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   >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< "THE 2011 17TH ANNUAL IBN PRODUCER APPRECIATION PARTY" I wanted to thank  for their major sponsorship of our annual producer event and association participation. They have been the anchoring major Platinum level company for many years. I also wanted to extend my appreciation to all of the other major sponsors such as Mexipass, Unitrin Specialty/FIC, Explorer, Anchor General, FSC and Foremost. Without all of you, this event would not be possible and thanks to all of the producers, agents and marketing reps who helped make it our largest attended party yet. We were 3 deep at the tables and next year we expect it to be bigger. The open bar will have to go out in the hall along with the buffet to make more room for the craps tables that we will introduce with more prizes for those participating. The US Marines were fantastic. They took a lot of pictures with everybody and completely filled their truck with toys. As a matter of fact, we had an additional 20 toys after they had left that came from some late arrivals. Thanks to Brian Ward for taking them down to the donation location on behalf of IBN. The photos are being organized and will be available soon so stay tuned. And finally, please consider sending some business to ALL of the companies shown on this newsletter. They have supported the independent agency system for decades and deserve your patronage. HAPPY HOLIDAYS It has been a challenging year to say the least but we have the holidays to enjoy our loved ones and family. We wanted to wish all of you Happy Holidays and lets look forward to a healthy and wealthy 2012. Cheers to you!! 
STARING AT THE PHONE? Just started negotiations in buying a book of Mercury Insurance Company business from a longtime agent who is throwing in the towel after at least 10 years. He can't find any new business to keep the doors open and after looking at the rest of the agency book, it appears he was dependent on rewrites with broker fees. Retention was not very important evidently as most policies were never rounded out. Additionally, I learned of another agency in the East Bay who folded up and is going to work for a direct writer, thinking he's gonna roll his existing book into theirs. Now that will be very interesting if his carriers find out what he's doing. I do believe there are some non-compete issues in play here but desperate people do desperate things. I'm fairly certain we will have yet another round of agency closures with the economy looking like it isn't going to imporve in 2012 either. This is an opportunity for some of you who have numerous appointments. Let your marketing reps know that you are interested in purchasing healthy books of business (assuming you have the financial ability). Organic growth is very slow at the moment except for those who are using the internet and/or some social media which I'm not really sold on yet. My experience is that using emails and scanners are the only way to go now. Just to think that once upon a time, I insisted that all of my clients come into the office to complete any endorsements. Today, I prefer no walk ins at all. If it can be completed electronically and not take away from my time to look for new business, I'm all for it. Panning for gold takes time and the more "paydirt" I sift through, the more business I book. It doesn't matter if its a $75 motorcycle policy or a $3500 auto policy, I'll take it all. Inevitably, these clients bring even more business once they see how efficent your agency is. I know that I tend to repeat current assumptions but I'm constantly amazed how many people don't choose to listen to what is working these days. They simply want to stare at the phone and wait for it to ring. Ain't gonna happen brothas and sistas.....ain't gonna happen. I also had a phone call from a licensed agent who has been out of the business for a while. he owned his own agency with a partner years ago and was thinking of setting up shop again. Those were the days when you could open a small office, place an ad in the yellow book and then count the broker fees. I had to be firm and unfortunately the bearer of some bad news. I told Lance that times have changed and it would be a completed waste of time and money to blindly open an agency without first getting commitments from insurers and general agencies for his appointments. I don't think he would have impressed many marketing reps with his prolonged absence and lack of a marketing or business plan. I would tell this to anybody. What I did tell him to do was to go work for an established agency and recapture the relationships that he once had with the companies and then consider opening a couple of years down the road. What else can you tell somebody who wants to get into this business these days? Do you lie? I don't think anybody has anything to gain by doing this. I suppose being realistic has its downside but the only people I think that could start a new agency in this climate must have a predeveloped niche. It seems that experienced commercial producers could do quite well now especially with the numerous policies available and needed by a multitude of businesses. As far as nonstandard auto, 2012 could be an opportunity especially if portable persistency gets passed later in the year. I think this would shift the pricing advantage to our carriers and seriously challenge the direct writers who will probably be slow to move on the new discount and have little experience in how this discount works since they were not actively using it in the 90s. I still think that there are a few lead generators that offer well priced auto leads that could help build a nice auto book. You have to work those leads properly with follow up. They aren't easy but if you utilize email and quick responses, you'll see results. What I do see is a tendency to let the leads sit too long and follow up questions are not given the priiority they deserve. Once you get an email asking for different scenarios and/or changes to the quote, you have made a major jump toward closing the deal but many agents/brokers wait too long and another agency ends up with the policy because they put urgency first. I've done this for a decade and have learned by trial and error. Once a client knows your quick and efficient, they want more of it and they will refer your agency. Don't fall into the lazy rut that so many other agencies have become. You really have to want to be in this business to make it work but once you do, its recession proof and the book just continues to grow. IBN WELCOMES INFINITY INSURANCE TO ITS FAMILY 
Most of you know the name and the logo. Infinity is one of the largest writers of nonstandard auto in California through numerous programs that they offer there brokers. Have you had a chance to look at their rates on  ? We are hoping to have their new Northern California rep speak with us at our January meeting and reintroduce the company and what they have to offer. Please welcome Infinity Insurance Companies to IBN and send them some of your auto business. Welcome Aboard! UNITRIN CHANGES NAME TO....
CLICK HERE FOR THE STORY THICK AND THIN - OUR RECOMMENDED COMPANIES. A LETTER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE LEFT THE CAPTIVE AGENT BUSINESS. For decades, there have been a handful of general agencies and companies that have made it possible for all of us to make a living. We have been through numerous soft and hard markets over the years and we are fortunate to have products available to sell for numerous lines of insurance.  is a company that many of you may have heard of but should look more closely. They offer nonstandard auto but they also have an awesome property insurance department for your homeowners and landlords. Pricing is very competitive and they do accept some claims activity. I love to sell auto insurance but the real retention is with these HO3, HO6, and DF3 policies.  offers a few auto insurance programs including higher limits of $100/300/50 which you can pair with your homeowners customers. Its a good fit. This company continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Once you put them on the  rater, you'll see what I mean. Another long time dependable company that I have used for decades is  who used to go by Viking Insurance. Man, if I could count the number of apps I have sent to them in the past, it would pretty big. They offer monthly, quarterly and six-month auto policies and also offer motorcycle insurance. Make sure you add all of these programs on the rater to see how competitive they are. Their customer service is also quick and efficient.  , the owners of Commerce West is a company to keep your eyes on. The introduced an auto program for preferred clients that have rates comparable to Geico and 21st Century and are poised to introduce a new homeowner product in the first quarter of 2012. They offer some serious multipolicy discounts and the company is A rated. Some of you are new to IBN and for those former Farmers agents who are learning the independent agency channel, the companies that are listed on this website should be considered by you to write. They have long term histories and can help build your book of business.  is a company that can help all of you who want access to preferred personal and commercial lines companies. It's real important to have an agency that can satisfy the needs for all levels of clientele.        are very good providers of quality auto insurance policies for your producers to sell. The all have years and years of experience and marketing reps that can give you more details of there strengths. Changing from captive agent to independent is a big jump and the most challenging aspect is how to attract new business and to get the phone ringing. The second most important aspect is possessing the proper markets. Some companies such as    and  offer auto, property and commercial products each one specializing in particular niches and in multiple states.
I acquired licenses in a few other western states because some clients have vacation homes and cars there. You might as well help them with those policies as well especially after considering how cheap it is to get the licenses . For those of you helping your Hispanic clientele, we recommend  . The policies are very easy to read and understand and are similar to American policies in their coverage descriptions. There are other companies out there but this one has been around the longest and has the best reputation and pricing. I have tried a few of them - not mentioning any names as to protect the guilty and incredibly lame. For those of you who have clients with classic cars, consider writing with  . The are one of the countries largest insurers of classic and vintage cars and boats. I insure my 1968 Chevelle SS with them and its so cheap. If any of you members need more information about the companies listed here, please let me know. 
ITS WINTER...TIME TO PROTECT YOUR CLIENTS COLLECTOR CAR(S). HERE'S SOME TIPS THE DOI - "PRINCIPALLY AT FAULT" REGULATIONS INSURANCE COMMISSIONER DAVE JONES ANNOUNCES APPROVAL OF “PRINCIPALLY AT-FAULT” REGULATIONS For those of you who write auto insurance, this new ruling may affect the way you quote your clients. Here is the release. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today announced the final approval of amended regulations that simplify the requirements for determining whether a driver is principally at-fault (PAF) for an accident, which impacts consumers’ ability to obtain “Good Driver Discounts” under Proposition 103. The amended regulations prepared by the Commissioner today cleared the final administrative hurdle, having obtained approval from the Office of Administrative Law. The amended regulation also allows an insurer to rebut presumptions concerning circumstances where a driver should be considered at-fault because the insurer may have evidence that the driver's acts or omissions caused the accident. The amended regulation also corrects problems with the PAF definition by including accidents involving bodily injury or death, restoring "total loss or damage" language, and raising the threshold for property damage, which has not been adjusted in nine years. In addition, it allows insurers to rely solely on Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) and Insurance Services Office (ISO) reports. LexisNexis® C.L.U.E.® Auto and ISO's A-PLUS™ are subscribing loss underwriting exchange carriers databases containing personal automobile claims information. In response to the amended regulation, CLUE and ISO have modified their databases to include information pertinent to insurers’ principally at-fault determinations. With this additional information, an insurer's use of CLUE reports should be a reliable source of information and will allow insurers to make timely auto insurance quotes to consumers. “Today we obtained final approval of the Department of Insurance’s amended “principally at-fault” regulations,” said Commissioner Jones. “The amended regulations include important consumer safeguards.” Chief among the consumer safeguards are: The clarification and requirement of a consistent procedure that a driver’s insurer at the time of an accident and any subsequent insurer must follow to determine that the driver is principally at-fault for the accident. The prohibition of insurers from relying solely on Department of Motor Vehicle Reports, which do not contain enough information for insurers to make a principally at-fault determination. The disapproval of the right of an insurer to charge a driver with a principally at-fault accident when the driver does not provide enough information. The requirement of subsequent insurers to accept a driver’s declaration of his accident history if no other information is available. OUR IBN SPONSORS ALSO INCLUDE:    
      
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We have helped saved agency principals thousands of dollars on their E&O. Before you begin shopping your E&O this year, please contact us and we will give you the contact info for a direct writer who offers the lowest rates available. If you don't call IBN first, you will get quoted with the non-direct program through another association which will have fees attached to it. Our contact has NO fees. Call IBN first. Note: this special program is for established agencies who have at least 3-5 years of E&O track record. This offer is for California agents only and current members. 
INSWEB SELLS ITS LEAD GENERATION BUSINESS An interesting trend is taking place and I'll you decide what it all means. Bankrate recently bought Netquote and now they have purchased Insweb. After speaking with a representative from Netquote at the Agents Alliance convention, don't be surprised if most of the major lead providers end up being bought up by Bankrate. Click here for the story. Interesting developments in this segement of business are quickly taking place. I suppose its time to start digging into Bankrates notepad. ABRAM INTERSTATE. 5 BINDS = $500. WHAT?
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