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... In my area, we have to be all things to all people, ' he says. We have to be everything from writing homeowners and BOPs to doing notary bonds. Identify Needs The handwriting was on the wall, says Cynthia Regnier, CIC, president of Regnier & Associates in Austin . In 1983 and 84, everybody was talking about niche markets, and how an agency would need to develop niche markets to survive, ' she says. Regnier, who had just opened her agency in 1982, heeded the warning. She just recently turned her existing commercial and personal clients over to another agency and concentrated on niches. It was an absolutely, fantastically wonderful thing to do, ' she says. I'm not sure where we'd be today if we hadn't done that. In 1985, Regnier purchased Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services (VFIS) of Texas , which operates as a Regnier & Associates dba. In the first eight months, the agency doubled its premiums. Regnier & Associates has an exclusive marketing agreement with the national VFIS organization, a subsidiary of the Glatfelter Insurance Group of York, Penn. CIGNA underwrites VFIS programs. The secret to any niche is to identify what people need and want, ' says Regnier. No one was doing that for volunteer fire departments over 20 years ago, before Art Glatfelter went to bat for them. VFIS writes all lines of business except workers' compensation' for volunteer fire departments and emergency service organizations. Available coverages include injury-to-firemen liability, accident and sickness, vehicle agreed value for engines, errors and omissions liability, pollution liability, medical malpractice, bonding ...

...veral board members would rally volunteers and get specific jobs done. These s...

... This content has not been rated yet. How to improve the industry? One day at a time, says the National Association of Insurance Women (NAIW), Tulsa, OK. To mark NAIW Week (May 17-23), NAIW suggests 12 ways to improve the insurance industry, through the daily contributions of individuals and groups. During NAIW Week, we celebrate members' achievements and our pride in this profession. But it's also a time to think about how we do business the other 51 weeks of the year, ' said Susanne Wolfe, CIC, CPIW, and NAIW President. I believe there are things we each can do every day to improve ourselves, the industry, and our relationship with clients, ' she added. Here are some suggestions for insurance professionals. 1. VOLUNTEER now to speak to a community group about disaster preparation, insurance fraud, insurer solvency, safety, or another area of interest to consumers. 2. CONTACT your local newspaper and volunteer to write an article, informative column, or editorial piece on insurance issues. Send the local print and broadcast media a speakers bureau' list of people within your company or local insurance organization who are willing to serve as resources for financial, insurance, and risk management issues/stories. You can also send reporters statistics or FYI' articles from trade publications that may help illustrate or explain insurance issues. 3. OFFER to speak to local high school or college students about insurance as a career and/or a business. Help demystify' a confusing product that is necessary for all of us. ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Lack Of Writing Skills Can Be An "STD"4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Gary Blake This content has not been rated yet. The cumulative effects of poor writing by insurance professionals include wasted time, duplicated effort, poor morale, a negative company image, and the potential for embarrassment. Gary Blake offers tips for improving your letters and memos. Although they share many writing problems with their peers in other P/C lines, Workers Comp professionals have several special issues they need to recognize and overcome. During the past six months, I've reviewed more than 400 writing samples sent by Workers Compensation employees who've either volunteered — or been volunteered — to attend my one-day writing seminar. A review of these documents reveals these four short-term disabilities': ABBREVIATION OVERKILL STD and LTD (short-term disability, and long-term disability) are two of the dozens of acronyms you'll find strewing Workers Comp documents. This is fine as long as the reader understands what these acronyms stand for. Although they might work for Activity Notes (memos to the file), those who can't translate acronyms will need an explanation. Do you know what BOP, COE, C&R , ERTW, HH, MMI, PPD, and PTD mean? These are among the four single-spaced pages of abbreviations and acronyms used in a single company's Workers Comp department. The solution: Spell out the term the first time you use it. For example, Course of Employment' (COE) . CAPITALIZATION MANIA Some companies' computer systems default to ALL CAPITALS for Activity Notes ...

... Also, make sure they note anything that was overlooked. This exercise will reinforce your commitment to the project and provide you with a well-balanced, comprehensive training plan. At your next meeting, finalize the list, including time frames and so forth. The list should then be neatly typed for formal discussions. Next, select an appropriate trainer who will be totally responsible for the administration of the plan and will conduct much of the training. Seniority or technical expertise are not the primary attributes of the ideal trainer; enthusiasm, patience, commitment, and strong communication skills are far more important. Add to these qualities a good working knowledge of operations, procedures, and products, and you have your trainer. If you discover several persons who qualify as trainers, offer those persons an opportunity to volunteer. A volunteer is more likely to favor the project. Just keep in mind that any trainer must be given three things: authority, time, and incentives! These necessities will help guarantee the success of the program. Boot Camp Essentials Scheduling is another important part of the planning process. Provide quiet time for the trainer and trainee-but set realistic time frames. Once time is allotted, organize the schedule with a list of goals, such as at the conclusion of six weeks, the trainee should be able to comparison-rate Homeowners and Auto coverages on the system. Obviously, the goals must be specific and measurable. Benchmarks must be established for review by the trainer and the manager. The trainer and trainee should meet every Friday to discuss the activities of the past week. The manager should meet ...

... interest the magazine and follow that style. These features can describe how your agency penetrated an interesting niche market, how you used automation to increase productivity and profitability, or how creative sales ideas have benefited the firm and customers. Once the article is published, make reprints to include with your direct mailings to prospects and to insert into your customers' monthly statements. The article positions you as a professional expert. And people like dealing with pros. If writing isn't your forte, contact community or trade associations about public speaking. Many IIAA or PIA chapters require panel members or speakers at local meetings. Community groups are always looking for capable luncheon speakers. Get your name on their lists. Of course, your topic will recount one of your agency's recent successes. Contact your automation vendor and volunteer to be interviewed whenever their newsletter needs a customer testimonial or profile. Volunteer to conduct a workshop at a regional or national users group meeting. Participate with the vendor's product committee. These activities provide free press that can increase your book of business and your value to the insurance community. Regularly evaluate your publicity program to determine its effectiveness. Conduct a before-and-after survey to evaluate gains. For instance, first call several people in the community and ask what they know about your insurance agency. After three to six months of organized publicity, make more calls to see how awareness improved. In a soft insurance market, you must find cost-effective advertising to keep your agency's name in front of prospects and customers. Obtaining publicity is one way to do this. Reprinted with permission from American Agent & ...

... great employees? ATTRACTING VOLUNTEERS Employees are 'volunteers.' They choose types of work and pla...

...rica showcased its employees as volunteers in its 'Adopt an ATM' program. But ...ealed that the bank was using its 'volunteers' to clean in and around its ATMs...

... be made. There must be a capable and enthusiastic support staff to help the producer with the marketing and sales effort. Good technical back-up is particularly important if the salesperson has no  insurance sales experience. Service personnel who are already dealing with a backlog can't respond appropriately to the heavy flow of new business, and the producer will quickly become discouraged. The back office systems and procedures must be running smoothly before you bring a new producer into the mix. The second absolutely crucial ingredient is to make a conscious shift in emphasis from a service to a sales organization. All the principals and producers must renew their commitment to the sales process. This might mean that they'll have to participate in the sales center lead-generation program, writing some additional new business themselves. Or they'll have to volunteer to be a mentor for the new people, spending a substantial amount of time directing opportunities and assisting with the onsite sales activities of the fledgling salespeople. The entire agency compensation structure might need to be redesigned to reward all who help revitalize the sales effort. Most important, many if not all of the principals and employees might have to adjust their attitudes. You can't expect a new employee to concentrate on sales when the prevailing atmosphere is clearly directed toward maintaining a comfortable lifestyle for the incumbents. Everyone and everything in the agency must convey the importance of a high level of sales consciousness. Inactivity breeds more inactivity. The third step to take before hiring a new producer is to develop a program to hire the right kind of people for your agency. There are 30,000 independent ...

... financial and operating management. The Think Tank' mission would pursue a hypothetical worst case loss scenario and develop vital information such as replacement cost values, alternate temporary manufacturing capabilities, extra expense exposure, business interruption time period as well as any problems associated with contingent business interruption or inability to meet customer contractual obligations. 5.4 Facility Location Considerations The physical location of a major facility complex has a significant bearing on the potential loss magnitude. A rural setting generally increases the desirability from a crime and exterior fire exposure standpoint but complicates the situation from the viewpoint of service availability. The rural area frequently does not have medical facilities which interface with the needs of a major commercial operation. Further-more, there is a vast difference between the protection services and suppression capability of a major metropolitan fire department and a rural volunteer group. A metropolitan location will normally have a substantial water supply with adequate fire hydrant distribution. A rural setting may be void of any water distribution system acceptable for fire suppression purposes. The rural location may have limited fire response with only volunteer fire fighters. The metropolitan fire response in a larger city for a commercial location would normally be three engine companies, two truck companies, rescue squad and a battalion chief. This type of assistance will obviously have a positive effect on potential loss magnitude and life safety considerations. Furthermore, the complex metropolitan fire department will have many services including, but not limited to: a hazardous materials team, marine fire fighting team, as warranted as well as special rescue teams for high angle, confined space and heavy rescue. SECTION 6.0 CRISES EXPOSURE AWARENESS ...