Latest Agencies Headlines

Rhode Island Agents’ Trade Group Elects Loiselle-Mongeon as President

Oct 27 2008 // Melanie Loiselle-Mongeon has been named president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Rhode Island. Loiselle-Mongeon, who is vice president of Loiselle Insurance Agency of Pawtucket, becomes the youngest elected...

Montpelier Re Forms Lloyd’s Managing Agent

Oct 24 2008 // Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. announced that it has received approval from the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Lloyd’s to establish a wholly owned Lloyd’s Managing Agent subsidiary. The new unit...

How Employers, Agencies Are Responding to the Financial Crisis

Oct 24 2008 // As the impact of the global economic crisis takes hold, a quarter of large U.S. employers expect to make layoffs in the next 12 months. However, most companies are focusing on increased employee communication and smaller...

Liberty Mutual Serves Up Loss Control Unit for Insurance Agents, Buyers

Oct 24 2008 // Liberty Mutual Group has created a new loss control organization, Loss Control Advisory Services, to give middle and national market commercial insurance buyers and their agents and broekrs better access to professional...

Venture Launches Coastal Property Coverage Under New Facility

Oct 24 2008 // West Chester, Pa.-based Venture Insurance Programs, a national program administrator, will offer coastal property coverage under a new CATalyst Property Insurance brokerage facility. CATalyst will support each of...

Lawmakers Blast Rating Agencies for Role in Financial Crisis

Oct 23 2008 // The top executive of Moody’s warned his board in 2007 that the quality of credit ratings was in danger due to trends that could “place the entire financial system at risk.” The confidential briefing was...

Texas Exec Named to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Board

Oct 23 2008 // Tom Hughston, executive vice president of North Texas-based Roach Howard Smith & Barton (RHSB), has been named to the board of directors of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, a trade association...

Spilman Named Governmental Affairs Manager for Texas Agents Group

Oct 22 2008 // With the 81st Texas Legislative Session just around the corner, the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) and its Trusted Choice agencies have appointed Annie Spilman as governmental affairs manager. Spilman will...

Meurer and Grimsley Join Texas Security General in San Antonio

Oct 22 2008 // San Antonio-based Texas Security General Insurance Agency Inc. announced the addition of Andy Meurer as senior broker and Debbie Grimsley as commercial underwriter in its Commercial Brokerage/Underwriting...

What Keeps Independent Agents Awake at Night? Commissions Just One of Several Concerns

Oct 21 2008 // Independent insurance agents and brokers are concerned about the future of contingent commissions, according to a recent survey. But that’s just one of several major concerns agents have. They also have doubts about...

Yates & Associates Names New Business P&C Underwriter/Broker

Oct 21 2008 // Yates & Associates of Tustin, Calif., announced that Denise Plecas will be joining the underwriting department as underwriter/broker – new business P&C. Starting as a receptionist at Hull & Co. in...

Illinois Company Involved in Lawsuit Against Brooke Buys 44.3% of Stock

Oct 21 2008 // An Illinois company connected to a bank involved in the lawsuit of the parent company of Brooke Corp. has taken control of 44.3 percent of Brooke’s stock. Trim Creek LLC of Crete, Ill., now owns 6.43 million shares...

Study Says Mass. Agents Contribute $1.9B to the State’s Economy

Oct 20 2008 // As employers, taxpayers, consumers and charitable contributors, Massachusetts’ independent insurance agents make a $1.9 billion cumulative contribution to the Bay State’s economy last year, according to a new...

LA Public Transit Faces Dilemma Due to AIG Demise

Oct 20 2008 // Two public transportation agencies in Southern California are facing a financial dilemma and possible service cuts after a major lender fell victim to the nationwide economic crisis. Los Angeles County Metropolitan...

Annual Survey Lists Top 10 Ease of Doing Business P/C Insurers

Oct 20 2008 // West Bend Mutual Insurance Company of Wisconsin (No. 1), Central Mutual Insurance (No. 2), Safety Insurance (No. 3), Frankenmuth Insurance (No. 4), and Selective Insurance (No. 5) earned the top five spots when it comes to...

Agents Balk as Mass. Weighs Ending Auto Surcharge Appeals

Oct 20 2008 // People who have switched policies, and everyone who must renew them in the future, could lose their appellate right under the new regulations. The Massachusetts insurance commissioner, addressing a concern of some...

Oct 20 2008 // American International Group Inc. (AIG) elected Edward M. Liddy as chairman and CEO. Liddy, 62, succeeds Robert B. Willumstad. Stephen F. Bollenbach, who was named lead independent director in June 2008, continues in that...

Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Sean Dilweg

Oct 20 2008 // From tornadoes, hail and flooding to the impact of the AIG bailout and the federal versus state regulation debate, Sean Dilweg has a lot on his plate as Wisconsin’s insurance commissioner. Appointed by Wisconsin...

Group Nurtures Latin Agents’ Relationships, Better Business Practices

Oct 20 2008 // LAAIA President Rivero Urges Agents to Strike Balance Between Technology and Direct Client Contact When the Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies was establishing itself in the late 1960s and early 1970s, most...

Carriers’ Marketing to Latinos is Good but Could be Better, Say Agents

Oct 20 2008 // A majority of independent agents and brokers in a good position to know say insurance carriers do an acceptable job marketing to the Latino community, although as many as 40 percent also rate carriers’ efforts as...