Latest Agencies Headlines

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

Profile of Young Agents

Apr 4 2011 // Older Side of Young 56.3% are 31 to 40 years old; 43.8% are 30 and under.Career Choice 84.8% consider insurance to be a permanent career choice; 13.6% are unsure. Experience 28.5% have less than three years in insurance;...

Despite Event Coverage Market Downturn, Experts Find Ways to Remain Competitive

Apr 4 2011 // The slow economy and extreme scrutiny of business frivolities has hurt the event coverage class as companies scale down the events they put on or cut back on events altogether. Event producers and non-profits have been hit...

NRRA Compliance Checklist: Prepare Now for Surplus Line Tax Changes and Enjoy Your Summer Vacation

Apr 4 2011 // Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part article on compliance with the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act.The Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA), Subtitle B, Part I, Dodd-Frank Wall Street...

Web Exchange

Apr 4 2011 // On Point: Working on Your Agency vs. Working in Your AgencyShirley Lukens, principal of Reagan Consulting, knows a thing or two about agency best practices. She helped launch the first Best Practices study back in 1992 and...

People

Apr 4 2011 // The Obama administration has officially named Illinois state insurance regulator Michael McRaith to head the new Federal Insurance Office. McRaith, currently the head of the Illinois Department of Insurance, will run the...

A Balancing Act

Apr 4 2011 // When it comes to health insurance reform, it seems that where you’re coming from makes all the difference.Illinois Insurance Director Michael McRaith, President Obama’s pick to head the Federal Insurance Office...

Preparing for the Hurdles Ahead

Apr 4 2011 // Think of what happened in the neighborhood travel agency the first time an online travel Web site started doing business. Did those first agents, looking at the flickering image on their computer screens, realize what this...

Pennsylvania Considers Workers’ Comp for Small Business Owners

Apr 4 2011 // Agents in Pennsylvania are urging lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow insurers to cover owners or partners of small businesses through a workers’ compensation policy.The legislation changes insurance laws...

The Future of the Independent Agency (Has Nothing to Do with Age)

Apr 4 2011 // For the last 20 years, at least, consultants, associations and publications have been worrying about the future of the independent agency system because the average age of agency owners has been in the late 50s. The same...

Health of Agents

Apr 4 2011 // The role of health insurance agents under the new federal healthcare law is under review, again, by state and federal policymakers.Illinois Insurance Director Michael McRaith says the law’s medical loss ratio (MLR)...

Calif. Bill Would Give Insurance Commissioner Stronger Penalty Powers

Apr 1 2011 // California Sen. Noreen Evans, D-District 2, has introduced legislation to grant explicit authority to the state Insurance Commissioner to order restitution as part of an administrative enforcement action against an...

Officials Look to Curb ‘Rebating’ in Sales of Federal Crop Insurance

Apr 1 2011 // Farmers and insurance agents who sell them federal crop insurance policies may soon be required to certify that they are not participating any rebating or incentive schemes related to the purchase of those policies.The...

Selling Isn’t Winning

Apr 1 2011 // Vince Lombardi opened the Packers training camp by saying “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” One of Leo Durocher’s favorites was ” Show me a good loser, and I’ll show...

Calif. Homeowners Insurance Valuation Training Courses Available Online

Mar 31 2011 // Education to meet the California’s Department of Insurance Homeowners’ Valuation Training requirement can be obtained online. Through the Insurance Community University Web site,...

Minnesota Real Estate Closer, Insurance Agent Fined $420K

Mar 31 2011 // The Minnesota Department of Commerce has ordered a Forest Lake real estate closer and insurance agent to pay a civil penalty of $420,000.The department says an investigation found that Cynthia Strand misappropriated $1.3...

Applied Systems Buys CSR24 Agency Systems Firm Artizan

Mar 31 2011 // Insurance technology company Applied Systems has acquired Artizan Internet Services, a provider of Web-based and outsourced customer service and claims technology for property/casualty insurance agencies wanting to offer...

Black Brokers’ Bias Suit Against Bank of America/Merrill Dismissed

Mar 31 2011 // Bank of America Corp. won the dismissal of a bias lawsuit by black financial advisers at the former Merrill Lynch & Co. who said they were paid lower bonuses than white counterparts to stay on when the companies...

Rating Agencies Might Stop Reports Due to EU Threats Say Sources

Mar 31 2011 // Credit rating agencies have warned the European Commission that they could stop rating risky countries if the EU executive goes ahead with plans to make them legally liable for errors of judgment, industry sources...

Agents, Adjusters Vulnerable to Lawsuits Even When They’re Not to Blame

Mar 30 2011 // Agents and adjusters have completely different roles in the insurance industry but as intermediaries between insurance companies and their customers they have one critical thing in common: They often get pulled into claims...

Last Chance: Find Out Who’s Worth What in Today’s Independent Agency

Mar 30 2011 // Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in Insurance Journal’s 2011 Agency Salary Survey. Once again, the survey will ask insurance agents and brokers nationwide who’s worth what in the independent...