ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 20, 2011 – The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) presented insurance carriers America First Insurance Company, Central Insurance Companies and Travelers with the prestigious Best Practices Award of Excellence at the recent education convocation held in conjunction with the Big “I” Leadership Conference this weekend in Minneapolis, Minn.
The awards recognize those companies that have made imaginative, outstanding and unique contributions in advocating Best Practices philosophies that enhance the independent agency system. The Big “I” Best Practices program provides performance benchmarks and business strategies that serve as a guide to improving agency performance.
America First Insurance Company (AFI) has promoted Best Practices using numerous avenues including: delivery of Best Practices resources to high potential agents, training the entire AFI sales force on the materials including field coaching techniques, celebrating and recognizing Best Practices agencies, delivering information through their publication “Spotlight,” providing special workshops and presenting in-house webinars on Best Practices sales.
“America First Insurance Company firmly believes that by delivering the Best Practices self-diagnostic and Best Practices programs, it assists agents with one of their most pressing concerns,” said Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO. “We are honored to recognize AFI for their hard work and dedication.”
Central Insurance Companies launched their support for the Best Practices program as agents requested help from their company partner to grow their personal lines books of business. Central used the Best Practices studies and, through consultations with Reagan Consulting, developed and implemented a Best Practices plan. The feedback was positive and the program has been a success. Central communicates the value of the resources through agent education and business consulting, its website and monthly agency newsletters and other outlets.
“Through numerous online and company-wide efforts, Central Insurance Companies promotes the philosophies of the Best Practices through materials in agent education, business consulting and numerous innovative efforts,” continued Rusbuldt. “We applaud Central’s ongoing leadership and cutting edge efforts.”
Since Best Practices was launched in 2001, Travelers has been recognized each year and their support of the program continues to grow stronger. Travelers is committed to making a difference by communicating the value of the resources and working with agents to help them grow their agencies. Working with thousands of agencies, presenting keynote sessions that incorporate Best Practices topics and resources, dedicating a monthly article in the company newsletter and presenting “Lunch and Learns” are just some of the many ways Travelers is working to help educate agents on the value of the Best Practices program. Travelers also provides materials for select agencies and dedicates staff time and resources through participation on the IIABA Council for Best Practices. In 2010, the company nominated more than 170 agencies for participation in the Best Practices program, helping select the very best agencies for this critical industry resource.
“We are proud to announce that for the tenth year in a row, we are pleased to present Travelers with a special award recognizing their support for Best Practices,” said Rusbuldt. “Through numerous efforts, Travelers continues to demonstrate their commitment to Best Practices by working directly with agents to help them reach their goals.”
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” 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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