March 2023 Member News
Update from National PIA
Sheryl Chasse and I attended a PIA National meeting February 17, 2023 where PIA VA/DC was recognized for its outstanding role in promoting PIA to members. Virginia/DC was one of three affiliates singled out for our achievements. Congrats Kevin Kowar (PIAVADC Association Executive), the PIA VA/DC staff and Gerald Hemphill (President of PIA National)!
Throughout this next year, it is my goal as your National Director to promote the many Benefits that PIA National brings to each member. Recently PIA National began a program offering disability insurance for your clients. The program is called PIA Breeze. If you would like more information, please visit pianational.org/breeze.
The Chairman’s Challenge supporting the National PAC was met this year by the Virginia/DC Board. We were among eleven affiliates achieving this goal. Thank you!
Look for more information on 2023 PIA Advocacy Day which will be May 9 and 10 in our Nation’s Capital. Agents will be able to meet with their representatives in person once again.
If you have any questions about how PIA National helps the local agent please contact me at 804-559-9178 or ctucker@tuckerfranklininsgrp.com.
Remember PIA’s four pillars—Inform, Educate, Advocate and Protect
S. Cole Tucker, Jr. CIC, CRM, LTCF
PIAVADC National Director
2023 Annual Convention Exhibitor Registration
- NEW LOCATION: Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel
- Early bird pricing is available 3/1-4/30/2023. Registration and payment required by 4/30/2023 to qualify for early bird pricing.
- Booths are assigned in the order in which online registration forms are received.
Schedule Overview:
- Informal Social Function - Tuesday evening, 7/25/2023
- TRADE FAIR - Wednesday, 7/26/2023, 2-5pm
- Education Sessions - Wednesday, 7/26 - Thursday, 7/27/2023.
Welcome
Lighthouse Insurance Services, LLC - Manassas, VA
Is CIC for Me?
A CIC designation shows that you are one of the best educated insurance professionals serving your clients and the industry. It is a sign of credibility and expertise that sets you apart from others in your industry.
Agency/Company benefits include:
- Client protection and retention,
- Insight into reducing Errors & Omissions,
- Dependable technical knowledge and trusted expertise,
- Your growing book of business,
- A team member who can answer the challenging P&C questions.
The CIC designation is recommended for:
- licensed agents, brokers, and adjusters,
- insurance professionals with at least two years of full-time insurance or risk management experience
- full-time insurance faculty members who have taught for at least two years at an accredited college or university.
To earn the designation, individuals must successfully complete five CIC courses and pass five exams within five calendar years. They must score 70% or better on the two-hour, essay style exam.
After earning the CIC designation, no further examinations are required. However, an annual update is required by your choice of courses:
- James k. Ruble Seminar (National Alliance dues required)
- CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) course
- CRM (Certified Risk Manager) course
If you hold a CISR designation, a CIC course qualifies as your CISR update for two years. You may also take the CIC course exam and begin your CIC journey.
PIAVADC Agency Membership Dues Structure
PIA is your resource to help your agency grow and prosper. We provide quality education, effective advocacy in Richmond and Washington, D.C. to protect your agency and our industry, networking and leadership opportunities, as well as insurance coverages for your agency.
PIAVADC offers four types of membership:
- Agency: engaged in the insurance business. Dues are based on total number of full-time, P&C licensed agents. Agency membership includes PIA National dues.
- Company: officers, representatives or employees of an insurance company or any other individual affiliated directly or indirectly with property/casualty insurance business. Annual dues are per company.
- Associate: an organization that does not fall into either Agency or Company member categories. Annual dues are per company, not individual.
- Retired: an individual no longer in the insurance business but was an active PIA member at one time.
Industry News
Select the title for the full article.
Postings are free for PIA members.
Chat with us Online
Our website chat feature saves you time and trouble. Send us a message for quick and easy responses.
From PIA National
Introducing Winning@Customer Retention
Demonstrating the value of working with an agency is key. That’s where Winning@Customer Retention comes in. It's a new program from the PIA Partnership designed to help agencies improve customer service and retention. We’ve pulled together resources to help track client retention rates, segment, and communicate with customers.
The program puts spotlight on technology and solutions that play a big part in improving customer communications, referrals, and enabling agencies to select the right solutions and be proactive. Winning@Customer Retention includes a mix of online materials and tools and in-person and virtual sessions and events.
Join PIA on Thursday, March 2 from 11am-12pm EST for a free webinar to learn more about the new program.
Exclusive PIA member Session on Customer Retention and Growth
Speaker, Chris Paradiso (Paradiso Financial and Insurance Services) will present “The Path to Agency Growth? It's All About Customer Retention”
Discussion will include:
- The role technology plays in improving customer communications, cross-selling, up-selling
- Identifying how clients feel about your agents, your carriers and their insurance
- Examples of solutions that can make a difference
- It pays to shut up and listen to your clients, and what to do about what you hear
- The importance of knowing your customer base, including what makes a good customer and how they mesh with your brand
- The digital imperative—from onboarding to servicing customers
Register for an interactive session:
March 23, 2023: https://bit.ly/3FlNfur
In the event of cyber business interruption, insurance covers loss and costs in excess of normal operating expenses required to maintain the business and restore operations.
PIA National is happy to introduce the PIA 401(k) Program. It is a turn-key, low-cost solution for agency owners and their employees and performs over 90% of administrative tasks by becoming your retirement department support team.
The PIA 401(k) Plan provides what employees want and what independent agents need to deliver it, in an efficient and cost-effective way.
In an increasingly virtual world, it’s critical that you know how to build relationships online. That’s why PIA National has launched its latest member benefit, The Agent Experience.
"We’ve built this tool to expand your views about building relationships in a virtual world—and to provide access to resources that will help."
”March 4th is the only day that's also a sentence."
John Green