The Silent Partner Can’t Afford to be Silent Any More!

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You would think that people would understand what insurance agents do. We talk about decrying the impressions that insurance is a commodity and that it’s an easy product to purchase on-line for the protection of your home and auto. It’s funny (sad) to see the investments that companies make in automating the insurance purchasing process...only to later make sure that their customer service distribution channel (aka agents) is well positioned. It’s clear that John Q. Public doesn’t understand insurance, as all of our research shows that our members frequently have to help consumers who purchased insurance on-line only to find that they weren’t completely covered.

Well, given our experience with this recent session of the General Assembly, the legislators don’t understand insurance agents either. Some – and you know who they are – have good solid understanding and generally have an independent agent that they work with closely at home. But there are not many of these knowledgeable legislators. Many – and generally these are the trial lawyer legislators – obviously have a different perspective on the insurance process, as back home they find themselves in active disputes with insurance companies.

Well, IIAV will become more active in "tooting our horn" and letting legislators know who and what the independent insurance agents are and how they serve their community. As part of this process and through our national association, all IIAV members will be able to take advantage of our national association’s Trusted Choice branding program come September 2011.

Why should you participate in the Trusted Choice program? Frankly, we need to describe to the consumer – in both personal and commercial lines – that independent insurance agents are the consumers’ Trusted Choice. Simply put, we have to start waving our own flag. We have to stop being silent. We need to make the consumer WANT to use an independent insurance agent. We want the consumer to understand that an independent insurance agent provides knowledgeable and reliable consultation and services.

What can you do to help in this process? Start using the new Independent Insurance Agent logo on your signs, agency literature and stationery. The logo has been updated for only the 10th time in more than 100 years. Go to the IIAV website – www.iiav.com – and we’ll provide you with the file to download and send to your printer. Or you can wait until September of this year and our national association will help offset the cost of updating your stationery.

Regardless, start telling your story to everyone you know and most specifically to the legislators that you elect to office. We have a great story to tell and while people may not like paying for insurance, we are there when consumers need someone the most.

So start waving the flag. Use the independent agent logo. Let everyone know who and what you are. Don’t let what we do be a secret or perceived as something that’s easy to get over the Internet.

Sincerely,

Robert N. Bradshaw Jr., MAM
President & CEO