About
The Coastal Bend chapter is an active chapter of the National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals and the National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals-Texas dedicated to promoting ethical business interest of those involved in the health insurance industry.
The Coastal Bend chapter of NABIP-TX is a not-for-profit professional association that counts as its members Agents, Brokers, Third Party Administrators, Insurance Company and HMO Employees, Consultants, General Agents and others. Our focus is to improve our healthcare system here in our local area as well as in our state.
We represent our clients, the insured, and work to make health insurance more affordable and accessible for our community. By educating our elected officials, we strive to avoid unnecessary legislation and the unintended consequences that often follows increased governmental involvement. By becoming members of the Coastal Bend chapter of NABIP-TX, you are also pledging to follow our code of ethics:
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To hold the selling, service and distribution of disability insurance and health insurance plans as a professional and a public trust and to do all in my power to maintain its prestige.
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To keep paramount the needs of those whom I serve.
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To respect my clients' trust in me, and to never do anything which would betray their trust or confidence.
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To give all service possible when service is needed.
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To present policies factually and accurately, providing all information necessary for the issuance of sound insurance coverage to the public I serve.
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To use no advertising which may be false or misleading.
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To consider the sale of disability income and health insurance plans as a career, to know and abide by the insurance laws of my state, and to seek to constantly increase my knowledge and improve my ability to meet the needs of my clients.
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To be fair and just to my competitors, and to engage in no practices that may reflect unfavorably on myself or my industry.
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To treat prospects, clients and companies fairly by submitting applications that reveal all available information pertinent to underwriting a policy.
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To be loyal to my clients, associates, fellow agents and brokers, and the company or companies whose products I represent.
A history of Coastal Bend NABIP-TX contributed By Founding Member, Kathy Cary-Greene, CLU, RHU
The Coastal Bend chapter of the National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals-Texas was revitalized and renamed in 1997, and now again in 2023. The chapter had six members and had been dormant for a number of years.
That first meeting in 1997 was held at the Golden Corral. Brokers and insurance company representatives with an interest in promoting a local chapter were invited to come through the food line and join us in the back room.
Arleen Cross, who was a member of the TAHU Executive Board, came down from San Antonio. We spoke to the audience about the value of membership in TAHU, and a Board of Directors was drafted from the audience.
I served as President for the next year and a half. Our first focus was to bring local value to our members through education. Over the past nine years, the Coastal Bend Association Of Health Underwriters has grown to over 70 members providing educational opportunities, legislative issues and community support through our charitable fundraising.
National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals-Texas is a state member of the National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals. We are a professional organization of agents and insurance company representatives who care enough about their clients to join together with a Mission Statement "...to inform and protect the consumer by enhancing the professional growth of its members." NABIP represents nearly 20,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who service the insurance needs of millions of Americans. Founded in 1930, there are now 200 state and local chapters in the United States.
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Network with your peers
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Education
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Top-Quality Representation
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Capitol Conference-When NAHU Talks, Congress Listens
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Information Straight from the Source
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Lobbyist representing your interests
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TAHU Day at the Capitol
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TAHU Annual Convention
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Monthly publications
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TAHU Cafe and Networking
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Industry News
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Awards and recognition opportunities
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Recognition as a member of a professional organization by your clients and peers
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Member Discount Programs
National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals-Texas (NABIP-TX)
National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals (NABIP)
Contributed by:National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals-Texas
The first gathering of the national organization was on October 14,1929 just two weeks before the stock market crash. Those attending were health insurance leaders from throughout the United States, all of whom were glad to respond to the call to gather together to discuss and hopefully solve some of the problems then facing the public and the industry.
Founded in 1930, the association was organized in an era when health insurance was basically unprofitable to the companies, and although an infant, the business at the time had some congenital problems. Even though the nation was headed for one of the greatest crises in its history, the association managed to weather the storm and survive. The records reveal that about 100 persons subscribed as charter members of the National Association of Accident and Health Managers.
On June 5, 1930 the charter convention took place in an atmosphere of seriousness and optimism in Chicago. Attending the charter convention were delegates from local associations in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburg, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle. The stated objects and purpose of the new organization were:
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To eliminate destructive competition through better understanding.
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To aid in directing and shaping health insurance legislation.
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To raise the ethical standards of the business.
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To educate the public as to the nature and the benefits of health insurance.
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To collect and disseminate the most successful sales ideas and methods.
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To exchange methods of sales training and any other helpful general information pertaining to the business.
Attending the charter convention were delegates from local associations in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The spirit of volunteerism marked the early years of NAHU development. There was no paid staff and all the endeavors of the organization were in the hands of leading health insurance salesmen from the major cities of the United States, who had as their common purpose the development of a strong and effective professional association in the rapidly developing health insurance field.
To promote education in the industry the association established the Disability Insurance Sales Course (DISC). The first effort involved promotion and presentation of a 12-part classroom course on Health Insurance. The success of their endeavor was substantial and classes were conducted on some 40 campuses throughout the country. As other educational programs were developed by industry, DISC changed its thrust and began to cosponsor Health Insurance Underwriting Clinics consisting of in-residence, short term courses on collage campuses.
The name of the educational division was later changed to the Disability Insurance Training Council (DITC). After carefully studying developments and trends in the educational field, DITC inaugurated an annual series of Health Insurance Research Seminars aimed at the development of new markets for the health insurance product. This was followed by another annual series of health insurance underwriting seminars which were designed to attract knowledgeable agents to participate in a seminar program where new concepts and ideas could be explored, refined and then tested in the marketplace.
In 1961 the name of the National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals was changed to International Association of Health Underwriters. At the June 1978 annual meeting of the association major changes were made to the association's bylaws and the name was changed to the National Association of Health Underwriters. It was then changed again in 2023 to be more inclusive for the industry.
In 1984, at the National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, the bylaws again underwent a major overhaul, simultaneously with a move of the national headquarters to Washington, D.C.
The early 90's were years of continual growth for NABIP, while the health care environment was changing rapidly due to uncontrolled inflationary cost pressures. State and Federal legislative activities along with industry efforts to manage the costs of health care more effectively brought the realization that educational and legislative activities would continue to demand the very best of NABIP.
Under the leadership of many of the top health insurance professionals, NABIP continues to carry out this responsibility in the many areas of its involvement.
To learn more about NABIP, visit their web site at http://www.nabip.org