POWER TO AGENTS

A collection of articles from Dean Auten, owner of Auten Insurance Services of Brunswick, GA, former Georgia Legislator, Legislative Liaison of Georgia Insurance Agents Alliance, recipient of Insurance Expo 2003 "VIP" (Valuable Insurance Person) Award and a great American!

What Rights?

Call "800 WHO CARES

Hang In There!

What Independent Agents need to be successful

Don't Pee on Me and Tell Me It's Raining!

Commission Reductions

Cream of the Crap

Cry Babies?

Is Ignoring the Law Fraud?

Tough times never last. Tough people do

Why Be A GIAA Member?

Unite In Strength

NAAA Introduces Model Contract

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UNITE IN STRENGTH

by Tony Wilkie of D.O.R.i.S., Inc.

Those of you that were around forty years ago will remember a place in time where you could go to the little bakery around the corner to get a freshly made doughnut, cash your check at the community bank or buy groceries at the locally owned grocery store. In business, it was a time without the modern conveniences of computers, electric typewriters, fax machines or copiers, but rather a world of carbon paper, ledger books and whiteout.

For the insurance industry, it was an era when each agency was able to issue their own policies, rate their own accounts and do their own underwriting.
Representing about 20-25 insurance companies each, agencies worked together with the companies and felt they had their support. If an agency happened to make a mistake, the companies stood behind them. Agents, forty years ago, got involved with each policy because they had to. They did their own claims, invoicing and billing. They knew a majority of their accounts by name and even knew what kind of cars their clients drove. They rarely had a problem with an account being turned down or cancelled. Agents could even count on receiving a contingent check practically every year.

As I reflect upon past times in the industry, I can't help to think that we, as agents, accomplished all our work with the aid of carbon paper, ledger books and whiteout. We didn't have the modern conveniences of agency automation, computers, cell phones, fax machines etc. As automation and technology entered into our lives and that of the agency, ironically, we now seem to never have enough time to run our agencies. In many cases, we've lost the personal relationship with our customers. We have also lost the respect that once existed between agents and companies. We are constantly struggling to try to understand and correct what has happened to us. In my opinion, technology has really not been a friend to the agency business as far as relationships are concerned. It certainly hasn't improved our relationship with our companies or our commissions. Our personal relationships have broken down and turned into a numbers game. Agents are now asking how much money can I make? How many policies can I write? Perhaps the most important question is will my agency be allowed to survive?

The age of technology has delivered us into a new hard and fast paced life.
Change is inevitable and we must adjust. We must not become victims of technology because it has, in many cases, taken away our individual values and goals. In the past we were able to live and participate as an individual, but this has now changed. Think back to how many of your companies have consolidated over the years. How many banks have undergone the same process?

Even the locally owned groceries had to become part of a chain to survive.
And the little bakeries, what has happened to them? What will happen to us? We are in a modern age where we must unite in strength and unity to survive.

Over a century ago, a lady was riding a bicycle in the streets of New York when a passing automobile hit her. This incident was the first known automobile accident. The automobile driver was sentenced to just five days in jail. In those times, there was no such thing as automobile insurance. That evolved a year later with Travelers Insurance Company writing the first liability policy. The cost was $7 for $1,000 worth of coverage.

As automobile insurance progressed, a group of automobile policy owners joined together to form a mutual company. They shared profits as well as a vote in the company they were insured with. They received several dividend checks over the course of the years. This union reached across the nation and soon became the largest provider of automobile insurance in America. That company today, is known as State Farm Mutual Insurance Company.

Chubb and Sons Insurance Company along with Cincinnati Insurance Company were also founded on the principle of unity. Their agents and customers joined together to form the company they are today.

Associations such as the Independent Insurance Agents of America, USAgents and
the PIA were formed from agents joining together to further a common cause.

Many of you agents are enjoying your agency based on the efforts of your forefathers. Many of your children will continue the tradition based on your courage and dedication.
There are many advantages and benefits from such unities. When the United States entered into WWII, the country came together like never before.

Victory gardens were planted, war bonds sold and food and gas rationed. The women took the men's place in the work force while the men prepared for war. It was a great effort on many, but they survived with the strength and support of others.

In recent history, the tragedy of 9/11 rekindled the American spirit. People did what they could to help those affected. Companies granted large donations, organizations prepared, fund-raisers were set up, blood was donated and communities did what they could in the hopes of moving forward.

As in all the cases mentioned above, without each individual working towards a common goal, such unity would not be achieved. I believe if you can envision your goal, believe in it strongly enough and take action you will undoubtedly reach it. There may be times when the goal emerges out of an unfortunate circumstance, but those are the times we are driven the hardest. Just look at what many of the people in the above examples were able to accomplish through such unity.

Just think of what you can do.

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