Latest Agencies Headlines
All the headlines from our Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.
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...
Florida Lawmakers Pass Omnibus Property Insurance Bill
May 17 2010 // On the final day of this legislative session, Florida lawmakers passed omnibus legislation that aims to bring more control over homeowners insurance costs, raises the state’s minimum capital requirements for...
People
May 17 2010 // Irvine, Calif.-based Superior Access Insurance Services Inc. named Tom Crawford chairman of the board of directors. Before joining Superior Access, Crawford served as chairman, president and CEO of Crawford & Co. With...
Trains, Ships and Trucks
May 17 2010 // Maritime Law May Limit Compensation for Cargo Damages During the Inland Transportation Part of a Journey That Originated Overseas. In disputes regarding damage to cargo transported over land and water, it is important for...
Keeping People Motivated
May 17 2010 // Making Communication and Motivation Work in Tough Times Increased scrutiny, fueled by the financial industry’s fallout, has led to a great deal of miscommunication surrounding insurance companies and agencies. In...
Soft Market, Recession Delivers Stronger Managing General Agencies
May 17 2010 // AAMGA’s Rothert Says Opportunities for New Business on the Horizon Managing general agents have a positive attitude about what’s to come in the next year. The soft market and recession forced many MGAs to get...
The Competitive Advantage: Opportunity Knocks
May 17 2010 // Coverage, Underwriting Knowledge Have Become More Powerful Tools in Today’s Market When I first started as an underwriter a few decades ago, I was truly amazed at the coverage knowledge so many of the older...
M&A Wrap Up: The Rollercoaster of M&A
May 14 2010 // January deal activity started out strong but continued to decline in February and further in March. Nonetheless, first quarter merger and acquisition (M&A) activity bested last year’s first quarter performance...
Payan Elected Chairman of Associated Risk Managers International
May 14 2010 // Craig A. Payan has been elected to serve as chairman of the board of directors for Itasca, Ill.-based Associated Risk Managers International Inc. Payan is president of PA&T Insurance and Financial Services, an...
Brown & Brown Acquires Four Connecticut Insurance Agencies
May 14 2010 // Florida-based Brown & Brown Inc. has acquired four retail insurance agencies in central and southeastern Connecticut with combined revenues of $7.2 million. The acquired agencies are McCutcheon Burr & Sons, of...