Congrats to our 2026 IIABSC Foundation Scholarship winners
Seven college scholarships were awarded this spring by the IIABSC Foundation to children of member agency employees that will be full-time college students in Fall 2026. Congratulations to the following scholarship recipients and their parents. Next year's application process is expected to open this September with a February deadline. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the IIABSC Foundation to support the charitable, educational, public safety and scientific endeavors supporting the industry in our state. (+ More...)
Nominate this year's SC Outstanding CSR of the Year
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 SC Outstanding CSR of the Year. This award is the highest honor for insurance customer service representatives who have distinguished themselves through contributions to their industry and profession. Final entry submission deadline is July 20. Find entry forms and view past winners on our award webpage. (+ More...)
Monthly South Carolina Rate Filings Reports: March 2026 now available
IIABSC members have access to the monthly approved Private Passenger Auto and Homeowner insurance rate filings in South Carolina in a PDF downloadable report. March 2026 report now available. Member website login required for access. (+ More...)
EmpowerHer Women's Conference registration now open
Event to be held May 20 at the 1011 Galleria in Camden with a reception the evening before
EmpowerHer Women's Conference to be held May 20 at the 1011 Galleria (1011 Broad St. 2nd & 3rd Floor) in Camden, SC. This conference celebrates growth and leadership for women in insurance to make connections, discover new ideas, explore hot topics and discuss challenges faced. Through interactive sessions, peer-to-peer co-mentoring, and team-building activities, you will gain insights from industry leaders and discover new ideas that will ignite your professional journey.
Keynote Jane Jenkins Herlong is a Sirius XM Humorist and international best-selling author. She faced her share of "You can't do thats" in her life, thanks to the dyslexic label stamped on her early on. But she just laughed, probably snorted, and transformed every "NO" into a "NEXT." Jane shows crowds how to wrestle stress to the ground, and then high-five it out the door—all with a grin and a "watch me" attitude. NEW THIS YEAR: Evening reception May 19 at Broad & Vine in Camden, open to all agents not just conference attendees. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Pre-registration deadline is May 13. (+ More...)
See also: Women's Conference Happy Hour March 19 evening reception registration for NON-CONFERENCE ATTENDEES
SC Safe Home Grant Program now taking new applications
Program offers financial assistance to eligible homeowners looking to make roof & wind mitigation improvements
The SC Dept. of Insurance has re-opened the SC Safe Home grant application portal to allow eligible homeowners the chance to receive financial assistance for critical improvements ahead of hurricane season. The Spring PREP Mini-Round is a limited-round reopening is designed to help more coastal families access the resources needed to make their homes safer, stronger, and more resilient. Grants can be used for roof retrofits, opening protection, and other improvements that reduce wind and water intrusion, which are among the most effective ways to prevent costly damage during severe weather.
It is strongly encouraged that applicants first watch the application tutorial video to ensure they understand the process and have all the required documentation before starting their application. There is no solid submission deadline noted, however applicants should not delay. Applications for the SC Safe Home program open twice per year. You can sign up for notifications each time the grant portal re-opens. (+ More...)
FROM IA MAGAZINE: 5 issues Independent Agents will address at the 2026 Big I Legislative Conference
By Nathan Riedel, posted 3/4/2026 on iamagazine.com
The 2026 Big “I” Legislative Conference will take place next week in Washington, D.C. During the conference, independent insurance agents and brokers from across the country will share their perspectives with legislators on issues important to the independent agency system. The SC Big I is sending a delegation that will be meeting with our South Carolina representatives in Congress. The top five issues to be addressed with legislators are cracking down on lawsuit abuse, encouraging disaster preparedness, National Flood Insurance Program, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program, and employer-provided health insurance. View details on IA Magazine website. (+ More...)
Take a minute to check the South Carolina Unclaimed Property Program website
Urge your clients to do the same
Millions of dollars are transferred to the Unclaimed Property Program each year by companies that cannot locate the owners. Individuals, estates, businesses and even churches and charities can have unclaimed property. It only takes a minute to find out if money is being held for you or your clients. Search by first and last name or business name. You can also use the site to report unclaimed property and accounts. (+ More...)
UPCOMING WEBINAR: How to Perform Agency Acquisition Due Diligence
FREE Big I member webinar by IA Valuations to be held April 29 at Noon EST
Our friends at IA Valuations are presenting a FREE webinar for member agents who are looking for advice on acquiring another agency. Webinar to be held April 29 at Noon, Eastern Time. (+ More...)
CATALYIT: Let's Talk
Want Feedback on Your Agency’s Tech Stack? Spring promotion offering free 30-minute convo with Catalyit consultant
What technology decisions should you be making in your agency right now? These are the kinds of questions that Catalyit Conversations are designed to help with. Through a spring promotion, you can schedule a free 30-minute convo with a Catalyit guide to talk through your agency’s technology, workflows, and operational challenges. These conversations can help you clarify technology priorities, identify workflow improvements, evaluate tools and integrations, and plan smarter tech decisions. April availability is filling quickly. Schedule your Conversation now. (+ More...)
See also: Full access to Catalyit technology resources is now only $9.99/month for IIABSC agency members
SOCIAL MEDIA: April is Distracted Driving month
Find related content to share in Trusted Choice Agents Resource Center
Did you know that cell phone use was involved in 12 percent of car accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration? April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and now is a perfect time to share with their customers the importance of safe driving in customer correspondence and social media. Trusted Choice® has free up-to-date, customizable content to help bring awareness to the risks of distracted driving. Contents include various digital ads, print ads and videos. All content can be customized to include member agency logo and contact information. (+ More...)
NEW MEMBER BENEFIT: Access weekly State House reports by McGuireWoods
Find them on our website in Advocacy section, SC Legislature page, member login required
Each Friday, McGuireWoods Consulting, on our state government affairs team, provides weekly State House updates on the activities of both the House and Senate. They have allowed us to share these weekly reports with our membership. The Newsletter gives a narrative overview of the week with images and highlights, and the House Actions and Senate Actions documents chart the progress of specific bills to becoming law along with links to the full bill text. These bills won't necessarily be referenced in the newsletter. As always if you have questions about any of the bills that pertain to the insurance industry, feel free to contact IIABSC President/CEO Becky McCormack. Member login required for access. (+ More...)
Surplus Lines License Renewal Deadline is May 31
Anyone who holds a SC Surplus Lines license must renew by May 31, 2026. To complete the renewal process, all Surplus Lines Brokers must renew online through NIPR and pay a licensing renewal fee of $200.
Brokers that also hold a producer license must remember that the broker license is contingent on having an active producer license. If the producer license is not renewed, the broker license will cancel. If the surplus lines broker license is canceled, a renewal application would be required, and payment of a penalty fee double the regular fee must be paid before the license can be reinstated.
There are no additional CE requirements to renew your surplus lines license. Do you need a reminder of who needs a surplus lines license?
Anyone who does not intend to renew this license and wants to cancel it, please find the cancellation form online and submit it to the SCDOI. If you have any questions regarding your surplus lines renewal, please email the DOI at agentmail@doi.sc.gov.
Trusted Choice GIVE Movement seeking TOP AGENCY GIVERS
Week of giving in early June to benefit Make-a-Wish South Carolina
We are participating once again in the Trusted Choice GIVE Movement this June 1-8. This annual project led by our young agents encourages agencies, affiliates and partners to come together for a week of giving to benefit an incredibly inspirational and worthy cause. Together our donations have the potential for life-changing impact for children and families in South Carolina through Make-A-Wish South Carolina. Our goal in 2026 is to raise $30,000 - enough to grant the wishes of FOUR local children. Donations will be accepted all year long, and agencies and companies who participate as a TOP AGENCY GIVER will be spotlighted throughout the campaign and especially during our week of giving. TOP GIVERS are those individuals and organizations who go above and beyond and donate $1,000 or more to the campaign. (+ More...)
Catalyit Agency Compensation Survey still open for those who haven't completed it yet
Results dashboard available for those who have completed the survey
Agency Compensation 360, the multi-state compensation survey built specifically for independent insurance agencies and powered by Big “I” associations, is back open for those agencies who did not get to complete it the first time around. Agencies that have fully completed the survey can explore detailed compensation and benefits benchmarks for South Carolina and across the nation on their results dashboard.
Gain insights into:
- Pay and benefits trends by role and region
- Staffing and retention challenges
- How your agency compares to others
A Note About Data Security: Catalyit has emphasized their commitment to data security and anonymity regarding the Comp360 survey. NOBODY OUTSIDE OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANAGING THE SURVEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. All data will be anonymized and aggregated before being shown within the Analytics portal. In addition, survey participants should substitute alternative identifiers in place of an employee's full name to reinforce data security and anonymity.
Agencies must complete the survey to access results! Your input will help create a more robust, insightful results dashboard that benefits you and the entire independent agency community. (+ More...)
Use ABEN discount code for 25% off
Use code SPRING at checkout
Use discount code "SPRING" at checkout for 25 percent off our entire ABEN catalog at iiabsc.aben.tv. Discount cannot be applied to bundled courses. Courses are available live or on-demand and can be browsed by category or by broadcast date. (+ More...)