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Issue 3 2009

Clients Cutting Costs? Be Part Of The SolutionIn today’s economy, clients are looking to cut costs anywhere they can, and insurance is often targeted as a big line item in the budget. As a result, many are asking their agents to shop around for the low-cost provider and find options that will save money. Those requests can be a challenge, but they’re also a great chance to step up as a resource.

800.652.9515 www.truckers-insurance.com

In This Issue:

Truckers Insurance Associates, Inc. operates under the name TIA Truckers Insurance Associates, Inc. in the state of Texas and as Truckers Insurance Agency Associates in the state of Michigan.

Here are a few ways you can add value:

• Caution against knee-jerk reactions. Educate your clients about what they need and why so they can make smart decisions.

• Explain the potential consequences of reducing or eliminating coverages. Managing insurance expenses shouldn’t mean exposing their business — or yours — to serious risks.

• Look at the whole book of business. You may find additional discounts or better options to maximize savings.

• Make the connection between costs and benefits. Showing how your recommendations work for the client’s best interests positions you as a partner and an advocate.

Remember, every time a client looks to you for new solutions, you have an opportunity to strengthen the relationship. In the end, your big-picture thinking will position you as an advocate and advisor that clients can count on.

FMCSA Enforces Minimum Insurance Requirements For “Hazardous Materials” Motor CarriersAs you keep your clients informed and make sure they are properly covered, here’s an area to keep in mind. The FMCSA requires motor carriers to maintain minimum levels of insurance; higher minimum limits if they transport items considered hazardous materials. Depending on the classification and type of packaging, minimum liability insurance requirements for hazardous material haulers may be between $1 million and $5 million.

This April, more than 12,000 motor carriers received a non-compliance letter from the FMCSA requesting immediate compliance, which prompted some insureds to inquire about insurance filing limits and how to change them.

Items now considered “hazardous materials” by the FMCSA include internal combustion engines, self-propelled vehicles, mechanical equipment containing internal combustion engines, and battery-powered vehicles and equipment. So, for instance, lawn mowers and golf carts could now be considered “hazardous commodities,” and hauling them may require a $1 million liability limit.

If your clients require a change to their insurance filing limit, please contact your Account Manager at 800-652-9515.

www.truckers-insurance.com 800.652.9515

Northland Calendar Photo ContestHave a photo that captures life on the road for a trucker? It could be part of the 2010 Northland Calendar. Examples include scenes from America’s highways, truck stops and other places of interest, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and characters you meet along the way.

The contest is open to anyone. Photos must have been taken between January 1 and August 15, 2009. Three winning photos will be chosen for the calendar, and the winners will receive $100 each. The entry deadline is August 15, 2009.

To enter, just e-mail your high-resolution digital photo file to jhonda@northlandins.com, or mail your negatives to Northland Insurance Company, Attn.: Northland Calendar Photo Contest (9275-SB03N), 385 Washington St., St. Paul, MN 55102.

What is the CSA 2010 initiative?

Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety. The goal is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities by identifying

drivers and motor carriers that pose safety problems and intervening to change unsafe behavior early. Implementation is expected to begin in summer 2010.

More details will follow in the coming months, but here’s a quick overview. When CSA 2010 rolls out, the Safety Measurement System (SMS) will replace SafeStat. Every month, SMS will measure the previous two years of roadside violation and crash data and calculate a score in seven safety behavior areas, called BASICs (Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories). Recent roadside violations and violations that correlate most with crashes will be weighted more heavily than others. SMS will then rank carriers’ scores relative to their peers to determine which entities have specific safety problems.

Ask The Expert

800.652.9515 www.truckers-insurance.com

Answers: 1. B ; 2. A

1. The average daily run for an

over-the-road driver is nearly:

A. 750 miles

B. 500 miles

C. 350 miles

Truckers Time-Out2. Trucking is the first freight industry to widely use

advanced diesel engine emission control systems.

Engines manufactured in 2007 emit ___ percent less

soot and 50 percent less smog-forming compounds

than previous engines.

A. 90

B. 60

C. 30

Agent Tip: 5 Selling Strategies For Today’s Market

1 Use the situation to your advantage. Tough times call for Plan B, so be proactive. Look for opportunities where you haven’t before and try a different approach to make the most of them.

2 Build internal relationships, too. Client relationships are critical, but you’ll go even further if the people you work with are your allies and support one another’s success.

3 Be essential to your clients. Make them count on you so much it would be impossible to do business with anyone else.

4 You’re never finished selling. How you maintain the relationship after the sale is just as important as the sale itself.

5 You’re never finished learning. Relationship-building is a skill you can study, so read up. One recommendation: The Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness by Jeffrey Gitomer.

From The Front SeatWhen it comes to service, it’s not what we say, but what we do that really matters — and we want to make sure we’re doing our best for you. What do you need? How can we help? We’re listening. Right now, we’re taking our own advice, focusing on the people, like you, that we do business with, and evaluating how we can better meet your needs. Every customer’s business is important to us, and we want to continue earning it, by providing you — every day — with the kind of service you can’t get and won’t get anywhere else. Competition can be tough in our business, especially now, but you don’t have to sacrifice good service to get the product and price you need. Call us today and let us know what we can do for you.

Gary Albaugh CEO, Truckers Insurance Associates

P.O. Box 1494Des Moines, IA 50305

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