Agency Nation Radio

The Big “I” National Young Agents Committee (YAC) partnered with Trusted Choice to create a special bonus series of content related to the hard market on Agency Nation Radio. This week’s episode features Jack Griffith, Partner at TWIA Insurance Agency in Summerville, South Carolina and was hosted by Daschle Larsen, a member of the National Young Agents Committee and Risk Advisor at North Risk Partners in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The discussion focused on the current state of the market, weather events, relationships with clients and carriers, and incidents that have led to an increased focus on risk management.

The conversations started by discussing ways agencies can work with clients to identify potential risks. Then, they discussed how agency-carrier relationships can help tell a story about a client’s business and the agent’s focus on being proactive with their risk management measures, and articulating this risk to carriers.

“Carriers are being more conservative. So, we want to try to keep that open line of communication, almost to incentivize our carriers to stay on the account, but also to help communicate to them that you’re on a good account, our clients are being proactive, we’re not waiting till the bus full of 20 employees tips over to start looking at what we could have done wrong. We’re trying to get in front of that,” Griffith said.

The conversation then switched gears to focus on how to mitigate E&O claims within an agency. When preparing for some of these conversations and getting ready for renewals, they will use the renewal checklist or coverage checklist.

“It is a team effort at our agency. We have what we call an Agency Council, which is essentially our management team, who helps identify the risks we have internally. Our Commercial Lines Manager, she is incredible. She’s one of our partners as well. She does spot check audits on new business, and what she’s checking for are things that are helping to reduce E&O claims on our end,” Griffith said.

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Erika Matthews, program manager at Invest, hosts a conversation with Samantha Snider, assistant account manager at Abbott and Fillmore Agency and Joanna Dresden, an experienced Insurance Agent at Hartland Insurance Agency.

Dresden is Snider’s mentor, and the two Michiganders discuss the inspiring dynamic between mentor and mentee. Tune in to Discover how seasoned agents like Dresden are passing down invaluable knowledge and guidance and find out how the new wave of insurance agents are building fulfilling and impactful careers.

"So if you have questions, don't be afraid to ask," Snider says. "Originally kind of the beginning of me and Joey's relationship, I was kind of like, oh yeah, she's there. And I was kind of hesitant. But then once I started becoming more comfortable, it was more of a, hey, what's this sort of thing? And it was a lot easier to relate to her. Don't be afraid to ask questions."

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we’ve got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Adam Wirthlin, commercial lines producer at Turner Agency in Greenville, South Carolina, shares how his time in the U.S. Army has given him skills to be a better producer.

“It seems like a complete 180 from serving, but the skills I learned in the military set me up for success in this field, like attention to detail, leadership and commitment," he says.

The Big “I” National Young Agents Committee (YAC) partnered with Trusted Choice to create a special bonus series of content related to the hard market on Agency Nation Radio. This week’s episode features Allyson Hearring-Padilla, an agent at Blank’s Insurance Agency in Olney, Illinois, and was hosted by Taylor Hendrickson, a member of the National Young Agents Committee and Young Agents Council Director at the Florida Association of Independent Agents. The discussion focused on marketing strategies in today’s marketplace, winning over a client and growing a business, and using resources available by the Big “I.”

“We use a lot of Trusted Choice marketing. We always have, since that’s been developed, makes my life a lot easier. I don’t have to create things. I can utilize what’s been offered to us as Big ‘I’ members. And so, we utilize that quite a bit. That’s helped more so in our personal lines department with actually just getting our name out there, and showing the different that we can make with our clients, through the independent agency channel,” Hearring-Padilla said.

Some of the Trusted Choice® resources that agencies can utilize to help with their marketing efforts include the Monthly Social Media Calendar, Social Jazz: Social Media Automation Tool, Marketing Reimbursement Plan, Digital Review, In Your Corner Campaign, and much more.

When talking about the reimbursement plan, Hearring-Padilla mentioned that years ago her agency used the program to partner with their local fire department. They co-branded a trailer that would visit schools and educate students about fire safety. It provided an education to young people and helped expand the agency’s brand in the community.

Marketing and communications have a huge impact on the relationships clients have with their agencies. Many carriers have had major changes with coverages and premiums, and it is important for agencies to keep the line of communication with clients open. In addition to regular day-to-day conversations staying proactive and communicating changes ahead of time has been a game changer in the current marketplace.

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, host Brian Chapman, agent and owner of Chapman Insurance in Florida, sits down with Cassie Masone, vice president of flood operations at Selective Insurance. Masone, an authority on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), shares insights and experiences from her decade-long involvement with FEMA and her work at Selective. They discuss the challenges faced during events like Hurricane Ian; the complexities of flood insurance claims, particularly in condominium associations; the importance of education and communication for agents; dispelling misconceptions; and providing clarity on flood insurance coverage.

“To me, it's clear that customers want more information about flood insurance, more so now than they have in the past,” Masone says. “For any agents that are just like, 'I'm not sure if I really want to get into this flood space?' I really think now is the time because people want to talk about it.”

Join them as they delve into the evolving landscape of flood insurance and its impact on communities and the insurance industry and walk away with strategies to help you best prepare your clients.

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we’ve got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts.

Additional Links

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https://www.selective.com/agents/flood-agents

https://selective.dmplocal.com/main/index.php?action=viewsenthtml&id=27607&ids=3705eae5ddc0a75c6022078ffb8239e42c0179a7&[email protected]

https://selective.dmplocal.com/main/index.php?action=viewsenthtml&id=27780&ids=f5b1d10375b60769350c4f0effb4dd65b51b520a&[email protected]

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Owen Thomas, senior account executive, Dial Insurance Agency, Pembroke, North Carolina, shares his experiences from past hurricane seasons and how his agency is applying what they learned this year.

When Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina in 2018, it stalled, dropping unprecedented amounts of rainfall on unprepared towns and cities. Among them was the city of Lumberton—which was still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Matthew two years prior. With water levels surpassing 6 feet, Thomas' natural reaction was to ride into the flooded area with the fire department on a small boat to check on his community.

“I just wanted to make sure people knew that I was there for them," he says. “Thinking about how high the water was makes my skin crawl."

Thomas is an insurance agent, real estate broker, mayor pro tempore and founder of a drone company. These are just a few of the ways he is serving his community. However, like many agents, he serves his clients best during their time of need.

Guest:

Owen Thomas, Dial Insurance

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ojthomas_dial-insurance-agency-family-activity-7143742273325834240-Rasn/

The Big “I” National Young Agents Committee (YAC) partnered with Trusted Choice to create a special bonus series of content related to the hard market on Agency Nation Radio. This week’s episode features Bryan Clinkscales, Owner of Boone Ritter Insurance and Big “I” Executive Committee Member, and Trey Sinclair, Owner of Wells Insurance Agency and current Vice Chair of the Legislative Council at the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. In a conversation moderated by Daschle Larsen, National Young Agents Committee Member and Risk Executive at North Risk Partners, the discussion focused on navigating current challenges with underwriting, submission processes, and building relationships.

“The relationship with the underwriter is key. And if you burn that relationship, it’s going to be tough moving forward,” Clinkscales said. “The more information we can obtain and give up front to the underwriter, tends to make them more comfortable with the risk.”

When talking about the submission process, Clinkscales also shared some of the actions that can be taken to underwrite a risk before sending to a carrier. This includes looking up websites and social media accounts, reviewing any court records, and general Googling for any additional information.

Relationship building is also a crucial part of navigating the underwriting process. “One of the best things you can do is disconnect from strict email communication. Phone is better,” Sinclair said. “Also, show up. There are multiple events that underwriters attend. Whether they’re local events that their companies encourage them to attend or a state convention. These are times to connect with them on a personal level.”

Another aspect that has greatly impacted relationships with underwriters is communications post COVID-19. Many in-person meetings and events transitioned to occur only online. While remote work allows more flexibility, discussions around expectations and deliverable timelines from both sides are incredibly important to ensure all deadlines are met.

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we've got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit iamagazine.com/podcasts.

Sometimes an insurance niche finds you. Other times, you pave your way based on your passion. On today’s edition of Agency Nation Radio Podcast host Toni Jones, Senior Vice President of Transportation Marketing, at Palomar Insurance Corporation, talks with three independent agents about curating a niche business.

Our guests include Ryan Teubner, Producer with Rich & Cartmill, Crystal Fox, Founder and Creator of Beauty Queen Insurance and Lydia Ramos, Account Manager, and Regional Brand Coordinator McGriff highlight how personal passion and industry knowledge play a critical role in defining a successful niche.

“Can I marry my passion that I’m used to, that I love, in the beauty industry with insurance?" says Crystal Fox.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the interplay of personal interests and professional opportunities in insurance. Tune in to hear more about their unique stories and practical tips for navigating and succeeding in niche markets.

“If you’re going to niche, niche. Whether it's personalized, whether it's construction, whether it's transportation, whether it's beauty, whatever that niche is, immerse yourself in that industry,” says Ryan Teubner, “Understand the forms, endorsements, what you're insuring, but niche. Don't kind of niche.” 

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we’ve got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts.

On this edition of Agency Nation Radio, we hear from Kevin Ownby, owner of Ownby Insurance Services, Inc. from Sevierville, Tennessee. Ownby has been a Big “I" member for as long as he's been an independent agent. However, it wasn't until the Affordable Care Act was proposed and ultimately passed into law that he became more aware of the importance of the association's government advocacy on a state and national level. 

“If we’re not advocating for what we do as an industry and educating legislators we don’t have a seat at the table,” says Ownby. “And if we don’t have a seat at the table that means that we’re on the menu for dinner.”

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we’ve got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by the Insurance Marketing and Communications Association (IMCA) and you’re invited to Ignite, IMCA’s annual conference, June 24-26, 2024 - Orlando, Florida.

On this special Women’s History Month edition of Agency Nation, host Avery Moore, President ECI Insurance in Edmonton, Oklahoma, and a member the Big “I” national Young Agents Committee, leads a discussion with remarkable leaders who’ve carved their own paths in the independent agency system.

Joining the conversation are Michelle Middleton, president of Berkley Mid-Atlantic Insurance Group; Patience Noah, Principal/Owner of Patience Noah Insurance in Framingham, Massachusetts; and Jamie Bowden, personal lines agency growth coach at Agents United and chair of Utah Insurance Agents’ Women in Insurance Committee. Together, they share their origin stories, challenges and the lessons learned along the way.

From starting agencies right out of college to navigating leadership roles in established companies, these women reveal the grit and grace it takes to succeed in a male-dominated industry.

Dive into candid conversations about the complexities of agency ownership, the importance of mentorship, and the unfiltered realities of work-life balance. Hear firsthand how these leaders embrace vulnerability, face their fears and find empowerment in taking bold, sometimes uncomfortable steps toward growth.

"Success is easy—it's the fear of failure that gets really hard," says Middleton. “It keeps you from trying. And that's where we've got to be able to feel more confident to just jump off and know that you're going to work really hard.”

“And if we start to fail, you're going to pivot and change something, embodying a lot of courage to do something different,” she adds.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or aspiring to step into leadership, tune in for insights, inspiration and a sense of community for women aiming to make their mark in the insurance industry and beyond.

Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic and share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped make them the professionals they are today. From main street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine—we’ve got the stories you want to hear. For more, catch Agency Nation Radio on your favorite streaming platform or visit https://www.iamagazine.com/podcasts.