The Big I Virginia Spring 2021

SPRING 2021

THE BIG I

V I R G I N I A

A PUBLICATION OF THE INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS OF VIRGINIA

Property & Casualty

Property (building, BPP, BI)

General Liability

Excess Liability

Ocean Marine

Prize Indemnification

Special Events

Excess Wind

Equipment Breakdown

Crime

Transportation

Auto Liability

Physical Damage

Cargo

Garage Liability

Workers Comp

Contractors

Truckers

Restaurants

+ many more classes

Professional Liability

Architects

Engineers

Non-Profit D&O

Corporate D&O

Medical Malpractice

Social Services

Misc E&O

EPLI

Technology Professional

Media Professional

Excess Professional

Personal Lines

Umbrellas

Homeowners

Personal Inland Marine Floaters

In-Home Businesses

Flood

Primary

Excess

800-342-5572

www.jsausa.com

NC | SC | VA | GA | TN | MD

#jsausa

Independence works better together

With Keystone, the best resources are at your fingertips to

help you support a business that stands the test of time. We

connect you to a community of like-minded independent agents

and provide access to relationships that extend beyond your

geographic reach.

With 14 divisions and more than 100 corporately employed

insurance professionals, we employ the expertise that expands

opportunities for you and your clients. We focus on innovation,

recruiting and training new talent, and guiding future agency

owners allowing you to focus on what is important.

Success is a journey. Let us be your guide.

Business Development

Commercial Marketing

Niche Programs

Perpetuation Planning

Profit & Growth

Risk Management

Financial Services

Captives

Emerging Leaders

Claims Management

Bonds

Employee Benefits

Producer Recruitment & Training

Contact Cheryl Brooks:

570.473.2840 | cbrooks@keystoneinsgrp.com

keystoneinsgrp.com

©2018 Keystone Insurers Group ®. All rights reserved. This does not constitute an offer to sell

a franchise in any state in which the Keystone Insurers Group franchise is not registered.

INSIDE

6 Message from the Chairman of the Board – Jill Roth

8 Message from the President and CEO – Robert N. Bradshaw Jr.

10 Message from the State National Director – Michael Funkhouser

12 Platinum Partner: Summit

13 IIAV Convention Is Moving to a New Date

14 Thank You 2021 Partners

15 IIAV Member Benefits

16 Investing in Our Industry’s Future Talent

18 Find Top Talent with Big I Hires

20 In with the New: How to Guide Young Producers to Long-Term

Success

22 Build the Agency You Want

24 Opportunities Abound for Future-Minded Agencies

27 A Question of Value: The Value of a Good Growth Story

28 Learning Solutions for Agents

30 Staff Profile: Getting to Know Melanie DeCola, IIAV Insurance

Account Executive

33 Can Employers Require Employees to Receive COVID-19

Vaccinations?

36 Compensation Planning During a Pandemic

38 Save the Date: Young Agents' Conference, Oct. 6-8

THANK YOU ADVERTISERS

40 Applied Underwriters

auw.com/us

31 Berkshire Hathaway GUARD

Ins

guard.com/apply

26 Bloss & Dillard Insurance

Managers

bloss-dillard.com

7 Builders Mutual Insurance

BuildersMutual.com

9 EMC Insurance

emcins.com/losscontrol

21 Genesee Insurance

geneseeins.com

11 Harford Mutual

HarfordMutual.com

5 Iroquois Group

iroquoisgroup.com

2 Jackson Sumner &

Associates

jsausa.com

For more information on advertising, contact Eric Johnson

Blue Water Publishers, LLC / 9406 N. 107th St., Milwaukee, WI 53224

414-708-2059 / fax: 414-354-5317 / eric@bluewaterpublishers.com

3 Keystone Insurance Group

keystoneinsgrp.com

21 Penn National

PennNationalInsurance.com

39 SIAA

www.istockphoto.com

17 Vertus Insurance Partners

Vertusinspartners.com

SPRING 2021

THE BIG I

V I R G I N I A

The Big I Virginia is a publication of the

Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia

8600 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23294

Phone: 804.747.9300 / Toll-free: 800.288.IIAV (4428)

Fax: 804.747.6557 / E-mail: members@iiav.com / Website: iiav.com

IIAV IS AN ORGANIZATION DEVOTED TO

PROMOTING, ENHANCING, SERVING AND

ASSISTING INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS.

The Big “I” is a trademark owned by the Independent

Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. (“IIABA”), and is

being used with the permission of IIABA.

IIAV Staff

Robert N. Bradshaw, Jr., MAM

President & CEO

rbradshaw@iiav.com

Cell (804) 929-4134

Teri Chester

Executive Secretary/

Receptionist

& Membership Coordinator

tchester@iiav.com

Joe Hudgins, CPCU

Technical Consultant

jhudgins@iiav.com

Cell (804) 929-4138

Bonnie Joyce

Senior Insurance

Administrative Assistant

bjoyce@iiav.com

Linda Loving, CIC, AISM, AIAO

IIAV Chief Operating Officer

& VFSC Executive Vice President

lloving@iiav.com

Cell (804) 929-4133

Susan E. C. Perkins

Membership/Education

Coordinator

sperkins@iiav.com

Bonnie J. Warren,

ACSR, CPIW, DAE, RPLU

Insurance Account Executive

bwarren@iiav.com

Vera Wooden


vwooden@iiav.com

Rebecca Arnold

Communications/Media

Manager

rarnold@iiav.com

Donald W. Bragg,

CPCU, CIC, CPIA, MBA

Director of Membership

& Marketing

dbragg@iiav.com

Melanie DeCola


mdecola@iiav.com

The Big I Virginia is a publication of the Independent Insurance Agents

of Virginia and is published quarterly by Blue Water Publishers, LLC. The

Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia, Inc. reserves the right in its sole

discretion to reject advertising that does not meet IIAV qualifications or which

may detract from its business, professional or ethical standards. IIAV and Blue

Water Publishers, LLC do not necessarily endorse any of the companies

advertising in the publication or the views of its writers. The publisher cannot

assume responsibility for claims made by advertisers, content provided by

the editor, or for the opinions expressed by contributing authors.

4 THE BIG I VIRGINIA SPRING 2021

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

JILL ROTH

jroth@afsinsurance.com

COPING — WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM IIAV

Michael Scott once asked himself, “Would I rather

be feared or loved?” His answer, “Easy. Both. I

want people to be afraid of how much they love

me.” Managing a staff of any size can be a very difficult

task. Your employees become your friends, your family and

those you rely on in everyday situations. As their employer,

you want to take care of them and be sure you are providing

the best working conditions for every individual on staff.

March 2020 proved to question everyone’s management

style across the world. COVID-19 threw a wrench in

business plans that had been working for decades. Work

from home (or WFH I’ve recently learned) is the new normal.

Technology, updated phone systems and a malleable staff

proved to be invaluable.

WORKING WITH AFFINITY

HR GROUP WAS AMAZING.

THEY WERE INCREDIBLY

HELPFUL, THOROUGH AND

KNOWLEDGEABLE. THEY WERE

ABLE TO NOT ONLY SOLVE THE

PROBLEM AT HAND BUT HELP

US PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

As if this new normal wasn’t enough to test our management

style in our own agency, three out of our fifteen person

staff announced their pregnancies. That is 20% of our staff!

While we couldn’t be happier for their families, we were

secretly freaking out about how to continue operations at

the level our clients expected.

After initial management discussions within our agency,

we mapped out a plan of action. In addition to hiring

someone and training them during a pandemic that

requires you to socially distance yourself, we also had to

completely redo all of our office manuals that provided up

to date information complying with newly enacted family

leave laws. To complicate matters even more, we have an

agency in Virginia and New Jersey, and have to follow the

laws of each state in which that employee resides.

This was clearly too large a task for me or any one of the

managers to do on their own. Luckily, through our IIAV

membership and the awesome IIAV CONNECTS program,

I learned about Affinity HR Group. Within a week, we had

all of our answers to the recent mommas-to-be. Working

with Affinity HR Group was amazing. They were incredibly

helpful, thorough and knowledgeable. They were able to

not only solve the problem at hand but help us plan for

the future.

As previously mentioned, we are only a staff of 15. We do

not have an HR person on staff. Affinity HR Group offers

ongoing HR support through their Affinity HR Support

Plan. For pennies, you can retain professionals to answer

questions and provide materials like their New Hire

Documents Package or New Hire Checklist. As a subscriber,

you get discounts on their handbook services, background

checks, behavioral assessments and more.

Furthermore, they have dedicated an entire team to

COVID-19 HR Support. Are you providing the proper

tools for the safety of your employees? When do your

WFH employees have to return to the office? This is all

new and ever-changing information and unless you have

a designated point of contact on your own team, reach

out to Affinity HR Group. This is truly one of the greatest

benefits provided by IIAV and I highly encourage you all

to visit their website at https://affinityhrgroup.com/ and

retain their services today.

www.istockphoto.com


Whether it’s the voice in your head

or the one right beside you,

Builders Mutual is always there,

at work with you.

BuildersMutual.com

PRESIDENT & CEO

ROBERT N.

BRADSHAW, JR., MAM

rbradshaw@iiav.com

ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP - PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

- WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT?

If you join an association … you expect to receive

something even if you join for just a good cause.

Associations are expected to provide information and

products and services. And, of course, many associations

provide industry or professional advocacy which of course

the Big "I" does on the state and federal level. More on that

another time. IIAV and our national association provides a

wide range of products and services and you’ll see many of

these highlighted in this issue of Big "I" Virginia magazine.

But another service of IIAV and the Big "I" is to look into

the future and work to be prepared for what agents and

our company partners are looking at for future issues of

concern. For example, we are looking at some regulatory

proposals that have yet to be submitted — such as what the

model legislation for rebating that the NAIC is considering

for future introduction.

But we also are keeping our eye out for “disruptive risk

trends” that you may not be thinking about now. Some of

these are obvious but some are not so common. Some of

these are:

• Rise of autonomous vehicles

• Diversity

• Climate change

• Shifted liability

• Social inflation

• Bid data

• Sharing economy

• Artificial intelligence

• Sensors and connected devices

• Virtual experiences

• Blockchain, and more

As these issues become more and more apparent, we will

become more involved in these issues and their competing

interests. Take any one of these issues and I’m sure you can

come up with numerous different “publics” who will look

I’VE HEARD MANY TIMES

THAT MEMBERS ARE

GRATEFUL FOR OUR WORK

AT THE LEGISLATURE … SO

YOU DON’T HAVE TO. BUT

WHILE YOU MIGHT NOT SEE

IT PROXIMATELY, OUR WORK

IN REGARD TO LOOKING AT

TRENDS FOR OUR INDUSTRY

IS CRITICAL.

at each of these issues within their own self-interest. But

I’m sure you don’t want us working or thinking about these

issues when they show up at the legislature totally written

in the trial lawyers’ self-interest.

I’ve heard many times that members are grateful for our

work at the legislature … so you don’t have to. But while

you might not see it proximately, our work in regard to

looking at trends for our industry is critical. There are many

times when I’m afforded the opportunity to work closely

with our company partners in national meetings and with

those other Big "I" representatives of our industry.

So many of the programs and services we provide —

Affinity HR, pre-licensing, CE, legislative updates, Big "I"

Hires, Big "I" Diversity … and many others are dealing with

the issues of today. But sometimes my gray hair comes

from our discussions and research on some trends that are

pretty scary.

Robert N. Bradshaw, Jr., MAM

President & CEO


More is

more.

At EMC, we take a “more is more” approach

when it comes to ensuring workplace safety,

which is why EMC offers more loss control

services than ever before. A safe work

environment often leads to a more profitable

business. And offering our loss control

services at no additional cost to your clients

often leads to a more profitable business

for you, too.

emcins.com/losscontrol

©Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty

Company 2021. All rights reserved.

STATE NATIONAL DIRECTOR

MICHAEL F.

FUNKHOUSER

mikehm@shentel.net

INTRODUCING BIG “I” HIRES

In survey after survey that the IIABA conducted, the

need and request from members was always the

same: “Our agency needs help attracting talent!” In

fact, 44% of respondents to the 2018 Agency Universe

Study cited the inability to find new, qualified employees

as their number one issue.

Out of this need, Big “I” Hires was born. I can’t state it any

better than the “About Us” section of the Big “I” Hires

website:

Big “I” Hires is a program developed by the IIABA, and is

intended to be a comprehensive solution to finding and

recruiting new talent, then onboarding them with ease.

It was created as a one-stop resource for independent

insurance agencies to attract, identify, assess and train top

performing Producers and CSRs. An array of tools and

online resources are available for members to allow them

to find the right hires for their agency with a few simple

clicks!

The beauty of Big “I” Hires is that it doesn’t use a “one size

fits all” approach.

The “DIY” hiring toolkit guides you through the entire hiring

process from preparing your search, through screening,

and ultimately hiring and onboarding. The kit includes

sample job descriptions, job postings, interview questions

and template, sample offer letter and confidentiality

agreement, and four-week learning objectives. These kits

are available for targeting both Personal and Commercial

Producers and CSR’s alike. The employer is responsible

for posting their job opportunity and descriptions to job

boards, and handling the recruiting process.

Because resumes and interviews may not give true insight

into the potential employee, other tools are available to

help you assess your candidate. Caliper personality testing,

technical knowledge testing, and sales call reluctance

testing are available as well, and will help narrow down

your search.

If a more robust hiring approach is needed, Big “I” Hires

has partnered with IdealTraits, a true recruiting platform

that streamlines the hiring process from start to finish. It

allows you to post your job offers to multiple job boards

in one submission, receive candidate resumes, and

organize hiring into stages. Access to assessment tools

is also included, so you may identify and hire the best fit.

Subscriptions to this service are offered in 90 day, and

annual plans.

Pricing for all services is extremely affordable, and that

information can be found at bigihires.com.

Big “I” Hires provides IIAV members another “arrow in the

quiver” to attract the best in the industry to your agency!

www.istockphoto.com


How long has your company

been in business?

Summit has been in business for more

than 40 years.

What do you feel is the biggest

strength of your company

right now?

At Summit, we are the people who

know workers’ comp. Our biggest

strength is the expertise that comes

from focusing on one line of business.

How do employees measure the impact of

their work?

Summit exists because people get hurt at work. We work to

help policyholders avoid workplace injuries, but when they

do happen, we are here to help. When injured workers are

taken care of and able to return to work, we know we have

been successful.

What changes can we see from Summit in the

next two years?

Summit started out in Florida, and we have expanded

our footprint to cover 14 states. We continue to explore

opportunities for future growth and development,

particularly in the area of digital innovation. Our goal

is to listen to the needs of our customers and pursue

opportunities to improve their experiences. To that end,

we are transitioning to more paperless communication

and looking for ways to integrate automation and artificial

intelligence to enhance our operations.

What would someone find interesting to

know about Summit that they might not

already know?

Policyholders with Summit-managed workers’

compensation coverage benefit from our own staff

predominantly handling their policy, from the initial policy

underwriting to safety assistance and claims handling, to

the premium audit.

PLATINUM PARTNER

PEOPLE ARE OUR BUSINESS. OUR

EMPLOYEES CREATE LASTING

RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE

PEOPLE WE SERVE, BECAUSE WE

UNDERSTAND HOW WORKERS’ COMP

CAN AFFECT A BUSINESS OWNER OR

THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF AN INJURED

WORKER.

How do you encourage creative thinking

within your organization?

We welcome innovative ideas and take pride in our opendoor

policy. And because we value experience, as well as

innovation, our most successful projects are often the work

of groups of cross-departmental employees collaborating

to do their best work.

How do you uphold your mission statement

in the work you do?

At Summit, we believe it is our job to do the right thing for

our customers. That means getting injured employees the

right care at the right time, supporting our policyholders’

efforts to protect their employees from workplace

accidents and nurturing relationships with independent

insurance agents to help them find success for their

workers’ compensation clients.

Why is Summit different?

People are our business. Our employees create lasting

relationships with the people we serve, because we

understand how workers’ comp can affect a business

owner or the entire family of an injured worker. We always

remember that our customers are not just an account or a

claim — they are hardworking people in need of a policy

that protects their businesses, and medical care that helps

them back on their feet in the event of an injury.


THANK YOU 2021 PARTNERS

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Amerisafe

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD

Central Insurance

EMC Insurance Companies

First Benefits Insurance Mutual

Genesee


Bronze

Goodville Mutual Casualty

Leavitt Group

Loudoun Mutual Ins Group

Method Insurance

Penn National

Peoples Premium Finance

Sagesure Insurance Managers

State Auto Insurance Co.

The Landin Companies

West Bend Mutual

Zenith Insurance Co.

SPRING 2021 THE BIG I VIRGINIA 15

INVESTING IN OUR

INDUSTRY’S FUTURE TALENT

By Glen E. Davis

www.istockphoto.com

When speaking with other agents locally and

abroad, the No. 1 question I hear is: Where will

the next generation of employees come from?

There seems to be a lack of younger people coming into

the industry, let alone our agencies, and the colleagues we

already work with are disappearing as baby boomers look

towards retirement.

Where are the next account managers, customer service

representatives, producers and claims representatives

going to come from and who is going to help us find them?

For independent agents, we don’t have to look much

further than Invest, a 50-year-old 501(c)(3) tax-exempt

nonprofit organization that helps encourage high school

and community college students to join independent

insurance agencies by teaching them the basic skills they

will need to be successful in their careers.

In 1970, Invest was formed at Hollywood High School

in Los Angeles to educate students to become better

insurance consumers. Over time the program evolved —

and with Invest celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, it

now teaches insurance agency operations while showing

students how rewarding an insurance career can be.

Today, Invest supports over 895 programs in 47 states with

31,400 students participating in the last 10 years. One of

their graduates, Lindsey Shank, now serves as the Board

Chair of Invest, in addition to her duties as operations lead

at Hull & Company in Florida.

Invest is working with over 90 colleges that offer insurance

as a certificate, associate degree or four-year program

and has an alliance with Gamma Iota Sigma, an academic

fraternity organized to promote, encourage and sustain

student interest in insurance and risk management. I have

also been a proud Board member of Invest for the past

two years.

In addition to helping to secure talent, Invest is also

working to make sure that the next group of agency leaders

is a diverse one. In June, Invest partnered with Latinos In

Insurance Networking for our Community (LiNC) to host

virtual insurance educational seminars for Los Angeles

high school students. Topics included an introduction to

insurance, managing risk, careers in insurance, resume

building and interview skills. The eight-week program was

taught by local insurance professionals.

While Invest has been hard at work for you and the

independent insurance agency system for the past 50

years, we could use your help expanding our reach and

filling all those soon-to-be empty seats in your office.

There are three ways you can help: be a grassroots

champion for Invest, hire an apprentice, and consider

making a donation.

Invest has done an amazing job getting their curriculum

into high schools, but many school systems have yet to

be introduced to this terrific program and its benefits. For

example, we need champions for the cause in roughly 800

public high schools in the New England area.

We are looking for individuals who are willing to approach


the schools in their communities to introduce the Invest

curriculum and find teachers willing to participate in

the project. Most states have adopted financial literacy

requirements for their students—and the Invest curriculum

aligns with those guidelines. While the primary focus has

transitioned over the years into teaching students about

careers in insurance, the program still teaches students to

understand money and become wise consumers.

Schools are always looking for guest speakers like you —

or guest “Zoomers” as we call them in the coronavirus era

— who can periodically join a math, finance or economics

class to impart the wisdom gained from your insurance

career. This is a great opportunity to showcase how an

Invest program operates and how much students would

gain from it. And as the guest teacher, you will have an

inside track on finding future employees from the class.

In January, the Department of Labor approved

Invest’s National Insurance Apprenticeship Program.

Apprenticeships have traditionally been the domain

of the trades, but Invest’s vision is to create an earn-asyou-learn

program that will benefit the apprentice, the

insurance agency and the industry as well.

“To close the talent gap that currently exists within our

industry, we must be creative and innovative in the way we

compete for new talent,” says Deborah Pickford, executive

director of Invest, which has already started to partner with

local Big “I” state associations and agencies to develop

local apprenticeship programs. If you’re interested, reach

out to your local association to discuss this rewarding

opportunity.

For half a century, Invest has been introducing students

to the world of insurance and providing schools with

free learning resources thanks to agents like you and our

partner companies. As we look to expand the program,

our reliance on you is greater than ever.

In honor of Invest’s 50th anniversary of helping to shape

the future leaders of our industry, I ask that you consider

donating $50 to the program. Donations can be made

online and are tax-deductible.

With your help, Invest will continue to assist agents like

you to bridge the talent gap well into the future.

Glen E. Davis is a member of the Invest Board of Directors.

He is operations manager of Eldredge & Lumpkin

Insurance.

This article appeared in Independent Agent magazine.

Reprinted with permission. https://www.iamagazine.com/

strategies/investing-in-our-industry-s-future-talent

Catastrophic Events Don’t Always

Have Disastrous Outcomes.

Vertus Insurance Partners

offers a simple, cost-effective solution to your client’s exposure to

catastrophic wind deductibles.

Our Cat4Home policy pays for all losses within the homeowners

hurricane or named storm deductible.

If you would like to learn more, contact Jim Avato at 610-574-2302

or email Jim at jimavato@vertusinspartners.com

www.vertusinspartners.com


FIND AND RECRUIT.

Recruiting Support

Age n c ie s o f a ll s iz e s u s e I d e a lT r a its to h ir e

to p p e r f o r m in g s a le s a n d s e r vice s ta f f . P o s t

jo b s , r e c e ive c a n d id a te s , s e n d a s s e s s m e n ts

a n d id e n tif y th e r igh t r e c r u it. W ith va r io u s

s e r vice le ve ls , y o u r jo b w ill b e s e e n o n to p

r e c r u itin g s ite s in c lu d in g Zip R e c r u ite r ,

I n d e e d a n d m a n y m o r e !

FIND TOP

TALENT

Does the thought of hiring a new employee leave you

overwhelmed? Are you seeing turnover, or posting a

job, but just aren’t finding the “right” person?

You’re not alone.

According to the Agency Universe Study 44% of

independent insurance agency owners say finding

qualified new recruits is their top challenge.

Find the right recruits with Big "I" Hires,

a one-stop resource for independent insurance

agencies to identify, hire and assess

top-performing Producers and CSRs.

Ready to Get Started?

BigIHires.com

DIY Hiring Toolkits*

T a k e a h a n d s -o n a p p r o a c h to f in d th e r igh t

s ta f f w ith to o lk its f o r p e r s o n a l a n d

co m m e r c ia l lin e s C S R s a n d p r o d u c e r s .

I n c lu d e s s a m p le jo b d e s c r ip tio n s , p o s tin gs ,

p r o f ile s , a p p lica tio n s , in te r vie w a n d

r e f e r e n c e q u e s tio n s , s a m p le o f f e r le tte r s ,

a n d m o r e .

ASSESS AND MANAGE.

Sales Call Reluctance Testing*

Yo u r c a n d id a te h a s p o te n tia l a n d p e r s o n a lity ,

b u t w ill th e y s e ll? T h is a s s e s s m e n t c a n h e lp

u n c o ve r th e tr u e p o te n tia l a n d a b ility .

Pre-Employment Assessments*

C a lip e r p r o f ile s h e lp y o u p u t th e r igh t p e o p le

in th e r igh t r o le s to in c r e a s e p r o d u c tivity ,

e m p lo y e e e n ga ge m e n t, a n d p r o f ita b ility .

B e n e f it f r o m p r o p r ie ta r y e m p lo y e e a n d

a p p lica n t a s s e s s m e n t in s tr u m e n ts th a t

a c c u r a te ly m e a s u r e s a n in d ivid u a l' s jo b -

p e r f o r m a n c e p o te n tia l.

Human Resources Tools*

Af f in ity H R G r o u p o f f e r s h e lp w ith e m p lo y e e

c h a lle n ge s , d a ily o p e r a tio n s , c o m p lia n c e

a u d its , e m p lo y e e h a n d b o o k s , c o m p e n s a tio n

q u e s tio n s a n d e m p lo y e e d e ve lo p m e n t a n d

m o r e .

TRAIN.

Technical Insurance Resources

V is it th e B ig “I ” V ir tu a l U n ive r s ity f o r B a s ic

a n d B e y o n d o n lin e tr a in in g c o u r s e s f o r

n e w e r a ge n ts . W h e n a ge n ts a s k , w e a n s w e r ,

d ive in to th o u s a n d s o f in -d e p th in s u r a n c e

to p ics a n d if y o u c a n ’t f in d th e a n s w e r , a

q u ick o n lin e f o r m w ill c o n n e c t y o u w ith a n

e x p e r t a n d a n a n s w e r .

*Big “I” Member Discounts Available.

Empowering Trusted Choice ® Independent Insurance Agents.


FIND TOP TALENT

Does the thought of hiring a new employee leave you

overwhelmed? Are you seeing turnover, or posting a

job,but just aren’t finding the “right” person?

YOU’RE NOT ALONE.

Find the right recruits with Big "I" Hires,

a one-stop resource for independent

insurance agencies to identify, hire and assess

top-performing Producers and CSRs.

FIND AND RECRUIT.

Recruiting Support

IdealTraits can help agencies of all sizes hire top

performing sales and staff with the ability to post jobs,

receive candidates, send assessments and identify the

right recruit through a variety of recruiting sites.

POST JOBS FREE ON

MULTIPLE JOB BOARDS

WITH ONE SUBMISSION!

$449 $499

PER LOCATION / 90 DAY ACCESS

PRIORITY

1-ON-1 ONBOARDING

2 CUSTOM JOB ADS

PREMIUM SUPPORT

Receive Your Candidates

Job Posting

Unlimited Candidates

Unlimited Assessments

Applicant Tracking

SUBMIT, RECEIVE AND

REVIEW ASSESSMENTS.

Identify and hire who is best for your agency

$949 $999

PER LOCATION / 1 YEAR ACCESS

PRIORITY

1-ON-1 ONBOARDING

2 CUSTOM JOB ADS

PREMIUM SUPPORT

READY TO GET STARTED? BIGIHIRES.COM BIGIHIRES@IIABA.NET

®

Empowering Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agents.


IN WITH THE NEW:

HOW TO GUIDE

YOUNG PRODUCERS

TO LONG-TERM

SUCCESS

Here’s three things to tell

your new talent to help them see

the exciting career opportunities the

insurance industry offers.

By Susan Toussaint

www.istockphoto.com

If you’re having a tough time recruiting

new talent at your agency, you’re not

alone. The insurance industry has

been challenged to attract, acquire

and develop young, diverse talent for

as long as I can remember. In 2014, the

average age of an insurance producer

was 59 and the industry was on trend

to lose a quarter of its workforce by

2018, according to McKinsey & Co.

There is no doubt about it, we

still have a problem making this

industry an exciting option for young

professionals. But when I think about

all the career opportunities this

industry can provide, I can’t help

but think that we have a messaging

problem.

Recently, I had a conversation with

an agency principal on that exact

topic. He asked me how to pitch

producer candidates on getting into

the industry. Here are the three things

I told him:

1) You get to decide who

you want to be. Unlike many

industries, producers get to decide

who they want as a customer. This is

powerful. In what other professions

can you say that?

The challenge is that new producers

are rarely given the opportunity or

guidance to intentionally develop a

client-type mindset.

Too frequently, new producers start

out as generalists and are rarely

encouraged to become specialists.

Without specialization, it’s difficult

to develop a compelling value

proposition, connect with prospects

at a meaningful level or go upstream

and work on larger, more complex

accounts.

Helping a new producer identify two

or three niches that align with their

passion, marketplace opportunities

and revenue expectations is one of

the greatest gifts an agency principal

can bestow.

2) A vast majority of

businesses are at risk and

don’t know it. Surprisingly,

this particular assertion isn’t always

believed. Yet, as a trainer in the

industry, I can attest to the truthfulness

of this statement.

Reviewing policy after policy, we see

a substantial number of policyholders

at risk of paying out of pocket for a

claim because their insurance policy

is either inadequate or inaccurate.

What’s the cause? Producers falling

into the “commodity trap.” That’s a

term coined by Peter Drucker, who

also said, “In a commodity market,

you can only be as good as your

dumbest competitor.”

The trap is often unintentionally set

by business owners or managers

who make insurance buying and


risk management decisions by

“spreadsheeting” quotes, trying to

make an apples-to-apples comparison.

The trap works because few producers

have an alternative approach to offer,

and, as a result, follow the buyer’s lead

and end up supplying quotes instead

of leading buyers toward a more

effective approach.

While this is scary to think about, it

provides a significant opportunity

for new producers who gain the skills

necessary to lead buyers and help

them self-discover business risks and

threats they were previously unaware

of.

3) There’s never been a

better time to be an agent. If

there is one bright spot in 2020, it’s that

businesses are seeing the holes in their

insurance programs and are seeking to

engage with insurance professionals

who can help them identify additional

areas where they may be at risk.

A pandemic, a hard market, global

climate change creating unexpected

and significant weather-related events,

and an increase in cyberattacks provide

ample opportunities for discussion

about insurance and risk management

strategies.

2020 may be remembered as the year

of COVID-19, but it should also remind

us of the important and meaningful

work producers can do to protect the

personal and professional assets of

their clients.

Susan Toussaint is a practice leader

at Oceanus Partners, a ReSource

Pro company. Oceanus Partners is a

firm dedicated to helping insurance

professionals working in all lines of

business insurance improve sales and

client retention.

This article appeared in Independent

Agent magazine. Reprinted with

permission. https://www.iamagazine.

com/strategies/in-with-the-new-howto-guide-young-producers-to-longterm-success

What do you expect from

your insurance carrier?

✓ An accessible management team that really knows

you and your agency

✓ Consistency in underwriting

✓ A dependable and fair approach to claims handling

✓ Local knowledge and presence in your markets

✓ A carrier that listens and responds

Visit us at www.PennNationalInsurance.com to find out how

you can become an agent with big opportunities for growth.




OPPORTUNITIES

ABOUND FOR

FUTURE-MINDED

AGENCIES

By Tyler Asher

W

e often talk about the

enduring value of the

independent agent. But

following a year of so much hardship,

uncertainty and loss, that value is being

put to the test like never before.

Risk profiles have changed, consumer

behaviors have evolved and trends that

were once emerging are now ingrained. In a world that

looks very different than it did a year ago, we can no longer

follow the same rules and expect the same results.

As a channel, we are at an inflection point. One where we

can choose to continue the same course despite changing

market conditions — or one where we can evolve, knowing

the transformation won’t be easy but will allow us to

emerge stronger than ever. Future-minded agencies will

choose to evolve.

To help guide future-minded agencies through this period

of transformation, we need to look to a greater vision for

how we can do better. This vision is vital to how we plot a

path forward and rewrite the rulebook for how we grow

and evolve as the world continues to change around us.

There are four key pillars that future-minded agencies

should look to when creating a transformation action plan.

These pillars are grounded in the belief that digital isn’t

just a fleeting fad, but rather is fundamental to everything

we do. They are informed by the societal changes around

us, which demand we bring more purpose and greater

diversity into our organizations. They carry through the

best of the past and drop the things that no longer serve

us.

GROWTH

As of August 2020, nearly 100,000 small businesses had

permanently closed their doors due to the impacts of

COVID-19, according to the Yelp Local Economic Impact

Report. Pair that with temporary layoffs that are giving

way to permanent job loss and the estimated 8 million

www.istockphoto.com

THE INDEPENDENT AGENCY CHANNEL IS

AT AN INFLECTION POINT, AND FUTURE-

MINDED AGENCIES WILL CHOOSE TO EVOLVE.

HERE ARE FOUR KEY PILLARS AGENCIES

SHOULD LOOK TO WHEN CREATING A

TRANSFORMATION ACTION PLAN.

Americans who slipped into poverty since May, according

to a Columbia University study in September 2020, a view

of an economy in deep turmoil starts to emerge.

No matter how prepared your agency was going into 2020,

such a volatile economy will leave even the most resilient of

businesses in a place of uncertainty. But out of uncertainty

can also come greater clarity, especially in the way that we

think about and measure success.

Independent agents are well known for their focus

on growth. Although revenue will always be a critical

measurement of agency health, given just how disruptive

the last year was, there are other points of measurement

beyond the bottom line that independent agents can and

should prioritize.

Instead of focusing on growth in the traditional sense,

growth can also be measured based on progress and

improvements. Retention rates, for example, are more

important than ever; it will always cost more to acquire

a new customer than it will to retain a current one, and

even more so during an economic downturn. Focusing on

improving retention is a solid growth priority for the year.

Embracing digital marketing as a growth engine is another

important area future-minded agencies will prioritize.

More than any other growth strategy, digital marketing

allows you to pull different levers and test different tactics

to determine what drives results.

Independent agents will need to strike the right balance

between investing in tools, tactics and talent that drive

short-term returns and investing in those that offer longterm

outcomes. One shouldn’t be sacrificed for the other,


but growth in 2021 for agencies looking to go digital

quickly — perhaps for the first time — should focus on

integrating new tools and building new processes that

allow your business to evolve.

No matter where your agency is in its transformation

journey, a growth mindset should be at the center:

Learning, adapting and growing at every turn can set your

agency up for long-term success more than any other

growth strategy you could deploy this year.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Seemingly overnight, the pandemic changed the ways

consumers go about their daily lives. This shift has

challenged businesses to meet a new set of customer

needs and expectations, many of which are fundamentally

digital.

Nearly 9 in 10 customers — 88% — expect companies

to accelerate their digital initiatives due to COVID-19,

according to the Salesforce State of the Connected

Customer Report from October. A further 68% indicated

that the pandemic has elevated their expectations of

companies’ digital capabilities.

It’s a trend that has been building for the last decade, and

the pandemic is simply the tipping point that confirms

digital is here to stay. But just “going digital” isn’t enough.

Digital transformation needs to be strategic and focused

on improving the customer experience.

The Salesforce report shows that 76% of consumers prefer

to interact with businesses via different channels depending

on the context. Texting, for example, won’t replace a

phone call the moment a customer experiences a loss, but

it can ease the process for handling the subsequent claim.

It all starts with understanding the customer journey, or the

full story of how a customer experiences your business with

every interaction. It’s only once you understand the journey

that you can identify what areas need improvement and

start building a truly customer-driven digital presence.

In a year that budgets will be stretched thin, it’s even more

important to know what parts of the customer journey

cause friction so you can make strategic investments to

improve those areas. The good news is that many carriers

offer independent agents a variety of digital tools at no

cost. By taking advantage of those offerings, you can invest

more in technology solutions or partnering with a vendor

like an agency management system provider that creates

ease for the customer and efficiency for your business.

Investments in efficiency also help you keep the relationship

at the center, freeing up your time to focus on high-impact

relationship-building activities that require a personal

touchpoint. Ultimately, being digital-first in today’s world

means being customer-first.

PURPOSE

As with shifting consumer expectations around digital,

there is also a wave of changing expectations around doing

business with organizations, with a growing emphasis on

purpose.

More than half of customers have reevaluated the

societal role of companies in 2020, with 75% of business

buyers saying a vendor’s ethics increasingly factor into

their purchasing decisions, according to Salesforce.

Younger generations set an even higher bar for corporate

accountability.

Beyond customer expectations, organizations that are

driven by a purpose bigger than profit outperform

competitors in terms of customer loyalty and employee

engagement—both of which positively impact long-term

revenue.

The trend highlights a need to find alignment between

growth efforts and your company’s transformation into a

purpose-driven community leader.

Being purpose-driven is about creating a core compass

that drives all decision making. It means putting pen to

paper to articulate corporate values in a statement. Most

importantly, it’s about institutionalizing that purpose and

intentionally building a culture around it.

For us at Liberty Mutual and Safeco, our core compass

is to help people embrace today and confidently pursue

tomorrow. How does that manifest in the independent

agent channel? Championing all independent agents and

doing what’s right for our independent agent partners in

both times of growth and times of disruption—a purpose

that every team member is empowered to make decisions

around.

When considering how to find that purpose, it’s also

important to reflect on what your agency does best.

Many agencies are looking to build books in niche and

new markets, an inherently purpose-driven approach.

For instance, a core compass could be built around the

concept of hospitality—both in the types of customers you

serve, but also in the way you serve customers.

That purpose should extend into everything your business

does, from content marketing and customer service

training to how you support your community and even

how you make decisions around which technology you

purchase.

TALENT AND CULTURE

Talent and culture may be the last of these four pillars but

it is possibly the most important. Employee engagement is

at the foundation of every successful business.

Following a year of such crisis, how invested employees

Continued on page 26 >>


<< Continued from page 25

Workers’ Comp?

BDI can help.

Bloss & Dillard now offers even more classes

for workers’ comp coverage. No matter what

your clients business is, give us a call to see

available options for quality coverage, with the

service and dedication you’ve come to expect

from BDI.

Core Classes of Business:

• Manufacturing

• Distribution

• Social services

• Health care

• Service

• Mining & energy

bloss-dillard.com

• Contracting

• Retail

• Transportation

• Hospitality

• Schools

and more!

Contact us (804) 285-4930 • (800) 627-0505 • f (804) 285-4945

Send submissions to: submissions@bloss-dillard.com

are in your business will determine its outcome for the years

ahead. One of the greatest benefits of a core compass

is how it connects people to a higher purpose, creating

happier employees that bring more energy and creativity

to their jobs.

Employee engagement drives real business results,

according to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace

report. Highly engaged business units achieve a 10%

increase in customer ratings and 20% increase in sales.

Additional research from Gallup indicates that “employee

engagement is an even stronger predictor of performance

during tough periods such as economic recessions like

we’re in today.”

As a channel, industry and society, we are at a crossroads for

what employee engagement looks like in the year to come,

defined by the two issues amplified by the events of 2020:

remote work and diversity and inclusion.

Many agencies aren’t planning to return to the same inoffice

model they followed pre-pandemic. As employees

prove they can remain productive while working from home,

a more hybrid approach that allows both in-office and

remote work is gaining in popularity.

The racial justice movement shined a light on how

businesses navigate inclusive leadership and the importance

of employing teams that look more like the customers they

serve. Through intentional efforts to recruit and retain talent

of greater diversity, agencies can better position themselves

for long-term success — “The most diverse companies are

now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse peers

on profitability,” according to the McKinsey Diversity Wins

report released in May.

Agencies will be defined by how they lead through these

changes. Those that make positive strides in these two

areas will be well-positioned to continue prospering in 2021

and beyond.

THE FUTURE OF THE CHANNEL

From my seat, the future of the independent agency channel

is bright. We have an opportunity to make insurance friendlier

to a more diverse talent pool, to find greater purpose in our

work, to improve the way we serve customers and to continue

growing in new and interesting ways.

Central to it all is the enduring value of the independent

agent. Independent agents can and will continue thriving

in the marketplace, as long as we have the courage to go

confidently into this brave new world together.

Tyler Asher is president of independent agent distribution

at Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance.

This article was published in the January 2021

issue of Independent Agent magazine Reprinted with

permission.


A QUESTION OF VALUE

THE VALUE OF A GOOD

GROWTH STORY

David J. Dillon

John Horace sat back in his chair and

reflected on the quote he had pulled from

his “Keepers” file; “The most important

thing you need to know about your

business is how you add value to your

customer.”

The quote is from Mack Hamen. John had

kept it all these years because it provides

an important reminder to look outside the

agency to his specific target market, his

prospects and clients, and the importance

of understanding their urgent needs and

compelling desires. Only by understanding

this could he figure out how to add value

and differentiate for success.

John is the Sales & Marketing leader at a

mid-size agency, focused on and passionate

about new growth opportunities. His

industry has been relatively strong, but the year 2020 was

extremely challenging for the team. He is responsible for

a challenging 2021 revenue objective, so his thoughts

drifted back to the Mack Hamen quote. He jotted some

notes in his journal for his upcoming sales and marketing

team meeting.

Delivering growth is important to the agency for many

fundamental reasons, but for John and the rest of the

ownership team the impact of growth on the agency value

story was also of significant interest. Value is a function

of cash flows and risk, and John understands that a track

record of growth can help increase cash flow and reduce

perceived risk. He became increasingly positive of what

the agency team can accomplish in the new year.

NEW QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• Is your ideal client, target market and service niche

still valid? Are they understood by all on the team?

• Do we understand the current needs and longer-term

desires of prospects in our target market? Have the

needs and desires changed in recent months?

• Is your value proposition still relevant and compelling

to clients and prospects – right now?

www.istockphoto.com

ACTIONS TO TAKE

• Talk with your team about the message in the Mack

Hamen quote, and discuss how you add value to your

customers and prospects.

• Revise messaging to focus on benefits clients get

AFTER working with the agency, rather than the usual

products and features. Customers and prospects

care about how your solutions help them with their

aspirations and challenges.

• Review all messaging and marketing collateral to

confirm it is still on-point and effective given all the

change in the world over the past twelve months.

David Dillon is a licensed P&C agent in 25 states and

an IIAV associate member as owner of Watney Insights

Network, Inc. His “why” is to collaborate with successful

agency professionals to solve big, meaty challenges,

so that together they “raise their game” to accomplish

meaningful results for success and fulfillment. His contact

information is ddillon@WatneyInsights.com, 703.648.0584

(O) and 703.785.9440 (M), and WatneyInsights.com.


www.myagencycampus.com

My Agency Campus provides a range of online course offerings

including: Insurance Coverage Basics, Training by Job Role,

Business Skills, Supervisor Training and more!

The courses provide:

Proven content that is fully narrated, ondemand

and interactive

Final assessment at the end of each course

to test your knowledge

Certificate of completion issued after

successful completion of curriculum

Transcripts for students to track and print

Access for 4-months per individual to the

selected curriculum

CE Credits available on coverage bundles

20% off any Subscription!

Enter Code LEARN at Checkout!

myagencycampus.com

Contact: info@myagencycampus.com


Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. 127 S. Peyton Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

WE UNDERSTAND WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU AND

WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO HELP—THAT’S OUR JOB.

AGENTS COUNCIL

FOR TECHNOLOGY.

Work smarter. ACT is always looking for ways to help agents

work smarter, save time and market their services. With

workgroups made up of agency, carrier and vendor

representatives tackling issues such as mobile strategies,

real-time, ACT creates best practices for the independent agency

system on security, mobile, future trends and much more.

Ron Berg, Executive Director

ron.berg@iiaba.net | Independentagent.com/ACT

BEST PRACTICES.

Be better. The Big “I” Best Practices study provides a chance for

all Big “I” members to learn from the top agencies across the

United States by revenue category. The comprehensive product

line delivered via research, resource guides and webinars

provides key strategies to help improve overall agency

performance and increase agency value.

Jennifer Becker, Director of Education Programs

jennifer.becker@iiaba.net |Independentagent.com/BestPractices

DIVERSITY COUNCIL.

Be diverse. The Big “I” Diversity Task Force is charged with

fostering and creating a profitable independent agency

distribution force that reflects, represents and serves the

diverse U.S. population. Find tools for more inclusive

marketing and the Right Start Series will help agencies get

carrier appointments.

Whitnee Dillard, Programs Director

whitnee.dillard@iiaba.net | Independentagent.com/Diversity

INVEST.

Fuel the future. InVEST is an insurance education program in

high schools and colleges that promotes insurance as a career

opportunity connecting agents, brokers and carriers with

potential employees. Opportunities are available to volunteer

in one of the more than 800 classrooms. In 2017 InVEST will

reach more than 30,000 students creating insurance savvy

consumers and future recruits.

Deborah Pickford, Executive Director

deborah.pickford@iiaba.net | Investprogram.org

VIRT UAL UNIVERSITY.

Find analysis. The Big “I” VU links agents to insurance research,

coverage analysis, sample forms, court cases and white papers.

With more than 17,000 searchable pages your employees have

a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. Have a tough

question? The Ask an Expert service is like adding more than 50

insurance experts to your staff at no charge.

Chris Boggs, Big “I” VU Executive Director

chris.boggs@Iiaba.net | Independentagent.com/VU

Jennifer Becker, Director of Education Programs

jennifer.becker@iiaba.net | Independentagent.com/VU

YOUNG AGENTS.

Lead the way. The Big “I” national Young Agents program

encourages industry involvement, from opportunities to

speak with legislators to sales, leadership and technology

training. The Big “I” Young Agents Leadership Institute is the

annual gathering of the nation’s best and brightest. Let the

Big “I” Young Agents help you perpetuate your agency

inquire about scholarship opportunities for the Big “I”

Legislative Conference and leadership meeting.

Susie Bonner, Director, Agent Development & Marketing

susan.bonner@iiaba.net | Independentagent.com/youngagents

TRUSTED CHOICE ® .

Enhance your brand. Trusted Choice ® is the national brand

created exclusively for Big "I" members to help consumers

understand the value independent agents offer. Differentiate

your agency from the competition when you leverage our

reach, expertise and marketing savvy to grow your business.

Need help creating an advertising campaign, looking for

content for your social media channels, or want to see how

you can optimize your website and improve your

customer experience? Trusted Choice offers multiple free

resources, tools, training and financial support for utilizing

cobranded marketing materials.

Kasey Connors, Director of Marketing Operations

kasey.connors@iiaba.net | trustedchoice.com/agents

www.independentagent.com

Empowering Trusted Choice ®

Independent Insurance Agents.


STAFF PROFILE

GETTING TO KNOW MELANIE DECOLA

IIAV INSURANCE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

How long have you been working at IIAV?

I’ve been here for just a little over a year now. I started in

October of 2019. Commercial Insurance is a whole new and

exciting world for me as prior to that I worked in Personal

Lines for 14 years.

What does your job entail?

I am responsible for reviewing, underwriting and servicing

mainly Errors & Omissions Renewal policies, and also Cyber,

Commercial Umbrella, D&O and EPLI Policies. There are a

lot of moving parts (as I’m sure any job entails), so could

be issuing policies, applying payments, underwriting/

reviewing quotes, applying endorsements, etc.

What do you like most about your position?

It’s always been when I have the ability to interact with and

help my clients. I get the most satisfaction when I know at

the end of it all, the customer is happy.

Tell us about yourself!

I am originally from a

very small little country

town in Upstate New

York and moved here

in 2001. My husband,

George, and I will

have been married for

20 years coming up in

a few months. I have

two pretty awesome

kids; my daughter, Brianna

and my son, Ernie. And, oh

yes! I can’t forget my cat,

“Pounce de Leon.” He is quite

the character! I pretty much

stay busy with just keeping a

household running, spending

time with my parents, sister

and niece (who’ve also recently

moved from New York and live

three doors down). I love having them so close!! I am

involved in our Praise Band at church every Sunday. I sing

and play piano. I love listening to a wide array of music. I

listen to anything from classical, Christian, jazz, pop, rock

and yes, even heavy metal hair bands!! I do admit that

I am pretty stuck in any music that comes from the ’80s.

I mean, come on … it’s just the best music era ever! Ha

ha!! My hobbies are spending time with my family, friends

and enjoy cooking and baking. I absolutely LOVE to bake!

Christmas is my favorite time of year for that. It’s always

been a small joke that I should open a bakery one day

when I retire.

What’s your education background?

I have an associates degree in business from Herkimer

County Community College. Actually, it took me four

years to figure out my two-year AA degree. Ha ha. But,

I guess that’s how it goes. All other education has been

from being on the job over the years and also keeping up

with my CE licensing credits! Can’t forget those!

What was the first job you ever had?

My first job was at a little country corner store in my

hometown. I really loved it. I did pretty much everything

there from stocking shelves, being a cashier, VHS Rentals

(yes …VHS! if that’s not telling of my age … ha ha). We

had a little deli as well in which we would sell meats,

make subs, potato and macaroni salads, etc. Probably my

favorite part of it all, was that it had an ice cream window

open in the summer! I absolutely loved working the ice

cream window!

What are you most proud of, personally or

professionally?

I am most proud of my family. I think they are the greatest

accomplishment one could ask for. I am very blessed

to have such wonderful kids and a supportive husband.

Professionally, I am proud of where I am vs. where I have

started out. I never thought I would be working in insurance,

let alone Commercial Insurance. I started out as a secretary

for my first “real” job and thought that’s where I’d always

be. So, I am pretty proud of expanding my horizons …

even though some of it has been challenging at times. But,

like anything in life, you work hard and it pays off.

Name something people would be surprised

to know about you.

Well, I’m not sure as I am pretty much an open book about

stuff. Everyone knows the magnitudes of baking I can

do. But, maybe it would be that I am a classical pianist?

I took piano for 13 years and do still enjoy playing. I am

not, however, one for being “in the spotlight” (that makes

me too nervous), so normally resort to just playing for my

leisure (except for playing in church on Sundays). I don’t

get to play much like I used to, so am quite rusty. But I like

to pull out the reliable favorites every now and then as they

never seem to get old.

Name one thing on your bucket list.

There are quite a few things I’d like to do. I think at the top

would be to take a vacation to Italy/Greece. Also, Scotland

and Ireland. I just think it’s so beautiful over there and really

hope I can afford to do that someday.

What is your favorite …

Food(s)?

French fries! Followed by wine.

Movie?

Don’t laugh, but it’s a tie between “Princess Bride” and

“Three Amigos.” I could watch them over and over! I have

so many other favorites as well, but those are right up at

the top.

Band/Artist?

Can’t pick a favorite as it depends on the genre I’m listening

too. But favorite Christian artist is Michael W. Smith. He is

hands down, the best Christian artist ever! Other favorite

bands are: Def Leppard, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Styx,

Survivor (yep, see the ’80s trend?). And, last year went to a

New Kids on the Block concert with my friend, Kim. (Hey…

don’t knock ‘em! Hee hee. And, yes, believe it or not, they

are still around!). We had bar stool stage seats, which

came with a meet and greet, photo op and a tour of the

backstage. It was the best experience ever!

Thank You !

Agents

We appreciate your

support in 2020 and

wish you all the very

best for the new year.

Commercial Lines | Personal Lines

See state availability at www.guard.com


TOUGH COVERAGE

QUESTIONS?

WE HAVE ANSWERS.

Every day our experts help independent agents find the answers

they need to serve clients and close deals in all lines of business.

Dive into the Big “I” Virtual University or submit a question online

for a custom response from the Big “I” Ask an Expert team.

Don’t leave questions to chance.

WHEN YOU NEED ANSWERS,

THE BIG “I” HAS YOUR BACK

independentagent.com/vu


CAN EMPLOYERS REQUIRE

EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE COVID-19

VACCINATIONS?

By Claudia St. John, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, President – Affinity HR Group, Inc.

A

s 2020 drew to a close, we at

Affinity HR started fielding

questions from clients about

whether they could require employees to

obtain a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition

of employment. These questions were

sparked by the initial vaccination rollout

for front line health care workers and

nursing home residents and the alarming

spike of COVID-19 infections across the

country during the holiday season.

States across the U.S. are in varying

stages of vaccination. While the question of whether

employers can require a COVID-19 vaccine isn’t imminent

for most businesses, now is the time to think about what

your strategy will be.

Can Employers Require the COVID-19 Vaccine?

The answer to this question is essentially yes. In

December 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission issued guidance stating that a COVID-19

vaccine, administered by an employer or by a third-party

administrator on behalf of an employer is not a medical

examination and is permissible.

While the EEOC has deemed such a requirement

permissible, it states that employers should have a wellarticulated

business reason for requiring the vaccine, such

as the need to protect the health of employees or clients,

travel, work with vulnerable populations, or work in close

quarters with others.

The EEOC also cautioned that employers must provide

“reasonable accommodation” to employees who either

are unable to receive a vaccine due to a medical condition

or due to a “sincerely held religious belief.” A reasonable

accommodation may include allowing an employee to

work from home, isolate from other workers, or significantly

adjust work duties to provide protections from the general

employee population.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title

VII of the Civil Rights Act, employers must allow reasonable

accommodations such as these, as long as providing the

accommodation doesn’t cause “undue hardship” for the

employer.

STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE

IN VARYING STAGES OF VACCINATION

AND WHILE THE QUESTION OF

WHETHER EMPLOYERS CAN REQUIRE

A COVID-19 VACCINE ISN’T IMMINENT

FOR MOST BUSINESSES, NOW IS

THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR

STRATEGY.

The EEOC also cautioned employers who plan on requiring

a vaccination to be careful not to violate employees’ rights

when asking the health screening questions that will likely

be necessary to ensure there are no underlying medical

reasons for which the employee should not receive a

vaccine. Because of this, the EEOC advises that employers

should consider making vaccinations voluntary or should

have a third party administer all aspects of the vaccination

process.

Along the same lines, if the employer plans to require

proof of vaccination, the employer should be careful not

to pursue the reasons why an employee was unable to

obtain the vaccine unless the employer can argue they

had a reasonable belief the employee’s refusal to provide

their own protected medical information concerning their

inability to receive the vaccine poses a significant risk of

substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual

or others.

To be safe, if an employer elects to require a COVID-19

vaccine, it must:

• Exercise care in administering the vaccine and consider

outsourcing the entire process to a third party.

• Refrain from asking any unnecessary health screening

questions.

• Keep any medical information received from

employees confidential.

• Be prepared to engage with any employees who

request accommodation or seek an exemption from

the vaccination due to medical or religious reasons.

Continued on page 34 >>


www.istockphoto.com

Affinity HR strongly encourages employers to lead by

example in their approach to taking the vaccine and,

thereafter, to continue to maintain social distancing

measures and use of personal protective equipment.

In the case of employees requiring reasonable

accommodation, employers should consider and review

each case carefully before taking an adverse action against

an employee for failing to obtain a vaccine. As an employer,

do not substitute your wants and opinions for those of

the employee’s doctor who is making the determination

whether the employee should receive the vaccine.

And for those who cannot take the vaccine, it is important

not to discriminate, retaliate, harass, or otherwise

disadvantage the employee in terms of job duties and pay

because of their inability to get inoculated. Employers must

keep all information confidential and not communicate

who has and who has not been vaccinated.

Finally, if, as an employer, you are considering requiring a

vaccine, you may want to take stock of how your employees

responded to many of the precautionary measures you

may have required over the past few months, including

following social distancing protocols, consistent and

appropriate wearing of masks and other protective

equipment, and overall compliance with COVID-19 safety

protocols. If maintaining a safe workforce was challenging,

you can anticipate the issues related to mandating,

communicating, educating, tracking and accommodating

employees during this process will be equally—if not

more—challenging.

Just Because Employers Can Require the COVID-19

Vaccine Doesn’t Mean They Should

Affinity HR’s advice for employers is to take steps toward

encouraging vaccines before they decide to mandate

them.

Employees may be reluctant to get a vaccine—either

because of legitimate health concerns or religious beliefs,

or because of personal beliefs, privacy issues or political

concerns. While mandating the vaccine may be ultimately

appropriate, Affinity HR advises employers to encourage

vaccines as a first step.

If taking this approach, employers could:

• Encourage vaccinations as part of a larger workplace

wellness campaign, supported by goals, challenges

and positive incentives.

• Provide educational campaigns for employees to

address their concerns, including inviting a medical

professional to address employees’ confidential health

concerns.

• Give employees time off with pay to obtain the vaccine

and, if necessary, to convalesce from the inoculation.

• Lead by example by taking the first vaccine and

celebrating the first step toward beating the pandemic.

We’re not out of the woods yet.

Although the end of the pandemic seems within sight, the

country is still battling high levels of infections. The virus is

increasingly contagious if not virulent and even those who

get vaccines will still need to mask and socially distance

until more about the disease can be learned.

For the time being, stay vigilant in protecting your

employees, your clients, and your communities and spend

some time now imagining how you and your employees

will celebrate when this wretched disease is behind us!

Claudia St. John is president of Affinity HR Group, Inc.,

IIAV’s affiliated human resources partner. Affinity HR

Group specializes in providing human resources assistance

to associations such as IIAV and their member companies.

To learn more, visit www.affinityhrgroup.com



www.istockphoto.com

COMPENSATION PLANNING

DURING A PANDEMIC

By Paige Mcallister

2020’s in the rearview window — and thank goodness. Employers struggled to keep businesses

open and have been challenged to develop new markets, products and services in record time.

Most economists predict that the economy will continue to rebound throughout 2021 but at an

uneven pace.

The varying impacts of 2020 and all the unknowns of 2021 make compensation planning more

important than ever. As you seek to start 2021 strong, here are six ways to make sure your

compensation plan is ready for whatever the new year throws at you:

1) Stay up to date on legislative changes. States and municipalities have enacted legislation

that impacts compensation. This represents a unique challenge for employers doing business

in multiple locations. The changes are too numerous to list, but some of the most significant

include:

• 23 states have minimum wage increases scheduled for 2021

• 10 states have approved a $15.00 minimum wage

• 9 states now offer paid family and medical leave


• At the federal level, President Biden

has vowed to take several actions

to support workers. When and how

these might be implemented has yet

to be determined, but these include:

End the tax cuts enacted in the

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

Increase income taxes for highincome

earners (above $400,000

annual income)

Restore federal workers’ rights to

unionize

Remove the Social Security Payroll Tax Deferral

option

2) Review compensation-related policies and

procedures. The legislative changes described above

require that you review and update your minimum

wage and paid family and medical leave policies to

comply with state and local requirements.

Additionally, some of your other policies and

procedures may be outdated. For example:

• 15 states have now legalized recreational marijuana.

Your drug testing policies may require review or

revision as a result.

• If you have written policies regarding remote work or

flexible schedules, COVID-19 may have made them

irrelevant or worse, inaccurate. Now is the time to

review those as well.

3) Plan 2021 salary increases. Early projections for

2021 forecast base salary increases anywhere from

2.3%, according to the Economic Research Institute,

to 2.9%, according to World at Work. These forecasts

were made in the fall of 2020 and consider the volatility

of 2020 and the uncertainty of 2021.

Consider these forecasts along with your organization’s

unique issues related to affordability, external

competitiveness, and internal equity as you plan 2021

salary increases.

4) Plan 2021 bonuses and incentives. The high-risk

business environment and uncertainty expected in

2021 may require changes to planning incentives.

Setting lower goals or changing the mix of performance

measures are probably the first steps to consider. Doing

this, however, requires consideration of the total cost of

the incentive plans relative to adjusted goals and metrics.

Similarly, organizations with longer-term incentive plans and

goals (such as 3-year plans) should consider changing to

shorter-term plans since long-term goal setting in times of

serious economic uncertainty becomes virtually impossible.

5) Understand your competitive markets and how they

THE VARYING IMPACTS OF 2020 AND

ALL THE UNKNOWNS OF 2021 MAKE

COMPENSATION PLANNING MORE

IMPORTANT THAN EVER. AS YOU

SEEK TO START 2021 STRONG, HERE

ARE SIX WAYS TO MAKE SURE YOUR

COMPENSATION PLAN IS READY FOR

WHATEVER THE NEW YEAR THROWS

AT YOU.

have changed. If you’ve historically hired a lot of entrylevel

employees, you may think that hiring them in

2021 will be easier because so many are unemployed.

But think again. You may have different competitors.

Grocery chains are recruiting record numbers of

employees, as are other large retailers like Amazon, Target

and Walmart. And they’re pretty much all paying $15 an

hour, whether it’s legally required or not.

If you hire specialized tech employees, expect the market

for skilled personnel to remain as tight as ever. And expect

a lot of these new hires to request flexible schedules or the

ability to work from home.

6) Develop a comprehensive employee communication

strategy. Employee communications have been particularly

challenging this year, often including discussions about

furloughs, layoffs, termination and deferred or canceled

salary increases.

Add in the difficulties of communicating with employees

working at home, and the challenges become

overwhelming.

It’s critical to develop your new year employee

communications now. The key components of your

communication strategy should be:

• Legislative changes and how they will impact policies,

procedures and employee paychecks.

• 2021 planned changes to base salaries, incentive plans,

and related compensation policies and procedures.

Paige McAllister is vice president, HR compliance, Affinity

HR Group, Inc. Affinity HR is the endorsed HR partner of Big

“I” Hires, the Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia, Big

I New York, and Big I New Jersey. Reach out to Affinity HR

Group via email or 877-660-6400 with your compensation

questions or other HR needs.

This article appeared in Independent Agent magazine.

Reprinted with permission. https://www.iamagazine.com/

strategies/compensation-planning-during-a-pandemic


Opportunity

Awaits

The Original. The Biggest. The Best.

Join us and experience the next level of success.

SIAA Provides its Independent Insurance Agency Members:

• More ways to earn income – highest commissions, national and local incentives

• Access to companies AND resources (marketing, training, commercial lines initiatives, and more)

• Stability – 37 years as the leading model for IA insurance distribution – and still setting the pace

• Total Premium In-Force: $9.2 Billion

In Western VA

888.371.6879

www.msaanetwork.com

In Central & Southeast VA

910.478.3311

www.siaofva.com

In Northern VA / DC

443.692.4000

www.pinsiaa.com

In North Central VA

423.782.2428

www.meaa4u.com

Expect big things in workers’ compensation. Most classes approved, nationwide. It pays to get a quote from Applied. ®

For information call (877) 234-4450 or visit auw.com/us. Follow us at bigdoghq.com.

©2021 Applied Underwriters, Inc. Rated A (Excellent) by AM Best. Insurance plans protected U.S. Patent No. 7,908,157.

The Big I Virginia Spring 2021

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?