On this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing our upcoming Agency Leadership Webinar, the second round of We're All In Small Business Grants and how COVID-19 is impacting U.S. homeowners.

Agency Leadership Webinar Series: State and Federal Election Preview

Join us tomorrow at 10 a.m. as IIAW Government Affairs, Misha Lee and IIABA's Charles Symington give us a preview of the state and federal election. You'll get a peek at some of the election predictions and how those may affect the industry. 

We're All In Small Business Grant

Applications are now open through November 2 for the second round of We're All In Small Business Grants. The grants are available to all eligible small businesses, including those who have previously received the first round of We're All In Grants from WEDC. Priority will be given to businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, such as restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services. 

Eligibility requirements: 

• be a Wisconsin-based, for-profit business; 

• in 2019, have had 75% or more of company labor costs in Wisconsin and 75% of their assets in Wisconsin; 

• earn more than $0 and less than $1 million in annual revenue (gross sales and receipts); 

• have started operating prior to Jan. 1, 2020 (seasonal businesses should use the highest total FTEs employed during the season); and 

• have filed their 2019 taxes.

To apply, visit revenue.wi.gov. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 2. 

New Study Reveals COVID-19 Impact on U.S. Homeowners

A new study from Hippo Insurance and SimpliSafe has found that most Americans (78%) feel a deep lack of security concerning their current situation while over a third (39%) are far more insecure about their financial situation than they were at the beginning of the year. 

According to NU Property Casualty 360, "More than half of homeowners in the U.S. (55%) say the importance of protecting their financial value of their home is more pressing today than when they first bought their house. The study also revealed two in five American homeowners (42%) indicate that they will spend more time at home compared to last year, even when economies reopen following the pandemic. With all this time spent at home, it makes sense that 57% of homeowners prioritized home improvement during the first three months of COVID-19 crisis and continue to place an emphasis on making their homes a place where they want to stay."

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter   Big I Buzz.   If you aren't subscribed, click    here     to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

On this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing the new Emergency Order from Gov. Evers, frequently asked questions about the new order limiting mass gatherings to 25% and a reminder about our next Agency Leadership Webinar Series. 

Gov. Tony Evers' Administration Limits Capacity to Bars, Restaurants and Stores to 25% as Virus Surges

On Tuesday, October 6th, Gov. Tony Evers directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-Designee, Andrea Palm, to issue Emergency Order #3 limiting public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building's total occupancy. You can learn more about the full order and the list of exemptions here. The directive takes effect at 8 a.m. on October 8th, 2020 and will remain in effect until November 6th. This order applies to any gatherings at locations that are open to the public such as stores, restaurants and other businesses that allow public entry, as well as spaces with ticketed events, according to the Press Release. 

Receive alerts as soon as they come in with the IIAW Text Alerts. Text IIAW to 833-384-0094 to subscribe. 

 Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Order #3, Limiting Public Gatherings

In addition to their press release limiting mass gatherings to no more than 25% of a room or building's total occupancy, the Office of the Governor also released a FAQ page on the new order. Below are some questions from the FAQ: 

• What does the order prohibit? The order prohibits large groups of people from gathering in indoor spaces that are open to the public (unless an exception applies). The order prohibits groups larger than 25% of the indoor room's occupancy, as determined by the local municipality. A place is open to the public if it is accessible to the general public, such as stores, restaurants, bars or ticketed events. 

• Does the order apply to outdoor spaces or events? No, the order only applies to indoor spaces. The order does not apply to outdoor areas, such as park shelters, outdoor dining areas or playgrounds. 

• Does the order apply to weddings?The order applies to indoor, non-religious weddings or receptions that are open to the public. The order does not apply to private wedding ceremonies or receptions, religious wedding ceremonies or outdoor weddings or receptions. 

• Who is exempted from the order?

- Child care settings, before and after school programs, virtual learning support programs and other child welfare locations listed in the order

- 4K-12 schools

- Colleges and universities

- Health care and public health operations

- Human services operations, such as long-term care and assisted living facilities

- Public infrastructure operations, such as food processing and production facilities, airports, construction projects and public transportation

- State and local government operations and facilities

- Religious events, political events, demonstrations and other events with protected First Amendment speech

- State facilities under the control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court on the Wisconsin Legislature

- Federal facilities under the control of the federal government. 

Read more of the FAQ here. 

Agency Leadership Webinar Series - State and Federal Election Preview 

Join us on October 22nd at 10 a.m. for our second installment of our Agency Leadership Webinar Series. We'll be discussing a preview of the state and federal election. Lee Government Relations is a Wisconsin-based, multi-client lobbying firm specializing in influencing public policy to directly to the needs of the Independent Agents of Wisconsin. Misha is one of Wisconsin's top-respected, connected and effective lobbyist. He has experience dealing with all faces of Wisconsin state government and can open doors to top leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature, Office of the Governor, and state agencies attached to the Executive Branch. Register for the State and Federal Election Preview Webinar here. 

 For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter  Big I Buzz.   If you aren't subscribed, click   here   to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

In this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing the new Emergency Order from Governor Evers, the cost of damage from violence in Kenosha and the USDA's plans for $14B more in virus relief for farmers. 

Governor Evers Issues New Public Health Emergency Due to Campus Outbreaks, Issues New Face Coverings Order

On September 22nd, Governor Tony Evers extended the statewide mask mandate with a new COVID-19 emergency order. Originally, the first mask mandate in Wisconsin was set to expire at the on Monday, September 28th. Now, his new order will extend the mask mandate through November 21, effective immediately and remains in place for 60 days or until a superseding order is passed. 

Damage from Violence In Kenosha, Wisconsin, Tops $11M

According to Kenosha, Wisconsin's fire chief, damage from the unrest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake has now topped $11 million. According to the Kenosha News Fire Chief Charles Leipzig told commissioners, "To put it into context, that's three years of fire loss for us in the span of about a week." Read more here. 

USDA Plans $14B More in Virus Relief for Farmers

On September 18th the U.S. Department of Agriculture released details of its plan to provide "financial assistance that will give producers the ability to absorb increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic", according to Insurance Journal. The first mention of the aid came during President Donald Trump's speech in Wisconsin on Thursday, September 17th. During his speech he promised favorable trade and and regulatory changes, as well as tax cuts. According to Insurance Journal, "Much of the additional money will come in direct payments for crops that meet a specified threshold of price delicne. This includes corn, soybeans, wheat and some cotton. Chicken, eggs, milk, beef cattle, pigs and lambs will also be covered, as will tobacco, wool, alfalfa, oats, peanuts, rice and hemp. The program places a payment cap of $250,000 per person or farm entity for all commodities combined. Gross income can't be more than $900,000, unless at least 75% or more of their income is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities." Read more about the financial assistance plan here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter Big I Buzz.   If you aren't subscribed, click   here  to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

Happy Wednesday, we hope that everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend. In this week's Big I Buzz, we discuss a new study finding that agents can do more to service their clients' needs, Amazon getting FAA approval to deliver packages via drones and an insurance company who claims to be the first with a work from home discount.

Insurance Company Claims to be the First With a Work From Home Discount

Elephant Insurance, based in Virginia, has announced to offer its policyholders and their spouses discounts for driving less during the pandemic. According to Insurance Business, "In a move that the direct-to-consumer insurance company claims is a national first, the Admiral Group company doesn't require any telematics devices, just a statement explaining the number of days that their customers now work without commuting to the office." The new discount scheme will start in Indiana and Tennessee from October 14, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, Texas and Virginia for policy renewals after October 19th, according to Insurance Business. Learn more here.

Amazon Gets FAA Approval to Deliver Packages By Drone

The Federal Aviation Administration officially designated Amazon an "air carrier" on Monday, paving the way for Amazon to start testing its plans to drop off packages within 30 minutes, according to the New York Post. Amazon will begin testing customer deliveries for packages under 5 pounds with drones. According to the New York Post, "For Amazon to effectively rely on drones for regular deliveries, it must be able to pre-program the drone's routes and let them fly without human pilots watching their every move, but US regulations don't currently allow for completely autonomous flights, Bloomberg reported. The FAA would also have to develop a new air-traffic system to track low-altitude drone flights, as well as come up with rules to minimize the risk of drones striking other aircraft and disturbing human activity below." Read more about Amazon's move to deliver via drones here. 

Agents Could Do More to Service Clients' Needs, Study Finds

A study from Nationwide's largest Agent Authority research surveyed 2,600 U.S. independent insurance agents, small-business owners, mid-market business owners, mid-market business owners with fleet vehicles and general consumers between June 9 and June 25 to understand what business owners and consumers value in their insurance relationships. The survey revealed there's a perception gap in the value agents believe they are bringing to their customers, according to Property Casualty 360. According to the article, "In one example, 95 percent of insurance agents said they are always there when their clients need them, but only 79% of customers felt the same. Similarly, 94% of agents reported they are regularly checking in with their customers; however, only 69% of customers said they receive sufficient check-ins from their agent."The survey also found that there's a need for expertise in the following lines of business, in addition to property and casualty support: 

"•26% of consumers want guidance on retirement planning

• 39% of small-business owners want help with business interruption or disaster planning

• 35% of small-business owners are interested in safety and loss control resources

• 18% of small-business consumers want information on cybersecurity and retirement," according to Property Casualty 360. Read more about the study and its findings here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter Big I Buzz.  If you aren't subscribed, click here  to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

Happy Wednesday! This week we are discussing our upcoming webinar series, traffic tickets raising car insurance rates and Progressive's pet insurance benefit for employers through PetsBest. 

Agency Leadership Webinar Series

Tune into our Agency Leadership Webinar Series starting October 1st. Our webinar series is a free member benefit. 

Thursday, October 1 at 10 a.m. - Impact of COVID-19 on the Insurance Industry

Thursday, October 22 at 10 a.m. - State and Federal Election Preview

Tuesday, November 10 at 10 a.m. - State of the Current Economy & the Next 5 Years

Friday, December 4 at 10 a.m. - E&O Claim Trends

Tuesday, January 19 at 10 a.m. - Agency Technology

See the schedule, register for the webinars and learn more about the featured speakers here. 

Common Traffic Tickets That Raise Car Insurance Rates the Most

Certain traffic tickets may not cost much, but the impact on insurance premiums can be significant. According to The Zebra (a leading insurance comparison site and independent source for industry resource and consumer education), "Drivers who get ticketed for forgetting to turn on their lights pay an average of $68 more per year for car insurance than drivers without any violations on their record. Drivers who get a ticket for speeding in a school zone will see an average insurance increase of $342 per year." 

Here are some of the riskiest tickets that can more than double an existing auto premium: 

Reckless Driving - Average rate increase of 67 percent

Driving with a Suspended License - Average rate increase of 67.4 percent

Refusing a Breathalyzer - Average rate increase of 69.8 percent

DUI - Average rate increase of 71 percent

Racing - Average rate increase of 73.1 percent

Hit and run - Average rate increase of 78.3 percent

Read more here. 

Progressive Teams with PetsBest for New Pet Insurance Benefit

"Progressive has offered consumer pet insurance plans to dogs and cats owners through PetsBest through 2009. Now, Progressive is using that offering as a springboard as they enter the voluntary benefits market for the first time. new employer clients will be able to offer a pet insurance benefit through Progressive." according to Employee Benefit Adviser. Learn more about the pet insurance benefit through Progressive and its partnership with PetsBest here. 

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter Big I Buzz. If you aren't subscribed, click here to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week!