Life insurance as DepenDabLe as you. • Among the lowest term rates in the country • Great service that’s here for you 24/7 • An A+ (Superior)* rating from A.M. Best and an A-** from Standard & Poor’s • Fast, hassle-free e-policy delivery • eApplication now available on iPipeline • Winflex and iGO Drop Ticket coming soon No Nonsense. Like You. Call 1.888.224.7254 or email brokerage@sbli.com. NAILBA Booth #523 The Savings Bank Life Insurance Company <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts. Woburn, MA. Visit *ambest.com and **standardandpoors.com to learn more. NAIC #70435
ceo insights Perspectives is published for the National Association <strong>of</strong> Independent Life <strong>Brokerage</strong> Agencies 11325 Random Hills Road, Suite 110 Fairfax, VA 22030 (703) 383-3081 www.nailba.org NAILBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Raymond S. Phillips, Jr., CLU, LTCP Chairman Barbara Crowley Chair-Elect David Long Secretary/ Treasurer Dexter S. Umekubo, CLU, ChFC Immediate Past Chairman David P. Chittenden, CLU, ChFC, LTCP Thomas L. Gilbert, CLU, ChFC, LTCP Melinda S. Meyer Jeffrey D. Mooers Daniel E. Peterson, LLIF, LUTCF Thomas Riekse, Jr. James Sorebo George C. Van Dusen IV Stephen F. Walther NAILBA EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL Michael Cohen, CLU Christi M. Daughenbaugh David Johnston Sheri Leaders John McWilliams Melinda S. Meyer Jeffrey D. Mooers Lori Payne Laurie B. Prevette Michael Tessler NAILBA STAFF Jack Chiasson, CAE Chief Executive Officer Kathy Allison Director, Membership and the Foundation Susan Klemmer Deputy Chief Executive Officer Susan D. Haning, CEM, CMP Director, Business Development Rachel C. Marineau, CMP Manager, Meetings and Education Meredith Maslich Administrative Coordinator Sarah O’Hanley Manager, Exhibits, Sponsorships and Advertising John Tong Director, Administration and Operations Mark Valentini, MPP Director, Government Affairs Editor: Susan Klemmer sklemmer@nailba.org Advertising: Susan D. Haning, CEM, CMP shaning@nailba.org Design and Production: Blue House www.bluehouse.us Creative Director: Elinor Van Dyck elinor@bluehouse.us Designer: Katie Piwowarczyk katie@bluehouse.us Keep Offering Value JACK CHIASSON, CAE NAILBA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Ihope you have all had a wonderful summer! Vacation time is (mostly) over, the kids are (mostly) back in school, and I find myself scratching my head and wondering how the time could possibly be passing so quickly. I’m sure I’m not alone in this! So, let’s talk about the future <strong>of</strong> brokerage. In my mind, the future <strong>of</strong> brokerage is as simple as this: Keep <strong>of</strong>fering value, and you’ll be fine. Over the past 30 years or so, BGAs have created a value proposition that has become widely accepted. Where BGAs were once considered the “red-headed stepchildren” (and I’ve heard worse!) <strong>of</strong> the insurance industry, you are now an accepted, highly respected, and integral part <strong>of</strong> the business. Carriers that wouldn’t even consider talking to you all those years ago came to see that maybe you weren’t so “bad” after all. The carriers’ goal (oversimplified) is— and has been—to distribute their products as widely as possible. YOU made it easier for them to do so. Over the years, you’ve not only increased the distribution <strong>of</strong> the carriers’ products, you’ve allowed them to “<strong>of</strong>f-load” some <strong>of</strong> their expenses to you. You’ve been compensated for it, <strong>of</strong> course, and you’ve helped make them more pr<strong>of</strong>itable along the way. Times change. Product <strong>of</strong>ferings have increased, but there is ever more research that shows that Americans are still under-insured. You’ve changed the way you do things in order to better serve consumers—even though they haven’t always been your primary customers. Many <strong>of</strong> you have added retail, direct-to-consumer operations to your business plans, and have been incredibly successful at doing so. You’ve found ways to both increase your own businesses and to distribute even more product for the carriers. Current estimates are that nearly a billion dollars—yes, that’s billion with a “b”—worth <strong>of</strong> insurance products are distributed through the independent channel—that’s you. I can hear you asking, “So what does all this have to do with the future?” You do things that the carriers can’t do—or have chosen not to do. You provide a valuable service—to the carriers, to the agents with whom you work, and to consumers. To continue this success into the future, you must continue to provide that value. You must constantly be on the lookout for “new and improved” ways to demonstrate this value every day. You must continue do something that no one else can do—or do as well. That is how value is determined. A comment that I have heard— far too <strong>of</strong>ten, in my opinion—is that when carriers can figure out a way to do what you do in a cheaper way, independent brokerage will be finished. You—and we at NAILBA— can’t let that happen. We all KNOW that what you do is valuable; we all just have to keep reminding everyone else just HOW valuable it really is! As the organization that you have trusted to represent your interests and to provide educational and networking opportunities for you, NAILBA must continue to demonstrate its value. As your business changes and grows, so, too, must NAILBA continue to change and grow. We must be aware <strong>of</strong> the changes in the way you operate your businesses, and we must continually be looking for new ways to help keep you on the cutting edge. We do this with our educational <strong>of</strong>ferings at the Annual Meeting each year. Workshops are proposed and designed by a group <strong>of</strong> NAILBA members—people who do what you do on a daily basis. Their day-to-day challenges running their own businesses helps them to understand what BGAs need to know—where the “gaps” are and what is changing that you need to learn about. For the past several years, you have also seen that NAILBA’s Annual Meeting General Sessions have become more content-rich. We look for speakers who can <strong>of</strong>fer business-related topics—on an advanced level. We try to find those who can help you make your plans with an eye towards the future, and not get mired in “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” As the times change, and the insurance world changes, those that are most able to adapt to those changes are those that will continue to be the most successful. NAILBA’s mission is—and always has been— to help you stay successful, to be the best, most efficient, most VALU- ABLE way to distribute insurance products. Keep up the good work, and I’ll see you in Dallas in November! www.nailba.org 11
Change language