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Riding out soft and hard market cycles with quality relationships

Jul 24 2006 // Having quality relationships with clients takes commitment and discipline, but it pays off in reliability and client retention. Analyzing the economic rhymes and reasons of soft and hard market cycles in the insurance...

Jul 24 2006 // People Suburban Chicago-based Property Casualty Insurers Association of America appointed Genio Staranczak as its chief economist. Dr. Staranczak will be responsible for economic analysis on the full range of public policy...

10 Former FEMA director promotes mediation

Jul 24 2006 // Says feds, state governments should work together 10 W. Va. Insurance Commission cracks down 2,000 employers without workers’ comp targeted 11 FAIA CAT team volunteers honored Provided assistance to Miss. agents...

Why surplus lines reform makes sense in 2006

Jul 24 2006 // The AAMGA is an international trade association comprised of 503 member agents, brokers, insurance, captive and reinsurance companies, Lloyd’s of London syndicates and underwriters, state stamping and surplus line...

News Currents

Jul 24 2006 // The virtual, global economy humbles insurance leaders Insurance professionals have a lot to worry about as the fast-paced virtual economy takes hold. According to futurist Edie Weiner, they are right to be worried. She...

Safeco CEO: ‘We will sell to consumers in the way they want to buy’

Jul 24 2006 // Explaining Seattle-based Safeco’s recent announcement that it would sell its products directly to consumers via the Internet, President and CEO Paul Rosput Reynolds said the company previously had been not...

The excess flood market steps up when national flood program falls short

Jul 24 2006 // The historical lessons learned from Katrina and Rita, and looming predictions of a future with bigger and stronger storms have made flood insurance popular these days — even in locations where it was previously...

California revises proposed mileage verification regulations

Jul 24 2006 // The California Department of Insurance has revised its proposed “odometer verification” regulations, deleting provisions that would have authorized insurers to require agents to verify the mileage if they met...

Safeco CEO: ‘We will sell to consumers in the way they want to buy’

Jul 24 2006 // Explaining Seattle-based Safe-co’s recent announcement that it would sell its products directly to the consumer over the Internet, president and CEO Paul Rosput Reynolds said the company previously had been not...

Agency compensation reflects organic growth, profitability and retention

Jul 24 2006 // With fewer large books of business changing hands recently, insurance agencies are relying on staff-driven, organic growth to expand their operations. Compensation packages and new recruitment and training strategies have...

Industry cannot ignore Hispanic buying power

Jul 24 2006 // As might be expected, diversity was discussed in virtually all lines – employment practices liability insurance, commercial, health, Mexican and life – among other agency management topics at the recent Latin...

Jul 24 2006 // People Minneapolis, Minn.-based ING named Susan Anderson president and CEO of ING Trust USA. Anderson will lead the growth and development of personal trust and directed institutional trusts nationally. She has 15 years of...

Why surplus lines reform makes sense in 2006

Jul 24 2006 // The American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) commends efforts to modernize commercial insurance markets while maintaining the state-based system of insurance regulation and the surplus lines market’s...

Big ‘I’ exec tells agents federal charter is a ‘recipe for disaster’

Jul 24 2006 // If a mandatory or even an optional Federal Charter is implemented in Washington, D.C., it will be a “recipe for disaster,” says Charles E. Symington Jr., Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of...

Getting your commercial producers to prospect

Jul 24 2006 // Some producers never seek out fresh prospects. Instead, their managers employ list services and telemarketers to spoon-feed them their leads. Still, this is the exception in the agency business and not the rule. Most...

Longfellows Lead Independent Insurance Agents of Montana

Jul 24 2006 // Dale Longfellow of Hobson Insurance, Hobson Mont., was elected the 76th President of the Independent Insurance Agents of Montana. He has been an insurance agent for more than 35 years and has been involved with the Montana...

Safeco and Its Agents Ready to Help Stranded Texas Select Customers

Jul 24 2006 // Safeco Insurance is working with its 536 independent Texas agents to provide quality replacement homeowners coverage for customers stranded by the failed Texas Select Lloyds company. “With the clock ticking for...

IIAT honors Fitzhugh for 60 years of state conference attendance

Jul 24 2006 // Third generation Waco agent going strong at 89 Third-generation and longtime Waco independent insurance agent Champe Fitzhugh Jr., was honored in mid-June by his insurance profession’s state association, the...

The excess flood market steps up where NFIP drops off

Jul 24 2006 // The historical lessons learned from Katrina and Rita and looming predictions of a future with bigger and stronger storms highlight more than ever before the importance of flood insurance, even in locations where it was...

Riding out soft and hard market cycles with quality relationships

Jul 24 2006 // Analyzing the economic rhymes and reasons of soft and hard market cycles in the insurance industry would make for a challenging university-level business course. Theories abound on why and when these cycles occur, but no...