Paying Homage to Andy Rooney

I have always loved 60 Minutes commentator Andy Rooney’s essays. So, I was saddened to hear of his passing on November 4. Rooney was 92 when he died, and he worked hard right up to the last month of his life, which ended just three weeks after his last television appearance. Many independent agents, including myself, could relate to Mr. Rooney and his writing—his strong work ethic and equally strong sense of right and wrong shined through his curmudgeonly persona with great humor. He was a child of the golden generation, having worked as a reporter during World War II. Rooney was willing to stand up to Goliaths when he knew they were wrong; he was willing to point out when the Davids of the world were mistaken as well. This column is written in his style as my way of paying homage to him.

Did you ever notice that it’s harder nowadays to be a professional, independent agent? I have.

What ever happened to our company partners, who would come to our offices and ask us how they could help us? I recently received an e-mail from one of our agency’s major insurance carriers, which was labeled, “An important notice regarding your contract.” I opened the email and it gave me a special code and I had to use the last four digits of my Social Security number to get to their website. In it were the figures for my new supplemental factor for the coming year. I know that as soon as I opened the e-mail the carrier knew I had been notified. No marketing representative called to explain the report or the company’s plan for the coming year; I guess this company assumes the agents are on their own to determine their numbers without the aid of their “marketing team.” I miss the days when we were considered individuals, not just numbers by our carriers. It’s a shame that the personalization is being removed from the industry. I guess we are only as good as today. And, as they say in the Army, “We are all expendable.”

Now, I realize the marketing person’s job is to market the product for the company. I’m not naïve enough to think that marketing reps are going to deliver only good news to agents, but I expect to be treated like the professional I am. Remember the days when our marketing people would stop by the office and say, “I’ve got good news and bad news …?” We didn’t always like what the marketing rep had to say, but at least they were straight with us and worked with us in a mutually beneficial manner. Lately, all they want to know is: “How can you make more sales? We are not here to help you manage your business—just discuss the increase in sales.” What happened to building relationships? I wouldn’t be where I am today, but for the help of great marketing people. I guess those days are over.

I recently received an invitation from a carrier to attend an event. Remember the days when you’d receive a phone call, a hand-written note or a letter? Now, I get electronic invitations, or “evites.” When you answer the evite, it lists all the people who accepted and those who haven’t accepted yet. What a way to host an event—by embarrassing people into attending.

Here’s another problem: Have you noticed, underwriting flexibility is becoming a practice of the past? Once, underwriters were trained and respected by their carrier employers. As a result, those employers trusted their underwriters’ judgment. Nowadays, instead of informed decisions, we get mandates by the “home office.” The problem is that the home office is sometimes thousands of miles away from the market where an agent is selling coverage. If a carrier imposes a mandate and its underwriters execute it blindly (or simply lack the ability to use their own judgment and local knowledge), you get ridiculous decisions made about territories and coverages that make no sense at all. Just look at the coastal coverage situation on Long Island. Talented underwriters should be empowered by their carriers so that nobody is made to look ignorant— and more importantly—so that clients and potential clients receive good products and services. Oh for the good old days …

Remember the days when our biggest errors and omissions concerns were with the mistakes we made ourselves? Some days, when I look at everything my agency has to worry about, I feel like I’m in some sort of science fiction movie: We need to protect ourselves (and our clients) from identity theft, and institute privacy protections for thievery and malfeasance that were unimagined 30 or 40 years ago. If you had told me then that I would need to purchase and sell cyber-liability coverage for my business and to my clients, I would have asked you if you were filming an episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Speaking of sci-fi shows from the ‘50s, even the regulations to which we are subject seem out of this world nowadays. While the products we sell are important protections for individuals and society, insurance agents are restricted from traditional sales practices that have been accepted and proven for centuries. Meanwhile, the very politicians who imposed these regulations seem immune from consumer protections. I’m writing this article on Election day, and this past Sunday, which is supposed to be a day of rest, I received more than 30 robo-calls from politicians soliciting votes. I remember when family values, which so many politicians tout as keystones of their campaigns, included not interrupting someone’s Sunday dinner. Why aren’t politicians restricted from calling me at home? In honor of Andy Rooney, I’m going to vote for the candidate who called me the least.

Post Script:

While Andy Rooney helped shape our culture and will be missed, our own industry suffered another, personal loss this month. Thomas McDaniel died on Nov. 7. Thom founded Adirondack Insurance Exchange in 2006 and was its president and chief executive officer. He also was president of New Jersey Skylands Insurance. The two businesses collectively were known as the Tower Group Companies. He was a friend to the independent agency system, having met with PIA as recently as last year to discuss its new business on Long Island. Both Thom and Aaron Gruber were honored two years ago by the Long Island division of UJA and it was a pleasure to see Thom receive the well-deserved recognition. He will be sorely missed.