The Connecticut Independent Agent

The Connecticut Independent Agent

January 2013

The Connecticut Independent Agent

This Issue’s Features Playing Publisher 03

Cyber Liability / Privacy & Security Insurance 05

Month In Review Insurance Department Bulletins 06 Frequently Referenced Statutes / Regulations 06

12 Tips for Selling in a Hard Market 07

Commercials on Hold 09

IIAC Member Benefits Ovation Payroll 10 WAHVE (Work at Home Vintage Employees) 10 - 11

Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange 14

Agents’ Express Leasing Program - InsurBanc 14

RLI Stand Alone Personal Umbrella 14

Swiss Re 14

IIAC Annual Programs Registration & Sponsor Information 15

In Every Issue January and February Continuing Education Courses 12

Events 16

Big “I” Advantage Programs 17

About Us 22

Associate Member Index Associate Members - Insurance Brokers & Services 18

Associate Members - Insurance Companies 20

“The Connecticut Independent Agent

is the official publication of the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut

30 Jordan Lane Wethersfield, CT 06109 Phone: (860) 563-1950 Fax: (860) 257-9981

www.iiact.org

Warren C. Ruppar President

Tracy Hearn Office Manager / Event Planner

Ed Meaney, CPCU Education Director

Laura Szatkowski E&O Program Administrator

Rosemary Mullaly

Lawyers’ Liability Program RLI

This publication is intended to provide accurate and authoritative information on the subject matter covered. It is dis-tributed with the understanding that nei-ther IIAC, nor any contributing author, publisher or contributor is rendering le-gal, accounting or any other professional service and assume no liability whatso-ever in connection with its use. Further, the electronic links to our associate mem-bership found in this publication are pro-vided as a courtesy to our readers and do not necessarily indicate an endorsement by IIAC. News items will be accepted / printed at the discretion of the IIAC. No paid advertisements are accepted in this publication. Please contact Warren Ruppar for further information.

IIAC Staff

Independent Agents Services Staff

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 3

Playing Publisher

Many agents, armed with their own know-how, are sharing their best practices with commercial lines and personal lines customers. “We’re ahead of the curve here, pointing out what may become a potential claims situation down the line, even though for the moment there doesn’t seem to be much action,” says Paul Saich, CEO of Thoits Insur-ance, a San Jose, Calif.-based agency. “It reminds me of [employment practices liability] in the 1990s. Nobody was paying attention to this emerging area of exposure, and then the claims started hitting.”

Anti-Social Behavior Hits the Courts?

For now, the claims against unwitting “publishers” are not yet hitting, but given the litigious nature of and the United States, coupled with the sheer growth in social media mes-saging, a sea change may be in the offing. For one thing, social media exponentially increases the speed of informa-tion and the size of the audience being reached. “In the old days, if someone made a buffoon of someone else, a few people took notice,” says Pete Piotrowski, senior vice presi-dent of claims and risk management at Chartis Personal Lines in New York. “Today, you tweet a disparaging com-ment to an audience of hundreds that then goes viral.”

As an example, Piotrowski cites some unfortunate remarks singer Courtney Love posted about a fashion designer in 2009, culminating in a lawsuit for libel and emotional dis-tress that was reportedly settled for $430,000. “I’ve heard of instances where a contractor sees his business dropping off and wonders why,” he says. “Then, they hear that a client was dissatisfied with the work done on their home and posted their displeasure. The contractor sues the homeowner, then subpoenas the person’s Internet, phone, email, texts and Facebook records—you name it. Up till this moment, the homeowner believed this information was private, but with the power of the subpoena they soon learn otherwise. They now face litigation, and their privacy has been exposed.”

Businesses are just as exposed as private individuals. It is not uncommon for executives to write blogs that include links to other people’s works, without the original writers’ permission, and with no knowledge or proof that the infor-mation is correct. Although many publishing companies have fact checking departments, few businesses outside of the institution of journalism have the same rigor. “While there is advertising and marketing power in social media, there is also risk,” says Ron Kopacka, vice president of com-mercial lines at Otterstedt Insurance Agency in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Social media can be great for business. But are you protect-ing your agency—and your clients—from possible expo-sures?

Everyone has an opinion, a few facts to share, or some keen advice to offer. But today, such words of wisdom are posted on Facebook and LinkedIn, published in blogs and tweeted to followers. It seems everyone is becoming a de facto publisher, without understanding the related risks.

Publishers, advertising firms and professional journalists are acutely aware of costly and damaging financial expo-sures like libel, slander, defamation of character, plagia-rism, invasion of privacy and copyright/trademark infringe-ment, among others. They’re also apt to be well-versed in so-called “fair use” laws (Section 107 of the copyright law, title 17, U.S. Code) governing material borrowed from oth-ers for personal publication. Large corporations leveraging social media for advertising, marketing and other purposes arguably share this knowledge. But, what about midsized and smaller businesses—not to mention the general pub-lic?

For the most part, they appear to be winging it. “Several surveys indicate that while many companies engage in the use of social media tools and platforms, roughly one-quarter have no social media policies in place,” says Ken Goldstein, vice president and worldwide media liability manager at Warren, N.J.-based Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. “They’ve effectively become publishers, thereby exposing themselves to a range of claims, with lit-tle to no appreciation of this fact.”

Many companies also erroneously believe their general li-ability or professional liability insurance policies will absorb the financial costs of their publishing mistakes. While these instruments may offer a modicum of protection via inciden-tal advertising and personal injury coverages, the extent depends on the terms, conditions, exclusions and financial limits. “Companies that do a fair amount of social network-ing would be wise to consider buying media liability insur-ance, which is what publishing groups purchase, or cyber liability insurance,” Goldstein advises.

Independent insurance agencies are among the myriad small to midsized businesses that have shifted some re-sources to social media outlets, publishing blogs and post-ing information and advice on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twit-ter. Fortunately, some agents are aware of the related risks and have implemented policies and procedures to limit their financial exposures.

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 4

Way from Thoits further recommends a chain of command approach to vetting content. “The best person to review material would be in-house counsel, but assuming there is none, then it is wise to select someone on staff who under-stands what is and isn’t permissible to peruse the content,” he adds. “It’s like having a strong editor-in-chief in place. You may sacrifice a bit of efficiency, but you’re making sure everything you put out is correct and won’t come back to bite you.”

Tosh says such policies are now in place at his agency, post-acquisition. “No blog or posting is permitted to become public without approval,” he explains. “We now have rules regarding what is allowed and what isn’t. We’ve become very knowledgeable of the risks.”

This knowledge is now being passed along to the agency’s commercial clients. “A year ago, it was rare for us to ask an account if they blogged or posted on Facebook; now we ask it all the time,” Tosh says.

If a blog is going to contain a broad amount of information provided by another entity, Goldstein says this may require licensing the content. He notes that fair use laws are gray when it comes to how much intellectual property can be presented, even with attribution, hence the need to confer with an attorney or someone proficient in the law.

Perhaps the grayest area of media liability is risk transfer-ence. General liability, professional liability and homeown-ers insurance include some protection for incidental adver-tising, personal injury and other exposures, but the devil is in the details. “You may get modest coverage in a home-owners policy, but if you don’t have umbrella insurance on top of it, there may not be enough limits to absorb the fi-nancial costs,” Piotrowski says.

Not all homeowners policies automatically provide per-sonal injury coverage, making this another matter to con-sider. On the commercial lines front, general liability poli-cies may specifically exclude or restrict risks related to so-cial media, Goldstein says. While a broadly written errors and omissions liability insurance policy addresses the expo-sures more squarely, the purchase of a media liability policy provides true peace of mind. “It will respond to the same risks that publishers face—libel, slander and so on,” he ex-plains.

Certainly, this emerging risk is a ripe subject for agents to discuss with clients. Says Saich: “If we don’t, then we may face an E&O exposure.”

That’s nothing to broadcast.

“There’s no question that blogs, Facebook and Twitter are great ways to get your message across to the public, so long as that message has been vetted by an attorney or someone who understands the nuances of libel, defama-tion, copyrighted material and other risks,” Kopacka adds. “Once you’ve put out something that may result in a law-suit, there’s no way of pulling it back. The damage has been done.”

In some cases, acting quickly can forestall litigation. “Often when a company blogs something that is copyrighted mate-rial owned by another company or entity, the owner will inform the user to cease and desist,” says Ted Way, cyber liability practice leader at Thoits Insurance. “If the blogger immediately retracts the messaging, it usually takes care of the matter. The problem arises when the email from the owner falls into the black hole of the email inbox. That’s when things escalate out of control.”

Sometimes the wrong message is one that borrows from another person’s work and twists the meaning to suit a par-ticular objective. “You need to beware taking someone else’s story and transforming its original purpose to fit yours,” says Goldstein from Chubb. “That’s a big red flag.”

Another is lifting someone else’s intellectual property with-out permission or failing to reference the source, which may encourage a copyright infringement lawsuit. “It’s very easy to ‘copy and paste,’ ” says Stewart Tosh, a producer and business development leader at Norwalk, Conn.-based agency Pierson & Smith, a division of First Niagara Risk Management.

Tosh speaks from personal experience. “Before we were acquired by First Niagara, we had a little blog we did and some postings on Facebook to communicate with current and prospective customers,” he explains. “We had no me-dia liability policies in place or any process for approving what was written.”

“Too many companies dabble in this, failing to have proce-dures in place with respect to the use of social media,” says Saich. “We’re located in the heart of Silicon Valley, where plenty of tech companies have executives writing blogs and using Facebook to express their opinions, caveats and ad-vice. But, these companies are aware of the risks, by and large. Smaller companies are blissfully unaware. Frankly, we agents, brokers and the industry at large need to in-crease our efforts to educate clients of these threats.”

Policies, Procedures and Insurance

Reducing social media risks begins with articulating a clear policy about its use. The observers counsel that rules must be established regarding who can use social media and which types for specific purposes and defined audiences.

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 5

Cyber Liability / Privacy & Security Insurance

Oh, how we laughed and laughed. My siblings and I cracked up watching the slapstick scene starring Richard Pryor as computer genius Gus Gorman in Superman III, using the technique known as salami slicing to steal $85,000 from his employer, Webster Industries. I do be-lieve that is the first exposure I had to the concept of cy-ber theft!

While we can't help with protection from the nefarious villains of silly superhero movie sequels, we can offer you access to privacy and security insurance for your clients through Big "I" Markets. If a company has the private data of any individuals, they have exposure and are a candidate for privacy & security insurance. Through our partnership with A.J. Wayne & Associates, you can access the broadest products available at extremely competitive rates.

A.J. Wayne & Associates can entertain all types Cyber Li-ability/Privacy & Security Insurance including, but not lim-ited to, the following:

Retailers (online & offline)

Restaurants

Healthcare providers

Professional services companies

Technology companies

Distributors

Manufacturers

Financial institutions or other financial companies

Need some help understanding Cyber Liability lingo? Check out this glossary of online terms found on the Big "I" Virtual Risk Consultant, powered by Rough Notes. Click here to learn more about VRC.

For more information or to submit a quote, log in to www.bigimarkets.com.

Getting Out the Message Without a Mess

How many agents these days blog, post advice on Facebook or tweet to a bunch of followers? In this day and age, a lot.

Not only do social media platforms provide a way to reach clients with valuable advice and information, they assist agency client retention and cross-selling efforts. “It’s a great way to get better branding—to get your name out there more easily and economically,” says Ron Kopacka, vice president of commercial lines at Englewood Cliffs, N.J.-based Otterstedt Insurance Agency.

But there is a downside. Sending out the “wrong” message can result in costly litigation, ruin an agency’s reputation or threaten its survival.

Charles Gibson, vice president of Deland, Gibson Insurance associates Inc., exemplifies today’s social media-savvy agent. “I’ve been tapping into virtually all social media out-lets—Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and a blog,” says Gibson from the agency’s headquarters in Wellesley, Mass. “Often, I will receive some important information about a particular litigation trend or emerging risk and I’ll take ad-vantage of social media to get the word out.”

This, in turn, helps the agency’s search optimization efforts, which guides more inquiries and business to it. “I know many other agents who do the same thing,” Gibson adds. “We’ve got a producer here who has two or three blogs. Heck, my wife even has a *personal+ blog.”

Gibson is more than a personification of today’s media-savvy agent—he’s also media liability-savvy. “We have policies with regard to what can be posted or blogged, and then have a risk manager internally vet the content,” he explains. “He’s just like an editor who makes sure the re-porters don’t say something stupid.”

At Thoits Insurance, cyber liability practice leader Ted Way is tasked with approving all social media messaging. Ot-terstedt Insurance Agency takes a different tack, outsourc-ing responsibility to the agency’s advertising firm. “Their job is to control the content to prevent potential mishaps—like posting something that is libelous or slanderous,” says Kopacka. “Even a simple Facebook posting has to go through the channels before it sees the light of day.”

Both agencies have purchased either cyber liability insur-ance or media liability insurance in case something falls through the cracks. Says Kopacka, “When we advise clients about their social media risks and the ways to transfer them, they often ask us if we buy the insurance. When we tell them we do, it strengthens their trust in us.”

Banham ([email protected]) is an IA senior contribut-ing writer.

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 6

Released on December 7, 2012: BULLETIN FS-24 Credit for Reinsurance Reporting Requirements Released on December 11, 2012: Financial Regulation Division BULLETIN FS-4-12 Financial Filing Requirements for 2012 and 2013 For more information, please visit the CID website.

Frequently Referenced Statutes / Regulations

To read a statute or regulation, click on the number. When the “Statutes Text Search” appears, type the number into the “Section Number” box and hit “search.” Sec. 38a-702. Producer Licensing Sec. 36a-757. (Formerly Sec. 36-9u) Mortgage insurance requirements limited. Sec. 38a-309. (Formerly Sec. 38-100) Binders for temporary insurance. Written binder as evidence of insurance on mort-gaged property. Sec. 38a-324. (Formerly Sec. 38-185x) Cancellation of commercial risk insurance policies. Sec. 38a-707. Service Fees to Be Charged by Insurance Producers and Surplus Lines Brokers Sec. 38a-708. (Formerly Sec. 38-76a). Company to furnish facts relative to termination of agent’s appointment. False state-ment sole grounds for cause of action by agent. Sec. 38a-709. Formerly Sec. 38-76b). Termination of producer’s appointment and contract. Sec. 38a-710. (Formerly Sec. 38-76d). Insurers prohibited from cancelling or amending contract of independent producer solely because of adverse underwriting experience. Sec. 38a-713. (Formerly Sec. 38-89). Signing or countersigning insurance policies in blank. Penalties. Sec. 38a-714. (Formerly Sec. 38-90). Personal liability of agent or broker acting on behalf of insurance company no licensed to do business in this state. Sec. 38a-715. (Formerly Sec. 38-90a). Payment by insured to producer as payment to company.

MONTH IN REVIEW Connecticut Insurance Department Bulletins

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 7

Sales Tip #2: Really know your buyer

Develop a client profile/rating sheet...include everything you know about that buyer down to their favorite TV show.

Identify the real decision makers...you cannot sell insur-ance if you're going through a gatekeeper.

Learn all you can about the buyer...talk to employees, business associates and others to learn what makes that person "tick."

Stay in frequent contact...communicate with VIP, at-risk, and high potential customers frequently and rarely should the contact concern their insurance account.

Pay attention to the little things...Joe Girard, listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best car sales-man in the world, said his secret was greeting cards...sending birthday, holiday and other greetings. So, keep in contact and do little things throughout the year for clients (e.g., send a magazine article on a subject you know they're interested in) and do something really memorable shortly before renewal time that's unrelated to their insur-ance account. Sales Tip #3: Don't give up According to Guerilla Prospecting, many contacts with fewer customers is better than fewer contacts with many customers:

1 sales contact = 2% of sales closed

2 sales contacts = 3% of sales closed

3 sales contacts = 4% of sales closed

4 sales contacts = 10% of sales closed

5 sales contacts = 81% of sales closed Sales Tip #4: Never, never give up According to the Darnell Corporation, 80% of sales are made by 20% of sales people. Over 50% of all of Avon's sales come from 17% of their sales reps...those reps pro-duce 10X the revenue of others. The reason for this is that most sales people quit after one or two initial contacts:

48% quit after the first contact

25% quit after the second contact

12% quit after the third contact

5% quit after the fourth contact

10% quit after the fifth contact As you can see from the Guerilla Prospecting figures above, 80% of sales require at least five contacts.

Author: Bill Wilson What is a Hard Market?

Historically, a hard market is part of the cycli-cal nature of the insurance industry. At one time, these cycles occurred fairly consistently at about seven year intervals. However, the last significant hard market was in the mid-80's. A hard market is characterized by increasing rates and/or reduced industry capacity which leads to affordability and/or availability problems. In addition, both underwriting and claims adjusting usually become more stringent. In the cur-rent marketplace, these conditions are exacerbated by in-creased uncertainty about loss exposures such as terrorism, mold, etc., and by a reinsurance market significantly strained by the events of September 11. Looking specifically at the E&O marketplace, we can expect increasing rates/premiums and more stringent underwrit-ing. This presents problems and opportunities. The bad news is that competition could lead to lost accounts. The good news is that competition could lead to lost accounts! That is, it is probably not desirable to retain all existing ac-counts...more on this later. And there is more potentially good news...since many carri-ers are in the same boat; the hard market could lead to new business. In addition, increased premiums means in-creased commissions (until or unless carriers start reducing them again)...you can use this increased revenue to im-prove and expand services in a way that differentiates you from the competition. So, let's take a look at 12 tips you can use to improve your sales performance during the hard market.... Sales Tip #1: Know your buyer Whether you're selling BOP's or Tupperware, you can only sell three things: (1) price, (2) product, and (3) relationship. When it comes to insurance, about 50% of customers are relationship buyers, 25% are price buyers, and 25% buy on the basis of product (10%) or value (15%). If you know where your prospect/insured falls, you can tailor your pro-posal to them.

Big “I” Virtual University 12 Tips for Selling in a Hard Market

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 8

know, then, that they retain by account based on our rela-tionship.

My mother worked for this agency for a number of years until she became terminally ill and passed away 26 years ago. During her final year, she was only able to work a few weeks out of that year. At best, one could expect, given a decent insurance package, that she'd get 60% pay under a salary continuance or LTD program. However, the agency owner continued to issue her full paycheck every two weeks whether she was able to work or not.

When the call came from the hospital that she had only hours to live, I raced there at 2:00 a.m., just before she passed away. At 3:00 a.m., the agency owner and his wife showed up at the hospital to offer any help they could. I've never forgotten what they did for my family and, for that reason, I've never considered moving my account to save a few bucks.

Relationships create loyalty. Strong relationships based on genuine interest, empathy and compassion create fierce, almost fanatical, loyalty. If you treat your customers like family and, when the need arises, you go beyond the call of duty, no coverage perks or pricing discounts can approach the effectiveness of such relationships.

Sales Tip #9: Use testimonials Include testimonials of long-term clients in your marketing materials. Every time you're involved in a claim "victory" for an insured, ask for a testimonial. Every time you exceed the service expectations of a customer, ask for a testimo-nial. Target these testimonials so that recipients of your materials know the persons if possible. Flaunt the fact that so-and-so chose your agency or company over that of a competitor. If needed, ask a respected client make a per-sonal visit to a customer on the fence...prospects will ap-preciate your personal interest and value the opinions of a peer.

Sales Tip #10: Multiple closes There are dozens of closing techniques that you can use and you can learn all about them if you attend a formal sales training program. You can incorporate more than one technique in an attempt to close the account. For example:

Direct close...simply ask for the check.

Time-driven close...rates are going up next week, so buy now.

Relationship close...as indicated above, this is a fool-proof method.

Deal/concession close...but wait, there's more! At each balk, up the ante by adding freebies like discounted seminars, loss control services, etc.

Sales Tip #5: Recognize "No" The following statements all mean "No." However, as pointed out above, don't take "No" for answer...it may take 4-5 "No's" until you get a "Yes."

“I'll think it over."

“We'll discuss it and let you know."

"I'm just looking at all my options."

"The price is just too high."

"I'll have to get back to you."

"Let me see how this fits our budget." Source: "Six Rules of Salesmanship to Clinch the Deal," HOC, August 1995 Sales Tip #6: Solution-Oriented Selling If I said I could come into your agency or company and show you how to close over 90% of your sales leads, in-crease your retention rate to 99.9%, and more than double your book of business in less than a year, would you hire me as a sales consultant? You would?! That's odd because notice that I've made no mention of price! When you offer solutions -- to create opportunities, solve problems, reduce risk, etc. -- price is the last thing that will come up during the negotiations. Let's face it, most insurance is sold the same way...similar approaches, similar coverages (in the minds of the pros-pects), similar proposals, claims, promises, etc. All these things being (perceived as) equal, the ONLY differentiation is price. You must determine what is your "unique selling proposition," what differentiates you from the masses. Consider offering a package of solutions unlike anything offered by your competition. Consider free, discounted or in-house seminars, loss control services, or other perks...with increased commissions, you may be able to offer these perks essentially for free. Sales Tip #7: Painless Selling With regard to acquiring accounts during the hard market, the best prospects are those experiencing problems with their current insurance program...and you can relieve their pain. If the person is a "product buyer," you can also create pain by showing coverage gaps compared to your prod-uct...be sure to use vivid examples. Demonstrate how your proposal positively affects their bottom line by reducing risk. Sales Tip #8: Relationship Selling My personal lines account has been with the same agency for 29 years. They don't offer the best "product" and I can get a much better price elsewhere. If you read Tip #1, you

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 9

proposal with, "I know the price is a lot higher than last year, but. . [add excuses here]." Avoid the discussion of price until after you've demonstrated the superiority of your proposal and never make excuses.

The Prayer of Alcoholics Anonymous says, "Lord, give me the courage to change the things which can and ought to be changed, the serenity to accept the things which cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference." This prayer could apply to three major types of objections:

Sincere objections...you can negotiate around these. Hopeless objections...you got to know when to hold 'em, and fold 'em. "Smoke screen" objections...as pointed out above, these have nothing to do with the product, but rather mask a hid-den agenda...fix that problem and you've got the account.

One other thing to keep in mind, particularly if you further your learning by attending a sales training program, is to remember that you're often selling to a sales person. In many cases, they've seen all the canned sales tactics.

Sales Tip #11: World class service Provide consistent, personalized, responsive, reliable, accu-rate and professional customer service. Do the unexpected to dazzle them with your commitment to service excel-lence. For a good article on this, check out "Puttin' on the Ritz" in our Research Library and be sure to check out the entire Customer Service section of the library.

Sales Tip #12: Overcoming objections Entire books and seminars have been devoted to this sub-ject. Some objections are real and must be addressed while others may mask hidden agendas. Objections, in and of themselves, are not bad. According to Learning Interna-tional, you are 20% more likely to close a sale that includes objections than if the prospect or insured raised none at all.

To minimize objections, sell the benefits, not the prod-uct...focus on emotional (e.g., security/risk concerns) or financial (e.g., cost reductions) benefits. Focus on why they should buy, not their objections. Anticipate and be pre-pared for objections. Avoid bringing up objections that the

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 10

IIAC is pleased to announce a new membership benefit called WAHVE - “Work at Home Vintage Employees.” WAHVE provides a unique remote staffing service for your agency by utilizing experienced and qualified insurance professionals. WAHVE allows you to meet your staffing needs by en-hancing your current agency staff or by maintaining pro-ductivity in your agency if an employee is on maternity or other extended leave. WAHVE is truly a member service for all agencies.

Business Process Outsource Services for Retail Agencies

Back Office Process Support for Commercial and Personal Lines Policy Checking Preparation of New and Renewal Business Applications Quoting and Proposal Preparation Loss Run Ordering & Analysis Certificates & Evidence of Insurance Change Requests & Endorsements CSR/Account Manager Assistance Sales Support for New Business Submissions Renewal Business Binding Marketing Support Premium Audits Carrier Document Retrieval & Distribution

Claims Processing Analysis Adjusting

Full Service Staffing Live Commercial Lines Customer Service Representative Live Personal Lines Customer Service Representative Live Sales & Marketing Assistant Live Claims Representative Special Institutional Knowledge Experts Mentors and Trainers

Accounting Premium Accounting Accounts Receivable

Employee Benefits Health Insurance quoting, proposal preparation and

servicing Life, LTC and LTD quoting and proposal preparation

www.wahve.com

IIAC MEMBER BENEFITS

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Ovation Payroll, IIAC’s endorsed provider for payroll services, will not compete against you!

IIAC Member Advantages: Insulate your book of business

Reduce administrative work with real-time communi-cation of hires and terminations

Receive referrals back from Ovation

Your agency maintains ownership of expirations on cli-ents referred to Ovation

Gain a competitive advantage by offering Ovation’s full suite of payroll and HR services to your prospects and clients

Your clients benefit too: Seamless integration between payroll and workers

compensation insurance premium collection

Quarterly state and federal tax filing and payments in-cluded

Free HR Support Center– Ovation’s online resource for all things HR

Direct deposit or Visa payroll cards included with basic service

Ovation Includes:

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iPhone & Android App for EPP

Background Checks . . . . And More!

In Business, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Getting to know Ovation has its benefits - IIAC Members receive a 10% discount off standard rates. For more infor-mation on this new IIAC Member Benefit, please contact:

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www.ovationpayroll.com

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 11

How WAHVE Works

Below is a brief description of how WAHVE works but you should also visit our website at www.wahve.com.

What is WAHVE?

WAHVE is a unique, cost-saving remote contract staffing solution which supplements your firm’s staffing needs by using the in-dustries knowledgeable and technologically savvy retirees who would cost twice as much if you hired someone with expertise.

WAHVE provides contract remote staff for back office process services or to fill a position on a dedicated full-time, part-time or project/consulting basis, helping you improve your profitability.

The costs for wahves vary depending on the type and level of work you require. For process and customer service work, the hourly rate is $25 and $30/hr. For a full-time person, the hourly rate equates to $41,825 - $50,190 annually. For higher level and expert work, the hourly rate is negotiated based on the expertise needed and/or the project. There are no additional charges, no employee benefits or office overhead to pay.

Wahves cost 50% less than regular experienced staff, which drives down the cost of process work and staff.

WAHVE is a less costly and more effective alternative to the carrier service centers and keeps you in control.

What Can Wahves Do?

Our wahves can do all types of process work to support an Acct. Mgr, CSR, Underwriter and/or Producer – such as preparation of applications and submissions, rating/quoting, binding, policy issuance, renewals, proposals, policy checking, certificate issuance, loss runs requests, loss runs analysis , auditing – or they can fill a CSR, AE, Underwriter, Claims, Marketer, Risk Manager, etc. po-sition.

Some wahves are experts in their field, providing needed institutional knowledge on a project, consulting or mentoring basis.

How We Qualify candidates:

We have an extensive database of qualified insurance people who are in what we call “phased retirement.” They have retired from their firms but would like to work remotely from home full-or part-time or on a project/consulting basis.

They have 25+ years insurance experience. Many of our wahves have multiple designations, degrees and licenses and are eager to work remotely from home or do project/consulting work so that they can stay engaged and supplement their retirement in-come.

We have an extensive qualification process with on-line, timed insurance coverage, errors and omissions and management sys-tems tests, reference and background checks.

What Is the Process for Hiring a Wahve?

Based on your needs, we match you with qualified wahves.

You can interview them and decide which one(s) you like.

We then outsource them to you on a dedicated basis.

WAHVE bills you an hourly fee.

Each of our wahves has the latest systems and programs and dual monitors if required for the work.

Wahves work in a totally remote secure environment within your management system and are trained in your workflow. All their work is tracked in your management system.

Why WAHVE is a Better Choice than Off-Shoring:

You save a considerable sum on start up costs, productivity and supervision and wahves can do higher level work and complete the full process.

Wahves only need a few days of training and they are ready to work as part of your team.

Wahves work the hours you chose and you can speak to them just as you would a regular employee.

You don’t need to worry about language, cultural differences, double checking the work or time difference.

By hiring wahves, you save on salary, benefits, overhead and turnover while increasing profitability. It is really an easy process from start to finish. It takes a few weeks to set everything up between the interviews, selection of the wahve(s), synching the tech-nology between you and your wahve, and then training your wahve on your workflow.

Call 646-807-4372, ext. 506, for more information.

A COMPLETE ANNUAL CALENDAR CAN BE OBTAINED ON THE “EDUCATION” PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE

CONNECTICUT CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

All resident agents are subject to continuing education for every line of authority.

The Connecticut Insurance Department has an extensive website (www.ct.gov/cid) offering information on licensing, forms, statutes, regu-lations (proposed and finalized) Please take advantage of this web site for valuable information.

Individual transcript information can be obtained by accessing www.sircon.com. Once on the website, select “For Individual Agents” from the “Products and Services” menu. Under “Quick Start for Agents” (at the top of the page) select “Look Up Education Courses / Credits.” This will bring you to an “Inquiries” page. Select “Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry.” Select “Connecticut” from the drop-down menu. Enter your license number and last name and click “submit.” You will now be able to view and print your transcript. Please note that transcripts are only accessible using producer license numbers. Social Security numbers are no longer usable.

Flood Insurance Course Requirement

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 Laws,

Regulations, & Ethics

9:00 - 11:40

11 12

13 14 15 Errors

& Omissions Loss Control 8:30 - 4:30

16 17 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 1 8:30 - 4:30

18 19

20 21 22 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 2 8:30 - 4:30

23 ACSR #10

Understanding Life Insurance

8:30 - 12:30

24 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 3 8:30 - 4:30

25 26

27 28 29 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 4 8:30 - 4:30

30 Life &

Health Pre-Licensing

Day 1 8:30 - 4:30

31 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 5 8:30 - 4:30

January 2013 A COMPLETE CALENDAR CAN BE OBTAINED ON THE “EDUCATION” PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 4 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 6 8:30 - 4:30

5 6 7 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 7 8:30 - 4:30

8 9

10 11 12 13 14 Property

& Casualty Pre-Licensing

Day 8 8:30 - 4:30

15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27

FLOOD INSURANCE 8:30 - 11:10

28

February 2013

A COMPLETE ANNUAL CALENDAR CAN BE OBTAINED ON THE “EDUCATION” PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE

CONNECTICUT CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

All resident agents are subject to continuing education for every line of authority.

The Connecticut Insurance Department has an extensive website (www.ct.gov/cid) offering information on licensing, forms, statutes, regu-lations (proposed and finalized) Please take advantage of this web site for valuable information.

Individual transcript information can be obtained by accessing www.sircon.com. Once on the website, select “For Individual Agents” from the “Products and Services” menu. Under “Quick Start for Agents” (at the top of the page) select “Look Up Education Courses / Credits.” This will bring you to an “Inquiries” page. Select “Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry.” Select “Connecticut” from the drop-down menu. Enter your license number and last name and click “submit.” You will now be able to view and print your transcript. Please note that transcripts are only accessible using producer license numbers. Social Security numbers are no longer usable.

Flood Insurance Course Requirement Newly licensed agents are required to complete a flood program course during their first compliance period.

A COMPLETE CALENDAR CAN BE OBTAINED ON THE “EDUCATION” PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 14

This year RLI has been working hard to provide you with

the tools you need to place coverage with them. They

have added Uninsured Motorist coverage, The PUP ACCESS

system to monitor your RLI business, the PUP Special rating

tier that allows placement of your more difficult to place

prospects and as always, they will write coverage over

households with no personal automobiles.

Another improvement is RLI’s new easy to use website,

www.rlipersonalumbrella.com. Please add it to your fa-

vorites list! This is something many of you asked for and

RLI has delivered a site that is simple and easy to get a

quote quickly.

FOR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Rose Mullaly, RLI Adminstrator

Independent Agents Services

(860) 563-6510

[email protected]

Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange

The Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange has a website which provides information about Connecticut's health re-form implementation and allows visitors to view the latest news and updates. You can also sign up to receive updates by email as well as the exchange’s eNewsletter.

Many agencies are now beginning the planning process for next year. Do your budget plans include upgrading office furniture or technology? Moving to a new office? Hiring new employees? InsurBanc’s Agents’ Express Leasing pro-gram can help your agency achieve its goals while providing the funds to outfit your agency with the latest equipment solutions. Click here to learn more about leasing.

Agents’ Express Leasing Program

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 15

The Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut offer a variety of programs and events for companies and vendors who want to get involved with our membership by supporting their association and it’s programs through sponsorship of and attendance at events.

Associate Membership - Businesses other than independent property and casualty agencies are offered Associate Membership in our

organization. Associate Membership in our Connecticut chapter, Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut (IIAC), is available to those persons and firms who are directly engaged in the insurance industry or who have some other professional or business relation-ship with one of our members doing business under the American Agency System. Associate Members receive many benefits, but are not allowed voting privileges or use of the Big "I" / Trusted Choice trademark logo. Associate Members are recognized on our website’s Associ-ate Member directory, and in our monthly magazine “The Connecticut Independent Agent.” Associate Membership runs from January through December and is $300 per year.

Joining during the annual term is pro-rated for new applicants. RENEWAL _____ / NEW _____ FEE PAID: $__________ (please check one)

IIAC Mid-Year Convention is held every year and is a great opportunity for our members and company representatives to learn about the

current industry trends. Company contributions allow us to bring a quality program to our membership and are a great way for companies to show their support of The Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut. November 14, 2013 – Aqua Turf, Plantsville

Exhibit Booth (fee includes 1 booth worker): _____ $325 Member or Associate Member or _____ $450 Non-Member _____ $ 70 Electrical _____ $ 50 each additional person in booth Exhibitor Fee includes booth with sign, listing in both the print and web version of the program book and a listing on our website.

Sponsor: _____ Platinum Plus ($1500) / _____ Platinum ($1000) / _____ Gold ($500) / _____ Silver ($250) Sponsor Fee includes an advertisement (size depends upon sponsorship) in our convention program book (given to each attendee and posted on our website) recognition in our web-based Connecticut Independent Agent Magazine, a sponsor listing on our web-site and during the convention business meeting and complimentary attendees (number depends upon sponsorship).

(Check all of the above items that apply) TOTAL FEE PAID FOR CONVENTION: $__________

IIAC Young Agents Committee Annual Sponsorship - The Young Agents are a vibrant organization committed to improving both the

insurance industry and the Connecticut community. Company sponsorships allow the Young Agents Committee to maintain a superior level of educational opportunities. Sponsors of the YAC receive several benefits including a listing on the IIAC website “Young Agents” page with a link to their website, an invitation to attend the “Meet the Sponsors” Social Hour at the Young Agents Spring Conference, and complimen-tary golf registration(s) to the Young Agents Annual Golf Outing. Sponsorship runs January - December.

Sponsor: _____ Promoter ($1000) / _____ Partner ($500) / _____ Contributor ($250) (Check the sponsorship above that applies) SPONSORSHIP LEVEL FOR YOUNG AGENTS: $__________

Annual Membership Meeting and Installation of Officers provides an opportunity for our members and company representatives to

meet and socialize at this special occasion which includes a reception and dinner. Meeting sponsors are recognized in our web-based Con-necticut Independent Agent Magazine, on our web-site as well as during the evening program. Held in June each year.

Sponsor: _____ Platinum ($1000) / _____ Gold ($500) / _____ Silver ($250) (Check the sponsorship above that applies) SPONSORSHIP LEVEL FOR ANNUAL MEETING: $__________

TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED FOR PROGRAMS SELECTED ABOVE: $_________

For complete details on each of the items listed above, please visit our website at www.iiact.org or contact Tracy Hearn at (860) 563-1950 or [email protected]

Company Name & Type of Business: _______________________________________________________Date: _________

Street Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________ (Include city, state & zip code)

Mailing Address (if different): _______________________________________________________________________ (Include city, state & zip code)

Phone: (______) ______-________ Fax: (______) ______-________ Website: www.__________________________

Contact Name: ______________________________________ Email Address: __________________________________

Return form to: IIAC, 30 Jordan Lane, Wethersfield, CT 06109

Additional information on each program selected will be emailed to the contact person listed.

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 16

2013 IIAC EVENTS

Spring Conference

Sponsored by the IIAC Young Agents Committee May 8, 2013

Wethersfield Country Club, Wethersfield, CT

Annual Dinner Meeting and Installation of Officers

June 11, 2013 Wethersfield Country Club, Wethersfield, CT

24th Annual Golf Tournament

Sponsored by the IIAC Young Agents Committee August 8, 2013

Blackledge Golf Course, Hebron, CT

Mid-Year Convention November 14, 2013

Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, CT

Additional information and registration forms for the above events can be obtained by clicking on the event name above, going to the “Events” page of our website or by contacting Tracy Hearn at 860-563-1950 or emailing to [email protected].

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 17

Big “I” Professional Liability As a member, you have access to the Big “I” Professional Liability program, the most respected and comprehensive program in the business offering a variety of insurance agent’s E&O products that are hand-selected for their superior reputation and exceptional performance. www.iiact.org - Member Resources page / Or call Laura Szatkowski at 860-563-6510

Big “I” Markets Exclusively available to Big “I” members, IIABA’s online market access program features specialty/niche coverages, program business and hard-to-find markets. Unlike similar programs, there are no registration fees, no volume commitments and competitive commissions. www.bigimarkets.com

Big “I” Flood Big “I” Advantage operates as a managing general agency and agents participate as sub-producers for the Big “I” Flood Pro-gram. Selective Insurance Company is the provider for this NFIP Write-Your-Own program and they make writing flood insur-ance easy and profitable leaving the method of quoting up to the agent. www.independentagent.com/flood

Big “I” Retirement/Benefits Having trouble deciding which retirement plan is right for you or your agency? Big "I" Retirement Services is here to help you choose which plan best meets your circumstances. www.independentagent.com/retirement

RLI RLI's Personal Umbrella Policy stands atop your client’s existing homeowner and auto insurance to provide an extra layer of personal liability protection. RLI’s @Home Business policy, responds to the needs of over 100 eligible business classes on an ISO BOP form. www.iiact.org - Member Resources page / or call Rose Mullaly at 860-563-6510.

Business Resources Enjoy group discounts for a variety of services to assist in managing your agency. Caliper (employee testing) ; DHL (express delivery); Mines Press (printing); Hertz (car rental); Artizan Internet Services (Service 911, CSR 24). www.independentagent.com.

InsurBanc InsurBanc is an independent community bank founded by agents exclusively for agents. www.insurbanc.com

Virtual University Research Library - For those who seek a smarter way to research, the VU provides the access. Ask an Expert Service - Big "I" Members can submit questions to our "Ask an Expert" service and a response is usually sent within 3-5 business days, but often sooner. Online Courses - The VU offers a wide variety of online classes. www.independentagent.com/vu

Best Practices The Best Practices program provides member agents with meaningful performance benchmarks and business strategies that can be adapted to improve the performance of your agency, thus enhancing agency value.

Government Affairs The Big “I” is your advocate on the issues that matter to your success, whether the issues occur in state legislatures, Washing-ton D.C., your state insurance department, the NAIC, or the judicial system.

OF ALL YOUR MEMBERSHIP HAS TO OFFER??

ARE YOU TAKING

ADVANTAGE

??

Big “I” Advantage Programs

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 18

ACE Private Risk Services 860-828-7931

www.aceprivateriskservices.com

Agency Intermediaries, Inc. 203-453-2859

www.agencyint.com

American Integrity Restoration 860-657-2100

www.ctrestoration.com

Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. 860-560-2766 www.ajg.com

Astonish Results, LP 401-440-5955

www.astonishresults.com

Broadway Premium Financing 800-728-7255

www.broadwaypremium.com

Capitol Bail Bonds, LLC 860-899-1956

www.capitol-bail-bonds.com

Chroma Building Corporation 203-602-8838

www.chromabuilding.com

Coastal Agents Alliance 609-390-1645

www.coastalagentsalliance.com

Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency 203-498-3000

www.ccm-ct.org

Connecticut Underwriters, Inc. 860-347-9600

www.ctunderwriters.com

Crystal Restoration Services 203-853-4179

www.crystal1.com

Disaster Restoration Services, LLC (DRS) 860-788-6822

www.drscleanup.com

Empire State Brokerage Services 203-798-0067

www.empirebrokerage.com

Fairfield County Bank 203-431-7527

www.fairfieldcountybank.com

W. Ford Agency, Inc. 203-549-0005

www.wfordagency.com

Heimgartner Insurance Services, Inc. 860-436-3991

www.heimgartnerinsurance.com

The Hingham Group 781-749-0841

www.hinghammutual.com

HSB Associates, Inc. 860-722-5539 www.hsb.com

HTO International, LLC 860-938-0853

www.htointernational.com

For information on how to become an Associate Member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut and a complete list of benefits, please visit the “Join” page of our website or

contact Rose Mullaly at 860-563-1950 or email [email protected]

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE BROKERS AND SERVICES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE BROKERS AND SERVICES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 19

Hybrid Insurance Agency 860-688-440

www.hybridins.com

Insurance Agency Accounting & Bookkeeping 860-614-7268

www.brendadicarlollc.com

Insurance Engineering Solutions 860-429-5156

www.insuranceengineeringsolutions.com

InsurBanc 866-467-2262

www.insurbanc.com

Iroquois of Connecticut, Inc. 860-621-8412

www.iroquoisct.com

Kapura Cleaning & Restoration 860-747-2100

www.kapurarestoration.com

Joseph Krar & Associates 860-628-3967

www.jkrar.com

J.P. Maguire Assoc., Inc. 800-233-8220

www.jpmaguire.com

J. T. Frechette Companies, LLC 203-605-9007

McGrath Insurance Group, Inc. 508-347-6850

www.mcgrathinsurance.com

Maynard Insurance Group 203-318-0008

[email protected]

Oakbridge Insurance Services 860-906-0120

www.oakbridgeins.com

Plymouth Glass & Mirror 860-283-0276

www.plymouthglass.com

JN Phillips Auto Glass 781-939-3400

www.877autoglass.com

Premium Assignment Corp. 603-421-1953

www.premiumassignment.com

Pro-Klean Cleaning & Restoration Services, Inc. 866-463-2313

www.pro-klean.com

PuroClean Mitigation Services 860-516-8083

www.puroclean.com

Renaissance Group, Inc. 860-307-2957

www.renaissanceins.com

Servicemaster QRV Regional Group 203-386-1565

www.servicemastergb.com

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE BROKERS AND SERVICES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE BROKERS AND SERVICES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

For information on how to become an Associate Member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut and a complete list of benefits, please visit the “Join” page of our website or

contact Rose Mullaly at 860-563-1950 or email [email protected]

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 20

ServiceMaster by Wills 860-447-3265

www.servicemasterbymason.com

SERVPRO Cleaning and Restoration of New Haven, Waterbury & Naugatuck Valley

1-800-243-8812 www.servproofnewhaven.com

SERVPRO of Manchester-Bolton 860-649-0836

www.servproofwesthartford.com

SERVPRO of Meriden 203-630-2273

www.servpromeriden.com

Steamatic of CT 203-985-8000

www.steamaticct.com

TAPCO 800-334-5579

www.gotapco.com

Target Insurance Services 860-284-0088

www.target-capital.com

Thompson Agency, Inc. 860-693-4999

www.thompsonagency.net

Travel Insured International, Inc. 860-528-7663

www.travelinsured.com

United Cleaning & Restoration, LLC 800-835-0740

www.unitedcr.com

XS Brokers Insurance Agency, Inc. 617-471-7171

www.xsbrokers.com

Acadia Insurance Company 860-331-2391

www.acadiainsurance.com

American Commerce Insurance Company A MAPFRE Company

603-888-8900 www.acilink.com

American Strategic Insurance Company (ASI) 866-274-8765

www.americanstrategic.com

AmTrust North American, Inc. 860-257-7286

www.amtrustgroup.com

The Andover Companies 860-257-7286

www.andoverco.com

Central Mutual Insurance Company 877-281-4941

www.central-insurance.com

Chubb & Son Insurance 203-782-4115

www.chubb.com

Cincinnati Insurance Company 513-870-2000

www.cinfin.com

C N A Insurance 860-513-6460

www.cnacentral.com

Connecticut Fair Plan 860-528-9546

www.ctfairplan.com

FirstComp 888-500-3344

www.firstcomp.com

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE COMPANIES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE BROKERS AND SERVICES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

For information on how to become an Associate Member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut and a complete list of benefits, please visit the “Join” page of our website or

contact Rose Mullaly at 860-563-1950 or email [email protected]

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 21

Guard Insurance Group 570-825-9900

www.guard.com

Harleysville Worcester Insurance Company 800-225-7387

www.harleysvillegroup.com

The Hartford 860-409-6150

www.thehartford.com

Kemper, A Unitrin Business 203-775-5846

www.ekemper.com

The Main Street America Group 603-358-1352

www.msagroup.com

MEMIC 207-791-3370

www.memic.com

MetLife Auto & Home 860-668-2699

www.metlife.com

MiddleOak 860-638-5132

www.middleoak.com

New London County Mutual 860-887-3553

www.nlcinsurance.com

Ohio Mutual Insurance 419-563-0959

www.omig.com

Peerless Insurance 860-571-2201

www.peerless-ins.com

Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation 860-681-2766

www.plymouthrock.com

PMA Insurance 203-379-3825

www.pmagroup.com

Progressive Insurance Company 800-274-4055

www.progressiveagent.com

QBE 860-570-0802

www.qbeamericas.com

Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance 671-770-5171

www.quincymutual.com

Safeco Insurance 603-358-4156

www.safeco.com

State Auto Insurance Companies 860-633-4678

www.stateauto.com

Travelers 860-277-6948

www.travelers.com

Utica National Insurance Group 800-695-1914

www.uticanational.com

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE COMPANIES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER INSURANCE COMPANIES

(Click on the website for a direct link)

For information on how to become an Associate Member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut and a complete list of benefits, please visit the “Join” page of our website or

contact Rose Mullaly at 860-563-1950 or email [email protected]

Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut - www.iiact.org - January 2013 Issue Page 22

WHO ARE THE INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS OF CONNECTICUT?

The Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut was founded in 1899 as the Connecticut Association of Local Fire Insurance Agents. The organization’s name was changed in 1913 to the Connecticut Association of Insur-ance Agents. This name was considered more representative of the membership due to the expansion of the property-casualty business coverages and the increased presence of casualty and surety agents. In 1975 the organization became The Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut to emphasize its members abilities to work with a variety of insurance companies and industry representatives. The Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut has always been in the lead on important issues for agents. The list is long as IIAC has worked with regulators and the insurance industry on important issues such as agent licensing, anti-rebate laws, ownership of expirations, banking and insurance, and agent compensation to name a few. Today IIAC offers a wide variety of products and services to its members. The education calendar offers a full assortment of choices for licensing, continuing education and advanced degree programs. In addition, IIAC of-fers several insurance programs for our members that can be purchased to protect their agency business and insurance products that members can sell to their customers. IIAC also offers technical and regulatory assistant to our members. Technical advice is available at the staff level and through the Virtual University where you can “Ask The Expert.” In addition, IIAC meets regularly with the Insurance Commissioner and department staff to discuss current market conditions and consumers issues. IIAC is a strong advocate for independent agents at our state capital and in Washington D.C. Whatever the is-sue may be, IIAC is the voice for independent agents as we represent the interests of our membership. Our na-tional association, IIABA is a predominant lobbying force in Washington and is constantly ranked among the top 10 of all the lobbying groups in the United States. The Big “I” mission succinctly captures our purpose: “to pro-vide independent agents with a sustainable competitive advantage.” To accomplish that, IIAC is the unrelent-ing advocate on the issues that shape the environment in which our membership conducts business. IIAC is the voice in the halls of Congress, the state capital and in boardrooms across the nation.

INSURPAC

InsurPac is the Political Action Committee (PAC) of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA). It represents the unified political voice of IIABA's 23,000 member agencies and 300,000 agents and brokers nationwide. It is the largest property-casualty insurance industry PAC in the country, and is one of the primary reasons the Big "I" is rou-tinely rated among the most successful lobbying groups in Washington, DC.

"Lobbying and a well-funded PAC go hand-in-hand," says Charles Symington, IIABA's Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. "InsurPac's voice resonates through the halls of Congress on behalf of the Big "I". Every elected official knows that a contribution from InsurPac is a contribution from 23,000 small business owners."

InsurPac raises funds by asking for voluntary personal contributions from independent agents and brokers throughout the country. By pooling money together, InsurPac helps elect candidates and re-elect members of the U.S. Congress who share IIABA's business philosophy.

This concept of pooling personal contributions together for the greater good is essential to understanding the importance of PACs. As an individual, you can make the average contribution of $200 to a Congressman, or you can invest that $200 in a PAC, which in turn combines that with 9 other donors and gives the same Congressman $2,000. At the end of the day, PACs are able to speak with a collective voice that is much louder than that of an individual. It is impossible to overvalue the power of a collective voice -- of a collective InsurPac speaking on behalf of the Independent Agency system.