PIANY Holds Annual Business Meeting

NU Online News Service, Sept. 15, 2:20 p.m.EDT?At its annual business meeting held this week inDelmar, N.Y., the Professional Insurance Agents of New York StateInc. urged its members to focus on the industry's three "I"s:image, issues and ideology.

"First, PIANY should foster the positive image of insuranceagents," said T.J. Derella, the newly installed president of thegroup, in a statement.

Mr. Derella pointed out that some agents in the industry callthemselves account executives, because selling insurance had a"negative connotation." But, he stressed, insurance agents are "theones there when our neighbors need us."

"There is no reason to be embarrassed about our profession," Mr.Derella said. "At the time when others are looking to takeadvantage of customers, we are there with a check to pay forrepairs after a catastrophe, to make sure families have means whenproviders are injured, to keep businesses going in the face ofperil."

Mr. Derella also commented on PIANY's ongoing efforts to achievelegislation to fight auto insurance fraud, repeal absoluteliability and introduce a negligence standard to the states' laborlaws.

"We must maintain vigilance over labor law and auto fraud reformin New York state," he said. "In addition, we need to wrap our tortreform issues up in a bow for legislators, presenting the strongestargument possible to achieve the legislation we have worked so longto enact on these issues."

He urged group members to further support key lawmakers whoadvance PIANY's legislative agenda and to find cohesion within theindustry to forward mutual interests.

At its annual meeting, PIANY also named Peter Demetriou,president of New Windsor Insurance Agency in Hempstead, N.Y., asthe "Committee Chair of the Year." Mr. Demetriou was given theaward for his work as chairman of PIANY's industry liaisoncommittee.