Thank You, Broward LAAIA and Our Partners

SEPTEMBER 2016 - ISSUE 4 - NUMBER 9 TEAM WORK Thank You, Broward LAAIA and Our Partners By CYNTHIA SCOTT Please let me take a minute to thank everyone for their participation in the 7th Annual Broward LAAIA Board Installation Gala. It was a fantastic event right from the start.

Masters of Ceremony Rudy Valdez-Diaz and Al Men- growth of this unsurpassed organization. There are dez were both energetic and impressive. The program several great committees that can use your help. kicked off with a Please reach out if you are interested in becoming in- prosperity bless- volved. We want your participation! ing for the association delivered September kicks by Mr. Henry, off with a three- the Culture Advi- part course to sor and Medicine earn or re-certify Man to the Sem- your CPIA desig- inole Tribe. Our nation. In addi- keynote speaker tion, the theme was Florida Chief of our Septem- Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who spoke to our more ber membership than 225 guests about some of the current challeng- meeting is “Hire es we face today as an industry, including Insurance Slow and Fire Fast: The 6 Keys to a Winning Team.” Fraud, and recent changes to Workers Comp. Please refer to our newly redesigned website to see additional upcoming events. Our outgoing President, Robin Lewis recognized the incoming Thank you to our members and sponsors for starting and outgoing board members our upcoming year CONTINUED on PG. 2 for their dedication and service to the association. He remind- ed us that, as insurance professionals, we serve an important role in society, and that we must continue to strive to be the best for our clients. I shared my vision for my term as president, including continuing to offer excellent professional growth and development classes.

The new board members and I are committed to the off right. It's only going to get better. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work! The 2016/2017 officers and board of the Broward Chapter of LAAIA:

Cynthia Scott, President Luis Ortega, President-Elect Daniel Barros, Vice President Karl Grace, Treasurer Christopher Dunham, Secretary Robin Lewis, Immediate Past President Rick Gibbs, Director Andrew Pappas, Director Jim Sullivan, Director The Latin American Associ- Angela Sheppard, Director ation of Insurance Agencies Brian Casey, Director Broward Chapter was found- Elena Cabrena, Company Liaison ed in September 2010. Al Mendez, Board of Counselors Representative Our Sponsors for the 7th Annual Broward LAAIA Board Installation Gala: The LAAIA strives to protect the rights of its members Ascendant Business Insurance Solutions (Platinum Sponsor) through education, informa- ETI Premium Finance (Gold Sponsor) tion, networking, and active People’s Trust Insurance Company (Gold Sponsor) participation in the political Wright Flood Insurance (Gold Sponsor) Mercury Insurance (Silver Sponsor) environment and communi- Federated National Insurance Company (Silver Sponsor) ty service for the benefit of Insurance House (Silver Sponsor) consumers. Security Premium Finance, Inc. (Silver Sponsor)

Have you heard about our new Facebook group, available for members only?

It is fun, easy, and a great place for encouragement, enlightenment, and to cele- brate successes and events with each other. You can also bring your questions and/or seek help with situations or struggles you may be having.

It’s another privilege of membership!

If you are a Broward LAAIA member, then search for the Broward Chapter of LAAIA closed group in Facebook and click on JOIN.

CONTINUED on PG. 2 Sawgrass Mutual Insurance Company (Bronze Sponsor) MacNeill Group (Bronze Sponsor) QQ Solutions (Bronze Sponsor) Florida Family Insurance (Bronze Sponsor) TypTap Insurance (Bronze Sponsor) Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company (Bronze Sponsor) Olympus Insurance (Bronze Sponsor) Prepared Insurance Company (Bronze Sponsor) Florida Peninsula Insurance Company (Bronze Sponsor) Heritage Insurance (Bronze Sponsor) Market Scout (Bronze Sponsor) Bass Underwriters (Bronze Sponsor) Bankers Insurance Group (Bronze Sponsor) SeaCoast Underwriters, Inc. (Bronze Sponsor) Edison Insurance Group (Bronze Sponsor) Caliber Collision (Bronze Sponsor) Enterprise Holdings (Bronze Sponsor) Southern Oak Insurance (Bronze Sponsor) Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (General Sponsor) London Underwriters (General Sponsor) We’re looking forward to building on our relationship with each of this terrific partners, and I am looking forward to working with each of our members to make this a memorable and successful year.

THE INFORMED AGENT 6 Things to Know About White Collar Crime

By MELISSA HILLEBRAND The financial services industry faces the greatest threat of employee theft, with 17 percent of embezzlement cases occurring at these organizations with less than 500 employees.

In addition, the professional services industry has the whom you would least expect, Hiscox says. The com- highest median loss, with $615,101 stolen by employ- pany sources Jack Thurston, who identifies how -em ees, according to insurer Hiscox’s "2016 Embezzlement bezzlers justify their crimes: Study: A Report on White Collar Crime in America." • Pressure: An employee thinks he or she is in a If you think this only occurs at large organizations — dire financial CONTINUED on PG. 4 think again. Hiscox’s report says that small businesses with less than 150 employees were 10 times more likely to be victimized by fraud than those with 250- 500 employees. The study analyzes employee theft cases that were active in the U.S. federal court system in 2015, of companies that employ less than 500 people, which represents 69 percent of all federal cases. ***SAVE THE DATE*** From the types of industries most afflicted by employee fraud to mitigation tips, here's what you need to On Wednesday, September 21, 2016, join know about employee embezzlement: your Broward LAAIA chapter at the Planta- tion Preserve Golf Course & Club (7050 WHY GOOD EMPLOYEES GO BAD West Broward Blvd, Plantation, FL) for the Perpetrators are often smart, well-liked, and those Member Connection Dinner/Meeting. situation that can only be relieved by addition- occurred 5 percent of the time in this industry. The al funds. This could be from gambling, bad in- second highest loss ($600,000) is found in the health- vestments or business losses, medical expens- care industry, where 65 percent of the fraud cases are es or debt. committed by managers. Hiscox found that all health- • Opportunity: Senior employees are more likely care embezzlement occurred at companies with less to have access to secure files, which offers op- than 250 employees. portunity to “fix the books” and cover up crimes. • Capability: Perpetrators must have the skill The real estate and construction industry was the only and knowledge to do so. one studied where owners committed fraud multiple • Rationalization: The theft often begins as a times. Owners are responsible for 11 percent of the “loan,” which the employee intends to pay cases in this industry with a median loss of nearly back Embezzlers convince themselves that $350,000. Overall, the median loss in real estate and they are taking care of their families, feel un- construction is $416,000. derpaid or say they are not treated well. • Related: Employee fraud: 6 steps to substanti- 5 MOST COMMON EMBEZZLEMENT SCHEMES ating your claim and recovering losses. • Outright funds theft (36 percent of cases): Oc- THE CRIMINAL NEXT DOOR curs when an employee takes cash or bank de- posits, or when an employee transfers money Embezzlers are most likely to be middle-age women into their own account. who work in senior bookkeeper positions, according • Check fraud (26 percent): When an employee to Hiscox. The study says the median age of perpe- alters or forges checks, making the checks pay- trators is 49 years old, and females able to themselves. represent 56% of those that com- • Credit card fraud (12 percent): mit this type of crime. Bookkeepers, Occurs when an employee fraudu- the most common job by those who lently uses, authorizes or creates an commit theft, represent 11 percent employer credit or debit card. of all cases, followed by managers at • Vendor invoicing and false 10 percent. billing (10 percent): Occurs when an employee creates fictitious invoices DOES SIZE MATTER? from made-up companies or inflates invoices from actual vendors. More than 80 percent of thefts -oc • Payroll fraud (7 percent): curred at companies with less than 150 employees, When an employee uses the payroll system to Hiscox says, with just under half of these crimes com- divert funds to themselves or family members. mitted at organizations with less than 25 employees. Of the five schemes, vendor fraud, by far, has the “Though it may seem counter-intuitive, smaller orga- highest median loss at $1.33 million. Coming in sec- nizations with tight-knit workforces are particularly ond is check fraud, with a median loss of $361,000. vulnerable precisely because employees are trusted and empowered,” the study reports. HISCOX’S BEST PRACTICES TO PREVENT FRAUD U.S. companies with as many as 500 employees expe- • Never give a single employee end-to-end re- rienced a median loss of $341,710 per year because of sponsibility for accounting or accounts pay- employee theft. able. Implement checks and balances. • Pay attention to employee lifestyles, especial- WHO'S WATCHING THE MANAGERS? ly any extreme changes. • Conduct lawful background checks on em- In 75 percent of the studied industries, Hiscox says ployees who handle money. managers are more likely than rank-and-file employ- • Educate employees about fraud detection ees to embezzle. and have them sign a code of ethics. • Promote a culture of trustworthiness For the second year in a row, the financial services in- and integrity. dustry has the highest number of fraud cases (17 per- • Send bank statements to the home address of cent). However, it is also one of two industries (the the business owner, who should also review other is professional services) where more employees any cancelled checks that come directly from than managers committed theft. the bank The median loss is the highest in the professional ser- A version of this article originally appeared on July 29, 2016 at vices industry, at $615,101, although fraud cases only PropertyCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks. AGENT PROVOCATEUR Florida Agents Work to Attract Millennials to Insurance Careers

By AMY O' CONNOR Florida insurance agents are trying to bolster the industry’s track record in attracting college graduates by employing a new state law that aligns college courses with the state’s licensing requirements.

The insurance workforce development law, passed in St. Pete College and Tallahassee Community College. 2015, gives the insurance industry an opportunity to catch up with what other industries have been doing Grady expects that number could increase to 11 by for years in training of new employees, according to next year. Jeff Grady, CEO of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA). The association helped design the law Broward College had 20 graduates this year and Grady and is now working on an education campaign to take estimated there are about 150- to 200 students cur- advantage of the opportunity and draw attention to rently enrolled in insurance career courses in Florida. insurance and risk management careers. In May, FAIA released an e-book, “The Short Road to “We are trying to help our industry with a really huge Long-Term Career Success” that it has made available and universally-acknowledged problem of workforce on the website www.riskcareersfla. The book, which shortage,” says Grady. is available for free download, includes information on the field of risk management. Grady said the ma- Grady said FAIA partnered with lawmakers to pass the terials were developed for colleges to use to recruit law last year, a law that the industry hopes will make it students into insurance education programs. easier to attract new talent to replace its aging workforce. “The e-book was really well researched to use the prop- The insurance industry is late to the game, says Grady. er vernacular to describe the business in a way that will attract millennials so they won’t be turned off by words “We were stunned by how many trades and occupa- like ‘underwriting’ and ‘actuarial,'” Grady said. “Instead tions line up to train their workforce,” Grady said. “The we are using words like risk management.” insurance industry hasn’t done a good job there, and [FAIA] just The insurance industry’s difficulty sort of stumbled into it.” attracting young people has been well-documented, with the rea- The law allows college students sons ranging from a lack of millen- to waive the state personal nials’ understanding about insur- lines agent license exam if they ance to not knowing what career complete the appropriate in- options are available to them in surance courses at an approved the industry. Grady said his group Florida college. is trying to address these issues. “What we have found, and so As part of FAIA’s effort, its Good many other trades and occupa- Works Fund is matching grad- tions already do this, is if you go before the legislature uates with insurance companies and agencies. But and show them there are jobs in this field and that it needs help from the industry to ensure there are you need funding and help to bring people into this enough opportunities for students when they finish trade, you will get support,” he said. “The insurance the programs. industry is late to the game.” “We have internships and company members who Grady said state colleges and the insurance industry are ready to accept these folks,” he said. “We have have embraced the new law in its first year. Eight col- to build it a little more in some places to connect the leges around the state offer or will soon offer a two-year industry with a college.” associate’s degree in risk management/insurance. The schools include Broward College, Polk State College, Unlike other workforce development programs for Santa Fe College, Seminole State College of Florida, trades such as homebuilding, these college programs State College of Florida, St. Johns River State College, are not getting CONTINUED on PG. 6 any funding from the state. Through its agent and Grady thinks the workforce development program company donors, the Good Works Fund is also help- has great potential for the industry and a new gener- ing to cover the marketing costs for the programs at ation of employees. the schools and provide scholarships for students. “Not all of them will finish but of those a substantial Grady said the association now needs to make sure portion will and there will be more licensees in the the approved colleges are offering the highest quali- state who are better qualified to work in our busi- ty programs and FAIA is prepared to step up its fund- ness,” Grady said. “It’s only the beginning. ” raising efforts to ensure that is the case. He predicts that the program could see 500 or more stu- “We are not necessarily looking at more schools – now dents enrolled at all times in the not-too-distant future. these programs have to be sustained…We have to work A version of this article originally appeared on July 11, 2016 at really hard to make sure they are sustainable,” he said. InsuranceJournal.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks.

BUSINESS MATTERS Business Lessons From "Seinfeld" (and Its Multibillion-Dollar Success)

By JENNIFER KEISHIN ARMSTRONG Seinfeld debuted more than 27 years ago under the least promising of circumstances in the television business. Its network, NBC, ordered just one episode and buried it where few were likely to find it: on July 5, 1989, in the dead of summer and the day after a national holiday. But it eked out a tiny season the next year anyway. Then a half a season, then a full season.

After nine years on the air, it had risen to dominate it had its own desire to be something.” American culture and attract 76 million viewers to its much-hyped finale. 2. RESPECT A GOOD COLLABORATION. American culture fetishizes the lone artist with a grand vision. But Now, nearly three decades later, it has infiltrated Seinfeld happened because Jerry Seinfeld mentioned culture more than ever with its omnipresent reruns NBC’s vague offer to the right friend and colleague: Lar- and streaming episodes. And as of ry David, a fellow standup co- 2015, it had raked in an estimated median. The night Seinfeld told $3 billion in syndication fees, plus him about it, the two started an estimated $160 million from to riff at a diner after doing the Hulu for streaming rights. comedy club rounds. Together, they hit upon a seed of what It’s a success story as odd as its would become Seinfeld: They cast of characters, one I tell in were funny when they were my book “Seinfeldia: How a Show just riffing with each other About Nothing Changed Every- about the minutiae of everything.” Here, a few of the lessons day life. What if that were a any business person can learn from Seinfeld’s phe- show? The idea would eventually make them the Len- nomenal success—rest assured, they’re real, and non and McCartney of sitcoms, David’s edgy darkness they’re spectacular. balancing Seinfeld’s affable observational humor. 1. TAKE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY’RE PRESENT- 3. THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY. NBC executive Rick Lud- ED. Jerry Seinfeld was a successful standup comedi- win, who was in charge of late-night shows and spe- an—and perfectly content with that—when NBC ap- cials, was the one who recruited Seinfeld—and he be- proached him with a vague proposition to possibly do lieved in the show despite its initial poor testing with a comedy special, or something, with the network. He audiences. After the network buried the pilot episode hadn’t been particularly interested in doing a sitcom, in the middle of the summer of 1989, he found a cre- but he took the meeting anyway. He later said, “Sein- ative way to bring it back for a few new episodes the feld is something I learned to do because I was given following summer: In his budget, he swapped out one the opportunity. Then the show spiraled off into this two-hour Bob Hope special for four half-hour Sein- whole other entity that I knew I had to serve because felds. Those four CONTINUED on PG. 6 episodes showed ratings promise when they held tan sites featured on the show, thus allowing fans to onto the audience from their lead-in—reruns of the immerse themselves in Seinfeldia. The Original Soup gold-standard in sitcoms of the time, Cheers. Man—a stop on Kramer’s tour—has licensed products for grocery stores. The company even recently 4. HIRE THE BEST, THEN TRUST THEM. As Seinfeld’s hired actor Larry Thomas, who played the charac- cult appeal grew, David and Seinfeld found their cre- ter on the show, as its spokesman, making itself a ative voice and began to take risks. Late in the show’s never-ending Seinfeld commercial. The J. Peterman 1991 season, two years into its run, David hit NBC ex- Company continues to sell its wares online, turning ecutives with an experimental episode: “The Chinese the site the kind of meta-interactive campaign most Restaurant,” in which the only plot is no plot. Three shows could only dream about. (Fans online often of the characters—Elaine, George, and Jerry—wait mistake it for an elaborate parody site.) for a table at a Chinese restaurant, don’t get one, and then leave. It plays out essentially in real time. The trick, of course, is doing this memorably enough NBC executives balked at its lack of resemblance to for it to work—easier said than done when you’re not any sitcom ever made before it, but David insisted comedy geniuses like Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. that this was the show. They ran the episode despite their reservations. Critics loved it. The show was on 7. QUIT WHILE YOU’RE AHEAD. Seinfeld’s impeccable its way to becoming the rarest of TV breeds, a popu- instinct told him it was time to stop making Seinfeld lar and critical favorite. with the spring 1998 finale. NBC famously offered him $5 million per episode to keep going, but Seinfeld 5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH TALENTED PEOPLE declined. Fans, most of whom would never see that WHO MAKE UP FOR YOUR WEAKNESSES. Seinfeld has much money in a lifetime, wondered if he was nuts. never claimed to be a great actor; he could play him- But David had left the show two years earlier, making self admirably, but acting was not his main talent. So for a crushing workload for Seinfeld and his writing he hired three of the greatest to play the other main staff. He felt the creative juice running out. And while characters: Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the $5 million per episode would have meant a lot of both comedic and dramatic talents who could imbue money for him, the cost could have been eroding the the most mundane line with new meaning; and Mi- show’s legacy. Which means Seinfeld might not still be chael Richards, a true genius of physical comedy. so popular in reruns, and worth us continuing to talk about to this day. If there’s anything Jerry Seinfeld can 6. TIE YOUR BRAND TO REAL-LIFE FIGURES—MEM- teach us, it’s how to be master of our domain—and ORABLY. Seinfeld drew heavily from real-life inspira- this was a master move if ever there was one. tion for characters and plotlines: Kramer was based on co-creator Larry David’s real neighbor, Kenny Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is the New York Times Kramer. The Soup Nazi referenced a real Manhattan bestselling author of Seinfeldia: How a Show About soup place that served up such delicious broth that Nothing Changed Everything and Mary and Lou and customers were willing to endure the chef’s strict Rhoda and Ted, a history of The Mary Tyler Moore instructions and beratings. Swashbuckling catalog Show. She writes about pop culture for several pub- purveyor J. Peterman was based on catalog purveyor lications, including The New York Times Book Re- John Peterman. And the list goes on. view, Fast Company, New York‘s Vulture, BBC Cul- ture, Entertainment Weekly, and others. She grew This may seem like classic product placement that up in Homer Glen, Illinois, and now lives in New York benefits only the placed products, at least in the case City. Visit her online at JenniferKArmstrong.com. of the latter two. But these figures turn out to be at least as valuable to extending the Seinfeld brand as This article originally appeared on July 30, 2016 at vice-versa. Kenny Kramer gives bus tours of Manhat- LinkedIn.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks.

INDUSTRY INSIDER 10 Helpful Free Mobile Apps for Agents and Brokers

By CATERINA PONTORIERO Agents and brokers don't just work out of an office anymore. Many are always on the go, traveling far and near to meet with clients and business associates, or to network at conferences. Luckily, there's a slew of mobile apps agents CONTINUED on PG. 6 and brokers can use to continue to manage their busi- • Support for photo, audio, video, file or doc- ness from the palm of their hands. ument attachments for client, project, sales/ order/contract and event records. From a smartphone or a tablet, agents and brokers now • Computing capabilties for account balance us- have access to their agency management systems, can ing old balance and amount paid/due. neatly store and organize all their contacts and leads, • The ability to export-import to share data with sign important documents and even attend meetings. existing practice applications by uploading and downloading CSV files. Agents and brokers know not only does their business • A functionality to schedule events or appoint- require mobile capabilities, but many of their clients ments and view them by day, week, month or want and expect it nowadays. year. The app can also remind clients via SMS, email or phone call with just one tap, and even The following apps are ideal for agents and brokers who pre-fills the message that you can customize. are always working, even when they're not in the office: Supports Google calendar sync. Insurance Agent by AppDevCoders InsuranceQuotes Agents by insuranceQuotes

Here's your virtual assistant. Insurance Agent is a mo- For agents with an insuranceQuotes.com lead ac- bile database that helps you keep track of your clients, count, the iQ Agents app is the perfect companion. products, carriers and important contacts. The mobile app is optimized for tablets and can be used on smart- The app allows agents to login to their account on a phones as well. Among the app's key features are the mobile device and receive push notifications when they ability to: get a new lead. Clicking on the notification allows users to review details about the new prospect and provides • Manage carriers and contacts. the option to contact them immediately. The iQ Agents • Manage several agents simultaneously. app also enables agents to access the most commonly • Keep a complete record of clients and pros- used aspects of an insuranceQuotes.com lead account, pects. The app includes a including the ability to: search functionality to help agents keep track of clients • Search, filter and view all and prospects. leads delivered to your account • Record appointments. in the past 90 days. • Create policies and man- • Easy one-step "click to call" or age claims and payments. "click to email" functionality. The app supports several • Manage and edit major ac- types of insurance, including count settings such as account Home, Auto, Health, Dental, Life and more. status and daily caps. • View account balance, transaction history The app also manages statistics on sales performance, and statements. commissions and premiums for agents. Detailed data • Request credits. can be viewed in charts and organized by different • Access agent resources, industry articles, ad- filters, including Company, Agent, Periods and more. vice and tips. Insurance Agent is updated often to keep up with agents' growing needs. MyHomeWorks Inventory by Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company Insurance Agent ON GO by Siyami Apps LLC This is a good one for agents to use for themselves Insurance Agent ON GO is an Android app for agents as well as recommend to clients. MyHomeWorks In- that keeps track of customer sales and services for ventory, part of MyHomeWorks from Hartford Steam policies such as Auto, Home, Property and more. The Boiler, allows users to take inventory of their homes app can be used on tablets and smartphones without and belongings in the event of a loss. any mobile network, data or internet connection. Key features of the app include: With MyHomeWorks access, users are able to take photos and videos of their items and log their value. • The ability to add, update, delete and search Users can document the condition of their items and clients, event, policy, quote and claim data. update the conditions after an event or loss. • Being able to securely export or transfer client files by connecting device to a PC. The app can also generate reports and provide them to in- • The option to create your own unlimited number surers by the user at the time of a claim. These functional- of custom templates for commonly used scenarios. ities are particularly CONTINUED on PG. 6 useful in the event of a total loss or cat event. For more in- whatever is shown on screen. formation on the full functionalities of the MyHomeWorks • See all upcoming meetings and join with a single tap. app, visit www.myhomeworks.com. • Get alerts for upcoming meetings. • Use a smartwatch to join, mute and leave in- DreamVault by American Family stead of fumbling for the phone. • Hand-off presentation control to anyone else Similar to the MyHomeWorks app is American Fam- in the meeting ily's DreamVault app, which allows users to keep an • View attendee webcams. inventory of belongings. • Chat with individual attendees or everyone in the meeting. The app is great for American Family Insurance agents • Participate in Q&A and answer poll questions. to use with customers. If a user ever has a claim or needs to report something stolen, the information Adobe Fill & Sign DC by Adobe is right at the user's fingertips — accessible anytime, anywhere in the world from a computer or smart- A fast and easy way to get a prospect to sign-off on phone. With the DreamVault app, users can: a policy is to sign documents electronically, rather than having to wait for physical paper copies to be ex- • Take and upload photos of belongings. changed and signed. • Add descriptions (serial number, purchase price, etc.) with the speech-to-text feature. Adobe Fill & Sign allows users to instantly turn digital • Sort items into predefined categories, or cre- files or paper documents into forms that can be filled ate a custom filing system. out, signed and sent electronically, without printing or • Generate reports based on the informa- faxing. With the app, users can: tion provided. • Email inventory to an American Family Insur- • Scan paper forms with a smart device's cam- ance agent to determine proper coverage. era or open a file from email. • Tap to enter text or checkmarks in form fields. CamCard by INTSIG Information Co. Ltd • Fill forms faster with reusable text from your autofill collection. There's a lot of business-card swapping in the insur- • Easily create a personalized signature with a ance industry, and while a Rolodex is still the favor- finger or a stylus. ite of many to keep cards organized, we think there's • Apply signatures or initials to documents. a better way. CamCard is an app that scans business • Save forms and send to others via email. cards and saves information to users' smart devices that can be shared over multiple platforms such as QQCatalyst by QQ Solutions Salesforce, Google Contacts, Outlook and Excel. Key features of the app allow users to: If you use the QQ Catalyst agency management system, you need to use its mobile app. QQCatalyst al- • Scan and store business cards. lows insurance agencies to securely access client data, • Exchange e-cards with people nearby. including client details, policies, notes and files from • Add notes and reminders to contacts. mobile devices. Features include: • Get contact updates. • Secure sign in with QQCatalyst credentials • Search contacts’ company news to start a anytime, anywhere. good conversation. • Multi-office support that allows users to • Navigate to contact addresses in Map. search for clients and policies across all of an • Access contact inf.ormation across multiple devices agency’s offices. • Manage contacts from all over the world with • Functionality to view client information, full 17 recognition languages. list of policies, notes, tasks and files. GoToMeeting by Citrix • Access to tasks list. • Ability to direct dial client phone numbers and Agents and brokers no longer have to have face-to- map client addresses. face meetings thanks to technology such as GoTo- NOAA Weather International by Pandamonium Software Meeting. The online meeting software's mobile app gives users access to meetings anywhere, anytime on It seems simple, but for agents and brokers located in a smartphone or tablet. Some of the app's best fea- areas prone to weather-related catastrophes such as tures allow users to: hurricanes and tornadoes, a weather alert app is an extremely helpful tool. • Join or host a meeting. • View presentations, mockups and reports ― The National CONTINUED on PG. 6 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers an forecasts for them. app that offers accurate forecasts and severe weath- • Hourly forecast. er alerts to your mobile device. Key features helpful • Animated radar, cloud cover, precipitation for agents include: and wind imagery over Google Maps. • Map measuring tool to measure distance • View forecast and current conditions for cur- and elevation. rent location. • Hazardous weather alerts. • View forecast & current conditions for any lo- • Current conditions notification. cation in the world by map. • Save favorite locations to quickly retrieve A version of this article originally appeared April 29, 2016 at PropertyCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks.

INFORMED CITIZENS Citizens Maximum Coverage Limit Decreased

As required by Senate Bill 1770, enacted by the Florida Legislature in 2013, and by approval of Citizens’ Board of Governors, Citizens will decrease allowable maximum policy coverage limits.

Effective January 1, 2017, for new business -and re to reflect this change. newals, the following personal residential risks no longer are eligible for coverage under Florida law: Agent Bulletins Recap: June/July 2016 • A structure that has a dwelling replacement cost Citizens regularly emails its appointed agents and (Coverage A) of $700,000 or more their agency principals with important bulletins. In • A single condominium unit with a combined dwell- case you missed it, below are the personal lines, coming and contents replacement cost (Coverage A mercial lines, and agent update bulletins sent during and C) of $700,000 or more the months of June and July. • A tenant contents policy with a Coverage C limit of $700,000 or more PERSONAL LINES Note: The maximum coverage limit changes reflected • 07.27.16 – Maximum Coverage Limit Decreased above will not affect policy forms where lower maxi- • 06.27.16 – Reinstatement of Disciplinary Process for mum coverage limits already exist. Binding Violations • 06.23.16 – PL: Enhancements to PolicyCenter Because the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation • 06.20.16 – Lender-Placed Coverage (OIR) determined there is not a reasonable degree of competi- COMMERCIAL LINES tion in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, these two counties are • 07.05.16 – Increased Cost of Con- exempt from the decreased cov- struction Coverage and Annual erage limit of $700,000. The max- Cost-of-Construction Inflation Factor imum coverage limit of less than • 06.23.16 – CL: Enhancements to $1 million will continue to apply to PolicyCenter risks in these two counties. • 06.09.16 – Commercial Resi- dential: Condo, Homeowner, and Citizens will comply with the nonrenewal guidelines Coop Association Coverage Clarification in Florida Statute 627.4133 and mail affected policyholders nonrenewal notices in advance of nonrenewal AGENT UPDATES dates of January 1, 2017, or later. The nonrenewal will be effective at the end of each policy’s current term. • 06.08.16 – Fraud: Identify It. Report It. Help Stop It. • 06.07.16 – Agent Appointment and Recertification Agency principals will receive a separate email soon Systems, and Agency Requests Temporarily Unavailable containing a list of affected policyholders, in order to assist them with securing coverage elsewhere. Citi- You also can find all bulletins by logging into www. zens’ website, systems and manuals will be updated citizensfla.com, CONTINUED on PG. 9 choosing NEWS and then AGENT BULLETINS, located webpage. If you log in to the Agents site, you’ll get on the left side of the page. For more helpful infor- agent-level answers; if you don’t log in, you’ll get mation, check out Citizens’ DID YOU KNOW? feature consumer-level answers. on the Agent portal. Agents, agency principals and customer representa- Customer representatives and agency support staff tives can log in to the Agents site and submit ques- can receive these bulletins by going to our website tions via the CONTACT US option of the website. Citi- and choosing NEWS, then AGENT BULLETINS, and zens should respond within three business days. then selecting SUBSCRIBE under EMAIL DISTRIBU- TION, on the right side of the page. Citizens has a vibrant social media community where you can learn more about current programs and ini- You can use KNOWLEDGE BASE, Citizens’ online in- tiatives, receive updates on press releases and share formation database, to get answers to many com- educational infographics with your followers. For mon questions, 24/7. To use Knowledge Base,- se agent information, follow at @citizens_agents on lect SEARCH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS under Twitter, and search for Citizens Property Insurance the SEARCH menu bar at the top of each Citizens’ on Facebook.

AGENT OF CHANGE 5 Ways Businesses Can Prepare for Hurricane Season

By TRUDY KNOCKLESS In recent years, properties in the United States have been hit hard by natural disasters, with the largest insured loss event occurring in 2014, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association.

Property and casualty insurance industry catastro- Cleveland, Ohio-based consulting company Cbiz Inc., phes losses in the United States rose to $15.5 billion said businesses have an obligation to minimize the in 2014, up from 12.9 billion in 2013. continuation of property damage. As a result, claims rose to 2.1 mil- For example: If your roof sustains lion in 2014, compared with 1.8 damage during a storm, and you million in 2013, the association can’t get a contractor to repair the reported, citing that each year roof before the next rainstorm, about 6 percent of homeowners you should have a waterproof tarp file claims. placed on the roof to prevent any more water damage from occur- MITIGATE POSSIBLE LOSSES ring, he said. Expenses related to reasonable measures you take as an But homeowners aren’t the only insured to minimize your property ones who are affected by these damage are reimbursable, he said. catastrophes. As we approach this hurricane season, businesses should ensure they have an emergency NOTIFICATION OF LOSS preparedness plan in place in order to mitigate losses In case loss occurs, “Plan to call your insurance com- should a storm occur. pany as soon as you’re aware of experiencing proper- Floods can occur anywhere, anytime, with little or no ty damage,” Grand said. He added that as soon as the warning and businesses must make preparations so carrier receives notification of loss, an adjuster will be that if flooding occurs after a storm, they are able to assigned and scheduled to come out and begin to help remain open, or reopen quickly after a flood disas- with arranging for cleanup and repairs. Grand offers ter. This requires taking immediate steps to prevent five tips for businesses to prepare for flooding in the or reduce flood damage should your business be in event of a hurricane: flood-prone areas. 1. DO YOUR RESEARCH AHEAD OF TIME. Know which Robert Grand, vice president of risk management at roofing contractor CONTINUED on PG. 9 or restoration company you’re going to call before the In case of an emergency, immediately notify your in- hurricane strikes. The demand for emergency services surance broker or insurance company and provide surges after a severe windstorm, and the best options them as much detailed information as possible. may be unavailable if you want too long to call. Large catastrophes will generate tens of thousands of If you don’t have these relationships in place before claims, so communication is vital for a quick resolution a storm, you will quickly find yourself with a sub-par to your claim. Photograph damaged areas prior to mak- roofing contractor and a less-than-capable - resto ing temporary repairs. Doing so will strengthen your ration company. claim and help with the best presentation of your loss. 2. DEVELOP AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN. The 4. DON’T SIGN RESTORATION OR REPAIR CON- last thing you want to deal with is what to do when TRACTS WITHOUT TALKING TO THE INSURANCE you have a high expectation for a flood or all the win- COMPANY ADJUSTER FIRST. Your adjuster can play dows are blown out of your buildings and your roof is a key role in helping you avoid price gouging after a peeled back like a sardine can. Prepare a plan ahead catastrophe, but he/she won’t be able to negotiate a of time so you can react and activate your catastroph- reasonable price for services if you’ve already signed ic response team as soon as the wind leaves town. a contract. Remember, your insurance company is NOT bound by the contracts you sign. Take extra care if your business has any exposures to chemicals or pollutants and never forget to include 5. ORGANIZE YOUR RECORDS. Prepare an invento- pre-planning options to safely relocate the chemicals ry of damaged or destroyed property for the adjust- or pollutants to avoid property damage and bodily er and keep a copy for your records. Do not discard injuries that can result from an environmental im- any items before the adjuster is given a reasonable pairment event. amount of time to inspect them. Provide available cancelled checks, invoices, etc. that support the val- Invest in a generator? You may want to invest in a ue of damaged or destroyed property. generator so you can prevent power interruptions. Keep all receipts and invoices for every expense you Seasonally, promote best practices about emergen- incur after the loss, including items such as tarps, cy response planning with your tenants to minimize boards, cleaning supplies, etc. These costs add up their risk of going out of business and leaving you quickly and may help erode your deductible. with loss of rents. A version of this article originally appeared August 9, 2016 at 3. KEEP YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES IN A SAFE PLACE. PropertyCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks.

INSURANCE MATTERS Race Driver Stewart Not Covered by CGL Policy in Fatal Track Incident

By STEVEN A. MEYEROWITZ, ESQ. A federal district court in New York has ruled that race car driver Anthony Wayne “Tony” Stewart was not covered under a Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance policy for a lawsuit by the estate of Kevin A. Ward, Jr., a fellow driver who was killed when Mr. Stewart’s car struck him during a race.

On Aug. 9, 2014, Stewart struck and killed Ward during At or around this time, the race track came under a an Empire Super Sprint (ESS) event being held at the “yellow caution” flag, understood by the drivers as a Canandaigua Motorsports Park in Canandaigua, N.Y. signal that required them to “slow down and move away” from the hazard on the track — in this case, According to the four-count complaint later filed by Ward’s wrecked vehicle. Ward’s estate (the Ward action), Ward, Stewart, and 22 other drivers were participating in the final race of While the remaining drivers, including Stewart, con- this ESS event when Stewart’s and Ward’s race cars tinued to race, Ward exited his disabled race car, made contact, wrecking Ward’s vehicle. walked down the track on foot, and was fatally injured when Stewart’s CONTINUED on PG. 9 car struck him. The Ward action alleged that Stewart for ‘bodily injury’ or ‘property damage’ by a ‘partici- had been negligent or reckless in striking Ward. pant’ while practicing or participating in any motorsports contest or exhibition.” Stewart denied the central allegations of the complaint as well as any liability for the incident. The policy defined “Participant legal liability” as any amount that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay INSURER DENIES COVERAGE “because of actions brought against the insured for ‘bodily injury’ or ‘property’ damage to a ‘participant’ while prac- On Aug. 17, 2015, the insurance broker for Tony Stew- ticing for or participating in any event sponsored by you.” art Racing Enterprises (TSRE) notified Axis Insurance Company of the Ward action and requested that Axis But there was a notable exclusion: “This insurance provide Stewart with coverage under the insurance does not apply to claims or actions brought by one policies that it had issued for Stew- racing vehicle driver against anoth- art’s race team operations. Axis dis- er racing vehicle driver.” claimed coverage, arguing, among other things, that: CONFLICTING ENDORSEMENTS? (1) The ESS event was not one of In arguing for coverage, Stewart the 105 “Specified Event(s)” listed in pointed to a different pair of endorse- the CGL policy’s schedule of events ments in the CGL policy to support his endorsement; and position. The first, titled “Race Team” (2) The claims asserted in the deleted Exclusion H(2), which exclud- Ward Action fell within the exclu- ed coverage for bodily injury/proper- sion for claims “brought by one racing vehicle driver ty damage claims arising out of any “prearranged racing, against another racing vehicle driver” contained in the speed, demolition, or stunting activity” from Section I— “Participant Legal Liability—Motorsports” endorse- Coverages. The second endorsement, titled “Limitation ment (the “PLL endorsement”). of Coverage to Designated Premises or Project,” further modified the CGL policy to include coverage for the [i] The parties moved for summary judgment. nsured’s motorsports team operations, which were defined to include “testing, tuning or on-track operations.” THE AXIS CGL POLICY Stewart also had an excess policy with Axis that said: The CGL policy issued by Axis provided that Axis would “The insurance provided under this Coverage Part will “pay those sums that the insured becomes legally ob- follow the same provisions, exclusions and limitations ligated to pay as damages because of ‘bodily injury’ or that are contained in the applicable ‘controlling un- ‘property damage’ to which this insurance applies. The derlying insurance’, unless otherwise directed by this policy included a schedule of events and stated that: insurance. To the extent such provisions differ or con- Coverage provided by this pol- flict, the provisions of this Coverage icy applies only to the event(s) Part will apply. However, the cover- listed in the above Schedule, and age provided under this Coverage only for the specific date(s) or Part will not be broader than that said event(s). In the event of com- provided by the applicable “con- plete and total postponement of trolling underlying insurance.” any of the event(s) shown in the COURT FINDS ‘UNAMBIGUOUS Schedule, from the specific event LIMITATION BY ENDORSEMENT’ date(s), upon sufficient prior notification by you to us or our -rep The district court, applying New resentative, such coverages as afforded by this York law, granted summary judgment in favor of Axis. policy, and for which premium has been received In its decision, the district court found that the CGL by us, shall be provided for said event(s) on a re- policy was “unambiguously limited by the Schedule of assigned date, with no additional premium due. Events endorsement,” which did not include the ESS All other terms and conditions remain unchanged. event at which Stewart struck Ward. (Emphases added.) Therefore, the district court ruled, Axis was not obligat- The policy also included an endorsement for “Partici- ed to provide a defense or indemnification to Stewart in pant Legal Liability — Motorsports” to the description connection with the Ward Action. The case is Axis Ins. of “Participant Legal Liability Coverage” as follows: Co. v. Stewart, No. 7:15-CV-1131 (N.D.N.Y. July 29, 2016). “We will pay for ‘participant legal liability’. Coverage includes those sums which you become legally obli- A version of this article originally appeared August 9, 2016 at gated to pay because of actions brought against you PropertyCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks. ARMCHAIR AGENT 7 Cold Calling Tips to Improve Your Closing Rate

By BRIAN TRACY Cold calling potential prospects can be frustrating and hard. Whether you are doing it in person or on the phone, it is your job to warm up a potential customer.

This process can be exceedingly difficult, especially if what would they be?” you’re not used to it. I’ve called many prospects, and • “If you could create the ideal situation for your I’ve learned how to make this process much easier. business, what would you change?” • “I’d like to schedule a meeting with you in Here are 7 cold calling tips to help improve your person to discuss your business needs and closing rate: how my product will benefit you. How does Wednesday at 2 p.m. sound?” 1. FOCUS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ON YOUR CLIENT, NOT YOURSELF. Always remember, that cold calling In your initial contact with the pros- and sales in general, should be very pect, focus all your attention and your personal. You should focus on your questions on the prospect. Don’t talk customer’s needs as an individual on about who you are and what you do, a case-by-case basis. or about your company. This is how you build relationships Remember, it is about them, not with you customers and have long about you. Client-centered selling sales relationships to come. Using is professional selling. You are only cold-calling scripts can make the call selling professionally when you are feel less personal and this is some- talking to your client about his or her thing you want to avoid. wants and needs. 4. DON’T OVERWHELM THE PROSPECT DURING 2. PLAN YOUR QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE. More infor- YOUR FIRST MEETING. When you are “cold meet- mation = more sales. In cold calling, the more infor- ing” a prospect for the first time, a strategy is for you mation you can elicit, the easier it will be for you to to “go in naked.” This means that, at the most, you qualify the prospect and then go on to make a sale. should carry a simple folder rather than a briefcase full of brochures or samples. This is where questioning is so important. Your questions should be thought out carefully If the prospect is interested and wants in advance, and organized in a logical a presentation and more information, sequence from the most general to you can always go back to your car to the most specific. get what you need and bring it in. But, when you go in without a briefcase, 3. DON’T FOLLOW ANY COLD CALL- you lower the stress of initial sales ING SCRIPTS. Once you have a posi- resistance and cause the prospect to tive response from a prospect to your relax and open up to you sooner. opening question, you then ask him questions about his business, his mar- 5. DON’T ATTEMPT TO SELL ON YOUR ket, his budget and so on. Very often, people will give FIRST COLD CALL. On your first call, you should nev- you all of this information in exchange for the benefit er attempt to sell. Focus on information gathering. that you promised in your opening question. Unless you are selling something inexpensive that requires little thought, you want to interview the pros- To get the answers to these problems from your prospect by asking questions. Take notes and tell them pect, ask questions such as these: you will come back to them. • “If you could magically eliminate three of your Focus on building the relationship and coming across biggest problems in your business or market, as friendly, genial CONTINUED on PG. 9 and nonthreatening. back from buying from you. 6. KEEP YOUR PROSPECT RELAXED. The longer your BONUS TIP: DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR MORE. prospect remains relaxed and the more he opens up to you, the more likely it is you will make the sale in Don’t be afraid to ask. “Ask” is the magic word for the long run. sales success. You can even say, “Mr. Prospect, what we have found If you are cold calling on the phone, try my 100 Calls is that there is always a key benefit or major reason Technique. It will help you to relax and be much more that a person would purchase our product or service. personable on every one of your sales calls. What might it be for you?” 7. FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT BENEFIT WILL CAUSE If you are open, honest and genuine, and ask out of YOUR CUSTOMER TO BUY FROM YOU. With each curiosity, you will be amazed at the answers you’ll customer there is a key benefit that will trigger buy- hear. Prospects will often give you all the informa- ing desire and cause the customer to purchase your tion that you need to make a sale. product or service. The key for you is to ask. At the same time, there is a key fear or doubt that will hold the customer back from buying. Your ini- Follow these 7 cold calling tips to help maximize your tial job in your first cold call with your prospect, and sales, generate better leads and create long-lasting the key to qualifying them, is to find out exactly what relationships with your customers. benefit will cause this customer to buy from you, and A version of this article originally appeared August 4, 2016 at exactly what fear or doubt might hold this customer PropertyCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks.

NEWSLINE Clinton VP Choice Tim Kaine Helped $100M Verdict Against Nationwide

By JENNIFER HENDERSON Hillary Clinton’s choice for presidential running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, is a Harvard Law grad who cut his teeth as a young lawyer fighting for fair housing issues, winning a $100 million jury verdict against Nationwide Insurance over allegedly discriminatory lending practices.

Clinton and the former Virginia governor made their Kaine’s most high-profile case was brought on behalf first appearance together on July 23 at a rally in Mi- of a local non-profit, Housing Opportunities Made ami, where Kaine described his past work as a “civil Equal (HOME), which alleged that Nationwide Mutual rights lawyer.” Insurance Co. had discriminat- ed against African-American “I brought dozens of lawsuits neighborhoods through the when I was in private practice, practice known as redlining. battling banks, landlords, real estate firms, insurance com- The case went to trial in 1998, panies and even local govern- after Kaine had become Rich- ments that had treated people mond’s mayor. The jury sid- unfairly,” Kaine said. ed with HOME and returned a $100 million verdict against Na- Kaine graduated from Harvard tionwide. The verdict was later in 1983, a decade after Clinton overturned by Virginia’s high- earned her own law degree from Yale. He took near- est court, which sided with lawyers for the insurer at ly a year off before graduating to work as a mission- Kirkland & Ellis. ary in Honduras. Unlike many in his class who vaulted into Big Law careers, Kaine joined a small firm in Rich- “At the time I won that case, it was the biggest jury mond, Va., now called McCandlish Holton, where he verdict ever in a civil rights case in American history,” focused largely on fair housing matters. Kaine said at the CONTINUED on PG. 13 Miami rally. “I like to fight for right.” 2014, according to a new A.M. Best special report. Kaine left his legal career in 2001, the year hewas The Best Special Report, titled, “U.S. Captive Insur- elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Now 58, he ers Benefit from Core Competencies,” states that the served as the state’s governor from 2006 to 2010, and favorable overall results for the rated domestic cap- was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012. tive group should continue to hold in 2016. This view takes into consideration continued modest economic A version of this article originally appeared on July 25, 2016 at improvement, gross domestic product growth of ap- PropertyCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks. proximately 2.5 percent to 3 percent, moderate loss cost inflation between 2 percent to 4 percent and an Harris Poll Names Top Auto and Home incremental rise in interest rates by year-end 2016. Insurance Brands for 2016 This view also assumes a similar degree of price dis- By JAYLEEN R. HEFT cipline on the part of group captives. A.M. Best said it believes that today’s prevailing low interest rate There are many ways to rank insurance companies environment will help to keep aggressive pricing on and brands. One way is to ask almost 100,000 con- the sideline. sumers what they think. During 2015, while net written premium contracted The 28th annual Harris Poll 2016 EquiTrend Study by a modest 0.4 percent to $4.9 billion, it was mainly names the strongest brands in nearly 100 categories due to an increase in cessions. Net income for the across the media, travel, financial, automotive, enter- captive insurance composite, although strong at tainment, retail, restaurants and household industries, $1.2 billion, remained relatively flat when compared based on consumer response. Brands ranking highest with the previous year. Additionally, approximately in equity receive the Harris Poll EquiTrend “Brand of half of the profits were retained, as dividends were the Year” award for their respective categories. paid to shareholders. This year, State Farm takes Brand of the Year honors Net investment income saw a sharp increase, rising in the home insurance category, while AAA edges out by nearly 10 percent in 2015 after decreasing by 2.8 State Farm to claim Auto Insurance Brand of the Year. percent in 2014. Auto Insurance Brands, Ranked: Altogether, the U.S. rated domestic captive group continues to outpace the underwriting and operating 1. AAA Auto Insurance. results of the U.S. commercial insurance composite, 2. State Farm Auto Insurance. as evident in the captive composite’s 89.3 and 88.9 3. USAA Auto Insurance. for five- and 10-year combined ratios, compared with 4. American Family Auto Insurance. 101.2 and 98.0, respectively, for the commercial com- 5. Nationwide Auto Insurance. posite. The 2015 combined ratio for the captive insur- 6. Farmers Auto Insurance. ance composite after policyholder dividends is 88.9. In general, the market position of captive insurers Home Insurance Brands, Ranked: continues to be profitable, well-capitalized and con- sistent, which in A.M. Best’s view can be attributed 1. State Farm Home Insurance. to “effective risk management practices, steadfast 2. AAA Home Insurance. strategic analysis and each captive insurer’s in-depth 3. USAA Home Insurance. knowledge of underlying risks.” The Harris Poll study shows that overall, the insurance A.M. Best said it views the captive market as sta- industry’s brand equity falls toward the bottom of the ble from a ratings perspective and expects that broader financial services category, with all types of the vast majority of captive insurers will have their insurance on a downward trend. ratings affirmed. A version of this article originally appeared on July 26, 2016 at This article originally appeared on August 3, 2016 at PropetryCasualty360.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks. InsuranceJournal.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks. Captive Insurers in Strong Position: Homeownership Rate in The U.S. Tum- A.M. Best bles to the Lowest Since 1965 By PRASHANT GOPAL Captive insurance companies rated by A.M. Best end- ed 2015 in strong form, recording pretax operating (BLOOMBERG) The U.S. homeownership rate fell to income of $1.4 billion, a 13.5 percent increase over the lowest in CONTINUED on PG. 13 more than 50 years as rising prices put buying out of from a year earlier, according to the S&P CoreLogic reach for many renters. Case-Shiller index of values in 20 cities. The share of Americans who own their homes was “Home prices are rising so much faster than incomes, 62.9 percent in the second quarter, the lowest since so it’s hard for buyers to save for a down payment,” 1965, according to a Census Bureau report Thursday. Mark Vitner, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Secu- It was the second straight quarterly decrease, down rities LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina, said before the from 63.5 percent in the previous three months. Census Bureau report was released. First-time buyers have been struggling to find afford- The homeownership rate reached a peak of 69.2 per- able properties as low mortgage rates and anim- cent in June 2004. proving job market spur competition for a tight sup- A version of this article originally appeared on July 28, 2016 at ply of listings. Home prices rose 5.2 percent in May Bloomberg.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks. LEWIS ON LEADERSHIP Increasing Your Work-At-Home Productivity

By ROBIN LEWIS

When we visited last month, we talked about the importance of adapting or dying, professionally speaking. Businesses (particularly ones with strong sales components) have adapted to, and embraced, a number of different non-traditional models. This includes the increasingly popular “work at home.”

For a lot of people, the words "work from home" infor your individual actions as the leader of your own voke images of sinking into a couch, sunning your- unique team: You. self from a beach chair, or lounging, hipster-style, at a coffee house. These Here are some of things you can do to plan your work- common stereotypes from-home routine, to get the most out of it, and are held by people who some of the benefits and challenges. don’t work from home, about those who do. SET A START AND END TIME: Without rules and structure, working from home can get ugly fast. It’s import- The reality is quite dif- ant to know when you need to be “in the office” (i.e., ferent, and thousands of your workspace), and what your daily routine is going success stories give the to be (check and respond to emails, set new business lie to that slacker image. appointments, follow up ongoing business, etc.) For many, the opportu- GET UP, GET DRESSED, AND BE AT YOUR DESK AT nity to work from home THE APPOINTED TIME: Like all grownups in business, provides a more struc- it’s important to dress as though the boss or a client tured environment than may knock on your door at any moment. the office. (Ironic, no?) At home, you can control WHEN YOU'RE AT WORK, YOU'RE AT WORK: You your environment. In the office, well, headphones are know how distracting texting and social media are in sometimes necessary to block out unwanted noise the disciplined environment of the office? Multiply and distractions. that by a factor of ten in terms of how easy it is to be led astray by social media, emails, Netflix, whatever. That doesn’t mean working from home is self-per- Be mindful of the time you spend socializing during mission to cast all discipline into the wind. Quite the “office hours.” Don’t let family and friends interfere contrary, that freedom must allow for a structuring in with your work time just because you're at home. order to insure productivity. Leadership isn’t merely about strategy—planning for the actions and activi- CREATE A WORK SPACE (THAT'S JUST FOR WORK): If ties of many people. Leadership is also about tactics— possible, try to have a computer for work and a sep- about taking stock, accountability, and responsibility arate computer CONTINUED on PG. 13 for your personal use. To avoid “mixing business with help you feel connected. pleasure,” keep your home office space separate from the area of the house where you handle house- FLEXIBILITY: Being in control of your calendar, you hold business, like organizing and paying your bills. can organize your time working from home precisely the way you want it. But that also means that work TURN OFF MOBILE AND DESKTOP NOTIFICATIONS: hours can creep into family time. This includes personal e-mail, Facebook, or news headlines. You want your brain to be in "work mode" COMMUTING, WHAT COMMUTING? Because your when you're working. office is at home, you don’t have to add the time it takes for you to get to and from work. One upside of DON'T GET SIDE-TRACKED BY FURRY FRIENDS: Part commuting is that it allows you the mental and emo- of your own daily schedule should include times in tional ramp up to get geared up for your day. the morning (before “business hours”) for walking, playing, Those who work from home and spending time with your have to find a way to build that adorable pets. If you can afford in. The 30 seconds it takes to it, consider a doggy daycare, turn off your computer and or having a dog walker drop by walk into the kitchen doesn’t al- during your workday. low you to leave “work” behind and be ready to engage in your CHORES AREN’T “WORK:” home life. Chores are the things you do at home, but not during work OFFICE POLITICS, WHAT OFFICE hours. If you have to fix meals POLITICS? In a traditional office for the family, no sweat: use a setting, low morale and interof- slow cooker during work hours. fice political moves are like virus- es; they catch on quick. Working There are many advantages and from home means you get to disadvantages to working from skip the crummy office politics. home. Some aspects of telecommuting can be a bless- But you also lose a certain degree of colleague cama- ing or a curse, depending on how you manage them. raderie, and the chance to participate in office events. In this case, you need to find creative ways to stay LESS SOCIAL INTERACTION: Although there may be positively connected with your team. fewer distractions at a home office than at the "cor- porate" office, there’s also less social interaction. PERCEPTION: It’s important to take the idea of work- You miss that, but at the same time, you may appre- ing from home seriously. You don’t work less merely ciate the quiet time. because you don’t have a company paying for an office for you. Because you’re only human, it may be wise to develop a support system, by enlisting other telecommut- Obviously, working from home isn’t an option in ev- ing workers who you can Instant Message/text/call ery agency situation, and even when it is available, it or otherwise connect with when the day is lonely or isn’t going to appeal to everyone. For someone who gets rough. Even if you don’t have the built-in energy is not motivated and self-disciplined, it can be tough. and dynamics of an office, you still need a system to But charting your own course can be its own reward.

BARRY’S INSPIRATIONAL CORNER By BARRY SANDERS

Giving to others is a positive and generous thing to do. Pay it forward, and reap the rewards. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENTS Dulce M. Suarez-Resnick

By RONIMARIE ACORD

From the 9/2/2016 edition of Independent Agent magazine: CBS News 4 Miami, Spanish radio, news-papers, high schools, state legislative sessions in Tallahassee — this Miami native advocates zealously wherever she can on behalf of Florida consumers, tomorrow’s independent agents, and the insurance industry.

WHY INSURANCE? you can. Belonging is good business, whether it’s belonging to the Big “I,” to the International Association At a young age, I realized the importance of our jobs, of Insurance Professionals, to the National Associa- because the decisions you help the consumers make tion of Professional Insurance Agents or to the LAAIA. determine at the time of loss whether they’re going to There are so many associations out there, and we all be able to rebuild their lives. In 1994, I started teach- work together. ing insurance and felt I was starting to make a differ- ence for people. FAMILY TIES? MENTORS? I started in the insurance industry completely by mistake. The fami- My mentor was my mom. The ly business was restaurants, but past presidents of the Insurance I was going to study medicine. Professionals of Miami Dade have My fear of needles did me in. In been additional mothers to me. 1985, I was in the school work- They beat the drum the same way: study program at a condomini- “Yes, you can. Yes, you can. You um association, and an insurance need to go speak.” Us women, we agent who came to bid on a condo build a very strong network and asked, “Would you like a job in the help each other. insurance industry?” They were looking for a personal lines tech. FLORIDA LEGISLATION? I got the job. My true passion is the betterment I started to learn the business, and and survival of our industry, and about a year in, I really started to to protect the consumer. Fellow enjoy it. At 18 years old, I used to members of the Latin American read all the forms and endorse- Association of Insurance Agencies ments. The person in personal and I meet with legislators in our lines left and pushed me into their home and work districts to edu- seat, but before I’d take the job, cate and let them know they have Photo by: Josh Ritchie I said I needed education. They a resource. Every year since 2003, sent me to the PIA personal lines we go to Tallahassee during session to speak about insurance school. the bills that are up—which are good or not so great, and what the unintended consequences could be. I joined NCF in 2009 and made partner in January 2015. My daughter, born in 1996, started going to in- ADVICE? surance conventions when she was six. Even though insurance is far from what she wants to do, she’s go- Get involved. Every state has its own issues. Unless ing to college and working in an agency part time, and you roll up your sleeves and get involved, there is no she has her license. She tells me, “Mommy, this is not change in your industry or your state. If you see some- my career.” I say, “I know.” But insurance is a great thing that is hurting the consumer or is detrimental to thing to fall back on. your industry, have a voice. This article originally appeared September 2, 2016 at I encourage women to reach out and give the time IAMagazine.com. Reprinted with sincere thanks.