Latest Agencies Headlines
All the headlines from our Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Willis Creates New Units for Asia, Australasia, Middle East & Africa Operations
Jul 23 2012 // Willis International, the broker’s’ retail division, announced that in “recognition of the size, growth and strategic importance of its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa operations, it has created...
5 Benefits of an Agency NOT Using Coverage Checklists
Jul 23 2012 // I’ve written extensively about how the use of coverage checklists benefits an agency. The benefits include significantly reduced errors and omission (E&O) exposures, enhanced reputations, better sales, and last...
PFGBest Broker Scandal Leads to Calls for Insurance for Grain Trade
Jul 23 2012 // The largest U.S. grain trade group was stunned by the latest scandal to hit the futures industry when Iowa-based brokerage PFGBest collapsed after regulators accused the firm of misappropriating customer funds. “Even...
Business Moves – South Central
Jul 23 2012 // Agents Alliance Services James King, CEO of Agents Alliance Services Ltd in Denton, Texas, announced that nine new agencies have joined the group during the first half of 2012. They are: Arcadia Insurance Agency LLC of...
Florida Streamlines Licensing for Agents, Adjusters
Jul 23 2012 // A new Florida law seeks to reduce the regulatory burden on agents and adjusters by consolidating some licenses and revamping the education classes they must take to conduct business in the state. Among the changes:...
Business Moves – Midwest
Jul 23 2012 // Pro Insurance Group, Falvay-Counihan Insurance Pro Insurance Group, a Troy, Mich.-based independent insurance agency, announced the acquisition of Falvay-Counihan Insurance Inc., of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. InPro gains...
Benefits Revolution
Jul 23 2012 // In this issue starting on page 22, several Southeast-based brokers talk about how dramatically the benefits brokerage market is changing and what they are doing to capitalize on it and grow with it. The benefits market is...
Business Moves – East
Jul 23 2012 // Allied World U.S. Switzerland-headquartered Allied World Assurance Company Holdings AG has expanded its U.S. casualty operations with the launch of a new construction casualty division. The new division will be run from...
Insurers Warn Restaurants on Exposures that Could Interrupt Recovery
Jul 23 2012 // The restaurant industry has endured a difficult few years and while some establishments didn’t survive the economic storm, those that did are anxious to see their business grow again. They may not have to wait too...
Competing in the New World of Benefits Brokerage
Jul 23 2012 // Costs Drive the Benefits Market; Focus Turns to Aiding Individuals Group health insurance brokerage is changing but the changes are not primarily due to Congress or the courts. Rather the changes are being driven by costs...
What to Know About the NEW & IMPROVED Flood Program
Jul 23 2012 // Now with Fewer Subsidies, Minimum Deductibles, Multifamily Coverage and More If it were a dam or a levee, it would have been replaced ages ago. Yet the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has stayed afloat despite a...
Virginia Begins Enforcing Proper Usage of Certificate of Insurance
Jul 23 2012 // Widespread misunderstanding regarding the proper use of certificates of insurance has led to new changes relating to their use, according to Virginia’s Bureau of Insurance. The changes went into effect July 1. The...
North Dakota Insurance Agent Charged With Stealing from Customer
Jul 20 2012 // A Dickinson, N.D., insurance agent is accused of stealing $30,000 from a customer three years ago to buy gold coins and make a payment on his credit card. Scott Biggs is charged with five felonies. The most serious carries...
Montana Agent Pleads Guilty To Stealing Premiums
Jul 19 2012 // An insurance agent from Butte, Mont. who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $7,200 of his client’s premiums has been given a three-year deferred sentence and ordered to pay restitution. State Insurance Commissioner...
Burand’s Agency E&O Blog: Tip# 7
Jul 19 2012 // Voice mail disclaimers. Most agencies today have standard voice mail disclaimers that state something to the effect of, “No coverage can be bound or obtained by leaving a voice mail.” I support this...
Whitfield’s United Insurance Agencies Join the Leavitt Group
Jul 18 2012 // Everett, Wash.-based Whitfield United Insurance Agencies Inc. has joined The Leavitt Group. The agency will now do business as Whitfield-Leavitt Insurance Agency. Local agency leaders Ted Schlatter, Randy McDonald, Don...
Former Louisiana Deputy Insurance Commissioner Convicted of Racketeering
Jul 17 2012 // United States Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux, Jr. announced that a former Louisiana deputy insurance commissioner has been convicted on racketeering charges. Richard L. Chambers, Sr., age 67, of LaPlace, La., pled guilty to...
Finaccord Survey Finds Growth in EU Commercial Non-life Brokerage Receipts
Jul 17 2012 // Newly released data from Finaccord, a London-based market research consultancy specializing in financial services, reveals that the market for commercial non-life insurance broking reached a value of €9.89 billion...
‘One Way or Another’ Agencies See Growth in Group Health
Jul 16 2012 // “One way or another.” Is that the best way to describe a sound investment strategy nowadays? Yes. If you’re talking about the growing number of agencies investing in group health benefits...
Why Workers’ Compensation Leads in E&O Claims
Jul 16 2012 // Every year, errors and omissions (E&O) claims arising out of the placement of workers’ compensation account for approximately 10 percent of all claims. Many of those workers’ comp claims are well in excess...
