NAILBA Now!
July 15, 2008
Start Planning for Life Insurance Awareness Month
In September 2008, the industry will come together for the fifth time in support of Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM).
This year, singer, actor and producer Donnie Wahlberg will serve as the national spokesperson for Life Insurance Awareness Month. To help you put together a great LIAM campaign and to help you spread the word about LIAM, the LIFE Foundation has assembled the LIAM Turnkey Planning Kit which you can download by visiting www.lifeexchange.org/liam-turnkey.html. The kit includes the following:
Article/Memo/Email
This 600-word document describes LIAM and outlines how your agents can support and benefit from LIAM. The theme of the article is the concept of human life value. Space has been set aside for you to include information about your agency’s plans for September. Format the document to serve your specific needs (e.g., use it as the basis for a newsletter or magazine article or an e-mail to your agents and employees).
Producer Fact Sheet
Send or e-mail this fact sheet to your agents. This one-page document describes LIAM and outlines how your agents can plan for and benefit from the campaign.
Flash Video
This five-minute video explains why LIAM was established, describes the major components of the campaign, and provides producers with four specific ideas for making the most of this unique marketing opportunity. You have the option of having your sales reps view the video on LIFE’s Web site at www.lifehappens.org/liamideas or you can download the video and have producers view it on your own Web site. There is also a shorter two-minute version that focuses on the need for the LIAM campaign.
LIAM Logos
Download low and high resolution LIAM logos to include on your Web site, stationery, etc.
PowerPoint Slides
Use these presentation slides to raise awareness of LIAM within your organization and learn how to leverage this sales opportunity.
Print Ad
To help you publicize LIAM and your agency’s LIAM plans, customize this print ad for use in your internal magazines, newsletters, etc. The ad leaves space for you to insert planned activities that are specific to your organization. If you have any questions about the artwork or need any assistance, please contact Chris Hill at chill@lifehappens.org or (202) 464-5000 ext. 4451. For your information, the ad is high resolution and contains royalty-free stock photography.
Program Options Menu
This 6-page document offers a list of tactics you may want to consider as you develop your LIAM plans.
Additionally, to help producers make the most of the annual Life Insurance Awareness Month campaign, the LIFE Foundation is hosting a LIAM Webinar on July 30 @ 1:00 p.m. ET. Register now by clicking here: www.iian.ibeam.com/events/life001/27162
This informative Webinar will feature:
- LIAM 2008 Preview - presented by the LIFE Foundation.
- LIFE Sales Ideas - presented by advisors who use LIFE resources in their sales and marketing efforts. Learn great ideas that can be easily incorporated into your practice.
- PR Tips - Put together your own LIAM public relations campaign with help from the global communications management firm Weber Shandwick Worldwide. Hear some great tips from the best!
Register today! If you have any questions, please contact Jon Dressner at jdressner@lifehappens.org or (202) 464-5000 ext 4442.
Let NAILBA’s Charitable Foundation Extend a Hand
Having the ability to help out a child during one of the lowest times in their lives is something very special.John W. Felton IV
In a time when competition for grant money is fierce, the NAILBA Charitable Foundation is dedicated to providing funds to small, well-run charities in your neighborhood that may not otherwise have access to additional funding.
I have volunteered and witnessed first-hand what it means to provide these dreams to children. It reinforces the fact that giving is the greatest gift we can receive. Myra Palmer
Foundation grant recipients are determined by NAILBA member agencies. In fact, the only way a charity can be eligible for a grant is if a NAILBA member agency sponsors them. What better way to maximize your resources for your favorite charity than by pooling them together with those of other NAILBA member agencies and corporate partners?
My heroes are the women and children who have the strength and courage to journey through sorrow and hardship and reach the other side with dignity and success. Mary Jane Tousignant-Dolan
In order for a charity to be considered, we must receive a completed grant application with your letter of endorsement no later than Friday, August 8. .
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A GRANT APPLICATION
Questions? Contact Kristen Bailey at kbailey@nailba.org.
Recognize Your Peers for NAILBA’s Annual Education Excellence Award
Being informed and keeping up-to-date in your chosen profession are critical to continued success and prosperity. Education is a critical component to any industry – but in the ever changing world of the life insurance business, education is simply essential to smart business. As brokerage continues to grow as the distribution system of choice, NAILBA’s challenge is to continue to provide relevant, timely information that will have a positive impact on every sector of our membership.
NAILBA is fortunate to have many passionate, energetic volunteers – especially in the education arena. The NAILBA Education Excellence Award was designed to honor and recognize an individual or entity whose contributions and service to education and learning programs have increased the overall caliber of professionalism in the life and/or health insurance industry.
This is the only award that focuses on the independent distribution channel as the target market.
Click here to download the official nomination brochure. Your input into the selection of an individual qualified to receive this great honor is appreciated. Nominations must be received by August 31, 2008 to be considered. If you have any questions, please call Michele Liston, NAILBA Director of Meetings and Education, at (703) 383-3069.
Now Accepting Nominations for the Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence
NAILBA is now accepting nominations for the prestigious Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence, created to recognize individuals whose achievements demonstrate outstanding commitment to independent life brokerage and the insurance world. This Award is the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the premier brokerage association.
Nominations may be made by either a voting member of a NAILBA agency or by an officer of a NAILBA Exhibitor or Sponsor Company. Nominees can include currently active or formerly active member of our profession:
- A principal, associate or staff member of a NAILBA member agency
- An officer or non-officer of a NAILBA Exhibitor Company
- A journalist
- A person from the NAILBA executive/administrative office
- An educator, regulator or a legislator
Click here to download the official nomination brochure.
Nominations must be received by August 22, 2008 to be considered. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Jack Chiasson at NAILBA (703) 383-3066.
Feasibility Study on ePolicy Delivery in Development
NAILBA is preparing a feasibility study on the development of improved processes for ePolicy Delivery.
Industry studies show that the current paper process is cumbersome, delay-prone, and potentially problematic. It may take a number of days to generate the policy, mail the policy to the agency for review, and finally place the policy in the hands of the client. Additionally, as many as 20% of these policies contain some sort of error (or client-related change) at the time of issue.
Several of the leading carriers are currently considering some form of ePolicy Delivery.
NAILBA is taking this initial step to determine what benefits a more efficient process would create for its BGA members. If those benefits are found to be significant, we will take the next step of working with carriers to create industry workflow and technical guidelines.
If you are interested in giving feedback on this project, please contact Jeff Kraber, NAILBA’s Technology Advocate, either by e-mail at jkraber@nailba.org or by telephone at 703-349-6991.
Key House Financial Services Subcommittee Passes Two Insurance Related Measures
On July 9th, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Entities pass two insurance related measures.
H.R. 5840, the Insurance Information Act
The Insurance Information Act calls for the creation of an Office of Insurance Information (OII) within the United States Department of Treasury. Due to the lack of federal expertise on insurance related issues, this legislation is designed to advise the Secretary of Treasury or U.S. Trade Representative on matters of domestic or international insurance policy. The OII is not a federal regulator, but would be tasked with collecting and analyzing insurance data in conjunction with the NAIC and other insurance entities. This is significant to NAILBA members because the sponsor of this legislation, House Capitol Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Entities Chairman Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), promotes the idea that the federal government should have an in-house expert on insurance policy matters. Chairman Kanjorski has discussed the need for an incremental approach toward a form of OFC and this is viewed as the first step in that process.
H.R. 5611, the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act of 2008
Dubbed NARAB II by its supporters, this legislation is designed to ease the multi-state licensing process for insurance producers. By joining a license clearinghouse known as NARAB, producers will be held to a single set of non-resident licensing and continuing education standards.
NAILBA is supportive of a comprehensive effort to provide producers with one set of licensing and continuing education requirements. However, NAILBA believes any legislation must take an additional step of ensuring the greatest access to products for consumers regardless of where they live, by providing for product approval in all 50 states at the time of submission.
Next Steps
Both pieces of legislation were passed by voice vote out of the Subcommittee on Capitol Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Entities. The next step is for the Full Financial Services Committee to consider each piece of legislation prior to any action by the Full House of Representatives. Given the relatively short time left in this Congress, NAILBA does not anticipate either legislation to pass the Full House or be considered by the United States Senate.
NAILBA 27 Exhibit Space Sold Out! Other Visibility Opportunities Are Available. Act Now!
Need a way to gain access to valuable players in our industry? While exhibit booth space is currently sold out we ARE still taking exhibit contracts for our wait list. Complete an application and send it in with payment information to be added to our list. However, we still have sponsorship and advertising opportunities available for the upcoming NAILBA 27, scheduled for November 13 - 15 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. Please click here for the additional sponsorship opportunities currently available.
Perspectives Magazine- Want more bang for your buck? What better time to advertise in Perspectives Magazine than now? With a regular circulation of 1800 recipients and a bonus distribution of an additional 1500 people at NAILBA 27, the November/December issue is the most visible issue of the year.
Ad contracts are due August 22nd with materials due by August 24th. Click here for specifications and pricing information.
Please contact Susan D. Haning at shaning@nailba.org or (703) 383-3068 for more information.
NAILBA PAC Web Site
In a NAILBA survey, 94% of our member agency principals told us that "legislative and regulatory advocacy" is one of their most important benefits of NAILBA membership.
While we’re making great strides in our advocacy efforts, we cannot expect sound policies without a strong base of congressional support. An important way to build that support is to help elect lawmakers who understand our industry’s interests and concerns.
You have an important role to play. In an effort to educate our membership about the role they can play in shaping our industry’s political future, NAILBA created the NAILBA PAC Web site. On this site you will be able to learn about the PAC, understand the criteria used to select candidates that the PAC will support, and review the current issues impacting our industry.
Having a strong industry political action committee (PAC) gives us a proactive way to elect future policymakers who will make good decisions on our behalf—policymakers who actually know and understand our needs and concerns before they decide the policies that address them.
NAILBA PAC helps us do just that.
Click here to visit the new NAILBA PAC Web site.
