Latest Agencies Headlines

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

Senate Approves Financial Reform Bill

May 21 2010 // The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping Wall Street reform bill Thursday night, capping months of wrangling over the biggest overhaul of financial regulation since the 1930s. By a vote of 59-39, the Senate approved S. 3217,...

Arkansas Suspends License of Agent Accused of Embezzlement

May 21 2010 // The Arkansas Department of Insurance has suspended the producer and agency licenses of Timothy Walley and the Tim Walley Insurance Agency Inc. of Little Rock for multiple alleged violations, including embezzlement and...

Insurance Journal Searches for Nation’s Leading Agencies

May 20 2010 // Insurance Journal is on the search for leading privately-held property casualty independent agencies and brokerages for its annual Top 100 Property/Casualty Independent Insurance Agencies report. Top Overall Independent...

Arkansas Insurance Agent Wins GOP Nomination for Lt. Gov.

May 20 2010 // A Springdale, Ark., insurance agent has won the Republican nomination in Arkansas for lieutenant governor. Mark Darr will face state Sen. Shane Broadway in the fall to take over the No. 2 spot vacated by Bill Halter,...

America First Insurance Expands Agent Support in Louisiana, Oklahoma

May 20 2010 // America First Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company, has added key agent support positions in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Donnie Brackins has been appointed Commercial Lines Underwriting manager for...

GAB Robins Launches Broker Services at BIBA 2010

May 20 2010 // GAB Robins announced that it is launching a suite of Broker Services to “help intermediaries work more efficiently and enhance the standard of their claims services for their clients at this year’s British...

Tennessee Insurance Agents Warned on Flood Insurance E&O Exposure

May 20 2010 // Some Tennessee homeowners have been surprised to learn their policies won’t pay for flood damage and an attorney and lobbyist is warning insurance agents not to admit to any wrongdoing if clients confront them about...

Builder Agent Network Endorsed by the Texas Association of Builders

May 19 2010 // The Builder Agent Network, a Dallas-based provider of insurance programs for home builders, has been endorsed by the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) as its preferred member service provider for property and liability...

The Agency Salary Blues: How to Keep Employees Happy

May 19 2010 // While slugglish agency salary growth has employees singing the blues, some agency management consultants believe employee satisfaction can be kept up even in tough times. One way agency owners can keep their employees...

California Workers’ Compensation Insurance Market More Lucrative

May 18 2010 // Prices are improving in the California workers’ compensation insurance market — at least according to one specialty workers’ compensation carrier in the Golden State. According to PacificComp President...

Allstate Adding Agents in California

May 18 2010 // Allstate Insurance Co. announced it is seeking dozens of agents in California. “We see a significant opportunity in the current economy to attract mid-career, mid-level managers to own and operate their own business...

Florida Leaders See Omnibus Bill Stabilizing Home Insurance Market

May 18 2010 // Florida insurance leaders belive that recently passed legislation (SB2044) is a step towards stabilizing the state’s property insurance market that has had been rocked by politics, premiums assessments, company...

Former Ohio Insurance Agent Receives 7-Year Prison Sentence

May 18 2010 // Ohio Department of Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson announced that former Ohio insurance agent Damon Bryan of Medina has been sentenced to seven years in prison by Judge Christopher Collier of the Medina County Common...

The Agency Salary Blues: Staff Morale Takes Hit in Tough Economy

May 18 2010 // Stagnant and declining agency salaries have many agency employees singing the blues, and most agents don’t expect things to change, at least not anytime soon. While independent agency salaries maintained or decreased...

People

May 17 2010 // New York-based insurance brokerage and risk management firm Integro has hired Robert H. Easton as deputy general counsel and chief compliance officer. Easton most recently served as deputy superintendent and general...

U.S. Risk Names Kearns Underwriter and Broker in Austin Office

May 17 2010 // Surplus lines wholesaler and managing general agency, U.S. Risk Insurance Group Inc., has named JoAnna Kearns a broker/underwriter in the U.S. Risk Brokers Austin, Texas, office. Kearns has nearly 10 years of insurance...

Leavitt Group Hires Rogers as Insurance Agent, Industrial Hygienist

May 17 2010 // Bozeman, Mont.-based Taylor-Leavitt Insurance Agency has hired Scott Rogers as a licensed insurance agent and certified industrial hygienist. Before joining the agency, Rogers served as the risk manager for several years...

Agents Aren’t Quite Ready for the Social Media Revolution

May 17 2010 // The insurance industry is not as quick to adapt to change as other industries,” but independent insurance agents need to acknowledge that having “a Web presence is non-negotiable,” said Michael LaRocco,...

Calif. Agent, Insurer Groups Discuss Homeowners Replacement Cost Regs

May 17 2010 // To alleviate concerns about homeowner under-insurance, the California Department of Insurance has proposed regulations governing standards and training for estimating replacement value on homeowners’ insurance. CDI...

People

May 17 2010 // Martha A. Lees has been named deputy superintendent and general counsel for the New York State Insurance Department. She advises the superintendent on legal matters and oversees the preparation of legal opinions, the...