IIABA Prepares To Battle Direct Writers Over Personal Lines With Web Portal

Independent agents are tired of losing personal lines market share to direct writers, and they will be fighting back in 2011 with a new Web portal and branding campaign, the chair of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America declared.

Mike Miley, a client executive at the Gibson Insurance Agency in Plymouth, Ind., said one of the major priorities during his tenure will be taking the steps necessary to turn around the market erosion independent agents have experienced in the personal lines market.

The primary impetus for this will be making the IIABA's “Trusted Choice” brand for agents a nationally recognized symbol among consumers.

To further promote the Trusted Choice brand, the IIABA is creating a new website called CAP–the Consumer Agent Portal. As more consumers do their initial shopping for insurance over the Internet, the aim will be to drive business toward independent agents by improving search results.

“What we found is that a lot of inquiries go to the Internet, but consumers want a person to buy from,” explained Mr. Miley. “Our challenge is to get the independent agent to the consumer before the direct writer.”

While most details cannot be divulged at this time, Mr. Miley said CAP is designed to move independent agents higher up on search engine results so the IIABA's Trusted Choice brand comes in at least at number two or three.

“Research shows we have a good model here and we are excited about it,” he said. “We need a good consumer brand and feel Trusted Choice will drive traffic to this portal.”

For IIABA members, as they all become Trusted Choice members they will be paying extra for the marketing of the program, noted Mr. Miley, who said the move has not received much negative feedback. “It gets us back in the game in personal lines,” he declared.

Mr. Miley knows well the challenges independent agents face at both small and large firms. Starting out on the life insurance side of the business, he ran a small personal lines agency before joining Gibson Insurance. He now also handles large commercial accounts at a firm that employs a staff of 93.

Mr. Miley said the health of the independent agency system “has never been stronger,” adding that “we are seeing a lot of new members from the direct writer ranks.”

The merger and acquisition environment presents challenges to growing the number of agencies, but there is satisfaction in realizing some agents find bigger is not better and start up a new agency, he said.