Latest Agencies Headlines

All the headlines from our Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Jackson to Represent BrokersLink’s Latin America Interests

Oct 11 2011 // BrokersLink, the independent insurance broker network, announced changes to its representation in Latin America. The bulletin said: “Following a decision by Alinter, the international arm of Mexican insurance and...

Washington Insurance Agent Who Sold Fake Policies Sentenced

Oct 7 2011 // An insurance agent who sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in fake business-insurance policies has been sentenced to more than two years in prison and ordered to pay back $532,659 in restitution. Brenda MacLaren-Beattie,...

Allstate Closes on $1 Billion Acquisition of Esurance, Answer Financial

Oct 7 2011 // The Allstate Corp. said it has obtained all required regulatory approvals and closed its acquisition of Esurance and Answer Financial from White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd. The purchase price was approximately $1...

Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires S. A. Freerks & Associates

Oct 7 2011 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced it has acquired S. A. Freerks & Associates Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. Founded in 1979, S. A. Freerks & Associates (SAFA) is a managing general agent and wholesale...

Michigan’s JM Wilson Named 2011 MGA of the Year by PIA National

Oct 7 2011 // The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents has named Michigan-based JM Wilson Corp. as recipient of its 2011 Managing General Agency of the Year Award. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in...

SIAA Adds Midwest Agencies in September

Oct 6 2011 // Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA) announced it has added 11 new member agencies from the Midwest. The new Midwest agency members include: Insurance Agency of Michigan of Waterford, Mich.; Independent Insurance...

Mass. Agents Gathering Signatures for Insurance Credit Score Ban

Oct 6 2011 // A Massachusetts independent agents group said it is confident that banning auto insurers’ use of credit scores and other socioeconomic factors will become a state law in coming months. The Massachusetts Association...

Ark Assurance Joins SPMP Group of Agencies

Oct 4 2011 // Ark Assurance Group in Tyler, Texas, has joined SBMP Inc. Ark Assurance was established in 1977 and is owned by Criss Sudduth and John Hinsley Jr. SBMP is a group of agencies based in Texas and currently has 30 locations...

Federal Flood Insurance Program Extended Until Nov. 18

Oct 4 2011 // The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation that keeps the government – and the federal flood insurance program– running until Nov. 18, 2011. The House vote (352-66) extends the National Flood...

Lockton Hires New Producer for D.C. Brokerage Team

Oct 4 2011 // Lockton Companies, a Kansas City, Mo.-headquartered insurance broker, hired Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard for its Washington, D.C., brokerage team as a producer. Prior to joining Lockton, she was construction practice leader in...

Brown Signs Insurance Bill to Clarify Bond Requirements

Oct 4 2011 // California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that makes several changes to various state insurance code sections regarding agent licensing and training, administrative processes and previously enacted...

ISU Network Adds Midwest Agencies

Oct 4 2011 // Great Northern Insurance of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Davidson Insurance Agency of West Plains, Mo., have joined the ISU Network, the San Francisco-based organization announced. Established in 2010, ISU Great Northern...

LexisNexis Insurance Exchange Buys MarshBerry Sales Portal

Oct 3 2011 // LexisNexis Risk Solutions has acquired the Sales Portal from MarshBerry, the insurance consulting and merger and acquisition advisory firm. The Sales Portal is a sales management automation tool used by larger brokerages...

Burns & Wilcox Acquires South Carolina Wholesale Broker

Oct 3 2011 // Wholesale broker Burns & Wilcox has purchased Kimbrell Insurance Group Inc., a wholesale broker and underwriting manager in South Carolina. Kimbrell was founded in 1986 and is located in the Myrtle Beach, S.C. area....

9 Years Later: Lloyd’s Chairman Peter Levene

Oct 3 2011 // Lord Peter Levene, chairman of Lloyd’s, is leaving the company after nine years at the helm. He is the longest serving Lloyd’s chairman in 125 years and oversaw tremendous change at the international insurance...

Brokers See Changing Relationships, Expanding Technology

Oct 3 2011 // At the same time they are trying to figure out what their customers, markets and the economy are going to do, today’s intermediaries are also having to navigate changing relationships among carriers, wholesalers and...

How Can Insurance Agents Help Texas Fire Victims?

Oct 3 2011 // Many businesses and homeowners are struggling to determine the extent of their damages from what is shaping up to be the worst year in Texas history for fire losses. In handling the crisis, policyholders must quickly...

Sportscover: Providing Coverage for Sports and Leisure around the World

Oct 3 2011 // Sports and leisure activities are one of the most ubiquitous pass times the world over. Whether you participate, or just watch, virtually no one is far away from some form of sporting activity. It’s why sports, as a...

California’s ‘New’ MGA Yates: Having Fun, Going National

Oct 3 2011 // Hiring, Acquisitions, Scottish Flair On Tap for Yates, Says New CEO Thomson Thirty-three year-old Scotsman Paul Thomson was on the last leg of his “five-year plan” to get into the insurance business in the U.S....

After 30 Years, Bouhan Leaves NAPSLO

Oct 3 2011 // The National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices Ltd. (NAPSLO) began serving the surplus lines industry and its wholesale broker members in 1975. Just six years into the association’s history a young...