Industry News

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) is raising funds to provide relief grants to Main Street business owners who were adversely impacted by Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

The PIA Disaster Relief Fund, a project of the PIA Insurance Foundation, is soliciting charitable donations to provide relief grants to Main Street businesses that may be facing gaps in the insurance coverages or other assistance available to them. Grants are available in areas of Texas covered by Federal or state declarations of disaster related to the flooding events that resulted from Hurricane Harvey.

“We are witnessing one of our nation’s most devastating natural catastrophes,” said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Mike Becker. “PIA of Texas members are already doing what independent agents do—helping their clients in a time of need.”  Becker said PIA has a long history of providing charitable disaster assistance to Main Street business owners.

“When disasters strike, PIA members are there to help,” Becker said. “The PIA Insurance Foundation is proud to do its part to help people in Texas recover from these floods. Our hearts go out to the people of Texas in this trying time.”

To Apply for a PIA Relief Grant:
/docs/2017/piadisasterfundapplication2017

For questions, information, or additional donation methods, please email: IFDisasterReliefFund@pianet.org.

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.

When it comes to marketing you and your business make sure you place the PIA member logo on all of your business materials—website, business cards, letterhead, signage, promotional materials, etc.

Show your clients you’ve taken the initiative to join an organization that will help educate and guide you in all of your insurance journeys.

There is no cost to use the logo and they may be reproduced by all current PIA members as permitted and specified in the guidelines for using PIA logos. Download yours today.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) issued a letter to Senate Banking Committee and House Finance Committee leadership urging lawmakers to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) before its expiration. “The NAIC stands ready to work with Congress to support a long-term reauthorization,” said NAIC CEO Mike Consedine.

READ: PIA Supports NFIP Reauthorization

The NAIC also issued support for the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act (S. 563), which would allow states to remove private flood insurance restrictions, helping insurers to provide coverage that would serve as a market alternative to the NFIP. The bill would allow states to remove private flood insurance restrictions, helping insurers to provide coverage that would serve as a market alternative to the NFIP.

You still have a few days left to submit a nomination for a fall PIA National award!

The deadline to make a nomination for one of the PIA National Fall Awards has been extended to Thursday July 27, 2017.

Nominations for the Company Award of Excellence, Managing General Agency of the Year and Excellence in Social Media* awards may be submitted by individual PIA member agents, as well as PIA state and regional affiliate associations. Nominations for the Company Representative of the Year are made solely by PIA state and regional associations. National-only members may submit nominations for the Company Representative of the Year award.

All four awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony on September 15, 2017, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, held in conjunction with PIA’s 2017 Fall Governance Meetings.

Nomination forms are available at /awards For questions or additional information on the awards, contact Sade Hale at awards@pianet.org or (703) 518-1350.

(*) Agencies may nominate themselves for a Social Media award.

Recently, President Donald Trump said that by allowing insurers to sell health plans across state lines, “your premiums will be down 60 and 70 percent.” The president made the claim during remarks before a luncheon on July 19 with Republican senators to talk about legislative efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

In a “myth vs. reality” fact sheet, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) said the idea that cross-state sales would bring about lower premiums was a “myth.” It said the reality is: “Interstate sales will start a race to the bottom by allowing companies to choose their regulator,” allowing insurers to target the healthiest consumers. “While those individuals in pristine health may be able to find cheaper policies, everyone else would face steep premium hikes if they can find coverage at all,” the NAIC wrote.

PIA opposes allowing health insurance sales across state lines, because doing so would strip states of their regulatory authority over insurance and undermine the foundation on which state regulation of insurance is based. “All insurance is local,” said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Mike Becker. “This is especially true of health insurance … permitting the designation of any one state as regulator for all states would, in essence, impose a one-size-fits-all solution dictated by Washington, D.C.—which, ironically, has been one of the main criticisms of the ACA.”

READ: Small Businesses Split Over Republican Health Plans

The deadline to make a nomination for one of the PIA National Fall Awards has been extended to Thursday July 27, 2017.

Nominations for the Company Award of Excellence, Managing General Agency of the Year and Excellence in Social Media* awards may be submitted by individual PIA member agents, as well as PIA state and regional affiliate associations. Nominations for the Company Representative of the Year are made solely by PIA state and regional associations. National-only members may submit nominations for the Company Representative of the Year award.

All four awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony on September 15, 2017, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, held in conjunction with PIA’s 2017 Fall Governance Meetings.

Nomination forms are available at /awards For questions or additional information on the awards, contact Sade Hale at awards@pianet.org or (703) 518-1350.

(*) Agencies may nominate themselves for a Social Media award.

With the increase in hurricanes expected this season, experts say small business owners and property owners need to assess how well they are prepared for losses from major storms. Colorado State University forecasters have increased their predictions for this hurricane season to include 15 named storms, eight of which will become hurricanes.

READ: Forecasters Revise Hurricane Predictions Upward

To prepare, small business owners and property owners should ensure they have adequate insurance coverage and employ tactics to protect offices, homes, factories, and warehouses from wind, rain, and flooding. Business owners also should keep company information secure and protect employees. In addition, being prepared means a contingency plan is in place for running a business if its premises are destroyed or inaccessible, say experts.

PIA National is now accepting nominations for its four prestigious national awards: the Company Award of Excellence, Company Representative of the Year, Managing General Agency of the Year and Excellence in Social Media awards. Award nomination deadline is Monday, July 17, 2017.

The PIA National Company Award of Excellence honors an insurance company that demonstrates a commitment to the American Agency System and seeks to further the interests of professional independent insurance agents by creating a better business environment. PIA places a very high value on its relationships with its carrier partners.

PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliates may make nominations for this award.

The PIA National Company Representative of the Year Award recognizes the professionalism and unique contributions of an outstanding company representative. Nominees are judged on their professional education, experience and ability; their contributions to the American Agency System in general and PIA in particular; their support of individual, independent insurance agents; their involvement in community affairs; and their performance as an industry spokesperson.

Nominations for this award are made solely by PIA state and regional affiliates. However, national-only members may submit nominations for the Company Representative of the Year Award.

The PIA National Managing General Agency of the Year Award is given annually to recognize the outstanding achievement of a managing general agency in furthering the interests of agents, along with a commitment to the agency system and successful efforts to create a better business environment for professional insurance agents.

Nominations for this award are made by individual PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliate associations.

The PIA National Excellence in Social Media Award honors a PIA member agency that uses non-traditional communication tools to effectively further the goals of the organization. An agency may use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs and other social media outlets to creatively promote programs, build upon an existing brand and introduce products and services to an expandable customer base.

Nominations for this award are made by individual PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliate associations. The eighth annual Excellence in Social Media Award is sponsored by the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

All four awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony on September 15, 2017, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, held in conjunction with PIA’s 2017 Fall Governance Meetings.

Nomination forms are available at /awards

For questions or additional information on the awards, contact Sade Hale at awards@pianet.org or (703) 518-1350.

PIA National is now accepting nominations for its four prestigious national awards: the Company Award of Excellence, Company Representative of the Year, Managing General Agency of the Year and Excellence in Social Media awards. Award nomination deadline is Monday, July 17, 2017.

All four awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony on September 15, 2017, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, held in conjunction with PIA’s 2017 Fall Governance Meetings.

Nomination forms are available at /awards

For questions or additional information on the awards, contact Sade Hale at awards@pianet.org or (703) 518-1350.

PIA National is now accepting nominations for its four prestigious national awards: the Company Award of Excellence, Company Representative of the Year, Managing General Agency of the Year and Excellence in Social Media awards. Award nomination deadline is Monday, July 17, 2017.

The PIA National Company Award of Excellence honors an insurance company that demonstrates a commitment to the American Agency System and seeks to further the interests of professional independent insurance agents by creating a better business environment. PIA places a very high value on its relationships with its carrier partners.

PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliates may make nominations for this award.

The PIA National Company Representative of the Year Award recognizes the professionalism and unique contributions of an outstanding company representative. Nominees are judged on their professional education, experience and ability; their contributions to the American Agency System in general and PIA in particular; their support of individual, independent insurance agents; their involvement in community affairs; and their performance as an industry spokesperson.

Nominations for this award are made solely by PIA state and regional affiliates. However, national-only members may submit nominations for the Company Representative of the Year Award.

The PIA National Managing General Agency of the Year Award is given annually to recognize the outstanding achievement of a managing general agency in furthering the interests of agents, along with a commitment to the agency system and successful efforts to create a better business environment for professional insurance agents.

Nominations for this award are made by individual PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliate associations.

The PIA National Excellence in Social Media Award honors a PIA member agency that uses non-traditional communication tools to effectively further the goals of the organization. An agency may use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs and other social media outlets to creatively promote programs, build upon an existing brand and introduce products and services to an expandable customer base.

Nominations for this award are made by individual PIA members as well as PIA state and regional affiliate associations. The eighth annual Excellence in Social Media Award is sponsored by the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

All four awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony on September 15, 2017, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, held in conjunction with PIA’s 2017 Fall Governance Meetings.

Nomination forms are available at /awards

For questions or additional information on the awards, contact Sade Hale at awards@pianet.org