Wednesday, January 26  |  9:00 AM

P&C Insurance in a Post-Pandemic World

Robert Hartwig, PhD, CPCU

Covid, inflation, interest rates, and a growing CAT trend will all significantly impact the United States economy and insurance industry. Plan to spend an hour with Robert Hartwig as he provides an outlook for both, along with a discussion regarding the challenges and opportunities for Insurance Agency Networks.

Robert Hartwig (Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1993) is clinical associate professor of finance and director of the Center for Risk and Uncertainty Management at the University of South Carolina. His research focuses on insurance markets and structures, risk management, risk-bearing capital market instruments, the financing of technology risks and venture capital in insurance markets. He makes frequent presentations to insurance industry management, boards of directors, regulators and legislators.

 
 
 

Wednesday, January 26  |  1:30 PM

Maximizing Service Provider Partnerships for Networks

Monika Aguirre, Joe Fisher, Elizabeth Schenk, AJ Lovitt

With the proliferation of technology and service provider opportunities available to improve operations, the responsibility for Networks to assist their agents with these decisions has never been greater.

Developing a strategy to review service provider opportunities can be a key differentiator and critical factor in an agent’s search for a best fit Network to join.

Come listen to a panel of your peers discuss best practices for this important aspect of network administration, and what steps your network should consider to move in that direction. Attendees can expect to hear about:

• Determining the viability of a service for your agent population
• Pros and Cons of product endorsement
• The vetting process, product history, reputation and testing
• Contract considerations, agent discounts, network compensation and marketing fee opportunities
• Setting expectations for mutual success
• Criteria to determine a successful product offering to your agents
• Ongoing management of service provider relationships

 
 
 

Wednesday, January 26  |  3:30 PM

Insurance Networks Study Results Presentation

Jim Blinn

To further help our member networks navigate the evolving networks landscape, the Insurance Networks Alliance conducted the 2022 Insurance Networks Study. Specifically, to:

• Track the size, growth, and influence of Networks in the industry
• Document strategies employed by professionally managed networks that benefit all their constituents
• Generate benchmarking data for Networks to use in their strategic planning process
• Promote Networks and the Insurance Networks Alliance

 
 
 

Thursday, January 27  |  9:00 AM

Building Resilience to Attract and Retain Your Best Workforce

Ivy Kusinga

Insurance agencies operate within a dynamic socio-economic environment impacting their businesses and people.  To grow and thrive any business needs to attract and retain skilled and motivated people. The global pandemic has had a ripple effect on businesses, placing a high focus on talent as businesses deal with labor shortages, shifting expectations in the way people work, and the persistent callout for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This interactive session will address:

• The prevailing macro people trends that require heighten attention
• Key considerations to respond to current talent challenges – hiring, retention
• A roadmap for leaders to creating a more diverse and equitable environment where everyone thrives

Ivy Kusinga is the Chief Culture and Talent Officer at Chubb, a global P&C insurer serving large corporate, mid-market, small business, and lower-middle-income to high-net-worth consumers through brokerage, agency, and direct-to-consumer distribution channels. Chubb has a global geographic footprint in 54 countries.

 
 
 

Thursday, January 27  |  10:00 AM

Insurance Education for Future Leaders

Diane Wagner

Invest is a unique national program that educates high school and community college students on insurance, financial services and risk management topics, and encourages them to pursue a variety of careers in the insurance industry.

Project Invest provides comprehensive, educational materials and tools necessary to launch an Invest insurance education program in schools across the county. Best of all, the resources are free to our schools thanks to the generous support of partner companies and independent insurance agents.

Diane Wagner is the Chief Operating Officer at First Choice Agents Alliance, and a member of the Invest Board. She started her career immediately after high school in central New York and spent the first 20 years working her way up through multiple mergers & acquisitions in the insurance industry. She eventually moved to the Carolinas in 1996 as an insurance company marketing representative. Since 2001, Wagner has been involved with several insurance start-ups, including FCAA.

 
 
 

Thursday, January 27  |  11:00 AM

Characteristics of a Successful Carrier-Network Relationship

Greg King, Joe Latella, Philip Lucca, Andrew Potalivo, Curt Vondrasek

Networks have the potential to bring enormous efficiencies to a carrier, getting their message and products out to large groups of agents. While there may be differences from carrier to carrier, there are key factors common to the most successful of these relationships. This panel will feature the perspectives of four carriers describing the characteristics of the successful network relationships.

Attendees can expect the following discussions;

• How do carriers view network opportunity’s to help them grow
• What is the decision making process for choosing a network partner
• Description of best in class networks
• Carrier views on agency clusters vs professionally managed networks

 
 
 

Thursday, January 27  |  1:00 PM

Blueprint for Improving Brand Trust

Scott Addis, Matt O’Neill

Join the Insurance Networks Alliance for a free professional development workshop presented in partnership with The Institutes. This workshop will address the ways in which branding differs from marketing, discuss brand awareness, communication, differentiation, equity, identity, and trust.

Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room. While brand perception is in the eye of the beholder, brand management is available as a tool to shape that perception. Are you utilizing brand management to maximize your Network’s reach and influence? Attendees can expect to explore important brand questions, including:

• Why do we exist?
• What values and principles do we support?
• What gives us purpose and passion?
• What emotions are we attempting to elicit from those whom we serve?
• How do we want the marketplace to perceive us?
• How do we want people to identify with us?

Scott Addis, CPCU, CRA. CBWA is the CEO of Beyond Insurance and 1s recognized as an industry leader having been named a Philadelphia finalist for Inc. Magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award as well as one of the “25 Most Innovative Agents in America.” Beyond Insurance is a consulting firm that offers leadership training, cultural transformation, and talent and tactical development for enlightened professionals who are looking to take their practice to the next level. Since 2007, the proven and repeatable processes of Beyond Insurance have transformed individuals and organizations as measured by enhanced organic growth, productivity, profitability, and value in the marketplace.

Matt O’Neill, CRA, CBWA, ACRA is Chief Experience Officer of Beyond Insurance. He directly supports clients to maximize their implementation of Beyond Insurance tools, tactics, processes, and programs. He is also a Master Coach for Beyond Insurance and the Beyond Insurance Global Network. His focus is on creating deep, long-lasting rapport with prospects and clients; finding, qualifying, and converting prospects into loyal clients; and differentiating oneself in a crowded marketplace. Matt has supported organizations ranging from small independent agencies to large national carriers. He is renowned for motivating both experienced and new sales professionals through his engaging, interactive style. He leaves everyone with actionable insights they can implement for greater success.