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t
h
e
Agent’s
e
c
i
Vo
How to Avoid Getting in Trouble
with Colleagues & Customers
pg 13-14
Five Key Ideas for New
Insurance Agents
pg 15
When it Comes
to Older Workers
on the Job, The
Game Has
Changed
pg 16-17
Lake Charles, LA
March 2013
Vol. XL, No. 2
We spent the past 20 years
building a reputation.
How Workers’ Comp Is Supposed to Work
www.lwcc.com
Inside This Issue
The Agent’s Voice
Published by the Professional
Insurance Agents of Louisiana, Inc.
DEPARTMENTS
President’s Message………………………………...........4
Commissioner’s Column.........................................6
No material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent of PIA of Louisiana, Inc.
Statements of fact and opinion in The Agent’s Voice are
the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply
an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of
the Professional Insurance Agents.
Participation in PIA events, activities and/or publications is available on a non-discriminatory basis and
does not reflect PIA endorsement of the products and/
or services.
The Agent’s Voice is published ten times a year by the
Professional Insurance Agents of Louisiana, Inc. Free
subscription is included in PIA membership. Non-member subscription is $2.50 per copy, $25 per year. Contact the Editor for more details.
All communications for publications, including news,
features, advertising copy, cuts, etc. must reach publisher by 1st of month prior to month of publication. Advertising rates furnished upon request.
Passing It On..........…………….………….........…..........7
PIA Errors & Omissions...........................................8
FEATURES
How to Avoid Getting in Trouble With
Colleagues and Customers.....................................13-14
Five Key Ideas for New Insurance Agents...............15
When it Comes to Older Workers on the Job,
The Game Has Changed..........................................16-17
IN EVERY ISSUE
2013 CISR Schedule ....................……………............10
Partner News............................................................19
Index of Advertisers ………….………….…....................26
Member Benefit in Focus .……...………….……...........26
Address inquiries to:
EDITOR, THE AGENT’S VOICE
8064 Summa Avenue, Suite C
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Phone: (225) 766-7770
Watts: (800) 349-3434
Fax: (225) 766-1601
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.piaoflouisiana.com
Mission Statement
Promoting the professional insurance agency
system, leading through support,
representation and fellowship.
OFFICERS
Manuel DePascual, Metairie
President
Darryl Frank, Metairie
President-Elect
Dawn Duhé, Hammond
Secretary/Treasurer
Gene Galligan, Monroe
Immediate Past President
Richie Clements, Chalmette
PIA National Director
DIRECTORS
Karen Bryant, Denham Springs
Lisa Donlon, Lafayette
John Erny, Lafayette
Lou Fey, Baton Rouge
Dianne Gibson, Madisonville
Patrick LeBoeuf, Westwego
Joe Lohman, Baton Rouge
Jim Moore, Destrehan
Al Pappalardo, Jr., Mandeville
Barry White, West Monroe
Kevin Woods, Monroe
PIA OF LOUISIANA STAFF
Jody M. Boudreaux
Executive Vice President & Editor
Natalie S. Cooper
Director of Industry Affairs
Laurie Whipp
Director of Marketing
Coleen Brooks
Director of Member Services
Page 4 • March 2013
President’s
Message
I
n January, we held a Board
Retreat in which we updated
our Strategic Plan after much
discussion. We did this by breaking up our discussion into the
work of our committees. That
plan includes the following focus:
Year 1 –
Communicating Member Benefits
Company Visits
Image/Branding
Implement Process to
Vet Products/Services
Thirdly, we want
to improve our image and branding
of PIA within the
industry. We want
to make sure that
you are proud and
recognize value in
being a PIA member. There are several
ways to accomplish this goal that was
discussed during our retreat, but we’ll
leave the final plan to our PR Committee.
Lastly this year, we want to create a system for vetting all the many products
Year 2 and services that come through our
PR Campaign
association. This probably takes us full
Company Advisory Council
circle to our first goal of communicating
Agency Operations Assistance
our benefits. We don’t want just a huge
list of “junk” benefits for that makes it
Years 3-5 even more challenging for you to swift
Dues Restructuring
through to find the useful ones. While
Address Office Issues
we recognize not all our benefits are go(possibly new building)
ing to be applicable to every member,
there is still merit in running our proFor this article, I’ll focus on explaining
grams through a systematic process
in more detail our projects listed for
to make sure our resources are being
year one. First, we know that commuused most effectively and you’re getnications is a challenge.
ting the most out of your
President,
It does you no good for
investment as a member.
PIA of Louisiana
PIA to have a benefit
that you need if you’re
In my last article, I wrote
Manuel DePascual, Metairie
not aware of it. We also
about our PIA Commitknow that you’re busy
tees, giving you a breakand we’re competing with
down of what they are
a lot of others for your atworking on. Toward the
tention. Currently, we provide our list
end of this month and beginning of
of benefits through various means, but
next, those committees will be meetour focus for this year is to put a plan
ing to begin the work of implementing
together to most effectively communiour new Strategic Plan. We want you to
cate those benefits to you, our memknow that it is never too late to join a
ber. We invite you to let us know your
committee. Just email or call staff to let
thoughts on how we can best do that.
them know which one you would like to
join. In fact, for your convenience, we’re
Secondly, we want to always improve
including a Committee Sign-up Sheet
and get the most out of our compain this edition of The Agent’s Voice.
ny relationships. We know having a
We need your input and participation!
strong, competitive market is crucial
for you and your business’ success.
Our immediate focus this coming spring
It is our intent to reach out to current
will, of course, be the legislative session.
and potential companies, educating
and encouraging them to take adContinued on page 9
vantage of all our state has to offer.
March 2013 • Page 5
Commissioner’s Column
By James J. Donelon
Overview of Changes to the
National Flood Insurance Program
T
his month marks the beginning
help homeowners and
of spring, and while we welcome commercial interests
the promise of new life that this time protect their homes
of year brings, we are also entering and businesses. As a
a period marked by spring storms
coastal state, Louisiand of course, the approach of hurana has relied heavily on the National
ricane season. It is no coincidence Flood Insurance Program. In fact, up
that March includes two weeks dediuntil Superstorm Sandy, the NFIP was
cated to raising con$18 billion in the red
sumers’
prepared- Commissioner of Insurance and $15 billion of that
ness for the threat of
was due to Hurricane
Louisiana Department of
severe weather and
Katrina and Rita payInsurance
flooding. The Federal
ments in our state.
Emergency [email protected]
ment Agency (FEMA),
In 2012, the Biggertin conjunction with
Waters Flood Insurthe National Oceanic Atmospheric ance Reform and Modernization Act
Administration, launched its second was signed into law by President
annual National Severe Weather Pre- Obama. The act reauthorized the
paredness Week March 3-9. Flood NFIP until 2017 and revamped the
Safety Awareness Week, which took program in order to make it actuariplace March 18 – 22, was estab- ally sound going forward.
lished by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
You may have heard me refer to the
and the National Weather Service
sticker shock experienced by poli(NWS) to alert consumers to potential
cyholders when it comes to storm
flood risks. In light of this, and the sig- deductibles. I expect the changes to
nificant reforms to the National Flood the national flood insurance program
Insurance Program (NFIP), I’d like to
will likely result in similar reactions
address the changes that you may re- by consumers and business owners
ceive questions about and that have
faced with sharply increased prereceived a good deal of attention.
miums. Key changes of the federal
law include the phasing out of subSince flood damage is not covered sidies for second homes, business
under homeowners policies, pur- properties, substantially damaged
chasing a flood insurance policy can structures, structures with cumulative losses over the fair market value
and severe repetitive loss properties (four losses of $5,000 or more
each). Rates for these properties will
increase annually up to 25 percent
until the premiums meet the full actuarial cost. Homeowners purchasing
flood insurance for the first time, or
who have allowed policies to lapse,
will see actuarial (non-subsidized)
rates.
Contact the
Louisiana
Department of
Insurance at
www.ldi.state.la.us
or call
1-800-259-5300
Page 6 • March 2013
The act also requires a premium rate
adjustment upon the effective date
of any revised or updated flood insur-
ance rate map, on
any property located
in an NFIP-participating area, to accurately reflect the
current risk of flood
to such property. Because the determination will be made after the effective date of any revised flood insurance map, the updated flood maps
being rolled out by FEMA are of great
interest. Policyholders who will experience rate increases include those
outside the flood protection system
and those with homes and businesses below base flood elevation. If the
updated maps result in an increase
in risk premium, that increase will be
phased in over a five-year period at
a rate of up to 20 percent per year.
Conversely, the updated maps could
result in lower premiums for those
who live in areas that have seen improvements in flood protection.
While the changes to the program
will result in increased premiums for
many, I still feel that Louisiana homeowners will benefit greatly from the
federal program. As you will recall, the
vast majority of the damage to homes
and businesses caused by Hurricane
Isaac last year was flood-related. Additionally, severe winter storms in
January caused widespread damage
and flooding in parishes as far north
as East Carroll and Madison, prompting the federal government to declare
disasters in 11 parishes. In 2008
hundreds of homes in the Alexandria
and Monroe areas of our state flooded as a result of the rains associated
with Hurricane Gustav as it made its
way through north Louisiana.
While some may believe that flooding
only affects properties in coastal and
low lying areas, the truth is everyone
is vulnerable to floods. In fact, property owners outside of high-risk flood
Continued on page 18
Passing It On!
By Jody M. Boudreaux, CAE, CIC, CISR
During this month, we celebrated St.
New PIA ConsumPatrick’s Day and March 18-22 was
er Flood Flyer Now
Flood Safety Awareness Week. During
Available: Now is
this week, our very own President-elect
the perfect time
Darryl Frank was interviewed by Fox 8
to answer your cliNews to discuss this topic. In his interents’
questions
view, he stressed the importance of
about flood insurgetting the word out about all the comance. PIA has created a consumer-oriing changes in this area. We hope to be
ented flyer which answers the question
a valuable resource to the
on many flood insurance
media around the state, so Executive Vice President, policyholders’
minds,
please let us know of any
“Why is my flood insurPIA of Louisiana
media contacts you may
ance premium increashave. PIA’s PR Committee
ing?” The flyer explains
[email protected]
is working hard to educate
recent rates hikes in the
consumers on various inNFIP and provides other
surance topics such as
valuable
information
flood, and we can use your help!
about floods and flood insurance.
While Flood Safety Awareness Week
has come and gone, the opportunity to
educate your consumers and prepare
them for the many changes coming
has not. Be sure you are talking to your
insureds about the following issues:
• About their risk of flooding
• That even minor flooding can cause
financial and emotional hardship
• You can help them safeguard their
assets with flood insurance
• What is covered?
- Structural elements, including
walls, floors, equipment and fixtures
- Contents, such as furniture,
appliances, carpeting, wall and floor
coverings
-Personal items like clothing, audio
equipment and televisions
• Flood insurance provides peace of
mind for your clients:
- You can help them to close a significant coverage gap
- Policies are available for as little as
$129/year¹
This flyer is available in a few formats,
including a version with the PIA logo
and name as well as a version that
members may customize with their
own contact information.
(member login required):
www.pianet.com/floodsupportcenter. To get a
look at what the ad looks
like, refer to page 11 of
this issue.
If you are unsure of your member login
information, please just call PIA of Louisiana at 800-349-3434 or email info@
piaoflouisiana.com. We will be happy
to provide this information to you.
Be sure to take advantage of this important PIA Benefit. Let us help you
educate your consumers. Pass it on!
¹ Source: Floodsmart.gov. Flood Facts. Preferred
Risk Policies. Available: http://www.floodsmart.
gov/floodsmart/pages/flood_facts.jsp. July 26,
2012.
PIA members can download the flyer
in the Flood Insurance Marketing Support Center on PIA National’s website
Mark your calandar for
PIA of Louisiana’s
70th Annual
Convention
July 20-23, 2013
Marriott Grand Hotel
Point Clear, AL
March 2013 • Page 7
PIA Errors & Omissions
By Curtis M. Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA
President – Pearsall Associates, Inc., and Special
Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program
Personal Umbrellas –
shouldn’t everyone have one?
How many of your personal lines cuswhere the underlying
tomers have a personal umbrella?
limits would need to be
Hopefully, you know the answer. If
increased to satisfy the
not, your agency system should be
specific umbrella carrier’s
able to provide the information. Serirequirement. Your marketing letter
ous claims can occur at any time with
should address the additional costs
any customer, so ensuring your clients
associated with this circumstance.
have a personal umbrella could save
them from significant
financial consequencSpecial Consultant
es should that major
Don’t recommend a
Utica Nat’l E&O Program
claim happen to them.
certain umbrella limit
Utica Mutual Insurance Co. Be careful not to sugDevelop a sales
gest that a certain
campaign
limit – $1,000,000,
A good starting point is to develop
for example – is sufficient as, without
a small sales campaign to educate
a doubt, there have been claims excustomers on what a personal lines
ceeding this size. If you provide a preumbrella covers and what the apmium for a $1,000,000 limit, include
proximate premium would be. It can
a statement noting that higher limits
be as simple as an informative letter
are available.
that goes out to customers. Because
some clients may not believe a major
Marketing letter is solid E&O
claim could happen to them, ask your
protection
personal lines umbrella markets for
While it is highly unlikely, there’s a
some sample claims. These claims
chance no one will take you up on your
could involve situations where a peroffer to secure an umbrella proposal.
sonal lines umbrella was in place and
Have your efforts then been a “waste
responded to the loss – or instances
of time?” Not at all. By reaching out
where there was no umbrella and the
to your customers to notify them of
client was responsible for considerthe benefits and cost of a personal
able financial responsibilities.
umbrella, you have further protected
yourself in the event a customer is inFor those personal lines customers
volved in a significant claim. This writwithout an umbrella, include the apten notification could be a key piece of
proximate cost in the marketing letter.
evidence, so ensure each client’s file
This presumes your agency writes the
contains this document.
underlying coverages and thus knows
the various underlying exposures –
Don’t assume you “write” all
such as the number of cars, drivers,
underlying coverages
primary and secondary residences,
If your client expresses interest in fiwatercraft and any other potential exnalizing an umbrella proposal, know
posures that could be scheduled.
all of the underlying exposures they
would look to have scheduled on the
There will probably be situations
umbrella policy. If possible, sit down
Page 8 • March 2013
with the client to
guarantee
you
have the correct
information
as
there is a chance your agency doesn’t
currently insure all of these exposures.
For exposures your agency doesn’t
insure, secure the declarations page
for these coverages. If the limits are
not at the required level, advise the
customer that the specific exposure
cannot be scheduled on the umbrella
policy until those required limits are in
place. Confirm this communication in
writing.
Are there any conditions to
the umbrella?
The umbrella carrier may impose specific conditions or limitations which
could involve a host of issues, so look
for any stipulations and bring these to
the customer’s attention.
Ensure the correct underlying
limits are in place
As noted by the following claim, even
when your customer has an umbrella, a problem can develop if there is
a gap between the actual underlying
limits and those specifically required:
This claim involves a $250,000 gap
in coverage between a personal auto
policy and a personal umbrella. The
agent indicated to the umbrella carrier that there was a $500,000 CSL in
place for his client, and the umbrella
policy was issued indicating on the
declarations page that there was a
$500,000 auto policy in place.
Continued on page 9
Continued from page 4
(President’s Message)
Continued from page 9
(PIA Errors & Omissions)
It is a fiscal year, so this limits the number of bills introduced outside of fiscal matters.
This should mean a quiet session for us, but we’ve learned from past experiences
that this is not always the case. Be sure to always read our Legislative Alerts and respond when you’re called to do so. We are very sensitive about not inundating you with
emails, so know that when we email you a Legislative Alert it is important for you to
read and respond. We’ll save regular updates for our e-newsletter, The Agent’s Link.
However, the agent only secured a
$250,000/$500,000 BI limit instead of
the required $500,000 CSL. The insured
caused a serious auto accident, resulting
in brain damage to a person in the other
car. The case was ultimately settled for
$4,000,000. The auto carrier paid their
$250,000 limit and the umbrella carrier
paid $3,500,000, the amount they would
have been responsible for had the proper
$500,000 limit been in place. There was
a $250,000 gap. The plaintiffs sued the
agency and the claim against the agency
was eventually settled for $160,000.
The week of April 8, the date the Session starts for Louisiana, your PIA and YIP
leaders will be attending PIA National’s Federal Legislative Summit. This annual
meeting includes visits with our congressional delegates. To learn more about
this conference or the issues that will be discussing with our elected officials,
you can go to www.piafls.com. In our April issue, we’ll provide you with a report
of those visits and this meeting as well as photos. Be sure to stay tuned.
Could this claim happen in your agency?
It could happen in any agency without the
proper safeguards to ensure the necessary underlying limits are in place at all
times.
Discuss umbrella coverage
and/or include it on proposals
for all new customers.
Look to get the customer’s sign-off if the
customer chooses not to purchase the
umbrella, and then retain this document
in your agency management system.
“Let me think about it”
If your client states “let me think about
it,” confirm in writing that coverage has
not been bound.
Developing an umbrella campaign is
a great way to identify exposures your
agency does not insure and “round out
an account.” Additional sales will probably result, plus it’s an effective way to enhance your agency’s Errors & Omissions
protection.
March 2013 • Page 9
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Page 10 • March 2013
A Service of your Agent and...
National Association of Professional Insurance Agents
yholders’
insurance polic
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Why is my flood insurance
premium increasing?
E
venthoughyoupurchaseyourinsurancethroughan
independentagent,yourfloodinsuranceiswritten
byafederalentitycalledtheNationalFloodInsurance
Program(NFIP).InJuly2012,Congresspassedlawsthat
mademajorreformstotheNFIP.Assuch,ratesarelikely
toincreasetoreflectthetruefloodriskofyourproperty
andmanypremiumdiscountsthatyoumayhavereceived
arebeingeliminated.
Doesthisaffectme?
Belowaresomeofthemostcommonreasonsyour
premiummayincrease:
• Changeofownershipontheinsuredproperty
• Lapseinfloodinsurancecoverage
• Increasedriskofflooddamagetoproperty
• Substantialdamagetotheinsuredproperty
• Majorimprovementstotheproperty
Whattypesofpremiumdiscountsarebeing
removed?
TheNFIPistakingimmediateactiontoeliminateavariety
ofpremiumdiscounts.Theseincludediscountsfor:
• Non-primaryresidences
• SevereRepetitiveLossproperties(residential
propertiesthathavehadfourNFIPclaimpayments
over$5,000inwhichatleasttwopaymentsexceedthe
marketvalueofthebuilding)
• Businessproperties
• Propertiesthathaveincurredmajorflooddamage
Did You Know?
• Floodshappeninall50statesand
everyonelivesinafloodzone
• Mosthomeownersinsurancedoesnot
coverflooddamage
• Floodsarethe#1mostcommon
naturaldisasterintheUnitedStates
• Theaveragefloodinsuranceclaimis
morethan$35,000
Isthereawaytosavemoneyand
beproperlyinsured?
Thebestthingyou
candoistalkto
yourprofessional
independent
insurance agent
aboutyour
coverageoptions
andletthemfind
solutionsthatfit
yourneeds.Their
knowledgeand
professionalism
isyourgreatestasset.
March 2013 • Page 11
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Page 12 • March 2013
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Thinking can be rewarding
How to avoid getting in trouble
with colleagues and customers
by John Graham
• Stop talking about what
we sell. There’s one reason
to avoid talking about what
we sell: it kills sales. If you
don’t believe it, ask yourself, “How
do I react when I meet someone who
starts talking about why I should be interested in their product or service?”
All of which explains why doing is a
It’s just a guess, but chances are
top priority in business, while thinking
you’re instantly uncomfortable and
doesn’t get much attentwo seconds later,
tion.
you’re planning your
John Graham of Grahamexit. That’s not all.
Comm is a marketing and
It there’s any time left,
If you’re somewhat
sales consultant and busiit’s focused on how best
normal, you wait for
ness writer. He publishes
to get through the next
an opening so you
a monthly eNewsletter,
day, the next quarter,
can talk about what
“No Nonsense Marketing
the next crisis or to fanyou do. If you’re still
& Sales.” Contact him at
tasize about how to get
there, of course.
[email protected],
to retirement.
617-774-9759 or
How different is
johnrgraham.com
Even so, thinking about
it when someone
some things can be reshares a story with
warding: It can keep us
us about how they helped a customer
out of trouble. Here are a few possisolve a problem or what it meant to
bilities:
take part in a charitable event. Stories
• Stop thinking we’re imget our attention.
portant. The simple truth is
that we’re all expendable in
• Stop chasing appointour jobs and careers. Admitments.
Getting face-to-face
tedly, this might not seem like a smart
was
the
sine qua non for
way to begin. It’s depressing for some
making
a
sale. An enorand a waste of time for others. Yet, as
mous
amount
of
time,
energy and
a matter of fact, we’re all expendable,
money
was
spent
on
getting
through
and the trouble starts if we persist in
the
door.
viewing ourselves as the exception.
Time and again, those laid off durThat was years ago and now it’s DOA.
ing the recent recession were heard
Even if they have the time, most prosto say, “I knew there were going to be
pects say no to appointments to those
layoffs, but I didn’t think it would hapthey don’t know, no matter who they
pen to me.”
are. Yet, salespeople often continue
to find a way to get in front of prosOne of the benefits of a GPS is having
pects.
an escape route when you’re in a traffic jam. It should be the same with a
That’s doing it backwards. The task tojob, a career or even a business.
For countless employees and business owners, the workday is life in a
straight jacket. There’s not enough
time to get the daily tasks done, let
alone find even a few minutes to think
about anything other than what we
must do next.
day is getting inside a prospect’s head
before asking for a meeting. Aiming
for the appointment is like planting
seeds and expecting vegetables to
sprout the next day. The time for the
appointment is after cultivating prospects so they understand what you offer and why it’s worthy of their time to
know more. The appointment should
take place when the prospect wants
to talk to you.
• Stop thinking people believe what we say. It should
be rather obvious that what
we say doesn’t make it so.
Rather basic, wouldn’t you think? Yet,
many of us seem to persist in doing
what doesn’t make sense. Does anyone really believe us if we say, “We
give great customer service”? Of
course not. In spite of everything, we
do it because we want to believe that
we control what people think about
us.
A few years ago, an association of independent insurance agents started
using “Trusted Choice” as a descriptor. Does it make a difference? If so,
where the evidence?
It’s what we do –– how we perform ––
that determines what people think,
not what we say.
• Stop worrying about being a great closer. This may
sound a bit over the top,
particularly since sales
managers often stress the need to be
a strong closer for salespeople to hit
March 2013 • Page 13
the big time.
There’s no doubt about it; the close is
important. Yet, focusing on it may not
be the best explanation for lost sales.
If there’s something worth worrying
about, it’s making sure that we’re very
good openers. If the sales process is
flawed at the start, chances are that it
won’t end with a signed order.
A strong opener focuses on engaging
prospects so they recognize that the
salesperson both understands the
issues and is serious about recommending the appropriate solution.
The right opening isn’t accidental or
left to chance. It’s designed, specifically, to help a customer conclude that
there’s a commitment for developing
a thoughtful, trusting relationship. At
that point, the close becomes the inevitable result.
• Stop saying yes, when you
really mean no. One way
to develop a good reputa-
tion is agreeing to do something only
when you mean it. To say yes because
that’s what you think someone wants
to hear is fraught with danger. Yet, it
occurs far too frequently.
Agreeing to do what’s asked relieves
the pressure at least for the moment.
What follows often turns out to be a
string of “the dog ate my homework”
type excuses for not getting it done.
But it doesn’t end there. There’s also
a distinct residual effect: a lack of
confidence and respect by colleagues,
friends or customers who no longer
trust us.
If there’s a problem doing what you’re
asked, negotiate a resolution that’s
mutually acceptable instead of saying
“yes.”
required to give away what is clearly
valuable personal information. All too
often, the touted “white paper” is of little value. For that, we have given away
our “identity.” Such a trick makes us
angry and leaves “a bad taste.”
Companies offering “white papers”
with no strings attached get it. They
understand that sharing their knowledge with customers should stand on
it’s own merit. They want it to be so
compelling that we will want to know
more. And that’s a lead.
Because it’s so easy to develop ––
and perpetuate –– counterproductive
behaviors, staying out of trouble starts
with recognizing the value of thinking,
as well as doing.
• Stop trying to trick colleagues and customers. The
Internet is a haven for tricksters. We see an offer for a
“free white paper” on a topic of interest. But to get the document, we’re
Lane & Associates, Inc.
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DWELLING LIABILITY — 1, 2, 3 or 4 Family - Occupied or Vacant (Including Under Renovation)
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Page 14 • March 2013
www.Lane-Assoc.com
504-467-3123
800-899-1466
Five Key Ideas for New Insurance Agents
by John Chapin
Success in any venture begins with
the proper mindset. As a new insurance agent, there are five key “truths”
about the insurance industry and
your role in it that will help ensure you
have the correct mindset and the best
chance at success.
Five “Truths” About Your Role as an
Insurance Agent
Truth #1: You are a salesperson.
In order to be a successful insurance agent over
the long haul, you have to accept your role as a salesperson and
you need to be good at selling. No,
sales does not mean selling someone something they do not need, or
otherwise manipulating or taking advantage of someone. When you sell,
your objectives are: to help people, to
be a trusted advisor, and to educate
and lead people down the path they
need to go. For example, if you are
talking to a qualified prospect with a
young family and you don’t convince
that person to protect their family with
life insurance, and something bad
happens, it’s your fault that person’s
family is not protected. You did not do
your job as a salesperson. The bottom line is: you need to get great at
selling by both making sales a study
and by finding out what the top, most
successful agents do, and then do the
same things.
Truth #2: You are running
a business.
You are self-employed in
your own individual small
business. You are your only
job security. If you do your job well
and generate sales and profit, you will
have a job and a business, if you don’t
generate enough sales and profit, you
will be out of business looking for another job.
As a business, your highest priority is:
making a profit and staying in business. There are only three activities
that will ultimately make you money:
prospecting, closing, and servicing
accounts. Those three activities are
where most of, if not all of, your prime
selling time should be spent. If you
can’t pay someone to do the other
non-profit generating activities and
thus have to do them yourself, you
must do them off-hours, not during
prime calling time.
Note: While your highest priority is
making a profit and staying in business, this is never done at the expense of taking advantage of another
person or doing something that is not
in their best interest.
Truth #3: You can’t wing it.
This relates to both your activity during the day and your
interaction with prospects
and customers. You must have
a plan to follow every day. It’s imperative that you know how many calls and
contacts you need to make in order to
get the prospects and the sales you
need.
When you talk to prospects and customers, you need to know exactly
what you’re going to say. Script out
everything, this will ensure that you
say exactly what you need to say in
as few words as possible, while using the most effective words possible.
Once you have your scripts, practice,
drill, and rehearse them until they are
second nature and flow naturally, you
don’t want to sound canned or unnatural.
Truth #4: You have to
work really hard.
You have to be a self-starter
and you must be willing to
push yourself harder than anyone else will push you. As Zig Ziglar,
the famous motivational speaker,
once said, “The harder you are on
yourself, the easier life will be on you.”
Of course the converse is also true.
While you want to work smart: follow
the best practices of the successful
agents and not reinvent the wheel, in
the beginning you simply must work
hard until you figure things out and
build a successful business.
You must put the hours in and be willing to do whatever it takes. Once you
have your daily plan in place and know
how many sales you need to make and
how many people you need to contact,
you have to work hard to carry out that
plan and make those numbers a reality. You have to be willing to cold call
and do other similar difficult, unpleasant activities if that’s what it takes. By
the way, these are the activities that
the failures rarely or never do. Your
objective is to be known as the hardest working person in the office.
Truth #5: You must take 100%
responsibility for your business.
If your sales numbers are dismal, own them, take responsibility for them. See your results as
a warning sign that you need to make
some changes in your activity and
your approach. Don’t make excuses
or blame anything outside of yourself
such as: the economy, the market
you’re in, or the people you work with.
You are completely responsible for
your success or failure.
For access to John Chapin’s free
monthly newsletter, visit John’s website
at http://www.completeselling.com
John is an award-winning sales
speaker, trainer and coach. In over
24 years of sales he became a number one sales rep in three industries,
and author of the gold-medal winning
“Sales Encyclopedia”.
For permission to reprint, or if you have
sales questions, e-mail: johnchapin@
completeselling.com.
March 2013 • Page 15
When it Comes to Older Workers on the Job,
The Game Has Changed
by Kevin Ring
The workforce is getting
older. People are retiring later in life than
ever before. This trend
has been a major concern for those in
the health and
safety field
because the
common
knowledge
has been
that older
workers are
more prone to
suffer very expensive injuries.
However, new research from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has cast doubt on this
conventional wisdom, or at the very
least potentially changed the definition of “older workers”.
NCCI studied different age groups
and the rate at which they get injured.
They found younger workers (under
35) had substantially more cuts on
their fingers and older workers (over
35) suffer more cases of carpal tunnel
and more cervical injuries, although
the numbers are startlingly similar.
So, that quiets the argument about
the aging workforce causing more
injuries, but what about cost? The research shows that there is a substantial cost difference between younger
and older workers, but the split isn’t
necessarily where you might expect
it.
Workers between the ages of 20-24
create much lower costs (and fewer
days out), but once workers reach
35, the costs of their injuries are very
similar to older workers.
What does this all mean? To start
with, it now largely redefines an “older
worker” as someone who grew up listening to disco instead of Elvis. This
means that someone over 35, not just
someone belonging to the traditional
“over 65” group, is now being classified as an “older worker.” It should
also prompt businesses to strongly
focus on the things that can reduce
injury costs for everyone.
Injury prevention for employees should
begin before they even become employees-- during the hiring process.
Start with a written functional description for the position that is open. Once
that is complete, it is critical that the
candidate you select be given a conditional offer of employment. This document is a bona fide job offer with the
caveat that you can withdraw the offer
if they are physically or mentally unable to do the job with reasonable accommodation. Once this is complete,
have the candidate go to the doctor
and complete a post-offer, pre-placement medical questionnaire. Having
this completed allows a physician to
ask questions relevant to the job and
to let the employer know whether or
not the candidate is fit for the job. If
they are, it’s time to get started. If not,
you’ll have to find another suitable
candidate.
Once an employee is on the job, it is
critical that they are always mindful of
how they are doing their job. Far more
injuries are caused by unsafe acts by
employees than any unsafe conditions in their workplace. Employees
that feel rushed are more likely to set
safety aside in the name of meeting
a deadline and those decisions result
in accidents that could have been prevented.
When you take all these steps and
have a workforce that is fit for work
and doing their job safely, then the
focus turns to what happens when
an accident does happen and an employee is injured.
Employees must know before they
get hurt who they should talk to when
they suffer an injury. Immediate injury
reporting is a key to keeping injury
costs as low as possible. Studies have
shown that the costs of an injury go
up when there is a delay in reporting.
Page 16 • March 2013
ship with a physician and send your
injured employees to that doctor.
Make it your policy that any employee
injury is reported before the end of
the shift.
Once the injury is reported, getting
the proper treatment is key.
Your business should have a relationship with an occupational medical provider in your area. You can find board
certified occupational doctors on the
web at acoem.org. Even if there isn’t
an occupational medicine specialist in
your town, you can develop a relation-
The goal of having a relationship with a
WorkComp specialist medical provider
is to ensure that the doctor knows your
business and the physical demands
that your employees are under. They
should also have a good knowledge
of the transitional work that you have
available. When a doctor knows that
you will accept an employee back to
work on transitional duty, they are far
more likely to send them back to work
rather than send them home to sit on
the couch and watch infomercials for
attorneys at 1-800-SUE-THEM.
When an employee is at work, they
are less likely to hire an attorney and
more likely to work hard to get back
to their full duty position. This process not only gets employees back to
work more quickly, it also reduces the
amount of money that the insurance
company spends on your employee injuries, reducing your experience mod
and therefore your workers’ compensation insurance costs.
The workforce is getting older and
we need to be mindful of accommodations that older workers may need
today that they didn’t need before.
However, this new research from NCCI
should sharpen employer’s focus on
what can drive down injury rates and
costs, like hiring the right people,
training them to do their jobs safely
and when accidents do happen, make
sure they are reported immediately
and treated by a skilled physician who
will send them back to work, rather
than send them home.
If employers follow those steps, having older, experienced workers on the
payroll can be a great asset rather
than a potential liability.
Kevin Ring is the Director of Community Growth for the Institute of WorkComp Professionals, which trains insurance agents to help employers reduce Workers’ Compensation expenses. A licensed property and casualty insurance
agent, he is the co-developer of a new Workers’ Comp software suite that will help insurance professionals in working
with employers. He can be contacted at 828-274-0959 or [email protected].
March 2013 • Page 17
Continued from page 6
(Commissioner’s Column)
areas are responsible for 25 percent of NFIP claims in Louisiana. Rising floodwaters can prove to be hazardous no matter where you live, yet only one out of every four single family
homes in Louisiana have flood insurance.
According to the NFIP, just a single inch of floodwater can cause
more than $10,000 in damage to a home. Here are additional
flood facts from the NFIP:
• For those who live in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) or
high-risk area and have a federally backed mortgage, the mortgage lender requires a flood insurance policy.
• Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states.
• In a high-risk area, a home is more than twice as likely to be
damaged by flood than by fire.
•The Standard NFIP flood insurance policy does not provide
coverage in excess of $250,000 for your house (Coverage A)
and $100,000 for its contents (Coverage B). If more coverage
is necessary, it can be acquired through excess flood insurance
that can be purchased through private insurers.
• The Standard NFIP flood insurance policy provides coverage
up to $500,000 for a commercial structure (Coverage A) and
up to $500,000 for its contents (Coverage B).
Louisiana homeowners may be more knowledgeable about
flood insurance following events such as our many hurricane
events, which provide an (unwelcome) education on the federal
program. These changes enacted by Biggert-Waters will require
further education for consumers, and for you as producers. I
urge you to continue to routinely advise property owners to take
the time to assess their flood insurance needs.
PIA National
announces new savings
program with UPS
Members of PIA receive special UPS discounts,
including up to 34% on air, international and
ground shipments. For more information on
UPS and to receive your special savings, visit
savewithups.com/pianational or call
800.325.7000 and mention promo code COR190.
Please note that if you have been participating in PIA National’s
previous UPS Savings Program, you must re-enroll to continue saving.
Put the new logistics to work for you.
© 2012 United Parcel Service of America, Inc. UPS, the UPS brandmark, and the color brown
are trademarks of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All rights reserved.
Page 18 • March 2013
Partner News
LCI Underwriter Assistant
Position Announced
Join us in welcoming Lacey
Clawson to the LCI Underwriting Department. Lacey
will be assisting underwriters and agents by issuing
policies, processing endorsements, providing loss runs
and assisting with login and
Agency Portal set up.
LCI New Hire
Monica brown joined LCI as a
Customer Service Representative. Monica lives on the Northshore and is a recent graduate
of LSU.
LWCC Dividend of $48.7 Million Is Largest Ever
The LWCC Board of Directors has declared a 2012 dividend
of $48.7 million, the company’s largest dividend ever. It will
be paid to qualifying policyholders in March and April, bringing LWCC’s cumulative total dividend paid to policyholders
over the past 10 years to more than $231 million.
More than 16,000 policyholders will receive a portion of
the new dividend. Individual dividend awards are based on
a calculation that takes into account policyholders’ earned
premium and longevity with LWCC over the last five years.
LWCC’s previous dividend, for the year 2011, totaled $23.5
million. Prior to 2012, the largest dividend paid by the company had been $45.5 million in 2007.
LWCC Promotes Executives Buffone & Hawie
coming Senior Corporate Counsel. Buffone was named Director of Litigation Services in 2001. He was promoted to
Assistant Vice President of Risk Management Services in
2006, then to Vice President of Risk Management Services
in 2008, then to Senior Vice President of Risk Management
Services in 2010.
Buffone received a B.S. degree in quantitative business
analysis from Louisiana State University and a Juris Doctorate degree from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Paul Buffone
John Hawie, CFA
Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) has
announced the promotions of two key executives. Paul Buffone is now Senior Vice President and Chief Claims and Information Officer, and John Hawie, CFA, is Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy and Investment Officer.
Buffone started with LWCC in 1993 as a law clerk. He later
held various attorney positions for the company before be-
Hawie joined LWCC in 2009 as Senior Vice President and
Chief Investment Officer. He was previously Senior Vice
President and Chief Investment Officer for Commerce
Group in Webster, Mass., and prior to that served as Team
Leader/Portfolio Manager for General Re-New England Asset Management in Farmington, Conn.
Hawie earned his B.A. degree, with concentrations in finance and philosophy, from Emory University in Atlanta. He
received his MBA degree, with a concentration in finance,
from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, then four years later
attained his Chartered Financial Analysts degree.
March 2013 • Page 19
Two losses,
one deductible.
Bundle your auto and home with
Progressive Home Advantage
®
The single deductible endorsement
with deductible forgiveness is available
when you bundle your customer’s
auto and home coverage through
the Progressive Home Advantage
program*. This endorsement
reduces or eliminates the PHA
deductible, up to the amount
of the auto deductible, when
a covered peril affects both
policies. Two great carriers,
one unique bundle. Now,
that’s Progressive.
Learn more today!
Contact your local Progressive
representative for more information.
PROGRESSIVE HOME ADVANTAGE® underwritten by ASI
PROGRESSIVE HOME ADVANTAGE underwritten by ASI
*Insurance through the Progressive Home Advantage program is underwritten® by select companies that are not affiliated with
Progressive and are solely responsible for claims. The single deductible endorsement is available through the Progressive Home
Advantage program underwritten by ASI Lloyds, St. Petersburg, FL, and its affiliates, and is not available in NC. 12A00399 (05/12)
®
PROGRESSIVE HOME ADVANTAGE® underwritten by ASI
Page 20 • March 2013
We’re stalking the lion’s share
of your business.
(Bad pun intended.)
In return, we’ll give you our loyalty and dedication, plus
industry-leading products you’ll be proud to offer to
your customers. Because your success depends on our
commitment to excellence.
As an industry leader, Imperial offers competitive commissions
and responsive, personal attention from knowledgeable,
friendly professionals.
The Imperial lion has always symbolized strength. Rediscover
the new Imperial and unleash your agency’s loudest roar.
Insuring peace of mind through Auto, Property & Flood.
ImperialFire.com • 800-960-7777
March 2013 • Page 21
2012-2013
COMMITTEES & CHARGES
It’s time to start planning for the upcoming fiscal year and we need your participation! Industry Affairs,
Member Services, Governmental Affairs, Vision or PR…There’s a place for you! Please come and get involved and share with us your ideas for improving PIA.
•
•
•
INDUSTRY AFFAIRS
To monitor and evaluate the Louisiana insurance marketplace to provide information to member-agents and
associate members on the condition of the market and
factors that influence its health. Foster beneficial relationships between members and insurers and to provide
incentives to attract new markets where appropriate. To
review entities affecting the independent agency system.
Administer the Business Link and Agent-to-Agent Link
programs.
VISION COMMITTEE
The purpose of this committee is to monitor issues related to the insurance industry, including agency management and technology developments, so that PIA can
provide resources to help its agency members experience success now as well as be prepared for the future.
•
•
MEMBER SERVICES
To develop, evaluate and communicate member benefits
to the membership, which include oversight of membership recruitment/retention programs to ensure the association’s stability and growth. To promote effective
communications between members, local chapters,
YIPs, PIA of Louisiana and National. To assist in planning the Annual Convention and determine the educational needs of the membership and initiate programs to
serve those needs, including oversight of the CISR program.
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
To maintain a current awareness of all pending and proposed insurance legislation or regulation in the state and
to attempt to positively influence same on behalf of the
PIA of Louisiana membership.
PR TASK FORCE
The purpose of this task force is to help educate consumers about insurance products and to be a resource to the media when
running insurance-related stories. In addition, the task force is focused on promoting the PIA brand to consumers so PIA
membership becomes a valuable factor to the insurance buyer.
2012-2013
COMMITTEE
FORM
YES! I would like to serve on the following committee(s):
Please list your choices (with 1 being your first choice).
Industry Affairs
Vision
PR Task Force
Member Services
Governmental Affairs
NAME:
AGENCY:
ADDRESS:
CITY/STATE/ZIP:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
Please complete and fax to: (225) 766-1601 or mail to:
PIA of Louisiana • 8064 Summa Avenue, Suite C • Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Page 22 • March 2013
BOAT SEASON,
THE TIME IS NOW!
Marketing Contacts:
Crystal DePascual - Marketing Manager
504.495.2316
[email protected]
Amy Johnson - Marketing Assistant
985.792.4444
[email protected]
Thinking about taking that beautiful boat out on the water soon
but you can’t because you need insurance? We are here to help!
Please contact our Marketing Department to get information on
Markel American Insurance Company!
Emily Hoyt - Marketing Assistant
985.792.4443
[email protected]
MARINE INSURANCE
FIRST PREMIUM
190 New Camellia Blvd. n Covington, LA 70433-7812
Ph: 985.892.7428 n Toll Free: 800.256.2171 n Fax: 985.892.4282 n www.RPSins.com
March 2013 • Page 23
We’re not just another agent’s E&O insurer,
We’re your insurer.
A Main Street E&O Solution for Main Street PIA Agents
Designed by and for PIA Agents
• Tailored Coverage for PIA Members with Standard
& Enhanced Forms
• Fairness and Competitive Pricing
• Policyholder Services, Our Highest Priority
• Stability of Your E&O Market
• Ownership in Your E&O Program with Direct Input
from You
For more information and a quote, find your state PIA affiliate association at:www.pia-pro.com
PIA Membership must be in good standing at all times. This brochure is not intended to provide full coverage details. A complete listing of these
coverages including exclusions and limitations can be found in the policy forms. If differences exist between these summaries and the policy
forms, the policy forms will govern. The policies may vary or be unavailable in some states.
Grow your
physician business.
Looking to cultivate new business from your physician
clients or even attract new ones? Offer professional liability
coverage. Doctors are required to carry it, plus The
Physicians’ Trust is one of Louisiana’s most trusted providers.
Get your commissions growing by contacting Karen Harrison
at 225-368-3825 or [email protected].
4646 Sherwood Common Blvd. | Baton Rouge, LA 70816
ThePhysiciansTrust.com
Page 24 • March 2013
March 2013 • Page 25
Member Benefit in Focus
Index of
Advertisers
Accu-Auto……………………………..….....…...….....5
ASI……………………………..….....…........................20
Emergency Restoration Inc. ................….…....18
Forest Insurance Facilities……………………….....10
Hull & Company, Louisiana………………….……...23
Imperial Fire & Casualty Insurance…………….....21
Lane and Associates........................................14
LEMIC Insurance Company………………...…......24
LUBA Workers’ Comp……………………..Back Cover
LWCC…………………………………Inside Front Cover
North Central Agency.......................................10
Physician’s Trust ..............................................24
Prime Rate........................................................12
Progressive…............................Inside Back Cover
RPS First Premium................................….…....23
Southern States General Agency.....................10
Stonetrust...................................................25
The Timbermen Fund.........................................9
UPS………………………..............................…….….. 18
Find out more details on advertising in The
Agent’s Voice by calling the PIA office at (800)
349-3434.
Page 26 • March 2013
Get the Most Out of Your PIA Membership
If you haven’t already looked through the 2013 PIA National Guide to Member
Benefits you may be overlooking a PIA member benefit that can save you time
and money or help your agency prosper.
The Guide to Member Benefits highlights the work that PIA does for members,
with an emphasis on the many programs that PIA makes available to members,
including business-building tools, insurance products, agency management
tools, grassroots opportunities and cutting-edge communications.
The Guide highlights some of the programs that PIA introduced in the last 12
months including:
Closing the Gap — Growth & Profit: This new tool — created by The PIA Partnership, PIA’s national company council — helps PIA members grow the size and
profitability of their personal lines books of business. Learn more here: www.
pianet.com/pia-partnership/growthprofit
Agoragate (pronounced “AGRA gate”): Agoragate has built a Web system that
attracts people conducting online insurance searches and introduces them to
local, independent insurance agents who write the type of insurance they are
searching for. Learn more here: www.pianet.com/agoragate
PIA Agency Preparedness and Recovery Plan: This resource, completely updated in 2012, is designed as a planning guide and notebook for use by PIA
member agencies in creating and documenting their own agency preparedness
plans. Learn more here: www.pianet.com/issues-of-focus/natural-disaster
New PIA National Website: In 2012, PIA launched an entirely new website
that’ faster than ever before. We think it makes accessing news and resources
a snap. Visit the new site at www.pianet.com.
These agenTs have made Their marK
Congratulations to these 6 Louisiana independent agents who’ve
qualified for the Progressive Signature Agent® program*.
all Premier insurance agency
Denham Springs
a victory agency, inc.
Bogalusa
Jones insurance services
Thibodaux
arnold insurance group
Benton
Bubrig insurance agency
Belle Chasse
raymond m. Fondel Jr. ins. agency
Lake Charles
They join these 49 agents who have already earned Signature Agent status.
a victory insurance agency
Mandeville
Castello agency
Zachary
glenn dean insurance agency
Deridder
Quality Plus, inc.
Lafayette
aBC agency network
Houma
Community Financial
Monroe
grant C. Bennett insurance
Slidell
riverlands insurance services
Luling
aBC agency network
Alexandria
Curtis insurance agency
Lake Charles
harlan insurance agency
Alexandria
semon insurance agency
Shreveport
aBC insurance agency
Lafayette
Cypress insurance
Hammond
insurance network of La
Baton Rouge
shaver robichaux agency
Thibodaux
action insurance, inc.
Lafayette
david Cordell insurance
Baton Rouge
insurance Unlimited
Lake Charles
Thomson, smith & Leach
Lafayette
advanced insurance solutions
Hammond
dCg
Opelousas
John Kelly dabdoub
Mandeville
Tibbetts insurance services, LLC
Baton Rouge
alliance insurance agency
Metairie
dJW insurance agency
New Iberia
Kyle Thomas insurance agency
Shreveport
Total insurance of Watson, inc.
Denham Springs
Baton rouge insurance agency
Baton Rouge
eagan insurance agency
Metairie
Liggio insurance agency
Lafayette
Toups insurance agency
Thibodaux
Beard insurance
Baton Rouge
emery James LTd
Hammond
market insurance
Covington
TWFg insurance services
Lake Charles
Beasley-Keith, inc.
Bossier City
First Federal insurance /
Community Financial
Lake Charles
moore-Jenkins
Bogalusa
TWFg insurance services
Mandeville
moore-Jenkins
Franklinton
Walpole insurance agency
Bossier City
Page & sons insurance
Houma
Whitney insurance agency
New Orleans
Boswell insurance
Shreveport
Bourg insurance
Donaldsonville
gary Losey insurance
Baton Rouge
gendusa insurance agency
Hammond
Pam Price insurance, inc.
Jena
The Signature Agent program recognizes and rewards agents for selling an average of at least one preferred
Progressive personal auto policy per week.
This elite group will receive higher commissions, unlimited CE courses and enhanced marketing support
from the Progressive agency brand team.
More commission. More rewards. More reasons to prefer Progressive.
To find out how you can become a Progressive Signature Agent, contact your account sales representative.
©2012 Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, Mayfield Village, Ohio. 09A00214.AP2.LA (08/12)
*The Signature Agent Program is not available in all states. For a list of states where it is available, contact your Progressive
account sales representative. The Signature Agent Program is only available to agents. We define a preferred auto policy as
one in which the named insured: Is a homeowner, has continuous insurance with no lapses, and has a good driving record.
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