The Insurancenter

The Insurancenter has retained its status as part of an elite group of independent insurance agencies around the United States participating in the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) “Best Practices” Study Group.

Each year since 1993, IIABA and Reagan Consulting, an Atlanta-based management consulting firm, join forces to study the country’s leading agencies in six revenue categories. The agencies comprising the study groups are selected every third year through a comprehensive nomination and qualifying process and awarded a “Best Practices Agency” designation. The selected “Best Practices” agencies retain their status during the three-year cycle by submitting extensive financial and operational data for review each year. 

“We have maintained our status as a Best Practices agency since the inception of the program; not an honor we take lightly, considering the state of the economy and the recent devastation our community has experienced due to the May 22, 2011 EF5 tornado that hit Joplin ,” said Scott Brothers, The Insurancenter president and CEO. “Our agency is an employee-owned organization, which means every associate has a personal stake in making sure our clients’ needs and expectations are met and their commitment and dedication is reflected in this prestigious honor.”  READ MORE

All Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce members are invited to join us on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Insurancenter, 2901 Arizona Ave., Joplin, MO. RSVP by Sept. 23, 2011 to the chamber office at 417.624.1996 or online at www.joplincc.com. We have a fun evening planned and we are looking forward to seeing all of you!

Cheryl Patton has recently joined The Insurancenter as a personal lines account service manager. Patton, a licensed property & casualty and life, accident & health agent, brings close to 10 years of insurance experience to the agency, having started with a direct writer then working for an independent agency and most recently State Farm.

She is responsible for providing customer service to existing clients as well as identifying new business opportunities for the agency. A graduate of Missouri Southern State University, Patton holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in business administration and is currently working toward her Customer Service Insurance Representative (CISR) professional designation. READ MORE

The Insurancenter and Glatfelter Insurance Group recently donated $25,000 to the United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas Tornado Relief Fund due to the May 22, 2011 EF5 tornado that hit Joplin. 

“We know the money will be handled the right way and that there will be long-term needs this money will address,” said Scott Brothers, President & CEO of The Insurancenter.  We are proud to help support the rebuilding efforts of the community.”

The majority of businesses that shut their doors following a severe property loss never reopen them. Business income insurance is an essential part of every successful business plan.

Disasters happen. Businesses temporarily close. Revenue streams dry up. But, expenses continue. In fact, they often rise significantly! Following a major loss, there are lots of things that you can do without. Your revenue is not one of them. Have you ever thought about how long it would take to get back to normal business operations in the event of a property loss?

For example:

• The fire marshal or other similar government official will want to do a cause and origin investigation. This can take from a few days up to an average of one month.
• The debris from the loss will have to be removed. This can take another month or two depending on whether your loss is an isolated incident or a catastrophe with damage affecting many businesses in your area.
• Securing permits to repair or rebuild your building can take two to three months. (Even longer in urban settings due to density and local authority. Many of your fellow business people are also trying to get their permits following a major disaster.)
• Reconstruction of the building can take several months. On average, when only one business is involved, this can be from three to four months, when several businesses have been affected by a disaster, such as an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado; you will most likely be on a waiting list for a contractor to get to your location and help you begin the process of starting over.
• Replacement of machinery and equipment can take from two to 18 months; troubleshooting and testing can take another two months.
• The EPA and other regulatory agencies can create further delays.

Would you be able to survive without revenue, pay your continuing expenses, or go without your own payroll for several months? For most of us, the answer is no.

Health Care Reform

Posted By: Christine Baker • May 10, 2011

As a healthcare consumer, we know it's difficult to keep up with all the changes that have come with Health Care Reform. We do our best to keep our clients up-to-date on issues that impact their business and as individuals. Included here are some of the most recent changes in health care reform, including:

• Free Choice Vouchers
• 1099 Reporting
• Early Retiree Reinsurance Program
• Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage W-2 Reporting Requirements
• Extension of enforcement grace period for select internal claims and appeals requirements

For more information about Health Care Reform, give one of our health care professionals a call. If you are a client, login to your Client Solution Center for more detailed information.