Two for Tuesday: February 24, 2015

In This Issue:

Hot and Cold HomeScan^SM

Cyber Security Pioneers

Special Feature: Please, Mr. Postman

Additional Items:

Webinars

Parting Shot

Last Week's Most Clicked

Sale of the Week

Hot and Cold HomeScan^SM

The sound of water running all the time or a sudden increase in the water bill can indicate a plumbing leak. Signs of mold or mildew smell in an area that doesn’t get wet, spongy floors or walls, a sagging roof or cracked foundations can be plumbing or exterior water getting in where it’s not supposed to. Usually by the time a homeowner sees a sign of a hidden leak it’s already too late as the damage is done. A leaking toilet can waste water but usually that is all. A leaking roof has to work its way down to the upper floor ceiling before it is discovered.

Besides water problems, gaps in walls develop over time allowing the heat or air conditioning to escape. Insulation can settle, fall down, be disturbed by animals that get into the attic, or was simply never there at all. Those same animals can disturb or chew on electrical lines causing hotspots which can lead to a fire. Even new homes can have some of these problems.

Old or damaged failing wiring, missing/fallen/wet insulation, and hidden leaks are usually problem that can be fixed for not a lot of money if caught early enough.

Chubb’s HomeScan^SM is a thorough scan of your clients home using infrared technology to locate hot and cold spots normally hidden to the eye. Detecting problems earlier and pinpointing their location can minimize the repair cost by reducing the need to tear down large wall or ceiling sections to get at the problem. Best of all it is available free to Chubb Masterpiece^® policyholders in many areas of the US. Saving your client the cost of a major repair will go a long way towards their retention. Not to mention potentially saving the life of your client and their family.

The Chubb Masterpiece^® Homeowner program is accessible through Big "I" Markets under Affluent Homeowner New Business and is available in all states except Auto in MA and SC.

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Special Feature:

Please Mr. Postman

By Elif Wisecup, Director of Marketing of Big I Advantage^®

Oh yes, wait a minute Mr. Postman! Don't overcharge me…

With apologies to The Marvelettes… but we want to be sure you know that as long as you're a Big "I" member in good standing, you can take advantage of competitive shipping savings rates available from UPS.

Whether you need your documents or packages to arrive the next day or you're simply looking for the most affordable shipping option, UPS understands the importance of reliability, speed and savings.

UPS discounts can help your bottom line by saving you:

Up to 34% on UPS Air letters including UPS Next Day Air
Up to 30% on UPS Air packages weighing more than one pound
Up to 32% on UPS International imports and exports
Up to 16% on UPS Ground shipments
70% or more on UPS Freight shipments more than 150 pounds

These discounts are available even if you already have a UPS account. To enroll and start saving, visit savewithups.com/iiaba or call 1-800-MEMBERS (1-800-636-2377) Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

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Cyber Security Pioneers

Cyber Security. It seems like every day we hear about a breach of "secure" data. Credit card information, Social Security numbers, health data, the list goes on. Sometimes it's just a few thousand up to over 200 million. Right now it seems as if the bad guys are ahead of the curve but some people are trying to change that.

The Center for Innovative Technology brings together security savvy investors and cybersecurity entrepreneurs in its Mach37^TM program. Mach37 is a combination of intense mentoring and money to get these start-ups up and running faster by enabling them to test before bringing them to the marketplace. Their fourth session will begin on March 2^nd for eight new companies trying to fight back against the data pirates.

While hackers are one type of data breach it's not the only one, but it tends to be the most costly. Make sure your commercial clients are properly covered.

Cyber Liability & Security Insurance from A.J. Wayne & Associates can entertain all types including, but not limited to, the following:

Technology companies
Healthcare providers
Manufacturers
Retailers (online & offline)
Financial institutions or other financial companies
Professional services companies
Restaurants
Distributors

Alexander J. Wayne and Associates can quote Data Breach coverage with three simple pieces of information:

Name of Firm
Revenues
Industry

Yes, it is that easy. In less than twenty-four hours you will receive a quote subject to a short form application. For more information visit the A.J. Wayne & Associates Cyber Liability and Security page at www.bigimarkets.com.

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New Webinars

Competing with Direct Sales & Captive Agency Insurers in Personal (and Commercial) Lines

March 25, 2015; 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
$79 - Click here to register.

Are you tired of all the insurance commercials that shout "Price! Price! Price!"? Are you sick of the silly claim that someone's exposures to loss can be analyzed and priced in 15 minutes or even 7 ½ minutes? How about losing business to someone selling an inferior product yet claiming, "SAME COVERAGE, Better Value"? If so, then sign up for the new 3-hour webinar called "Competing with Direct Sales and Captive Agency Insurers in Personal (and Commercial) Lines." While the focus is primarily on personal lines where direct sales and captive agency companies dominate the marketplace, the first hour addresses both P&C lines and many of the principles discussed throughout the webinar are applicable to both. VU webinar questions can be sent to bestpractices@iiaba.net.

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Remember that you can view the following webinars 24/7 by checking out the BIM Webinar Library. To do that log onto Big "I" Markets and click on "Publications".

Personal Liability Trends - Fireman's Fund
TravPay
Commercial Lessor's Risk
Affluent Homeowners
Travelers Select Products (series)
Travel Insurance
Community Banks
XS Flood
Real Estate E&O
RLI Personal Umbrella
Affluent Homeowner
"Oh, by the way...Flood Sale"
Habitational
Non-standard Homeowner
Student Housing

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"OH BY THE WAY...FLOOD SALE" WEBINAR

Interested in learning flood marketing techniques? Participate in the "Oh, By the Way...Flood Sale" webinar presented by Big "I" Flood Program Manager, Jeff St. John. Topics in the fast-paced 1 hour presentation include: Reasons to Sell Flood Insurance • Reasons Consumers Should Buy • Limited Product Knowledge • Misconceptions by Agents & Consumers • Talking Points & Myth Busters • The Flood Risk • Flood Resources – Facts & Statistics.

Webinar dates:

Wednesday, March 4th at 2:00 p.m. EDT

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BIM WEBSITE TRAINING WEBINAR

For all you folks who recently registered for Big "I" Markets, remember you can participate in a webinar from the comfort of your office to help you learn how to navigate around the system. Every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. EST we'll show you how to navigate the Big "I" Markets platform, including how to submit a quote! Register for the webinar by sending an email with your name and company name to bigimarkets@iiaba.net. Include "Website Navigation Webinar" in the subject line or body of your email. A recording of this webinar can be found under "Publications" after logging into Big "I" Markets.

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Student of the Industry Parting Shot

Travelers' Fishman Says:
Lead Product Could be Home not Auto
By Paul Buse, President of Big I Advantage

On February 12^th, BestDay News from A.M. Best reported that Travelers CEO Jay Fishman said, "I think it's possible, if the world of weather continues to be as volatile as it is, that it's possible 10 years from now the lead in personal lines could be home and the follow-on could be auto. As opposed to the way it has been forever, which is auto is the lead and home is the follow-on."

To that, we ask rhetorically, "Ten years from now?" It might be a jump ball at Travelers in 2014. Below is the Net Written Premiums for Travelers Group, all agency companies and those categorized as "Direct Writers." Ten years in the rear-view mirror shows Travelers and IA insurers in general have shifted 10 percentage points of their net written premiums from personal auto to homeowners. Should you be shifting your personal lines marketing to reflect what will increasingly drive more of the decision making?