the mn news january 2010

January 2010 • The Minnesota News 1

Minnesota NewsTHE

Official Publication of the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association

January2010

Inside this Issue:ACT UPDATE: Tools for the Successful Agent of TommorrowThe Grateful Workplace: Six Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your OrganizationBoost your Income Now! Never give up...FOLLOW UP!Using the Right Words Will Improve Your Writing2010 MIIAB/Trusted Choice Annual Convention Highlights

2 The Minnesota News • January 2010www.rascompanies.com

Celebra�ng

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2oYears in Business

Richard Johnson,

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WORKERS’ COMPENSATION.

Our Focus. Your Opportunity.SM

You’re local, we’re local;

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Na�onwide Strength. Midwest Values.

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January 2010 • The Minnesota News �

MIIAB BOARD OF DIRECTORSShawn Wensel, CICPresidentSMA Insurance, St. Cloud, MN

Walter K. Ohl, Jr., CICPresident-ElectPioneer Heritage Insurance, LLC, Spicer, MN

Mark Z. Moores. CPCU, ARM, AAIVice PresidentMoores Insurance Management, Inc., St. Paul, MN

David J. SzczepanskiIIABA State National DirectorGarry Insurancenter, North St. Paul, MN

Roberta Gibbons, CISR, CICDyste Williams Agency, Minneapolis, MN

Travis Hansen, CICReliable Agency, Inc., Cloquet, MN

John KellerLindfors Insurance Agency, Fosston, MN

Jamie LarsonLarson Insurance of Fergus Falls, Fergus Falls, MN

Mark LenzT.C. Field Company, St. Paul, MN

Mary A. McClure, CIC, LUTCFMcClure Agency, Inc., North Mankato, MN

Richard F. McKenny, CICPast PresidentAdvance Insurance Agency, Edina, MN

Vance PriggeAtlas Insurance Brokers, Rochester, MN

Bruce L. SognOakwood Insurance Agency, Inc., Coon Rapids, MN

Mark White, CIC, CPCUFoster Carlson White Agency, Monticello, MN

Rob WunderlichWunderlich Insurance Agency, Winona, MN

Chad BjuganYIP RepresentativeRichfield State Insurance, Richfield , MN

MIIAB STAFFDaniel D. RileyExecutive Vice President952-253-6072 [email protected] WaldhauserDirector of Insurance Operations952.253.6089 [email protected] SposetoGovernment Affairs Director952-253-6075 [email protected] LepleyChief Financial Officer952-253-6076 [email protected] GoodinDirector of Education952-253-6074 [email protected] SchneiderAdministrative Assistant952-253-6070 [email protected] NeffTechnical Advice952-253-6073 [email protected] DunningDirector of Work Comp Insurance952-253-6239 [email protected] NorumInsurance Coordinator952-253-6237 [email protected] B. KnappDirector of Marketing952-253-6243 [email protected]

Inside this Issue5 President’s Message7 Executive VP Message9 New Year Brings Renewed Commitment to Innovation at Western National11 Young Insurance Professionals News 13 Capital Notes15 ACT UPDATE:Tools for the Successful Agent of Tomorrow19 Technically Speaking…21 The Grateful Workplace:26 Boost Your Income Now! 26 Never Give Up … FOLLOW UP!29 Using the Right Words Will Improve Your Writing31 2010 MIIAB/Trusted Choice Convention36 In The News...47 Education50 Power in Partners

Reach MIIAB At:7500 Flying Cloud Drive

Suite 900Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Telephone: 952-835-4180Tollfree: 800-864-3846

Fax: 952-835-4774www.miia.org


Minnesota NewsTHE

Official Publication of the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association

January2010

Inside this Issue:ACT UPDATE: Tools for the Successful Agent of TommorrowThe Grateful Workplace: Six Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your OrganizationBoost your Income Now! Never give up...FOLLOW UP!Using the Right Words Will Improve Your Writing2010 MIIAB/Trusted Choice Annual Convention Highlights

January 2010

� The Minnesota News • January 2010

When it comes to protecting your clients, waiting days for a quote just won’t fl y. At Burns & Wilcox we have the expertise to write and bind specialized programs with the speed only an internal underwriting department can provide. Do you have brokerage or specialty contract business needs? Don’t wing it. Turn to Burns & Wilcox – the specialty insurance MGA/wholesaler that soars above the rest.

St. Paul, Minnesota 651.487.2800 toll free 800.637.7318 fax 651.487.2010stpaul.burnsandwilcox.com

Quotes at the Speed of Sound.

Burns & Wilcox is exclusively endorsed by the MIIA as a provider of choice.

Alan Jay KaufmanChairman, President & CEO

24877_Burns_Speed_MinnNews.indd 1 12/7/09 3:48:07 PM

MIIAB

Diamond Partner

www.stpaul.burnsandwilcox.com


President’s MessageShawn M.Wensel, CIC [email protected]

The second year of the Power in Partners program has been a tremendous success. The insurance company partners, wholesale brokers and other vendors have been generous to our association. Virtually every company partner contributed the same amount or increased their funding from last year. A small group of agents and myself visited about 15 various insurance companies. It was nice visiting with the company executives that I have known in the past and equally enjoyable meeting executives from companies that I met for the first time. It was interesting learning about their respective companies, the success stories and even concerns about the future.

It was very easy to schedule these visits with most of the companies. The company executives appreciated the visits and wanted to learn more about the association and current activities. We also learned much about the company issues and concerns. The companies were very impressed with last year’s convention in Minnesota and that we were able to maintain our high level of agent participation. Many of the other state associations have seen significant declines in their respective numbers. The company executives had questions ranging from the status and updates with Trusted Choice to where their booth would be located at the next convention.

Thank you to all the partners who financially contributed to the Power in Partners program especially the Diamond level partners including: Burns & Wilcox, EMC Insurance, Encompass, Progressive, SECURA, West Bend Mutual, and Western National. At our next board meeting we will discuss how we can improve the value to the Diamond level partners. The companies help fund our agents convention, continuing education for our members and also YIP events. The companies appreciate and need our organized grass roots political and lobbying efforts. Many of the companies are concerned about the future ownership of the agencies and would like to see more education and programs helping agencies with perpetuation so we can remain to be the favored distribution channel.

The MIIAB is considered a model state association. We have a competent and consistent staff in place. We are also known as an educational leader and this was confirmed by Dr William Hold attending our recent CISR and CIC conferment luncheon. The National Big I recently gave us an award for being so instrumental in the success of Trusted Choice. The National Big I also appreciates our state lobbying efforts and continued strong membership numbers.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season and a great 2010!

� The Minnesota News • January 2010

When it comes to protecting your reputation, you may fi nd us surprisingly fi erce. With over 30 years of serving the U.S. insurance agents market, we’re the most experienced provider of professional liability coverage. Yet it’s not just our longevity in the market that may surprise you; it’s our commitment. As more than 20,000 insurance agencies across North America have discovered, we’re fi ercely committed to protecting what matters most – your business, your fi nancial assets and your reputation. At Swiss Re, we always work with the same raw material: risk. And what we work to create for our clients is always the same product: opportunity.

See for yourself at www.swissre.com/insurance

For more information on our Insurance Agency professional liability program, please contact your state association.

Shelley Waldhauser, Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association7500 Flying Cloud Drive, #900, Eden Prairie, MN 55344P) 800-864-3846/X-6086, F) 952-835-4774, D) 952-253-6086, C) [email protected]

Insurance products underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas, a member of the Swiss Re group. Westport is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

© 2009 Swiss Re

[email protected]


Executive VP MessageDan Riley [email protected]

Happy New year To all!On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, we want to wish you all a happy new year! We all know that these past couple years have been a trying time for the economy and its effects on insurance agencies. We hope the upcoming year will bring about an improvement in the economy and more business for our member agencies.

MIIaB IMproves ITs TecHNology aNd coMMuNIcaTIoNs To our MeMBersHIp

Over the past couple of years, your Board of Directors have instructed the staff to help improve the communication we have with our membership through advancements in our technologies. As you all are aware, you are seeing a robust of direct emails to you and your staff in regards to the educational opportunities available to our agency staff. We have also improved upon our communication to our members from our Lobbyist, Dominic Sposeto, through the Capitol Notes emails. We try to briefly summarize what is taking place in the legislature and provide our members with the ease of communicating with their local legislators and regulatory bodies through Capitol Notes. We have received an enormous amount of positive feedback in this area alone. Finally, we are improving our newsletter, Minnesota News, in which we are expanding the newsletter to include more up-to-date insurance information in this publication. Unfortunately in today’s world, the cost of sending a hard copy to all of our 5,000 plus members is cost prohibitive, therefore, this publication will be emailed to each member and the new format is very easy to read.

“doINg BusINess IN a crazy world” Is THe THeMe of THe aprIl 21-22, 2010 coNveNTIoN

This year’s theme, “Doing Business in a Crazy World” is very apropos to what has taken place in today’s technological environment. We are all facing challenges in trying to streamline our business in an effort to cut our overhead costs to be more profitable in the future. Finally, ethics, transparency, and making sure your clients are covered correctly are goals that we all strive for in our day to day operations. To cover all of these topics, we have brought in a number of professionals to provide us with insight in these areas. Chris Amrhein, AAI, Amrhein & Associates, will be speaking on STREET LEVEL ETHICS, a mandated 3 hour CE class for all licensed agents in Minnesota. Chris will also discuss “The Top 10 Coverages” that need to be reviewed with your clients. Lori Berdahl and Stan Kulzer, Risk Administration Services, Inc. will discuss RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. In the area of technology, Angelyn Treutel, CPA, Treutel Insurance Agency, Inc. will be discussing STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE AGENCY PRODUCTIVITY. Also, SOCIAL NETWORKING is a hot topic that can be used in furthering insurance sales in an agency. Matt Lehman, from Progressive Insurance, will be conducting that seminar. Finally, for the agency owners, we have hired Al Diamond, a nationally renowned agency management consultant from Al Diamond Agency Consulting Group, will discuss INCENTIVE COMPENSATION and how

Executive VP Message continued on page 41

� The Minnesota News • January 2010 [email protected]

Workers’CompensationSpecialists, LLC

Protecting Your Customers

Cormac DunningDirector of Insurance

[email protected] P: 952.253.6239F: 952.253.6242

Terri NorumInsurance Coordinator

[email protected] P: 952.253.6237F: 952.253.6242

MIIAB, 7500 Flying Cloud Drive, Suite 900 Eden Prairie, MN 55344

For more information contact:

When one is helping another, both are strong.

It’s 7:30 on a late-December morning, and the light from a few office buildings is the first sign of daytime on Edina’s Industrial Boulevard. Inside one of the street’s lit buildings, a couple of Western National Insurance Group employees are busy hanging new posters around the company’s headquarters. Printed on the posters are charts reading “2010” in large, white digits.Coming off the wall are the premium charts from 2009, with the digits nearly filled to the top in Western National’s two shades of blue – an illustration, as CEO Stuart Henderson puts it, of good work in an otherwise tough time to be writing insurance.“We’re all dealing daily with the pressures of the market and the economy,” Henderson says, “so to perform well in spite of those pressures is a very rewarding thing. And it’s the hard work of our employees and agency partners that has made these kinds of results possible in the first place.”The past year has indeed been a memorable one for Western National, which earned both a place on the Ward Group, Inc.’s Top 50 list again and an upgrade to a full “A” rating from the A.M. Best

Company. The A.M. Best upgrade marked Western National’s third upgrade of the decade, making it the only U.S. property-and-casualty company to rise on its own merit from a “B+” to an “A” in that span of time. During that period, it has also grown its Policyholder Surplus from $55 million to more than $220 million, and Total Assets from $236 million to more than $550 million.Still, while the company’s role in the marketplace continues to grow, Henderson says Western National’s priorities remain the same as they’ve always been. “Delivering on our claims promise and building on our relationships are two qualities that define and guide us here at Western National,” he says. “Our goal going forward is to take those qualities and ask ourselves, ‘Can we get even better at doing these, and how?’ It’s a question that keeps us innovating toward even better service, and which has us set up for more enhancements in 2010 and beyond.”The new year marks Western National’s 110th anniversary (the company was founded in St. Paul in 1900), which makes it one of Minnesota’s

New Year Brings Renewed Commitment to Innovation at Western National


oldest property-and-casualty insurers. But while the company is proud of its longevity, Henderson knows that Western National can’t rely on its legacy alone to achieve continued success.“It’s a rut no carrier can afford to fall into,” he says. “When the world around you is changing this fast, last year’s achievements are just that – last year’s. You need to either innovate or be prepared to lose ground.”It was this thinking that helped ‘innovation’ become one of Western National’s key themes in 2009. Over the course of the year, the carrier introduced new agency sweep capabilities, expanded online payment options, added Employment Practices Liability Coverage, and announced several product and system enhancements. The company’s new My Western National online system for policyholders, launched in late October, garnered hundreds of registered users in its first few weeks before Western National even began informing policyholders about the service.It was also a big year for the company’s communication efforts, including the launch of a newly designed website and success with the company’s efforts on social media sites. Henderson says Western National’s stronger web presence has helped it connect with agents and policyholders in the growing online community.

“For us to be known as ‘The Relationship Company’ says a lot about the emphasis we put on good communication,” he said. “Staying on top of new communication channels like Facebook and Twitter is a big part of that. We may not all be spring chickens here, but luckily you don’t have to be in your twenties to use these communication tools.”So, what does the company have in store for 2010?According to Henderson, Western National plans to strengthen its focus on some of the company’s more recent initiatives – for example, online billing services, social media, and the group’s college scholarship program for agents’ sons and daughters – while at the same time pursuing a few newer routes. One of those will be the growth of Titan Property & Casualty Insurance Company, which is set to expand the company’s presence into Illinois and to provide Western National with the insight it needs to launch a group-wide BOP product. Other focuses will include enhancements to the company’s products, policy mailing processes, and website, to name a few.Internally, Western National is pursuing innovation with the help of tools like its internal collaboration site, nicknamed IdeaXpress. Questions on topics such as process improvements and brand names are posed to employees, who can then respond and build on each other’s ideas. The resulting discussions act as the basis for future Western National projects.While Henderson believes the company’s innovations have it set up well for success in 2010, he credits Western National’s agency partners with making their implementation possible.“When our agency partners are talking, we’re listening,” he says, “and when we’re putting their suggestions into practice, they’re responding. It’s exactly the kind of teamwork you need to succeed in this market, and which you can only get through solid relationships with independent agency partners like ours.”

Some good thingsmake other good things

even better.

It’s what our independent agency partners do every day with the quality insurance programs from Western National. Together, we meet our customers’ unique insurance needs by providing a mix of coverage, expertise, and relationship-based service that no other team can bring to the table.

Western National is proud to be a Trusted Choice® company partner

MIIAB

Diamond Partner

10 The Minnesota News • January 2010

Young Insurance Professionals

WANTED….Are you interested in learning more about the Association?

Would you like to become involved in helping to build our industry?

Do you enjoy meeting and working as a team on projects?

We are looking for your insurance professionals who would like to participate on the YIP committee. The committee meets on the 2nd

Tuesday of the month. You can meet at the Association office or you can teleconference in to the meeting.

Please contact

Chad Bjugan 612-861-8300 or [email protected]

News

YOUNG INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS

OF MINNESOTA

MISSION STATEMENTTo assist all young insurance professionals in their career, growth and

leadership development by:

Promoting and representing their common business interests

Improving their communication skills

Augmenting their technical knowledge

Refining their marketing and sales abilities

Affording opportunities to foster their professional interpersonal relationships.

Support the perpetuation of the American Agency System and the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers by fostering their professional development.

Attract, develop and retain new and young insurance professionals

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

ChairpersonChad Bjugan

Richfield State InsuranceVice Chairperson

Jeffrey KarllTrissel, Graham, Toole, Inc.

SecretaryPaul Daugs

Newman Long Term CareTreasurer

Mark LancasterC.O. Brown Agency, Inc.

Immediate Past ChairpersonNoel Zinda, CISR

First National Insurance AgencyMember

John Badgley, CICKey, Johnson McCann, LLC

MemberAshley Euper, AIS, AAI

Swett & CrawfordMember

Rebecca Haley, CISRReliable Agency, Inc.

MemberTravis Hansen, CIC

Reliable Agency, Inc.Member

Jennifer Larsen, CICErickson-Larsen, Inc.

Company RepresentativeAdam Pettit

The Vermillion Insurance AgencyEvents & Networking

Travis Hall, CPCUWest Bend Mutual Insurance Co.

Fundraising/SponsorshipsSara Dougherty

General Casualty CompaniesLegislative/InsurPac

Peter BolzLee F. Murphy, Inc.

MembershipJacob Omann

Arther J. GallagerhRisk Mgmt Serv, Inc.Regional & National Young Agents

Tanner BalfanyAssociated Insurance Agents, Inc.


12 The Minnesota News • January 2010www.encompassinsurance.com

Encompass has been around for a while, but it has a new look and a new commitment: to be the top choice for independent agents. By giving you a simple approach to selling total protection.

Unique product. The Encompass Universal Security Policy—one policy for both home and auto—helps simplify your customers’ lives. And the depth and breadth of its coverage helps protect them better.

Superior claims service. A 94% overall customer satisfaction rating* means your Encompass customers are more likely to refer their friends and family to you.

Strong sales support. Competitive compensation, profit sharing and a nationwide network of sales and education teams give you simple ways to help your agency grow.

Financial stability. Encompass is one of the largest personal insurance brands sold exclusively through independent agents. Superior claims-paying ability and excellent A.M. Best ratings make Encompass a company you can trust.

Protect your customers with the simple solution: Encompass.

Come grow with us! Along with our new look, Encompass has new offerings coming soon. To find out more, please contact us at encompassinsurance.com

*2008 Encompass customer satisfaction survey. Insurance subject to terms, conditions and availability.

MIIAB

Diamond Partner

January 2010 • The Minnesota News 1�

Capital NotesCapitolNotes

The LegisLaTive and PoLiTicaL newsLeTTer of TheMn indePendenT insurance agenTs & Brokers assocaTion

By Domonic [email protected]

The House has just passed its version of federal financial services regulation by a less then overwhelming 223 to 202 vote. Our national association and other producer groups have been working with Congress to assure the maintenance of state insurance regulation and to protect insurers and agents from unnecessary

regulations. For the most part, these efforts were successful. Property-casualty producers will have nothing to fear. However, there are some regulatory reforms that might affect those selling annuities and life insurance. Here are some of the key features of the House financial services reform bill.The bill establishes a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency to oversee financial products such as credit cards and mortgages. The majority of the regulatory reform and oversight in the bill would apply to banking products. Nearly all insurance is excluded from regulation. The only insurance products that will fall under the CFPA will be insurance that is tied to mortgages such as credit, title or mortgage insurance. An office of federal insurance will be established that will collect insurance information and advise the federal executive and legislative branches of government on insurance matters. Producer groups supported the creation of the Federal Insurance Office within the Department of the Treasury. They did so since there is no central body of expertise at the federal level to assess how insurance proposals, such as taxing the inside buildup of life insurance, will affect the economy, consumers and the insurance industry. The bill targets misleading sales of financial products to seniors while maintaining state regulation of products and practices. It will provide federal grant money to states to develop programs to crack down on misleading senior sales. There are incentives for states to adopt model

laws developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners such as the Annuity Suitability Model Act and legislation restricting the use of senior specific designations. Minnesota enacted limits on the use of senior specific designations by producers as part of the model producer licensing law passed earlier this year.There are still a couple of provisions that may turn out to be problematic for insurance producers who advise clients on financial services and products. The bill will establish a “fiduciary standard of care” for investment advisers. This is a higher standard than provided under current law. However, the House bill limits the new standard to “when investment advisers provide guidance related to securities”. The bill also would allow the Securities and Exchange Commission to develop rules on the fiduciary standard and to restrict insurance producer compensation schemes that are deemed contrary to public interest. How this new standard will affect insurance and financial advisers and the possibility of SEC oversight will be very much analyzed if and when this provision was to pass.Senator Christopher Dodd, the Chair of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, has released his version of financial regulatory reform which will have to pass the Senate and then be merged with the House proposal. However, this will not likely occur until the Senate addresses the federal health care reform initiative.

fINaNcIal servIces reforM BIll passes House

1� The Minnesota News • January 2010www.progressiveagent.com

PROGRESSIVE AD

©2009 Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, Mayfield Village, OH. 09A00206 (03/09)

Thank you to all our Independent Agents. Together, we make Progressive great.Not a Progressive agent? Go to progressiveagent.com and click on the “About Us” tab for details about how to become a valued Progressive agent.

Progressive is a proud supporter of the MIIAB and Trusted Choice campaign.

09A00206_MN_Big.I_7.5x10.v3.indd 1 3/27/09 9:51:20 AM

MIIAB

Diamond Partner


Everywhere you go, everyone is talking about social networking. What is going on, and what can it do for your agency?Social networking saves you money. As agents, we have a reputation for being rather frugal. Most of the tools available for social networking are FREE. All you have to do is invest a little of your time or enlist the help of an enthusiastic agency co-worker! With social networking, agents can reduce the cost of using print advertising: newspaper ads, phone book ads, and no more painting on a roadside bench! The market reach is phenomenal. Think about how many people read a newspaper in your home town – in my town it is around 10,000. Then check how many people in your area use Facebook – in my area it is 67,000!!Social networking is merely an extension of how agents have conducted business in the past. The successful agent of yesterday invested in a storefront and used community networks to develop referrals and prospects. Printed advertising abounded in newspapers, magazines, and phone books. Business cards were used as a calling card and a convenient way to remind prospects how to contact you on the office phone. Agents used print media to emphasize their expertise and encourage clients to visit them in the office.Wow, how times have changed! Today’s consumers want convenience and everything at their fingertips! Successful agents are reaping the benefits of having an integrated website which presents an outward

face to the online consumer. This extends the brick-and-mortar storefront and reaches out into the Internet marketplace. Using online profile pages like Facebook (www.facebook.com ), Google (www.google.com.profiles ), and MerchantCircle (www.merchantcircle.com ) helps drive consumers to your agency website for a broader reach at any time of the day or week. Agents are able to provide more convenience to their clients and prospects by using customer portals, email, text messaging, and mobile phones. The concept of networking may have shifted from being exclusively face-to-face to one of cyber-connections, but networking is something that all agents are very comfortable with, because agents are good at building relationships. Social networking allows you to connect with more contacts than would be humanly possible to meet in person. Plus, the connections increase exponentially with the ease of online referrals from one of your connections to all of their connections. And, frankly, many modern consumers distrust print media when they are researching products. They prefer to obtain the opinion of a trusted peer group or from their own connections/friends. With social networking, agents have more opportunity to showcase themselves as a Trusted Choice and consumer advocate.Don’t let the desire to measure ROI stop you from getting started! There are many ways to measure the success of embracing social media. Using a free

ACT UPDATE:Tools for the Successful Agent of TomorrowBy Angelyn Treutel

1� The Minnesota News • January 2010

1900 South 18th Avenue West Bend, WI 53095

(262) 334-5571thesilverlining.com

W H AT I S T H E

S I LV E R L I N I N G ®

W O RT H TO YO U ?

There are many reasons why West Bend is the company of choice for independent insurance agencies throughout the Midwest.

We offer distinct franchise value to our agents through superior agency relationships, ease of doing business, overall compensation, strong financial performance, stability, commitment to outstanding service, product knowledge, and education/training.

So while in today’s market it might seem like selling low-cost policies would be easy, there’s a tremendous value in selling a West Bend policy. It will deliver when you – and your customers – need it to.

Because the worst brings out our best.®That’s the Silver Lining.®

www.thesilverlining.com

MIIAB

Diamond Partner


tool like Google-Analytics (www.google.com/analytics ) allows you to measure easily the impact of your website and your online advertising campaigns. The tool tracks site usage, which pages are viewed, how much time viewers spend on each page,

which search engines or other sites were used to find your agency, which keywords were used to locate your site, and more. Tools like Website Grader (www.websitegrader.com ) are available to evaluate objectively the effectiveness of your site and provide you with constructive ways to make it better. Relevant and fresh content on your agency website is critical, and the more partner sites that link to your agency site, the better. Sign up for local search on Google (www.google.com/local/add) and yahoo (http://edit2.ls.sp2.yahoo.com/csubmit/ ). Have your site listed by local partners and organizations like your local Chamber or church or business club. Keep your website interesting for your clients and prospects. Consider using RSS feeds (automatic feeds of fresh news and content from another website) and add a blog on interesting consumer and community topics.To leverage the time commitment required to maintain your social networking presence, you may want to consider a rotation schedule to tie all of your efforts together. On some frequency, update Facebook to share tips, use LinkedIn to keep up with reading, topics, trips and professional networking, and use Twitter to communicate pertinent updates. Use email for sending out newsletters, and offer chat/text messaging capability. Each week, update your blog to add interesting stories and consumer tips. At least monthly, update your website to include news and events, and be sure to link

to all of your social network sites to your website to complete the cycle. Social networking and marketing put more tools in your toolbox and give you a broader market reach for very little expense. Use your website to supplement your physical office. Analyze your website traffic and make upgrades to improve your close ratio. Use social networking as your virtual business card to expand your community outreach, enhance your networking presence, get more prospects and turn them into clients!What do you mean you haven’t started using social networking to make your agency better? You need to jump right in! Ready … Set …. GO !!!!!!!!Editor’s Note: Angelyn participated with other industry leaders in an excellent panel on Internet Marketing at the ACT Special Event held in September, 2009. A podcast of this panel, as well as a second one on enhancing agency productivity, is available at www.independentagent.com/act.

Angelyn Treutel is Treasurer, Vice President, and Chief Information Officer of Treutel Insurance Agency, as well as Chair of the Agents Council for Technology (ACT). Angelyn can be reached at [email protected]. ACT is part of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America and its Web site can be found at www.independentagent.com/act. For more information about ACT, contact Jeff Yates, ACT Executive Director at [email protected]. This article reflects the views of the author and should not be construed as an official statement by ACT.


Some good thingsmake other good things

even better.

It’s what our independent agency partners do every day with the quality insurance programs from Western National. Together, we meet our customers’ unique insurance needs by providing a mix of coverage, expertise, and relationship-based service that no other team can bring to the table.

Western National is proud to be a Trusted Choice® company partner

www.wnins.com

MIIAB

Diamond Partner


continued on page 41

Technically Speaking…Bernie Neff, CIC, CPCU [email protected]

MecHaNIcal/equIpMeNT BreakdowN coverage(wHaT we used To call BoIler & MacHINery

coverage)I just did the above coverage as part of our Fall Town Meetings. From that and from several calls and emails, it seems there are a lot of questions out there about this coverage. So, here goes.First of all, not all carriers will write this coverage. Many smaller insurance companies used to write this under their name, but the work and issuance of coverage was being accomplished by the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance Company. Shortly after HSB was purchased by AIG (now CHARTIS), many of these carriers stopped doing so. This coverage is easier to sell as an “add-on” coverage to the Building and Personal Property policy or to a BOP. But it can be written as a separate policy also. By the way, this coverage dates back to the late 1800’s. Next, these Equipment Breakdown policies or endorsements are designed to cover areas that our “Risks of Direct Physical Loss” (or “Open Perils” or what we used to call “All Risk”) policies will not. When we tell our clients that they have “Open Perils” and also “Replacement Cost” coverage, they may be unpleasantly surprised when certain losses occur and they find they have no coverage. Think of this as plugging some of the holes in our “Open Perils” contracts.Some specific examples of what our “Open Perils” contracts typically exclude:

Artificially generated electrical current, or arcing, is caused by the failure of the insulation around electrical wires. This allows the electricity to shoot sideways into other wires next to it. Such losses can destroy electrical panels and wiring quite a ways back into the building. Since 10% of the value of a typical building is in the electrical system and wiring, you can see how a large loss can happen. Should a fire ensue, that is covered by the building policy. But just the fire damage, not the damage done by the arcing.Mechanical/Electrical Breakdown is caused by the failure of the mechanical or electrical equipment. There is no apparent cause of loss, that is, there is no apparent fire, explosion, implosion, etc. The equipment just stops running. These types of losses are excluded as the “Risks of Direct Physical Loss” require some “manifestation” or some sign of the proximate cause of the loss. What you want is a coverage that is triggered by either “failure” or “malfunction”. Just be careful with this one! Some carriers have taken Breakdown out of their Equipment Breakdown forms and you have to ask for this as an Optional Coverage. It can be provided, if you ask.Explosion of a Steam Boiler (or other pressure vessel). This is where the old Boiler & Machinery coverage began in the late 1880’s. Steam was the power of that day and sometimes the pressure vessels would explode. This is excluded from the

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3819 Zebra MN News Color.indd 1 3/10/09 11:49:34 AM

www.secura.net

MIIAB

Diamond Partner

The Grateful Workplace:Six Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your Organization

By Liz Jazwiec

Whether you’re a leader or an employee, you can benefit from a grateful workplace. (For one thing, it’s good for business. For another, it just feels better!) Author Liz Jazwiec explains how anyone at any level can infuse gratitude into their organizational culture. Does your organization encourage a culture of gratitude? Not in an obligatory (and fear-tinged), “In this economy you’d better be grateful just to have a job, buddy!” way, but in a, “Gee, I really appreciate my coworkers and the feeling is mutual!” way? Chances are the answer is no. According to a recent Gallup poll, 65 percent of people say they don’t feel appreciated at work. And that feeling quickly leads to pervasive negativity, low morale, and (worst of all) decreased productivity. Liz Jazwiec says it doesn’t have to be this way. Companies can deliberately infuse their cultures, from top to bottom, with the proverbial “attitude of gratitude.” In fact, those who don’t put gratitude on a pedestal, especially in today’s high-stress work environments, are shooting themselves in the foot. “Too many people leave work every day thinking, My boss doesn’t appreciate me,” says Jazwiec, author of Eat That Cookie!: Make Workplace Positivity Pay Off…For Individuals, Teams and Organizations (Fire Starter Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-9840794-4-5, $28.00). “When you feel that your boss doesn’t fully value your work, you start to care a little less. You don’t provide the kind of service you would if you felt appreciated. You don’t make an effort to help your coworkers.

“And when the majority of the people in a workplace feel this way, the overall environment is hugely impacted,” she adds. “Productivity decreases, turnover increases, and it can become very difficult to stay afloat, especially in a tough economy.” Jazwiec stresses that workplace gratitude isn’t something that is passed only from the boss to the employee. To have a real impact on workplace positivity, employees should show it to one another and to their bosses. And leaders and employees should show it to their customers.“It’s obvious when you are in a workplace where people value gratitude and graciousness,” says Jazwiec. “There is a really great vibe in those places. And when gratitude and graciousness are missing, it is equally evident. People in those environments seem to have a sense of entitlement. Coworkers who come into contact with them might say, ‘There is just no pleasing those people!’ Customers might say, ‘They just don’t care about me!’ Neither reaction is good for business.”The great thing about infusing gratitude into the workplace is that it can come from anyone, regardless of position.“If you are a leader, you can infuse gratitude from the top down, perhaps by making it a required standard of behavior for employees,” says Jazwiec. “And if you are an employee, you can start your own grassroots gratitude movement by expressing gratitude yourself and encouraging your coworkers to do so as well. Everyone—and I mean everyone—can show gratitude in a workplace and influence others to do so.”



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If you want to make this the season of gratitude at your organization, read on for a few of Jazwiec’s tips on how to hardwire workplace gratitude from the ground up. Say thanks. When someone does something kind for you, whether it’s your boss, your coworker, or a stranger, recognize it! A simple “thanks” will do. “You can’t expect people to appreciate you if you don’t receive their kindnesses and compliments with thankfulness,” says Jazwiec. “Sure, you might be skeptical if your boss goes to a leadership conference, and upon his return starts handing out compliments left and right. But just stop and think. Are those compliments making people happy? When you are recognized, does it give you even just the tiniest little twinge of happiness? “If so, then you’d better meet the gratitude your boss is showing with a little gratitude in return,” continues Jazwiec. “Otherwise he will start thinking that his recognition doesn’t really mean anything to anyone, and his exercise in gratitude will be short-lived. And leaders, give your employees a chance to jump on the gratitude bandwagon. It may take a couple of compliments from you before they realize what this new positivity movement is all about. You may get a few skeptical looks after the first few compliments, but eventually they will warm up to the idea and be thankful—there’s that word again—that you are making the effort.” Adopt an “it’s the thought that counts” attitude. Consider this scenario: A new VP at a hospital wants to do something special for her hardworking, overworked staff. It’s decided that pizza will be provided for the entire hospital staff, rolling out over a Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to ensure that every person on every shift can take a pizza break. The pizza plan goes into effect and the VP, who arranged everything, walks around the departments, expecting to be welcomed with open arms by an appreciative staff. Instead she finds that many of the teams taking care of patients are upset because they can’t leave their patients to go down to the cafeteria where the pizzas are located. Meanwhile (they complain), the business office and IT staffs are able to go to the cafeteria as they please. “In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I was that VP,” says Jazwiec. “And I was devastated. I had tried so hard to get it right. Now, I did learn from that experience. I knew that the next time I should have the pizzas delivered directly to the units. But had I been someone with a different personality, I might have just decided never to order pizzas, or do anything else special ever again. My point is that sometimes you have to take into account the intentions of your

boss or your coworkers. If it is clear that they meant for something to be a way of thanking you or helping you, don’t complain about how they missed the mark. Thank them for thinking of you and move on!”Communicate openly and honestly. If it’s gratitude you need, tell someone! Often your leaders or coworkers can be so tied up in their own tasks that they forget about those working around them. The natural reaction when this happens is to either hold in your negative feelings or complain to another coworker. But a more proactive stance might be to opt for open and honest communication. “Now, I am not suggesting you go around asking people to thank you for what you are doing,” says Jazwiec. “That would be pretty obnoxious. But what you might do is ask your boss or coworkers if you are giving them everything they need from you. And you might also start showing them some appreciation. Gratitude is a two-way street. If you start making other people feel appreciated, nine times out of ten they will not be able to hold in their appreciation for you. You don’t have to wait for one of your leaders from on high to implement a gratitude initiative. It will be just as effective if it starts with you!“And leaders, if you feel your lack of gratitude is justified because your staff isn’t living up to their potential, communicate what’s missing,” adds Jazwiec. “If this is the case, it’s likely that you are all stuck in a negativity cycle. You are unhappy with them. They sense that and become unhappy with you. Their unhappiness leads them to give less than 100 percent on the job…and you become even less happy with them. Get the picture?! If you aren’t getting what you need from them, let them know. And when they start delivering, thank them for their efforts.”Be prepared for some kind words. If you are unaccustomed to getting compliments, it may take some time for you to feel comfortable receiving them. Just practice and be prepared for some kind words! “When I first started speaking, I had no idea what to say to people when they told me they liked my presentation,” says Jazwiec. “I had to rehearse being gracious and grateful. Can you imagine if someone came up to me and said, ‘I just loved your speech!’ and I responded with, ‘Whatever’? Yikes and double yikes! It seems so funny we should have to practice saying ‘thank you,’ but many of us just don’t know how to process gratitude. So start practicing! “Leaders, this is an important practice for you,” says Jazwiec. “It isn’t easy for many employees to approach


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their bosses—even when it is with a compliment—so make sure you give them the attention they deserve. Truly listen to them. Take a second, no matter what you are doing, to engage with them. And afterwards shoot them a quick email or send them a note thanking them for their kind words.” Thank those you serve. Once you have mastered the gratitude thing with your bosses and your coworkers, you need to move on to the people you serve. “When I first told my staff that we ought to be thanking our patients, one of them replied, ‘What are we supposed to say? Thank you for breaking your leg?’” relates Jazwiec. “Obviously not! I suggested they say, ‘Thank you for putting your trust in us today.’ Regardless of your line of work, there is no better time to start showing your customers you appreciate them than in a slow economy. “You can do it with a simple, ‘Thank you for giving us your business.’ Or you can thank them by providing other special incentives or coupons. It doesn’t really matter how you do it, just make sure they know you are grateful that they are choosing to do business with you over your competition.” Know that gratitude encourages repeat performances. Leaders, remember the behavior you recognize will be repeated. If you think an employee handled a disgruntled customer well or showed great proficiency in managing a group project, let her know about it and she’ll work hard to do the same, or even better, next time. And employees, if you acknowledge your boss’s efforts to show gratitude, she will keep doing it. Thank her for going to bat for you and your coworkers over a new piece of equipment you need or a pay raise dispute, and she’ll be more likely to do it again in the future.“I think it’s important to recognize the fact that no one has any obligation to show gratitude to anyone else,” says Jazwiec. “You don’t have to thank your boss, your boss doesn’t have to thank you, and neither of you have to thank your customers. But what I think you will all quickly find is that if you do take the time to say ‘thanks’ your whole organization will improve. You’ll like each other more. You’ll want to go the extra mile for one another. And your customers will be happier.”“I know from experience that the best places to work are places where teams are grateful for what is given to them and aren’t afraid to express sincere appreciation whenever it is merited,” says Jazwiec. “The best places to work are those where individuals, regardless of their position, accept compliments and praise with grace and don’t second-guess the intention.

“Even in these tough times, most of us have a lot to be grateful for every day,” she adds. “It’s important to recognize that. When you seek to expand both team and individual gratitude and graciousness, your work environment will be even healthier. You will see negativity slip away, and I can almost guarantee it: You’ll see your efforts reflected in the bottom line.”About the Author:Liz Jazwiec is a nationally renowned speaker, strategist, and consultant who has shared her passion for leadership, engagement, and service with audiences across the country.About the Book:Eat That Cookie!: Make Workplace Positivity Pay Off…For Individuals, Teams and Organizations (Fire Starter Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-9840794-4-5, $28.00) is available at bookstores nationwide and all major online booksellers.For more information, please visit www.studergroup.com/EatThatCookie.


While most business professionals know that follow up is important, the fact is that very few are masterful at the art of it. Sure, they may leave one or two voicemails for people or send a couple of e-mails, but those attempts are only scratching the surface of what follow up is really all about. In truth, following up with a prospect or customer is about attending to the details of business. It’s doing what you say you will do and honoring your word. It is committing to what you know you can commit to and then doing it. Following up is calling your prospect or client not to nag them or harass them, but to remind them of the wonderful, valuable product or service you know will enhance their business or life.Here’s another way to look at it: Follow up is acknowledgment. Most people want to feel acknowledged for who they are and for what they do. Smart business people know that acknowledging people softens their heart. Therefore, when you say you’re going to call back in one week and you do, your client feels acknowledged. You did what you said you would do … and that kind of integrity is rare in today’s world. After all, if you’re not acknowledging your prospects and clients, why should they form a relationship with you? If you don’t follow up with people, they think you don’t care if you get the business or not. Not only are you offending the other person, but you’re also sabotaging your success and your company’s bottom line. So if you’re ready to take your follow up skills (and your success) to the next level, then practice these strategies:

when following up, don’t give an exact timeframe.

Many people fall into the trap of being too specific with their follow-up promises. For example, they may say, “I’ll call you back in 30 minutes.” However, they tell everyone the same timeframe no matter what the situation or request. As a result, they rarely honor their 30-minute promise. Rather than give a specific time, a better approach is to say something like, “I’ll get back to you when my project is complete in the next day or so,” or use some other vague timeframe that is reasonable. That way you’re not being held to a strict timeline. Additionally, if you know you intend to get back to them in an hour, tell them you will get back by the end of the day. Something might come up in that hour that derails your attention and your best intentions. If you see those minutes rolling away and are supposed to get back to a person but know you can’t, then phone them and tell them you are detained. You could say, “I know I was supposed to have an answer for you by 5 p.m. today and it’s now 4:45, but it looks as though I’m going to need more time to resolve this situation. I will call you back with more information by tomorrow afternoon.” It’s better to make the call than pretend it will all go away. Acknowledging the problem lets the other person see that you can be relied on.

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Boost Your Income Now! Never Give Up … FOLLOW UP!By Judy Garmaise


Be f.u.l.l. of yourself – follow up light and lively

When you are talking with someone or leaving a voicemail, put a smile in your voice. If you aren’t feeling happy at that particular time, then listen to some upbeat music, read a few funny jokes or stories online, or pick up a humorous book. You absolutely must be positive when doing follow up.One thing you must never do is get on the phone when you’re angry or depressed. No one wants to take on negative energy, and no one will return a voicemail that has a negative tone in it. Your voicemail or message must be light and lively. It must have happy energy. It must be enthusiastic. And it must be awaiting the person’s response with glee. No one wants to speak to Mr./Ms. Grumpy. If you’ve left a few voicemails and you still haven’t heard back from your prospect or client, then you may have reason to be irritated; however, you must never let the other person know that. You must leave a fourth and fifth voicemail with as much enthusiasm and excitement as you had when you left the first voicemail. Realize, too, that leaving a “guilt” message will never get the customer to call you back. Guilt messages sound like this: “Mr. Smith, I have already left you five messages. Why are you not returning my calls? If you do not return my call in the next 48 hours I will have no choice but to not do business with you again. Please call me immediately. I need your answer.”The result of this message will most likely result in you never hearing from Mr. Smith again. You may have released your own frustration at the cost of a very possible future sale. If you are courteous and guilt-free on your sixth voicemail you leave all doors open for Mr. Smith to be able to return the call to you. It is also possible that your courtesy and enthusiasm may prompt him to not only give you his business, but also because of your wonderful and uplifting persistence you could get all his referral business as well. Therefore, always stay positive and put a smile in your style.

follow up for the fun of it.Follow up is not about nagging; it is about reminding. Unfortunately, when it comes to follow up, most people think of the telemarketers who call during dinner, and no one wants to be like them. But that is not following up. When done artfully and elegantly, and in the

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right way, follow up is actually a masterful work of reminding. Also realize that not every follow up has to be about “are you ready to buy from me right now?” Sometimes you just do it because it’s the right thing to do. As an added benefit, when you follow up without an immediate sales goal in mind, you see how it can be. For example, suppose your phone rang and in the caller ID you see the name of your bank displayed. Possibly alarmed there is a problem, you answer the phone. The person on the other end says, “Is this Jane Doe? This is John Smith, your personal banker. I just wanted to call and tell you to have a great day.”Or suppose a product you bought from a salesperson has arrived in the mail. It is now in your home and functioning properly. Two or three days later you get a follow up call from the salesperson asking how the product is working for you. This kind of call will probably result in more purchases from that salesperson.In both of these examples, the act of follow up is to check in with someone, not to say, “Please buy from me today.” When you do a few follow ups like these, calling to ask for the sale later is much easier … and the prospect is much more inclined to say yes and refer others to you.

Become a Master follow upperWhen you implement these suggestions into your follow up efforts, you see how fun and rewarding follow up can actually be. Your prospects and customers will appreciate your efforts to keep them informed, and your company will be grateful for your persistence and diligence to one of the most basic business tasks. In the end, by mastering this fine art, you’ll close more business and enjoy greater success in all areas of your life.

ABOUT THE AUTHORJudy Garmaise, CSW, is a corporate trainer, sales expert and professional speaker with a master’s degree from Columbia University. With more than 25 years of experience in sales, management and customer service, Judy provides training on Follow Up - her proven system of increasing profitability and success, while maintaining integrity and trust. She is also working on the forthcoming book, “The Power of Follow Up” To hire her for your next training or keynote, e-mail: [email protected] or call: 561-445-9955.

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I used to think EMC was ju st for niche commercial programs. Then again, I used to think babies came from storks.

Minneapolis Branch: 800.362.4670 | Home Office: Des Moines, IA www.emcinsurance.com

© Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2009 All rights reserved

MAKE EMC YOUR CHOICE FOR MAIN STREET BUSINESSWhen you think main street business, start thinking about the EMC Choice® BusinessownersProgram. Small and midsize businesses will enjoy the flexible coverage options designed to meet their specific insurance needs, the added value of free loss control services, plus the responsive service from an EMC branch office nearby. So if you still think EMC is just for niche programs, think again. Count on EMC ® for your main street commercial lines marketing, too. For more details, contact your local EMC branch office.

3431_MN News_Stork_C_7.5x10clr.indd 1 3/11/09 4:55 PMwww.emcinsurance.com

MIIAB

Diamond Partner

When communicating with customers, you want to make the best possible impression. While your message is important, how you say it is just as important. A poorly written e-mail or letter to a customer – or would-be customer – sends the wrong message. To make sure your written communications present a positive image, keep in mind these 10 grammar “musts”:

Use apostrophes appropriately: It’s not necessary to add an apostrophe to a word to make it plural. Apostrophes are used to show possession as well as in contractions.Use affect and effect correctly: This is a common mistake, but one that is easily corrected. Affect means to influence while effect is a result. Most often, if it’s being used as a verb, it is affect, not effect. Subject-verb agreement: If you have one subject, make sure the verb reflects that. Not sure? Try reading the sentence aloud. If it sounds funny, you likely need to change the verb.It’s vs. its: This is one that catches writers everywhere. It’s is a contraction and should be used instead of “it is.” Its is the possessive of it.Whose vs. who’s: This is another possessive that causes trouble for writers. Whose is belonging to whom while who’s is the contraction for “who is.”Write complete sentences, not fragments. Fragments are sentences that don’t express a clear thought and usually lacks a subject or a verb. Is your sentence a fragment? Read it aloud. If it sounds like a word is missing, you likely have a fragment and will need to complete the thought and sentence.There, their and they’re: These are commonly mixed up. There is the location; their means it belongs to; and they’re is a contraction for they are.Comma usage: This little piece of punctuation causes a lot of trouble for writers. Wondering if a

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comma is called for? Keep these tips in mind: Use commas when you’re joining independent clauses using words such as and, or and but; at the end of introductory clause; to separate three or more words or phrases in a series; between two adjectives; and in the middle of a sentence to set off a clause that’s not essential to the rest of the sentence.Capitalization: The only words that should be capitalized are the first words in a sentence and proper nouns such as specific people and places. If you capitalize needlessly, readers will take you less seriously, which is something you don’t want to do in your business communications.This one isn’t directly related to grammar, but is probably the most important – use spell check! Nothing says you don’t care like a letter or e-mail filled with spelling errors. It’s also unprofessional. So before hitting print or clicking send, remember to run spell check first. It could mean the difference between gaining some additional business or having your letter wind up in the trash.

Another important tip to keep in mind: Carefully review whatever you are planning to send to a customer or client. You’ll be able to catch incomplete sentences and missing words before it’s too late. Although the ways people communicate are rapidly changing (and getting faster), it is still essential to have well-written letters and e-mails. What you say and how you say it may make the difference between landing additional business and missing out on opportunities.

Cathy Schweiso is the communications coordinator for Integrity Insurance’s Sales & Marketing Department. She has been with Integrity for 28 years.

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Using the Right Words Will Improve Your WritingBy Cathy Schwieso, Integrity Insurance


�0 The Minnesota News • January 2010

"My team helps business clients improve their safety programs, which directly improvestheir bottom line. They really appreciate the professional services we offer."

Discover the Integrity difference, contact Cathy Beaudin at 800-348-1741 ext. 8326.

Steve PautzLoss Control Manager

www.integrityinsurance.com

January 2010 • The Minnesota News �1

2010 MIIAB/trusted Choice Convention

2010 MIIAB/Trusted Choice Annual Convention

andExhibit Hall

April 21-22, 2010Radisson Hotel & Conference Center

Plymouth, MN

Doing Business in a Crazy World!

MN Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association7500 Flying Cloud Dr

Suite 900Eden Prairie, MN 55344

P: 952-835-4180 F: 952-835-4774www.miia.org

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“Top Ten Coverage Countdown”Chris Amrhein, AAI, Amrhein & AssociatesJust when you thought it was safe to go back to the seminar! We’ll be “countin’ em down” with the IIABA’s Virtual University Top 10 Coverage Issues! Join VU wonk Rock and Rolling Chris Amrhein, AAI, for the musical insurance event of the year. Jazzy scenarios, spiritual coverages and downright honky tonk tales of the insurance world, recorded LIVE before your eyes and ears.

Convention Highlights

The Exhibit Hall • 3pm – 7pmSee over 80 exhibitors displaying the latest products and technologies of interest to

independent agencies and agents. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres provided.

Opening Luncheon / Awards • 11am -1pmKeynote Speaker: Ken Ohl, CIC Incoming MIIAB President

Afternoon Sessions • 1pm - 3pm2 Non-Company Sponsored CE Credits Pending

ROCK ‘N ROLL / SING-A-LONG / DUELING PIANOS • 7:30pm - 9:30pmSponsored by the Young Insurance Professionals

Dueling Pianos are two piano players/singers performing at two, face to face grand pianos performing the classic rock ‘n roll hits from the 1950s to the present. It’s request driven by the

audience and it’s the great music hits of all time combined with great showmanship, energy and comedy. WE SELL ONE THING . . . . FUN!

Wednesday April 21, 2010

“Risk Management in the Workplace” Lori Berdahl and Stan Kulzer, Risk Administration Services, Inc.The 76 million American babies born from 1946 to 1960 are known as the baby boomers. This generation represents the largest population over the age of 50 in our history and has changed our view of “how one ages”. More active in every regard and continuing to work longer than previous generations, this group is prone to fewer workplace injuries but has greater severity and lost time when injuries occur. This presentation will focus on the 3 most common work place injuries among baby boomers, work and age related risk factors, and what employers can do to help their aging work force be productive longer by reducing the most common trio of injuries.Learn how to promote positive injury outcomes through stay-at-work (SAW) and early return-to-work (RTW) that impact your Workers’ Compensation’s profitability. The response of the employer and medical community following an employee injury can promote recovery, function, and well-being or can lead to needless disability and disruption of social and economic lifestyle. This session will review the medical, physical and psychosocial benefits of having an employee return to work early or stay at work following a workplace injury. The session will go on to review the financial implications of time off for both employee and employer. Various medical groups positions statements including the Medical Disability Advisor, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine will be discussed. Finally, employer strategies for implementing a solid stay-at-work/early return-to-work program will be discussed.

“Social Networking” Matt Lehman, Progressive InsuranceDid you know that more than 235 million unique visitors visited Twitter, Facebook, or Youtube in October, 2009? They did. Social Networking is the largest growth area on the Internet, and we’ll help you:

Understand exactly what social networking is and how it is evolving over timeLearn best practices across multiple industries for servicing and acquiring customersWhat are the coming trends in social networks

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Pick

OnlyOne!

January 2010 • The Minnesota News ��

“Street Level Ethics” Chris Amrhein, AAI, Amrhein & AssociatesIt often appears that the majority of what passes for “ethics training” is having little or no effect on individual or corporate behaviors. Case in point: Enron, which has become the poster child for lack of ethical behavior, had an extensive ethics program in place, evidently to little effect. Perhaps this is due to the fact that majority of ethics courses fall into two basic camps: those that are primarily morality essays, and those that are basically an academic exercise. Both have key flaws. “Street Level Ethics” takes a different approach. The main objective is to lead the workshop participants to start “wading into the pool” of what constitutes an ethical dilemma. Realistic case studies are included for analysis. The course objectives are for each participant to confront the complexity of the issues, recognize the possibilities of multiple solutions, and then begin formulating a personal approach to choosing a valid ethical solution when confronted by such situations in their own daily activities.

E&O Seminar • 9am – 3:30pm“Best Practices of Errors and Omissions – 2010” Lisa Burnside, CIC, CPCU, Burnside Dynamics, Forest Lake, MNThis course will encourage the attendee to become familiar with specific policies, procedures, and practices from E&O carriers, agency management consultants, state executives and education directors, and agency owners and principals. In addition, by the end of this course, the student will be able to focus on the positive side of agency management and emphasize that providing outstanding customer service will benefit the agency in a number of ways, including increasing revenue and decreasing E&O claims, and to learn that good E&O loss control makes good business sense (Box Lunch Provided).(6 Non-Company Sponsored CE Credits Approved)

Afternoon Session • 12:30pm - 3:30pm 3 Non-Company Sponsored CE Credits Pending

“Agency Valuation” Al Diamond, Agency Consulting Group Have you ever thought of buying an agency? Do you own an agency and wonder sometimes how much it is worth? Are you counting on the proceeds to fund your retirement or to pass on to your heirs? Many people think that the value of an agency is 1.5 times commission, but that isn’t really true. Come and learn exactly how to determine the value of your own agency or of any agency you would like to buy or possibly merge with. Al Diamond, will explain the ins and outs of valuing agencies in simple and distinct terms. With over 30 years of experience, he will give you tips on how to maximize the value of your agency and what key information must be known in order to determine the appropriate value of an agency you might want to buy (Box Lunch Provided).

Thursday April 22, 2010

Annual Busines Meeting Breakfast • 7:30am - 9am State & National Issues Facing Independent Agents

Keynote Speakers: J. David Daniel, 2010 IIABA Chairman, Shawn Wensel, CIC Outgoing MIIAB President and Dominic Sposeto, MIIAB Lobbyist

Morning Sessions • 9am - Noon3 Non-Company Sponsored CE Credits Pending

Pick

OnlyOne!

“Incentive Compensation” Al Diamond, Agency Consulting GroupIf you are an agency owner or manager, have you ever thought about changing how you compensate your employees? Are you still giving monetary increases based on how long someone has been with your organization, instead of their enhanced productivity? Are salaries growing at a faster pace than agency revenue? That can happen easily in a soft market. What if you could learn how to start rewarding your employees for achieving agency goals? Everyone works hard and most employees want to do a good job, but the most productive employees deserve the greatest compensation. Al Diamond, member of the Independent Insurance Agents and Broker’s Virtual University, will teach you how to transition your agency and your employees into 21st Century compensation practices. Leaving the old “Merit” rating practices and cost of living adjustments behind and adopting new payroll reward programs will positively affect your bottom line!

“Strategies to Enhance Agency Productivity“ Angelyn Treutel, CPA, Treutel Insurance Agency, Inc.Living in today’s fast-paced world may leave you feeling as though you are “drinking from a fire hose”. You may find it difficult to continuously evaluate all of the available technology and how your agency might operate more effectively. This session will take you through agency technology developments from the Past and Present and will help you position your agency to succeed in the Future

�� The Minnesota News • January 2010

MIIAB/Trusted Choice Annual ConventionSchedule at a Glance

Tuesday, April 2011:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Trusted Choice Company Luncheon (closed)

5:30 p.m. –9:00 p.m.Past Presidents/Board of Directors Reception and Dinner (closed)Sponsored by Progressive

Wednesday, April 219:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Opening Luncheon and Awards Presentation Keynote: Ken Ohl, CIC, Incoming MIIAB President

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Afternoon Break Out Sessions (Pick only one)

“Top Ten Coverage Countdown” - Chris Amrhein, AAI, Amrhein & Associates

“Risk Management in the Workplace” - Lori Berdahl and Stan Kulzer, Risk Administration Services, Inc.

“Social Networking” Matt Lehman, Progressive Insurance

3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The Exhibit Hall

7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Rock n’ Roll/Sing-a-Long/Dueling Pianoes/Cash BarSponsored by the Young Insurance Professionals

Thursday, April 227:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Registration

7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Annual Business Meeting BreakfastState & National Issues Facing Independent Agents Keynote: J. David Daniel, 2010 IIABA Chairman; Shawn Wensel, CIC, Outgoing MIIAB President; and Dominic Sposeto, MIIAB Lobbyist

9:00 a.m. – Noon Morning Break out Sessions (Pick only one)

“Street Level Ethics” Chris Amrhein, AAI, Amrhein & Associates

“Incentive Compensation” Al Diamond, Agency Consulting Group

“Strategies to Enhance Agency Productivity“ Angelyn Treutel, CPA, Treutel Insurance Agency, Inc.

9:00 a.m. – Noon & 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.“Best Practices of Errors and Omissions – 2010”Lisa Burnside, CIC, CPCU, MOUS, Burnside Dynamics(must attend all six hours to receive CE credits and Westport E&O 10% loss control credit)6 Non-Company Sponsored CE Credits Approved (Box Lunch Provided)

12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. “Agency Valuation” Al Diamond, Agency Consulting Group (Box Lunch Provided)

NOTE: Must preregister for Best Practices of Error and Omissions or Agency Valuation to receive a complementary box lunch

2010 Power in Partners ProgramAs of 12/18/09

Diamond Partner Burns & Wilcox

EMC Insurance CompaniesEncompass InsuranceProgressive Insurance

SECURA Insurance CompanyWest Bend Mutual Insurance Co.

Western National Insurance

Platinum Partner Austin Mutual Insurance Company

Integrity InsuranceRisk Administrative Services, Inc.

Swiss Re

Gold Partner AAA Insurance

Allied InsuranceGeneral Casualty Companies

Indiana InsuranceMidwest Family Mutual

Northstar Mutual CompaniesThe Hanover Group

Silver Partner FirstComp Insurance

AM Trust North AmericaNewman Long-Term Care

Robert A. Schneider Agency, Inc.S.H. Smith & CompanyState Auto Companies

Travelers Companies.IncWestfield Insurance

Wilson Mutual Insurance CompanyWorkers Compensation Specialists


Please complete one form per participant. Photocopy for your associates. Pre-registration deadline is April 12th, 2010

Name:_____________________________________________________________________________

MN Insurance License #:______________________________Designation(s):____________________

Agency/Company:___________________________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________________________________

City:_________________________________________State:_______Zip_______________________

Telephone:_________________________________FAX:____________________________________

Email:_________________________________Spouse/Guest Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Credit Card Payment: Mastercard Visa

Card Number:______________________________________Expiration Date:____________________

Cardholder Name:__________________________________Security Code:______________________

Billing Address of Cardholder___________________________________________________________

Signature:_______________________________

(952)835-4180 - (800) 864-3846 - Fax: (952)835-4774 - Email: [email protected] check payable to MIIAB and return to 7500 Flying Cloud Dr, Suite 900, Eden Prairie, MN 55344

RegistrationCheck which applies: Agent Company Representative

Registration Type (circle amount) Member Non-Member

Full Convention Registration $249 $349

Opening Luncheon Only $30 $45

Full Convention Registration Young Insurance Professional Rate

$199 $299

Insurance Company & Exhibitor Marketplace $75 $175

Total Due: _______________

*Registration received after April 12th will incur an additional 10% fee

2010 MIIAB/Trusted Choice Convention April 21 - 22, 2010 Pre-Registration Form

Continuing EducationPlease indicate which seminar(s) you plan on

attending. Courses have been filed for CE in MN and are pending approval except for E&O which is

approved for 6 CE.Wednesday, 1-3pm (pick only one) Top Ten Coverage Countdown Risk Management in the Workplace Social Networking

Thursday, 9am-3:30pm (all day) 1/2 hr lunch break Best Practices E&O (Box lunch provided)

OrThursday, 9am-Noon (pick only one) Ethics Incentive Compensation Strategies to Enhance Agency Productivity

Thursday, 12:30pm-3:30pm Agency Valuation (Box lunch provided)

NOTE: Box lunches only provided for individuals registered for Agency Valuation and Best Practices E&O

TIS’ THE SEASON TO GIVE!

With the holiday season here, Austin Mutual has reconsidered the use of holiday greeting cards. In place of cards this year, the Austin Foundation will be making a monetary donation to the Baskets of Hope Program which is a part of Emergency Foodshelf Network, Inc. also known as EFN.

The Baskets of Hope program distributes holiday meal packages to Twin Cities families that are in need. The holidays can be a stressful time for those less fortunate; struggling to pay bills or put food on the table. Baskets of Hope gives these families a sense of normalcy during the holidays allowing them to gather around the table with family for a traditional meal.

Austin continues to give back by helping those in need. It is the season of giving and supporting local charities helps fulfill our commitment to make a difference.

Austin Mutual wishes all a Safe and Joyous Holiday Season.

THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN, AMERICANS GIVE MIxED REVIEWS TO THEIR FINANCIAL FUTURE IN

ALLIANZ SURVEY

A new survey asking Americans to use current movie titles to describe their near-term financial future gave mixed reviews. Sponsored by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz), Synovate Research conducted the survey of 1,000 respondents across the United States in November 2009.

When asked what 2009 movie title best represents their financial outlook for 2010, 37.9 percent made positive choices, 35.5 percent indicated uncertainty, and only 26.6 percent went negative:

Uncertain

35.5 percent chose the movie Where the Wild Things Are

Positive

29.2 percent chose the movie Up

8.7 percent chose the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Negative

13.6 percent chose the movie Hangover

13 percent chose the movie The Ugly Truth

The most positive respondents fell in the age group 25-34, while the most negative age group were in the 65+ age range. The most neutral were those nearing but not yet in retirement, in the age range of 55-64.

“The survey seems to show that people want to be optimistic, but have a healthy sense of skepticism,” said Allianz CMO Nancy Jones. ”The country seems to be moving out of The Perfect Storm, but we must make smart savings decisions to ensure It’s A Wonderful Life.”

WEST BEND MUTUAL INSURANCE EARNS #2 NATIONAL RANKING IN DEEP CUSTOMER

CONNECTIONS, INC.’S 2009 SURVEY

West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, headquartered in West Bend, WI, earned the #2 spot nationally in Deep Customer Connections, Inc.’s 7th annual survey. For the 2009 survey, more than 8,600 independent agents and brokers assessed the performance of over 250 property and casualty carriers. Deep Customer Connections’ Index gauges a carrier’s performance against what independent agents rate as most important when choosing which carrier they want to write their business with.

“West Bend’s performance has consistently been very high in all of our measurements, earning the number one or number two national ranking each of the past four years,” said Nort Salz, President of Deep Customer Connections. “They demonstrate, year after year, both an understanding of the importance of making it easier for their agents

In The News...


along with an ongoing commitment to walking their talk.”

“Our associates work very hard to make things easy for our independent agent partners,” said Jim Schwalen, West Bend’s vice president – Personal Lines and Marketing. “Our agency automation experts working in the field with agents, as well as our team of associates in the home office, focus on ease-of-doing-business opportunities. These opportunities can range from the little things like getting policies and changes processed error free, to larger issues like the functionality behind our West Bend Connect agency portal. This will remain a priority for West Bend because we know it continues to be a priority for our customers.”

Kevin Steiner, West Bend president and CEO, echoed those thoughts. “I am extremely proud of the outstanding work our associates do every day to exceed the expectations of our independent agents. Our consistently-high ease-of-doing-business rankings aren’t the result of one or two key initiatives, but the one thousand little things our associates do every day to set us apart from our competitors. All of us at West Bend are committed not only to continuing our efforts, but also to raising the ease-of-doing-business bar for our industry.”

In the annual Deep Customer Connections survey, agents and brokers rate the importance of eleven key factors ranging from underwriting responsiveness and handling claims promptly, to acting with the agency’s needs in mind. Then, they evaluate several carriers’ performance against those factors. In addition to capturing the second highest national ranking overall, West Bend earned “Top Ten” status in nine of the eleven factors. They also earned number-one rankings in two factors: handling claims promptly and providing marketing support.

“Measuring how easy it is for agents to work with them is important for carriers,” said John Uzzi, Senior Associate at Deep Customer Connections. “Our research clearly shows that ease of use is a primary factor in agents’ buying decisions. These metrics enable carriers to know what they should do to be more competitive by continually making it easier for their agents to place business with them.”

“Acknowledging excellent performance helps improve service and productivity in this critical insurance distribution channel,” said Paul Croke, Deep Customer Connections’ co-founder. “We’re proud to recognize West Bend’s superior performance and we congratulate them in their efforts.”

WESTERN NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER 2009 RESULTS

Western National lnsurance Group today announced its financial results for 2009 through

September 30. Significant comparative measures include:

Total Assets of $556.4 million, up $22.9 million from 12/31/08

Combined Ratio of 94.4% (versus 95.8% at 9/30/08)

Net income After Tax of $15.3 million (versus $14.7 million at 9/30/08)

Policyholder Surplus of $226.3 million, up $14.7 million from 12/31/08

“We are pleased to once again report growth in the financial resources available to protect ourpolicyholders,” said Stuart Henderson, president and chief executive offlcer. “Our quality undewriting and customer service efforts, along with the efforts of our talented independent agency partners, continue to guide our company through an otherwise difficult market. We look forward to building on these positive results as we move through the final quarter of 2009 and beyond.”

NORTH STAR MUTUAL INSURANCE EARNS TOP TEN NATIONAL RANKING IN DEEP CUSTOMER

CONNECTIONS, INC.’S 2009 SURVEY

North Star Mutual Insurance, headquartered in Cottonwood, MN, earned the #6 spot nationally among property and casualty carriers in Deep Customer Connections, Inc.’s 7th annual survey. For the 2009 survey, more than 8,600 independent agents and brokers assessed the performance of over 250 property and casualty carriers. Deep Customer Connections’ Index gauges a carrier’s

•

•

•

•


performance against what independent agents rate as most important when choosing which carrier they want to write their business with.

“North Star’s accomplishment is especially significant for a small, growing carrier,” said Nort Salz, President of Deep Customer Connections. “They have strong relationships with their agents built on consistency of their performance.”

“Our people recognize that independent agents are extremely important to our success. We have a great staff, working hard to provide excellent personal service day after day,” said Jeff Mauland, President and CEO of North Star Mutual. “There are many quality companies competing for an agent’s business, so making ourselves easier to do business with is a real strategic focus for us.”

He continued, “Technology is an increasingly critical component of being easy to work with and it is important to keep pace with the changing needs of our agents and policyholders. We work closely with agents to develop processes that work well for them and save them time and effort. Our goal is to maintain and strengthen the excellent relationships we have with our agents and continue to improve and develop user friendly technology for our agents and policyholders.”

In the annual Deep Customer Connections survey, agents and brokers rate the importance of eleven key factors ranging from underwriting responsiveness and handling claims promptly, to acting with the agency’s needs in mind. Then, they evaluate several carriers’ performance against those factors. In addition to capturing sixth highest national ranking overall, North Star earned “Top Ten” status in four of the eleven “key factor” categories.


“Acknowledging excellent performance helps improve service and productivity in this critical insurance distribution channel,” said Paul Croke,

Deep Customer Connections’ co-founder. “We’re proud to recognize North Star’s superior performance and we congratulate them in their efforts.”

ACUITY’S ANNUAL REPORT GARNERS GOLD AWARD

ACUITY’s 2008 Annual Report earned a Gold MarCom Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, the international organization consisting of thousands of advertising, public relations, and media production professionals. The MarCom Awards represent the world’s largest international competition for the concept, writing, and design of marketing and communication programs and materials.

“The MarCom awards are judged by marketing professionals who are looking for creativity, resourcefulness, and overall excellence,” says Ben Salzmann, ACUITY President and CEO. “We are honored to receive a MarCom Award for our Annual Report.”

More than 5,000 entries from both U.S. and foreign firms were evaluated in this year’s competition. “MarCom winners include huge media conglomerates, Fortune 500 firms, and businesses whose advertising budgets dwarf ACUITY’s,” says Wally Waldhart, ACUITY’s Vice President - Sales and Communications. “Winning a Gold MarCom award puts us among elite company.”

ACUITY’s 2008 Annual Report was designed as a collection of “World Records.” The full-color, 52-page report was produced in book form, including a hard-cover binding. Additionally, all ACUITY employees participated in production of the report by setting the Official Guinness World Record for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Waldo. This achievement is also featured in the recently published Guinness World Records 2010: The Book of the Decade.

SECURA INSURANCE EARNS TOP TEN NATIONAL RANKING IN DEEP CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS, INC.’S

2009 SURVEY

SECURA Insurance, headquartered in Appleton, WI, tied for the #9 spot nationally among property and casualty carriers in Deep Customer Connections,


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Inc.’s 7th annual survey. For the 2009 survey, more than 8,600 independent agents and brokers assessed the performance of over 250 property and casualty carriers. Deep Customer Connections’ Index gauges a carrier’s performance against what independent agents rate as most important when choosing which carrier they want to write their business with.

“SECURA is consistently a high performer,” said Nort Salz, President of Deep Customer Connections. “They have earned Top Ten status in each of the past four years. They have been successful at integrating their philosophy of service into how they work with their agents.”

“Since I joined SECURA in 1997, I have consistently said it’s the service we provide our policyholders and agents, and the relationships we have with them that sets us apart from other companies,” said John Bykowski, President & CEO of SECURA. “Being the best from an ease of doing business perspective is the key validation of this strength. It also helps us identify those areas where we have opportunities to improve. This is what our brand and business strategy are all about.”

In the annual Deep Customer Connections

survey, agents and brokers rate the importance of eleven key factors ranging from underwriting responsiveness and handling claims promptly, to acting with the agency’s needs in mind. Then, they evaluate several carriers’ performance against those factors. In addition to tying for ninth in national ranking overall, SECURA earned “Top Ten” status in five of the eleven “key factor” categories.


“Acknowledging excellent performance helps improve service and productivity in this critical insurance distribution channel,” said Paul Croke, Deep Customer Connections’ co-founder. “We’re proud to recognize SECURA’s superior performance and we congratulate them in their efforts.”



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MIIAB 2009.indd 1 3/31/2009 10:25:28 AM

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Just for fun...

January 2010 • The Minnesota News �1

Open Perils, and also from the Explosion peril in case you write a named peril contract. Should a fire ensue, the resulting fire damage is covered by our regular building coverages.Many Optional Coverages. Unlike the old Boiler & Machinery policies, these forms allow for all kinds of optional coverages to be added to the basic policy. One in particular that can apply to many of our insureds is the “Spoilage” option. Should the insured’s freezer or refrigeration equipment suffer a loss, the insured may suffer much more in spoilage losses. Utility Interruption, Brands and Labels, Ordinance and Law are just a few more of the options available.

Some final thoughts – not only will your client lose their direct coverage, but also their indirect as well. Should electric arcing cause a serious building loss, there also would be no coverage for any loss of income or extra expense. These should also be written on the Equipment Breakdown policy. Losses are adjusted on a replacement cost basis as a whole. There are various deductibles available as well.Should you write the Equipment Breakdown and the Building coverage on separate policies with different insurance carriers, be sure and endorse both policies with the “Joint or Disputed Loss Agreement” endorsement. Should the separate carriers be in dispute about who pays what part of the loss, this endorsement will have each carrier paying ½ of the disputed amount. So, your client gets paid right now and the carriers can dispute all they want in private.Finally, this coverage is also being sold in the Personal Lines market place as part of a Homeowners or PL Package, to cover the larger systems in a home like the furnace, air conditioner, water heaters, sprinkler systems, etc. Same problems with the perils as discussed before.

4.

Technically Speaking...continued from page 19

an agency owner can put a value on their agencies in this ever changing marketplace. His topic will be AGENCY VALUATIONS. Besides these outstanding seminars that will be available at the convention, we will have over 80 exhibitors in the Trade Show and we expect well over 750 insurance professionals to attend. On the lighter side, just for fun, we will have evening entertainment with the Shout House Dueling Pianos- guaranteed to be a blast! Mark your calendars for April 21-22, 2010, for the MIIAB Annual Convention to be held at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Plymouth, Minnesota.

MakINg progress oN THe cerTIfIcaTes of INsuraNce Issue

We all know that issuing Certificates has been a huge problem for our members over the years. Last year MIIAB began a process to try to improve this problem. The new law has helped in many ways by curbing the abuses that were being asked by your clients to issue inaccurate Certificates of Insurance. MIIAB acted alone in beginning to solve this problem. Today, we are meeting constantly with the regulators to help convince them that streamlining this process and the number of different notifications that are in statutes are complicating the intent of a Certificate. We have set up a meeting with the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor and Industry, and the League of Cities, to discuss how we can streamline this process and make it more effective for agencies and the clients that are requesting these Certificates. This is a work in progress, and over time we hope this process will improve greatly.

Executive VP Message continued from page �

DON’T GET BITTENBY AN E&O CLAIM

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frequency data, real-life case studies

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www.independentagent.com/EOHappens


Dan Riley, Kevin Steiner, President/CEO West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, Shawn Wensel, CIC pose for a picture after Mr Steiner met with the MIIAB Board of Directors at their December meeting to discuss their companies goals in Minnesota.

Insurance Commissioner Wilson mingles with members at Annual MIIAB/ASC Board Holiday party.

At the Annual MIIAB/ASC Board Holiday Party, Dick McKenny discusses with Dan Riley, Ken Ohl, Jayson Tritt and Travis Hansen of how mad he is that he has to wait until April to see a new episode of GLEE.

MIIAB/ASC Board of Directors Holiday Reception


Ms. Lana K. FabelMs. Karen J. HawkinsonMr. Aaron Christopher KleekampMs. Susan Diane Noah

Congratulations to this years CRM Conferees!

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of MIIAB with the National Alliance, Dr. Hold CIC, CPCU, CLU was available to participate at our Honors Luncheon. Shawn Wensel, CIC, President and Gloria Thompson, CIC, Education Chairperson, on behalf of the MIIAB presented Dr. Hold with an Eagle to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Alliance in Austin, Texas.

Brenda Meyer, CISR, from Princeton Insurance Agency was chosen as the CSR of the Year for 2009. Her submitted essay answered the question, Many in the insurance world believe that “the price of insurance becomes more important to the client in the absence of value.” What are five ways a CSR can add value to the insurance-client relationship?

Minnesota Celebrates 35 years of sponsorship of the CIC program

CSR of the Year


Ms. Vicki L. AabergMr. Daniel AlslebenMr. Kurt AmundsonMs. Dawn Marie ArayaMs. Jennifer A. AsmussenMr. John Perry Badgley IVMs. Helga J. BauerlyMs. Dawn Marie BlaisdellMs. Kimberly Sue BoKovoyMs. Stacy M. BuryMr. Matthew A. ChristensenMr. Kenneth N. CobbMs. Melissa G. CookMr. Blaine DumkeMr. Scott D. EndorfMs. Jackie A. FinkMs. Wendi FogelsonMr. David Raymond Frank

Mr. Mark GresserMs. Heidi Hagemeyer GonzalezMr. Randolph R. HuntMr. Lorens E. JohnsonMs. Tracy L. JonesMs. Cindy L. JordanMr. John F. KellerMs. Cherlynn J. KilbrideMr. Matthew Joesph KleinMr. Steven R. LaBarreMs. Kristin N. LeidingMs. Kristen O LeonardMs. Tracey S. LundMr. Richard C. Mason IIIMr. Douglas M . McCarthyMr. Trevor J. NickelMr. Adam Jon NoahMs. Gerri K. Olson

Mr. Benjamin PageMs. Holly R. PetersonMs. MaJa A. PogatchnikMs. Linda PulfordMs. Stacey QuinnMs. Katie RandolphMs. Maria RingsmuthMr. Stephen P. RossMs. Tammy RousseauMs. Andrea A. SchatMr. Matt SewichMr. Scott James SwensonMs. Jackie ThielhornMs. Laura A. TomczikMr. Wade WardenMr. R. Louis Welch

Congratulations to this years CIC

Conferees!


Ms. Laura E. AndersonMs. Melissa Ann AndersonMs. Judy M. AuneMs. Amanda M.K. AustinMs. Tamara A. Belle-IsleMs. Cassandra J. BookerMs. Dana R. BruhnMs. Michele Ann BryanMs. Mary CapocasaMs. Becky J. ChristiansonMs. Brooke M. ChristophersonMs. Margaret M. CollisonMs. Melissa DeMarsMs. Heather EichtenMs. Kristykay A. GillardMs. Lisa M. GonzalezMs. Juanita M. Hansen

Ms. Jessica L. HawthorneMs. Debra Jean HenningMs. Michelle M. HynickMs. Greta E. IisakkaMs. Tara J. KhanMs. Jeannette L. KilmerMs. Elizabeth Y. KonzMs. Joy L. LangerMs. Roy Anne LarsonMs. Jill M. LutgensMs. Lauren M. McCormickMs. Laure MillerMr. Mark John MillerMs. Jennifer Ann MoritzMs. Michelle J. MoyerMs. Theresa J. NaceyMs. Rebecca J. Nadeau

Ms. Lynnette R. NelsonMs. Melanie J. PaulsonMs. Amy J. PetersonMs. Sara M. PuscMs. Shannon Kay QuinnMs. Jessica RadfordMs. Kimberly K. RandaMs. Emilee D. SaciaMs. Dalarna SellmanMs. Kirsten Jeanne SkoglundMs. Lisa J. SlyterMs. Michelle Renee StarrMs. Jennifer Darlene SullivanMs. Kathi L. SullivanMs. Sandra K. TreptowMs. Tiffany L. Whittier

Congratulations to this years CISR

Conferees!


Thank youto our company partners

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1/13 - 1/16/10 Eden Prairie Commercial Property2/3 - 2/5/10 Plymouth *Ruble Graduate Seminar3/10- 3/13/10 Eden Prairie Personal Lines4/14 - 4/17/10 Eden Prairie Life & Health5/5 - 5/8/10 Eden Prairie Commercial Casualty6/16 - 6/19/10 Alexandria Commercial Property7/14 - 7/17/10 Eden Prairie Agency Management8/4 - 8/7/10 Eden Prairie Commercial Casualty9/15 - 9/17/10 Plymouth *Ruble Graduate Seminar10/6 - 10/9/10 Eden Prairie Life & Health11/10 - 11/13/10 Eden Prairie Personal Lines

* Must be a dues paid member of CIC or CRM to attend a Ruble Graduate Seminar

Dates and locations are subject to change. Before making any travel arrangements, call to verify the dates, location, start time and availablility when registering for a program.

Cost Seminar

$421.00 CICInstitutes

$420.00Ruble

Graduate Seminar

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Card Number Expiration Date Signature

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name on Card Security Code (3 digits) Billing Address

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name MN Insurance License # DOB Designations

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Agency/Company Phone Email

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address City State Zip

Return to: MIIAB, 7500 Flying Cloud Dr, Suite 900, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 P: 952.835.4180 F: 952.835.4774 E: [email protected]

www.miia.org

Method of PaymentCheck Enclosed (Payable to MIIAB) or Charge to: VISA Mastercard

In accordance with Title III of the American with Disabilities Act, we invite all registrants to advise us of any disability and any request for accommodation to that disabily. Please submit your request as far as possible in

advance of the program you wish to attend

2010 MIIAB CIC Program Schedule

All courses begin Wednesday’s at 8:00 a.m., Thursday’s from 8:00 a.m.

until 5:00 p.m., and Friday’s from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Important InformationAll participants must present photo identification to the on-site registrar at the institute. Cancellations received within 7 calendar days of a program will incur a $75 non-refundable fee. If you do not cancel and do not attend the program, you will incur a $125 fee. The balance of the registration fee may be refunded or transferred to another course. You may substitute an eligible person for the same event anytime at no charge with notification prior to the course.

Please select Seminar date

It’s easy to register - by fax, phone, mail or on-line!


1/21/10 - St. Cloud Commercial Property

1/27/10 - Eden Prairie Agency Operations

2/9/10 - Eden Prairie Commercial Casualty

2/11/10 - Rochester Personal Auto

2/17/10 - Shoreview Commercial Casualty

3/9/10 - St. Cloud Personal Residential

3/17/10 - Eden Prairie *WTH Commercial Lines

3/18/10 - Duluth Personal Auto

3/23/10 - Eden Prairie Personal Auto

4/1/10 - Eden Prairie Personal Residential

4/6/10 - Rochester Commercial Casualty

4/8/10 - Fergus Falls Commercial Casualty

4/27/10 - St. Cloud Personal Auto

5/4/10 - Duluth *WTH Commercial Lines

5/12/10 - Willmar Agency Operations

5/13/10 - Shoreview *WTH Personal Lines

5/18/10 - Thief River Falls Commercial Property

5/19/10 - Eden Prairie Commercial Property

6/2/10 - Rochester **Dynamics of Service

6/8/10 - Mankato Personal Auto


6/15/10 - Alexandria **Dynamics of Service

6/23/10 - St. Cloud Agency Operations

6/24/10 - Shoreview Commercial Property

7/8/10 - Rochester Personal Residential

7/20/10 - Brainerd Agency Operations

7/22/10 - Eden Prairie Dynamics of Service

8/10/10 - Duluth Commercial Casualty

8/12/10 - Eden Prairie Commercial Casualty

8/18/10 - Worthington Personal Residential

8/25/10 - Bemidji Agency Operations

9/9/10 - Rochester Commercial Property

9/14/10 - St. Cloud *WTH Personal Lines

9/21/10 - Shoreview Personal Auto

9/23/10 - Eden Prairie Personal Auto

10/5/10 - Hibbing Commercial Property

10/12/10 - Detroit Lakes Agency Operations

10/13/10 - Eden Prairie Personal Residential

10/21/10 - Mankato Commercial Casualty

11/2/10 - Duluth Personal Residential

11/3/10 - Eden Prairie Commercial Property


Cost Seminar

$148.00 CISR Seminar

$158.00 William T. Hold Seminar (WTH)

$158.00 Dynamics of Service






Return to: MIIAB, 7500 Flying Cloud Dr, Suite 900, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 P:952.835.4180 F: 952.835.4774 E: [email protected]

www.miia.org

Method of PaymentCheck Enclosed (Payable to MIIAB) or Charge to: VISA Mastercard

CANCELLATION POLICY: Registration fee is fully refundable if cancellation is received seven days prior to class. A $30.00 fee will be charged for cancellations less than seven days before the

scheduled class. NO SHOWS will NOT receive a refund.

In accordance with Title III of the American with Disabilities Act, we invite all registrants to advise us of any disability and any request for accommodation to that disabily. Please submit your request as far as possible in advance of the program you wish to attend

2010 MIIAB CISR Program Schedule

* REQUIREMENT FOR WILLIAM T. HOLD SEMINAR

(WTH)You must be a CISR, ACSR or CPSR designee and a dues paying member of the National Alliance to attend and get credit for WTH. For inquiries on dues, please call the National Alliance at 1-800-531-5197.

** REQUIREMENT FOR DYNAMICS OF SERVICE

The Dynamics of Service program satisfies the update requirement for all dues paying members of the National Alliance. However, you do not need to hold the CISR designation to attend. For inquiries on dues, please call the National Alliance at 1-800-531-5197.

Please select Seminar date - Each course is 8 MN CE credits, general non-company sponsored

It’s easy to register - by fax, phone, mail or on-line!


Please Check Location1/20/10 - Eden Prairie 8:30am-3:30pm

Prairie Conference Center7500 Flying Cloud DrEden Prairie, MN 55344952.835.4180

3/10/10 - St. Cloud 8:30am-3:30pmBest Western Kelly InnHwy 23 & 4th AveSt. Cloud, MN 56301320.253.0606

4/22/10 - MIIAB Convention9:00am -12:00pm & 12:30pm - 3:30pmRadisson Hotel and Conference Center3131 Campus DrivePlymouth, MN 55441763.559.6600

5/18/10 - Fergus Falls 8:30am-3:30pmBest Western/Bigwoods Event Center925 Western AveFergus Falls, MN 56537800.293.2216

6/22/10 - Morton 8:30am-3:30pmJackpot Junction39375 County Hwy 24Morton, MN 56270507.644.3000

7/28/10 - Walker 8:30am-3:30pmNorthern Lights Event Center6800 Y Frontage Rd. NWWalker, MN 56484218.335.3151

8/26/10 - Rochester 8:30am-3:30pmRamada Hotel1517 16th St. SWRochester, MN 55902507.289.8866

9/22/10 - Duluth 8:30am-3:30pmCanal Park Lodge250 Canal Park DriveDuluth, MN 55802218.279.6000

10/20/10 - Eden Prairie 8:30am-3:30pmPrairie Conference Center7500 Flying Cloud DrEden Prairie, MN 55344952.835.4180

AgEnCy StAFF

SIzE

totALAttEnDEESREquIRED

At A (6 houR)

SEMInAR

PoSItIon In AgEnCyPLuS

ADDItIonALREquIREMEntS

1 1 ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER OR OFFICER NONE

2-7 2 ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER OR OFFICER

ONE PRODuCEROR CSR

8-20 4

ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER, OFFICER AnD ONE

ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER, OFFICER, OPERAtIONS

MANAgER OR PRODuCER

tWO PRODuCER’SOR CSR’S

21-50 6

ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER, OFFICER AnD ONE

ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER, OFFICER, OPERAtIONS

MANAgER OR PRODuCER AnD ONECSR

tHREEPRODuCER’S OR

CSR’S

51+ 10

ACtIvE AgENCY PRINCIPAL, OWNER,PARtNER, OFFICER AnD tWO ACtIvE

AgENCY PRINCIPAL’S, OWNER’S,PARtNER’S, OFFICER’S, OPERAtIONSMANAgER’S OR PRODuCER’S AnD

tWO CSR’S

FIvE PRODuCER’SOR CSR’S

Method of PaymentCheck Enclosed (Payable to MIIAB) or Charge to: vISA Mastercard

CAnCELLAtIon PoLICy: Registration fee is fully refundable if cancellation is received seven days prior to class. A $30.00 fee will be charged for cancellations less than seven

days before the scheduled class. no ShoWS will not receive a refund.

In accordance with Title III of the American with Disabilities Act, we invite all registrants to advise us of any disability and any request for accommodation to that disabily. Please submit your request as far as possible in advance of the

program you wish to attend






Return to: MIIAB, 7500 Flying Cloud Dr, Suite 900, Eden Prairie, Mn 55344 P: 952.835.4180 F: 952.835.4774 E: [email protected]

www.miia.org

Cost per person$151.00 MIIAB Member Price

$166.00 Non-Member Price

Agencies that attend this seminar will receive a 10% loss control credit on their Westport E&O Premium.Once an agency attends the seminar the 10% credit will apply for 3 years if the agency remains claim free

during the 3 year period.

2010 MIIAB Errors & omissionsSeminars

6 MN CE Credits - general, non-company sponsored


Power in Partners

Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association

Power in Partners ProgramListed below are the companies who strongly support the Indepenent Agency System and the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association

2010

DiamonD

aaa insuranceallied insuranceGeneral Casualty Companiesindiana insurnace

Midwest Family Mutualnorth star Mutual insurance Companythe Hanover GroupZurich north america small Business

FirstComp InsuranceAMTrust North AmericaNewman Long Term CareRobert A. Schneider Agency, Inc.S.H. Smith & Company, Inc.

State Auto CompaniesTravelers Companies, Inc.Westfield InsurnaceWilson Mutual Insurance CompanyWorkers Compensation Specialist

Platinum

GolD

Silver

Virtual UniversityOnline Courses: The VU offers a wide variety of online classes to enhance and expand insurance technical and business skills. When taking an online class through the VU, you can be confident you or your staff is learning the highest quality education avail-able online. You do NOT have to be a member or subscriber to take an online course since a separate fee is charged.

Research Library: For those who seek a smarter way to research, the VU provides access to hundreds of insurance, business and technology articles written by volunteer faculty and other contributors. Technical insurance articles often include links to full sam-ple ISO forms. You’ll also find white papers and articles on many issues affecting today’s insurance marketplace.

Expert Advice: Sometimes you need answers to questions that can’t be found in the research library. To help with these “just in time” issues, we have assembled a faculty of leading experts from around the country. 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.

All of this can be accessed on the web at www.independentagent.com/vu

the mn news january 2010

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