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 Holiday Calendar
IIABSC will be closed for holiday observance on the following days. View 2026 holiday calendar.  (+ More...)

Welcome New Agency Members

C&C Insurance Group LLC
Bowman, SC

HFC Insurance
Lancaster, SC

Sullivan Agency
Taylors, SC

IN MEMORIAM: James "Jimmy" D. Galloway, Jr.
James "Jimmy" Dalton Galloway, Jr., 95, passed away on Nov. 21, 2025. A Citadel graduate, Jimmy built a 70-year career at IIABSC member agency Peoples First Insurance (originally First Insurance Agency), where his dedication, integrity, and leadership became the foundation of a true family legacy. He took great pride in seeing his son Ben and grandson Zander follow in his footsteps, creating three generations committed to serving the Rock Hill community. Service to others was woven through every chapter of Jimmy’s life. He served on the board of Rock Hill National Bank and was a longtime member of Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, where he faithfully served in many leadership positions. He also served on the Red Cross Board of Directors, was President of the United Way, the Salvation Army Board, the YMCA Board, and the Rotary Club. He was also honored with the Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Business Achievement Award. A service celebrating Jimmy’s life will be held on Sunday, December 7th at 2:00 PM at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, 421 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC, 29730. The family will greet friends following the service. Memorials may be made to Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church (421 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC, 29730) or the Montreat Conference Center (PO Box 969 Montreat, NC 28757), places that held special meaning for him. 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: Rebecca "Becky" F. Kingery
Rebecca "Becky" Frantz Kingery, 70, of Elgin, SC, passed away on Nov. 19, 2025. Becky grew up moving often as her father served in the Air Force. She often spoke with fondness about her time in Okinawa, Japan. Becky worked in commercial insurance for more than four decades, including some member agencies, and is probably best-known by our membership as a long-time instructor for our CISR commercial lines courses. “I am heartbroken to hear about Becky’s passing," said IIABSC President/CEO Becky McCormack. "She was a personal mentor to me and helped set me, and many others, on our professional path. She poured so much of herself into this industry and into the people lucky enough to learn from her. She was truly a lovely, remarkable person, and will be greatly missed by all of us who loved her.” Memorials may be made to the IIABSC Foundation, and the family will be notified. View full obituary and leave condolences for the family.   (+ More...)

National Legislative Report: Government Shutdown Ends as NFIP Retroactively Reauthorized
From IA Magazine, posted 11/13/25
The longest federal government shutdown in history is finally over. After 43 days, Congress passed a funding package through a continuing resolution funding the federal government through Jan. 30, 2026. It includes a retroactive reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for the period that the program lapsed. (+ More...)

National Legislative Report: Legislation to Curtail Third-party Litigation Funding Advances
From IA Magazine, posted 11/20/25
Last week, the House Committee on the Judiciary passed the “Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act,” H.R. 2675 to address the sophisticated and costly practice of third-party litigation funding (TPLF). The bill now awaits action in the U.S. House of Representatives. Specifically, H.R. 2675 would ban foreign governments and sovereign wealth funds from engaging in TPLF and increase oversight of foreign involvement. In the current system, foreign adversaries like China can exploit the secrecy currently surrounding third-party funding to weaponize the court system and extract intellectual property from U.S. companies and evade sanctions. This legislation will protect consumers and businesses from rising litigation costs, preserve the integrity of the U.S. judicial system, and guard against foreign interference. The Big “I,” along with a strong, diverse coalition of stakeholders, strongly supports reforms to require disclosure of TPLF to all parties and the courts. (+ More...)

See also: Trusted Choice Legal System Abuse Toolkit

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...)

FROM INSURBANC: Private Equity v Industry Focused Financing
From Insurance Journal, posted 10/6/25
InsurBanc Division Director, Scott Freiday, recently authored an article, “Private Equity vs. Industry Focused Financing," published recently on Insurance Journal website. As private equity continues to make bold moves in the insurance space – reshaping ownership models, fueling M&A activity and redefining what growth looks like for agencies, understanding the differences between private equity investment and industry focused lending is becoming essential for agency leaders.  (+ 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...)

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 THANKFUL at checkout
Use discount code "THANKFUL" 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...)