PIIAI Disaffiliate with PIA National

At its meeting on Nov. 30, 2000, the Board of Directors of the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois voted to disaffiliate with the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, pending ratification by a membership vote to take place on February 22, 2001.

According to PIIAI President Dino Gavanes, the decision was the result of a recommendation presented by a special consolidation task force charged with evaluating its national affiliations with PIA and IIAA.

“Since the consolidation of PIA and IIAA in Illinois in 1993, PIIAI has closely monitored its affiliation with the national associations. Realizing our fiscal responsibility to our members, our concerns have focused on the benefits received from our national affiliates, particularly regarding duplication of services. Up until this point, PIIAI had determined the value received from affiliation with both PIA and IIAA was worth our commitment of time and resources.

However, the evaluation conducted by our consolidation task force this summer found that with the income reduction from the PIA group health program and the duplication of services with IIAA, the PIA affiliation had reduced in value.”

Gavanes continued, “Illinois independent agents voted to consolidate their two agent associations in 1992. The consolidation has been extremely successful, as evident by other states that have done the same. PIIAI is a strong proponent of consolidation and serves an example of its benefits.”

“When our association consolidated, we decided to remain affiliated with both PIA and IIAA. Since that time, we have attempted to bring the two nationals together for consolidation discussions as we believe it is in the best interest of independent agents. Unfortunately, all efforts have been unsuccessful. Instead of exerting our energy in attempting to bring the two groups together, PIIAI will focus on the best interest of our 1450 member agencies.”

Topics Agencies Illinois