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The
hot topics of the day—flood and real time
The event featured an
expert panel discussion Get results with Real Time: What’s
available now, focusing on where the industry is today; how Real
Time can be a part of a feasible agency workflow; and how Real Time benefits
can be posted directly to the agency’s bottom line.
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| HVRAP featured an expert panel discussion:
Get results with Real Time: What’s available now, moderated
by Keith Savino, CPIA, ACORD board director, representing the National
Association of Professional Insurance Agents and chief operating
officer of the Warwick Resource Group |
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Moderator Keith Savino, CPIA, ACORD board director,
representing the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents
and chief operating officer of the Warwick Resource Group, began the presentation
stating that duplicate-entry for insurance quotes ranked as the biggest
“time waster”—by 46 percent—for independent insurance
agents. By utilizing real-time technology, Savino noted that “thousands
of minutes are being put back in customer service representatives’
pockets,” allowing them to spend more time providing service for
their current clients and actively seeking out new business.
During the presentation, David Mellor, AMS Services; Nellie Massoni, AMS
Connectivity Services; Doug Johnston, Applied Systems Inc.; Gerry Keeley,
EZLynz; Jeff Larson, Ebix; Michael Loguercio, Fiserv FSC Insurance Solutions
Inc.; and Ken Winer, SeaPass Solutions Inc. showcased each of their companies
real-time products, which, even with the hotel’s slower wireless
connection, took less than 20 seconds to render multiple, real-time insurance
quotes from insurance carriers for a specific policyholder.
Throughout the program, Jim DeVito, Progressive; Scot Palzer, The Main
Street America Group; and Jim Rogers, The Hartford; stressed their companies’
commitment to real-time technology and reminded the agents in attendance
that, while many agents are using Real Time to quote personal lines, the
capabilities also exist for commercial lines of business.
According to the panelists, the success of real-time technology depends
on the independent insurance agents. Said Palzer, “Agents implementation
and usage of real time will most determine how fast it advances.”Agents
interested in learning more about Real Time were directed to visit here:
http://www.getrealtime.org/
or PIA members can logon here: http://www.pia.org/IRC/getrealtime.
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During the morning education session, Flood
Insurance, Sheldon Hansen, CIC, CRM, a member of Brouwer Hansen
and Izdebski Associates, leads HV RAP participants to discuss their
obligations to their clients, as stated by federal law, and gave
them the information they needed to educate their clients accurately
when discussing the need and options for flood insurance. |
PIANY’s Hudson Valley RAP participants
also attended an education session, entitled Flood Insurance, lead by
Sheldon Hansen, CIC, CRM, a member of Brouwer Hansen and Izdebski Associates.
During his presentation, Hansen outlined both the insurance agents’
and the communities’ responsibilities when complying with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s requirements in section 207 of the
Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004. Hansen explained agents’ obligations
to their clients, as stated by federal law, and gave them the information
they needed to educate their clients accurately when discussing the need
and options for flood insurance.
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