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How to Become a Personal Lines SUPERAgent
Don Solomon
Looking for strategies to increase revenue, improve client satisfaction, lower your E&O exposure, and boost your customer retention? This three hour seminar provides an array of suggestions on improving the protection of you and your clients while also improving your bottom line.Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Personal Lines Pitfalls
Don Solomon
Review the home, auto, and umbrella policies and find some potential coverage problems in each of these forms. Strategies to prevent coverage gaps and E&O losses will be discussed.
Wednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Selling Against the Direct/Captive Writer
Todd BaverySelling Against the Direct/Captive Writers (Selling vs. Quoting) (INDUSTRY)
Over the last several years the independent agent has gotten away form selling insurance and tend to just provide quotes. We have forgotten that when selling against the Captive writer – it is not about price – it is about differentiating your self from the captive writer. You see, the captive writer has had superior training in the “Art of Selling”; they on average do a better job than we do when it comes to selling. When you only have one product to sell – they tend to be really good at it. We have to do a better job to really become the trusted advisor for the customerThe Independent Agents greatest strength is product over the Captive writer. The key is having the ability to establish the needs of the prospect and then present solutions to solve those needs. Knowing all the time that your product is superior – you have to be able to equate value in a product to the price a prospect will pay.
The way to beat the captive writer is to identify needs and provide solutions that you know that the Captive writer cannot sell. Not because they don’t possess the skill, but because they do not have the coverage to offer.
What we have to do is a better job of the following:
• Prospecting
• Qualifying
• Approach
• Discovery
Differentiate yourself, because of your professional approach, and eliminate the Captive writer because you have been able to sell the customer on solutions that the Captive writer cannot match. So stop lowering yourself to just providing a quote, customers can get there own quotes from many sources today. Our job is to sell insurance and become the “Trusted Advisor”.
Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Have you had questions regarding coverages and forms that you have always wanted to ask someone about and just didn't know where to go? Have you had questions on record retention, customer service, E&O exposures, agency perpetuation, buying/selling an agency, and any other unsolved issues? You will have the opportunity to ask the IIA experts at the convention. This informal session will be open to any questions that you might want to ask.
Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Thursday 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Social Media for Independent Agents
Matt Lehman
Did you know that more than 135 million people in the U.S. visited Facebook.com in April 2010? Or that Youtube is streaming more than 2 billion videos each day? Social Media is the largest growth area on the Internet, and through this panel we will help Independent Agents understand exactly what social networking is and how it is evolving over time. Agents will learn best practices for servicing and acquiring customers through Social Media and get ideas on how to either start using Social Media for
their Agency, or how to take their existing Social Media efforts to a new level.
Please note - this class is not filed for CE.
Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Agency Service Fees and Premium Fund Trust Accounts
Todd Davis
This program, present by the IIA of Illinois, provides and in-depth discussion of both the legal/statutory regulations as well as the ethical responsibilities of incorporating service fees and additional agency charges to policyholders. Practical circumstance for the use of agency services fees will be discussed including reinstatement fees, policy services fees, and the accounting associated with agency service fees.
In addition this program will review the requirements, implementation, and penalties associated with the Premium Fund Trust Account provisions of an agency's authority to operate in Illinois. This is "Must-Attend" for all agency owners, managers, CSR's, and accountants.
Wednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Errors & Omissions
Nancy Solomon
Can your agency afford an E&O loss? Learn how to control your E&O exposure by attending the all new E&O Loss Control Seminar. This program will cover such topics as E&O risk identifiers, risk managament issues, frequency of claims, litigation process, evaluation and implementation and much more. Attendees will explore hot topics and case studies, as well as the safety net of E&O Insurance.
Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Both Sessions Mandatory
Insurance Games I - A Seriously Fun Exploration of Advanced Insurance Topics
Virginia Bates
The day of the insurance person, especially in an independent agency, is an unpredictable mix of policy types, questions from clients, account reviews, various claims, and a myriad of technical detail. These topics “come at” the insurance person without warning or logical sequence. Problems have to be solved; questions need to be answered; accounts need to be handled; policies have to be explained and placed.
Most classes concentrate and “drill down” on a particular insurance topic. This does not represent the reality of most insurance workdays. This class covers that vast array of topics and allows the participants to explore in detail coverage questions, claims settlement issues, and common misunderstandings about how insurance policies work.
The format is particularly important because it is designed to keep experienced professionals alert. It is deliberately fast-paced and encourages quick-thinking and an ability to come up with information “real time” – the way the client needs and wants it.
The instructor’s role is introducing topics, explaining wrong answers, and encouraging deeper inquiry into areas that the “games” cover. Most questions are really mini-case studies that require an answer, but then allow the participants to consider “what if” situations, so that when they go back to the office, real-life situations will have been considered in theory so that they can be well-handled – and the client well-served – in practice.
The topics covered include homeowners, BOP coverages, personal & commercial auto, umbrella/excess provisions, CGL exclusions and buy-back endorsements, group medical options, workers comp rating factors, and commercial & personal property insurance to value.
Family Feud
Homeowner exclusions
ACV exceptions to “replacement cost” provision
Homeowners perils and how they work
Homeowners “special limits of liability”
CLG exclusions
“Insured Contract” definitions and exceptions
Inland Marine FormsPyramid Questions
Retrospective rating
Ordinance & law coverage
Disability income insurance
MVR’s & credit reports (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
Leased employee’s (workers comp, stop-gap cov’g)
Professional liability (med’l mal, e&o)College Bowl
Client-centered loss prevention
Life/health/financial planning case study
Term vs. whole life - Life insurance
Legal ramifications of certificates of insurance
Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Insurance Games II - A Seriously Fun Exploration of Advanced Insurance Topics
Virginia Bates
The day of the insurance person, especially in an independent agency, is an unpredictable mix of policy types, questions from clients, account reviews, various claims, and a myriad of technical detail. These topics “come at” the insurance person without warning or logical sequence. Problems have to be solved; questions need to be answered; accounts need to be handled; policies have to be explained and placed.
Most classes concentrate and “drill down” on a particular insurance topic. This does not represent the reality of most insurance workdays. This class covers that vast array of topics and allows the participants to explore in detail coverage questions, claims settlement issues, and common misunderstandings about how insurance policies work.
The format is particularly important because it is designed to keep experienced professionals alert. It is deliberately fast-paced and encourages quick-thinking and an ability to come up with information “real time” – the way the client needs and wants it.
The instructor’s role is introducing topics, explaining wrong answers, and encouraging deeper inquiry into areas that the “games” cover. Most questions are really mini-case studies that require an answer, but then allow the participants to consider “what if” situations, so that when they go back to the office, real-life situations will have been considered in theory so that they can be well-handled – and the client well-served – in practice.
The topics covered include homeowners, BOP coverages, personal & commercial auto, umbrella/excess provisions, CGL exclusions and buy-back endorsements, group medical options, workers comp rating factors, and commercial & personal property insurance to value.
Millionaire
“Insured Contract” examples (CGL)
Assigned risk workers comp handling
CGL additional insured endorsement
Impaired property examples
Commercial property values/coverage case studyAgent vs. Broker Binding Authority
Son vs. father personal auto coverage
Named insured definition in personal auto
Positional Risk doctrine (Workers comp)
Selling price endorsement
Leased property coverage
Business income vs. selling priced endorsement
Dec pages vs. evidences of insurance (for banks)
Jeopardy
Homeowners coverages
Directors & Officers
Umbrella Provisions
Business AutoOlympics
Long term care insurance
Bonds for contractors and others
Depreciation in claims settlements
Beneficiary determinationWednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Bloodlines & Birthdates: Gen X, Families and the Future of Your Insurance Agency
Chris Amrhein
They are millions strong, and solidly underway in establishing careers and changing society. Yet how well do you understand the current and future impact of Generation X on your agency? And what further complications arise if the Xers you are struggling to understand are members of your own family and the potential future of your organization? Focused upon internal agency growth, perpetuation and leadership, this seminar provides a framework for understanding the overall generational traits shared by Xers, the possibilities (and challenges) these traits bring to your agency, and how understanding and embracing the value brought by this generation can ensure agency success far into the future.
Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Street Level Ethics
Chris Amrhein
It often appears that the majority of what passes for “ethics training” is having little or no effect on individual or corporate behaviors. Case in point: Enron, which has become the poster child for lack of ethical behavior, had an extensive ethics program in place, evidently to little effect. Perhaps this is due to the fact that majority of ethics courses fall into two basic camps: those that are primarily morality essays, and those that are basically an academic exercise. Both have key flaws.
“Street Level Ethics” takes a different approach. Originally developed by me for the American Institute for CPCU, these materials are not intended to be the final word on creating ethical behavior in insurance practitioners, but rather to serve as an introduction to the “street level” application of what are often seen as esoteric topics. The main objective is to lead the workshop participants to start “wading into the pool” of what constitutes an ethical dilemma. Realistic case studies are included for analysis. The intent is to avoid two extremes common to the subject: (1) turning the subject into an “intellectual” philosophical discussion, littered with fifty-dollar words such as “teleological”; or (2) creating a moral “firefight,” where all anyone gleans from the arguments is that the person who disagrees with me “is so lacking in morals his or her licenses should be pulled.”
The course objective is for each participant to confront the complexity of the issues, recognize the possibilities of multiple solutions, and then begin formulating a personal approach to choosing a valid ethical solution when confronted by such situations in their own daily activities.
Wednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Are These Losses Covered?
Jerry Milton
Several actual losses will be reviewed in which the insurer denied coverage. We will discuss the insurer’s reason for denial of the claim and the policy provisions that applied. In some instances the insurer was correct in their denial. In others, their reasons for denial were incorrect. In many of these cases, where permitted, we will review the actual complaints and the court decisions.
Wednesday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Thursday 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Endorsements: The Good & The Bad
Jerry Milton
Endorsements are used to change the insurance policy. In some cases they are used to broaden coverage. However, in many cases they are used to limit or exclude coverage. We will review a number of endorsements that should always be added and discuss the reasons why. We will also take a look at those endorsements that should be avoided and discuss how they limit or exclude the coverage usually provided under the policy.
Wednesday 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Who is an Insured?
Jerry Milton
To be covered under any liability policy the person or entity that is being asked to pay another party must be an insured. There are three ways to be an insured in liability policies – named, automatically included in the definition of who is an insured, and added by endorsement (additional insureds). We will review who is an insured, in addition to the named insured, in the Commercial General Liability, Business Auto, Commercial Excess, Homeowners and Personal Auto policies plus additional insured endorsements that are available. We will also discuss the limitations that apply to insureds who are not a named insured.
Thursday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Lean & Mean Management
Emily Huling
Small and mid-size agencies remain a viable business model for customer satisfaction and owner profits. However, it’s critical that agency owners and managers learn how to do more with fewer resources. Participants will learn how to better lead, delegate, and empower staff to grow business and profits.
Thursday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Great Service Sells - How to Make Service a Selling Strategy
Emily Huling
Front-line professionals are the key to agency success. Using service-selling strategies, CSRs can grow existing business, attract referrals, and retain accounts. Participants will learn how to create a culture of service-selling, develop CSRs’ skills, and create measures to measure, monitor and reward success.
Thursday 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Top Ten Deal Closers You Can Use Tomorrow
Chris Amrhein
In this world of “consultative” and “relationship” selling, it’s easy to overlook one key fact: the difference between successful producers and failures is knowing the difference between merely building relationships and making the sale. What are the most common barriers to the client saying “yes” (and writing a check) and how can they be overcome? (HINT: They are mostly in the producer’s head.) What can a producer learn from the “secret” of appliance repairmen everywhere? This seminar will clearly illustrate how thin the line between success and failure in selling can be, and how to be sure you stay on the “success” side!
Thursday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
A New Compensation Model for the American Agency
Virginia Bates
Principals and managers all over America are wondering if the salary structure, producer commissions, raises, and inflation increases that are the backbone of the traditional agency compensation model.
Agencies that gave raises in a soft market when agency revenues were actually declining sometimes wondered where the money was coming from. Agencies that are giving raises with the increased revenue of a hard market are wondering if they are going to regret the new salary “plateaus” that they are creating.
All good compensation plans are based on fairness and motivation. Are yours?
In this class we will answer very important questions for the growth, morale, equity, and future of your agency. They include:
- Do you pay your producers to motivate them or because you are afraid they may take their business away?
- Are you actually impeding your agency’s account rounding efforts by your compensation strategy?
- Have you lost a really good employee who was being paid really well?
- Do incentives for a new policy really create business and revenue growth in an agency?Come do the math with us and create your new compensation model that will reward your staff, increase your bottom line, and work with your business goals.
Thursday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Certificates
Chuck Schramm
• What do Certificate Holders want added or subtracted?
• What can no longer be added or subtracted from Certificates?
• What should you put on a Certificate?
Thursday 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.