vol. 2025, ed. 24

2026 Education Calendar now available online
ABEN webcasts also now available directly in online calendar
Online registration to most of our 2026 IIABSC classroom/hybrid seminars as well as ABEN/ CISR/ AIAM/ CRIS LIVE WEBINARS & WEBCASTS are now available on our online education calendar. Please pay special attention to registration instructions, as DOB and NPN are both required information for most courses. Adding all the scheduled ABEN webinars has made the calendar a lot to scroll through, so please note that you can use the filters and search fields to help you find the courses you want. To view December 2026 courses, adjust the End Date of the Show Events Happening search menu. (+ More...)

Catalyit Agency Compensation Survey re-opens for those who haven't completed it
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

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...)

See also:   Catalyit's GetLyit Virtual Conference sessions are all now available on demand for full access subscribers

Achieve your 2026 Goals with the IA MBA program
Program starts April 8 | Register early for Buy Two, Get One Free rates
Want to elevate your team’s success in 2026? The IA-MBA is a virtual 10-week learning and networking program designed for independent insurance agents to help you improve your people and financial management skills. You'll learn organizational leadership to align your team to achieve shared vision and goals, people management strategy to empower your entire team and financial mastery to build a more profitable business. This program kicks off April 8 and pairs self-paced learning with bi-weekly live sessions with your peers and industry experts for real-time coaching and discussion. Participants have lifetime access to course materials. Buy Two Get One Free promotion until Jan. 31.   (+ More...)

Why An RLI Home Business Insurance Policy Is a Pretty Sweet Deal
Your candy and confection business customers have it pretty sweet – their lives revolve around creating, packaging and selling sugary delights to an eager clientele of all ages. Those customers could hit a sour note, though, if their confection-making supplies are stolen from their car, a power outage results in melted merchandise or a candy catastrophe occurs at their booth during a local festival. Typical homeowners insurance may not cover incidents such as these, which is why a home business insurance policy from RLI is an important coverage for them to have.   (+ More...)

TIME TO RENEW: Agency license renewal process now open on NIPR website
Deadline to renew your agency's license is Jan. 30
South Carolina agency license renewals are now open on the NIPR website. Agencies will have until Jan. 30, 2026 to renew. Renewal fees are $40, and the process must be done online.   (+ More...)

IIABSC 2026 Dues renewals info
How to retrieve your dues invoice from our Member InfoHub
IIABSC annual member renewals for agencies, Palmetto Partner and corporate associates have been sent by email to the membership billing contact on record. Monthly payers renew automatically, but will be notified in mid-December if their monthly payment amount is changing in 2026. Dues invoices can be retrieved by anyone with the proper permissions using our Member InfoHub. Payments can be made by mailing in a check or by making an online payment using the link on your invoice. Payment is due Jan. 1, and cancellations for nonpayment begins Jan. 30. View 2026 payment policies. Please also consider a tax-deductible donation to our IIABSC Foundation to support the charitable, educational, public safety and scientific endeavors supporting the industry in our state.   (+ More...)

Pledge to join 2026 Palmetto Partners program
Support the association year-round to receive special benefits; pledge deadline Dec. 30
IIABSC is accepting pledges to next year's Palmetto Partners program, which was created for those supporting our association's events on an ongoing basis. It guarantees high-profile exposure to agency members and other benefits. There are six levels of participation in order to work with every budget. Pledge deadline is Dec. 30; payment deadline is Jan. 30. Download full information packet or fillable pledge form from our Partners webpage. (+ More...)

Please help us maintain our Triple Crown InsurPac Championship
InsurPac contributions are your personal investment in federal advocacy to protect your independence
We are the voice for independent agents, and our goal is to help you build meaningful relationships, grow your network and protect the independent agency system. InsurPac is an arm of our federal government affairs program that allows lobbyists and agents to attend fundraising events where they develop relationships with members of Congress and their staff. Those relationships help open doors to advocate for or against legislation that directly impacts the independent agency system. In the 2025 election cycle, the Big “I” government affairs team and agents throughout the country used InsurPac funds to attend over 1,600 fundraising events supporting federal officials and candidates for federal office. InsurPac also disbursed more than $2.6 million to 278 federal campaigns, winning 268 of them, recording a 96% victory rate. InsurPac funds needs replenishing for the upcoming 2026 election cycle, so we can make a comparable impact. Every day you ask your customers to pay money to protect what is important to them. If this industry is important to you, then you should be supporting InsurPac. Your contribution will also help South Carolina secure its SEVENTH consecutive InsurPac championship. A full list of South Carolina contributors will be published in the upcoming Spring edition of SC Agent & Broker magazine, expected in May.  (+ More...)

See also:   Advocacy in Action - What 199A means for Independent Agents

Apply now for CIC Scholarship
Covers one full institute registration, deadline Feb. 16, 2026
IIABSC is accepting member applications for a CIC Scholarship that covers the registration fee of one SC classroom or LIVE webinar institute held in 2026. Any licensed member agent or broker pursuing their CIC designation with a minimum of two years' full time experience in the industry is eligible. Application deadline Feb. 16, 2026.   (+ More...)

IIABSC Foundation Scholarship 2026 application now available
Contribute to IIABSC Foundation, scholarship application deadline March 1
IIABSC Foundation's scholarship program exclusively for students whose parents work for IIABSC member agencies is now accepting applications for 2026 awards. Scholarships will be $2,000 each for one year. Up to eight scholarships will be awarded, and recipients are eligible to re-apply in future years. Application and full eligibility guidelines are available on our IIABSC Foundation webpage. Please also consider a tax-deductible donation to our Foundation to support the charitable, educational, public safety and scientific endeavors supporting the industry in our state.   (+ More...)

SOCIAL MEDIA: Use Older Driver Safety Awareness Week materials all month long
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week was observed from Dec. 1 – 5, 2025, but you can update your website and share these resources with your clients all month long. If you aren't an older driver you probably know one. Between 2014 and 2023, the U.S. population of people 65 and older increased by 28%, and in 2023 the number of people 65 and older killed in traffic crashes made up 19% of all traffic fatalities. During Older Driver Safety Awareness Week (December 1–5, 2025), organizers want to remind you that simply getting older doesn’t mean it's time to hang up their keys, but they should take some time each year to evaluate how they drive and whether they are having some of the common troubles such as poor eyesight, tremors or memory issues. Find resources and tips on the American Occupational Therapy Association website, also the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.    (+ More...)

SOCIAL MEDIA: Use South Carolina Winter Preparedness Week materials to help clients all season long
South Carolina Winter Preparedness Week will be observed from Nov. 30–Dec.6, 2025, but you can update and share these resources with your clients all season long. South Carolina typically experiences mild winters, hazardous winter weather events like snowfall, ice storms, and extreme cold can impact the entire state. Winter storms can create dangerous conditions, including closed highways, blocked roads, black ice, downed trees and power lines, and the potential for hypothermia. Coastal and inland areas may also face flood risks from winter storms. Help your clients remember to update their supplies early while demand is low. Find resources and tips (including printable SC Winter Weather Guide) on the South Carolina Emergency Management Division website.   (+ More...)

Use ABEN discount code for 25% off
Use code Fall25 at checkout
Use discount code "Fall25" 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...)

Use My Agency Campus discount code for 20% off
Use code gift20 at checkout
Use discount code "gift20" at checkout for 20 percent off your purchase at My Agency Campus. MAC courses are on demand, cost effective and measurable insurance training coverage for your team. Great for new employees and emerging leaders.   (+ More...)