Four Key 2006 Goals Outlined by Florida Big ‘I’ President

The Florida Association of Insurance Agents has four key goals to accomplish in 2006 according to Jeff Grady, FAIA president and CEO, first, to pass its property insurance market proposal; second, to pass FAIA’s proposal to reform certificates of insurance abuses; third, to make it easier for independent agents to find qualified personnel; and fourth, to promote FAIA’s newly formed Young Agents Council.

Grady told Insurance Journal that FAIA’s property insurance market proposal would result in meaningful reform.

“This would equate to agents having a much lesser reliance on Citizens Property Insurance Corp and a more equitable residual market assessment mechanism,” Grady explained. “Any realistic provisions that would make Florida’s hurricane exposure more palatable to private insurers and result in greater competition will certainly be a welcome component to our plan.

“If FAIA’s proposal to reform certificates of insurance abuses is passed, it would include prohibiting the practice of some general contractors that initially accept a subcontractor’s certificate,” Grady said. “Subsequently payment for work already completed would be withheld until impractical changes are made to the subcontractor’s policy and evidence of insurance.

“It would also include a prohibition on general contractors from ‘down-streaming’ liability for their own negligence to their subcontractors,” he said.

In 2006, Grady said FAIA will meaningfully address the number one problem threatening independent agencies, finding qualified agency personnel.

FAIA formed a task force in the fall under the banner of Agency Development Services. The ADS Task Force has met several times and laid out its mission: To create a new organization that will specialize in the recruitment, training and placement of agency personnel. The program is designed to work outside the association, but draw upon the resources of FAIA for training and marketing.

FAIA is seeking a consultant to work along side the task force in developing its business plan.

Grady said FAIA will promote its newly formed Young Agents Council to draws the industry’s next generation of leaders closer to the association.

Topics Florida Agencies Numbers