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...ch often go to support necessary community services, and the difference has to... or specific individual within the association. There would then be a procedur...

... among independent agencies, it is that we are all very independent in the way we do things. For example, a new agency will have a totally different picture of how to advertise and promote its products than a well-established agency that dominates a market in a given community. So this discussion offers you tools and ideas to fit your own advertising needs rather than telling you how to advertise. CONSIDER COST $$ $ If you can't come up with all the money to complete a particular advertising job, then starting it wastes the ... , you're going to look like an outside expert. Of course, you don't want to appear too cheap either. You don't want to use a mimeograph when everything today is photocopied or computer-printed. You need to fit whatever your market is. One of the national associations released some marvelous advertising material recently, but the material constantly refers to the agent as he. In our particular agency, the chief executive officer is a woman, and virtually all the first-line agency people are women. So the material that refers to an agent as ... you would have called if it was important. We have found that advertising price in letters is beneficial. Some folks disagree-agents feel stating an insurance premium is not professional. But when you are selling things that people are not familiar with, such as Life insurance, Umbrella policies, and Snowmobile coverage, prospects want to know if the premium is in their ball park. They don't care if it's the lowest price around-the affordability is what matters. You can give the world's greatest selling pitch on low-cost, high-value Term Life insurance, ...

... traced back to the customer in all but a handful of states. Some states. Some states permit companies to recoup these assessments directly by increasing rates or surcharging policyholders. Others allow companies to credit the assessments against state premium taxes, which often go to support necessary community services, and the difference has to made up on other kinds of taxes. Because all agents are in this together, we see an enhanced role for agents associations in the area of company insolvency protection. State and local groups can and should establish formal watchdog ... in automobile insurance. The whole issue of insolvency is so critical to the industry that it transcends the normal competitive guidelines under which agencies and companies operate. There is no other area in which cooperation is more critical. When one carrier goes under, it affects everyone associated with the industry, either in a direct financial way or indirectly through negative public attention. Agents, whether or not they represented the insolvent carrier, will often take the brunt of the public relations flap and eventually be the ones that have to deliver the higher ... ratios on NAIC IRIS test Low S&P and/or Moody's ratings Negative cash flow Combined ratio higher than industry average and/or increasing rapidly Any state (even if it isn't yours) taking action against the carrier Premium finance companies refuse to finance their premiums Umbrella carriers refuse to accept underlying coverage from that company SECTION II-ITEMS THAT PROBABLY ARE INDICATIONS OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES: Assign three (3 ) points for every YES answer on this portion of the checklist. Major executive level management changes Frequent changes in auditors Sale of assets Stock ...

... traced back to the customer in all but a handful of states. Some states. Some states permit companies to recoup these assessments directly by increasing rates or surcharging policyholders. Others allow companies to credit the assessments against state premium taxes, which often go to support necessary community services, and the difference has to made up on other kinds of taxes. Because all agents are in this together, we see an enhanced role for agents associations in the area of company insolvency protection. State and local groups can and should establish formal watchdog ... in automobile insurance. The whole issue of insolvency is so critical to the industry that it transcends the normal competitive guidelines under which agencies and companies operate. There is no other area in which cooperation is more critical. When one carrier goes under, it affects everyone associated with the industry, either in a direct financial way or indirectly through negative public attention. Agents, whether or not they represented the insolvent carrier, will often take the brunt of the public relations flap and eventually be the ones that have to deliver the higher ... ratios on NAIC IRIS test Low S&P and/or Moody's ratings Negative cash flow Combined ratio higher than industry average and/or increasing rapidly Any state (even if it isn't yours) taking action against the carrier Premium finance companies refuse to finance their premiums Umbrella carriers refuse to accept underlying coverage from that company SECTION II-ITEMS THAT PROBABLY ARE INDICATIONS OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES: Assign three (3 ) points for every YES answer on this portion of the checklist. Major executive level management changes Frequent changes in auditors Sale of assets Stock ...

... traced back to the customer in all but a handful of states. Some states. Some states permit companies to recoup these assessments directly by increasing rates or surcharging policyholders. Others allow companies to credit the assessments against state premium taxes, which often go to support necessary community services, and the difference has to made up on other kinds of taxes. Because all agents are in this together, we see an enhanced role for agents associations in the area of company insolvency protection. State and local groups can and should establish formal watchdog ... in automobile insurance. The whole issue of insolvency is so critical to the industry that it transcends the normal competitive guidelines under which agencies and companies operate. There is no other area in which cooperation is more critical. When one carrier goes under, it affects everyone associated with the industry, either in a direct financial way or indirectly through negative public attention. Agents, whether or not they represented the insolvent carrier, will often take the brunt of the public relations flap and eventually be the ones that have to deliver the higher ... ratios on NAIC IRIS test Low S&P and/or Moody's ratings Negative cash flow Combined ratio higher than industry average and/or increasing rapidly Any state (even if it isn't yours) taking action against the carrier Premium finance companies refuse to finance their premiums Umbrella carriers refuse to accept underlying coverage from that company SECTION II-ITEMS THAT PROBABLY ARE INDICATIONS OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES: Assign three (3 ) points for every YES answer on this portion of the checklist. Major executive level management changes Frequent changes in auditors Sale of assets Stock ...

...ertise, underwriting authority), community involvement, firm reputation and i...26; Word of mouth • Community involvement • Phone ...

...sources available to you in your community. Test new programs if possible. Tal..., mailings, seminars, sponsorships, community events) and determine which of t...