On Our Mind…No Plans to Slow Down

​By Jim Lombardo, CPCU, AAI, AIM, MBA, AVP of Learning & DevelopmentWow. Mid-February already. Things appear to be on the upswing. More and more people are getting vaccinated, a new vaccine is about to be released, workers are getting more comfortable with the technology, and kids are regularly attending “virtual" school. Well, ok not that last one (my wife is a teacher, and I hear her everyday struggling to get the kids' attention and/or actually have them show up in the first place!) but that is a story for another day.As we approach one year of COVID-19, let's reflect on what we have learned.Big I NY…

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5 Things From Our Staff Meeting You Should Know About

​By Allison Just, Meeting & Governance Manager Every week, the Big I NY staff team meets to share what we're working on to help you – our members. Progress on new initiatives being made. Questions we've been asked. What you need to know about. I am going to channel “Sesame Street" here (two young daughters will do that) to share with you 5 things from this week's meeting that start with the letter C. 1. CreativityInsurance Guru Tim Dodge is creating a podcast that will earn you CE. Whether you're walking the dog, shoveling snow, or driving to the office, the goal is to offer you another way to…

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Excess Lines Modernization Bill Clears Key Committee Vote

​This week, the Senate Insurance Committee voted in favor of Big I NY – supported legislation which would make it easier to place commercial coverage in the excess market. The bill, S.498 (Breslin, D-Bethlehem)​, would simplify and streamline the affidavit process, and exempt commercial lines insurance transactions placed by wholesale insurance brokers from the requirement to obtain three separate declinations.New York's excess line market is critical to providing insurance for risks that are not underwritten by admitted carriers – such as those which are unique, volatile, or lack loss history. Current law requires brokers to obtain three declinations from admitted carriers before an excess line…

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