THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 

                                                Big “I” National News


Trusted Choice^®
Majestic Insurance Joins Trusted Choice^®
California-based workers' compensation carrier is latest brand movement company partner.

Majestic Insurance Company is the newest member of the Trusted Choice® consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and brokers. Majestic, headquartered in San Francisco, is a leading provider of specialty workers’ compensation insurance in the United States. It joins 55 other leading insurance companies nationwide as a Trusted Choice® company partner.

“Majestic Insurance is well-respected by independent insurance agents and their customers in California, New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon,” says Dave Evans, Trusted Choice® executive director. “By joining the Trusted Choice® brand, they are making an investment in their future and the independent insurance agency system while building on their reputation for providing quality specialty workers’ compensation insurance for businesses of all sizes. We welcome them and are proud to announce that Majestic Insurance is the newest Trusted Choice® company partner.”

Majestic Insurance Company was founded in 1986. Since its inception, the company has have been underwriting workers’ compensation risks and working in active partnership with clients to lower premiums, streamline services and keep workers safe.

“We are pleased to join Trusted Choice® as the affiliation reinforces our strategy of working directly with independent insurance brokers to deliver workers’ compensation insurance coverage along with dedicated loss control and claims administration services to their clients,” says James Scardino, Majestic Insurance CEO. “We are proud of our commitment to service and of this recognition by Trusted Choice®.”


Big “I” Retirement & Employee Benefits
Celebrate Your 401(k) Tomorrow and Every Day
Take the time to reinforce the need to save in your agency.

Friday, Sept.10, is 401(k) Day, an annual celebration focusing on the importance of employer-sponsored profit-sharing and 401(k) plans.

Sponsored and created by The Profit Sharing/401k Council of America (PSCA), 401(k) Day is an annual event to promote retirement savings and education. The PSCA “strongly believes that companies need to communicate with and educate their employees about the importance of saving for retirement.”

This year’s theme is focused on three different generations of workers at varying stages on their voyage to retirement. The themed campaigns are:

On the Winding Road to Retirement… Let Your 401(k) Plan Help Get You There.

This campaign encourages the younger workers to:

• Enroll in their company’s 401(k) plan
• Increase their contribution to their 401(k) plan
• Take control of their savings
• Learn about available investment options
  

Map the Course to Your Destination… Steer Your Retirement Account to Get You There.

This campaign encourages Generation X workers to:

• Ensure their 401(k) investments are on target to get them where they need to be
• Shift their asset mix to stay on course
• Prepare for detours on their journey toward retirement

Maintain Your 401(k)… Proper Care of Your Retirement Account Will Get You There.

This campaign encourages baby boomers to:

• Check their account balance frequently
• Work with their 401(k) plan administrator or a financial advisor

Make sure they are prepared to make their retirement destination

Whether your agency already has a plan or you are contemplating starting one, take a moment today to reinforce the need to save for retirement.  However you choose to do it, PSCA encourages you to host your own 401(k) Day and to make every day 401(k) Day.

The Big “I” Retirement & Employee Benefits program can help with access to retirement plans, IRAs, short and long-term disability, life insurance and dental programs. Visit www.independentagent.com/retirement, or contact Christine Muñoz (christine.munoz@iiaba.net) for more information.


Big “I” Markets
Collector Car Market Hot This Fall
Provide top-notch coverage for collector car enthusiasts.

According to “Forbes,” the collector car market is sizzling, and now you can provide collector car enthusiasts with top-notch coverage for their rare rides with access to Chubb’s Collector car insurance program on Big “I” Markets.

Key benefits to agents:

• Chubb no longer has an exclusive agency relationship for collector car business.
• Chubb can now consider collector car opportunities directly from all CPI producers.
• Chubb is now “open for business” for monoline collector cars.
• Great way to keep all of a client’s accounts in one place and improve overall account retention.
• Legendary Chubb claim service ensures less work for you at the time of a claim.
• Competitive price makes it easy to close the deal.

Key coverage selling points to customers:

• High limits for comprehensive, collision and liability coverages.
  Large or small, Chubb can accommodate collections of all sizes and values. Liability limits available up to $50 million.
• Coverage for newly-acquired collector cars worldwide.
• No mileage restrictions.
• Agreed Value coverage that can increase with the value of the car. Once Chubb agrees on a value, it is locked in for the policy term. That’s the exact amount your customer will receive if the car is stolen or totaled in a covered loss. And, with proper notice, coverage can be increased to reflect market value any time prior to a loss.
• No deductible.
• Fair replacement of parts. After a covered loss, claim practice restores the car to its pre-accident condition and authenticity.

To request a quote, select “Collector Car” from the Big “I” Markets personal lines menu. Learn more about the product by registering for the Collector Car webinar to be conducted on Sept. 27 at 2:00 p.m. EST.


Big "I" News
Big “I” Endorses Agility Recovery Solutions for Disaster Recovery
Association committed to agency disaster preparation and response.

Disaster has no schedule. Nothing tests an insurance agent’s ability to meet a client’s needs like an unforeseen disaster, occurring without warning and creating unpredictable damage. Today, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) announced its endorsement of Agility Recovery Solutions to help independent agents prepare and recover from these unexpected events.

The program is part of an effort to provide comprehensive, turnkey disaster recovery solutions and planning education to the 300,000 member agents, brokers and employees of the Big “I”. According to a recent study commissioned by Agility Recovery Solutions, an overwhelming 90% of small to midsized businesses are unprepared for a business interruption or disaster.

Agility Recovery, a former division of GE, specializes in providing robust, cost-effective recovery solutions, consulting services and testing options to small and midsized businesses across North America. To handle the traditional disaster recovery industry roadblocks of scale, cost and complexity, Agility developed ReadySuite, a solution delivering the critical assets necessary for businesses to remain operational during disasters or interruptions.

“Insurance agencies, more than any other business, have an obligation to their clients to be available when disaster strikes,” says Bob Boyd, Agility CEO. “No one ever expects a disaster, but the endorsement by IIABA demonstrates their commitment to ensure its members will have access to an affordable and reliable solution should the unthinkable happen. Not only does our ReadySuite solution get agencies back up and running quickly, but Agility’s experienced continuity specialists work with agencies from day one to make sure each has a viable recovery plan in place.”

Agility Recovery has more than 21 years of business continuity and disaster recovery experience and currently represents more than 1,500 insurance agencies across North America. Agility’s ReadySuite solution meets the standards of 100’s of industry and trade associations along with those of key federal disaster recovery stakeholders, including the SBA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“While everyone is focused on the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the reality is that disasters occur everywhere and at any time, and independent insurance agents should have the resources to make sure that as a result of a disaster that they are able to be able to meet the needs of their customers,” says Dave Evans, Big “I” senior vice president. “Agility Recovery has the ability to provide independent insurance agents with the critical resources to be back up in business after a disaster strikes.”

In the insurance industry, continued success centers around proper risk management, and it is critically important to be prepared. By supporting and documenting critical functions, Agility testing services aim to prepare agencies for potential interruptions and identify key gaps in recovery plans. These services range from over-the-phone recovery plan assessments to full mobile deployment of office space to real-time business transaction simulations.

In the last two years, Agility has responded to more than 560 disaster events and performed more than 700 test simulations for its members.


Big “I” Markets
Private Equity Acquisitions with Bonding Requirements Increase 
Goldleaf Surety Services provides bonding expertise your agency may need.

Private equity acquisitions of companies that need bonding have become more frequent in the past few years. This is partly due to the increase in the number of private equity firms that are looking for good investments. It is also partly due to business owners being too busy today to do the necessary advance planning to ensure that an exit strategy is in place when they decide to retire from the business.

The proper structuring during the pre-acquisition period can significantly affect the bonding terms post-acquisition for the company. This creates a significant opportunity for Big “I” members who can now provide the needed bonding expertise through partner Goldleaf Surety Services. Goldleaf’s knowledge and expertise in handling bonds for these companies can facilitate the proper structuring for client acquisition to facilitate bonding.

Here is a more detailed look at the private equity acquisition process and the opportunity it presents. Remember, you don’t need to be the expert..; Goldleaf will be the expert for your client and will work directly with them, if you want. Visit www.bigimarkets.com to learn more or request a quote.