If a consumer refuses to provide, or provides insufficient, consumer profile information, or the consumer decides to enter into an annuity transaction that is not recommended by the intermediary, the intermediary must obtain a signed statement from the consumer. Here again, OCI will be issuing a form for intermediaries to use based on the NAIC model form. An intermediary acts in the consumer’s best interest if he or she complies with the four obligations. The new law requires an intermediary to complete a training course approved by OCI within six months of the effective date of the law. It is important to note that these new regulations are licensing obligations, and do not create new civil liability or fiduciary duties for intermediaries, and do not require any additional licenses. This new law will be a significant change to the sale of annuities in Wisconsin.

This information is provided for the convenience of PIAW members, but cannot be construed as legal advice. Members of PIAW may call toll free (844) 672-1221, or email their questions to insurancehotline@axley.com, to work with an attorney and receive legal information specific to your situation. PIAW.ORG [ 13 ]

OCI ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS NATHAN HOUDEK

Commissioner 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.

FEBRUARY 2022 Allegations & Actions Against Agents

Mark Dempsey, 11849 S 2160 West, Riverton, UT 84065, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report to OCI administrative actions taken by the states of Washington, California, and Louisiana. Sarah Landa, 1680 Brookline Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15226, had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the State of Pennsylvania on a licensing application.

license denied. This action was taken based on an allegation of failing to disclose administrative actions taken by the states of Nebraska, Utah, Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina on a licensing application. Mary Lee Smith-Reid, 9375 N Spruce Rd., River Hills, WI 53217, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. John F. Weber, 931 Schuster Rd., Sun Prairie, WI 53590, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Cheryl D. Landers, 100 Radisson Ln., Madison, AL 35758, had her application for an insurance license denied for 30 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the State of Alabama on a licensing application.

Sadreca Williams, 2404 W Morgan Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53221, had her application for an insurance license denied for 60 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the State of Wisconsin on a licensing application; being involved in a lawsuit or arbitration containing allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, misappropriation or breach of fiduciary duty; and failing to timely respond to inquiries from OCI.

Matthew McKinnon, 497 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11220, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

MARCH 2022

Scottesha I. Mitchell, 7694 Little John Dr., Apt. 9, Indianapolis, IN 46219, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report to OCI administrative actions taken by the states of Virginia, California, and Louisiana. Wesley T. Mullenax, 350 N McClintock Dr., Chandler, AZ 85226, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to timely report to OCI administrative actions taken by the states of Indiana, South Dakota, Louisiana. Erik A. Nelson, 1841 N 54th St., Milwaukee, WI 53208, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Benjamin R. Robertson, 3717 N Lighthouse Hill Ln., Fort Worth, TX 76179, had his application for an insurance

Allegations & Actions Against Agents

Stacey A. Adams, N3702 Van Treeck Trl., Stop 1, Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Matthew M. Cyr, 941 Rumley Run, De Forest, WI 53532, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose an administrative action on a licensing application; failing to timely pay consumer restitution as ordered, and providing false or misleading information to OCI regarding restitution payment. Bryce H. Davis, 179 Red Oak St., Poplar Grove, IL 61065, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on previous licensing applications.

MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 14 ]

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

Franklin J. Ellefson, 3769 Glendale Ave., Green Bay, WI 54313, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Jeffrey L. Esser, 361 W Swan Cercle, Apt. 3001, Oak Creek, WI 53154, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Nicole R. Etter, 4119 N Woodburn St., Shorewood, WI 53211, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Cassandra A. Evans, 3407 Wild Rye Ln., Apt. 4, Memphis, TN 38115, had her insurance license revoked. This actionwas taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Amanda R. Foster, 2721 N University Dr., Apt. 212, Waukesha, WI 53188, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. David E. Gilliam, 225 E Henry Clay St., Apt. 4, Whitefish Bay, WI 53217, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Julien Golden, 3140 N 28th St., Milwaukee, WI 53216, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Sarah Goldman, 11414 West Park Pl., Unit #202, Milwaukee, WI 53224, had her application for a public adjuster registration denied. This action was taken based on allegations of providing false, misleading, or incomplete information on a registration application and during the application process, being named in a civil lawsuit alleging fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices in the conduct of business. Matthew G. Huftalin, 6272 Cunningham Rd., Rockford, IL 61102, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Mary A. Jablonski, 5878 Lochinvars Trl., Marshall, WI 53559, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Jeremiah R. Johnson, 3019 N 47th St., Milwaukee, WI 53210, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Najja McCoy, 5265 N Teutonia Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53209, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Elizabeth Mengo, 224 W Maple St., Silver Lake, WI 53170, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Alexis Phillips, 2607 Beverly Hills Dr., Eau Claire, WI 54701,

Donald L. Pierce, 439 S. Huron Rd., Green Bay, WI 54311, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Steven J. Pratt, 316 6th Ave., Stevens Point, WI 54481, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Derek R. Ray, 1219 E Greenbriar Dr., Appleton, WI 54911, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Joseph F. Sullivan, 15040 Watertown Plank Rd., Elm Grove, WI 53122, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Jesendra G. Tatum, 1315A S 45th St., West Milwaukee, WI 53214, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Hue T. Vang, 6422 W Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Kirsten VanNest, 218 Wilson Way, Marshfield, MO 65706, 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 State of Wisconsin on a licensing application, having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct, and failing to apply for and obtain a federal crime waiver. Mindy E. Waldera, 18379 Arrowhead Rd., Mabel, MN 55954, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Catarina Williams, 85 S Oak St., Apt. 113, Platteville, WI 53818, had her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application and having a criminal conviction that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct. Erika R. Wold, 789 210th Ave., Somerset, WI 54025, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. Kenneth J. Zipperer, 1705 Eagle Valley Ln., Wausau, WI 54403, agreed to the revocation of his Wisconsin insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations of having criminal convictions that may be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct and demonstrating practices in the conduct of the business of insurance that endanger the legitimate interest of customers and the public.

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. PIAW.ORG [ 15 ]

COMMUNITY CORNER PIA Members are giving back to their communities year-round. We want to highlight what individual members and agency and company members are doing to help make Wisconsin a great place to live and run a business. Share your volunteer story with us – shoot an email and photos of the action to nwhite@piaw.org!

THE INSURANCE CENTER’S VOLUNTEER DAY

At the end of March, employees from the Monona branch of The Insurance Center took a day to volunteer at the Second Harvest distribution center in Madison, WI. Second Harvest is a food bank dedicated to providing those facing hunger in the community with healthy and affordable food. Members of The Insurance Center’s Property & Casualty, Life & Health and Corporate Benefits departments spent the day sorting, packing, weighing, and dividing food for the families in need. At the end of the afternoon, it was clear that this will become a tradition as all participants are excited to volunteer again and continue to give back to those in need in their community.

TRICOR SUPPORTS PLATTEVILLE INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND PROJECTS

At the beginning of March, TRICOR Insurance donated $15,000 to Platteville’s Inclusive Playground. This playground is a local project with the intention of creating a playground where all those who visit can participate and have fun, regardless of their physical mobility or any disabilities that would keep them from playing on a traditional playground. The project’s ultimate goal is to ensure a safe space that eliminates the worry of judgement, safety concerns and lack of accessibility, and instead fosters an environment of inclusiveness and socialization for all.

TRICOR Employees present their donation to Platteville Inclusive Playground

MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 16 ]

ELEVATED INSURANCE’S PARTNERSHIP WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Elevated Insurance of Waukesha, WI recently worked with Habitat Humanity on their Sign the Stud campaign. This campaign allows families, businesses, and service groups to donate and decorate a 2x4 that will get built into homes during their 2022 build season. Thanks to Elevated Insurance, there are plenty more beautifully decorated studs to be built into homes for those in need!

M3 INSURANCE GIFTS THE UNITED WAY OF THE GREATER CHIPPEWA VALLEY

In April, the M3 Foundation presented a donation to the United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley. The M3 Foundation is committed to helping organizations that focus on health care, healthcare improvement, financial education & literacy, the promotion of insurance careers and safety improvement & disaster relief. The United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley fights for the health, education, and financial stability of people in the Chippewa Valley Community and M3 is proud to support them in their efforts!

VIZANCE’S APPLETON OFFICE SUPPORTS ADVOCAP

In March, Vizance’s office in Appleton had a drive to collect items in support of ADVOCAP’s Food and Nutrition Program. ADVOCAP is a non-profit community action agency in the Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Winnebago counties dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty. Their Food and Nutrition Program provides home-delivered meals to those who cannot get to a meal site. Especially due to the start of COVID-19, it has been more difficult for some individuals to access or pay for personal care items like toilet paper and other toiletries. Great job to the Appleton Vizance team for collecting those supplies for a good cause! PIAW.ORG [ 17 ]

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PIAW.ORG [ 19 ]

F E AT U R E

How to Hire Producers By John Chapin

Three times in the past two weeks, prospects or clients have asked me about hiring producers; so, here are my tips. Keys to Hiring Producers Tip #1: Start with people skills. If someone lacks people skills, they will never be able to sell effectively. Tip #2: Look for self-esteem, self-confidence, work ethic, integrity, and the right attitude. After people skills, these are the key character traits. These can’t be trained; people have them or they don’t. You have to look for these and test for them in your hiring process. Tip #3: Be wary of unemployed producers. Unless someone’s company just blew up, or there is some other crazy extenuating circumstance, salespeople typically aren’t unemployed unless they can’t sell and got fired, or lost their cool and quit. People do switch jobs for legitimate reasons, just make sure the reason is a good one and they can back up the stellar sales skills they claim to have. Tip #4: Watch out for people making lateral moves, especially in the same industry. A salesperson in the same industry looking for the same job elsewhere typically does so because they can’t sell and they’re blaming someone or something other than themselves. Even if someone is coming from another industry, why are they making the lateral move? It happens, just make sure the reasons are solid.

Tip #5: A salesperson looking for a big salary is a red flag. Good salespeople are willing to work mostly or completely on commission because they know that’s how they make the most money. If a salesperson wants a large salary, it’s usually because they know they won’t sell enough to pay the bills. If someone says they need a big salary because they are taking a pay cut coming to work for you, run the other way. Top salespeople don’t take pay cuts. Tip #6: Have a hiring process. Have several people put their eyes on a potential hire. Do all your testing, check all paperwork, cross all your T’s and dot all your I’s. Don’t take shortcuts, have a process and stick to it like a pilot doing preflight. Tip #7: At some point in your process tell people you don’t think they have what it takes. When you ask the question, “Why should I hire you?” Whatever answer they give, even if it’s the best you’ve ever heard, your response should be, “I don’t hear it. I don’t think you’re what we’re looking for.” You’d be surprised how many times the conversation will go something like, “You don’t?” “No, I don’t.” “Oh, okay.” The people you want should sell themselves at this point. If they can’t, or they won’t, you don’t want them. Tip #8: Test their sales skills. If they’ve been in sales for any length of time, and they’re any good, they can effectively answer objections, know how to compete, have standard closes, and can handle all sales situations. Ask who their primary competition is at their current company and why someone should do business with

MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 20 ]

them versus the competition. In addition, give them some standard objections and ask for their best responses. Ask them for their top closing questions. Ask for their follow-up process. Test them and role play sales situations with them. Tip #9: Give them homework. Give them assignments during the hiring process. It could be to reach out to the other four or five people they will be interviewing with to set up an appointment, to read a particular sales book and give you an executive summary, or give them some scripts, have them practice them, and then test them on the scripts. Tip #10: Shake up the testing process. Telling an applicant you are about to hire that they did not get the job, bringing them to an event with an open bar, playing golf with a candidate, or visiting them at their home, are some great ways to find out what people are really like. Use personality tests, in-office interviews, and other standard, accepted hiring practices as your foundation, but realize that most tests can be beaten, and most people can put their best mask on temporarily. To find out what people are really like, move them out of the typical hiring environment. Tip #11: Be skeptical of references, especially personal references. Anyone can find a third cousin twice removed to say the candidate is the best thing since the wheel. Still get references, but be skeptical. If they are that good, the wheel never would have been invented. Tip #12: Do a background check. You should be able to find enough information on social media and elsewhere without paying for a background check. That said, a full background check is not a bad idea. Tip #13: Have standards and stick to them as if your life depends upon it… Because the life of your business does depend upon it. Don’t lower your standards because you “don’t have any good applicants, but you have to fill the position with someone.”

Tip #14: Set expectations up front. Show them a job description up front which includes: activities they are expected to perform, number of calls they are expected to make, anything they are expected to learn, hours you expect them to work, including any weekends and nights, and how they will be evaluated on job performance. Also, let them know if there will be travel involved, what training looks like, and anything else they can expect to encounter on the job. Get agreement on the expectations up front. Tip #15: Watch them before, during, and after the hiring process. Other than dressing well, showing up on time, communicating well, being pleasant, etc., do they follow up with you after each step of the interview process and how? How do they do on any assignments you give them? How do they interact with other people they come into contact with? Tip #16: Hire slowly and fire quickly. Do the work up front and don’t cut corners. If you do hire the wrong person, let them go quickly. Tip #17: Provide the right environment. It doesn’t help to hire the right people if you bring them into an environment where chronic underperformers, negative people, a lack of support, and other similar cancers exist. Have an effective on-boarding and training program along with an atmosphere of professionalism and high standards. Give them a success track to run on that establishes good sales habits. With the current hiring systems companies use, only about 20% of salespeople work out long-term. Even if you’re at 50%, is it really worth all the time, effort, and money that you waste hiring the wrong salespeople? While the above is a lot of work, if you follow it correctly, you’ll have a 90 to 95% hiring success rate and save thousands of hours, headaches, and, in the long-term, likely hundreds of thousands of dollars.

PIAW.ORG [ 21 ]

HR Snapshot

A LONGTIME GOOD EMPLOYEE WAS CAUGHT FORGING HIS TIMESHEET. WE HAVE TERMINATED OTHERS FOR THIS POLICY VIOLATION IN THE PAST. DO I HAVE TO TERMINATE THIS EMPLOYEE AS WELL? HIS WORK HAS ALWAYS OTHERWISE BEEN EXCELLENT, AND I DON’T WANT TO LOSE HIM. The most risk-averse approach would be to terminate this employee as well. Any time you deviate from consistent disciplinary practices—in this case terminating for forging timesheets—you open your organization up to greater risk of discrimination claims. This employee would no doubt appreciate not losing his job. But former and future employees terminated for this same offense could claim that their termination was discriminatory—that it was based on a protected class or protected activity. Responding to a discrimination claim can be costly, even if you eventually win. A more risk-tolerant approach would be to document how this situation is different from the others that resulted in termination. For example, this employee may have had consistently good performance while the other dismissed employees did not. If you decide to give this employee a second chance, it’s important to communicate just how serious forging timesheets is and what will happen if he does it again. Document your conversation. Another risk-tolerant approach would be to change your disciplinary practices. This could entail giving a written warning for the first policy violation and then terminating for the second. If you decide to change your policy or practices around discipline and termination, make sure the changes are documented, clearly communicated to employees, and consistently applied moving forward. Ultimately, nothing you do can guarantee that an employee won’t call a lawyer, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or some other government agency and claim that their discipline or termination was for an illegal reason. That said, you can take steps to reduce risk. Clear, consistently enforced policies and practices are your best line of defense.

Answer from Kelley, PHR

IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL WE SHOULD KNOW BEFORE TERMINATING A REMOTE EMPLOYEE? Terminations involving remote employees function much the same as those in a physical worksite, but there are some things to keep in mind: • If the employee works in a different state, you’ll need to follow that state’s laws regarding termination procedures, paperwork, and final paychecks. Look these up on the platform ahead of time. You don’t want to miss any deadlines. • Coordinate with IT so they are prepared to remotely revoke the employee’s access to company systems immediately upon termination. • Have a clear process in place for the employee to return any company-owned computers, monitors, phone systems, etc. and plan to pay for shipping. Go over the process at the termination meeting. • Don’t make deductions from the final paycheck because the employee hasn’t returned company property or has returned things damaged unless you’re sure it’s legal in the state where they work and that you’ve complied with any related requirements. • As with most terminations, be sure to have documentation of behavior and performance issues, conversations you had, disciplinary actions you took, and warnings to the employee about the consequences if they failed to improve. This documentation may be Answer from Kim, helpful if the termination is ever challenged.

SPHR, SHRM-SCP

You can learn more about conducting terminations on the platform. MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 22 ]

WHAT IS A DISABILITY? Our definition of disability comes from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the ADA, an individual with a disability is a person who: • Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; • Has a record of such an impairment; or • Is regarded as having such an impairment. Major life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. The ADA prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. If an employee informs you that they have a disability and requests an accommodation, you should begin the interactive process. Basically, you and the employee determine what, if anything, can be done to accommodate them so that the essential functions of Answer from Kim, the job get done to your standards and the employee is able to continue to have SPHR, AAM, CPIW the equal benefits and privileges of employment. As part of this conversation, you may request a doctor’s note to substantiate the disability.

WHAT IS JOB ABANDONMENT AND HOW DO I KNOW WHEN IT’S OCCURRED? There really isn’t a strict definition of what constitutes job abandonment. Many employers use the standard of three consecutive absences with no notice, but you can set the standard for your organization. To keep everyone on the same page, we recommend defining job abandonment in your employee handbook. Explain what job abandonment means at your organization and what happens when it occurs. For example, you might say that if an employee is absent for three consecutive days and has not provided proper notification, the company will assume that the employee has abandoned their position and will be treated as having voluntarily terminated employment with the company. But even with a clear policy, we recommend attempting to contact an absent employee before terminating. There may be extenuating circumstances, and in some cases the employee may be entitled to protected leave (for instance, if they were in a car accident and have been in the ICU). Attempt to reach out by phone, text, or email, depending on how the employee has said they’d like to be reached. Document your attempts to communicate with them and make note of the outcome. If you’re unable to reach them and their absence qualifies as job abandonment under your policy, you can proceed with termination. Should you later discover that the employee was entitled to protected leave (rare but possible), you may need to reinstate them, assuming that’s what they want.

PIAW.ORG [ 23 ]

Answer from Kyle, PHR

F E AT U R E

SHADOW STOCK: THE GOLDEN HANDCUFFS OF AGENCY PARTICIPATION By Al Diamond, Agency Consulting Group

If you have an employee who has proven to be both valuable to your business in the past and has the potential of helping you grow and prosper in the future, Shadow Stock is one form of reward that should be considered. Shadow Stock is the means by which an agency can reward a producer, manager or other employee in a form of deferred compensation, linked to the future success of the agency. If you have an employee who has proven to be both valuable to your business in the past and has the potential of helping you grow and prosper in the future, Shadow Stock is one form of reward that should be considered. The normal reward for employee’s efforts that help the agency move forward is fair and equitable compensation. Many owners feel that they should further reward those employees for their loyalty and dedication. That form of reward should come in the form of a pension plan that will further compensate those employees for their longevity and participation in the growth and success of the agency by sharing additional funding when they retire. These are the employees who are loyal and work for the agency ‘for a living’. The Pension Plan puts a set amount of money into the Plan, whether qualified or unqualified, that is available to pay to the employee upon retirement. It is, for all practical purposes, a savings account. However, there is another class of employees that shows a promise to help the agency grow in the future. The agency

owners feel that these employees could propel the agency forward even faster and will become the key players for the agency. The owners wish to establish a plan of action that would reward those employees for their efforts to grow and prosper the entire agency, not just a segmented book of business. If the employee who falls into this category has already proven himself/herself and thinks of the best interest of the entire agency; if she/he continues to perform in the best interest of the agency not just of their clients and their own book of business and is the likely successor of the agency, then REAL stock acquisition is the appropriate method of cementing the relationship. The employee becomes an owner of the agency (albeit a minority owner) through market value or beneficial discounted value of the agency’s stock. However, if you are not sure that the employee is ownership material now and if the employee has expressed an interest in ownership, certain traits you may want to observe before considering Shadow Stock. Does the employee prove himself/herself for leadership qualities? Has the employee become an important part of the production team or management team possessing and maintaining a large book of business and has earned the loyalty of the employees? If

MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 24 ]

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you have found these traits in that employee, and you want to tie that person to the agency to allay the possibility of his/her loss to a competitor or to starting his/her own agency then you know Shadow Stock is the right answer for you. The awarding of Shadow Stock to an employee (always in a simple letter agreement) is akin to establishing a deferred bonus of that amount of money. The final reward is only paid in lump sum if the employee dies, becomes totally and permanently disabled or retires from the business of insurance. The bonus is established in a variety of ways, usually tied to the successful attainment of growth markers for producers and of combined growth, retention and profit markers for managers. The amount granted in Shadow Stock is not “paid” as such into a deferred compensation program. Instead the value of agency stock (in terms of shares of Shadow Stock) that could be purchased with that amount is “granted” to the employee in a letter agreement. The value of the Shadow Stock shares change with the value of the agency, making the holder of that agreement sensitive to the best interest of the entire agency to protect his/her value. If the agency deteriorates, so does the value of the Shadow Stock. But if the participant can PROVE his/her value by continuing to enhance the overall business (by continuing to grow the book of business or by managing it to successful profitability) the value of the Shadow Stock will increase with the value of the business. Shadow Stock is most often vested over a five-year period, thereby further investing the employee in continued performance to fully earn the Shadow Stock value. It becomes fully vested in the event of the participant’s death, total and permanent disability or of his/her retirement from the business of insurance. It is also fully vested in the event that the agency is sold, merged or has a change of ownership of 50% or more through owners not already with the agency. The vesting further protects the agency from the potential of the participant’s premature departure. Since each year’s (or each granted Shadow Stock segment, if not done annually)

carries its own vesting period, this forms the ‘Golden Handcuffs’ that protects the agency from the loss of valuable human assets except for under extreme circumstances. It simply becomes too expensive for the participant to leave, all other things remaining equal. If a Shadow Stock holder does desire to leave the agency, the value of the Shadow Stock is paid out over a four-year term at 25% per year (adding an interest rate, if appropriate, at Prime Interest rate at the time of departure). These payments are in sponsorship of a two-or-three-year, Non-Competition and Non-Piracy Agreement that is signed when the original Shadow Stock is granted. Often, once the Shadow Stock holder sufficiently proves himself or herself to be of permanent value to the agency, the Shadow Stock is converted to regular stock of the agency and the holder becomes an agency owner. Shadow Stock does not bear voting rights. That’s a primary difference between Shadow Stock and regular stock. It is a letter agreement between the owner of the agency and an employee that the employee has rights to a certain percentage of the value of the agency under certain circumstances. The employee or his heirs will hold that letter until it matures and relinquish it in return for the payments set out in the letter agreement. It should not be granted lightly nor should it be given to employees as a simple ‘bonus’. A bonus, even in deferred compensation, carries a set value. The Shadow Stock is valued with the value of the agency, itself. Please be sure to consult with your accountant regarding the tax treatment of Shadow Stock in your situation and for your particular state. In some cases, payroll taxes must be paid at the time of the award and in others none is due. In some cases, the value of the Shadow Stock is immediately recognizable for the employee while in others it is deferred until cashed. Your accountant or Enrolled Agent (tax specialist) is qualified to advise you and your employee about the proper tax treatment of this method.

PIAW.ORG [ 25 ]

F E AT U R E

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F E AT U R E

Keeping it Conversational operate?” “Where do you see the business in three years?” 2. Listen and follow-up Once you’ve asked your well thought-out, open-ended question, be an active listener. Capture what is said so you can circle back and ask follow-up questions to fill in missing pieces. For example, your prospect may answer by telling you that the business is a partnership with two others; they have three offices in three states; the types of customers they prefer are small-to medium-sized retailers, and they have twelve employees. Face it, doing a good job with front line underwriting requires agents and brokers to ask a ton of questions. A significant amount of data is required by insurance carriers to accurately rate a risk. Consumers, who aren’t really enamored with having to buy insurance in the first place, get turned off when there is a significant amount of recontact during the information gathering phase. Therefore, it helps the insurance professional to continually practice keeping it conversational. Three key ideas come to mind as we look at perfecting conversational data gathering skills: 1. Ask well thought out, open-ended questions As professional insurance agents and brokers, it’s incumbent to craft questions that get the prospect or client talking. The more they talk, the more you learn. The more you learn, the better you can assess their risks and suggest solutions. Challenge producers and account managers to experiment with crafting open-ended questions that elicit numerous details. It’s important for agents to know their applications well enough to be able to enter the data into the right places as part of the fact-finding conversation rather than going through an application line-by-line. For example, consider starting with the Description of Operations by asking, “Tell me about your business – how was it formed, how do you

From this, you have some information to fill in some fields on applications, but you also have background for follow-up questions. Maybe you’d conversationally ask something like, “Wow, the three of you must be pretty great friends to have run a successful business for so long. Tell me more about your partners” or “So, is your partnership a formal LLC?” followed by “Can you please provide me with your EIN number?” 3. Set proper expectations Once you’ve gathered as much detail as possible in the allotted appointment time, clearly state what the next steps are. That might entail needing to connect your account manager with the CTO to complete the cyber application, or it may involve sending the information you’ve gathered to several companies to gather quotes. Whatever the case, explain next steps, set timeframes, and review how the process works in both best, and less-than-ideal, scenarios. Also clarify what other information might be needed once the initial quotes are presented so the prospect can begin gathering that additional information. These concepts likely seem simple, but to makes things appear simple takes hard work and practice. The insurance business is still a relationship business, and to build relationships you must have great conversations.

PIAW.ORG [ 27 ]

Please check out PIA’s new program to offer opportunities to prepare for Cyber Security WINNING@CYBERSECURITY DEFENSE

TRACY OESTREICH, CIC, CPIA, AU, CPIW PIA National Director

Cybersecurity poses an existential threat to 2. Delivery of the assessment report, usually every PIA member (and clients too) and should within 5-7 days, which covers agency cyber not be considered a discretionary investment. vulnerabilities directly and through your Cybercrime is a truly unique peril – in that vendors, including agency management it literally affects every agency and business systems. The report also includes a review client, regardless of demographics, weather of an agency’s current IT service provider conditions or local construction codes. Unlike (if they use one) because too many agencies hail, windstorm and fire, however, cybercrime assume their cybersecurity needs are already is the least understood both in its far-reaching met when, in fact, many fall far short given financial and reputational costs but also in how the escalating risk. The reports run 10-14 to MITIGATE it effectively. PIA members pages and includes detailed action steps in have already been hacked, as have vendors easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. serving members. Regulators and insurance 3. Post-report consultation (30-45 minutes) companies are also requiring, through to discuss findings and lay out action steps, regulations and new agency agreements, to including ones that could be performed by sharpen up their cybersecurity defenses. Is your current IT service provider. The report your agency prepared? should be shared with them. Discounts on additional cybersecurity services for PIA PIA has a new program that can help you members offered as well. prepare. It is practical and action-oriented. 4. Follow-ups at 30, 60 and 90 days to discuss The program is Winning@Cybersecurity actions taken or planned. Defense, and it has four parts. Part 1 covers A one-time cost for the assessment is $549.00. Cyber Risk from A to Z. In this section, you Rising cybercrime and unfettered data sharing can grow your knowledge of cyber risks and continue to threaten agencies and clients issues they can cause. Part 2 discusses Cyber Risk Insurance Protection. This section shares alike. Agencies and the vendors they use can no longer take data security for granted. information about the various aspects of insurance. Part 3 is the Cyber Risk Assessment. Protecting agency data must be one of our primary focuses with regulatory, insurer This step is one of the most important steps and consumer demands to mitigate rising you can take to assess your agency’s risk. Part cybercrime. 4 covers Cyber Resources for Your Agency. This last section shares a variety of tools and Check out all this and more for Inquiries and vendors. I would like to share more on the assessment orders: https://www.pianational. specifics of Part 3 – Cyber Risk Assessment. org/pia-partnership/winning@cybersecuritydefense-program. PIA members will receive a The Cyber Risk Assessment, developed quick response. specifically for agencies, includes: 1. Initial discussion to determine agency familiarity with cybersecurity, mitigation actions taken, cyber coverage discussions with clients (do they initiate conversations or only respond when asked), and the degree of reliance on third-party vendors. This takes less than 30 minutes.

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PIAW.ORG [ 29 ]

EDUCATION

NEW TOPICS ADDED! 3 WI CE CREDITS. LIVE (NOT PRE-RECORDED). 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.

May 2022 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

An An Hour with Corey: Liars: How to Spot Fraud & What the Agent Can Do About it 1 WI CE # 6000112616

5/4

1-2pm

Corey Wilkins

Commercial Property – Direct vs Indirect Damage 3 WI CE # 6000080287

5/5

12-3p

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

Personal Lines Coverage Concerns: Annoying But Important 3 WI CE # 6000080480

5/10

8-11a

Scott Treen, CIC

Employment Practices Liability: A Coverage No Business Can Afford to Be Without 3 WI CE # 6000112610

5/10

12-3p

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

Leadership and Liability: Insuring Executive Risk 3 WI CE # 6000115913

5/12

12-3p

Steve Lyon, CIC, CPCU, ARM

Lurking: Surprises in the Contractor’s CGL Policy & Endorsements to Watch Out For 3 WI CE # 6000110926

5/17

8-11a

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

Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging”: Medicare and Other Retirement Healthcare Solutions 3 WI CE # 6000108253

5/17

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

An Hour with Cathy: Truly Awful CGL Endorsement 1 WI CE # 6000087979

5/18

1-2p

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

Growing Good Insurance: Using Property & Liability Endorsements to Fortify Farm Risks 3 WI CE # 6000115914

5/19

8-11a

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

Personal Lines Clients and Their New Normal 3 WI CE # 6000080286

5/19

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

Certificates and Additional Insureds: What Did I Do to Deserve This?! 3 WI CE # 6000115912

5/24

8-11a

Carissa Bonner, ANIS, CRIS

The Evolution of Ethics in Insurance 3 WI ETHICS CE # 6000082722

5/24

12-3p

Corey Wilkins

An Hour with Nicole: Homeowners Loss Settlement Issues 1 WI CE # 6000081983

5/25

1-2p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

Commercial Insurance Coverages, Court Cases & Chaos 3 WI CE # 6000082635, Utica Approved

5/26

12-3p

Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 30 ]

for in-house webinar opportunities. bsteinbach@piaw.org

June 2022 Webinar Schedule TITLE & WI CE

DATE

TIME (CST)

INSTRUCTOR

Planting the Seed: Agent Strategies to Get and Keep Agribusiness Insureds 3 WI CE # 6000110471

6/14

8-11a

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

That’s Personal: Home & Auto Exposures Your Insured Doesn’t Share (and Why That’s Bad) 3 WI CE # 6000080266 Utica Approved

6/14

12-3p

Scott Treen, CIC

An Hour with Cathy: Additional Insured Endorsements for Contractors 1 WI CE # 6000082723

6/15

1-2p

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

Is This Stuff for Real? Understanding & Insuring Emerging Risks 3 WI CE # 6000080265

6/16

8-11a

Steve Lyon CIC, CPCU, ARM

Chris Amrhein’s “Adventures in Aging”: Social Security and Other Retirement Income Solutions 3 WI CE # 6000110967

6/21

12-3p

Chris Amrhein, CIC

An Hour with Nicole: Personal Umbrella Issues & Answers 1 WI CE # 6000082636

6/22

1-2p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

Flood Insurance, FEMA, and the NFIP 3 WI CE # 6000059679

6/23

8-11a

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

Homeowners in Real Life: Tales of Claims & Coverage 3 WI CE # 6000080508

6/23

12-3p

Nicole Broch, CIC, CISR, PLCS

What the Heck Happened to Life Insurance 3 WI CE # 6000119109

6/28

8-11a

Corey Wilkins

Certificates of Insurance and the Coverage Issues that Go With Them 3 WI CE # 6000110940

6/28

12-3p

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

An hour with Sam: The Policy’s Position on Home-Sharing and How to Handle It 1 WI CE # 6000119116

6/29

1-2p

Sam Bennett, CIC, AFIS, CRIS, CPIA

Nailed It: Understanding Insurance Requirements in Construction Contracts 3 WI CE # 6000082634, Utica Approved

6/30

8-11a

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

Why Good People Do Bad Things: A Deep Dive into Agency Ethics 3 WI ETHICS, CE # 6000112615

6/30

12-3p

Terry Tadlock, CIC, CPCU, CRIS

PIAW.ORG [ 31 ]

EDUCATION DESIGNATIONS AND UPDATES CIC WEBINARS & CLASSROOM

Anyone Can Attend No Exam or Proctor Required for CE 16 WI CE Each – Optional, Virtual Exam the Following Week

MAY 11-12

Commercial Property Sun Prairie

JULY 19-20

AUGUST 10-11

Agency Management (Includes 4 Ethics) SECURA – Neenah

Commercial Casualty Webinar

CIC GRADUATE RUBLE WEBINARS & CLASSROOM Exciting update option for CICs, CRMs, and CISRs! 16 WI CE

JUNE 15-16

4 Optional Ethics Acuity – Sheboygan

SEPTEMBER 28-29

DECEMBER 14-15

4 Optional Ethics Radisson - Green Bay

Webinar

CISR WEBINARS & CLASSROOM

Anyone Can Attend 7 WI CE Each – Optional, Virtual Exam the Following Week

MAY 19

Personal Residential

JUNE 3

JUNE 23

Commercial Property

Personal Lines Miscellaneous Madison – Online exam available onsite following the course

JUNE 9

Personal Auto

CPIA WEBINARS & CLASSROOM

Anyone Can Attend 7 WI CE Each (2 of 7 are Ethics at Webinars) No Exam

MAY 12

CPIA 3 – Sustain Success

AUGUST 11

CPIA 1 – Position for Success

SEPTEMBER 8

CPIA 2 – Implement for Success

OCTOBER 5

CPIA 3 – Sustain Success MAY/JUNE 2022 [ 32 ]

OCTOBER 12

CPIA 2 – Implement for Success - Elkhart Lake PIA Members received ½ off if attending Engage 2022

NEW CICs

NEW CISR Elites

Lisa Graves, CISR Vizance, Inc. Hartland, WI

The Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) Program has been the insurance industry’s premier, proven source for practical, real-world education since 1969. For insurance professionals everywhere, the 16 hour Institutes represent a thoroughly rewarding learning experience, led by accomplished insurance and risk management speakers. Are you ready to challenge yourself?

The honorable status for CISRs who aspired to be more and passed all nine CISR courses.

Heather McCullough, CISR Elite G2 Insurance Services, Inc. Brookfield, WI

Jodi Kraege, CISR Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Mary Jo Blair, CIC, CPCU,API,AIS,AU,AIC,AINS Erie Insurance Brookfield, WI

Jenna Moehrke, CISR Elite Badger Mutual Insurance Milwaukee, WI

Roxanne Kreuzer, CISR Badger Insurance Services LLC Brookfield, WI

Lauren Stevens, CISR Elite HNI Risk Services, LLC New Berlin, WI

Dani Kulas, CISR M3 Insurance, Inc. Wausau, WI

Wendy Diedrich, CIC, CISR Diedrich Family Insurance Agency, Inc. Appleton, WI Norman Bock, Jr., CIC Bock Insurance Agency, Inc. Oshkosh, WI Stephanie Schweitzer, CIC, AU, AINS Society Insurance Fond du Lac, WI Laura McCarty, CIC, AIS, AU, AIC, CPCU Society Insurance Fond du Lac, WI Krystal Litscher, CIC WA Group Fountain City, WI

Patty Kollmansberger, CISR Elite West Bend - A Mutual Insurance Company West Bend, WI

NEW CISRs

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

Andrew Haugen, CISR Badger Insurance Services LLC Brookfield, WI Natasha Josilo, CISR R & R Insurance Services, Inc. Waukesha, WI

Angela Marion, CPIA, CISR Community Insurance Info. Center Glendale, WI Michaela Moore, CISR EMC Insurance Companies Brookfield, WI Ashley Paull, CISR Don-Rick, Inc. Baraboo, WI

Dana Bauer, CISR Jerry Thompson Agency, Inc. Durand, WI

Elizabeth Pedroza, CISR Hausmann Group Madison, WI

Rachel Dahlke, CISR Alliance Insurance Centers, LLC Sturgeon Bay, WI

Christine Peters, CISR Vizance, Inc. Appleton, WI

Harrison Dixon, CISR Ansay & Associates LLC Mosinee, WI

Aimee Schmidt, CISR Acuity Sheboygan, WI

Kelly Everson, CISR Wisconsin Mutual Insurance Company Madison, WI

Tyler Thomack, CISR JM Insurance Services, LLC Neenah, WI

PIAW.ORG [ 33 ]

Live Webinar & Private Consultation June 29 | 8am - 12pm

4 WI CE

Whether you are planning for the eventual sale of your agency, getting prepared for the unexpected or just want to value your agency, this webinar and accompanying resources are designed to give you the tools you need to create your own personalized perpetuation plan.

INSTRUCTOR

Al Diamond

Agency Consulting Group, Inc.

Understand the challenges and best practices of agency ownership transfer and how your actions today are impacting your agency's value and your ability to respond to future opportunities.

FREE

$99 Registration Fee

After the webinar, schedule a completely confidential 30-minute consultation with Al, where you can discuss your agency and personal circumstances privately!

after reimbursement from the PIA Partnership Program. Learn more at pianational.org/agentsupport

This webinar is available only to PIA Members as part of the Agency Journey Mapping benefit.

"This course should be mandatory for all independent agencies."

MARCH/APRIL 2022 [ 34 ]

INSURANCE

101

The insurance industry can be a complicated field for a new hire. It's imperative that their introduction is straightforward, informative - and also interesting! Insurance 101 webinars are designed to provide an introductory look into the industry, answer questions and show how rewarding a career in insurance can be!

PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE 101 Repeat Coming Soon!

New employees will learn about general insurance concepts, like the elements of insurability, rates, policies, etc. and get an overview of what the industry looks like and how it operates. They will get insights into regulations and laws at both the state and federal level and go over questions that are routinely asked by insurance professionals and their insureds. Lastly, the webinar will look at why insurance is misunderstood, why new hires may not understand it and why insureds don’t understand it either.

Scott Treen CIC, CPIA

LIFE & HEALTH INSURANCE 101 Break 12pm-1pm

May 26 | 10am - 3pm

New employees will learn about Life Insurance and the various needs for coverage, contract terms, and uses. Then they will review and contrast the three basic types - Term, Whole and Universal and learn the basics of employment-based Life Insurance. The Health Insurance portion will outline individual vs. group-based coverages. Participants will learn how to define Medicare, Medicaid and Federal ACA coverage & discuss Federal/State regulations, Employer size requirements, coverage, and Tax savings options. In addition to outlining Insured coverage, level-funded hybrid and Self-Funding of employee health benefits will be explained. Lastly, participants will go over “other” health insurance, Disability (long & short term), Dental, Vision and pet insurance.

David Grunke CHC, CHU, ChHC

AGENCY PROCESSES INSURANCE 101 June 28 | 10am - 3pm

Break 12pm-1pm

Lori Heemstra CIC, CPIA

WWW.PIAW.ORG

PIAW.ORG [ 35 ]

NEW MEMBERS AgEncy

American Advantage – D&D Insurance Services Mukwonago, WI American Advantage – IMC Inc. Milwaukee, WI AMJ Insurance LLC Mequon, WI Anderson’s Insurance Plus Inc. Green Bay, WI BCI Insurance Services Green Bay, WI Benefit Advisors and Bluffview Insurance La Crosse, WI

Please be sure to check out all of the member benefits you now have access to at www.piaw.org

Deetz Insurance Crop LLC Mondovi, WI

Prey & Asenbrenner Insurance Shawano, WI

Gilliam & Associates LLC Milwaukee, WI

Ranum Insurance agency Mt. Horeb, WI

Jeff Oswald Ins Agency Appleton, WI

Rockwood Insruance Agency LLC Superior, WI

Keuler Insurance Agency Inc. Mineral Point, WI

Stateline Crop Insurance Shullsburg, WI

Klinner Insurance Inc. Medford, WI

Stokelbusch Insurance Agency Brookfield, WI

Mayer & Associates LLC Menasha, WI

The Wright Agency Grantsburg, WI

Midwest Insurance Group, LLC Delafield, WI

Vine Vest North Inc. Wausau, WI

Monty Insurance Solutions Elkhorn, WI

ASSOCIATE

Life & Health Webinar

Calhoun Insurance Tomahawk, WI Cream City Insurance Wauwatosa, WI

ODI Agency LLC Racine, WI

Daniels Insurance Agency Burlington, WI

Preferred Insurance Agency La Crosse, WI

Self-Funding, the Numbers Behind the Numbers

Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling Waukesha, WI Smart Choice Delano, MN

Life Insurance Strategies to Help Your Everyday Clients

Life & Health Webinar Life & Health Webinar

FREE for PIA Members!

2 WI CE

March 15 • 9–11AM

2 WI CE

July 14 • 9–11AM

$70 for Non-Members

Self-Funding, the Life Insurance Numbers Behind Strategies to Help thethe NumbersLife Insurance Your Everyday Clients Self-Funding, INSTRUCTOR INSTRUCTOR Numbers Behind to Help JulySMITH March 15 •Strategies 9–11AM 14 • 9–11AM MICHAEL DAVID GRUNKE FREE for PIA Members! the Numbers Your Everyday Clients LUTCF, CLTC, LACP CPS CHC, RHU, CHHC 2 WI CE

2 WI CE

$70 for Non-Members

for PIA Members!

0 for Non-Members

2 WI CE

March 15 • 9–11AM

2 WI CE

July 14 • 9–11AM

Life & Health Webinar

UPCOMING EVENTS

THE PIA OF WISCONSIN IS KNOWN NATIONWIDE FOR ITS TOP-NOTCH EDUCATION AND NETWORKING EVENTS! For a comprehensive list of all PIA education opportunities, including the 12-14 multiple topic 1-3 hour webinars, and pre-licensing, visit the Education tab at piaw.org.

12 CPIA 3 Sustain Success Webinar (7 WI CE, 2 are Ethics) 11-12 CIC Commercial Property (16 WI CE) Hilton Garden Inn – Sun Prairie

MAY

18 3rd Annual PIA Clay Shoot, Milford Hills Hunt Club, Johnson Creek 19 CISR Personal Residential Webinar (7 WI CE) 26 Life & Health Insurance 101 Webinar 3 CISR Commercial Property Webinar (7 WI CE) 9 CISR Personal Auto Webinar (7 WI CE) Ruble Seminar, Acuity – Sheboygan (16 WI CE, 4 Optional Ethics) 15-16 Graduate For dues paid designees of The National Alliance

June

23 CISR Personal Lines Miscellaneous (7 WI CE) Radisson – Madison 28 Agency Processes Insurance 101 Webinar 28 Agency Journey Mapping Webinar (4 WI CE)

PIAW.ORG [ 37 ]

PIAW May/June 2022 Magazine

Articles inside

Directory

Keeping it Conversational

Please Check Out PIA’s New Program to Offer Opportunities to Prepare for Cyber Security Winning@Cybersecurity Defense

Shadow Stock: The Golden Handcuffs of Agency Participation

From the Boardroom

Eye On The Law

How to Hire Producers

Memos from Madison

Community Corner

Capitol Update

HR Snapshot

OCI Administrative Action