News
Hurricane season begins June 1, NOAA outlook next week
The hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Are your clients ready? Now is the time to talk to them about their severe-weather insurance needs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release its outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season next week. In related news, David Richardson was named the new head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency last week. Richardson served in the Marine Corps, commanding artillery units in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. To keep up with the season, check out PIA’s Hurricane Info Central, which has resources to help your clients and your agency during the hurricane season. If you would like to send customized materials to your clients, email PIA’s Design & Print.
PIA, Rainbow Insurance partner to support agency growth
Last week, PIA National announced that it has partnered with Rainbow MGA Insurance Agency Inc. Rainbow is a digitally enabled, managing general underwriter that specializes in small-business insurance. Through this partnership, PIA members gain access to Rainbow’s tailored insurance programs, including its flagship business owner’s policy designed for the restaurant and beauty and wellness industries. Notably, PIA members are eligible for profit-sharing simply by being part of the association, without the need for additional production requirements.
Advocacy
Conn.: House advances PIACT-backed E&S market reform
Connecticut’s House of Representatives has passed H.B.6981, a measure that eliminates an outdated procedural barrier in the excess-and-surplus lines market. Spearheaded by Rep. Kerry Wood, D-29, this bill would remove the requirement for brokers to obtain declinations from admitted insurers before they would access the E&S market through unaffiliated surplus-lines brokers. This milestone represents the culmination of sustained advocacy by PIACT, which prioritized the reform of E&S placement requirements as its top legislative goal for 2025.
PIANJ supports ban on step-down clauses
New Jersey drivers are burdened by step-down clauses in their auto insurance, a loophole which substantially reduces protections in certain common scenarios. PIANJ argues that step-down clauses undermine consumer expectations, create inequitable treatment and punishes responsible behavior. PIANJ believes this practice is unfair, misleading and harmful to consumers, and that’s why the association strongly supports legislation to ban step-down clauses in New Jersey.
PIANY leadership at Albany Lobby Day
Representatives from PIANY met with state legislators at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, as part of the association’s 2025 Albany Lobby Day program. Participants spent May 13, 2025, visiting with state Senate and Assembly representatives discussing the association’s 2025 legislative priorities, which include a proposal to modernize the state’s DMV program and legislation which would require insurance carriers to provide lead paint exposure coverage. PIANY was represented by: President Richard Andrews, LUTCF; President-elect Jason Bartow, AAI, CPIA, TRA; PIANY Treasurer Jorge Hernandez of Merrick; PIANY Secretary Ed Chadwick of Buffalo; and Chairman of PIANY’s Agents Advocacy Coalition Fred Holender, CLU, CPCU, ChFC, MSFS, of Williamsville.
Technical
Finding your niche
When independent insurance agents find their niche, it gives them the opportunity to set themselves or their agency apart from the competition. But how does one find their niche, and once it’s found, how does one stay in it? If you have questions about finding and establishing yourself in your niche, then we can help you. To learn more, PIA Northeast members can access Thinking of nurturing a niche? PIA Northeast members share their unique experiences in the PIA QuickSource library.
N.H.: PSI replaces Prometric for licensing exams
The New Hampshire Insurance Department has selected PSI Services LLC as the new vendor for administering insurance licensing examinations in the state. PSI will begin offering exams for producers, adjusters and public adjusters starting Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Prometric, the department’s current exam vendor, will cease scheduling licensing exams after Monday, June 23, 2025.
N.Y.: WC lost cost decrease filed
The board of governors of the New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board voted to file for a decrease of 13.2% in the overall loss cost level in New York state, effective Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The rating board will make this filing with the New York State Department of Financial Services by Friday, May 15, 2025, and upon doing so, that filing will be posted to its website. This filing will be subject to review and approval by the DFS.
Accolades
Conn./N.J./N.Y.: Help a local charity receive $2,500
Want to make a difference to a local charity in your community? PIA is working with the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation to let agencies know that the IICF is offering a variety of grants—worth $2,500 each—to worthy charities in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. For the charity to receive one of the grants, it must be sponsored by an insurance entity—at no cost to you. Ask the charity you are sponsoring to complete an application. Applications are due no later than Friday, June 13, 2025, at 5 p.m.
Educating insurance agents
Ruble seminar tackles pressing issues for agents
Get ready for another James K. Ruble higher education seminar: it will be held online from May 21-22, 2025, and will feature Chris Christian, CIC, RPLU; Steve Lyon, CPCU, CIC, CRM, CRIS, AAI, ARM, AIS, MLIS, AFIS; and Mark A. Palinkas, CIC as instructors. This webinar will cover a breadth of topics, including emerging risks that could impact an agency, understanding occurrence and claims-made triggers, cyber security exposures and employee practices liability policies. This course has been approved for CE credits in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. For detailed CE information, contact The Alliance at (800) 633-2165. The next in-person Ruble event will be from August 6-7, 2025, in Suffern, N.Y.
Events
Tune up with education sessions at Annual Conference
Insurance education sessions keep you in-tune with the latest developments in the industry. At this year’s PIANJ | PIANY Annual Conference, June 8-10, 2025, at the Hard Rock Casino, Atlantic City, N.J., there will be four invaluable education sessions for you to attend. The first class, taught by John Fear, CISR, CPIA, Cyber Liability & Data Breach: Don’t Be Compromised will examine increasing cyber liability risk in an increasingly digitized world. Fear also will teach Unprecedented Times: Other Than the Price, What Else Has Increased?, which will focus on communicating and retaining clients in an age of uncertainty. Steve Lyon, CPCU, CIC, CRM, AAI, ARM, AIS, CRIS, will teach Homeowners and the Hard Market: Building Your Home (Policy) on a Firm Foundation, which will cover climate change, homeowners policies and mitigation. The final class, Ethical Practices in Insurance: Managing E&O Risks^AZ^UN, will be taught by Cathy Trischan, CPCU, CIC, CRM, AU, ARM, AAI, CRIS, MLIS, TRIP, and will cover the intersection between errors and omissions and ethics. All these classes have been approved for CE credits. In addition, there will be a workshop, Using AI for Effective Agency Communications, which will focus on integrating AI in communications. You don’t want to miss out on these high-quality sessions—register for the conference today and save 20%. Interested in sponsoring, advertising or exhibiting? Click here. ^AZ^UN–This course has been approved for E&O loss prevention credit by Allianz and Utica Mutual. Call the PIA E&O Department for details.
N.J.: Still time to register for WLA Pickleball Tournament networking lunch
The PIANJ Women’s Leadership Alliance will be hosting a pickleball tournament on Thursday, May 20, 2025, at The Pickleball Club in Monroe, N.J. All pickleball spots are currently filled, but you still can attend the networking lunch and network with your industry peers—drinks and a lite lunch will be served as winners are announced, which will then be followed by an awards ceremony. Don’t wait, register today for a fun afternoon with your colleagues.
Register now
Thursday, May 22, 2025: PIANJ Women’s Leadership Alliance Pickleball Tournament and Networking —
Lunch and networking seats still available
June 8–10, 2025: PIANJ | PIANY Annual Conference—
Interested in sponsoring, advertising or exhibiting? Click here.
Monday, June 9, 2025: Emerging Leaders Series—Connecticut | New Jersey | New York
Tuesday, June 10, 2025: YIP Fun Run
Tuesday, June 17, 2025: CTYIP Golf Open
Tuesday, June 17, 2025: PIWA Spring Reception
Thursday, July 24, 2025: NJYIP Summer Breeze Bash
Monday, Aug. 11, 2025: NY-YIP Annual Golf Outing—Nominate your NY-YIP of the Year
Save the date
Sunday, June 8, 2025: NJYIP Nitecap
Monday, June 9, 2025: Deep Dive Live: Tech Tactics
Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025: NY-YIP Albany Fall Soiree
Monday, Sept. 29, 2025: PIANJ Golf Classic
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025: CTYIP Gala—Call for nominations
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025: NJYIP Holiday Reception
