MAIC : INSURANCE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
JOIN US IN NOVEMBER FOR THIS EVENT ! written by Maria Dressman , Elliott Group
How many of you know about the best kept secret in our industry ? I wasn ’ t even aware of it until 9 years ago , when I joined Elliott Group in the Topeka location . After starting at the agency , I asked Rick Elliott if he knew which committee at KAIA would be a better fit for me then the one I was currently on . He let me know about the Technical Affairs Committee which is now known as the Insurance Coverage Committee .
This KAIA committee serves as a member resource that monitors all issues relating to insurance technical matters in Kansas and on a national level . The committee member may also provide representation for KAIA members at public hearings on insurance to advocate the official position taken by the Board of Directors .
So that sounds great right ? Well , the best part is through this committee , I was asked to attend the Mid-America Insurance Conference ( MAIC ) which is now known as the Insurance Intelligence Committee ( IIC ). It is held in Kansas City and KAIA is the Executive Administrator . FUN fact is that this Conference has been in existence since 1934 !!! WHAT , I know , and I just heard about it in 2014 , after being an agent for 15 years , and already feeling like I was an insurance “ Nerd ”, but this conference has fed into that even more , which I love .
WHAT IS THE IIC ?
So , what is Insurance Intelligence Committee ( IIC )? This conference is a forum for discussion on topics of property and casualty insurance coverages , rules , forms , and other technical matters . Agents and brokers from the most engaged states in the Nation come together to share ideas and present suggestions to bring about positive change . Agents can share their ideas with ISO , ACORD , NCCI , IRMI and insurance companies who are forward thinking in product development . Attending this conference , I was able to figure out the true secrets in our industry : How as agents , producers , account managers etc , we have a way to work on policy changes in our industry and be an Agent of Change , can you believe it ?
In a world where insurance policies are constantly changing , this group has been there to evaluate and identify issues proactively . Simply put , this group gets results , and the meeting has become a venue for the exchange of knowledge , networking and learning . It is one of the most effective groups in the nation and they are becoming more and more known as they continue to drive change in a complex marketplace where agents can no longer simply be reactive .
The ability to read and understand insurance policies has become more critical than ever and a simple change of the word “ or ” to an “ and ” could preclude coverage . This group has seen agents / brokers grow in their knowledge and reputation , becoming true industry experts . Agents of change such as Bill Wilson , Greg Diemling , Chuck Schramm , Kent Anthony , Sam Bennett , Tim Wahl , Chris Boggs and others have all had a strong presence in these meetings , leaving their indelible mark .
AGENTS OF CHANGE
Here are a few quotes from those Agents of Change that give us their thoughts on the IIC :
Tim Wahl says , “ It is the best way to learn about issues with policy forms and the best way an agent can help correct those forms ”.
Chris Boggs says , “ If you want to make a difference in
30 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER