CAIFA, PIA FORM COALITION

The California Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CAIFA) and the Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), two Sacramento-headquartered organizations that have worked together for years on legislative and other activities, agreed to create a joint lobbying entity— the Coalition of California Insurance Professionals (CCIP). The formation of CCIP was unanimously approved by the boards of both associations and will represent more than 30,000 insurance professionals. Russell A. Smith, president of CAIFA, said the new coalition will enable his association to provide what the CAIFA membership believes is the organization’s number one member benefit—legislative advocacy—in a more efficient, more costeffective way. PIA Group President Peter Brown noted that the cooperation between the PIA Group and CAIFA is consistent with a growing trend in the industry: the increasing number of partnerships and joint ventures involving property/casualty and life/health agents.