vol. 2024, ed. 19
IIABSC 2024 Annual Convention Report
Awards presented at IIABSC Annual Convention held Oct. 13-15 at the Westin Resort & Spa on Hilton Head Island, SC
Several important industry awards were presented during the awards banquet at the 126th Annual Convention held Oct. 13-15 at the Westin Resort & Spa on Hilton Head Island, SC.
Robbie Nalley of Sumter, SC, was installed as Chair of the Board.
Gus Brabham of Columbia, SC, and
Zander Galloway of Rock Hill, SC, were installed on the Executive Committee as well as
Curtis Bull of Greenville, SC,
Danielle Lambert of Dillon, SC, and
Thomas Outlaw of Columbia, SC, as Board Directors.
Jon Jensen, AAI of Spartanburg, SC, was awarded the first-ever Jon A Jensen Legacy Award.
Lynn Hudson, CIC, CISR, ACSR, of Greenville, SC, was named the Hayne P. Glover, Jr. Agent of the Year.
Bret Carter, PAHM, of Lexington, SC, was named the IIABSC Young Agent of the Year.
Bobby Ream of National General Insurance, an Allstate company was named the IIABSC Industry Person of the Year.
Katherine Watford, CISR, of Sumter, SC, was recognized as the SC Outstanding CSR of the Year. IIABSC National Director
Jay Taylor, CIC, was recognized for his service to IIABSC with a Citation from Chair
Tonya Thomason. IIABSC President
G. Frank Sheppard, AAI was recognized for 32 years of service to IIABSC and the industry with the first-ever Industry Impact Award.
Find full convention report on our event homepage. Photos and webcast archives coming soon. (+ More...)
IN MEMORIAM: Audrey L. Booth
Audrey L. Booth, 61, passed away at her home Oct. 15, 2024, after a battle with cancer. She began her insurance career in 1985 at Tilghman Insurance in North Myrtle Beach, SC. She became a licensed agent in 1986. Audrey remained with Tilghman Insurance for ten years before leaving to work with Nationwide in Conway, SC. In 2000 Audrey purchased her own agency Booth & Company in Loris, SC. In 2014 Audrey sold her agency and returned to Tilghman Insurance in North Myrtle Beach. The family requests that memorials be made to Macedonia Baptist Church, 2360 Red Bluff Road, Loris, SC 29569. Memorial contributions to IIABSC Foundation may also be given in honor of Audrey, and the family will be notified. View full obituary and leave condolences for the family at Hardwick Funeral Home website. (+ More...)
NEW ABEN courses now available
Register at iiabsc.aben.tv
The following 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 business auto, personal auto, garage operations risks, homeowners and CGL. (+ More...)
National Legislative Update from IA Magazine
Reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program is tied up in the current budget fight. Funding now expires Dec. 20, still with high chances of a full government shutdown.
Trusted Choice has a disaster relief grant program for Big I members
Find grant applications & donation links on their webpage
The Trusted Choice® Relief Fund provides financial assistance to insurance industry personnel impacted by catastrophic occurrences not covered by their own insurance or other grants and funding sources. Grants can be used for expenses related to rebuilding agency office space or restoring personal homes and belongings. If you would like to help your fellow agents impacted by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Debby across the South, you can make a donation to the Trusted Choice Relief Fund. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Find fund guidelines, grant applications and links to donate on the program's webpage. (+ More...)
FROM IA MAGAZINE: 7 Findings from the 2024 Agency Universe Study
Future One, a collaboration of the Big “I" and leading independent agency companies, has released key findings from the recently completed Agency Universe Study, hailed as the most comprehensive look at the independent agency system. Despite the hard market, business conditions for property & casualty independent insurance agencies continue to be favorable with the number of agencies experiencing revenue gains up significantly. However, the number of independent p&c agencies in the U.S. has dropped slightly from the previous study in 2022. The Agency Universe study also identifies key areas in which agencies need support, including market and product access, client communication and technology—underscoring the importance of maintaining strong agency-carrier relationships, especially in the current market. (+ More...)
FREE WEBINAR: Is Now the Right Time? IA Valuations Program
Oct. 30 | Noon - 1:00 pm Eastern
Through our new partnership with
IA Valuations and the
Ohio Insurance Agents Association, we are presenting "Is Now the Right Time?" webinar at the end of this month, Wed., Oct. 30 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm Eastern time. This FREE webinar for agency members aims to educate agents on the questions they need to ask in order to not only help determine the right time to transition their agency, but to make them aware of items to take into consideration in order to continue properly protecting their clients and preventing any E&O exposures. IA Valuations offers valuation-based planning to help member agency owners realize and maximize their value. (+ 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...)
My Agency Campus - use discount code "NewHire" at checkout for 20% off!
SOCIAL MEDIA: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Resources for social media/newsletter content on cyber defense
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, sponsored by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency of the federal government and the National Cybersecurity Alliance. Use resources found on the national website (including social media elements) to help your clients stay safe online. This year they are launching a campaign that emphasizes four simple steps to stay safe online - using strong passwords, using multifactor authentication, recognizing phishing attempts and keeping software up to date. (+ More...)
See also:
Trusted Choice customizable "Insurance Explained" video series (includes Cyber Liability Protection)