vol. 2024, ed. 21

South Carolina Election Report
The 126th General Assembly of South Carolina will have many new faces when they assemble in January to begin a two-year session. Republicans will have a supermajority in both the SC Senate and House of Representatives. Republicans flipped four Senate Democratic seats while not losing any of the existing Republican seats. They maintained their previous supermajority in the House.  (+ More...)

IN MEMORIAM: Rupert M. Stalvey Sr
Rupert M. Stalvey, 91, of Conway, SC, passed away on Oct. 31, 2024, with his son by his side. Rupert was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann Long Stalvey, whom he married in 1958. He is survived by his son, R. Miles Stalvey, Jr., his daughter-in-law, RoxAnn Hodges Stalvey, and his three grandchildren: R. M. "Tradd" Stalvey, III, Lawton Virginia Stalvey, and Ann DuBose Stalvey. He served as President of First Southeast Insurance Services (formerly Magrath Insurance Agency) in Conway. He served as IIABSC President in 1976-78 and also as Chair of the State Legislative Committee. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to the Mary Ann Long Stalvey Scholarship Fund at Conway High School Educational Foundation, PO Box 3073, Conway SC 29526. Memorial contributions can also be made to the IIABSC Foundation, and the family will be notified. View full obituary and leave condolences for the family on Goldfinch Funeral Home website. (+ More...)

Alabama DOI to start requiring $50,000 fidelity bonds from nonresident brokers in 2025
Find details in Alabama DOI Bulletin 2024-05
The Alabama Department of Insurance posted Bulletin 2024-05 last week about the $50,000 fidelity bond required starting Jan. 1 for nonresidents to hold a surplus lines license in the state. Resident brokers were already required to obtain fidelity bonds. There is a required bond form that should be submitted by mail to the Alabama DOI. Find all other aspects of the Alabama nonresident licensing process on their website.  (+ More...)

SCDOI Fraud Update: Florence man sentenced after targeting elderly drivers
Cornelius Jones, 44, of Florence, SC, was sentenced in early November to eighteen months in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, followed by three and a half years of probation after pleading guilty to Presenting False Claims for Insurance Payment in a prolonged scheme targeting elderly drivers. He was also ordered to pay $15,983.04 in restitution to his victims. Jones’s conviction concludes an investigation that includes fifteen incidents. Jones would target elderly drivers in business parking lots by either driving or walking into the back of the victims’ cars as they were pulling out of parking spaces. He would then pretend to be injured to receive an undeserved insurance payout or to directly extort cash from the victims. Between 2020 and 2022 Jones collected $14,210 from insurance payments and caused an additional $1,773 damage to the victims’ cars. Consumers who suspect insurance fraud should report it to the South Carolina Department of Insurance’s Fraud Division by calling 1-800-95-FRAUD.  (+ More...)

IIABSC 2025 Holiday Calendar
Recently approved by the IIABSC Board of Directors, the following is the official IIABSC 2025 Holiday Schedule. Our office will be closed for holiday observance on the following days in 2025.   (+ More...)

Two NEW ABEN courses now available
Register at iiabsc.aben.tv
Two more webcast courses have been added to IIABSC course catalog with Agents & Brokers Education Network (ABEN). They are available both on the calendar or on demand. Subjects include South Carolina rules and regulations as well as understanding surplus lines. They join other recent additions on business auto, personal auto, garage operations risks, homeowners and CGL.  (+ More...)

See also:   Five new E&O ABEN courses now available

RLI Personal Umbrella Policy: Coverage for Any Season
It's fall, y'all! The crisp air and changing leaves are the perfect backdrops for roasting marshmallows over the fire, jumping in giant leaf piles and getting together to cheer on your favorite football team. While these activities aren't inherently dangerous, accidents happen, and if your customers aren't prepared with a personal umbrella policy, they may be the ones taking the fall. An RLI Personal Umbrella Policy increases overall liability coverage beyond customers' homeowners and auto insurance policies.   (+ More...)

Pledge to join 2025 Palmetto Partners
Support the association year-round and receive special benefits; pledge deadline Dec. 30
IIABSC has released the full pledge packet and is now accepting pledges to next year's Palmetto Partners program, which was created for those supporting our association's events on an ongoing basis. It guarantees high-profile exposure to agency members and other benefits. There are six levels of participation in order to work with every budget. Pledge deadline is Dec. 30; payment deadline is Jan. 30. Download full information packet or fillable pledge forms from our Partners webpage.   (+ More...)

Apply now for CIC Scholarship
Covers one full institute registration, deadline Feb. 28, 2025
IIABSC is accepting member applications for a CIC Scholarship that covers the registration fee of one SC classroom or LIVE webinar institute held in 2025. Any licensed member agent or broker pursuing their CIC designation with a minimum of two years' full time experience in the industry is eligible. Application deadline Feb. 28, 2025.   (+ More...)

Trusted Choice: Get found on Small Business Saturday
Find resources to participate in Trusted Choice "Choose Local" campaign
This Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30), Trusted Choice is teaming up with independent insurance agencies and other partners to help spread the word and show our thanks and continued support for not only small businesses, but the agents who insure and support them. Use these free resources (FREE "choose local badge" window cling and customizable print, digital, video and social ads) at the Big “I” and Trusted Choice to spread the word on your agency’s channels and promote the Choose Local campaign. To guarantee delivery in time, please submit requests as early as possible. Agents are also encouraged to use this campaign year-round.   (+ More...)

Read the latest edition of SC Agent & Broker magazine
Fall 2024 edition features 2024 Outstanding CSR of the Year
The latest edition of SC Agent & Broker magazine is hitting mailboxes, but you can also read it online. Our fall edition spotlights the 2024 SC Outstanding CSR of the Year, the South Carolina Market Share Report and recaps Young Agents local events and summer GIVE movement. It also features articles on independent agents and artificial intelligence, this summer's CrowdStrike Outage, and E&O considerations when your customers list property on Airbnb. If you are interested in advertising in SC Agent & Broker magazine in 2024, please contact Angela McDougall, (352) 333-3424, of Naylor Association Solutions.  (+ More...)

Use ABEN discount code for 25% off
Use code FALL2024
Use discount code "FALL2024" at checkout for 25 percent off our entire ABEN catalog at iiabsc.aben.tv. Cannot be applied to any already discounted bundles. Courses are available live or on-demand and can be browsed by category or by broadcast date.   (+ More...)