January 6, 2003

AgentSecure Receives Exclusive Marketing Endorsement From 1,000-Member Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West

California-Based IBA West Ranks Among Nation’s Largest State/Regional Associations of Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers

FORT WORTH, Texas (January 6, 2003) – AgentSecure, a division of InsureZone that provides agents with online access to big-brand property/casualty and life products through a single-entry, multiple-carrier interface (SEMCI), today announced that it has been exclusively endorsed by IBA West Service Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West (IBA West).

The latter is one of the nation’s largest regional trade associations representing insurance brokers and independent insurance agents. IBA West Service Corp. focuses on the development of strategic partnerships to provide products and services that help strengthen the business position of IBA West members.

IBA West Service Corp. thus becomes the 34th state or regional affiliate of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) to endorse AgentSecure as its preferred small commercial program for smaller and rural member-agencies. IBA West’s membership rolls include nearly 1,000 firms employing more than 15,000 insurance professionals in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

IBA West member-firms range in size from one-person agencies to brokerages that rank among the world’s largest. Nearly all of IBA West’s more than 600 smaller and rural member-agencies are located in California.

“AgentSecure will give IBA West members in rural and suburban areas the ability to offer outstanding small commercial products from the best known names in the property/casualty field,” said Clark Payan, president of Oakland, Calif.-based IBA West Service Corp. “We scrutinize prospective business partners very thoroughly, and all our due diligence indicates that AgentSecure is the best small commercial solution out there – based on the breadth of its overall offering, the user-friendliness of its online application and the speed and reliability of its technology platform.”

Many rural and suburban agents need access to additional carriers, but cannot meet the premium volume requirements for direct appointment. The problem has been compounded by the dramatic hardening of the commercial property/casualty markets that has occurred in recent years. For these smaller agents and their customers, AgentSecure can serve as a lifeline to the top-rated national property/casualty carriers.

Participating agents are exempt from carrier premium volume commitments, yet still earn commissions commensurate with industry standards. The lineup of small commercial products includes Businessowners Policy, Commercial Auto, Umbrella Liability, Directors and Officers (D&O), Builders Risk, Errors and Omissions (E&O) and Bonds. More than 1,900 small-business classes are supported.

“This endorsement is very noteworthy because of IBA West’s size and influence with its membership,” said Ed Gillman, founder and president of AgentSecure. “By the same token, AgentSecure will help IBA West Service Corp by significantly expanding the range of services it can offer to IBA West members and potential members.”

About InsureZone
InsureZone's AgentSecure™, BrokerSecure™ and SBSecure™ divisions make it possible for small-business owners nationwide to quickly and easily purchase insurance from their most trusted source, using any style of transaction they prefer - from a traditional face-to-face encounter across an insurance agent's desk, to a completely automated online experience with little or no human intervention. An independent insurance agency, InsureZone partners with other agents and brokers, as well as financial institutions and Web portals, to provide small-business customers with multi-channel access to multiple quotes and insurance products from top-rated carriers. The InsureZone solution also includes a Web-enabled Customer Contact Center that delivers personalized, expert advice in real time from licensed agents using instant callback, real-time online chat, e-mail or fax. InsureZone is powered by the scalable, XML-based MarketSecure™ technology platform. For more information, visit www.insurezone.com, or call 1/866-INSZONE (467-9663).

return to top