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Helping you help your customers
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Speakers Bureau member Scott Wagner from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, regularly talks to agents about
insurance crimes. NW Insurance Council is expanding its reach to include seniors and bilingual groups. |
Speakers Bureau reaching a variety of audiences
Communicating accurate, timely information to community groups and businesses is an effective way to
help Northwest residents better understand the value of insurance and gain a stronger appreciation for their insurance companies.
NW Insurance
Council’s Speakers Bureau, a network of insurance professionals that spans Washington and Oregon, is spreading the word at the community
level. We also are laying the groundwork to expand the Speakers Bureau into Idaho this year.
High schools have been the most popular
venue for speakers over the years. Teaching young adults how insurance works and helping them understand the need to protect their finances has been a key emphasis to shaping responsible consumers.
Now, the Speakers Bureau is reaching out to many new audiences, including hispanic groups, associate members and home
school associations.
Carl Angell, a retired Allstate Insurance agent and a 26-year member of the Speaker’s Bureau,
recently teamed with Whatcom Dream, a nonprofit organization that provides financial literacy classes. Angell jumped at the opportunity to
practice his bi-lingual skills by speaking to a group of Hispanic adults about car insurance.
“I think it helps when you talk to an
entire group of Hispanic-speaking people, because you then have a common language. They engaged in the discussion,” Angell said. “One
participant asked about driving with just a green card. I pulled out my driver’s license and said ‘Without one of these, you
should not be behind the wheel of a car.’”
Angell also spoke to an audience of young mothers recently, again through Whatcom
Dream. His presentation focused on how consumers can keep insurance costs low.
Walt Isler, an account executive for Parker, Smith & Feek,
Inc. and a specialist in insuring contractors recently spoke to construction safety officers during an Evergreen Safety Council Construction Safety
Specialist Certification class. Isler discussed risk management principles and trends.
The NW Insurance Council staff also participates
in speaking engagements. Casey Klaviter, NW Insurance Council’s regional director for Oregon and Idaho, has delivered presentations to both
insurance and firefighting organizations in Oregon over the past few months.
Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president, presented a speech
entitled “The Role of Earthquake Insurance in Economic Recovery” at the National Earthquake Conference held in Seattle in April.
Newman also presented “Changing the Public Image of Insurance” to several insurance organizations.
Speakers not only help people
understand insurance, but also help shape the image of the industry. Over the years Angell said he has given more than 1,000 speeches to the public.
“If we’re not telling the story who will,” Angell said. “If we don’t get the message out, the media
will… then we get kicked, then we have to react.”
For more information about the NW Insurance Council’s Speakers Bureau
or to request a speaker, please call (800) 664-4942, email to info@nwinsurance.org, or visit www.nwinsurance. |
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