I had the fortunate experience to realize just how smartfifth graders are recently when I was invited to speak to threefifth-grade classes at Cottage Lane Elementary School in Blauvelt,N.Y. We started the morning the way any good wholesaler would startoff a marketing visit: I brought food. The kids, ranging from ages9 to 11, were excited, knowing if they behaved they would berewarded with Dunkin' Donut Munchkins. My son Tommy happens to bein the class, and has often said to me "Insurance isn't cool. Idon't even know what you do."

This was my chance to show Tommy just how cool insurance couldbe. It also was a good opportunity to share with the class a fewother important things I was hoping the kids would understand. Mygoals:

• Explain the difference between a wholesaler and insuranceagent
• Explain what an independent Main Street agent is and why theyare important
• Explain how and why insurance agents work with the federal andstate governments

Read"Recrutiing Generation Y," AA&B's January cover story.

We started by having the three teachers explain what awholesaler was by playing the parts of the agent, prospect andinsurer. Paul Doctor was the Main Street agent with severalcarriers in his office. Evelyn Murphy was the prospect who Doctorwas trying to write the policy for on the coast of Long Island,N.Y. Sheila Schneider was the company that wrote that business, butDoctor did not have that market. I was the MGA/wholesaler (since Iwork for one) who was able to give Doctor the access to Mrs.Schneider's company. Once Doctor had the ability to work with thewholesaler and could get to Schneider's company, he was able tohelp his client get the policy she needed.

The kids immediately understood.

I have to admit, I was shocked. I asked them to explain it tome, and they did. Even the teachers couldn't believe it, but theyunderstood the premise and what an insurance wholesaler's role wasin the transaction.

Next we talked about Doctor and how in this example he was an"independent agent" and what that means. We talked about how anindependent agent has a lot of companies in his office that cangive clients the coverage they need for their home, for example, orthey can go to a wholesaler to help them access other companies.The independent agent helps the client find the best coverage andthe best price, but most importantly they explain everything totheir client and guide them through the buying process and if theclient has questions later when something happens they can contactthe agent. The independent agent gives the client choices, Iexplained.

We talked about how if there was something to happen to theclient's house, Doctor, (the independent agent) would be there witha check to help pay for it. We all hope it will never be needed,but if you do, insurance is there for you.

We talked about natural disasters like hurricanes, and thedifference between wind and flood, which brought us to the NFIP andhow insurance agents do not want NFIP to include wind. We talkedabout other areas of legislation where wind can and should becovered and how people can be protected by companies and thegovernment.

Then we talked about how many of us in the insurance industryvolunteer our time to work with the government to explain thedetails of the industry--like why wind should not be included inthe NFIP. We discussed how some of us go to Washington, D.C., towork with our state representatives on important issues. The kidscouldn't believe that these representatives actually sit with us,let alone listen and ask for our opinions.

We brought the conversation to the state level again by talkingabout the floods a few years ago in New York state, looking at thecoastal problems people face along Long Island and other areas. Iasked the kids what they thought those problems might be, and theysaid it must be hard to get insurance for your home.

The kids did not know the word "risk," but they understood theconcept. Yes, it is hard to get insurance for your home if you liveon the coast. And yes, the state government in New York is puttingtogether a task force for this very issue: PIANY (ProfessionalInsurance Agents of New York) is working closely with the insurancedepartment on this issue. And yes, there are markets out there whocan help agents. But agents are still finding it very difficult toplace coastal business all over the United States, not just in NewYork.

But the most important message I tried to convey to the kids wasthat the primary purpose of insurance--whether business orpersonal, life or health--is to protect them. And although we arethere to share the pain with our clients, our real goal is to thereto help them get through their losses and get back on theirfeet.

I explained that not all insurance professionals meet withpeople in the government to talk about issues important to ourindustry. Many of us do these things by volunteering throughassociations. Tommy was proud when I told the class that next yearI would be president of the PIA of New York, and that I was the PIANational Young Insurance Professional chair. One of the handouts Igave the children was information on how to talk to yourlegislator, developed by the New York Young Insurance Professionalsfor PIA members. This guide talks about how to write a letter, whoto address it to, how a bill becomes a law, and answers basic andnot so basic questions about the New York state legislature. At theend of the presentation when I asked several of the children whatthey had learned. Here were some of the answers:

• Insurance is about helping people
• You are trying to get different companies to have one triggerfor storms and that is a good thing
• You get to travel and meet a lot of people
• You get to talk to people in the government
• You protect people
• You want to help save people money
• You work for a wholesaler.

So the talk was over, and the kids went back to theirclassrooms, each with their box of Dunkin' Donut Munchkins. Theteachers thanked me and said it was very informative, but I knew Iwould get more information when I spoke with Tommy later.

When I finally got the chance to speak with him, I couldn'tbelieve what he said. Not only did Tommy say the kids thought I was"cool" and had a "cool job," but he finally understood what I did.He understood the difference between a wholesaler and agent andfinally realized Jimcor was not an insurance company, but awholesaler. He thinks insurance is "not that bad," which, comingfrom a 10-year-old, is amazing.

I received the best gift of all when he chose me as the subjectof his "Wisest Person I Know" project.