Chair of the Board's Message

RESOLUTIONS & RESOURCES

Happy New Year to each of you! As we relish a fresh start, or re-start after the 2020 lambasting, I encourage you to lean on your agents’ association. The IA&B team has been hard at work on a number of initiatives to help member agencies meet their 2021 goals.

In 2021, IA&B will provide a cornucopia of initiatives to improve your access to resources and to enhance your competitive position. IA&B’s website will be totally overhauled, bringing you userfriendly access to resources such as carrier contract information, producer agreement tools, and agency procedure templates.

Also, of particular note, IA&B will focus on Independent Market Solutions (IMS) and Work At Home Vintage Experts (WAHVE). IMS will bring you alternative carrier markets. And I can vouch for WAHVE, which connects member agencies with “pre-tired” insurance agent professionals who are licensed and ready to work remotely to fill staffing gaps. Watch for an informational webinar this month.

If you or your employees included professional development as a new year’s resolution, you’re in luck. IA&B transformed its continuing education courses from the classroom setting to online presentations, which so many members utilized throughout this pandemic. Hands down, IA&B offers the best in the business.

Finally, I suggest reading the feature article on page 12 for an indepth look at the agents’ professional liability market. There are a lot of unknowns ahead of us as the repercussions of 2020 shake out, and in uncertain times, it can help for agencies to have a reliable agency partner of their own. Please consider utilizing IA&B for your E&O and take advantage of what IA&B has negotiated in terms of rates, discounts, and comprehensive coverage.

Hang in there! We wish you and your team a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2021.

Respectfully,

Craig S. Mader Chair of the Board