Chicagoland SIA Blog

An insurance producer is hired to find new prospects for an insurance agency and turn those prospects into clients by convincing them to purchase an insurance policy. He or she may be designated as an employee or as an independent contractor. There have been legal rulings both ways as to the proper classification of insurance agents/producers. Does it matter which classification you choose? It does matter. Here is why.

Do your insurance agency employees have job descriptions and titles? They should! It can help to clarify potential issues as your agency grows and you expand your staff. Let’s look at how to start this process.

Did you know that since 2016, 15 million people have become victims of credit card fraud? Javelin Strategy and Research estimated that credit card fraud cost $16 billion that year. With credit card fraud on the rise, learning how to safeguard against cyber criminals is more important than ever before. Here’s information your clients should know about how to use credit cards safely and lessen the chances of becoming a victim of identity theft.

We all make mistakes. To err is human, right? However, if you are a business offering professional services, such as an insurance agency, those errors can be costly! Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance is designed to cover damage caused to clients by negligence, faulty advice or other failure of duty acts.

When the concept of a superhero comes to mind, it probably doesn’t conjure up images of an insurance agent. The insurance agent doesn’t leap over tall buildings with a single bound or rid the universe of evil. However, insurance is complicated to say the least—and clients depend on the expertise and knowledge of insurance agents to guide them through the process of choosing the right insurance protection.

Your employees are the embodiment of your agency to your clients. Your agency will only perform as well as your employees do. Employees are your voice, your hands, etc. when it comes to dealing with clients. When clients are treated well, they will speak highly of your agency. On the other hand, if a client has a bad experience when dealing with one of your employees, he isn’t going to think about it as being treated badly one individual employee. He is going to relate the bad experience as being treated badly by your entire company.

Women have made great strides within the insurance industry. According to a recent Population Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, women make up approximately 60 percent of the workforce within the insurance industry. Where the inequality seems to prevail is at the leadership level. Less than 20 percent of board seats and executive officer positions are held by women, according to whitepaper by the Million Women Mentors (MWM).

Recently, Notre Dame, an 800-year-old cathedral in Paris, was devastated by fire. It was not insured, so the billions of dollars in damage will not be paid for by insurance companies. The French government will be responsible for restoring and rebuilding the valuable artwork and property. Often, government entities and very high value individuals or corporations will choose to self-insure, meaning they take on the risk of paying for any damages to property themselves.

Are you conducting exit interviews with your employees who have turned in their resignations? You should be. It is a great way to learn more about your agency, its strengths and weaknesses.