Latest Agencies Headlines
All the headlines from our Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.
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Aug 5 2019 // National Linda Dodson The Vertafore technology users network, NetVU, has named Linda Dodson as executive director. Dodson’s career has included work in an insurance agency and with agency carriers. She began her...
Changing Education from a Chore to a Cheer
Aug 5 2019 // Professional designations are in the DNA of the insurance industry. For decades, we have proudly posted credentials as authentication of commitment and industry knowledge. But learning offers value far beyond the initials...
Oklahoma Independent Agents Group Confirms Officers for 2019-2020
Aug 2 2019 // The Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma (IIAO), the state’s largest insurance and property casualty agents’ association, has confirmed its 2019-2020 officers and board members. IIAO Officers for 2019-2020...
Specialist Broker SSL Endeavour to Launch Cyprus & Greece Subsidiary
Aug 1 2019 // Specialist independent Lloyd’s broker SSL Endeavour Ltd. announced it is planning to launch a wholly owned subsidiary, SSL Endeavour Insurance Brokers Ltd. Cyprus & Greece, pending regulatory...
Why Agencies Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Insurtech and Need to Adopt It – Now
Jul 31 2019 // There’s been a barrage of insurtech products hitting the market for several years now, creating confusion for some agency owners trying to decipher what is relevant to them, how to implement these products and...
Big I New York Welcomes Lombardo as AVP of Learning and Development
Jul 30 2019 // Big I New York has welcomed Jim Lombardo as the association’s AVP of Learning and Development. Lombardo will be responsible for expanding the association’s education and research offerings to meet the needs and...
Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Louisiana Brokerage Gillis, Ellis & Baker
Jul 29 2019 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced the acquisition of New Orleans, La.-based Gillis, Ellis & Baker Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1933, Gillis, Ellis & Baker is a commercial...
Iowa Insurance Agent Charged with Fraud
Jul 26 2019 // The Iowa Insurance Division reported that insurance agent Christine Wilson, age 43, of Moravia, has been charged with two counts of Fraudulent Submissions (Class D Felony). The charges against Wilson stem from an...
Sparks, Sonderman to Lead Alabama-Based Cobbs Allen Specialty Insurance Brokerage
Jul 26 2019 // Cobbs Allen has hired industry veterans Paul Sparks and Darren Sonderman to lead its new specialty insurance brokerage. Sparks and Sonderman each bring more than 25 years of experience from founding and leading the...
Washington Commissioner Fined Carriers, Producers and Others $724K in June
Jul 25 2019 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler disciplined and issued fines in July totaling $724,000 against insurance companies, agents and brokers and others who violated state insurance regulations. Following are the...
Canada’s Navacord Joins Brokerslink Global Network
Jul 24 2019 // Navacord, the Ontario-based commercial broker, has joined global broking business Brokerslink as the network’s latest affiliate in the North American region. Navacord, which trades under 15 different broker partner...
Insurance Agency Mergers Hit Near-Record in First Half 2019
Jul 24 2019 // There were 328 announced U.S. and Canadian insurance agency mergers and acquisitions during the first half of 2019, the second-highest six-month total, trailing only the first half of 2017 when 333 transactions were...
Last Minute Insurance Shopping Woes
Jul 24 2019 // People leave things to the last minute. In college, the papers got written at the last minute. On Monday, people get up at the last minute. Insurance buying happens at the last minute. I believe that’s one of the...
Surety Specialists Feighl, Hohlt Join EPIC in Houston
Jul 24 2019 // San Francisco-based EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, has added Eric Feighl and John Hohlt in its Houston office. Feighl has joined...
Insurer Innovation Comes Under the Rating Agency Microscope
Jul 22 2019 // Underway for some time now, the disruption of the insurance industry has moved into a new phase, following the announcement by A.M. Best that it may soon begin scoring insurers’ innovation efforts. Journalist Russ...
Big ‘I’ Agents’ Group Names NAIC’s Eilers-Bowser to Capitol Hill Team
Jul 22 2019 // Heather Eilers-Bowser recently joined the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America ( Big “I”) Capitol Hill team as federal government affairs counsel. Her role will include federal legislative and...
Charles Schwab Eyes Purchase of USAA Wealth Management, Brokerage Units: WSJ
Jul 18 2019 // Charles Schwab Corp. is in talks to buy brokerage and wealth-management operations from USAA for about $2 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The deal, which could...
Florida Gets Ready for Peak Hurricane Season After 3 Years of Major Storms
Jul 17 2019 // Floridians are on alert as the state heads into peak hurricane season after three straight years of being impacted by major storms. Meanwhile, the Florida Panhandle continues its recovery from Hurricane Michael that...
J.M. Wilson Adds Lewton, Arens in Indiana
Jul 16 2019 // Managing general agency and surplus lines broker, J.M. Wilson, has added Matt Lewton as transportation underwriter and Tyler Arens as assistant transportation underwriter in its Carmel, Indiana, office. Lewton is...
3 New African Affiliates Join Brokerslink Global Network
Jul 15 2019 // Global insurance broking business Brokerslink announced three new African affiliates have joined its global broker network bringing its presence across the Middle East and Africa region to 36 countries. The new affiliates...
