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CAA Members Win National Recognition From IIABA
Eight CAA Members Recognized as ‘Best Practices Agencies’

ShareretweetEmailPrintPress Release Source: Combined Agents of America, LLC On Monday October 11, 2010, 8:00 am EDT
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Today Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) announced eight of its member agencies have been recognized as "best practices" agencies by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA). Two of these members earned the high distinction of being included as one of the "Top Performing Agencies" in the nation. Bigham-Kliewer-Chapman-Watts, Killeen, Texas, was awarded as the Best Practices Top Performer for the revenue category of between $5 and $10 million. Bridges Group Insurance Inc., Norton, Kansas, was ranked as number one in its revenue category of between $1.25 million to $2.5 million. With expansion into Oklahoma and Kansas, Texas-based CAA is a managing general agency (MGA) committed to further expansion across the country to strengthen the independent insurance agency system through profitable growth and exceptional service for its member agencies.

“I was first introduced to CAA members when I met other ‘best practices’ agencies through earning the status of a 2007 “top performing agency” from Reagon Consulting. Thanks in large part to the mentoring I received from CAA members, like Bill Kliewer, and the other benefits of CAA membership, our agency this time round won “top performing agency” at the next level,” said Trent Richmond, AFIS, president of Bridges Group Insurance and CAA member. “I’m extremely proud of the other 7 CAA member agencies that achieved ‘best practices’ status, and look forward to CAA continuing to gather high caliber members. Trent also serves on the CAA new members committee.

Additionally, CAA member agencies make up one-third of the "best practice agencies" selected in Texas.

The CAA Best Practice Agencies include:

Barnard Insurance Agency LLP, Wichita Falls, Texas, has serviced the communities of Texoma with prompt attention to detail for both personal and commercial insurance needs since 1930. URL: http://www.bigwf.com/

Bigham-Kliewer-Chapman-Watts Insurance Agency, Killeen, Texas, offers a full line of personal and business insurance products, alongside other financial services since 1952. The agency has producers located in Killeen, Austin, San Antonio and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. URL: http://bkcw.com/

The Bridges Group Insurance, Inc., Norton, Kansas, has been serving northwest Kansas for over a century as an insurance specialist since 1894. Although it is a full-lines insurance agency, it is an Agri-Business insurance leader in its marketing area. The agency has offices in Norton, Oberlin, Hill City and Winona. URL: http://www.bridgesinsurance.com

Duncan, Fraser & Bridges Insurance Agency, Inc., Pampa, Texas, has served north Texas since 1925. While representing over 200 insurance companies, the agency offers a full range of insurance products. The agency has an office in Pampa and an Amarillo office under the name of Edmond, Deaton & Stephens. URL: http://www.dfbinsurance.com/

Ed Berrong Insurance Agency, Weatherford, Oklahoma, serves Oklahoma and the surrounding states with a full line of insurance products, while specializing in oil and gas since 1948. The agency has achieved status as an IIABA "best practices" agency for 17 consecutive years. URL: http://www.berrongins.com

Edmond, Deaton & Stephens Insurance Agency Inc., Amarillo, Texas, serves the Panhandle of Texas with a full line of insurance products. The agency has built a reputation for fast, efficient and professional service since 1925. The agency has an office in Amarillo and an office in Pampa under the name of Duncan, Fraser & Bridges. URL: http://www.edsinsurance.com/

Pierson & Fendley Insurance Agency has been providing residents of Paris, Texas and its surrounding areas with both personal and business insurance since 1935. URL: http://www.pierson-fendley.com/

The Weatherby-Eisenrich Insurance Agency, Andrews, Texas, is a full service insurance agency with two other locations in Granbury, Texas and Odessa, Texas, as Edgmon-Eisenrich Insurance. URL: https://www.weinsure4you.com/

The Best Practices Study was initiated by IIABA in 1993 as the foundation for efforts to improve agency performance. Every three years, IIABA collaborates with Reagan Consulting, Atlanta, Georgia, to select "Best Practices" firms throughout the nation for outstanding management and financial achievement in six revenue categories that starts at less than $1.25 million to more than $25 million. More than 1,200 independent agencies and brokers in the country were nominated, but only 224 agencies, the top scoring agencies in each of six revenue groups, qualified for selection.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic fatalities are the lowest in six decades.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/DOT-165-10

New booster ratings: 21 BEST BETS and 7 GOOD BETS;
8 out of 72 seats evaluated aren't recommended

ARLINGTON, VA — Boosters are better than they used to be at fitting lap and shoulder belts on 4 to 8-year-old kids to restrain them in a crash. So parents don't have to search as hard for a good fit for their child and vehicle. Most belt-positioning boosters, though, don't offer consistently good fit in all vehicles. This is the bottom line in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's third round of booster evaluations.

Researchers assessed the safety belt fit of 72 boosters, assigning the best ones the top ratings of BEST BET or GOOD BET because they correctly position belts on average booster-age kids in most vehicles. The worst performers are ones the Institute doesn't recommend because they do a poor job of fitting belts. A good booster routes the lap belt across a child's upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at midshoulder.

The Institute doesn't conduct vehicle crash tests to evaluate boosters because boosters don't do the restraining in a crash. It's the fit of the belt that's important.

"For the first time top-rated boosters outnumber ones the Institute doesn't recommend," says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research. "Now more than ever manufacturers are paying attention to belt fit, and it's showing up in our ratings."

Twenty-one boosters are BEST BET models, and 7 earn GOOD BET (see list below). Another 8 aren't recommended at all. This represents a market shift. Last year only 9 seats out of 60 the Institute evaluated earned BEST BET.

Even though poor performers make up a smaller percentage of boosters evaluated this year, 36 fall in the middle because they don't consistently fit belts well on most kids in most cars, minivans, and SUVs. Most of these are backless boosters with good lap belt scores but not good shoulder belt scores.

"Unlike the top performers, consumers can't assume boosters in the in-between group will work in every family vehicle. Some may be fine, but parents still need to try them out to see if the lap and shoulder belts fit their kids correctly," McCartt says. Obvious red flags are lap belts that ride up on the tummy and shoulder belts that either fall off the shoulder or rub against a child's neck. McCartt advises parents to keep looking until they find a booster that fits.

Institute engineers assess boosters using a crash test dummy representing an average-size 6 year-old. They measure how 3-point lap and shoulder belts fit the dummy in each of the boosters under 4 conditions spanning the range of belt configurations in a wide variety of vehicle types. A booster's overall rating is based on the range of scores for each measurement.

GOOD BELT FITBoosters elevate children so safety belts designed for adults will fit better. The lap belt should fit flat across a child's upper thighs, not the soft abdomen. Good boosters have belt-routing features that hold lap belts down and forward. The shoulder belt should cross snugly over the middle of the shoulder. Then it's in position to provide effective protection in a crash.

POOR BELT FITNot all boosters provide good belt fit. Here the lap belt is too high on the abdomen, and the shoulder belt is too too close to the neck.
 

Why fit matters: No federal standard dictates how a booster should position belts. The government's dynamic tests of crash performance don't measure what boosters are meant to do, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration only ranks boosters by how easy they are to use. Manufacturers crash test boosters, but these simulations don't tell parents how boosters will fit kids in their cars. Every state and the District of Columbia has a child restraint law, but they differ when it comes to booster-age kids. In 27 states and DC, the laws cover kids until age 8, with exceptions for kids who are big for their ages.

The Institute in 2008 began evaluating boosters to help make selecting appropriate ones less of a guessing game. Since then some manufacturers have adopted the Institute's test protocol and booster seat fixture to help evaluate belt fit on the new boosters they're designing. Britax Child Safety Inc. is one. The North Carolina-based company has 1 BEST BET (Britax Frontier 85) and 1 GOOD BET (Britax Parkway SG) this year.

Belts do the main job of keeping kids in boosters safe in crashes, but belts along with vehicle seats are designed for adults, not children, so it's important for boosters to lift kids into position for lap/shoulder belts to provide proper restraint. Children 4-8 who ride in boosters are 45 percent less likely to sustain injuries in crashes than children restrained by belts alone.

Wider variety of seats: New this year to the BEST BET ranks are seats by Chicco, Cybex, Graco, Harmony, and The First Years. These manufacturers join Britax, Clek, Combi, Dorel, Evenflo, and Recaro, which had BEST BET boosters in Institute evaluations last year and have models in the latest round.

"Parents looking for top-rated seats now have more choices that include several affordable picks," McCartt says. "Consumers don't have to spend much money on a booster to get good all-around belt fit. In fact, shoppers can find several BEST BET boosters for $50 or less through online retailers."

Forty-nine boosters are carryovers from the Institute's 2009 ratings because they still are in production. These include 7 BEST BET models, 5 GOOD BET boosters, and 6 that aren't recommended.

Harmony improves: It's clear that some manufacturers are taking the ratings to heart. Harmony Juvenile Products has 5 BEST BET boosters, more than any other manufacturer. One of them, the Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe backless, wasn't recommended last year. The company modified it to eliminate the earlier problem with lap belt fit. Dorel Juvenile Group has 5 seats that rate either BEST BET or GOOD BET, including the new Safety 1st Boost Air Protect. The firm sells seats under the names Cosco, Dorel, Eddie Bauer, Maxi-Cosi, Safeguard, and Safety 1st. Dorel also makes 4 boosters the Institute doesn't recommend, down from 7 in the prior round of evaluations.

What should parents do if a booster they already have isn't one the Institute recommends using? McCartt advises parents in this situation to take note of how the safety belts in their vehicle fit their child next time they're in the car.

"If the booster isn't doing a good job — if the lap belt is up on your son or daughter's tummy or if the shoulder belt is falling off your child's shoulder — then find a replacement booster seat as soon as practical, but you'll probably want to keep using the old one until then," McCartt says.

2010 IIHS BOOSTER EVALUATION RESULTS

BEST BETS

• Britax Frontier 85 (combination highback)Chicco Keyfit Strada (dual highback)
• Clek Oobr (dual highback)Cosco Juvenile Pronto (dual highback)
• Cybex Solution X-Fix (highback)Eddie Bauer Auto Booster (dual highback)
• Evenflo Big Kid Amp (backless)Evenflo Maestro (combination highback)
• Graco TurboBooster Crawford (dual highback)Harmony Baby Armor (dual highback)

• Harmony Dreamtime (dual backless)Harmony Dreamtime (dual highback)

• Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe (backless)Harmony Youth Booster Seat (backless)
• Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR (dual highback)Recaro ProBOOSTER (highback)
• Recaro ProSPORT (combination highback)Recaro Vivo (highback)
• Recaro Young Sport (combination highback)Safety 1st Boost Air Protect (dual highback)
• The First Years Pathway B570 (highback)

GOOD BETS

• Britax Parkway SG (dual highback)

• Combi Kobuk Air Thru (dual backless)Combi Kobuk Air Thru (dual highback)
• Evenflo Symphony 65 (3-in-1 highback)Graco TurboBooster Sachi (dual highback)
• Graco TurboBooster Wander (dual highback)Maxi-Cosi Rodi (dual highback)

   

NOT RECOMMENDED

• Eddie Bauer Deluxe (combination highback)
• Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1 (highback)Evenflo Express (combination highback)
• Evenflo Generations 65 (combination highback)Evenflo Sightseer (highback)
• Harmony Baby Armor (dual backless)Safety 1st All-in-One (3-in-1 highback)
• Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite (3-in-1 highback)

Note: Thirty-six boosters are in the middle range. They may provide adequate belt fit for some kids in some vehicles.

On July 28, 2010 Texas Mutual Insurance Company began distributing $100 million in individual policyholder dividends among approximately 38,000 qualifying policyholders. We at the Weatherby-Eisenrich Insurance Agency  are proud of our qualifying recipients.  Our agency is pleased to have distributed in excess of $1,000,000 to our valued clients. 

Texas Mutual has paid more than $770 million in individual dividends since 1999. An additional  $80 million more has been paid in purchasing group dividends. The disbursements of the funds is based on loss history.  As a reward for a strong commitment to safety, Texas Mutual awards this dividend.  The dividend program is one of the reasons WE, at the Weatherby-Eisenrich Insurance Agency, select them as one of our preferred workers’ compensation carriers.  

Texas Mutual along with the Weatherby-Eisenrich Insurance Agency  appreciates our clients and will continue working hard to keep their trust.

National Underwriter:

 BREAKING NEWS

Eisenrich Named CAA President

By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE

NU Online News Service, June 4, 11:50 a.m. EDT

Lloyd Eisenrich was named president of the Austin, Texas-based Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) management committee at its recent annual meeting in Dallas.

Mr. Eisenrich is president of The Weatherby-Eisenrich Inc. in Andrews, Texas, with two other locations in Granbury and Odessa under the name Edgmon-Eisenrich Insurance.

Mr. Eisenrich will serve a two-year term for the member-only managing general agency.

CAA also announced that:

• Roger Luttrell, president of Benton-Luttrell-Brown in Van Alstyne, Texas, was named secretary.

• Denny Bryan, president at Bryan Insurance Agency in Graham, Texas, was named treasurer.

Founded in 1997, CAA is comprised of 44 independent insurance agencies located throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. In 2009, CAA generated more than $410 million in combined property and casualty annual premiums working with 18 of the nation’s largest insurers.

Published 6/4/2010

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© Copyright 2010 National Underwriter Property & Casualty. A Summit Business Media publication. All Rights Reserved. www.summitbusinessmedia.com

Press Contact:

Courtney R. Holder Tel: (512) 627-0779 cholder@combinedagents.com

COMBINED AGENTS OF AMERICA ELECTS NEW MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

New President Lloyd Eisenrich Announced as Members Convene for Annual Meeting

AUSTIN, Texas, June 1, 2010 — Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) at its annual meeting May 19-20, Dallas, Texas, announced its newly elected 2010 management committee, including CAA's new president Lloyd Eisenrich, president of The Weatherby-Eisenrich Inc., Andrews, Texas, new secretary Roger Luttrell, president of Benton-Luttrell-Brown, Van Alstyne, Texas, and new treasurer Denny Bryan, president at Bryan Insurance Agency, Graham, Texas. With recent expansion into Oklahoma and Kansas, Texas-based CAA is a managing general agency (MGA) committed to further expansion across the country to strengthen the independent insurance agency system through profitable growth and exceptional service for its member agencies.

“As the former CAA secretary, I’m proud to continue to serve alongside this extraordinary group of members on the new management committee this time as CAA’s president,” said Lloyd Eisenrich, CAA president and president of The Weatherby-Eisenrich. “With over $410 million in premium in 2009, we at CAA are looking forward to another record breaking year in 2010.”

Each CAA management committee member is elected to serve a staggered two-year term and is selected by its board of members based on their leadership abilities and contributions to the organization. The new 2010 management committee includes:

• President – Lloyd Eisenrich, president of The Weatherby-Eisenrich Inc., headquartered in Andrews, Texas with two other locations in Granbury, Texas, and in Odessa, Texas as Edgmon-Eisenrich Insurance.

• Chairman of the Board – Bill Bridges, CIC, executive vice president of Duncan, Fraser & Bridges, Pampa, TX. Bridges serves on the board of directors of The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT), and the Texas Mutual Agents’ Council and the Travelers' Regional Agents Council.

• Executive Vice President – Don B. Hudson, CIC, vice-president of JHC Insurance Agency, Inc., Victoria, Texas.

• Second Vice President – Michael T. Siegeler, CIC, president of the Siegeler Insurance Agency, Inc., Giddings, Texas.

• Secretary – Roger Luttrell, CIC, president of Benton-Luttrell-Brown, headquartered in Van Alstyne, Texas with another office in Sherman, Texas. Roger also serves on the State Auto’s National Agents Council.

• Treasurer – Denny Bryan, CIC, president of Bryan Insurance Agency, Graham, Texas. – more -

• Past President – Don C. Jones, CIC, president of Crockett Insurance Service, president of Houston- Walker Counties Insurance Service & Crockett Financial Service, Crockett, Texas.

CAA’s member agencies convene on a quarterly basis to knowledge share, discuss industry issues, review its relationships with insurance carriers, and assess CAA operations. Highlights from the recent board meeting include:

• Golf tournament at Buffalo Creek Golf Club (Dallas, Texas), • New member presentation to independent agency prospect from Texas, • Insurance carrier presentations by Hartford Life Insurance Company, Litchfield Insurance Group,

Towerstone, Inc., AmTrust North America, Brown & Brown Insurance, and Central Insurance, • Guest speaker presentation by Scott Addis on “Organic Growth Engine,” • Amtrust hosts lunch at The Adolphus, • Central hosts dinner at The Adolphus, and • Award presentation to outgoing CAA officers, including former president Don Jones, former treasurer

Jim Norris, former secretary Lloyd Eisenrich and past chairman Brent Borgstedte.

About Combined Agents of America, LLC

Founded in 1997 Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) is based in Austin, Texas, and is comprised of 44 independent insurance agencies located throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. By funneling the agencies’ combined premiums, CAA brings larger volume commitments to insurance companies, while empowering its members to realize greater benefits from insurance companies, vendor discounts and other incentives. In 2009, CAA generated over $410,000,000 in combined property and casualty annual premiums, and works with 18 of the largest insurance companies in the nation. CAA placed 18th nationally in the Insurance Journal’s Top 100 Property and Casualty Agencies in 2009. All CAA member agencies remain independent and are recognized by insurance companies as a key component to their future growth and goal commitments. Additional information is available at www.combinedagents.com.

CAA member agencies include: Aars & Nelson Insurance Agency, Barnard Insurance Agency, Bartlett, Baggett & Shands, Benchmark Insurance Group, Benton-Luttrell-Brown Company, Bigham-Kliewer- Chapman-Watts Insurance Agency, BRIA Insurance & Risk Consultants, Bridges Group Inc., Bosworth & Associates, Bryan Insurance Agency Ltd., Brownrigg Insurance Agency Inc., Cravens-Warren & Co., Crockett Insurance Service, Duncan-Fraser & Bridges Insurance Agency Inc., Ed Berrong Insurance Agency, Ed Weeren Insurance Agency Inc., EFGI Insurance & Bonds LLC, Evans-Ewan & Brady Insurance Agency Inc., First Insurance Services, First Texas Insurance Services LC, Henry Norris Insurance Agency, Inc., Garrett Insurance Agency, Inc., GBS Insurance Agency Inc., Grona Boles Martin & Bloxsom Insurance, Hill County Insurance Agency, Insurance Associates of Texas, Insurance Net Inc., JHC Insurance Agency Inc., J. S. Edwards & Sherlock Insurance Agency, Lake Insurance Agency, Inc., McCorkle Commercial Insurance Agency, Mims & Smith, Mr. Insurance Agency, Inc., Pierson-Fendley Insurance, Pinnacle Insurance Group Inc., Porter Insurance Agency Inc., Purifoy & Company, The Shropshire Agency Inc., Siegeler Insurance Agency, Inc., Walthall-Sachse & Pipes, Inc., The Weatherby-Eisenrich Inc., Wellmann Insurance Agency, Inc., Western Insurance Agency, and Whorton Insurance Services.

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Check out this press release from CAA about Weatherby Eisenrich Insurance Agency retaining its status as an IIABA Best Practices Agency!

View CAA Press Release

We are so honored to have been selected for this great honor! Read more about it here.

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ — Today Combined Agents of America, LLC (CAA) announced its board-of-members has approved Weatherby-Eisenrich Inc. as its newest member, increasing membership to 28 agencies. CAA is a managing general agency (MGA) committed to strengthening the independent insurance agency system through profitable growth, quality and service for its member agencies.

Read More Here