big dog, it seems that the insurance industry has morphed into a price first game, no doubt the result of consumers paying attention to mainly price. You seem to be the exception since you are concerned with the financial rating of a carrier. Although many of the carriers you mentioned, Travelers, H...

Latest on Travelers in Texas: The regional personal lines manager for north Texas had enough after 2 years, and went back to his old employer, the Hartford. Word on the street is he got tired and beat down, for having to terminate agencies for writing business with Travelers that Travelers did not w...

Harrisburg, good post. I like the "Quantum 2.NO!" :D By the way, I wonder how much more Travelers GWP will dive over the next 2 years, since all the Travelers agents that are losing their appointments will surely be moving most of that premium to other carriers. Has Travelers lost their mi...

All current Travelers agents can request the survey be emailed to them, by clicking on the "agent survey" link from the Travelers agent portal home page. Upper right hand corner. The instructions will tell you to send an email to "marketre@travelers.com" along with your name, age...

I see more multi-channel offerings by the carriers, which will continue to water down the value of the agency channel. As carriers expand policy sales through non agency channels, they will probably start to reduce commissions, which they can do as long as agents are willing to do the same work for ...

I would stay away from Travelers if you can. Have you checked out Encompass?

I came across the following article recently, written by the IIAT.(Independent Insurance Agents of Texas) I heard Travelers was not happy that the author was calling out Travelers for what they are. Starving the Cow David VanDelinder, Executive Director Raise rates, reduce commissions, institute a n...

I can write $300,000 ap in a year. Why isn't my seven years experience more important? matt, the insurance business has become more and more of, "what have you done lately?" Direct appointments are not all they are cracked up to be. Direct appointments often come with a very demanding com...

I can't help but wonder how the captives feel about this discussion. Any agents with State Farm, Allstate, Farmers or Nationwide care to offer your take on the future of the insurance agent?

Your comments smack of a local sales manager intent on beating out production where the consumers just aren't buying. D's, that is exactly what I thought as I read his post. Sounds exactly like a captive sales manager. Been there, done that. Who knows what role the agent will play long term in the ...

If you truly want your dealerships to get the best possible price, and if price is all that is a factor in your relationship with them, why not have the dealerships deal directly with an insurance company, and suggest that they have an in house employee sell the spot insurance to their customers?

D's, as always, you have written a very well thought out post. I'll throw my .02 cents in as well. The lead folks contacted me too outside of the public forum, and I too welcomed the idea of a brand new lead vendor, that would be better and different than before. My experience here in Texas was almo...

Well, how is the new Travelers auto product working out for everyone? Is it the Holy Grail that will turn the insurance industry on it's head, as Travelers suggests? Are all of you agents forcing as much auto as possible their direction, to help hasten reduced commissions across the board from other...

yoyo makes a valid point that is screaming attention: If the Allstate agency is 1/3 of the good deal that it is presented, then you would never see one for sale.

I run a P & C agency, and am looking for a software package that will allow me to do the following: 1. Drip automatically via email to prospects based on ex dates once or twice per year. 2. Drip automatically to current mono line customers, for cross sell opportunities. 3. Allow me to choose fro...