Association for Independent Agents

Mar 17

As We Head Into the Legislative Recess....

Erin Fosson on 3/17/2025 11:13 AM

The bulk of our work has concluded for the 2025 Session as the legislature has sent most of the bills they will address this session to the Governor for him to sign, veto, or let them become law without his signature.

Overall, it was a good session for insurance issues, seeing several key bills hit the Governor's Desk, including Big I's TOP PRIORITY Senate Bill 18, sponsored by Sen. Rick Girdler, to provide surplus lines carrier coverage as an option for used car dealer liability insurance. Thanks to Big I member Adam Sheridan for bringing us this issue and to Sen. Girdler and our Banking & Insurance Chairmen, Sen. Carpenter & Rep. Meredith for helping get this bill over the finish line!

Unfortunately, the same success did not become our other priority legislation for the session…PIP Reform. After passing the House for the first time ever, the bill stalled out in the Senate as it was unpopular with Senate Leadership. A big Thanks to Rep. Josh Bray, the bill sponsor, for his work on the issue and to the many legislators who pushed to get the bill as far as it did!

We would be remiss if we did not say a big THANK YOU to all of the Big I members who contacted their legislators in support of these bills this session! The relationships you have with legislators in your communities are a difference maker for Big I and the entire insurance industry in the hallways of the State Capitol. Thanks Again!

Passed/Alive/Not Moving
The bulk of our work has concluded for the 2025 Session. Obviously, we will remain vigilant for any late moving bills on the session's two final days after the recess. We have provided an update on bills of interest below, but please review your Big I bill list to make sure we have not missed a bill or amendment that is impactful to you.

Passed
HB 390 - M. Meredith - Adopts the IICMVA real-time insurance verification processes
HB 233 - W.Williams - Addresses fraudulent practices of contractors in an insurance claim situation
HB 19 - J. Hodgson - Restricts drone usage
HB 184 - M. Clines - Extends insurance regulatory sandbox/Adopts NAIC Safe Harbor on Netting
SB 18 - R. Girdler - Surplus lines for auto dealer liability
SB 63 - B. Storm - Allows off-highway vehicles access to roads/Insured as Motorcycles
SB 136 - J. Higdon - Electronic titling & lien legislation/Salvage Valuation reg language
SB 201 - P. Wheeler - Division of W/C ALJ governance reform/UPIKE B Readers/Audiologist
SB 183 - M.Nunn - Adds “proxy adviser" language

Alive
HB 20 - J. Hodgson - Restricts use of ALPRs
HB 188 - R. Duvall - Motor vehicle driveaway plates
HB 493 - S. Pollock - Regulation of towing companies

Not Moving
HB 416 - J. Bray - PIP Reform to apply workers comp fee schedule
HB 388 - T. Roberts - Allows litigation against corporate boards over ESG & DEI policies
HB 502 - M. Whitaker - Exemption from W/C 45-day billing
SB 185 - M. Nunn - Restricts use of ALPRs
SB 191 - P. Wheeler - Omnibus W/C reform bill
SB 123 - Sen. Adams - Matching - Senate B&I
SB 99 - D. Douglas - Hands-Free Legislation
HB 420 - L. Burke - W/C for first responders.
HB 166 - A. Tackett Laferty - Omnibus W/C Reforms
HB 413 - K. Moser - Point of Sale Pharmacy Rebates
SB 12 - S. Meredith - Point of Sale Pharmacy Rebates

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Mar 05

Automating the Mundane: 3 Tasks You Shouldn't Be Doing Manually

Erin Fosson on 3/5/2025 8:11 AM

Some parts of running an insurance agency are about as exciting as watching paint dry. Sure, the work is important, but does it have to be so tedious? No. No, it does not.

Automation is here, and it's not just for the big-budget agencies with IT teams who speak in code. It's for you, the independent agent who wants to focus on growing your book of business.

Here are three everyday tasks you can automate right now to reclaim your time and sanity.

1. Policy Comparisons: Because Your Brain Deserves a Break

You know the drill. A client sends over their current policy, and now it's on you to compare coverage details, limits, and endorsements across multiple carriers. This often means opening way too many browser tabs, cross referencing PDFs, and squinting at policy language that looks like it was written by a team of legal scholars.

Why do this manually when there are tools that can compare policies faster than you can say "exclusions and endorsements"? AI powered solutions can scan, analyze, and highlight the differences between policies so you don't have to. This means you spend less time playing detective and more time actually advising your clients.

Who's making this magic happen? Exdion, Patra, Powerbroker AI and vBots are among the solutions providers that offer policy comparison solutions that take the headache out of reviewing policies.

2. Data Intake: Stop Chasing Clients for Basic Info

Trying to gather information from clients to provide a quote is like trying to get a teenager to clean their room, painfully slow and full of excuses. "I'll get to it later." "I lost the email." "Do I really have to fill this out?"

Instead of sending multiple follow-ups, waiting days for a response, or translating a blurry photo of a declaration page they took from their car at a stoplight, you can use smart intake tools that streamline the process.

These platforms make it easy for clients to securely upload information, connect their existing policies, and fill out digital forms without the back-and-forth emails and phone calls. The result? You get clean, accurate data, and your clients don't feel like they're filling out mortgage paperwork just to get an auto quote.

Who's got you covered? Salt, RiskAdvisor, Wunderite and Canopy Connect all provide solutions to collect personal lines data faster and more efficiently.

3. Service Requests & Endorsements: No More Phone Tag

If you've ever played the "phone tag" game with a client who needs to update their policy, you know how frustrating it can be. You leave a voicemail, they call back while you're on another call, you email them a form, they reply with another question… it can be brutal. By the time you get everything you need, their new teenage driver has already gone off to college.

Forms and AI powered solutions can cut through this mess by letting clients submit service requests with all necessary details upfront. Instead of an endless loop of follow ups, you get structured, complete information the first time. Clients are happy, your service team is happy, and you get to move on to something more important.

Who's making life easier here? Gravity Forms, Jotform, Liberate, Sonant, and GAIL all offer ways to eliminate the endless service request chase.

Time to Work Smarter

If you're still completing these tasks manually, it's time to rethink your workflowss. Automating the mundane doesn't just save time, it improves accuracy, reduces frustration, and lets you focus on what actually grows your business. And if you're wondering, "Will my clients be okay with this?" the answer is yes. They don't want to play phone tag or dig through their email inbox either.

So do yourself (and your agency) a favor, let technology do the heavy lifting.

Contribution from Casey Nelson, Catalyit.

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Mar 03

PIP Reform-Take Action TODAY

Erin Fosson on 3/3/2025 9:34 AM

MEMBER CALL TO ACTION

If you want to see PIP Reform, now is the time for you to contact your Representative and ask them to vote YES on House Bill 416.

If you know your legislator personally, TEXT THEM, CALL THEM or EMAIL THEM! WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Here are some TALKING POINTS

We are headed into the last two weeks of the 2025 Regular Session, so it is time to take stock of where we are with our proactive initiatives and whether the priority bills we have been following are moving in the process. Unless it's sine die adjournment, it is always too early to say a bill is dead, but many may be on life support.

Proactive Issues

The good news is that our top priorities for this session are all in play heading into the final two weeks of the session.

BIG I PRIORITY - Used Car Dealer Insurance - Senate Bill 18, which provides surplus lines carrier coverage as an option for used car dealer liability insurance, is expected to be heard in the House Banking & Insurance Committee on Wednesday. Please contact your Representative and ask them to vote YES on Senate Bill 18.

BIG I PRIORITY - PIP Reform - House Bill 416 applies the Workers Comp fee schedule to PIP providers except for hospitals. Passed from the House Banking & Insurance Committee last week! The bill is headed to the House floor this week and is facing heavy lobbying from chiropractors and physical therapists. If you want to see PIP Reform, now is the time for you to contact your Representative and ask them to vote YES on House Bill 416.

Bills to Review

Below we have provided an assessment of the viability for several priority bills we have been following this session, but we encourage you to review the Big I bill list, which is updated nightly and can be accessed HERE. This is a static link that you can bookmark and review at any time, or you can subscribe to get it emailed to you periodically.

Tier 1

Alive

SB 18 - R. Girdler - Surplus lines for auto dealer liability

HB 416 - J. Bray - PIP Reform - W/C Fee Schedule

Tier 2

Alive

HB 390 - M. Meredith - Adopts the IICMVA real-time insurance verification processes

HB 233 - W.Williams - Addresses fraudulent practices of contractors in an insurance claim situation

SB 24 - R. Girdler - Expands the definition of insurance fraud to include inflated claims

HB 493 - S. Pollock - Regulation of towing companies

HB 184 - M. Clines - Extends insurance regulatory sandbox

SB 63 - B. Storm - Allows off-highway vehicles access to roads

SB 99 - D. Douglas - Hands-Free Legislation

Hasn’t Moved

SB 191 - P. Wheeler - Omnibus W/C reform bill

HB 413 - K. Moser - Point of Sale Pharmacy Rebates

SB 12 - S. Meredith - Point of Sale Pharmacy Rebates

HB 502 - M. Whitaker - Exemption from W/C 45-day billing

SB 123 - Sen. Adams - Matching - Senate B&I

Week Ahead

Senate B&I (Tuesday):

HB 390 - Real-Time Insurance - Adopt IICMVA online insurance verification system

HB 233 - Contractor Fraud - Addresses fraudulent practices of contractors in an insurance claim situation

House B&I (Wednesday)

SB 18 - Car Dealer Surplus Lines

SB 24 - Broaden the definition of insurance fraud to include inflated claims

House Floor (Tuesday/Wednesday)

HB 416 - PIP Reform to apply workers comp fee schedule

In Other Legislative News- So Many Bills, So Little Time

When it adjourned on Friday, February 28, the General Assembly completed Day 20 of the 2025 Session, passing the two-thirds mark of this 30-day session. With the last four legislative days set aside for concurrence and veto override under the current calendar, only six days remain to pass bills. While legislative leadership can (and always does) pass bills until the closing hours of the session, the vast majority of the over 1,000 bills filed this session will simply run out of time in the legislative process.

With these looming deadlines, committees in both Chambers heard and reported many bills during the week, sending them to the Chamber’s floor. Bills taken up in committee were almost, if not totally, limited to bills originating in their Chamber as the Majority Leadership in both chambers tried to get their member’s bills moving.

One trend that we are watching is a move by members and leadership in both chambers to move bills out of the first chamber, still needing amendments or final negotiations with hopes those will be completed in the second chamber. It will be interesting to see if those changes get made, the bills fail to move for lack of finishing touches, or if some imperfect bills end up passing.

Last week, we noted that only 21 bills had passed from their originating chamber to move to the other end of the Capitol. This number has now swelled to 146 (92 by the House and 54 by the Senate). Yet, only two bills, HB 1, to lower the income tax rate, and SB 23, relating to administrative regulation review, have made their way through the entire process and have been signed by Governor Beshear.

In thinking about the final days of a session, it is important to keep in mind that "The game isn't over until the final whistle blows." Bills with sufficient push by Leadership can move through the process quickly with special committee meetings, committee substitutes, and expedited floor readings to pass in the final days and hours of the session.

Legislative Activity on Priority Bills

Below we have provided a status update on the priority bills filed this session. Several passed on the floor last week, including HB 2 (gold tax exemption), HB 6 (REINS Act for Regs), HB 10 (squatter removal), and SB 4 (Executive Branch/Election AI Use). Those bills with an apparent green light are moving to the floor for readings or already teed up for floor votes on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

The most significant news on priority bills this week is the decision by President Stivers to forego his Senate Bill 8 to revamp the Public Service Commission for the 2025 session. At a hearing in Senate Natural Resources, President Stivers said the bill would not advance in the legislature this year because he feels more discussion on how to address the state’s long-term energy policy is needed.

One additional note, no appropriations or revenue bills have moved in the process thus far. This has matched the Legislative Leadership’s public statements not wanting to open the budget in this non-budget session. It will be interesting to see if that changes over the session’s final days, as the House & Senate A&R committees are having a joint meeting on Monday, March 3 to discuss state aid for the recent floods.

House

HB 1 - Rep. Petrie: Reduce individual income tax rate from 4% to 3.5%. Signed by Governor.

HB 2 - Rep. Roberts: Exempt "bullion currency" from sales tax. Senate Committee on Committees.

HB 3 - Rep. Neighbors: Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement parity. In House Banking & Insurance.

HB 4 - Rep, Decker: Prohibit DEI programs in postsecondary. In House Committee with one reading.

HB 5 - Rep. Moser: Prohibit cross-sex procedures & hormone treatment for prisoners. In House Judiciary.

HB 6 - Rep. Williams: Restrict executive authority to promulgate regulations. Passed House on 2/28.

HB 7 - Rep. Bray: Permit local governments to address housing reforms. In House Local Government.

HB 8 - Rep. Petrie: Reform K-5 instructional materials. House K12 Education with one reading.

HB 9 - Rep. Bowling: Re-establishes the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board. Posted for passage 3/4.

HB 10 - Rep. Procter: Processes for removing “squatters.” Awaiting passage on the House floor.

HB 11 - Rep. Miles: Shell bill relating to education. In Primary & Secondary Education.

HB 12 - Rep. Lockett: Age verification for social media. In House Small Business & IT with two readings.

HB 13 - Rep. Rudy: Shell bill relating to revenue. In House A&R.

HB 14 - Rep. Jackson: Establish the Wearable Panic Alert Grant Program. Posted for Passage 3/4.

HB 15 - Rep. Rudy: Lower the age for driver learner’s permit from 16 to 15. In Senate Transportation.

Senate

SB 1 - Sen. Wheeler: Establish a Kentucky Film Office and Council. Posted for Senate passage on 3/4.

SB 2 - Sen. Wilson: Prohibit public funds for gender reassignment surgery for inmates. Passed Senate,

SB 3 - Sen. Wise: Name Image and Likeness (NIL) for student-athletes. Posted for Senate action on 3/4.

SB 4 - Sen. Bledsoe: Regulation of State Agency use of AI & Election Deepfakes. Passed Senate 2/28.

SB 5 - Sen. West: Identify intervention and innovation schools. In Education, with two floor readings.

SB 6 - Sen. Givens: Add teacher pension and healthcare expenditures to SEEK. Senate Orders for 3/4.

SB 7 - Sen. Bledsoe: Establish individual property rights to images. Posted for Senate passage 3/5.

SB 8 - Sen. Stivers: Reorganization of Public Service Commission. Two Readings in Natural Resources.

SB 9 - Sen. Higdon: Omnibus changes to KTRS & sick leave benefits. In State & Local Gov, two readings.

SB 10 - Sen. Mills: Numerous changes to the County Employees Retirement System. House Local Gov

Thanks for your engagement in Government Affairs and being a Big I member!

Legislative Calendar

While it may be changed by leadership, the current Legislative Calendar can be accessed HERE. Key dates remaining include:

March 13 & 14: Concurrence Days

March 15-26: Veto Recess

March 28: Sine Die Adjournment

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Feb 10

Big I Kentucky to testify at the Capitol tomorrow on Senate Bill 18-Used Car Dealer Coverage

Erin Fosson on 2/10/2025 9:54 AM

BIG I KENTUCKY TO TESTIFY IN FRANKFORT TOMORROW, February 11, 2025 at 11:30am

Used Car Dealer Coverage - SB 18 filed by Sen. Rick Girdler is expected to be up for a vote in the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee TOMORROW. The bill provides surplus lines carrier coverage as an option for used car dealer liability insurance. This is a Big I priority and is a specific member-driven response to address an issue in the market. Big I member Adam Sheridan has been the driving force behind this legislation to provide more options for agents trying to place coverage for used car dealers in a market. We encourage you to contact your Senator and ask them to vote YES on Senate Bill 18.

Back to Business

On Tuesday, the Kentucky General Assembly got back to work for the remaining 26 legislative days of the 2025 Session following its January recess. A glance at the legislative calendar is a reminder of just how short odd-year sessions are: The one-third mark of the session is coming up next week, and bill filing deadlines are just around the corner on February 18 and 19.

It always takes some time for the committee system to get into gear. This process began slowly this week, and the number of committee meetings and volume of legislative activity will continue to gain momentum in the coming weeks. Legislators and interest groups working to pass bills are very much aware of the need to come out of the starting gates as soon as possible since the calendar will play a large part in the fate of many pieces of legislation.

Bill and resolution introductions were heavy during the week with more than 758 already in the hopper thus far in the 2025 session. Based on what’s been introduced so far and what’s expected, major issues for the session will be housing, DEI, workforce attraction and retention, and AI. The evolving developments in Washington are a wild card that will demand legislative attention and perhaps action as changes in federal funding and programming that will affect the state in numerous ways unfold.

This coming Tuesday, the House and Senate will convene in session in the old Capitol building in Frankfort. In recent years, the General Assembly has taken one day each session to conduct limited business and recognize the history of the building in downtown Frankfort, which served as the Capitol building until 1910.

Priority Bills

Priority legislation for both chambers, HB 1, which lowers the rate of income taxation by one-half percent, passed the House before the recess. The Senate wasted no time in moving the bill to legislative enactment on the first day back from recess. HB 1 passed the Senate without amendment and with bipartisan support, except for no votes cast by three Jefferson County Democrats. The bill became law when Governor Beshear promptly signed the legislation on Thursday, the day after it was delivered to his desk. The income tax reduction from four percent to three and a half percent is effective January 1, 2026.

Other priority legislation, as denoted by low bill numbers, introduced so far this Session:

HB 2 - Rep. T. Roberts: Exempt "bullion currency" from sales taxes and create a cause of action to recoup taxes paid. Awaiting a hearing in House A&R.

HB 3 - Rep. Neighbors: Require Medicaid and KCHIP to comply with pharmacy reimbursement requirements established in KRS 304.12-237. Assigned to House Banking & Insurance.

HB 14 - Rep. Jackson: Allow school districts to implement a wearable panic alert system and establish the Wearable Panic Alert Grant Program. The bill was introduced on 2/7 and is awaiting committee assignment in the House.

HB 15 - Rep. Rudy: Lower the age for drivers to get their learner’s permit from 16 to 15 years of age. Awaiting a hearing in House Transportation.

SB 2 - Sen. Wilson: Prohibit the use of public funds for gender reassignment surgery for inmates. In Senate Committee on Committees.

Other bills expected to be in committee this week:

Senate B&I (Tuesday)

SB 18 - Provides surplus lines carrier as an option for used car dealer insurance (BIG I PRIORITY)

SB 24 - NICB/IIK bill to include claim inflation in the definition of insurance as in LA

House B&I (Wednesday)

HB 233 - Contractor fraud bill

HB 184 - Extends the sunset date for the insurance regulatory sandbox

Other Industry Bills of Interest

PIP - We expect a PIP reform bill to be filed in the coming week to apply the worker's comp fee schedule to PIP claims with an exemption for hospitals. Let us know if you support.

Real-Time Insurance - Filed last week as HB 390 by Chairman Meredith. This would allow carriers to report real-time insurance information to the KAVIS system, which is used by clerks and KYTC to register vehicles. This should ease issues for agents who get calls from policyholders at the clerk’s office with issues caused by the current system due to a 45-day lag of carrier reporting. Not likely to be in committee this week, but on Feb. 19.

Contractor Fraud - Filed last week as HB 233 by Rep. Wade Williams, a West KY contractor. Will be in B&I committee this week.

Local Occupational Tax Centralization - Big I is supporting HB 253 to modernize and centralize the collection of local occupational taxes.

Bills to Review

Weekly during the session, we will highlight several bills/issues of interest in this report, but we encourage you to review the Big I bill list, which is updated nightly and can be accessed HERE. This is a static link that you can bookmark and review at any time, or you can subscribe to get it emailed to you periodically.

SB 63 - This would regulate off-highway vehicle use on state roads.

SB 12/HB 413 - Health insurance bills that would require drug rebates to be passed through to customers at the point of sale rather than being used to lower premiums

Stay Tuned…More to come as the session unfolds!

Legislative Calendar

While it may be changed by leadership, the current Legislative Calendar can be accessed HERE. Key dates remaining include:

February 18: Last Day for Filing Senate Bills

February 19: Last Day for Filing House Bills

March 13 & 14: Concurrence Days

March 15-26: Veto Recess

March 28: Sine Die Adjournment

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Feb 04

Legislative Bulletin-Where We Left Off and What To Expect

Erin Fosson on 2/4/2025 8:54 AM

Part Two - Set to Begin

The General Assembly convenes today, for the second part of the 2025 Session dedicated to considering legislation. This will begin six 4-day weeks of legislative action with the General Assembly not scheduled to meet on Mondays. The veto recess begins on March 14.

Where We Left Off

The legislature recessed on January 10 after formally electing leaders and taking official action to organize committees. Additionally, both chambers acted on

HB 1, referred to as the top priority of the session, legislation to authorize a half percent reduction in the individual income tax. The bill passed the House and the Senate committee and is expected to pass the Senate tomorrow, marking it as the first bill to pass both Chambers this Session.

No other bills were considered in the first four days of the session. There were a few priority bills filed the first week aside from HB 1:

- House Bill 2 further clarifies taxation rules for the Department of Revenue around bullion

- House Bill 15 lowers the driver licensing permit age

What We Expect - Part 2

Heading into the second part of the 2025 Session, we expect a flurry of activity around the Capitol, including an influx of bill filings, but the actual legislative process may remain slow for the first week or two back.

Bill Filings - As usual, after the break during a short session, we expect a high number of bill filings this week. The break gives legislators time to work on their individual priorities, as well as hammering out any needed compromises that may impede a bill’s movement. Time is the other factor here, as there are only 10 legislative days until the bill filing deadlines and only 26 legislative days remaining. In order for bills to have time to move through the process, they must be filed quickly upon the legislature’s return from the break.

Key Issues - As noted above, only a few priority bills have been filed thus far, so we are awaiting the announcement of other House and Senate priorities. Here are a few key issues we anticipate being discussed this session:

- Task Forces: Four task forces met this Interim, and we expect legislation related to at least three of them: Housing, Workforce Attraction and Retention, and AI. A few bills have already been filed on these topics, but we expect more to come.

- DEI: Legislative leadership in both chambers have publicly noted their expectation that bills related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programming for postsecondary education will be considered this session. This legislation has not yet been filed.

- Budget & Taxes: The General Assembly was very thoughtful in its approach in appropriating some programming dollars during the 2024 Budget Session by allowing certain funds to be dispersed via resolution instead of opening up the budget. However, it’s common to see budget & tax fixes during the short legislative session, so on top of funding authorization resolutions, we will be looking for possible appropriation and revenue tweaks.

- Federal Issues: With the change in administration in DC, some changes in federal programming and funding may need to be addressed during the session. Specifically, there is some concern that Medicaid funding may change at the federal level, triggering a need for the state to react.

Committee Activity - We expect a slow start to the committee schedule until more bills are assigned to committee for consideration. This week will likely be a light week for committee meetings, with activity continuing to build each week for the remainder of the session.

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Jan 31

2025 Legislative Session Preview

Erin Fosson on 1/31/2025 2:50 PM

2025 Advocacy Preview

By Dustin Miller, Big I KY lobbyist

As we kick off 2025, I have been asked to write the obligatory “preview" column highlighting what you can expect from a government affairs perspective in the New Year. My first line may have seen a little “whiny," and it was…until I looked at all we have coming down the pike in 2025 and what a great job the Big I staff did giving you a glimpse of this at the 2024 Convention. I got a little excited (my apologies to Tara & Erin for the length).

Changes in DC/Tax Cuts

President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, and the GOP controls both chambers of Congress, providing a unique “Trifecta" opportunity for the GOP. This will likely affect many areas of public policy, but at Convention, Congressman Comer gave us a preview of an item of specific interest to Big I and you as a small business owner…Tax Cuts.

The Big “I" has supported making permanent the 20% small business deduction (Section 199A of the U.S. tax code) passed as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. The deduction, which is scheduled to expire at the end of 2025, is heavily relied upon by many Big “I" members to keep their agencies operating, meet payroll, and better serve consumers and their communities.

This is going to be discussed in the upcoming Congress and hopefully will be made permanent by the end of the year.

Fortified Grants

One of the major pieces of legislation that passed in Kentucky's 2024 Session will begin to be implemented in 2025…Fortified Roof grants and discounts. Commissioner Clark gave you a preview of this at the Big I Convention. She discussed that the website for the Stronger Kentucky Homes program has been built, the grant application has been created, the DOI's intention to provide geographic balance for these grants (so they don't all go to the golden triangle), and they are ready to help contractors get certified.

None of these items have been made public yet because the Commissioner has to go through the formal administrative regulation process to “put the meat on the bones" of the statute. As of this writing, the final administrative regulations governing the grant program have not been filed, but the Commissioner expected them to be out in the first quarter of 2025 and promised that Big I would have input into this new program.

2025 Session

As you read this, the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly will be underway, having completed the organizational part of the session in early-January where they seated 21 new legislators (15 House and 6 Senate members) following the 2024 election cycle; elected new leadership, and established committee chairs and rosters. As a Big I member, you can learn more about these changes and how they impact you in our weekly Legislative Update.

One big takeaway you can learn from this is that unlike in DC, things in Frankfort remain much the same. The Executive Branch is controilled by Democrats and the GOP controls both chambers of the legislature with large supermajorities. I did want to highlight a couple of bills that we will be engaged with this session:

- Used Car Dealer Liability Insurance - Somerset Agent Adam Sheridan brought us an issue that we are attempting to solve this session…lack of writers in the used car dealer liability market. The idea is to try and allow surplus lines carriers to legally provide used car dealer liability coverage. This should provide agents with more market options to serve their customers.

- Real Time Insurance Verification - We expect legislation this session to allow insurers and the KY Transportation Cabinet to work together to move from the current 45-day verification of insurance in KAVIS to real time reporting. This should reduce agent calls and paperwork from customers who are trying to renew online or at the clerk's office and KAVIS incorrectly shows them as not having insurance.

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Jan 07

Big I Kentucky welcomes first high school apprentice of 2025

Erin Fosson on 1/7/2025 3:33 PM

Big I Kentucky is excited to welcome Kenzley Brooks to their high school apprentice program. Kenzley is the first apprentice of the new year for the association. A senior at Lawrence County High School, she holds a 3.8 GPA. Her apprenticeship program began on January 6 at Joe Young Insurance in Louisa, Kentucky. Kenzley is "excited to start her lifelong learning in her new lifelong career". Kenzley is a member of the Lawrence County Lady Bulldogs Volleyball Team. She was also a member of this year's football homecoming court.

in 2019, Big I Kentucky and the Kentucky Education Workforce Development Cabinet teamed up to give students an avenue to take advantage of the opportunities in the insurance industry.

High school students choose an Insurance TRACK (Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky), which will lead to a nationally recognized apprenticeship certificate as a General Insurance Associate.

This will allow Big I Kentucky agencies to "grow their own agent" using local students that have a good foundation in business skills and an interest in the insurance occupation by completing an independent student course in Principles of Insurance developed by InVEST.

InVEST educates high school and college students about insurance and the wide variety of careers in the industry all while dispelling the myth that insurance is old, boring and not rewarding.

Welcome to the independent insurance agency community in Kentucky!

Interested in an apprentice for your agency? Contact Workforce Development Director, Mary Pat Hartmann, at mphartmann@bigiky.org or 502-245-5432.

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Oct 02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Chip Atkins Elected to IIABA Executive Committee

Erin Fosson on 10/2/2024 8:55 AM

Louisville, KY - October 2, 2024-

Big I Kentucky (ie Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky) is proud to announce that Chip Atkins, CEO of RH Clarkson Insurance Group in Louisville, Kentucky, has been elected to the Executive Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA). Chip becomes the 7th Kentuckian to hold this prestigious position in the 128-year history of the association.

Chip, a graduate of the University of Kentucky, joined RH Clarkson Insurance Group in February 1995 as a Producer. After nearly two decades of dedicated service, he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2013 and subsequently became CEO in 2015. His leadership and industry expertise earned him recognition as one of the "People to Know in Insurance" by Louisville Business First in 2016.

Chip has been a key figure within Big I Kentucky since joining the board in 2011. His extensive involvement includes serving as Chairman of Big I Kentucky (2016-2017) and contributing to several committees such as Membership Services, Health Benefits, Events, KAPAC, Government Affairs and more. His commitment to the industry is reflected in his role as National Director for Kentucky on the IIABA Board, where he also served on the Finance Committee, Steering Committee and Health Benefits Sub Committee.

Beyond his work in the insurance sector, Chip is highly active in the Greater Louisville community supporting Kosair for Kids as an Advisory Board member, and a "Top Investor" with Greater Louisville Inc. Chip also works closely with the Kentucky Legislature on insurance-related matters, meeting regularly with Senate and House Leadership to advocate for the industry.

Chip's election to the IIABA Executive Committee marks a historic moment, continuing a proud legacy of Kentucky leadership at the national level. He joins a distinguished group of past Kentuckians who have served, including:

- 1896–97 A.G. Simrall, Covington, KY

- 1904 A.H. Robinson, Louisville, KY

- 1968 Charles B. Chrisman, Pikeville, KY

- 1991 R.C. Riley, CPCU, AAI, Benton, KY

- 1998 William B. Greenwood, Central City, KY

- 2005 William G. Stiglitz, III, Louisville, KY

Chip and his wife, Stephanie, reside in Louisville and have one daughter Riley and two sons, Spencer and Alex.

Big I Kentucky is thrilled to see Chip's dedication to servant leadership recognized at the national level and thanks him for his continued commitment to the independent agency industry.

About Big I Kentucky:

Big I Kentucky, formerly the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky (IIAK), is the largest insurance trade association in the state, with more than 350 insurance agencies, employing more than 3,000 people as its members. Independent agents offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. These agents provide all lines of personal and business insurance, including – property, casualty, life and health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. The organization was founded in 1896.

For more information, please contact:

Big I Kentucky

Phone: (502) 245-5432

Email: info@bigiky.org

Website: www.bigiky.org

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Oct 01

Now accepting nominations for the shining stars of the independent agency system in KY!

Erin Fosson on 10/1/2024 9:05 AM

Recognize the leaders of the independent agency system in Kentucky through these BIg I Kentucky awards:

E. Starling Holloway Award- Award is to honor an individual who has made a significant industry contribution, enhanced the ideals of reputation of our industry or made a significant impact in their community.

CSR of the Year Award- Award is to honor a CSR or Account Manager in a Big I KY member agency that exemplifies customer service.

Michael D. Hepp Emerging Leader of the Year Award- Award is to recognize an individual who has furthered the Emerging Leader program at Big I KY and shows a passion for perpetuating the industry in our state.

Company Person of the Year- This award recognizes a true partner to the independent agents in KY.

Be Like Mike Award- This award is given in honor of Mike Johnson, a great man who gave his whole heart to serving the association. The recipient will display vitality both inside and outside of the industry.

Deserving nominations can be made via the link below. Winners will be announced at the Big I Kentucky Annual Convention November 20-22 at the Louisville Marriott East.

2024 Award Submissions (smartsheet.com)

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Sep 16

Big I Kentucky wins national award

Erin Fosson on 9/16/2024 10:54 AM

Big I Kentucky received the 2024 Membership Champion Award from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. This award recognizes a state association's exemplary membership recruitment and retention initiatives and successes. Big I Kentucky President and CEO, Tara Purvis, accepted the award on behalf of the association at the Fall Leadership Conference in Indianapolis earlier this month. "Serving our membership and recruiting non-members to join remain at the forefront of our association." If your agency is not currently a member of Big I Kentucky, please allow us the opportunity to share why it is a great investment for you, your employees and your agency.

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