Latest Agencies Headlines

All the headlines from our Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Wilson Named National Accounts Director for Big ‘I’ Professional Liability Program

Apr 4 2017 // Marianna Wilson has been hired to serve as professional liability director for national accounts for the Big ‘I’ Advantage program of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America. The organization...

Smith Joins Ohio Agents Group as Company Partners Manager

Apr 3 2017 // The Ohio Insurance Agents Association (OIA) has added Megan Smith as company partners manager. With a passion for the independent agency system, Smith is excited to foster partnerships with OIA’s carrier partners to...

Welcome, Jon Axel To The Liberty Team

Apr 3 2017 // The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers is proud to welcome Jon Axel as Managing Partner of its Los Angeles office. Jon Axel Woodland Hills, CA, April 3, 2017- Jon brings over 29 years of experience to Liberty, with an...

Young Agents on Overcoming Obstacles

Apr 3 2017 // This issue of Insurance Journal features exclusive results from the 2017 Young Agents Survey where nearly 600 young agents nationwide shared their views on the industry and their experience as an agent. (see page...

Brokers Beware: Data Breach Lawsuit Without the Breach

Apr 3 2017 // In December 2016, it came to light that the Chicago-based law firm of Johnson & Bell had been sued in a purported class action lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The...

The Competitive Advantage: The Lost Value Proposition of Independent Agencies

Apr 3 2017 // My brother recently asked for advice regarding his personal insurance. I recommended he contact an independent agent I know who represents three carriers who I know provide a good form, reasonable price, and good claims...

Forget Insurtech. What About Us? Young Agents Speak Out in Annual Survey Report

Apr 3 2017 // Young agents want more tech tools to compete. With so much attention lavished on insurtech startups that vow to replace them, young insurance agents feel they are being shortchanged in the race to invest in insurance...

A Look at Restrictive Covenants and Obstacles that Keep Producers from Making a Move

Apr 3 2017 // If someone were to offer you $1 million to make a job move, would you? What if that move meant you’d go through some lean years? For $1 million, you’d likely tolerate several lean years. An entrepreneurial...

Young Agents Enjoy Career Choice But Worry About Future Hiring

Apr 3 2017 // Despite sentiments about technology lags, the vast majority of young agents responding to Insurance Journal’s 2017 Young Agents Survey believe strongly that their career choice was the right one. The survey found...

New York’s Cybersecurity Rules: Things Insurance Professionals Should Know

Apr 3 2017 // The New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued cybersecurity requirements for financial services companies (cyber rules) that went into effect March 1. The cyber rules require insurance and...

Florida Insurance Agent Gets 4 Years for $100K Premium Theft

Apr 2 2017 // A former Florida insurance agent has been convicted and sentenced to four years in prison for stealing more than $100,000 from two elderly clients, according to a statement from the state’s Chief Financial Officer...

2 Retired North Carolina Agents Convicted of $11M Insurance Scam Targeting Seniors

Mar 31 2017 // North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) announced the conviction of two retired insurance agents in a regional scam targeting senior citizens. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said the two retired agents, Milton...

Ryan Specialty Group Agrees to Acquire Assets of New York-Based LoVullo

Mar 31 2017 // Ryan Specialty Group LLC (RSG) has reached a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of LoVullo Associates Inc. (LoVullo), a wholesale insurance brokerage and binding authority operation based in...

Blue River Underwriters Promotes Jared Mathis to Executive Vice President

Mar 31 2017 // Atlanta, GA, March 31, 2017 — Blue River Underwriters, a Breckenridge Insurance Group company, has promoted specialty property senior vice president Jared Mathis to executive vice president of the division. As executive...

Citizens Seeks Florida Agents’ Help Fighting Water Claims Abuse

Mar 30 2017 // As the Florida property market fights what has so far been a losing battle against attorneys and unlicensed contractor firms over water loss claims and assignment of benefits (AOB), Citizens Property Insurance Corp.,...

MassMutual Completes Broker-Dealer Integration

Mar 28 2017 // Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has completed the integration of its existing broker-dealer, MML Investors Services LLC, and MSI Financial Services Inc., the broker-dealer acquired as part of...

How Agents Can Deploy Soft Benefits to Win the Talent War

Mar 28 2017 // Insurance agencies that stress “soft” benefits have the upper hand in recruiting workers in today’s competitive job market. Employees are increasingly seeking out “soft” benefits in addition...

Broker THB and CNA Hardy Partner to Provide Global Industrial Cyber Solution

Mar 27 2017 // London-based broker THB, CNA Hardy and cyber security specialist Waterfall Security Solutions have entered into a partnership to provide a cyber security protection package for industrial businesses globally. The package,...

The Hanover Launches Professional Liability Risk Management Portal

Mar 27 2017 // The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has launched a new online portal featuring risk management tools for the professional liability industry. HanoverProRisk offers articles, templates, risk bulletins and seminars focused on...

Flintstones vs. Jetsons, a Broker Success Story, and How Agencies Can Survive Insurtech

Mar 23 2017 // “If we survive the next five to 10 years and improve the way we do things, we can be well-positioned into the future.” James Keating, founder, chairman and CEO of The Keating Group, offered those positive words...