IIAV NEWSLETTER

Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia


April 2017
Johnson & Johnson
WELCOME
If you register for the insurEXPO17 by April 7, 2017, you will be entered to win a FREE TWO-NIGHT STAY in a Superior Ocean View Room with a Breakfast Buffet for two in Catch31 each morning at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront — the location of the 2018 IIAV Convention.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433190&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
Becoming a vendor or exhibitor at this premier expo allows you to cultivate new or existing relationships with a wide range of clients in the insurance industry.

Visit http://www.iiav.com/Events/SiteAssets/Pages/insurEXPO/exhibitors/Floor%20Plan%20wSold.pdf to view the full article online.

 

AGENCIES:

Hoyt Insurance LLC District 2
Lee Insurance Center Inc. District 3
VA Barristers Alliance Insurance Agency District 3




ASSOCIATES:



 
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
Well now’s your chance to register and perhaps even win two nights stay at the Virginia Beach Hilton – where we will be holding the 2018 IIAV Convention.
But there’s a better reason – even beyond CE – to attend the Expo. Again, some of the industry’s best speakers/leaders/influencers will be at the Expo and this is your opportunity and that of everyone in your agency to meet some of these people and really find out where this industry and profession is going

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433144&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
Millers Mutual Insurance Company
STATE & NATIONAL NEWS
By David Thompson
Q. "I have been in a long email discussion with a lender involving a private flood policy that we supplied them (it's the RCBAP). The lender sent me their form to sign, a "Certification of Adequacy of Private Flood Insurance by Agent." It lists six criteria the lender says must exist in the private policy, and there is a spot for the agent to sign — certifying this policy meets the requirements. The lender called me and I told them I would not sign the form. We sent them the entire policy for review, and now they are emailing me telling me that if I do not sign the form, the loan will not close. Have you run across this before?

To View the Answer, Click Learn More...

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433260&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
Tax Exempt Government Entities 

(March 28, 2017) – A dangerous email scam currently is circulating nationwide and targeting employers, including tax exempt entities, universities and schools, government and private-sector businesses. The scammer poses as an internal executive requesting employee Forms W-2 and Social Security Number information from company payroll or human resources departments. They may even send an initial "Hi, are you in today" message before the request.

The IRS has established a process that will allow employers and payroll service providers to quickly report any data losses related to the W-2 scam. See details at Form W-2/SSN Data Theft: Information for Businesses and Payroll Service Providers. If notified in time, the IRS can take steps to prevent employees from being victimized by identity thieves filing fraudulent returns in their names. There also is information about how to report receiving the scam email even if you did not fall victim.

As a reminder, tax professionals who experience a data breach also should quickly report the incident to the IRS. Tax professionals may contact their local stakeholder liaison. See details at Data Theft Information for Tax Professionals.

 
Everyone wants success.

Many may view success as being the biggest while others may view it as being the best. Both, of course, would be optimal.

However, when it comes to growing your insurance agency, one is the route to the other according to Robert Pettinicchi, executive vice president and chief lending officer of Insurbanc.

Visit http://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/buyer-beware-agencies-warned-about-growing-too-fast-61994.aspx to view the full article online.

 
If you're financially unable to pay your tax debt immediately, you can make monthly payments through an installment agreement. As long as you pay your tax debt in full, you can reduce or eliminate your payment of penalties or interest, and avoid the fee associated with setting up the agreement.

Before applying for any payment agreement, you must file all required tax returns.

Visit https://www.irs.gov/individuals/payment-plans-installment-agreements#content to view the full article online.

 
IIAV NEWS
President Club: Progressive
Independent Club: Alfa Alliance Insurance Corporation, Amerisafe, Central Insurance Companies, Grange Insurance, Jackson Sumner & Associates, Keystone Insurance Group, Loudoun Mutual Insurance Company, State Auto Insurance Companies, The Main Street America Group

Visit http://www.iiav.com/News/SiteAssets/Pages/Marketing/PartnersProg/default/PartnersProgram%202017.pdf to view the full article online.

 
Thanks to a partnership between IIAV and Insurance Journal’s Academy of Insurance, all 200-plus On Demand and Upcoming Live Academy of Insurance webinars are available to you at 25% off. Use discount code IIAV at checkout.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433707&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
IIAV was the C.E. sponsor again this year for the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business RISC Trends Conference. The conference took place on March 7 at Snead Hall, the VCU School of Business building. The overall theme of the conference was "Navigating Risks and Challenges of a Changing Workforce."

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433715&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Legislative Conference is a great and memorable experience for first timers, young agents and agent veterans. It reinforces membership value and the importance of top level advocacy for the IA system.

If you have any hotel, registration, or logistical questions on the Legislative Conference, please contact Janis Mann at Janis.mann@iiaba.net

Visit https://youtu.be/s8K_QidVk-0 to view the full article online.

 
Walk For Wishes celebrates the many wishes that have already been granted, while raising funds for future wishes. It is a family-friendly event powered by wish families, volunteers, donors, and friends. Funds raised from this event will help grant wishes for local children who are battling life-threatening medical conditions.

IIAV's Young Agents are organizing a team for this year's Walk For Wishes! If you are interested please contact Carter Lyons at clyons@iiav.com.

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/pdf/Jenns_story.pdf to view the full article online.

 
IIAV’s Young Agents have a LOT going on and they want you (young or not!) to be a part of it. Mark your calendars and plan to attend the events in the Learn More tab!

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433406&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
EDUCATION
Spring has sprung! It’s a time of renewal as the world around us turns green again; and it can be a time of renewal for you as well.

What new insight can you offer your customers? What new service can you provide? How can you improve your existing service and relationship with your current clients?

Don’t underestimate what continuing education can do for you.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433314&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 

By Tim Sanders

Throughout your career, networking has been recommended as a staple of success. So you attend conferences, meetings and parties in order to mingle. As you travel for business, you seek out ways to network, from planes to restaurants. You overcome any introversion and find a way to talk up people you’ve just met. But my question is this: Do your networking efforts move the needle? Have you built a network of relationships that gives you superpowers in the business world?

Check out Tim’s 5 tips to improve your connections by clicking here

*Don’t miss the short video at the bottom of the article. It includes a GREAT strategy!

 
IIAV MEMBER RESOURCES

PromoRepublic is a free-to-try Social Media Content Builder and Posting Tool. It provides users with more than 100,000 ideas, templates and visuals for stunning Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn posts. All the social media templates are made by a team of professional designers and copywriters. Users can easily customize templates with a built-in Graphics Editor.

With PromoRepublic you get:

* Library with 100,000 post templates & visuals

* Calendar of post ideas for every day with holidays, days from history, trending topics and events.

* Drag-and-drop Graphics Editor to customize stunning templates and create posts from scratch

* Auto-posting & scheduling to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

See what PromoRepublic can do for you here.

If you have an app you would like to share email Carter Lyons at clyons@iiav.com

 

A Flexible Spending Account, commonly referred to as an "FSA," is a type of an employer-sponsored savings account employees fund with pre-tax dollars. These funds are used to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care expenses. FSA’s also allow employees to use pre-tax dollars for certain dependent care expenses. The IRS sets limits for these contributions. The contribution limits for 2017 are as follows:

 

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

2017

2016

Health FSA Max Election

$2,600

$2,550

Dependent Care FSA Max Election

$5,000

$5,000

*Please refer to your tax advisor for specific rules and limitations.

Questions? Contact: Monty Dise, President
Asset Protection Group, Inc.
mdise@apgroupinc.om
804-423-7700
 
E&O SPOTLIGHT
With few exceptions, Virginia E & O cases, like all civil cases, will be litigated in Virginia courts. There are two types of Virginia state courts that handle civil cases and they operate quite differently. I will describe each of them briefly below.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/via-nwl/articles/indexV2.asp?aid=433668&issueID=51945 to view the full article online.

 
Atlantic Specialty Lines, Inc.
AmTrust North America
Penn National Insurance