Big I Virginia E-News
December 2024

On behalf of IIAV, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks and recognition to our valued partners for their outstanding support throughout 2024. Their commitment to our mission has been instrumental in helping us provide our members with resources, education, and advocacy.

IIAV’s mission is to serve as an unwavering advocate for independent insurance agents. We could not accomplish this mission without the dedication and generosity of our partners. Their support allows us to offer vital services, expand our reach, and continue strengthening the foundation of our association.

With their partnership, we’ve been able to enhance the benefits of our membership program, allowing us to provide even more value to independent agents. The IIAV Partner Program demonstrates the ongoing engagement with our association and the commitment to supporting the independent agent community. Through their involvement, they gain greater visibility while also showcasing their dedication to the success and sustainability of the independent insurance industry.

This program is designed to highlight and celebrate our most engaged and impactful members. We deeply appreciate our partners’ support and look forward to continuing our partnership in the years ahead.

We could not do this important work without you!  For those interested in becoming a “IIAV Partner” for 2025 — please contact Rich Messler at rmessler@iiav.com

IIAV Member Resources
  
Do you know an agency that exemplifies excellence in growth, retention, and professionalism? The Big “I” is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Best Practices Study. This is your chance to recognize agencies that stand out for their business success, dedication to professional development, effective use of technology, and strong reputations in their communities. Help us showcase the best in the industry by submitting your nomination today!
  
In today's digital age, having a website that is properly functioning and capturing traffic is vital to continual growth. But how can one be certain the visitors to the website are clicking on the desired links or accessing the correct pages? Are there errors that are causing visitors to leave and explore other competitor sites? A slow-loading website can cause visitors to lose interest quickly. Trusted Choice recently announced a FREE tool designed to help answer those questions.
Your Business is Our Business ®
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies®
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies are rated A+ “Superior” by A.M. Best (as of July 2024) and backed by the financial strength of our ultimate parent, Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.  In Virginia, we offer a full product suite for your commercial clients that includes a Businessowner’s Policy, Commercial Auto, Commercial Umbrella, Professional Liability, and Workers’ Compensation.  “Pay-as-you-go” billing options are also featured. 
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State & National News
Virginia has approved a 12.0% loss cost decrease in the workers’ compensation voluntary market along with rate decreases in the assigned risk market, effective April 1, 2025.
 
  
The Hill, a prominent Washington, D.C.-based political newspaper, has once again named Charles Symington, Big “I" president & CEO, among the top trade association lobbyists in the nation's capital this year. 
Goodville Mutual
EMC Insurance
Food For Thought
  
By Carey Wallace, AgencyFocus
Looking ahead to 2025, our AgencyFocus team put together some of our predictions for what agencies should be expecting in the upcoming year based on trends in data we have seen this year. Good news for almost everyone — we believe the market will begin to soften.  
Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash 
By Mell Tull
Post-employment restrictive covenants, such as confidentiality, non-solicitation, and non-competition covenants, are important tools used by insurance agencies to protect their legitimate business interests. The landscape of laws and regulations governing the use of non-competes and other restrictive covenants in the employment context is complex and continuously evolving. Earlier this year, a court blocked the FTC’s nationwide ban on most noncompete agreements.
  
Do you have lingering questions about flood insurance? Want to expand your knowledge of flood and fill in some gaps? The NFIP's new Frequently Asked Questions webinar addresses the top questions the NFIP hears from agents and others attending NFIP courses.
Photo by Chris Gallagher on Unsplash
Local Presence. Regional Strength.
Penn National Insurance®
Penn National Insurance is small enough to provide personal, caring interactions, but large enough to serve you and your policyholders with the same sophistication and product offering of the largest carriers. We back our promise to help people feel secure and make life better when bad things happen with our strong financial position, and we remain committed to distributing our products and services through independent agencies.
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