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NAIFA-West Virginia Mountaineer News
APRIL 2013
The Brokers Source, Ltd.
 
OFFICIAL FAMILY:
Click HERE for NAIFA-West Virginia's
2012-2013 Officers, Regional Directors and Committee Chairs
 
Herman Dixon, CLU, CLF, LUTCF, LTCP, RFC, MBA
President's Message

By Herman Dixon, CLU, CLF, LUTCF, LTCP, RFC, MBA, NAIFA-West Virginia President
 
Life can be mysterious!  It can demand our very best and deliver less than we had hoped.  It also can demand very little and deliver more than we expected.  All in all, it demands that we give it our proper attention and that we remain aware of its power in our individual lives.
 
Regardless of the pathway that life takes us, one thing that must be adhered to is our ability to develop and maintain life balance.  If we find ourselves working too much, we find shortfall on the personal side.  If we find ourselves in actions that shove us to too much personal issues, our work suffers.  Finding that right balance is therefore key.
 
When I underwent heart surgery almost five years ago, I was forced to make some decisions for my life and stop talking about life balance and actually live it.  From that potential life-threatening experience, I developed Herman's Rules for Life Balance.  I hope you find them useful.  In our profession, being out of balance can be a typical activity but it is not one that promotes sound health and excellence in living.  Take it from someone who violated every rule on life balance known to man: "The end result of living life at both ends is not worth it!"  "Learn to balance your life and enjoy the greatness it provides!"
 
THANK YOU TO
OUR SPONSORS!
 
Ameritas DI

For more information about sponsorship opportunities with NAIFA-West Virginia, please contact John Pauley at (304) 345-4343.
 
Here are the rules:
  1. Keep your life priorities in unwavering order:  First, God; second, family; and, lastly, career.
  2. While at work, work!  Keep a "super bowl" mentality during this time applying your best efforts all the time.
  3. When your day is over, it is over!  Carry no work home.  Devote your time at home to those special people walking through life with you.
  4. As has been coined in book format and speech:  "Don't sweat the 'small' stuff and remember that most things are 'small' stuff."
  5. Set aside no less than 30 minutes of quiet uninterrupted time every day to recharge yourself mentally.  No cheating!
  6. Keep daily priorities to a maximum of 3 key things to accomplish each day.  It is not quantity of achievement.  It is quality of achievement.
  7. Exercise daily.  It reduces tension, soothes the outlook and inspires your inner self to achieve.  There are many great 7 minute exercise sessions that will stimulate your physical demeanor.  It is not a matter of time.  It is a matter of commitment! 
  8. Learn to say no.  You can't be involved in every business project, community event or professional or service organization.  Decide what you really like to do and pass on other things.  Strong leaders have the courage to know hen to step aside.
  9. Find something to be happy about each day.  Just knowing that you wake up alive should be enough to keep your energy flowing for the day.
  10. Schedule in family time either with spouse, significant other, kids, etc. in the same manner as you do a business appointment.  Then, keep the appointment.
  11. Stay away from "lounge lizards."  These are the people who suck the energy out of the room just by walking in.  They destroy your will to work and your desire to relax.  The farther you remain from their influence, the better it si for you and all around you.
  12. At any time you find yourself faltering, re-apply rule 1.
I hope these rules will provide you as much value as they have for me the past few years. I wonder what life could have been if I had utilized them earlier; but, we can not alter the past only deal with the moment.  So live in the moment, get in balance and make the most of life!  You know, you just may enjoy it!

 
 
NAIFA-Charleston
       
Special Room Rates Available at Embassy Suites Hotel
for NAIFA-West Virginia's 2013 State Convention!
 

Grow Your Business 
THURSDAY, MAY 16TH  &  FRIDAY, MAY 17TH, 2013
 Room Block: May 16 and 17, 2013
Embassy Suites Hotel
300 Court Street ~ Charleston, WV 25301
www.EmbassySuitesCharlestonWV.com 

 


* The Embassy Suites Hotel has reserved a block of suites at the rate of $134.00/single, $144.00/double, $154.00/triple, and $164.00/quad.
 
* To reserve a suite at this rate, please make your reservation beginning on 3/27/2013 by calling 1-800-EMBASSY or 304-347-8700, or go online to www.embassysuitescharlestonwv.com.   After 4/23/2013 the rooms will no longer be available at the rate listed above.   Please note that the Embassy website details points of interest in the Charleston area.
 
* You must use the "AIF" 3-letter code name when making reservations in order to receive the discounted rate.   Online you will enter this "AIF" 3-letter code in the group/convention code space. 
 
* Check-In time is 4:00 PM and Check-Out time is 12:00 PM.  Requests for early arrival, late departure, room type or floor assignments cannot be guaranteed.  Reservations must be cancelled by 4:00 PM the day of arrival to avoid charges.
 
* The complimentary breakfast is available Weekdays 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM and Weekends 7:00 AM - 10:30 AM.  The breakfast includes a made-to-order omelet station along with your favorite breakfast items.
 
* Join us for the Manager's Reception from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM each evening.  This includes complimentary cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks.
 
* Embassy Suites offers a complimentary shuttle to and from Yeager Airport.  Also available is an indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool and exercise facility and a 24-hour business center.
 
Embassy Suites Hotel, 300 Court Street, Charleston, WV  25301
www.EmbassySuitesCharlestonWV.com
Telephone: 304-347-8700 ~ Fax: 304-345-8276

    
  
NAIFA-Charleston
   
West Virginia Offices of the Insurance CommissionerWest Virginia Producer Continuing Education Reporting Period Change

The West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner has changed its continuing education biennium for a producer from a set date ending on June 30 biennially to each producer's license renewal/expiration date. This change was to bring West Virginia into compliance with the NAIC uniformity and reciprocity requirements, which were promulgated under the requirements of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Pub.L. 106-102, 113 Stat. 1338).
 
The previous continuing education compliance period required producers to be in compliance with the biennium that ended this past June 30, 2012. Going forward, your continuing education requirement will be converted to a new continuing education compliance period and continuing education will coincide with the renewal/expiration date of your license. Producers who were required to be in compliance with the 7/1/2010 - 6/30/2012 continuing education biennium will not be required to be compliant with continuing education by their next renewal but rather, by the end of the following renewal.
 
For example, if your continuing education was due this past 6/30/2012 and your license expires on 12/31/2013, your continuing education is not due upon the next renewal date of your license but rather your continuing education will be due the end of the following renewal which would be 12/31/2015 . The license term and continuing education compliance period will run concurrently. Therefore, after this next initial renewal, the expiration date indicated on the license will also be the deadline for completing continuing education. From the date of expiration of the license and noncompliance with continuing education, a producer has one year to obtain compliance by completing the necessary paperwork and paying penalties.
 
Sixty days prior to the expiration date, notice will be mailed as a reminder of the continuing education requirement. Renewal of your license will also be due at this time and will not be accepted if your continuing education is not completed.
 
West Virginia's compliance requirement remains the same, a producer must complete 24 hours of continuing education every biennium and of those credits, at least 3 must be from courses categorized as Ethics.
 
To learn more about continuing education for West Virginia producers, please go to www.wvinsurance.gov, Agent Licensing, Agent Licensing Forms, Continuing Education Links.
 
To view your transcript, go to www.Sircon.com, select Lookup Education Courses/credits, select Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry.
 
Should you have questions, you may contact the Agent Licensing Division at 304-558-0610.

How to check you CE credits with Sircon

Go to www.sircon.com
    
1. Once you access the site, go to the top left box under the Quick Start tab and select "Look Up Education Courses and Credits."
2. Under "Inquiries," click on "Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry."
3. Select "West Virginia," then "Continue."
4. Enter your NPN number and your last name in lowercase letters and click "Submit."
5. Your account will be displayed for the "Current Compliance Period."
 
You must complete 24 hours of CE prior to June 30, 2012 to keep your WV Insurance License, including a minimum of 3 Hours Ethics courses and 4 hours of LTC credits in order to be able to sell LTC insurance.
 
All paid NAIFA-WV members as of 6/30/12 will receive 2 hours CE credits for their NAIFA Membership.  All agents may carry forward up to 6 hours CE credits in excess of the 24-hour requirement each biennium.
 
It is your responsibility to verify that all applicable CE credits have been submitted to Sircon.  Be sure to keep your CE Completion Certificates on file.

  
NAIFA-Charleston 
 
NAIFA Managers Membership AwardNAIFA Managers Membership Award:
Connecting You to the Recognition You Deserve!

NAIFA's Managers Membership Award recognizes organizations that support a strong financial services industry by investing in NAIFA and its efforts. Life, health and multiline agencies and financial groups are eligible to receive this award by ensuring that a certain percentage of their agents, based on the organization's size, are NAIFA members.
 
Organizations will be recognized in numerous ways for their achievement including recognition in NAIFA publications, on the NAIFA website and at the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting. Additionally, winners will receive recognition at LAMP, GAMA International's annual meeting and in the GAMA International Journal.
 
Managers Membership Award recipients also receive a certificate to display, a congratulatory letter from the national presidents of NAIFA and GAMA International, a commemorative lapel pin and a gift from the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE) to honor this special achievement.
 
For complete requirements and 2013 Managers Membership Award application, please visit www.naifa.org/mma
 
  
NAIFA-Charleston 
 
NAIFA Member Benefit of the Month:
Errors and Omissions (E&O) Coverage

CalSurance 

The NAIFA-endorsed Professional Liability Insurance Program is made available exclusively to NAIFA Members by CalSurance Associates, a division of Brown & Brown of California, Inc. This new program brings new and improved policy coverage, added services, online applications, a fresh underwriting perspective and an expanded marketing outreach program to NAIFA members.
  
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS.
  
NOW AVAILABLE!
  
The NAIFA Risk Management/Loss Control Seminar - a FREE online risk management course that can save you 10% over the next three policy terms. (As referred to on your E&O application)
 
Click HERE for more information and to register.
  
For a comprehensive list of all of the benefits of NAIFA membership, please click HERE.

   
NAIFA-Charleston
 
 
Thom Stevens
Health Care Highlights

   
Hi, I'm Thom Stevens, NAIFA - West Virginia Lobbyist and Editor of Health Care Highlights.
 
CLICK HERE FOR OUR CURRENT ISSUE AND ARCHIVE.
 
25th Anniversary  
 
We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of our unique health care publication and this year we welcome communications expert Andy Wessels to our team.
 
Our newsletter reaches more than 5,000 health professionals and health policy makers. Health Care Highlights is your best source for West Virginia Legislative and Governmental health information!  
 
 
NAIFA-West Virginia
 
IFAPAC: Get off the Bench and Get in the Game 
 
All hands are on deck to ensure that our business climate does not suffer from tax reform. Please ask yourself this question:
   
"How much would I be willing to spend to protect my career?"
   
Contribute Today!Is the protection of your livelihood worth $5,000 a year to you? $500? $50?
   
NAIFA's Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee (IFAPAC) is a critical component of NAIFA's advocacy strategy. The ability to pool resources and contribute in a meaningful way to political campaigns on the state and national level is extremely crucial, as it helps to gain access to these legislators down the road. By law, your membership dues cannot be used to make political contributions - you must make a separate monetary donation to help make a difference.
   
Can you start today with a contribution of $10/month? For more information about IFAPAC and to contribute securely online, please click HERE.
 
 
NAIFA-Charleston
 

 

Bill Cates
4 Quick Tips to Becoming More Referable
By Bill Cates
President of Referral Coach International
 
At our Referral Boot Camp, we spend a good bit of time on your referability. Most financial professionals are not as referable as they think they are or as they need to be to garner a lot of great referrals.
 
Here is a little checklist of sorts to make sure you're doing all you can do:
 
1. Client Goals
Not only should you know your client's financial goals, but I think it helps to know all - or most - of the life's goals. Since money intersects every aspect of one's life, understanding their many goals can help you become a better financial advisor.  I also think it's a good idea to check in with them about their goals - financial and otherwise - from time to time. It shows that you care about them and may find some adjustments that need to be made in their plan. For instance, when I was doing this with my accountant (not my main financial advisor, but a key member of the team) and he found out I was hoping to sell my business some day, he immediately had me switch my corporation from a C Corp. to a subchapter S - for tax purposes.  Had he not known of this goal, I might have faced a double taxation situation at the sale.
 
2. Meeting Agendas
When planning your agenda for your client meeting, get their agenda items prior to the meeting. First, this will make sure you have time to review what they perceive as most pressing. Second, if they come with one or more items you didn't expect, it could blow out your agenda. Get the agenda set, as best you can, before the meeting.
 
3. Taking Notes?
Take notes during your meetings, but be careful it's not a distraction. I've always thought that taking notes while someone was speaking to me was a sign to them that I'm listening. However, taking notes often reduces eye contact and can even act as a distraction. So what's the alternative? One successful financial advisor, Kiernan O'Conner, likes to listen to his clients first, and then demonstrate he's heard them by writing some notes and speaking out what he's writing at the same time. This way the can correct him if he heard something wrong or they weren't clear.
 
4. Summary Letters or Emails
Send summary letters or emails. I'm working with a Leadership Accountability Coach - Alan Dobzinski. He's helping me become a better leader for my staff. One on his habits is to send me a summary email within 48 hours of our meeting. This does several things: shows me he's listening; allows for mistakes to be caught before it's too late; and shows attention to detail on my behalf. All of this leads to more trust. More trust, of course, leads to client loyalty and referrals.
 
Bonus Tip (No Extra Charge)
 
Get written permission from your 'A' clients to cc their CPA or other trusted advisors. This will help build your referability with those other professionals.
 
Of course, there's a lot more to client loyalty than just these 4 items.  I'll continue to bring you ideas on this important topic in future referral tips.

 
Bill Cates is the author of "Get More Referrals Now!" and "Don't Keep Me a Secret!" and will be a keynote speaker at the 2013 NAIFA-West Virginia State Convention. To receive Bill's complimentary newsletter and to learn more about how he might help you acquire more and better clients through referrals, go to www.ReferralCoach.com.
 
 
NAIFA-Charleston 
CONNECTIONS THAT COUNT!
 
NAIFA - West Virginia
 
For more information about the National Association of Insurance and
Financial Advisors - West Virginia, contact John Pauley, CLU, ChFC, CLTC
at (304) 345-4343 or e-mail [email protected].
 
Visit NAIFA-West Virginia's website at www.naifawv.org.
 
IT PAYS TO BELONG!