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Remote networking isn’t a new concept. A quick online search turns up more than half a dozen platforms devoted to the process — many with hundreds of millions of subscribers that all hope to build a peer-to-peer network that’s second to none.

Given that social distancing could be the norm for the foreseeable future, insurance and financial services leaders will certainly need to take advantage of online networking. However, it will take more creativity than professional networking sites alone to build worthwhile peer-to-peer network connections with others in the industry.

This is where professional associations like PIMA come in. Even with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, PIMA has found new and different ways to help build a peer-to-peer network and establish mutually beneficial relationships through a variety of methods. Here are just a few of the ways PIMA can help:

Forming Business-Insurance Partnerships

One of the more beneficial relationships in the insurance sector is the business-insurance partnership. Within the PIMA community, a number of these relationships have formed and grown remotely over the past few months.

Through PIMA, for example, AGIA Affinity was able to connect and partner with ArmadaHealth, a company specializing in data science and services. They created QualityCare Connect, an AI-based technology that matches patients and physicians, which has been offered as a benefit to AGIA Affinity employees and their families. It was also paired with supplemental plans to help people find primary care physicians as well as specialists in certain areas of treatment.

Another beneficial business-insurance partnership that came out of PIMA’s ability to help build a peer-to-peer network in the current environment was between Bindable, an insurance technology firm, and HSB, a specialty insurance provider. This resulted in the full integration of the Home Systems Protection Plan by TrustedPlace™, which allows agents to quote and cross-sell home warranties with home insurance.

Continuing Education in the Insurance Industry

PIMA consists of more than 500 leaders in insurance and financial services. Therefore, members have the opportunity to expand their skill sets and industry knowledge from other peers — and through PIMA continuing education initiatives.

For one, an online portal for PIMA members has message boards and discussion groups that allow members to engage in conversations and share insights about the industry. And PIMA’s continuing education library has a vast array of industry-specific articles, research, whitepapers, and case studies on the insurance industry’s latest trends.

If you’re looking for a way to instill a culture of learning within your organization (while building a peer-to-peer network), PIMA is the place to go.

Offering Peer-to-Peer Learning Opportunities

Beyond using the PIMA continuing education resources, members get opportunities for peer-to-peer learning at events throughout the year — providing even more ways to create peer-to-peer network connections. In addition to semiannual conferences, PIMA hosts monthly events, including bimonthly Coffee & Connecting networking sessions and bimonthly Lunch & Learns. These events offer members the opportunity to engage with peers to learn and network while also honing their leadership skills and growing their businesses. One PIMA member, Doug Easly of NPC, said the company’s success is a strong testament to the power of PIMA membership.

Leadership and networking have always gone hand in hand. It’s less about what you know and more about who you know, after all. The pandemic has made that process more complicated, but it’s not impossible. Engaging with PIMA can provide a clearer path to connecting with others in the industry and offering employees (and yourself) opportunities for networking, peer-to-peer learning, and continuing education in the insurance industry.

Published on October 26, 2020.

For more information about the benefits of a PIMA membership or other PIMA networking opportunities, contact us today. PIMA® (Professional Insurance Marketing Association®) is a member-driven trade association focused exclusively on the group-sponsored benefits market.