ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 - The Best Practices initiative of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) has crossed the Atlantic, with Ireland’s Hibernian General Insurance entering into an exclusive two-year agreement to license and distribute two Best Practices tools to Ireland’s estimated 1,000 brokers.
IIABA’s Best Practices program provides independent agents and brokers with an abundance of useful information and valuable tools to help improve agency performance and encourage dialogue and interaction with carriers on a variety of vital agency-management issues. Hibernian General Insurance, based in Dublin, was established in 1908 and is now the largest general insurance company in Ireland.
“We are extremely pleased that our Best Practices program has attracted international interest and that Hibernian will be providing our tools to help brokers throughout Ireland reach their fullest potential,” says Madelyn Flannagan, IIABA vice president of education and research. “Best Practices products help agents and brokers better understand the past, analyze the present and formulate a strategy for the future. The success of these tools has now transcended our national borders to guide agents and brokers worldwide to prosperity and profits.”
Hibernian will be providing two Best Practices tools to its brokers: the Joint Planning Tool Quick Step and the Self Diagnostic Tool Quick Check.
“We are delighted to be associated with the IIABA in the provision of the joint broker-company planning tool for use by general insurance brokers in Ireland,” says Conor McCarthy, Hibernian’s broker marketing manager. “Hibernian is currently pilot testing the use of the joint planning tool, with a view of providing it to a select number of brokers in Ireland. From Hibernian’s perspective, the joint planning tool when fully operational will result in more effective planning between Hibernian and our brokers, thus eliminating unproductive effort, reducing costs and strengthening relationships."
The Joint Planning Tool Quick Step was developed to assist agents and brokers trying to establish realistic agency production goals for the coming year or prepare information for use in attracting, establishing or enhancing agency-company relationships. Best Practices research shows that effective joint agency-company planning can eliminate unproductive efforts, reduce costs for both parties and help strengthen these relationships.
The Self Diagnostic Tool Quick Check is a simple test designed to help agency owners and principals take a proactive approach to overall agency efficiency, profitability and management. The tool provides an immediate and actionable overview of agencies’ strengths and weaknesses.
Established in 1992, IIABA’s Council for Best Practices is a joint agency-company mission that collaborates on a variety of business management issues critical to the success of the independent agency system. Using the highly acclaimed Best Practices Study’s annual results as a guide, the Council has developed a complete library of tools, products and services to help every agency grow and prosper.
Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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