Industry News

WASHINGTON – The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), a national trade association that represents independent insurance agents, has issued a statement welcoming Nationwide Insurance agents who will be transitioning into the independent agency insurance distribution system.

On April 16, Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide announced its intention to shift entirely to an independent agency distribution model by July 1, 2020. The company is one of the largest carriers that currently sells products through both exclusive and independent agents.

“This is another illustration of the fact that the independent agency system is the insurance distribution system of choice,” said PIA National President Timothy G. Russell.

Nationwide said in a press statement that there are approximately 2,000 existing agents who have been operating under the Nationwide brand that will have the opportunity to transition to an independent agency model between now and July 1, 2020. The company already has relationships with more than 10,000 independent agents across the United States.

“PIA would like to welcome all the Nationwide agents who will be moving to what we believe is the superior independent agent system. We encourage the agents who will be joining our ranks to take advantage of many business-building programs offered by PIA that help add to an agency’s bottom line. In addition, PIA advocates for you in Congress and throughout the industry. You can rest assured that, to paraphrase Nationwide’s slogan, PIA is also on your side.”

Founded in 1931, PIA is a national trade association that represents member insurance agents and their employees who sell and service all kinds of insurance, but specialize in coverage of automobiles, homes and businesses. PIA members are Local Agents Serving Main Street America ^SM.PIA’s web address is www.pianet.com.

Professional Insurance Agents from around the country are converging this week on Washington, D.C. for the annual PIA Federal Legislative Summit (FLS). The Summit will be held April 24-25.

PIA members will advocate for solutions that enable agents to better serve their clients and communities by encouraging Congress repeal the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), protect a strong and stable crop insurance program, and reinstate fair and just compensation in healthcare.

PIA thanks our FLS Platinum sponsors The PIA Partnership and Progressive Insurance; our FLS Gold sponsor, Crop Risk Services; and Silver sponsors NAU Country Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and State Auto Insurance Companies.

For more information, visit the FLS webpage at www.piafls.com.

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PIA members will converge on Washington, D.C. April 24-25 for the 2018 PIA Federal Legislative Summit (FLS). The annual PIA Federal Legislative Summit is a gathering of PIA members from around the country who come together to meet with their members of Congress and advocate their positions on issues of importance to Professional Insurance Agents.

“Our annual legislative summit is a key opportunity for PIA members to solidify their relationships with members of Congress, in order to continue to advance our issues,” said PIA National President Tim Russell.

PIA members will advocate for solutions that enable agents to better serve their clients and communities by encouraging Congress repeal the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), protect a strong and stable crop insurance program and reinstate fair and just compensation in healthcare.

PIA thanks our FLS Platinum sponsors The PIA Partnership and Progressive Insurance; and our FLS Gold sponsor, Crop Risk Services.

For more information, visit the FLS webpage at www.piafls.com.

Authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been extended until July 31, 2018, as part of the fiscal 2018 omnibus appropriations bill that was passed by Congress and signed by President Trump on Friday March 23.

PIA issued a statement noting that we are alarmed that Congress has decided to decouple the NFIP—that is separate it—from the funding of the federal government, rather than continue it to September 30 along with the rest of the omnibus.

“In the absence of a must-pass legislative vehicle to which it can be attached, the program will now be in danger of expiring for an extended period during hurricane season, putting millions of flood insurance policyholders at risk,” said PIA National Vice President of Government Relations Jon Gentile. “In the wake of the devastating 2017 hurricanes, Congress should take no chances with the homes and businesses of policyholders.”

PIA will continue to advocate for Congress to pass a long-term reauthorization of the program that recognizes the essential role independent agents play in providing expert advice to consumers. “Given the decision to decouple the program and the approach of another hurricane season, failure to reauthorize the NFIP by July is not an option,” Gentile said.

PIA members will converge on Washington, D.C. April 24-25 for the 2018 PIA Federal Legislative Summit (FLS). The annual PIA Federal Legislative Summit is a gathering of PIA members from around the country who come together to meet with their members of Congress and advocate their positions on issues of importance to Professional Insurance Agents.

“Our annual legislative summit is a key opportunity for PIA members to solidify their relationships with members of Congress, in order to continue to advance our issues,” said PIA National President Tim Russell.

PIA members will advocate for solutions that enable agents to better serve their clients and communities by encouraging Congress repeal the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), protect a strong and stable crop insurance program and reinstate fair and just compensation in healthcare.

PIA thanks our FLS Platinum sponsors The PIA Partnership and Progressive Insurance.

For more information, visit the FLS webpage at www.piafls.com.

With the signing of the budget deal by President Donald Trump, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been reauthorized until March 23. The NFIP has been reauthorized through stopgap measures since September. This is the fifth such stopgap extension.

“While it is disappointing that the NFIP lapsed again, though this time only for a few overnight hours, we’re pleased with the extension to March 23,” said PIA National Vice President of Government Relations Jon Gentile in a statement. “Congress must use the time between now and then to move away from short-term measures and provide a long-term reauthorization of this program,”

The NFIP originally expired on September 30, 2017, after its 5-year authorization ended. It was then extended until December 8^th, then again until December 22^nd, then extended again until January 19, and again until February 8.

“The NFIP is a program that requires certainty. It is also in great need of reforms. PIA will continue our advocacy for a long-term reauthorization of the program that recognizes the essential role independent agents play in providing expert advice to consumers,” Gentile said.

PIA is opposed to the steep cuts to crop insurance once again included in the Trump Administration proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which was released Monday Feb. 12. PIA issued a statement.

The Administration’s budget proposes a $26 billion cut to crop insurance over the next 10 years. The cuts come in the form of an adjusted gross income (AGI) limit for crop insurance of $500,000, a reduction in the average of premium discounts for farmers by 14 percentage points, and a reduction in subsidies to crop insurance companies by asking Congress to legislate a 12 percent cap for underwriting gains.

The budget proposals run counter to remarks President Trump made to the American Farm Bureau’s annual convention on Jan. 8, when he expressed support for crop insurance premium subsidies in the upcoming Farm Bill.

“We thought the president had come around to supporting crop insurance, but the Administration’s proposed budget tells a different story,” said Jon Gentile, Vice President of Government Relations for PIA National. “These proposed cuts would not only hurt farmers and the agriculture community, but also would harm the independent insurance agents who work diligently to sell and service crop insurance policies on behalf of the Federal Crop Insurance Program.”

Results of the 2018 National Underwriter/PIA Independent Agent Study have just been released, in the February 2018 issue of the National Underwriter.

In 2017, PIA National forged an alliance with the National Underwriter and Flaspöhler, part of NMG Consulting, to conduct the inaugural Independent Agent Study – a research project designed to annually take the pulse of independent Property & Casualty insurance agents throughout the U.S. and provide insight into the demographics, books of business and challenges they face. Agents also reveal their most highly rated carrier partners.

The expanded questionnaire — crafted by Flaspöhler, P&C carriers, PIA and NU — is distributed to NU’s proprietary lists of independent agents nationwide as well as PIA’s national membership (in return for the exclusive right to publish highlights of the study findings), resulting in the most reliable and scientifically sound sample in the history of this study.

The 2018 study is a follow-up to 2017’s highly successful survey.

In the coming months, PIA will also report the results of a separate set of questions that were asked only of PIA members who participated in the overall survey. These questions are PIA-specific and are proprietary to PIA.

Click here to enlarge survey results.

Click here to read the February issue of NU.

Being prepared for an emergency means having emergency kits ready to go! The PIA Branding Program has released a new consumer-friendly issue paper covering emergency preparedness tips for your clients.

This one-page paper features key tips your clients should consider if they run into an emergency that Mother Nature may bring. Each paper is available in multiple formats (1) ready-to-send with PIA logo and branding, (2) customizable so that it can be personalized by PIA members with their photo/logo and contact information, and (3) an infographic for social media. Social media copy is also provided for each paper.

Log on here and download yours! Start sharing this content with your clients today or utilize the text on your agency's website, email, or blog.

The PIA Branding Program provides a collection of free advertising and marketing materials PIA members can customize and use in their local market and beyond.

Funding for the PIA Branding Program is provided in part by PIA’s Pinnacle Partners: Bankers Insurance Group, Encompass Insurance, Erie Insurance, Nationwide Independent, Progressive Insurance, State Auto Insurance Companies, The Motorists Insurance Group, and Wright Flood.