Latest Agencies Headlines

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

Modesto Agent Arrested

Jul 4 2005 // A Modesto insurance agent/broker has been arrested and charged with 36 felony counts of insurance fraud stemming from a five-month joint criminal investigation conducted by the CDI and the Stanislaus County District...

Agent Leader Hits Hodgepodge of Disclosure Rules by Insurers

Jul 4 2005 // While insurance companies are calling upon state officials to coordinate their responses to the various brokerage compensation and other inquiries, independent insurance agents are worried about how the insurers themselves...

Romney Auto Reforms Hit Roadblocks from Mass. Agents and Court

Jul 4 2005 // When the chief executive officer of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America spoke before the Virginia Big “I” recently, he snuck in several digs at liberal-leaning Massachusetts, at one point...

People

Jul 4 2005 // Columbus, Ohio-based Grange Insurance has promoted Alan D. Brannan to the new post of president of property/casualty for the Grange Mutual Casualty Group. In his new role, Brannan will oversee all property/casualty...

News Briefs

Jul 4 2005 // ALABAMA Arlene’s Timing Perfect for Referral List When Tropical Storm Arlene blew through Alabama it made the timing ideal for the release of a homeowners insurance referral list providing area homeowners with the...

People

Jul 4 2005 // Joe Grauwiler has been named regional vice president of The Main Street America Group’s Jacksonville Region and president of its Old Dominion Insurance Co. unit. The region encompasses Main Street America’s...

Small Business Owners Face Gaps, Confusion Over Insurance Problem

Jul 4 2005 // Many U.S. small business owners face a major gap in their insurance coverage or do not fully understand coverage they have, a new national survey conducted by Trusted Choice finds. Trusted Choice agencies are insurance and...

Jerry Blais

Jul 4 2005 // Tom Ellis Zurich North America appointed Jerry Blais to a newly created executive position as head of Zurich’s South Central region. Headquartered in Dallas, the region consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and...

Va. Agents Warned to Adhere to State’s Fee Disclosure Law

Jul 4 2005 // Virginia insurance agents might not have to worry about a new far-reaching compensation disclosure law as do agents in some other states, but they should pay attention to laws already on the books, the state’s chief...

Analysis From Three Perspectives: Consumer, Employer and Broker

Jul 4 2005 // Analysis From Three Perspectives: Consumer, Employer and Broker Over the past couple of years, the most used phrase in the employee benefits industry has been consumer-driven health care. Though its broadest definition may...

IIABA Leader Fears Hodgepodge of Fee Disclosure Rules by Insurers

Jul 4 2005 // While insurance companies are calling upon state officials to coordinate their responses to the various brokerage compensation and other inquiries, independent insurance agents are worried about how the insurers themselves...

Commerce Bancorp Buys Conn.’s BK International Insurance Brokers

Jul 1 2005 // Commerce Insurance Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Commerce Bancorp, Inc., has entered into an agreement to acquire BK International Insurance Brokers, Ltd., headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. The acquisition...

FAIA Speaker Warns: Make Hurricane Policy Changes Before That One-in-10,000 Hurricane Hits

Jul 1 2005 // It’s essential to prepare now in case that one-in-10,000 major hurricane hits the Southern United States, Roger Looyenga, CEO of Auto-Owners Insurance told conventioneers attending the Florida Association of...

Word & Brown General Agency Introduces New Online Quoting System

Jul 1 2005 // Orange, Calif.-based Word & Brown General Agency introduced an all-new Web-based integrated system that enhances the quoting capabilities of California’s health insurance brokers by giving them the ability to...

Agents Unhappy with Administration’s View on Terror Insurance

Jul 1 2005 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America expressed both cautious optimism and concern over Administration comments regarding a federal backstop for terrorism insurance. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act is...

New Broker Integro Adds Lowenthal as Chief Information Officer

Jun 30 2005 // Integro Ltd. announced that Craig S. Lowenthal has joined the company as managing director and chief information officer. Based in the company’s New York headquarters, Lowenthal will be responsible for the...

American Hobbyist Adds Online Rating, Submission to Site

Jun 29 2005 // American Hobbyist Insurance, a national provider of collector-vehicle insurance, has added real-time online quoting and submission capabilities to its newly redesigned Web site. “The collector-car market is sizzling...

FAIA Targets PIA of Florida: Claims It Took Credit for ‘Big I’ Accomplishments While It ‘Gave Away the Playbook’

Jun 29 2005 // During two “Big I” conventions held in Florida in June, speakers accused the Professional Insurance Agents of Florida of taking credit for Florida Association of Insurance Agents accomplishments, while actually...

Agents Oppose Crop Insurance Premium Reduction Plan

Jun 29 2005 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America testified Tuesday before a Senate committee on the ongoing question of the Premium Reduction Plan (PRP), which potentially opens the door for unqualified and...

10 Companies, Nine Agents Fined Nearly $1 Million in W.V. in 2004

Jun 29 2005 // West Virginia Insurance Commissioner, Jane L. Cline, has announced that the Insurance Commission fined 10 companies and nine agents nearly $1 million dollars last year for violations relating to the insurance code of the...