Policy Magazine Spring 2015

POLICYSPRING 2015

Oklahoma’s

Magazine

CYBERSECURITY / ONLINE BRAND MANAGEMENT

SMARTPHONE APPS / HOT TOPIC “SPEED DATING”

INTERNET MARKETING AND SALES

Annual Conference & Trade Show APRIL 14-15 / NORMAN, OK

2 POLICY SPRING 2015

Member of Great American Insurance Group, 301 E. Fourth Street, Cincinnati OH 45202

We haven’t stayed in business since 1947 by being

half a bubble off plumb.

It takes discipline to go the distance.At Mid-Continent, we’ve been supporting the Oklahoma construction industry for nearly seven decades. For your nextcontracting risk, ask about on-the-level coverage from Mid-Continent Group.

Precise. Expert. Responsive. Local.MId-Continent.

MID-CONTINENT GROUP

Mid-Continent is a member of Great American Insurance Group,301 E. Fourth Street, Cincinnati OH 45202. Visit GAIG.com

1437 South Boulder, Suite 200 / Tulsa, OK 74119 Call 800-722-4994

SPRING 2015 POLICY 3

COVER 24THE NEW INSURANCE EVENT 2015

FEATURES 17YOUNG AGENT SPOTLIGHT

2828 PIECES OF INFORMATION TO HAVE ON EACH CUSTOMER

30HOW THE CLOUD IS TRANSFORMING CYBER LIABILITY

34NEWSMAKERS

36IN BRIEF

38 NEW MEMBERS

COLUMNS4STAYING THE COURSEMark Carlin, CIC 5THINKING DIFFERENTLYDenise Johnson, CIC 10SUBPOENA COVERAGETom Cooper 13YOUNG AGENTS CONFERENCE Heidi Nease-Walker 14 EARN THE AIAM DESIGNATIONSusie Current 20 UNRELENTING ADVOCACYGerald Keeton 22 SHAKING THINGS UPJohn Doak

SPRING 2015 | VOL. 39, NO. 3

EDITORIAL STAFF PUBLISHER

Denise Johnson, CIC

MANAGING EDITOR Debra Levy Martinelli

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Brandy Akbaran

PRODUCTION EDITOR Cathy Cinotto

PROFESSIONAL STAFFPRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Denise Johnson, CIC

BUSINESS MANAGER/COMPTROLLER Malinda Day

EDUCATION DIRECTOR Susie Current

EVENTS & COMMUNICATION MANAGER Cathy Cinotto

FARM/RLI PROGRAM MANAGER Cindy Munden, CISR

E&O PROGRAM MANAGER Lyra Roberts

EDUCATION/MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORCandy Burton

WORKERS’ COMP ACCOUNT MANAGERDain Wise

On the cover: The NEW Insurance Event 2015

Select graphics courtesy of Freepik.com

POLICY is the official publication of the Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma. POLICY is published quarterly and distributed to all member agencies and other

interested parties in Oklahoma. Manuscripts and contributions are welcome and will be considered for publication at the discretion of the IIAO Publications Committee.

Correspondence and advertising inquiries may be addressed to IIAO, P.O. Box 13490, Oklahoma City, OK 73113. Ph: (405) 840-4426 or 1-800-324-4426

24 30 17

Visit www.iiaok.com

Member of Great American Insurance Group, 301 E. Fourth Street, Cincinnati OH 45202

We haven’t stayed in business since 1947 by being

half a bubble off plumb.

It takes discipline to go the distance.At Mid-Continent, we’ve been supporting the Oklahoma construction industry for nearly seven decades. For your nextcontracting risk, ask about on-the-level coverage from Mid-Continent Group.

Precise. Expert. Responsive. Local.MId-Continent.

MID-CONTINENT GROUP

Mid-Continent is a member of Great American Insurance Group,301 E. Fourth Street, Cincinnati OH 45202. Visit GAIG.com

1437 South Boulder, Suite 200 / Tulsa, OK 74119 Call 800-722-4994

STAYING THE COURSE

IIAO president and CEO Denise Johnson and I are six months

into our tenures and are keeping the association on the path that Dan Ramsey set. We are doing our best to keep our members engaged and informed and being the best advocates we can for our industry.

We are not staying the course on our own. We have a committed staff that stayed with us during the change in leadership. This retention was of great concern to the search committee when

finding a new CEO. It is a credit to the staff and to Denise for adjusting so seamlessly to their new roles. Also, John Cox, who handles our public relations, and Jami Longacre, our lobbyist, do a wonderful job for your association.

We recently returned from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America winter meeting and represented our state well. Gerald Keeton does an excellent job as our state director. He is the chairman of the Southern Agents Conference for 2015, so he is settling in nicely to his role.

Our next IIABA meeting will be in conjunction with the National Legislative

Conference April 22-24 in Washington, D.C. We will meet with our elected officials on Capitol Hill and make sure your voice is heard on insurance issues that affect us.

I want you to get involved. We will have a day at the Oklahoma Capitol on March 25 to discuss our state insurance concerns. Our Annual Conference and Trade Show (formerly Hypopanty), set for April 14-15, will include the biggest insurance trade show in the state. Come be a part of it. We will have a meet and greet the evening of the 14th and encourage first-time conference attendees to attend to network with their peers.

We have created task forces to make sure we are accomplishing our goals. I want to thank the member volunteers who are serving on these task forces. One is an awards task force, which is working to recognize outstanding members in our industry. Those chosen to receive awards in seven categories will be announced at our annual conference. Please let us know if you are interested in participating in any of these task forces.

As you can see, taking care of your association is a group effort. We are focusing on state issues, while representing Oklahoma nationally. This is a labor of love with you and for you. We are proud to do it. n

IMark Carlin, CIC CHAIRMAN

Our Annual Conference and Trade Show (formerly Hypopanty), set for April 14-15, will include the biggest insurance trade show in the state.


Denise Johnson, CIC PRESIDENT/CHIEF

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I t’s almost spring! All winter we’ve been working on our Annual Conference that

will take place in April and now it’s almost here. Although it’s going to be a familiar place and I think you’ll see some noticeable changes – we’re billing it as The New Insurance Event 2015. We’ll be putting some of our multimedia to use. Not only will there be live speakers, but we have a couple of fun things up our sleeves that will start you thinking in a different direction.

Things are changing. Our culture is changing. Here are some trends that reflect how technology is driving those changes:

• Texting is the No. 1 form of communication. For every phone call, there are three texts.

• The App Store didn’t exist seven years ago.

• People age 50 and older buy more smart phones than any other age group.

• People need to feel connected. They tend to leave a website or social media outlet if they don’t feel connected.

• It’s not just about Facebook anymore.

• $198 billion (yes, billion) in sales will be generated this year from apps on your smart phone.

We have to think differently to drive business today because consumers are buying differently than they did five years ago. And we know that five years in the future they will be buying differently again.

The purpose of this association is to assist you in your business – to be on the cutting edge of technology, cultural trends and legislative issues and to keep you apprised of all of it.

I encourage you to attend our NEW Annual Conference this year and BRING YOUR STAFF. I know of more than one agency that brings the whole staff – they all benefit!

We have renowned speakers who will share the latest information on cyber liability, working and building relationships with clients, and the newest technology available to drive business to your agency.

Mark your calendars for April 14-15 at the Embassy Suites in Norman. (It’s only 10 minutes from Oklahoma City). You won’t want to miss it! n

THINKING DIFFERENTLY

We have to think differently to drive business today because

consumers are buying differently than they did five years ago.


IIAO MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma, working in the public’s best interests, through active member participation, is to be the unrelenting advocate of independent insurance agents and to fulfull the education, political and business needs of its members.

IIAO LEADERSHIP

CHAIRMANMark Carlin, CIC

Cole, Paine & Carlin, OKC

CHAIRMAN-ELECTPhil Eitzen, CIC

Eitzen Agency, Fairview

TREASURERThad Leonard

Rich & Cartmill, Tulsa

SECRETARYJoe L. Strunk, CRM, CICAlexander & Strunk, OKC

STATE DIRECTOR

Gerald W. KeetonCole, Paine & Carlin, OKC

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

David Eaton, CICAdvantage Insurance Group, El Reno

DIRECTORS

Guy Landes, CICLouis Blosch Agency, Tulsa

Mark Tedford, CIC

Tedford Insurance, Jenks

Wes Magill, CICMagill Insurance Agency, Weatherford

Karen Dunn

Archey-Warren-Dunn Insurance Agency, Broken Bow

Chris Torres, CICOklahoma Agents Alliance, OKC

Mike Somers, CIC

Somers Insurance Agency, Lindsay

YAC CHAIRMAN Heidi Nease-Walker, CISR

Nease Insurance Agency, Okeene

The Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma is the largest insurance trade association in Oklahoma. With more than 475 independent insurance agencies, we represent nearly 4,000 independent insurance agents and their employees. IIAO member agencies range in size from one person to some of the largest agencies in the region. Founded in 1906 as the Oklahoma Association of Local Fire Insurance Agents, IIAO is a result of the consolidation of the Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma, Inc. (IIAO) and the Oklahoma Association of Professional Insurance Agents (OPAPIA) on Jan. 1, 1992. IIAO policy is set by a board of directors elected at the annual convention. Policy is implemented by a professional staff located in Oklahoma City. IIAO’s mission, shown below, is carried out through a variety of programs designed to enhance the business of independent insurance agencies. IIAO is an active advocate on behalf of independent agents before legislative, regulatory and judicial groups in Oklahoma and at the federal level. IIAO is affiliated at the national level with the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America with offices in Alexandria, Va., and Washington, D.C. IIAO is an excellent source of information through POLICY magazine, published quarterly, and the Oklahoma Agent, a monthly newsletter of time-sensitive material for its members.

ABOUT IIAO



InsurPac is IIABA’s political action committee. It pools the voluntary and individual financial contributions of thousands of independent insurance agents to help elect candidates to Congress who share IIABA’s business philosophies. InsurPac is the largest property-casualty insurance industry PAC in the country.

John BattaliouBrad BerrongBob Bramlett

Nanette Bramlett Travis Brown

Paul Thomas CarawayKent CarlinMark Carlin

Michael CottomJames H. CouchHal M. Curry

Frank (Rick) R. DawkinsMalinda Day

John E. Dillingham

Jennifer E. DotterKaren S. DunnDavid Eaton

Ryan M. EatonPhilip D. EitzenChad Ferguson

Diane (Brenda) FerrellBen Gorrell, Jr.Vaughn Graham

Vaughn Graham, Jr. Ryan Greenwood

Raymond M. Hale, III John C. HarperRobert W. Hess

Mel Holt Don Jacks

Gary JarmonDenise JohnsonLarry Johnson Kasey Jones

Gerald Keeton Guy M. LandesThad Leonard

Wesley R. MagillPat MandevilleMick Matheson

Edward J. McGrathCody McNeill

Mark McPherson William J. Minick

Jon L. MoonTodd Moon

Larry D. NealHeidi Nease-Walker

Tiffani L. NunnDaniel M. O’Neil

Stephen M. Poleman Dan Ramsey

T.J. Riley Lyra Roberts

Michael F. RossTheresa Scioli

Denise SlackClark A. Smith

Dabney Smith, Jr. Kelly A. SmithDaniel Somers

Michael L. SomersAdriane StachmusRebecca Stewart

Joe L. Strunk Mark Tedford

Richard Teubner Ryan Teubner

VIP Insurance AgencyBill Wetzel

Mark Carlin Malinda Day

Jennifer Dotter

David Eaton Vaughn Graham, Jr.

Ryan Greenwood

Denise Johnson Kasey Jones Guy Landes

Thad Leonard Wesley R. Magill

Heidi Nease-Walker

Adriane Stachmus Joe Strunk

Ryan Teubner

Mark Carlin Malinda Day Jenny Dotter

David Eaton Vaughn Graham

Gary Jarmon

Guy Landes Thad Leonard Wesley Magill

Heidi Nease-Walker Tom Powers Joe Strunk

Cyd Allen Jonathan Baggs

Neil Barfield John Battaliou Louis Blosch

Kent Bradford James (Jake) Bramlett

Nanette BramlettRobert Bramlett

Travis Brown Ronald Campbell

Paul Thomas CarawayKent CarlinMark Carlin

Patrick Cheap Jeffrey Clymer Michael Cole Kory Coots

Tamra Copeland Scott Cornelius Michael CottomJames H. Couch

William Cox Hal M. Curry

Gerald DawkinsMalinda Day

John Deer John E. DillinghamJennifer E. Dotter Timothy Driskill James DuncanKaren S. DunnAndy Duvall David Eaton

Philip D. EitzenChad Ferguson

Diane (Brenda) Ferrell Dewinda Ford David Gammill Ben Gorrell, Jr.Vaughn Graham

Vaughn Graham, Jr. Ryan Greenwood

Raymond M. Hale, lll

John Harper Rich Haverfield John Hawkins Cheryl Heisten Robert W. Hess

D. Tim Hill Mel Holt

Gary JarmonDenise JohnsonLarry Johnson Neil Johnson Kasey Jones

Gerald Keeton Russ Keller Guy Landes

Thad LeonardJill Lester

Michael Loftis Mark Long

Jeffrey Lynch R. Bruce Magill

Patrick Mandeville

Edward J. McGrathCody McNeill Kelly Miller

Larry Mitchell Mark McPherson Gregory Moore Michael Mosley

Maria Nease Mark Nowell

Horace Phillips Jon L. MoonLarry D. Neal

Heidi Nease-WalkerTiffani L. Nunn

Jerry Oden David Allen Paine

Steve Poleman Kathy Reeser

T.J. RileyBenjamin Robbins Michael F. Ross

Traci Rowe

Jane SealsTheresa Scioli Denise Slack

Clark A. SmithKelly A. SmithWilliam SmithDaniel Somers

Michael L. SomersAdriane Stachmus

Joe L. Strunk Gary Taber

Belynda Tayar Mark Tedford

Richard Teubner Ryan Teubner

Michael Thompson Brad Warwick

Bill WetzelDiane White

Bailey L. Word Bernie Zalaznik

OkPAC CONTRIBUTORS

InsurPac CONTRIBUTORS

Contributors as of 1/29/2015

OkPAC is IIAO’s political action committee. It provides financial support for state elected officials who will provide support for or have shown support of issues affecting the insurance industry and to those who share our business philosophies. Only individuals or partnerships can make contributions to OkPAC. Under Oklahoma law, OkPAC can accept no contributions from corporations.

Is your name not on the list? Use the contributor’s statement on the back of this page to donate.

2014

2014

2015

2015


Insure Your Future! InsurPac OkPac Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma c/o IIAO, PO Box 13490, OKC, OK 73113 IIAO, PO Box 13490, OKC, OK 73113 P: 202/863-7000, F: 405/840-4450 [email protected] P: 405/840-4426; F: 405/840-4450 [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ OkPac Contribution

Yes, I want to INSURE MY FUTURE with a Personal Contribution to OkPac! (Check contribution below.)

$5000 Millenium $2500 Platinum $1000 Centennial $500 Gold $250 Pioneer $150 Founders $100 Young Agent Other $_______ InsurPac Contribution

Yes, I want to INSURE MY FUTURE with a Personal Contribution to InsurPac! (Check contribution below.)

$5000 Millenium $2500 Platinum $1000 Centennial $500 Gold $250 Pioneer $150 Founders $100 Young Agent Other $_______ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contributor Information Name ____________________________________________________ Occupation ______________________

Agency _____________________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

City _________________________________________ State _____________ Zip ______________________

Phone _________________________________ Email ______________________________________________

Declaration: The contribution listed above was freely and voluntarily given by me from my personal property. I have not, directly or indirectly, been compensated or reimbursed for the contribution listed above. Signature ______________________________________________________________ Date ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Payment Information (All contributions must be made by PERSONAL check or PERSONAL credit card.)

Personal Check – Separate personal checks made payable to InsurPac and OkPac. $____________ to InsurPac $____________ to OkPac Personal Credit Card – One-time personal credit card contribution. $____________ to InsurPac $____________ to OkPac

Credit card information: MasterCard Visa American Express Credit Card Number ________________________________________________ Expiration Date ____________

Name as it appears on card _____________________________________________________________________

Contributions or gifts to InsurPac and OkPac are not deductible as charitable contributions for purposes of federal income tax.Federal and State law require us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer

for each individual. Your contribution should be considered strictly voluntary. Any corporate contributions are prohibited.

Insure Your Future! InsurPac OkPac Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma c/o IIAO, PO Box 13490, OKC, OK 73113 IIAO, PO Box 13490, OKC, OK 73113 P: 202/863-7000, F: 405/840-4450 [email protected] P: 405/840-4426; F: 405/840-4450 [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ OkPac Contribution

Yes, I want to INSURE MY FUTURE with a Personal Contribution to OkPac! (Check contribution below.)

$5000 Millenium $2500 Platinum $1000 Centennial $500 Gold $250 Pioneer $150 Founders $100 Young Agent Other $_______ InsurPac Contribution

Yes, I want to INSURE MY FUTURE with a Personal Contribution to InsurPac! (Check contribution below.)

$5000 Millenium $2500 Platinum $1000 Centennial $500 Gold $250 Pioneer $150 Founders $100 Young Agent Other $_______ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contributor Information Name ____________________________________________________ Occupation ______________________

Agency _____________________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________

City _________________________________________ State _____________ Zip ______________________

Phone _________________________________ Email ______________________________________________

Declaration: The contribution listed above was freely and voluntarily given by me from my personal property. I have not, directly or indirectly, been compensated or reimbursed for the contribution listed above. Signature ______________________________________________________________ Date ______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Payment Information (All contributions must be made by PERSONAL check or PERSONAL credit card.)

Personal Check – Separate personal checks made payable to InsurPac and OkPac. $____________ to InsurPac $____________ to OkPac Personal Credit Card – One-time personal credit card contribution. $____________ to InsurPac $____________ to OkPac

Credit card information: MasterCard Visa American Express Credit Card Number ________________________________________________ Expiration Date ____________

Name as it appears on card _____________________________________________________________________

Contributions or gifts to InsurPac and OkPac are not deductible as charitable contributions for purposes of federal income tax.Federal and State law require us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer

for each individual. Your contribution should be considered strictly voluntary. Any corporate contributions are prohibited.

Acquisition Strategy #15MARKETING SUPPORT

Wichita Branch: 800.223.0562 | Home Office: Des Moines, IA www.emcins.com© Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2014. All rights reserved.

“ Tell us where you’re headed, and we’ll help you get there.”

Are there certain accounts in your area you want to write? The more we know about your goals, the better we can provide the right expertise, online resources and other marketing programs and materials to grow your business. It’s just one of the many reasons you can Count on EMC®.

Riley Tonkin, Omaha Branch Marketing Representative

10043_EMC_Oklahoma_Assoc_Ins_Agents_Acquisition15_Riley_7.5x10.indd 1 12/19/14 3:55 PM


SUBPOENA COVERAGE: USE IT!

hat I’m about to write will sound old hat to many of

you, because I’ve said it before. Your E & O policy has coverage for responding to subpoenas (whether the subpoena is for documents only, for a deposition or both). It is first-dollar coverage with your insurer, meaning that it is not subject to a deductible that would otherwise be applicable to costs and expenses. Your insurer recognizes that it is in your best interests, as well as your insurer’s, to get counsel involved in the process early. And for you skeptics out there, this is not written from a standpoint of an attorney who wants

to ensure that he and his brethren stay fully employed. Rather, this is written from the standpoint of an attorney who wants agents to be able to present the best defense possible, and who has seen – at least twice in the past few months, which is why we are again addressing this topic in the present article – a phone call akin to the following:Me: Hello, Mr. Agent. This is Tom Cooper. Your E & O carrier just retained me to represent you in the Smith v. Big Insurance Company lawsuit. Apparently, the lawsuit has been on file for a while, but the insured recently added your agency.

Agent: Hello, Tom. Yes, we knew about the lawsuit, but we were hopeful we wouldn’t get dragged into it. We gave them everything they asked for, and we knew we didn’t do anything wrong, anyway. Plus, the insured is a friend of mine and I thought he would never sue us. Me: Wait. Who asked for what? And when and how? Agent: The insured’s lawyer sent us a subpoena for documents a few months ago. We gave them everything they asked for. There were a bunch of different categories of documents they wanted. I still can’t believe they sued us even though we gave them what they asked for. Did I mention the insured is a friend of mine? That no-good scoundrel. Me: Well, what exactly did they ask for?Agent: I’m not sure. I had one of the CSRs just go through the subpoena and round up everything they wanted and send it to them. We have nothing to hide. Me: OK. Did you make a copy of everything before you sent it to the attorney? Agent: Are you kidding? It was a huge stack of stuff we printed out. To print it twice or to make copies of everything would have been twice as expensive.Me: So we don’t know exactly what documents from our own file the attorney who is suing you has?

WTom Cooper, Attorney at LawPIGNATO, COOPER,

KOLKER & ROBERSON, P.C.

Your insurer recognizes that it is in your best interests, as well as your insurer’s, to get counsel involved in the process early.

continued on page 12


SUBPOENA COVERAGE: USE IT!

You’re an independent agent.

Who’s got your back?

Protect.Our superior coverage through Swiss Re and our expert claims teams are in your corner in the event of a claim.

Prevent.Our risk management resources keep your agency from making common preventable mistakes.

Prosper.When you know you have the best agency E&O protection, you can focus on growing your most important asset–your business.

www.independentagent.com/EO

The Big “I” Professional Liability Program

The Big “I” and Swiss Re are jointly committed to providing IIABA members with leading edge agency E&O products and services. The IIABA and its federation of 51 state associations endorse Swiss Re’s comprehensive professional liability program.

Insurance products underwritten by Westport Insurance Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas.Westport is a member of the Swiss Re group of companies and is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ©2014 Big I Advantage and Swiss Re Corporate Solutions


Agent: No, but the CSR should be able to piece it together if you really need it.

Attorneys who issue subpoenas to agencies hope for this very scenario. They operate under the thought that they might as well ask for any and all categories of documents they can dream up, even though, legally, there are certain boundaries they are not entitled to

cross. They think that there’s “no harm in asking.” They are fishing for anything – internal emails or activity logs, for example – they can take out of context to support a claim against the agency.

Your E & O policy likely contains a provision for subpoena coverage. It specifies that if you receive a subpoena for documents or testimony that is not related to an already-pending claim, your insurer will – at your

request and upon receipt of the subpoena – retain legal counsel to advise you regarding the document production or to represent you during testimony. The provision further states that your deductible does not apply to this service, but that the maximum amount payable is limited (usually the limit is $5,000 or $10,000, either one of which is typically adequate to pay for representation). Of course, payments made by your insurer under this coverage are included within the applicable limit of liability and are not in addition thereto.

If you take advantage of this coverage provision as soon as you receive a subpoena, the hassle of having to report the matter to your E & O carrier and the related hassle of having an attorney involved in the matter is typically far outweighed by the advantages you will gain in permitting us to assist. The subpoena may be objectionable because it is overly broad in scope. It may be objectionable because it asks for so many items that it would be unduly burdensome for you to be forced to respond. It may be objectionable because it seeks information that is confidential to another customer. Or the scope of the subpoena may be so all-encompassing that it is unworkable, vague and ambiguous. Of course, having counsel involved early is not a guarantee that you will not get sued, but I assure you it reduces the odds. n

continued from page 10SUBPOENA COVERAGE: USE IT!

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Celebrating 25 Years of Beyond Coverage

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YOUNG AGENTS CONFERENCE

IHeidi Nease-Walker

YOUNG AGENTS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

hope you have had a great start to the New Year. We are looking

forward to what 2015 has in store for us.

The Young Agents have been busy planning our 2015 conference. This year will be a little different than years past. The Young Agents are breaking off from the IIAO Annual Conference and holding a separate conference on Sept. 24-25. The conference begins on Thursday, Sept. 24, at the IIAO offices with a speaker, a panel of insurance professionals and a mock trial. We will end the evening with dinner and a night of fun at Main Event Entertainment in Oklahoma City. The conference will finish on Friday with a day of golfing at the Young Agents President’s Classic Golf Tournament – the course location will be announced at a later date. We hope you all decide to take advantage of everything we have to offer during the conference.

In addition to the Young Agents Conference, there are plenty of

opportunities throughout the year to get involved. Lunch bunches are held in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as in both north and south Oklahoma. These are great opportunities to talk with many company representatives and enjoy time with other agents from around the state. The Young Agents also participate in many volunteer days throughout the year. Keep checking the Young Agents calendar at iiaok.com under the Young Agents tab

for upcoming dates. And remember, with your agency’s membership in IIAO, any agent under the age of 40 or with less than five years of insurance experience automatically qualifies as a Young Agent at no additional charge.

I wish each of you a very successful year and hope to see you all at our upcoming Young Agents events. n

In addition to the Young Agents Conference, there are plenty of opportunities throughout

the year to get involved.

Young Agents Conference Oklahoma CitySeptember 24-25, 2015

IIAO Fall ConferenceStillwaterOctober 20-22, 2015

SAVE the DATE!

http://www.iiaok.com


EARN THE AIAM DESIGNATION

Susie Current EDUCATION DIRECTOR

Take these courses without traveling — they are online in bite-size pieces on our interactive video webinar platform.

I IAO now offers the Associate in Insurance Account Management

(AIAM) professional designation. It is the only non-technical customer service account designation approved by IIABA’s Best Practices Council.

Take these courses without traveling – they are online in bite-size pieces on our interactive video webinar platform. The only test for this material is an open-book exam after completion of all 12 sections.

The Web-based curriculum is geared toward helping account representatives and managers obtain the skills needed to provide the best service possible to clients. This leads to improved customer satisfaction, which increases account retention.

Here are AIAM designation details:•TheAIAMdesignationisconferred

upon candidates who complete all 12 sections and successfully pass an open-book exam.

•Classesareofferedinaconvenientwebinar format. Each class is self-contained and may be taken in any order.

•Thereisnotimelimitforcompleting the AIAM designation.

•AllsectionshavebeenapprovedforCE in Oklahoma.

•Thereisnoannualupdaterequirement once you attain this designation.

The 12 sections that comprise the AIAM program are:

AIAM 110 - Understanding Insurance Consumer Needs - The Communication JungleDiscover how personalities affect the office and how to recognize your co-workers’ and customers’ styles so you can increase effectiveness in communication.

AIAM 120 - Customer Service Part 1AIAM 120 - Customer Service Part 2Why service matters most and why it is never enough. This Best Practices class will show you how to build the best customer service.

AIAM 210 - Mastering TimeTake control of your time. We all have the same number of hours in the day. Make the most of your most precious resource and learn how to balance your home and work lives.

AIAM 220 - Organization WorkflowWorkflow has never been more important in agencies. Good workflows will protect against E&O claims, provide better customer service, and streamline your work.


AIAM 310 - Negotiating ConflictsLearn how to negotiate with clients and co-workers. Prevent conflict before it starts, work well with others every day and understand both sides of the story.

AIAM 320 - Professional Relationships in the Insurance AgencyInsurance is a relationship business. You make a difference to your clients, underwriters and co-workers. Learn how to develop relationships and improve the bottom line in your agency.

AIAM 410 - How Not to Get in Trouble with Your Mouth (E&O)This Best Practices class will teach you how to reduce the chance of an E&O claim.

AIAM 420 - The Write StuffProper grammar and style need not be a lost art. Let your image shine with excellent business writing and editing skills.

AIAM 510 - How Ordinary People Get What They Want From the GovernmentLearn why you should care about political action. What does your association do to protect your industry? What can you do to protect job security?

AIAM 520 - Leadership is Everyone’s JobSooner or later everyone needs to have basic leadership skills. This class uses Best Practices materials to go beyond supervision to show you how leadership can make a difference every day.

AIAM 610 - Ethics for Consumer ProtectionEthics should be a given in our work, but how do we define it? How do you balance legal and ethical responsibilities?

AIAM 620 - Changing Attitudes/Creating OpportunitiesLearn the final step in survival in the jungle: How to keep your work fun and reduce stress while building your personal approach to account management.

Visit www.iiaok.com/education for all your education needs. n

http://www.iiaok.com/education


Union Standard is committed to working with young independent agents because their future is our future. Investing in the education and development of the next generation of agency professionals provides the support necessary

to achieve the real goal of mutual success.

We recognize the need to foster new talent to perpetuate the independent agency system, as well as provide our best young agents an even greater competitive advantage.

Interested in participating in our Heavy Hitters Program? Contact your local Union Standard branch office today.

A Commitment to Young Independent Agents 2015

Union Standard’s Heavy Hitters Program – Preparing Agents for Tomorrow

Together, Your Future is Our Future • 2015 Heavy Hitters Program

Commercial Insurance >> Done the Right Way >> By a Company of People >> Who Care

1601 NW Expressway, Suite 820 | Oklahoma City, OK 73118P 405-843-1555 | TF 800-934-9150 | F 405-840-0654 | usic.com

Union Standard Insurance Group is a member company of W. R. Berkley Corporation, an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States.

AM BEST

SUITS ONE DAY, BOOTS THE NEXT

YOUNG AGENT SPOTLIGHT

fter earning two business degrees from Oklahoma State

University, Lawton native Michael Towe returned to his hometown and put his education to good use. The young producer at INSURICA of Lawton serves a variety of commercial clients who appreciate an adviser who understands their insurance needs as well as their financial bottom lines.

You’re a two-time graduate of Oklahoma State University. What degrees did you earn?

I earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in spring 2007 and got my master’s in business administration in fall 2008. Then I worked as a credit analyst at City National Bank and Trust in Lawton.

What led you from banking to insurance?

Before then, I never intended to go into the insurance profession. My father, David Towe, has been in the industry for 35 years. I never thought about it. One day he came to me and said one of the producers in his office was retiring and asked if I would be interested. That’s how I got started. It was that simple.

What was it about his offer that enticed you?

The more I thought about the offer, the more it grew on me that it would be financially rewarding

and I’d have greater flexibility to spend time with family. Family/work balance is key to me. I never really thought about a career in insurance when I was younger, but looking back now I can see why my father has been doing this for over 35 years.

How long have you been in the insurance business?

I’m in my fifth year.

Is your father a founder or principal in your agency?

My father joined an agency here in Lawton in 1979. Through mergers and acquisitions throughout the years, the firm of Towe, Hester & Erwin has become INSURICA. Even though we are now part of a much larger corporate umbrella, our agency still is a family affair that includes my dad and my uncle, John Hester.

How important to your business is having the long-standing relationships you have in the Lawton community?

Relationships are key to your business, regardless of what you do in life – whether you’re a plumber, banker, accountant,

lawyer or insurance agent. In my opinion, developing relationships with your clients is of the utmost importance. When you are able to develop trustworthy and productive relationships with your clients and centers of influence, they are more than willing to refer you to others.

What types of business do you handle?

I focus on commercial property and casualty in southwest Oklahoma and northwest Texas.

What kinds of companies make up your portfolio?

The trick in this geographical area is to be willing to work with a lot of different people. I tend to focus more on the construction industry. I’m starting to work more with health care companies and banks. My clients range from contractors to banks to trucking firms. We insure a variety of businesses.

That must make it interesting to get up every day.

Yes, it does. That’s why I really like this job. I’m not working on the same thing over and over and I’m not calling on the same type of

presented by

A


By Debra Levy MartinelliMICHAEL TOWE, PRODUCER

INSURICA LAWTON


people. I meet a totally different crowd each day. One day it’s suits and ties at banks and hospitals; the next it’s boots and jeans in the field with contractors. I enjoy that.

Let’s switch gears. How do you use technology to build your business?

I use technology every day during my prospecting. It has become much easier to find and research potential clients. LinkedIn and Facebook provide a wealth of knowledge about an individual or company, but so far I have found business owners still value face to face interaction when speaking to them about their insurance program.

Technology is definitely improving the internal side of the business. Resources from insurance companies and third party vendors who specialize in services like HR, safety, etc. are much more accessible to both agents and their clients. More importantly, technology has allowed our office to optimize customer service and become more proactive for our clients.

Other than your time at OSU, you’ve spent your whole life in Lawton.

Lawton is a very unique city. I was born and raised here. I know a lot of people here, so it’s nice to be able to be involved in community events and organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and United Way. Every individual in our office is involved in a community or civic organization. For the past two to three years, I have served as a board member for Lawton Public

School Foundation, which provides funding and grants for our teachers and students. I also am very involved in AMBUCS, which helps find mobility solutions for children with disabilities. We’re now getting more and more involved with Wounded Warriors.

Lawton is home to a very large military presence, Fort Sill. How does that impact your business?

It’s had a tremendous impact on my business and on Lawton as a whole. Over the past decade, there’s been close to a billion dollars in construction at Fort Sill. Any major increase or decrease in troop levels at Fort Sill with an impact on construction will affect us. Although we don’t do any direct business with Fort Sill, we deal with contractors and others who do, and they are very, very important.

What would you tell new agents about why insurance is a great career choice?

When I joined the Lawton office, there were a total of five producers and only one was younger than 55. So there’s a real opportunity for someone in their 20s or 30s who’s willing to stick with it and build those relationships. Everybody has to have insurance. You’re going to come across really amazing individuals who are super neat and fun to talk to.

What I have found most enjoyable during the past four years is hearing people’s stories: why someone became an electrician, started a landscaping firm, joined this bank or got involved with that nonprofit. Everyone has a story. n

continued from page 17SUITS ONE DAY, BOOTS THE NEXT


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UNRELENTING ADVOCACY

recently attended the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of

America Winter Meeting and participated in my first board of directors meeting. Numerous topics were discussed, including TrustedChoice.com and the recent legislative victories that occurred in January. Suffice it to say that much hard work by very good and capable people is being done and financial resources are being expended on the behalf of all. Your local, state and national associations continue to be the unrelenting advocate of the independent insurance agent.

It was very disappointing when the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act was not renewed by Congress and allowed to

expire Dec. 31, 2014. Tied to that legislation was a bill called NARAB (National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers) II, which would streamline obtaining non-resident licenses. This legislation would set up a non-profit company not funded by tax dollars. By registering with NARAB, an agent or agency would only need to advise NARAB which state’s non-resident license they need to obtain, pay the fee that the state charges, and obtain the license. Your Capitol Hill office has been

fighting for NARAB II since before 2007. Needless to say, the lack of action by Congress was a low point, but NARAB II was first on the agenda in January, was passed by both houses and signed into law by the president. It was a great victory not only for those needing terrorism insurance, but also for those who will need a non-resident license. It will take a year or so for this to be implemented, but it will be worth the wait.

Along those same legislative lines, this year InsurPac distributed a total of $1,836,169 to 292 campaigns, of which 272 won. This translates to a 93 percent victory rate. Your annual contribution to InsurPac and OkPAC are vitally important to our cause. We must get our message out to our legislators, both locally and nationally. If we don’t tell our story, no one else will.

Much work is being done to tweak TrustedChoice.com and make it more useful to us all. Today, 80 percent of consumers visit the Internet before purchasing personal insurance. We therefore must have a presence there and work to make that system as useful as possible. We must be able to change, or suffer the same fate as that of the typewriter salesman. TrustedChoice.com has experienced tremendous growth since its inception and has had its victories and, quite frankly, some shortcomings. It is a work in progress and will continue to be improved and made more useful as a

IGerald Keeton STATE DIRECTOR

Your local, state and national associations continue to be the unrelenting advocate of the independent insurance agent.

TrustedChoice.com

TrustedChoice.com

TrustedChoice.com


UNRELENTING ADVOCACY

marketing tool. In addition, since Internet sales is new to some, a website has been set up called AgencyNation.com to educate us in the use of the Internet to sell our product. It will provide training and articles that will be useful as we change with the times. Visit the site and sign up to receive the newsletters and other helpful information.

One area of advocacy that doesn’t get much mention is the fact that IIABA is constantly negotiating with our company partners regarding our contracts with those insurance companies. One area of concern is ownership of expirations, about which IIABA is adamant. We must make certain we retain that ownership.

Other excellent tools and opportunities are available through IIABA and can be accessed through its website. Virtual University is a valuable tool that addresses coverage questions; Big “I” Markets provides markets perhaps not available through your agency; and InsurBanc offers assistance in financing a new producer for your agency.

The bottom line is that we have real advocates in IIAO and IIABA, if only we take advantage of these opportunities and use the tools that are available to us. As always, if I can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. n

National Security has provided competitive, affordable insurance to policyholders for over 50 years, but we also provide a lot for our agents, with competitive commissions, excellent customer service and experienced company adjusters. As an admitted Southeastern based regional company, National Security prides itself on fast, efficient service from a friendly small town company, and online access for all agents, providing fast quotes, online policy issuance, online dec page printing, and real-time policy information.

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SHAKING THINGS UP

any of us have felt an earthquake in Oklahoma.

Last year, our state experienced more earthquakes than California. This surge earned Oklahoma the title of most seismically active state in the lower 48, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. More than 560 earthquakes rattled our state at a 3.0 magnitude or greater.

With all the shaking going on, more and more people have asked me about earthquake insurance. Before Oklahoma’s record-setting 5.6 magnitude earthquake in November 2011, less than two percent

of Oklahomans had earthquake insurance.After hearing from business and home

owners who wanted to protect their property from earthquakes, I organized my team at the Oklahoma Insurance Department to develop a plan to ensure residents will be well informed when it comes to purchasing earthquake

insurance. The best way to get that message out is directly through insurance professionals.

Gov. Mary Fallin and I worked together to approve an emergency rule that requires all resident agents, CSRs and adjusters with a property line of authority to complete one hour of continuing education per license period. This new requirement took effect this year on Jan. 1. The earthquake CE credit will be included in the 24 hours (13 hours for CSRs) as general credits.

Part of my job as the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner is to ensure that consumers across the state receive clear and correct information from their agents regarding all types of insurance, including earthquake insurance. The earthquake CE course will help you understand what is out there and how policies vary, as there is no standardization in the market. The CE requirement will help you in providing the best possible advice to your clients.

The earthquake CE courses are universal and apply to resident agents, CSRs and adjusters with a property line authority. To search OID course offerings, go to www.oid.ok.gov. If you have any questions, please contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department Education Division at [email protected] or call (405) 521-3916. n

John Doak OKLAHOMA INSURANCE

COMMISSIONER

M

Gov. Mary Fallin and I worked together to approve an emergency rule that requires all resident agents, CSRs and adjusters with a property line of authority to complete one hour of continuing education per license period.

[email protected]


1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.

10 Reasons to Attend the Big “I”Young Agents Leadership InstituteSeptember 24-25 at the Fairmont San Francisco Find answers to social media questions—from time management to ROI Find out how to tap your inner creative side to increase sales Make connections with other young agents—share your successes and challenges Hear from top insurance carrier executives on issues important to your agency Network with industry and association leaders Take away tools to help you work smarter Discover new marketing best practices Spend time with good friends and get great ideas Play a little jeopardy with our friends from the ACT Check out the sights and sounds of San Francisco, Calif.

www.independentagent.com/events

Perpetuatethe Industry?Check.

Don’t wait until the office is empty to find new talent – support InVEST and find new recruits now. InVEST is a free, classroom to career program designed to increase awareness of the insurance industry with high school and college students. And, InVEST has been making huge strides over the last year. With a new student center, career center and more scholarship dollars than ever before, InVEST is touching more and more students daily. InVEST, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, is supported by financial contributions from insurance companies and individuals, in addition to the active involvement of hundreds of insurance professionals. For volunteer and donor opportunities visit www.investprogram.org.

www.independentagent.com/events


2015 CONFERENCE

iia oklahoma

Annual Conference & Trade Show APRIL 14-15 / NORMAN, OK

VENUES:

MEET & GREET, CONFERENCE

& TRADE SHOWEmbassy Suites

Norman 2501 Conference Drive

Norman, OK 73069(866) 577-1273

GOLF

Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club1 Par Drive

Norman, OK 73019

AWARDSOur NEW 2015 Annual Conference & Trade Show includes our First Annual Awards in seven categories: • Agent of the Year • Young Agent of the Year• Underwriter of the Year• Marketing Representative of the Year• Broker of the Year• Company of the Year• Agency Staff Member of the Year

Awards will be presented during the business meeting along with a “Year in Review” video, a message from our IIABA guest speaker and much more.

THE NATIONAL INSURANCE LANDSCAPE

Spencer Houldin, IIABA vice chairman, will provide insight on the national insurance landscape. Houldin is president of Ericson Insurance Services, LLC, with offices in Washington, D.C., Connecticut, New York and Boston. In 2004, he became the youngest person ever to serve as Connecticut’s state president and began his six-year term as Connecticut’s representative to the IIABA National Board in 2005. Houldin also served a three-year term as chairman of IIABA’s

government affairs committee. He has made numerous television appearances regarding insurance and small business matters.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: KNOW MORE! SELLING (OR RELATIONSHIPS)(approved for 2 hours of CE)

The best-selling author of Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling, Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on sales intelligence and online reputation management. Richter has been named by InsideView as one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in Sales every year

since 2010. He has been featured on thousands of television and radio programs and in national and online publications. Richter’s “Know More! Selling (or Relationships)” session provides proven techniques for leveraging online information and using it to ensure sales success, exceptional business relationships and personal brand management. www.samrichter.com

In this presentation, you will discover:

• Web search secrets for finding qualified leads, creating lists, uncovering opportunities and understanding decision makers

• Tips and tricks for using social networks and “hidden” websites as sales and competitive “intelligence agents”

• How to use information to make an impression with prospects, build deeper relationships with clients and differentiate yourself from your competition.

CYBER LIABILITY: PROTECTING YOUR ORGANIZATION FROM COMPUTER CRIME (approved for 3 hours of CE/producers and adjusters)

Michael Bazzell spent the majority of his 18 years as a law enforcement officer assigned to the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, where he focused on hackers and computer crime investigations. He has been involved in numerous high-tech criminal investigations, including high-level computer intrusions. Bazzell provides real-life scenarios with live demos

on password hacking, email and telephone attacks and online device hacking. Learn how to protect your agency and clients from becoming a victim of today’s fastest-growing crime. www.computercrimeinfo.com

This session focuses on recent trends of online fraud, computer intrusion and ways valuable data can be stolen from your company. Learn:

•Howpasswordhacking,emailphishing, wireless access, telephone scams, social engineering, and portable devices are an emerging threat against every business• How hackers commit their crimes• What any employee can do to protect

company assets.


2015 CONFERENCE


#iiaoconf

3 WAYS TO REGISTER • Online at iiaok.com/events • Mail form with payment to IIAO, P.O. Box 13490, Oklahoma City, OK 73113 • Fax form to (405) 840-4450

FIRST TIME ATTENDEES: Use $25 discount code “2015First” Additional attendee from same member office: Use $25 discount code “IIAO”

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Register Today! iiaok.com/events


continued from page 252015 CONFERENCE

INSURANCE THINK TANKWe’re all familiar with the speed dating premise: gather some information, share some information, move on and repeat. In this session you’ll

“speed date” through hot insurance topics, including effective use of today’s technology and other areas of interest important to running or working in an agency. Brad McMullan, founder and CEO of bfac.com, will kick off this session with the latest information on mobile technology for businesses. bfac.com has been featured on media outlets around the country, including NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, Clear Channel Radio and Raycom Media. www.bfac.com Discussion topics include:

•AgencyPerpetuation•Communication•Marketing•Proposals•Prospecting•Serviceandretention •Technology

CONFERENCE SCHEDULETuesday, April 149 a.m. - 4 p.m. Golf Tournament Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club

5 - 8 p.m. Meet & Greet – No registration requiredEmbassy Suites Norman

Wednesday, April 15Embassy Suites Norman 7:45 a.m. Registration desk opens

8:30 - 10:30 a.m.Keynote Session: Sam Richter

10:45 a.m. - noon IIAO Business Meeting • Spencer Houldin, Big “I” Vice

Chairman - Big “I” message • First Annual Awards Presentation• State of the Association

Noon - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 - 4 p.m. Concurrent Breakout Sessions (choose one):• Cyber Liability

Michael Bazzell• Insurance Think Tank

4 - 7 p.m. Trade Show – pre-registration required

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he more information you have about a customer and the better you know him or her, the better your relationship most likely will be. You want to know everything you can about the people you

are dealing with. Specifically, you want to know about their family, their hobbies and interests, and their history. Here is an outline of the information you’re looking for on each customer:

PIECES OF INFORMATION TO HAVE ON EACH CUSTOMER

By John Chapin | Vice President, Complete Selling, Inc.

28FEATURE

1) Name

2) Title

3) Company

4) Address

5) Phone number

6) Fax number

7) Cell phone number

8) Home phone number

9) Email address

10) Birth date (month and day)

11) Where he/she lives now

12) Where he/she grew up

13) Where he/she attended school (high school, college, other); degrees awarded; college major (if applicable)

14) Activities in which he/she was involved growing up (sports, clubs, student government, fraternities, sororities, etc.)

15) Military service and level

16) Political or religious beliefs (if known)

17) Subjects he/she likes to talk about and which subjects, if any, you should avoid

18) Past employment

19) Activities in which he/she currently is involved (sports, clubs, trade associations, travel, hobbies)

19a) Level of involvement and proficiency (board of directors, instructor, scratch golfer, etc.)

20) Relationship or connection to anyone else you know (someone’s sister, cousin, close friend, etc.)

21) What he/she considers his/her most significant accomplishment(s)

22) Whether he/she plans on retiring someday, and how he/she would like to spend retirement

23) Where he/she would like to vacation

24) Marital status: If married now, for how long; anniversary date; wife’s/husband’s name and birthday; wife’s/husband’s occupation; wife’s/husband’s interests

25) Children: Names, ages, birthdays and activities

26) Other information you’ve gathered on the customer: Has he had knee surgery? Does she have diabetes? Did he go to an Aerosmith concert last year? Has she climbed Mt. Fuji? Has he run the Boston Marathon? Does she have a famous uncle, aunt, cousin, etc.? Is his son the state wrestling champion?

27) Information provided by customer about family members that doesn’t fall into the above categories

28) Other personal information that will help you understand and relate better to your customer. Once you have this information, use it. Send cards, gifts and items of interest. Take note of items that are important to your customer and use them to strengthen your relationship. Ultimately, you are looking to make customers good friends and loyal customers. n For access to John Chapin’s free monthly newsletter, visit completeselling.com

LINKEDIN: johnchapin1 FACEBOOK: facebook.com/johnjchapin TWITTER: twitter.com/johnjchapin

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FEATURE

v


ccording to a recent survey conducted by Hanover Research and sponsored by ISO, 40 percent of companies don’t think they

need cyber coverage and 29 percent believe they’re already covered under existing policies. They’re wrong. “We spent the last year hearing about giant corporations being hacked into – Target, JP Morgan, Chase,” says economist Bob Hartwig, president of the

Insurance Information Institute. “But as you get down to Main Street businesses, the reality is everyone has cyber exposure. Increasingly small risks and medium-sized businesses are looking for some type of protection.” And as consumer interconnectivity continues to rise – Shawn Dougherty, assistant vice president of specialty commercial lines at ISO, says 30 to 40 billion wireless devices will be in use by 2020 – cyber liability insurance must address new concerns.

A

HOW THE CLOUD IS TRANSFORMING CYBER LIABILITYBY JACQUELYN CONNELLY

FEATURE

v

It’s understanding risks like these — and communicating them to commercial clients — that eases the process of convincing

smaller businesses they need cyber liability coverage.


“As all these devices start talking to each other more and more, what type of data is being collected?” Dougherty asks. “What’s happening with that data? As companies collect more and more data, what are they doing with that data? Is there a need for them to keep that data, whether it’s PII or PHI?” In particular, the cloud will continue to redefine the IT landscape. Offering significant benefits

to businesses, including reduced technology infrastructure costs, speed, scalability and enhanced security and backup capacity, it’s opening the door for new opportunities – and new risks to manage. “Companies no longer have to require significant amounts of hardware and software – they can just outsource it, with the cloud acting as a utility,” says

Matt Prevost, vice president with professional risk for ACE USA. “That changes the dynamic of how much computing power they need, and it’s scalable so they can be extremely agile and extremely mobile.” But according to a recent white paper from ACE Group, “Cloud Computing: Is Your Organization Weighing Both Benefits and Risks?”, today’s risk managers must fully understand the different delivery models of private and public cloud services and

how the different deployment methods and uses can impact an organization’s risk. As companies increasingly outsource cloud services to third-party vendors, they face increased cyber exposures when operating business through the cloud, including unfavorable terms in cloud contracts, loss of control of data and compromised data security.

FEATURE

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“A lot of what we see from a claims perspective arises out of third-party mistakes, so vendors that may not have secure passwords or the contract that a company is engaging with isn’t as strong and they don’t have the strongest sense of controls,” Prevost explains – and that makes due diligence essential when hiring cloud providers. “Let’s say when these breach events happen it’s data that is stored on the cloud,” Prevost says. “What provisions of the contract enable you to access or not access the cloud’s security measures or the forensics associated with the cloud provider? Understanding that your contract may or may not prevent that is important.” An adequate risk management plan must incorporate a culture of privacy, first migrating low-risk data, identifying shared security responsibilities with the provider and assessing potential security risks. “Every employee has some sense of data security. I think we oftentimes forget that we see, we interact and we use data constantly, and it’s not necessarily one position that’s responsible for it,” Prevost points out. “So it’s not just the CIO or a CISO or a risk manager or legal or the board – it’s really making sure everyone in the organization accepts that and implements training

and really ensures that each segment of the company understands just a high level of how technology interacts with that different division.” An increasing number of packages from an increasing number of insurers provide everything from front-end protections “to make sure that the systems are at least resilient to attacks,” to back-end forensics, “meaning getting to the bottom of what happened and remedying it,” and everything in between, Hartwig says. “The insurance piece of it can cover costs from individuals who have had confidential information stolen or lawsuits waged against the company and even various types of business interruption loss.” It’s understanding risks like these – and communicating them to commercial clients – that eases the process of convincing smaller businesses they need cyber liability coverage. “Agent education is critical,” Dougherty says. “They need to become aware of what the exposures are for cyber, what coverage options are out there, so when they meet with their customer they can talk intelligently and demonstrate they do have the exposure and why they should buy coverage.” n Jacquelyn Connelly is senior editor for Independent Agent magazine.

continued from page 31CYBER LIABILITY

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Here at Specialty Insurance Managers, we are easy to reach and always readyto help—and have been ever since we opened for business in 2002.

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NEWSMAKERS

IIAO Members Selected in The Oklahoman’s 2014 Top WorkplacesIIAO members Midlands, National American

Insurance Company and One General Agency were selected as The Oklahaman’s 2014 Top Workplaces.

The Top Workplaces are determined solely on employee feedback through a survey conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement. WorkplaceDynamics conducts regional Top Workplaces programs with 40 major publishing partners across the United States. Employees taking the survey were asked to grade their workplaces in such areas as the employer’s direction, connection and execution, and their own feelings about their work, manager and pay and benefits.

Survey questions also addressed the employee’s level of confidence in company leadership; level of confidence in his or her own future at the company; whether new ideas are encouraged at the workplace; and training and work-life balance.

Midlands operates nationwide from offices in Oklahoma City, Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Established in 1990, Midlands believes in investing

in the lives of its employees, offering distinctive perks and empowering each employee to reach his or her full potential.

Midlands founder and CEO Charles Caldwell said, “It is the team at Midlands that makes us a Top Workplace.”

NAICO ranked 15th in midsized companies on the list.

“It is a true pleasure to receive recognition that stems from our employees,” said Brent LaGere, NAICO chairman and CEO. “Each employee contributes in helping us to set the standard that others strive for.”

Honored as No. 5 in the small business category, managing general agency and surplus lines broker OGA has served the

specialty needs of independent insurance agents since 1951. The family-owned and -operated company centers on strong relationships and trust.

“The key to our success is our people and our relationships, a principle established by the company’s founder, Marie Welch, in 1951,” said Jennifer Dotter, OGA president and CEO.


SAVE SOME TREES & YOUR SANITY WITH www.EagleEZLife.comNO COMMISSION REDUCTION | COMPLETELY PAPERLESS | ONE APP, MULTIPLE CARRIERS

800-627-3100 | www.EagleEZLife.com

Go Visit www.EagleEZLife.com. We’ve invested in our own technology to make your life easier. Unlike other systems, it’s free to you, and completely paperless.

Shop Get quotes instantly, and go from quote to submission in under 5 minutes. And best of all, you never have to retype a thing if changing carriers mid-stream.

Relax EagleEZLife.com helps you service your clients faster, which makes you look like a true expert in their eyes. There’s no cost, no risk, or commission reduction. It simply couldn’t be easier.

Visit EagleEZLife.com with your next application. Or, give us a call today at 800-627-3100 with questions. You’ll be amazed at how “EZ” life can be.

www.EagleEZLife.com


Training Disabled Veterans for Insurance Careers The National Alliance has

partnered with Disabled Veterans Insurance Careers to help educate and train disabled veterans for professional insurance careers.

Based in Austin, Texas, The National Alliance provides technical training materials and instruction in the areas of personal lines insurance, agency management operations and risk management, leading to one or more of the five distinguished designations: Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR),

Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Certified Risk Manager (CRM), Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM) and Certified Personal Risk Manager (CPRM).

Disabled Veterans Insurance Careers is a nonprofit organization with the mission to educate, train and generate meaningful employment opportunities for physically disabled veterans who will excel at proactively cross-selling personal lines insurance products on behalf of leading independent insurance agencies. For additional information, visit www.TheNationalAlliance.com or www.DVIC.us.

IN BRIEF


High frequency impactful coaching is where we see the greatest results, both on the court or in the cubicle, even the corner office. FIT Coaching is designed to reveal, refine and re-focus Huddle members in 6 key professional fitness skills key professional fitness skills through weekly web-based events.

Huddles forming now! [email protected] or

405-880-2920 to join.

Our primary goal has been to provide the best service to the specialty lines insurance market. Understanding the needs and providing rapid response to the independent agent has been and remains our number one priority.

Garage General Liability PropertyTransportation Premium Finance Liquor Liability

For quick quotes call or visit us on the web800-672-0347 www.nsb-nai.com

http://www.TheNationalAlliance.com

http://www.DVIC.us


Trusted Choice Member Benefits Trusted Choice will reimburse a portion of expenses, up to $1,600, incurred in 2015 by Trusted Choice agencies in co-branding advertising and marketing materials. Reimbursement only will be made for use of the Trusted Choice logo. Use the TC logo along with your agency’s brand to take advantage of this great benefit. Reimbursements are on a first-come, first-served basis until allocated funds to the market reimbursement plan are exhausted.

Download acceptable logos at trustedchoice.com/logo (Share/File Cabinet/Logo Files).

Earthquake Continuing Education

All license renewals after Jan. 1, 2015, with property in the line of authority will need 1 hour of earthquake continuing education.

IIAO offers the easiest way to pick up your hour of earthquake CE online at iiaok.aben.tv, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll with It – Earthquake Basics.” IIAO offers this course every month.

http://www.trustedchoice.com/logo


IIAO MEMBERSHIP MATTERSNew Members

JIMMY HOLLAND, MARKETING MANAGERP.O. Box 803143 • Dallas, Texas 75380 • www.patriotnational.com(972) 239-1458 • (800) 291-6846 • Fax (972) 233-3487

��

MGA WITH COMPETITIVE PRICINGAND QUICK RESPONSE

Auto Liability & Physical DamageProperty

Inland MarineGeneral LiabiltyProducts Liabilty

Excess & Umbrella LiabilityEnvironmental Liability (Pollution/GL)

Miscellaneous Professional

STANDARD WORKERS’COMPENSATION

Quick ResponseCompetitive CommissionCompetitive Pricing

Direct Bill

Marketed & Underwritten throughPATRIOT NATIONAL UNDERWRITERS

Members of Heartland Security Insurance Group

Broad range of target classes including:Retail, Wholesale, Manufacturing & Services

IIAO Half page ad:Layout 1 7/24/2009 11:14 AM Page 1


Tri State Insurance BrokerageBristow, OKContact: Houston Wells

Shoeleh Insurance Agency, LLCSkiatook, OKContact: Trishia Shoeleh

Yukon Insurance AgencyYukon, OKContact: Henry Israel

American IndependentInsurance, LLCIdabel, OKContact: Sharia Bernard

Jackson-Scoville, LLCClinton, OKContact: Jason Jackson

AFCO/Prime Rate Premium FinanceOlathe, KSContact: Bob Davis

Premium Assignment Corp.Dallas, TXContact: Susan Cunningham



We strive to offer flexible premium financing programs for our partners and all of your accounts. Our financial strength allows us to provide customized financing programs that can give you more control over your cash flow, as well as a range of billing and payment options for your insureds. Imperial PFS is focused on providing you premium financing that meets your needs.

Imperial PFS, the leader in premium financing, continues to focus on the success of our agency partners.

enabled bYFlexIbIlIty

ipfs.com [email protected] 405-202-8102

Connect anywhere, anytime with any mobile device.

Independent Insurance Agents of OklahomaPO Box 13490Oklahoma City, OK 73113

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDOklahoma City, OK

Permit No. 1659

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Policy Magazine Spring 2015

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