FROM IIABA: NFIP/ Government Shutdown update
National Flood Insurance Program has been funded until Sept. 30, 2026
Congress has passed a bill signed by President Trump on Feb. 3, 2026 that re-opens the federal government after a temporary lapse that started on Jan. 31. While parts of the Department of Homeland Security are still under fierce debate in Congress, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been funded until September 30. The Big “I” will continue to work with Congress and the administration to avoid future lapses in the NFIP and advocate for a workable federal policy regarding flood insurance. (+ 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...)

SCDOR issues Liquor Liability update on mitigation factors resulting from H.3430
Approved server training courses now available on SCDOR website
Earlier this month the SC Dept. of Revenue sent an "Alcohol Beverage Licensing Update" announcing that the approved alcohol server training program are now available on their website. They are listed in their own section at the top of the webpage. Anyone who works at least 10 hours a week serving alcohol for on-premises consumption and managers who oversee alcohol service must complete an approved server training program by March 2, 2026 or within 30 days of employment. This training requirement is a result of a state law passed in 2025, SC Code Section 61-3-120(B). Immediately after successfully completing training, servers will receive an alcohol server certificate number from the training provider. Program providers have 10 days to submit this information to the SCDOR. Certificates should be issued within two weeks of passing an approved training program. Servers must maintain a digital or physical copy of their alcohol server training certificate while serving alcohol. Licensees must maintain records on all their servers for the duration of their employment. Please share this info with your clients.  (+ More...)

IN MEMORIAM: Leighton "Lee" B Besse
Leighton "Lee" Besse, 77, passed away on Jan. 21, 2026. He spent the majority of his life in Miami, Fl., but attended and graduated from The Citadel, entering the Air Force afterwards. After his military service he joined his father in the insurance business, serving as President of Independent Insurance Agents for Dade County and eventually ending up at C.T. Lowndes & Co. in Charleston, SC. His survivors include his wife, Vicki Besse of Summerville, and his son, Jason Besse of Mount Pleasant. A celebration of life is being planned and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’ s Hospital and/or Dorchester Paws. Memorial contributions can also be made to the IIABSC Foundation, and the family will be notified. View full obituary and leave condolences for the family. (+ More...)

IN MEMORIAM: Reece Williams III
Davis Reece Williams III, 88, passed away on Jan. 18, 2026. Raised in Lancaster, SC, Reece earned a degree in English from the University of North Carolina and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Recently retired from Callison Tighe law firm, he was a veteran litigator known for his clarity, fairness, civility, and unwavering professionalism. He served as the long-term general counsel for the IIABSC state association, and he and his wife, Nancy, were regular attendees of our annual convention. Reece was deeply committed to the arts, culture, and civic life of Columbia. He and Nancy contributed their William Falkner collection to USC's Thomas Cooper Library. He supported numerous organizations including a lifetime of board service with the Salvation Army. Funeral services and reception will be held Friday, February 6, 2026 at 2:00 pm at Trinity Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Salvation Army of the Midlands or the charity of your choice. Memorial contributions can also be made to the IIABSC Foundation, and the family will be notified. View full obituary and leave condolences for the family. (+ More...)

Use SC Dept. of Public Safety materials to educate clients on South Carolina's new Hands Free law
Law enforcement will begin issuing citations Feb. 28
The SC Department of Public Safety has created email and social media campaign materials on the new hands-free law to help you educate your clients before law enforcement begins issuing citations starting Feb. 28. The law took effect September 1, 2025, and requires drivers to put down their phones, tablets, and other electronic devices while driving and keep their focus on the road. Violations of the Hands-Free Law can lead to fines and points on driving records, which may also affect insurance rates and eligibility. Violations by those with a commercial drivers license may be serious, with multiple offenses leading to a 60-day suspension of their license. Learn more about what is illegal, what are exceptions and penalties for violating the law at scdps.sc.gov/handsfree. Access SC Dept. of Public Safety hands-free law campaign materials here, including social media graphics and suggested copy, email campaign header images, flyers and email templates for before and after citations begin.  (+ More...)

US Post Office Changes Rule on Postmarks
Already in effect, the United States Postal Service (USPS) recently implemented a significant change to how postmarks are assigned. Under the previous process, an item mailed through the USPS was postmarked on the date it was physically deposited for mailing. Under the new rule, the postmark will reflect the date the item is first processed by USPS, which may occur one or more days after it is dropped off.

This change may have meaningful implications for policyholders, agents, and carriers—particularly where payment timeliness is determined by postmark date. Historically, some carriers have accepted premium payments as long as they were postmarked on or before the due date, even if received afterwards. While many carriers may continue to accept payments based on postmark date, consumers will no longer have certainty as to what that postmark date will be at the time of mailing. As a result, payments mailed on the due date may no longer be considered timely.

This rule change will also affect other time-sensitive documents historically accepted based on postmark date, such as tax returns. Late postmarks in these situations may result in penalties, fines, or other consequences.

To reduce risk, customers may request a hand-stamped postmark at the retail counter, obtain a printed postage label, or use Certified or Registered Mail. However, the most reliable approach remains mailing payments and other deadline-sensitive items well in advance of their due dates.

Protect Clients’ Valentine’s Day Jewelry
Access specialized jewelry insurance policy through Big "I" Alliance Blue
With Valentine's Day around the corner, it's time to remind clients of the importance of protecting valuable jewelry with a specialized jewelry insurance policy because typical homeowners policies often fall short when covering jewelry losses. As a Big “I" member, you have access to Jewelers Mutual's standalone jewelry coverage solution through Big “I" Alliance Blue. Not yet registered to access Alliance Blue's market solutions? Complete your agency's quick and free registration to begin quoting.  (+ More...)

Trusted Choice Marketing Reimbursement Program 2026 new guidelines & eligibility
Offset the cost of marketing your agency
Agency member benefits of Trusted Choice include supplementing your agency's branding efforts. The MRP offers assistance to members leveraging the Trusted Choice brand in adding the logo to traditional or digital marketing materials as well as using the TechCompare Vendors platform. Reimbursements will be made at 50 percent of cost with a maximum reimbursement amount of $1,000 per agency location and a TechCompare Vendor cap of $500 per vendor. Funds are available to all members, even if your agency has used the program in the past. Guidelines and eligibility for 2026 are nearly identical to last year with no major changes. For help finding the benefits most in line with the priorities of your agency, contact our Vice President Megan Huebner, who manages membership services. (+ More...)

RLI PUP doesn't ask for details on underlying policies
Insureds can switch carriers with no effect on their policy
RLI is different from other umbrella carriers in many ways. One important way is the effort they put into the ease of doing business. They don't ask for the details on underlying policies so your insured can switch carriers without it impacting their umbrella coverage. They can have underlying coverage with multiple carriers. Their application is self underwriting so you know whether a submission qualifies before submitting it. Most property acquired mid-term is automatically covered until renewal as long as proper underlying limits are maintained. RLI offers esign and online payment options so the entire transaction can be done without mailing anything. There are no hidden fees beyond the quoted premium. Can your PUP carrier say the same?  (+ More...)

Upcoming webinar: A Perpetuation Planning Crash Course
FREE Big I member webinar by IA Valuations to be held Feb. 18 at Noon EST
Our friends at IA Valuations are presenting a FREE webinar for member agents who are looking for advice on perpetuation planning. Webinar to be held Feb. 18 at Noon, Eastern Standard Time.  (+ More...)

FROM IA MAGAZINE: How the Insurance Industry Is Tackling the Talent Crisis
February is Insurance Careers Month
Telling the story of insurance, meeting young professionals where they are and establishing tried-and-true mentorship, internship and professional development programs are all ways agents are capturing the attention of younger generations and paving the way to new and fulfilling insurance careers. To address the talent shortage, here are five successful, replicable strategies already in motion to recruit the next wave of insurance talent in 2026 and beyond. (+ More...)

Spring Conference registration open to all, agent discounts end next week
Popular event to be held March 25-26 in Columbia, SC
Spring Conference returns to the Columbia Metro Convention Center in downtown Columbia March 25-26. Registration is now open for all attendees. Agent attendee discounts end next week on Friday, Feb. 13. Hotel block expires Feb. 19. Our Spring Conference offers valuable opportunities for insurance professionals to multiply their visibility, increase their knowledge, enhance industry resources, and engage with exhibitors, new contacts and colleagues. View updated agenda and session topics on our event webpage. (+ 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

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:   Full access to Catalyit technology resources is now only $9.99/month for IIABSC agency members

IIABSC 2026 Dues renewals info - cancellations in process
How to retrieve your dues invoice from our Member InfoHub
IIABSC member renewal payments are now past due, and we are in the process of starting the cancellation process for those who have not yet paid their annual dues. Invoices were sent by email to the membership billing contact on record. Dues invoices can be retrieved by anyone with the proper permissions using our Member InfoHub. Monthly payers renew automatically, but they must have a payment profile set up in our system. Annual dues payments can be made by mailing in a check or by making an online payment using the link on your invoice. Corporate associate members who are interested in exhibiting or sponsoring an event in 2026 should consider participating in the Palmetto Partner program, which is also still accepting new members and renewals. Contact Office Admin Kate Shepard with your dues renewal questions. 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...)

LAST CHANCE: Still accepting participants in the 2026 Palmetto Partners program
Support the association year-round to receive special benefits; payment deadline Jan. 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. Payment deadline is Jan. 30. Download full information packet or fillable pledge form from our Partners webpage. (+ More...)

LAST CHANCE: Commercial Agent Training (CAT) classroom/virtual hybrid series
Build a strong foundation in commercial lines insurance coverages
The popular IIABSC Commercial Agent Training School (CAT) returns to the classroom in Columbia AND LIVE VIRTUAL this February, starting next week. This course was developed to provide comprehensive training for agents in all the major areas of commercial lines. It is perfect for new employees or those who just want a refresher course in commercial lines coverages. The CAT series helps agents build a strong foundation in commercial lines insurance coverages. Participants attend one class a week for three weeks. At the completion of all three days, participants receive a Series Certificate of Completion.  (+ More...)

See also:  NEW DESIGNATION - Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS) certification

LAST CHANCE: Apply now for CIC Scholarship
Covers one full institute registration, deadline next month
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...)

Send IIABSC Foundation Scholarship application to everyone in your agency with kids in college
Please also consider a contribution to support charitable, educational, public safety efforts within our industry
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. DEADLINE March 1, 2026. 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 South Carolina Winter Preparedness Week materials to help clients all season long
South Carolina Winter Preparedness Week has passed, 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...)