Latest Agencies Headlines

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

Bank of America, Merrill Settle Gender Bias Claims for $39M

Sep 9 2013 // Bank of America Corp. agreed to pay $39 million to settle a gender bias lawsuit by female brokers who claimed they were paid less than men and deprived of handling their fair share of lucrative accounts, court papers made...

Quickest Way to Raise Agents’ Ire

Sep 9 2013 // What is the quickest way a consultant can raise the ire of agents everywhere? Write an article stating producers have a responsibility to produce.What is the next best way to raise agents’ ire? Write an article that...

Knowing Their Business

Sep 9 2013 // Understanding the exposures of commercial clientele is not only important in reducing an agency’s errors and omissions risk; it’s important to the agency’s and carrier’s bottom line, too.Small...

28th Annual Market & Financial Outlook Survey Reveals an Optimistic Marketplace: MarshBerry

Sep 9 2013 // In June of this year, MarshBerry launched its 28th Annual Market & Financial Outlook Survey in conjunction with Insurance Journal.The survey compiled anonymous general independent agency information along with...

MAIF Drops Proposal Seeking to Gain Policy Rights

Sep 9 2013 // The Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF) — the auto insurance market of last resort in Maryland — last month withdrew its proposal to gain “sole and exclusive property” rights to all MAIF policies.The...

Indiana Insurance Agent Promoting High School Fishing Clubs

Sep 6 2013 // Helping youth find their way onto lakes to fish. That’s what John Albertson, an insurance agent in Bloomington and youth director for Indiana B.A.S.S., is trying to accomplish.He’s actively seeking students...

IIAT’s Small Agency Conference Set for Oct. 6-7 in San Marcos

Sep 6 2013 // Insurance agents and company representatives from across the state will meet Oct. 6-7 in San Marcos at the Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel, Spa and Conference Center for the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas’ 9th...

American Family Insurance to Acquire Homesite Group for $616M

Sep 6 2013 // Madison, Wis.-based American Family Insurance announced that it reached agreement to acquire direct homeowners insurer Homesite Group Inc. for an anticipated $616 million.Homesite Group is a Boston-based direct writer of...

The Hanover Says It Is Committed to Oklahoma

Sep 5 2013 // The Hanover Insurance Group does a lot of business in Oklahoma and plans to keep it that way. Responding to an Insurance Journal article that inaccurately reported the company was pulling out of the state, The Hanover said...

Best Expresses Concerns over London Market Placement Deals

Sep 5 2013 // A.M. Best has been studying the recent innovation in the London insurance market, exemplified by the arrangement between Aon and Berkshire Hathaway announced in March, which automatically shares a percentage of premiums...

Insurance Journal Searches for Best Agencies to Work For

Sep 4 2013 // Insurance Journal is on the search again for the best independent insurance agencies in the United States to work for and we hope you will consider nominating your agency today.You must be a current employee of the agency...

Capital Oversupply Could Pressure Reinsurers to Lower Rates

Sep 4 2013 // Munich Re and Swiss Re Ltd. are among reinsurers likely to face further pressure to lower the rates they charge clients as the capital available for backing policies remains near a record high, brokers said.“With the...

AJ Gallagher to Acquire UK’s Giles Group of Companies

Sep 4 2013 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Giles Group of Companies, headquartered in London, England. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close...

Agents Who Understand Customers’ Businesses Boost Commercial Insurers: J.D. Power

Sep 3 2013 // Small commercial lines insurance customers most value having an insurance agent or broker who completely understands their individual business and helps them assess and manage their risk. The highest-ranked small business...

Risk Management Services Launches Group E&O Plan for Life, Health Agents

Aug 30 2013 // Risk Management Services (RMS) has established a group errors & omissions insurance plan for life and health insurance agents in partnership with Gotham Insurance Co. Applications must be submitted via the...

Conn. Supreme Court Reverses Trial Court Ruling, Says Acordia Didn’t Breach CUIPA

Aug 28 2013 // The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of Acordia insurance brokerage Monday.The Connecticut Supreme Court, the state’s highest court, reversed a lower trial court’s 2010 ruling that previously...

Flanigan Named CEO of ASCnet

Aug 27 2013 // Barbara Flanigan, a 30-year insurance industry veteran, has been named CEO of Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet), the user group of Applied Systems technology. Barbara Flanigan Flanigan joins ASCnet from Gallagher...

Johannsen Joins Sullivan Brokers

Aug 27 2013 // Los Angeles, CA, 8/27/13 – Sullivan Brokers Wholesale Insurance Solutions is pleased to announce that effective August 26, 2013; Clancy Marie Johannsen has joined the firm’s Professional & Management...

Massachusetts High Court Rules for Horace Mann in Policy Reformation Case

Aug 26 2013 // The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the state’s highest court, recently ruled in favor of an insurance carrier in a case involving a mutual misunderstanding by both the homeowners policyholder and an insurance...

Johannsen Joins Sullivan Brokers in California

Aug 26 2013 // Sullivan Brokers Wholesale Insurance Solutions named Clancy Marie Johannsen to the firm’s professional and management liability practice group in the position of vice president. Johannsen specializes in...