Big I Virginia E-News
December 2018
Welcome
New Members

 Associates:

eEndorsements McKinney, TX
From the Desk of the President & CEO
Tis the Season ...
  

As you’re getting ready for the season and year-end renewals ... I’m getting ready for the legislature. With the entire legislature up for election this coming year in 2019, I’m sure we have some fun politics to deal with during the upcoming session.

IIAV Member Resources
Health Care Corner: Tip by Monty Dise
The IRS has established the 2019 Health Savings Account “HSA” contribution limits and they have been increased from 2018. The individual limit has increased to a total of $3,500 and the family limit has increased to a total of $7,000. The HSA catch-up contribution limit for people age 55 and older remains at $1,000. If your health insurance plan is a qualified High Deductible Health Plan “HDHP,” be certain to open up an HSA. Please contact me with any questions.
Monty Dise, President 
Asset Protection Group, Inc. 
mdise@apgroupinc.com 
804-423-7700
Tech Tip: By Steve Anderson
  
How to Easily Test Your Website on Multiple Browsers
 
A quick Google search will pull up some different website services that will test your website pages automatically for you, using multiple browsers. One of the services that has been around a while is Browsershots.
The Security You Need. The Name You Trust.
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies®
Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies are rated A+ “Superior” by A.M. Best (as of July 26, 2023) 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 (with typical limits up to $20 million; $50 million for select classes), Commercial Auto, Commercial Umbrella, Professional Liability, and Workers’ Compensation.  “Pay-as-you-go” billing options are also featured. 
Learn More
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State & National News
Adam Winfree Joins Jackson Sumner & Associates in Virginia
  
Boone, N.C. – Jackson Sumner & Associates (JSA) announces Adam Winfree has been hired as the company’s Virginia Marketing Representative.
 
Winfree joins the company as a 13-year veteran of the insurance industry, having worked previously as Personal Lines Manager for a retail agency in the Richmond area. Winfree is a Richmond native and graduate of Radford University with bachelor’s degrees in both Management and Marketing. His territory for JSA will include all of Virginia.
Central Promotes Gibson to Vice President
  
Van Wert, Ohio – The Central Insurance Companies is pleased to announce the promotion of Angie Gibson to Vice President of Customer Services, effective Nov. 5, 2018. Angie is replacing Cindy Hurless, who was elected as the new Chief Operating Officer in October.
Colaianne Named Director of Marketing
  
Hagerstown, Md. – The Brethren Mutual Insurance Company congratulates Ken Colaianne on recently being named the company’s Director of Marketing.

Bringing 28 years of experience to the new position, Colaianne is excited to bring a new focus to Brethren Mutual’s marketing efforts. He looks forward to building a fully dedicated marketing department that brings value to the overall relationships the company has with its independent agency partners.
Atlantic Specialty Lines, Inc.
AmTrust North America
IIAV News
IIAV Announces RESPA Warning – New Technical Bulletin Addresses Agreements with Settlement Service Providers
  
IIAV engaged the services of real estate law specialist Blake Hegeman to review the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act for “land mines” that could impact insurance professionals. The result of the review is a new “technical bulletin” that addresses RESPA and areas of concern to agents.
Affinity HR Group Q&A

Q: We just hired a new inside sales rep with very little experience. It was a hard, long search, and we had to pay him $12,000 more than our other sales rep who has been with us three years and is a great employee. Should we increase her pay in case she would discover the pay disparity?

IBHS Introduces OFB-EZ Spanish Edition to Help Hispanic-owned Businesses Prepare for Disasters
Many small businesses are unprepared to respond to a weather disaster like a hurricane or a blizzard, or other business disruptions such as a structure fire or long-term power outage.

Statistics show one in four businesses that close due to a disaster will never reopen. Developing a business continuity plan should be a high priority for all small businesses across Virginia, so they can survive and quickly recover from costly interruptions, which can exceed $3,000 per day of disruption.
Upcoming Events
Your Opportunity to be Heard ... and Seen

Your next opportunity to lead is on a big day for our profession. We need your help.
 
Why? There are several important pieces of legislation that could have a major impact on you as an agent. 
 
You need absolutely no political experience. If you can talk about insurance for 5-10 minutes, you’re a perfect fit. We provide you with exactly what you need to know before you meet with any legislators, including specific talking points to mention. It’s as easy as it sounds.   
 
This day matters. Your presence will make a difference. Ask anyone who has attended and they can tell you how powerful (and fun!) this really is. Mark your calendar to be a voice for our profession and your clients. 

Agency Systems
Penn National Insurance
Education
Are You Compliant?

A total of 48,788 Virginia residents were subject to CE

  • 2% have completed coursework, but not paid the fee
  • 14% have paid the fee, but not completed the coursework
  • about 30% have not completed either.

Click here to find out if you are compliant! If not, check out our Education Calendar to get you there!

Training: A Differentiating Recruiting Asset
  
According to PwC, the top three reasons (from a list of 12) that make an organization their employer of choice are: 
  1. Opportunities for Career Progression
  2. Competitive Wages/Financial Incentives
  3. Training and Development Programs