Brownstone Announces Agent Relations Managers

Brownstone Insurance is pleased to announce the addition of two new team members -- Alexis Kimball and Don Allan. Alexis and Don join us as Agent Relations Managers, adding a new level of interaction and relationship-building to the Brownstone Program. Alexis and Don will be making the rounds to personally introduce themselves to our fantastic network of brokers over the next few weeks, but in the meantime, we thought you'd like to know a little bit about them.

Alexis Kimball recently joined the team at Brownstone Insurance as an Agent Relations Manager. Prior to working at Brownstone she managed the sales and marketing departments for multiple health clubs on the South Shore, including: Weymouth & Canton Clubs, Ten X Club and Super Fitness. She spends her weekends entertaining children's birthday parties with her company, Karacters for Kids. 

Alexis received a Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana University and has performed at many venues, including Italy and Washington D.C., and most recently is performing with Opera by the Bay in Duxbury.  She resides in Stoughton with her husband and enjoys gardening, tennis and exercising. She is very excited to be a part of the marketing team at Brownstone Insurance and looks forward to cultivating new relationships and spreading the good word about Brownstone's exclusive master insurance program.

Don Allan is the other new member of the Brownstone team, joining us as an Agent Relations Manager.  Don was born in Florida, raised in New England and currently resides in Abington.

With a background in Construction Management and as a Master Carpenter, Don has spent most of his career working for builders from Florida to Boston. These tools of the trade made insurance an easy transition for Don. Being analytical, precise and having the vision to build something from the foundation up, he excels in the same principles that will serve him well in the insurance industry.

Don likes to spend his time outdoors. From snowboarding and wakeboarding to mountain biking the Blue Hills, Don likes to be active. He also enjoys going to the gym and has taken on Crossfit as a new routine.  As a football enthusiast, he is involved in the local semi pro football league (NEFL) with the Hanover Chiefs. They support local food pantries and run football clinics for children throughout the South Shore.

Don also has a 6-year-old puggle named Rocky, who spends as much time in the car with him as possible.

5 Ways to Become a Better Agent this Year

It’s a big responsibility to be an insurance agent. Your clients depend on you for advice and guidance to make sure that the things most valuable to them are protected. Earn that trust by striving to become a better agent in 2012.

1. Know What You Don’t Know
No one knows everything. By asking questions and delegating tasks to those better suited, you can focus on what you do well and produce the best quality results. This will help you produce results that are better than your competition.

2. Educate Yourself
As an insurance agent, you will be asked a multitude of questions by your clients. Being knowledgeable about insurance products and insurance law should never be underestimated. The more you know, the better you look.

3. Become Technologically Savvy
Technology is constantly changing, thereby changing the way we live and work. But change is sometimes good and these advances have given insurance agents a new forum in which to compete with other agencies as well as to attract new clients. If you are not already familiar with concepts such as Google Adwords, PPC advertising (pay-per-click), social media and SEO, take some time to read up on it and try these tactics for yourself. Agents who incorporate new technology into their business will remain competitive.

4. Brush Up on Your Customer Service Skills
Being an insurance agent isn’t just about selling. It’s about retention, too. Everyone knows that keeping existing business is cheaper than acquiring new business, so keep your clients happy by providing the level of customer service that you yourself would desire. Remember - good service will build a book of satisfied clients that can lead to referrals.

5. Show your Clients that You Appreciate Them
Showing appreciation in the insurance world is important. After all, your clients don’t all necessarily know how much you know, but they can plainly see how much you care. Checking in on clients through friendly phone calls, sending birthday cards and other such actions are simple to do but can yield high appreciation.

MA Bans Use of Credit Scores in Insurance Underwriting

On November 22, 2011, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law H-3795, a bill which makes it unlawful to use credit scores in underwriting and rating private passenger motor vehicle insurance.

The state banned insurance-based scoring and other socioeconomic factors several years ago as it looked to implement a “managed competition” auto-insurance market, replacing the existing system at the time in which the state set rates.

The new law, however, makes it illegal to use credit scores in underwriting auto insurance. Other bans, such as using education or occupation, remain administrative regulations.

This legislation was MAIA’s top legislative priority for the 2011-2012 legislative session. Currently, the use of credit in the underwriting and rating of private passenger auto insurance is prohibited by regulation only. Regulations can be amended or repealed by the sole action of the regulator, in this case the Insurance Commissioner. With the credit prohibition now part of Massachusetts law, only the Legislature and the Governor can amend or repeal the prohibition.

MAIA filed the credit scoring legislation for the 2011-2012 session with 66 legislative sponsors, more than one-third of the entire Legislature.

Throughout the year, hundreds of Independent Insurance Agents contacted their Legislators encouraging support of the legislation. The MAIA was also campaigning to get a question on the ballot next year to ban credit scoring. But with the signing of the law, the association has dropped the question.

Many within the insurance industry, including the American Insurance Association and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, have supported the use of credit scoring as a valuable tool.

“AIA supports the use of underwriting and rating tools that allow insurers to make informed decisions regarding risk,” says Willem O. Rijksen, spokesman for the AIA. “The vast majority of policyholders benefit from lower premiums as a result of credit-based insurance scoring. AIA opposed this legislation because it will prohibit the use of this beneficial tool and result in a disadvantage for Massachusetts drivers.”

The MAIA however, felt differently. 

Frank Mancini, president and chief executive of the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents, says the MAIA held a longstanding negative opinion about the use of the underwriting tool.

“It shouldn’t be used,” he says. “Study after study has shown that there can be so many mistakes in credit reports, and it’s incredibly difficult to fix them.”

Remind Your Customers About Chimney Safety

Fireplaces serve many purposes. They offer warmth, they can be a great gathering place or focal point in a room, they can be a beautiful architectural element of a home and it can be quite relaxing to sit near one during the cold, winter months. But they can also be a serious fire hazard if not properly cared for.

One of the biggest concerns when it comes to fire prevention in your chimney is creosote. Creosote is a an element that occurs naturally as a byproduct of burning wood. Should the creosote buildup go unnoticed, it becomes a dangerous fire hazard. Buildup of creosote can also result in carbon monoxide poisoning as the chimney becomes obstructed. Utilizing the services of a certified chimney sweep is important to keep creosote buildup to a minimum. Check the Chimney Safety Institute of America to locate a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep®.

Here are some basic tips to follow when maintaining a chimney:

• Make sure the chimney has been cleaned and inspected before you purchase a new property that has one. If it has not, do not use it until you schedule an inspection yourself.
• Screen your fireplace. This keeps sparks and embers from escaping and keeps pets and family members safe as well.
• Do not go to bed or leave the house with your fireplace running, even if it has a screen. Wait until all embers are extinguished.
• Keep all branches and leaves at least 15-feet away from the top of your chimney.
• Cap your chimney! This will make sure that debris and animals such as squirrels and birds stay out of your chimney.
• Choosing the right fuel is important. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose well-seasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months and stored in a covered and elevated location. Never burn Christmas trees or treated wood in your fireplace or wood stove.
• Never use flammable liquids to start your fire. Use kindling or a commercial firelighter to ignite firewood or firelogs that you've arranged at the rear of the fireplace.
• Keep furniture and other items at least 3-feet away from the fireplace.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout your home and test them regularly to make sure they are in working order.
• Get your fireplace inspected annually by a certified chimney sweep.

Brownstone Insurance and Murphy & Jordan Insurance to Donate New Undergarments to Local Children in Need

Following in the footsteps of last year’s “We ‘Like’ to Help” campaign, Brownstone Insurance and our affiliate company, Murphy & Jordan Insurance, have teamed up to support a local organization this holiday, SkivieGivie.

SkivieGivie was founded in September of 2011 with the purpose of providing those less fortunate with one of life’s most basic necessities - undergarments. With thousands of children in the Boston area living at or below the poverty line, this year’s “We ‘Like’ to Help” campaign will grant children in the Boston area new t-shirts, socks and underwear.

Brownstone Insurance will once again be utilizing their company Facebook page found at http://www.facebook.com/BrownstoneInsurance to reach out to the community and fulfill the campaign. For each new “like” that both the Brownstone and Murphy & Jordan’s Facebook pages receive through December 24th, the companies will donate one new undergarment to SkivieGivie which will then be distributed to area children in need.

"Following the success and support of last year’s ‘We ‘Like’ to Help’ campaign, we really wanted to make a difference in our local community again this year,” explained Glenn Montgomery, co-founder of Brownstone and Murphy & Jordan Insurance agencies. “We realize that there are countless opportunities for people to donate and support organizations this time of year,” he continued. “So we made it especially easy for people. All they need to do is click the “Like” button on our page and they’ve essentially donated a new undergarment to a local kid in need.”

We will tally up the total number of “likes” on the two pages on December 24th and will purchase the corresponding amount of undergarments and deliver them to SkivieGivie. Customers may also donate new undergarments at the SkivieGivie donation box located at the Brownstone and Murphy & Jordan office located at 200 Cordwainer Drive in Norwell, Massachusetts.