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Description/Job Summary

The Crop Insurance Service Agent sells and services small and/or low-touch crop insurance policies while educating and providing value added services to members who do not require on-farm or in-person service through an Express Policy Program. 

Remote options available.

Responsibilities/Duties

Sales and Portfolio Management
Portfolio Management

• Manages a book of crop insurance small and/or low-touch policies, including the timely collection and completion of applications, acreage reports, production reports, and all other necessary policy documents
• Reviews all policy documents for accuracy and makes necessary corrections
• Provides account service and advice with aim of increased sales
• Proactively identifies potential current and future claim situations
• Educates the member about claim procedures and provides guidance
• Submits claims as needed
• Monitors the claim processing timeframe
• Reviews claim outcomes with the member as needed
• Develops and maintains effective member relationships to ensure a high level of satisfaction and policy retention through regular and proactive communication throughout the policy perio

Sales and Service

• Originates crop insurance policies and policy renewals by appropriately assessing member needs and developing risk management strategies to address those needs
• Develops and implements marketing strategies to achieve defined retention targets
• Generates presentations and rate quotes for all appropriate risk management products
• Reviews policy structure and maps to verify appropriateness of insurance coverage
• Identifies where product add-ons can add value
• Enters information into customer relationship management software to document the insurance sales process

Operational Management
Crop Insurance Administration

• Reviews crop insurance applications, acreage reports, production reports as well as other documents for completion and readiness
• Ensures documents meet policy provisions and standards
• Coordinates and tracks the compilation of documents needed for insurance policies and claims utilizing the document management system
• Utilizes available internal and external technology applications, when appropriate, to populate, process, and finalize policy documents efficiently
• Ensures proper submission and execution of policy documents and ensures all requirements have been met timely and accurately
• Provides specialized processing services for stand-alone hail, wheat, and Pasture, Range, Forage (PRF) policies
• Performs and/or participates in special projects and other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the organization

Other Responsibilities
Continuous Education

• Engages in and attends continuous education activities to remain informed of ongoing crop insurance coverage changes
• Remains knowledgeable of legislative issues that impact crop insurance
• Attends all necessary training to maintain appropriate state licensing and crop insurance certifications
• Develops strong understanding of state and federal agricultural programs and strives to be a resource to producers seeking to understand and participate in such programs
• Attends activities to build upon expertise in various aspects of agriculture, finance, and economics

Data Security and Confidentiality

• Appropriately protects the confidentiality, security, and integrity of the Association’s systems and data and clients’ data

Committees

• Participates on various committees and provides insight and development for processes and procedures, new and enhanced field related technology, the Association vision and goals attainment, marketing initiatives and Association strategic planning

Training

• Dedicates significant time to training during initial on-boarding, including working with/for co-workers
• Trains co-workers through information sharing, small group discussions, idea exchanges, job shadowing, and mentoring, as needed
• Attends all required Association training

Required Skills

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong working knowledge of production agriculture
• Skill in negotiating to sell and promote crop insurance
• Skill in negotiating complex agreements to achieve teh best outcome for the organization
• Skill in critical thinking
• Skill in utilizing a systematic approach to problem solving
• Skill in focusing and concentrating on details, along with differentiating significant and insignificant details
• Skill in utilizing technology to increase efficiency
• Skill in having perception of different dimensions of business issues and making sense out of complex issues while being decisive and flexible to change
• Skill in applying processes and procedures to factual data to make a logical decision
• Skill in engaging, collaborating, and building trust amongst team members
• Skill in interacting and working effectively with others
• Skill in listening and conveying awareness of a customer's problem or issue to find resolution
• Oral and written communication skills, sufficient to exchange information effectively with peers, supervisor, and customers

Required Qualifications

Education and Prior Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, agriculture, or related field;
• No prior related work experience required;
• Or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and skillset sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job

Certifications

• Valid crop insurance licensed required within three months from time of hire