IIAT Members Advocate for Agents at the Big "I" Legislative Conference in D.C.

IIAT Chairman Gaylon Brown & his son Drew Brown

Don Barber, Chief of Staff; Congressman Jake Ellzey; Regan Ellmer

IIAT Board Member & State National Director Don Whitaker, Regan Ellmer, Texas State Senator Larry Taylor

IIAT Chair-Elect Mark Bridges, Board Member Tommy Dies, Cecil Bell

Regan Ellmer, Chair-Elect Mark Bridges, Board Member Tommy Dies, Board Member Christy Ross & Cecil Ross

Congressman Tony Gonzales, Pam & Dalton Chester, Regan Ellmer, IIAT Board Member & State National Director Don Whitaker

Lee Loftis, Drew Brown, Regan Ellmer, Mark Bridges, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Gaylon Brown, Don Whitaker, Scott West, Jim Drew

Last week, several IIAT members and staff attended IIABA’s annual Big “I” Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The IIAT representatives met with members of Congress and their staff to educate them on what an independent agent does, current federal legislation IIAT supports, and topics that the association would like to see addressed this year.

The Big I created an informative one-pager that summarizes the issues, which include:

• Maintaining small business tax fairness,
• Extending and reforming the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP),
• Advocating for legal protections for independent insurance agents,
• Protecting the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP),
• Safeguarding against future pandemics,
• Preserving employer-sponsored health insurance, and
• Defending state regulation of data security for insurance consumers.

In addition to visits on “the Hill,” attendees participated in breakout sessions covering the latest industry issues and trends. Indiana State Representative Matt Leman (an IIABA member) talked about telematics and insurance companies’ use of “big data.” He described how the DOI in Indiana denied an insurance company’s request for certain forms of data.

Legislators reinforced the value of using independent agents. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) talked about his personal relationship with his independent insurance agent, Big "I" Chairman Bob Fee. Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-Massachusetts) discussed the important impact small businesses, like IIAT member agencies, have on their local communities and the economy.

During his first Big "I" Legislative Conference, IIAT's Director of Government Affairs Regan Ellmer made crucial connections with pro-business legislators and their staff. And while networking with peers and IIABA members, he championed IMPACT, IIAT's political action committee.

Later this month, IIAT will launch a "$125 for 125 years" fundraising campaign to benefit IMPACT and commemorate IIAT's 125th anniversary. "My goal is to get members who have never been engaged with IMPACT to get involved and make a donation. If you want YOUR voice heard and YOUR financial way of life protected, YOU should contribute to IMPACT," said Regan.

Contact Regan Ellmer or click here to find out how IMPACT money is spent, who we support, or how to donate

Regan Ellmer

Director of Government Affairs

• 512-493-2454
• [email protected]