West Va. Agents Cited by National Group for Legislative Wins

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) recently honored one of its state associations for its legislative accomplishments in 2005. The Maurice Herndon Award for legislative accomplishments went to the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of West Virginia (PIIAWV) during the recent Big “I” National Legislative Conference and Convention:

PIIAWV received the Herndon Award for its role in electing a pro-business state Supreme Court justice, for spearheading the creation of a coalition of agent, insurer and business interests, and for constructing an aggressive insurance reform agenda in West Virginia.

PIIAWV led an effective legislative campaign that produced the privatization of the state’s workers’ compensation program, the effective elimination of third-party bad-faith suits and the creation of file-and-use approval system for commercial-lines products, among others.

“Our West Virginia association has produced a legislative effort that other states should study and replicate,” says Wesley Bissett, Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs and state relations. “Our agents in West Virginia led a sweeping reform effort of which we are all very proud. They have done a terrific job, and they deserve all of our accolades.” In addition, the West Virginia Big “I” continues to attain its InsurPac goals, and is very active on federal insurance issues and grassroots activities.

Awarded annually by the Big “I”, the Herndon Award is bestowed upon the state association whose legislative achievements the previous year on behalf of IIABA and its members have been deemed most outstanding. The honor is named after the former head of IIABA’s government affairs operation. Herndon, who died in January 2003 at age 91, directed the association’s Washington D.C. office from 1949 to 1976 and was known as “Mr. Washington” to agents and brokers across America. He is fondly remembered as an extremely effective leader of the Big “I” government affairs and grassroots operations.

Source: IIABA