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                                                     Industry News

Education
Three Informative Webinars Scheduled

The Big “I” is offering a series of webinars designed to provide training on a variety of topics. Choose a webinar on hideous endorsements, which reviews a collection of egregious or unusual endorsements. These endorsements can have a significant impact on the insured’s coverage and on the agent or broker’s obligation to identify, discuss and disclose the existence and impact on coverage with the insured. The webinar “Personal Auto Policy: Who Knew It Covered That Loss?” will discuss various exposures of many insurance buyers and how the standard ISO personal auto policy responds to those risk exposures. The course will address liability issues and concerns; adding parties to the policy versus the automatic coverage found in the policy; rental car exposures and the policy response and endorsements; using borrowed vehicles; adding new cars and physical damage coverages. Finally, the webinar “Intellectual Property – Who Has It and What Does It Mean?” shares the fact that every business has intellectual property. For some customers, such as software designers, this coverage is very important and is discussed at length with the agent, while other businesses may not be as concerned. This webinar will review the basics of intellectual property and will provide the information you need to discuss this exposure will your customers.

Purchase a spot for $59 and present the webinar conference-style for all your agency staff. Click here for more information about all of the webinars mentioned including dates, times and how to register.


Young Agents
Be the Best You Can Be at the Young Agents Leadership Institute

Sales, marketing and leadership skills provide the framework for successful professionals in any industry. The Big "I" Young Agents Leadership Institute offers an opportunity for young agents to learn a variety of skill sets and become the best in the field. Cold calls get to the best of us, but they are necessary to generate new sales. Learn how to address your sales challenges and create a plan to tackle those hurdles with sales coach Tom Redmond. Taking time to plan doesn’t always come easily, but Olympian Cary Mullen will discuss his five steps to success and share how attendees can go from underdog to top dog. Participants are also invited to learn how to market their agency using social media in a special best practices seminar offered by ACT. For the complete schedule, click here. The event will be held Sept. 11-13 in New Orleans in conjunction with the Big "I" Fall Leadership Conference.


Big “I” Markets
The Habitational Sweet 16

Looking to diversify and increase your book of business? If you want to market to apartment building owners, familiarize yourself with the Big “I” Markets habitational "sweet 16.” These are the 16 sweet spots where our company partner MiddleOak^® has the most competitive advantage.

The 16 specialized classes for the Habitational Apartment Program on Big "I" Markets are:

• Public Housing: owned & operated by HUD, Public Housing Authority, State or Local Governments
• Affordable Housing: privately owned, under the 1986 Low Income Housing tax credit (LIHTC) or other tax credit program
• Independent senior housing
• Off-Campus student housing (No fraternities or sororities)
• Older buildings (pre-1960)
• 'Non-current' NFPA properties (i.e., battery operated smoke detectors, non-sprinklered 3+ story, no manual pull alarms, and more)
• Converted habitational: renovated mercantile, warehouse or office buildings
• New condos just coming off of builder's risk policies
• Rental condominiums
• Multi-story & multimillion dollar, non-sprinklered
• Newly purchased by an owner with prior experience
• Rental dwelling schedules
• Remediated aluminum wiring
• Mixed occupancies of habitational, office, retail and mercantile
• Buildings undergoing temporary minor cosmetic renovations
• Well managed accounts that are being non-renewed or in the excess and surplus market

We know that your agency works every day to bring your clients the best products in the marketplace. Through Big "I" Markets, you have access to habitational through MiddleOak^®, a dedicated specialty carrier with an A+ XIV rating from A.M. Best. MiddleOak^® is currently filed and writing in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

Need help marketing to those 16 classes? Learn how you can identify building owners for those SIC codes, customize marketing postcards designed specifically for those classes and execute a mailing to those prospects all within 10 minutes. And, in the states listed above, MiddleOak^® is offering a special co-op deal. Click here to find out how it works.

Gain instant access to this market now. Go to www.bigimarkets.com, or contact Rob Keller at 860-638-5115; rob.keller@middleoak.com.


Big “I” Flood Program
New Selective Incentive Program Has Begun

Selective, the National Flood Insurance partner for the Big “I” Flood program, has a new incentive program underway. During the contest period of Aug. 10 – Nov. 6, agents may be rewarded, in addition to standard commission, with $10 for each new standard flood policy issued through Flood Online^® or Big “I” Markets and $15 for each new preferred risk flood policy issued through Flood Online^® or Big “I” Markets. Big “I” Markets production can only be counted if system procedures are followed by the agent doing the “binder request.”  It is common knowledge that the NFIP flood program does not allow agents to issue binders, but in the Big “I” Markets system, the flood binder request alerts Selective’s underwriter that the signed application and premium payment are being mailed. Then the system allows the underwriter to select “binder confirmed” when the policy is issued, thus closing out the quote allowing the policy to be counted in the incentive program. Don’t miss the boat on this promotion! Click here for full details. Learn more about the Big “I” Flood Program at www.iiaba.net/Flood, or contact Linda Mackey at linda.mackey@iiaba.net.


Big “I” Flood Program
Agent Talking Points for Tough Economic Times

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has talking points for agents to use when discussing flood insurance coverage options with customers. The messages specifically address the tough questions received about flood insurance given today’s economic climate, such as customers who feel they can’t afford flood insurance with other expenses. These talking points emphasize that when making decisions about flood insurance coverage needs, homeowners need to realize they can’t afford not to have flood insurance given the financial consequences floods can cause. Click here to view the talking points.