Insurance Agent Trade Associations - AHIA etc.

[newmindfashion]

Hi guys and girls,
Has anyone on the board joined any insurance agent associations/memberships such as AHIA, Independent Insurance Agents etc? Any advantages or perks to joining any of these groups? Always meant to look into this sooner but I get too busy for anything other than day to day business.

All thoughts welcome.

 

[somarco]

Years ago I was in NALU, the CLU Society and NAHU. I considered it mostly a waste of time & money. Could be different now. Last time I went to a NAHU meeting there were two kinds of people there.

Vendors and hot doggers.

The vendors were schmoozing heavily with folks they thought could throw business their way and ignoring all the rest of us.

The hot doggers were walking around with their Blue Tooth, constantly interrupting conversations to take another important call while responding to an email on their Crackberry.

Frankly, I get more from the carrier meetings where they roll out a new product line. Humana is having one next week to introduce their new low cost products.

I also get a lot from reading trade publications, both electronic & paper.

The social scene where folks are competing for face time is not my bag.

 

[J.R.]

Years ago I was in NALU, the CLU Society and NAHU. I considered it mostly a waste of time & money. Could be different now. Last time I went to a NAHU meeting there were two kinds of people there.

Vendors and hot doggers.

The vendors were schmoozing heavily with folks they thought could throw business their way and ignoring all the rest of us.

The hot doggers were walking around with their Blue Tooth, constantly interrupting conversations to take another important call while responding to an email on their Crackberry.

Frankly, I get more from the carrier meetings where they roll out a new product line. Humana is having one next week to introduce their new low cost products.

I also get a lot from reading trade publications, both electronic & paper.

The social scene where folks are competing for face time is not my bag.

What trade publications do you like and recommend Bob?

 

[BKrocko]

Frankly, I get more from the carrier meetings where they roll out a new product line. Humana is having one next week to introduce their new low cost products.

Bob - I posted a statement about Humana maternity coverage here but decided to start a new thread on Humana. I do not want to divert the origional thread here.

 

[David C]

I guess it all depends on the local membership, but I find that our local NAIFA meetings are a good investment for me.

We do a golf tournament every year to benefit a battered ladies shelter, we've done college scholorships, and other things through the years.

We've had our state insurance commissioner, great speakers, and continuing ed providers.

I shoot leads to other members and they do the same for me.

NAIFA's magazine, Advisor Today is the best of 5 or 6 industry magazines I subscribe to.

 

[J.R.]

I guess it all depends on the local membership, but I find that our local NAIFA meetings are a good investment for me.

We do a golf tournament every year to benefit a battered ladies shelter, we've done college scholorships, and other things through the years.

We've had our state insurance commissioner, great speakers, and continuing ed providers.

I shoot leads to other members and they do the same for me.

NAIFA's magazine, Advisor Today is the best of 5 or 6 industry magazines I subscribe to.

Would you mind sharing with the rest of us what the other 5 magazines are you like?

 

[WBunch]

I personally think that professional associations are great. I am a member of NAIFA and I'm our Local President. I'm also a member of the CLU Society and the NOLA Financial Planners Group. In addition to those I'm a member of the MDRT Mentor Team. I feel NAIFA is one of the most important groups b/c the work we do there insures that we agents have jobs and things are fair for our clients. Now that the all mighty Democrats and their lovely entitlement programs are always looking for ways to pay for those programs i.e. taxing cash value in WL, UL, and Annuities and wanting to tax Death Benefit. They already had a hand in changing the 403(b) regs, one in particular that automatically converts a 403(b) to an IRA after the teacher retires....Why you ask...B/C a teacher can for ever access that money through loans and as long as they pay it back there are no taxes...Uncle Sam wants his money...That is why NAIFA is so important and if anyone thinks otherwise then I question their loyalty to their clients and the industry.

 

[WBunch]

Oh the Industry rags I like are The Advisor Today, Registered Rep, Investment Advisor, National Underwriter, Financial Planning, and Financial Advisor. I also read the WSJ, Financial Times and Barron's..

 

[James]

There was a great article of DI in Playboy some time ago, oh I guess that is not what you are looking for?

 

[somarco]

Brokers World is good. That is the only paid subscription. The rest are complimentary.