Allstate Assoc. President Says Bury The Hatchet

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, July 15, 4:17 p.m.EDT?The Allstate agents association's new leader said hewants to end years of acrimony with the company and make hisgroup's relationship more harmonious.[@@]

"As an association, we have had our battles with Allstate," saidDale Revels, president of the National Association of ProfessionalAllstate Agents. "We do not want to be in the battle business, wewant to be a business association group. That is where we want totake this association," he added.

Mr. Revels noted the Northbrook, Ill.-based carrier had changedits treatment of its exclusive agent force. Allstate and its agentsbegan battling one another years ago when the company changed theagent's status from employee agents to exclusive, independentcontractor agents. Suits are still pending by agents who chargedthe new system's arrangements discriminated against olderagents.

Mr. Revels said, "The focus of the company is back on the agent.Up to three years ago, we felt the company was not focused on theagents, but the relationship has improved. We are working ongenerating more business and being more successful."

As an association, Mr. Revels sees an organization whose aim isto help agents find more effective ways of selling their productsand protecting agent's books.

He said he wants the association to act more like independentagent association?s, such as the Florida Association of InsuranceAgents, of which he is a member.

"We want to give agents the tools to increase their book ofbusiness," he said.

On the issue of agent's rights, the association wants to work atgetting legislation passed that would prevent carriers from firingagents without cause. The association wants agents to be givennotice of their release and provide a lengthy time requirement fornotice, such as the one used in California where a 120-day noticemust be given.

"The more notice an agent has, the more valuable his book ofbusiness becomes," he noted, because the agent has more time tosell that book and get the price he feels it deserves.

Mr. Revels said the group strategy calls for working state bystate on this issue. Right now the focus is on Texas.

As for the relationship between NAPAA and the carrier, Mr.Revels said the association would welcome a closer relationshipwith Allstate, but it is not waiting for the company'sapproval.

"Their blessing would be great, but it does not matter," hesaid. "They are the main supplier of business for our agents, andwe recognize that. But I think a less adversarial relationship isgood for all of us."

Mr. Revels, an active Allstate Agent in Kissimmee, Fla., waselected NAPAA president at the organization's annual conferencelast month in Las Vegas.

He has been one of the company's exclusive agents for more than15 years.