Latest Agencies Headlines

California Agent Collected Bogus Premiums While on Bail

Nov 17 2009 // California’s Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has announced that Louise May Batchelor, 55, of San Diego was sentenced Nov. 6 to 365 days of work furlough, five years probation and ordered to pay restitution...

San Diego Agency Names New President

Nov 17 2009 // Leavitt Insurance Agency of San Diego is pleased to announce that Thomas A. James will join the agency as President and Andrew James will join the agency as a Broker. Most recently with the Willis Group, Tom brings over 30...

Louisiana Agent, Agency Sanctioned for Unlicensed Employee

Nov 16 2009 // A Marksville, La., agent and her agency have been issued cease and desist orders, summary suspensions and fine notices for allegedly allowing an employee to conduct the business of insurance without a license, the...

Nov 16 2009 // In the insurance world, forces of nature are rarely celebrated. Events such as hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and floods can confound the most exacting calculations, drain profit and sink insurers. But then there is Adam...

It’s Time to Review Essential Procedures for Managing E&O

Nov 15 2009 // Systems, Checklists, Guidelines, Manuals Among Tools Useful in Reducing Agency Errors I have been an insurance broker since 1974. However, my principal occupation is attorney, practicing in insurance law. I have had many...

People

Nov 15 2009 // The National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) recently honored John Latham, regional president with Markel, for his contributions as an excess and surplus lines professional. He received the...

Agencies Outsourcing to China to Reduce Backlogs, Free Up Resources

Nov 15 2009 // ReSource Pro Gains by Offering Half-Price, Off-Hours, Highly-Efficient Back Office As more insurance agencies look for new ways to improve productivity and lower expenses, more owners and managers are investigating the...

Pros and Cons

Nov 15 2009 // Like many other insurance industry groups the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA or Big “I”) has found a lot not to like in the healthcare reform bill recently passed by the U.S. House...

People

Nov 15 2009 // Alan Ring has joined National Contractors Insurance Co., Inc. (NCIC), a risk retention group, headquartered in Big Fork, Montana, as director of sales and marketing. Ring will be based in NCIC’s Anaheim Hills,...

Agencies Outsourcing to China to Reduce Backlogs, Free Up Resources

Nov 15 2009 // ReSource Pro Gains By Offering Half-Price, Off-Hours, Highly-Efficient Back Office As more insurance agencies look for new ways to improve productivity and lower expenses, more owners and managers are investigating the...

Auto Claim Customer Satisfaction Up; Agents a Positive Influence

Nov 15 2009 // In general, auto insurance customers are more satisfied with the claims process in 2009, compared with 2008, according to a nationwide study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. The 2009 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study...

Healthcare Reform Pros and Cons

Nov 15 2009 // Like many other insurance industry groups the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA or Big “I”) has found a lot not to like in the healthcare reform bill recently passed by the U.S. House...

California Agents Win Case Against State Farm

Nov 15 2009 // State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. is going to have to pay the defense costs of two former agents it fired, and then sued, according to a court decision handed down recently. The well-known dispute between the two agents...

Pollution Insurance: Peace of Mind or Smart Soft Market Marketing?

Nov 15 2009 // In today’s competitive insurance industry and struggling economy, agents are hard pressed to sell anything more than the bare coverage necessities. But while this challenge may seem daunting, it is not without...

2009 Top Personal Lines Agencies

Nov 15 2009 // The following list is taken from the Insurance Journal Top 100 P/C/ Independent Insurance Agencies report published in Insurance Journal on Aug. 3. These agencies represent the leaders in total personal lines premium...

The Face of Freakin’ Agency Marketing

Nov 15 2009 // Kool Prophet Promises Astonishing Results We come on down on a mission Your footloose town won’t even know you’re gone Our flying boombox was built to take you Up to teh stars wehre your groove belongs —No...

Insurance Agents Unhappy with House Healthcare Bill

Nov 15 2009 // The leaders of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIBA) are not pleased with the healthcare reform bill that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Agents are particularly opposed to the...

Louisiana Department of Insurance Cracks Down on Alexandria Agents

Nov 13 2009 // In separate actions the Louisiana Department of Insurance has issued cease and desist orders, and fine notices, to four individuals accused of inappropriately conducting the business of insurance in that state. A former...

New Chicago-Area Brokerage to Focus on Bonding, Environmental Risks

Nov 13 2009 // Programs and environmental insurance veteran David Blum announced the opening of D.S. Blum Inc., a wholesale insurance brokerage headquartered in suburban Chicago. The brokerage will focus on assisting small and mid-size...

Southern California Agents Pleads to Fraud

Nov 12 2009 // California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner today announced that Edwin A. Flores, 33, of Long Beach pled guilty to one count of misdemeanor grand theft and was sentenced Nov. 5 to two years probation, 120 hours of...