The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents said it is sponsoring a special program for independent agents that provides them with a new tool to make their products more attractive and help them take back market share from direct writers.

In cooperation with Agency Revenue Tools, LLC, based in Fryeburg, Maine, PIA has initiated its "Take Back Personal Lines" campaign to assist its independent agent members in counteracting the mass marketing and mass advertising approach to personal lines taken by the direct writing carriers.

"One of the most significant challenges P&C agents face in writing new personal lines business is having a steady stream of new prospects come to their door," said Len Brevik, PIA national executive vice president and chief executive officer, in a statement. "With this program, agents meet their new customers in the workplace," he said.

Bill Jenkins, PIA national vice president of business development, explained to National Underwriter that the program utilizes avenues developed through the sale of employee benefits, including payroll deduction, to sell personal lines insurance to a new circle of customers.

While direct writers and captive agents use intensive marketing to attract customers, independent agents can tap into their commercial lines clients to offer personal lines programs, he explained.

Mr. Jenkins said what Agency Revenue Tools offers is the billing component to make the payroll deductions and payments to the carriers.

He said agents can maintain their current carrier relationships under the program.

The marketing advantage agents can offer potential customers, said Mr. Jenkins, is the advantage of paying their insurance through payroll deductions in equal installments. Customers would not have to deal with the lump sum payments that they typically get through traditional billing programs.

He said Agency Revenue Tools is proven technology that has been in existence for close to eight years now and is used by 300 agencies today.

"Everything to make this work is already in place," said Mr. Jenkins. "It has been in place for several years now. We looked at it and felt it was a good option for our members to consider."

PIA's Quickstart Program, which sponsors Agency Revenue Tools, will make the offering much more affordable to agencies, PIA said, cutting the initial cost in half when the system is used by PIA members who fall under a certain size category.

The PIA Quickstart Program will be accessible off of the association's home page and will be up and running in the next few months, said Mr. Jenkins.

More information on the program can be obtained by contacting Mr. Jenkins at billje@pianet.org.

Information about Agency Revenue Tools is available at www.agencyrevenuetools.com.

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PIA Aims At Taking Market From Direct Writers

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