Latest Agencies Headlines

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

IIABNY Advises Motorists: Don’t Skimp On Auto Liability Insurance

Dec 1 2011 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York is advising motor vehicle owners not to skimp when they buy auto liability insurance. Auto liability insurance pays for amounts the insured person owes as damages...

Can Claims Handling Cause an Errors & Omissions Claim?

Dec 1 2011 // The answer to the question posed in the headline is a definite “yes.” This has actually developed into a significant issue for agents and is one of the current errors and omissions (E&O) hotspots agents...

How to Produce and Keep Happy Claimants

Dec 1 2011 // The best way to keep agency customers happy is to avoid claims in the first place but, of course, that’s easier said than done. When claims do happen, independent agents can play a valuable role in determining...

Safety Oversght of Government Aircraft Lacking

Nov 30 2011 // Nonmilitary government agencies operate more aircraft than the world’s largest airline but are subject to little federal safety oversight — a situation accident investigators say has contributed to air crashes and...

CRC Names Brooks Broker in Southern California Office

Nov 29 2011 // CRC Insurance Services named Robert Brooks as a property and casualty broker in the company’s Santa Ana, Calif. office. Brooks was previously a broker at RPS/Lemac. Before that worked in various underwriting...

Texas Regulator Abstains from MLR Vote; Says State Requested Waiver

Nov 29 2011 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has adopted a resolution urging Congress to amend the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to ensure...

Michigan Regulators Suspend Iron Mountain Insurance Agency, Agent

Nov 29 2011 // The Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) has summarily suspended the licenses of Erickson & Associates Inc. (E & A), an Iron Mountain insurance agency, and insurance agent Edward Erickson,...

How to Compete for Personal Lines with the Direct Writers

Nov 28 2011 // Let’s face facts. It’s unlikely that any individual independent agency will ever “beat” the direct writers. They have massive marketing budgets, a strong online presence, great name recognition, and...

Former North Dakota Insurance Agent Admits to Mail, Wire Fraud

Nov 28 2011 // A former Minot, N.D., insurance agent has pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud charges in federal court. Court documents indicate Alan Henning embezzled nearly $1.2 million between 2005 and 2010 from his employer, West...

Willis UK Networks Given ‘Chartered Insurance Brokers’ Status

Nov 28 2011 // The Willis UK brokers Networks team has been awarded the title of “Chartered Insurance Brokers” by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). The Willis Networks team manages Willis Networks, comprising the...

The Competitive Advantage: Procedural Consistency and Agency E&O

Nov 22 2011 // I have often been asked why procedural consistency is important for reducing errors and omissions (E&O) exposures. Another way of asking the question is, “Why is inconsistency an issue?” Let’s first...

Agency E&O Survey: Why Agents Buy Coverage

Nov 22 2011 // Agency owners have a lot to protect. Of course, first and foremost they must protect their clients. But they must also protect their book of business. They must protect their relationships. They must protect their...

People

Nov 21 2011 // St. Petersburg, Fla.-based LIG Marine Managers announced that Richard C. Zolty has joined LIG as senior ccnsultant and longshore insurance development director. Zolty has 40 years of underwriting experience in workers...

E&O Insights: Can the Manner in Which an Agent Handles a Claim Cause an Errors & Omissions Claim?

Nov 21 2011 // The answer to the question posed in the headline is a definite “yes.” This has actually developed into a significant issue for agents and is one of the current errors and omissions (E&O) hotspots agents...

Agents say Arkansas Earthquake Insurance Sales Up

Nov 21 2011 // Insurance agents say the recent 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Oklahoma has led many Arkansans to add earthquake insurance to their homeowner policies. The Nov. 5 quake east of Oklahoma City left damage over a wide area and...

People

Nov 21 2011 // Holborn Corp., an independent reinsurance brokerage firm in New York, appointed two executives: Wesley Zeliff as vice president and Shinji Ueda as assistant vice president. Zeliff comes from U.S. RE Corporation, where he...

Nationwide, Harleysville CEOs Say Merger All About Growth

Nov 21 2011 // The merger of insurer Nationwide Mutual with regional carrier Harleysville Mutual is all about growth, not only for the companies but also for their independent agents, according to the CEOs of the two...

Are You Prepared for the Changing Insurance Market?

Nov 21 2011 // In today’s personal property/casualty insurance market, agents and brokers face increasing uncertainty. Staying the course is no longer an option to drive profitable growth. You must understand your performance...

Contractors, Agents Fight to Stay Afloat in Distressed Construction Market

Nov 21 2011 // Some Signs Point to Better Times Ahead, Experts Say The construction market is showing hints of improvement, if only slightly, according to insurance specialists for this market. The contractor class has been one of the...

Small Business Owners Trust Their Agents, Survey Reports

Nov 21 2011 // Small business owners trust their independent insurance agents and commercial insurance carriers more than other financial services businesses, a new study reports. The study, commissioned by The Hanover Insurance Group...