Latest Agencies Headlines

Michigan Insurer Honors Top Independent Agents

Jan 4 2006 // American Community Mutual Insurance Company, a provider of individual and group health insurance, home-based in Livonia, Mich., honored its top-producing independent agents earlier this year. The annual event recognizes...

Rainier Pacific Bank Finalizes Purchase of Wash. Insurance Agencies

Jan 3 2006 // Rainier Pacific Financial Group Inc. reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rainier Pacific Bank, has completed its acquisition of the property and casualty insurance businesses of Christopherson-Boze Insurance...

Agents, Brokers, Carriers: Insurance Outlook Good for 2006

Jan 2 2006 // With the insurance industry surviving a year filled with catastrophe losses and the challenge of reauthorizing the terrorism reinsurance backstop legislation, the prospects still seem bright for 2006 according to agents,...

N.J.-Based E&S Broker Jimcor Adds Seigel, Promotes 2 Others

Jan 2 2006 // Jimcor Agencies, a Northeast excess and surplus lines wholesaler based in Montvale, N.J., made several management changes. Frank Seigel has joined as the North New Jersey branch manager. Seigel brings with him more than 30...

Agent Accused of Invasion of Privacy

Jan 2 2006 // A Waterloo, Iowa insurance agent has been arrested for allegedly hiding a wireless camera in his office restroom. Robert Speirs, 53, an American Family insurance agent, said he put the camera in the restroom because he...

Sizing Up The Construction Market

Jan 2 2006 // The list of insurers is hsorter and restrictions longer When he is presented with a construction account at his office on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Rubin Alspector can quickly determine which insurers might write it. He...

Brokers continue to gain; M&A activity remains steady

Jan 2 2006 // Stock Prices: Insurance brokers continued to experience gains in their stock prices in October and November. The median increase was 6 percent compared to a 10 percent increase for the August and September period. With the...

Building up construction insurance, block by block

Jan 2 2006 // Agent Dave Sinclair remembers his first construction account well since it was only about six years ago. It was a plumber contract with a premium of about $70,000. Today Sinclair’s Wallingford, Conn.-based agency...

2006: The year when changes take hold

Jan 2 2006 // This coming 2006 New Year seems like it will be the start of a year of big changes for the industry. It is not that the industry will be pulled out by its roots and shaken. Rather, many of the slow and even subtle changes...

The industry goes to school

Jan 2 2006 // More universities that offer insurance degrees In this second installment in a series, Insurance Journal profiled five universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in insurance. More universities will be...

PIA of Louisiana resolutions seek hurricane relief assistance

Jan 2 2006 // Association calls on insurance companies to assist during extended recovery period Thanking insurance companies on behalf of Louisiana insurance agents and the policyholders they represent for the carriers’ hard work...

Lauly Peterson, Kiln, Miss., Agent Cleaning Up After Katrina

Jan 2 2006 // We returned to Kiln, Miss., knowing our home was gone and then were told our office was also gone. When we arrived, we found our offices weren’t gone, but after 4 feet of water, they might as well be and we are in...

IJ Exclusive: Colorado Commissioner David Rivera Has Age and Experience

Jan 2 2006 // When David Rivera was appointed Insurance Commissioner by Colorado Governor Bill Owens in April 2005, he was the youngest commissioner in the United States. Despite his age, however, Rivera already had a wealth of...

The industry goes to school

Jan 1 2006 // In this second installment in a series, Insurance Journal profiled five universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in insurance. More universities will be featured in future editions. Baylor...

Brokers continue to gain; M&A activity remains steady

Jan 1 2006 // Stock Prices: Insurance brokers continued to experience gains in their stock prices in October and November. The median increase was 6 percent compared to a 10 percent increase for the August and September period. With the...

Settlement proposed in class action against ChoicePoint

Jan 1 2006 // Insurance agents and agencies who provided personal information regarding potential or actual insureds to ChoicePoint Services Inc. between Jan. 1 1997, and Aug. 9, 2005, may be entitled to money and benefits as a result...

By Andrew G. Simpson

Jan 1 2006 // Agent Dave Sinclair remembers his first construction account well since it was only about six years ago. It was a plumber contract with a premium of about $70,000. Today Sinclair’s Wallingford, Conn.-based agency...

Jan 1 2006 // Jordan B. Lotsoff recently joined Integro as principal in the Casualty Practice Group in the Chicago office. Lotsoff, with more than 15 years experience in commercial insurance, will be responsible for complex casualty...

From Pinstripes to Prison Stripes: Near North’s Segal on Life Behind Bars

Jan 1 2006 // Former Chicago Insurance Broker Serving Time for Fraud Appears on TV; Is Movie Next? Once you get over the fear…you find that people are just people,” Michael “Mickey” Segal, 63, told an ABC-TV news...

Lauly Peterson, Kiln, Miss., Agent Cleaning Up After Katrina

Jan 1 2006 // We returned to Kiln, Miss., knowing our home was gone and then were told our office was also gone. When we arrived, we found our offices weren’t gone, but after 4 feet of water, they might as well be-and we are in...