Research by the Alexandria, Va.-based IIAA found that when presented with a list of buying factors, personal lines consumers “want what independent agents offer.” Eighty-eight percent said they seek customized policies; 85 percent look for a “personal advocate” in a claim; 61 percent want a choice of insurance companies.

However, to its chagrin, the Big I also found that most personal lines buyers still can't distinguish between an independent agent and a captive producer who works only for one carrier. They also were dismayed to find that despite offering none of the top-three attributes sought by consumers, captive agents still receive far more unsolicited calls from prospects, thanks to the millions of dollars spent on advertising by the “Good Neighbors” at Allstate and the “Good Hands People” at State Farm, as well as other captive branding programs.

To add insult to injury, the Big I's research found that its “Independent Insurance Agent” association logo, while “highly respected” in Washington, where the group is an acknowledged lobbying powerhouse, has no such currency with personal lines buyers. Indeed, those queried said that the Big I logo had a lot of “baggage” and negative connotations. Specifically, they said that to them:

“Independent” means that such agencies are “small operations without access to large insurance companies.”

“Insurance” was considered “too restrictive in the new world of financial services.”

“Agent” means that the producers are employees of an insurance company, not the buyer's representative.

Even the eagle on the Big I logo came up short, as consumers said it reminded them of the U.S. Postal Service logo.

The IIAA decided to keep its current association logo for use within the industry and during lobbying efforts, but to go in a completely different direction and start from scratch with its new logo, “Trusted Choice: We Serve You First.”

The “Trusted Choice” branding program was unveiled here at the annual Big I convention. The program will be piloted early next year in Louisville and Seattle, with the national rollout planned for third-quarter 2002.

To participate, agencies will have to pay a very modest sum ($250 annually for those with fewer than 10 employees; $499 for those with 10 or more) as well as make a three-year commitment to promote the brand.

But it is going to take a lot more money than agency licensing fees to make a dent in public perception. It's going to take millions more, and insurance companies are going to be pushed to pony up the difference. That could be a hard sell for the Big I, with carriers facing huge terrorist attack claims.

However, carriers would be wise to support the program, at least by incorporating the “Trusted Choice” brand prominently in their own ad programs. After all, if they don't promote their own producers, how do they expect the public to know who sells their products?

In addition, the only way for any branding program to succeed is for each agency to brand aggressively on their own. The “Trusted Choice” logo should appear on every participating agency's stationary, brochure, Web site, business cards, holiday greeting cards, Yellow Pages listing and community advertising.

The Big I's program is ambitious. Participating agencies must sign a “Pledge of Performance” designed to establish service benchmarks and present “Trusted Choice” as a sort of “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for insurance producers.

There will also be a Web site, TrustedChoice.com, which will help educate consumers about insurance and the value independent agents offer, along with an agency locator to direct prospects to the participating firms nearest to them.

The Big I and its members have their work cut out for them. The logo is vague and generic, so it's going to take a lot of time, money, exposure and explanation to link “Trusted Choice” and independent insurance agents in the public's brand-cluttered minds. There is also no familiar face like Raymond Burr's to provide instant recognition and credibility.

Still, this is a necessary and worthwhile effort. As the Big I acknowledged, “our competitors are branding [independent agents] as irrelevant, unnecessary, expensive and lazy, and they are spending millions to get that message out.” It's about time independent agents moved once more to brand themselves as the invaluable advisers and indispensable advocates they are for consumers, rather than stand by while their competition dismisses them in the public's mind.

Sam Friedman is editor-in-chief of National Underwriter. He can be reached at [email protected].

Reproduced from National Underwriter Property & Casualty/Risk & Benefits Management Edition, November 12, 2001. Copyright 2001 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved.Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.

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