Latest Agencies Headlines

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

How Software-As-Service Helps Agents Do More With Less

Oct 28 2009 // Today, it’s all about doing more with less. But how do insurance agencies increase productivity while decreasing expenses?For many agencies, technology solutions are critical. If the focus in the first half of the...

House Panel Advances Bill on Credit Rating Agency Liability

Oct 28 2009 // Credit rating agencies would be more tightly regulated and more exposed to lawsuits under legislation approved Wednesday by the U.S. House Financial Services Committee.In another procedural step forward for the Obama...

Gallagher Buys Hawaii Agency

Oct 27 2009 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Triad Insurance Agency, Inc., in Honolulu, Hawaii from The Bank of Hawaii. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Originally founded in 1967, Triad Insurance Agency, Inc....

California Brokerage Offers Graphic Design Program

Oct 27 2009 // Professional Program Insurance Brokerage of Novato, Calif., has a new program for Graphic Designers.This professional liability coverage is offered through an “A” rated carrier. Four levels of liability...

Real Estate Agent Arrested for Workers’ Comp Fraud in New York

Oct 27 2009 // A Florida real estate agent has been arrested in New York for committing insurance fraud against the state’s largest workers’ comp insurer, the New York State Insurance Fund.Ben Keskin, 52, of Florida, was...

Michigan Agent Joins National Big ‘I’ Leadership Team

Oct 26 2009 // David Allen Walker, president of Hartland Insurance Agency in Hartland, Mich., has been installed as the newest member of the executive committee of Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big...

Oregon Charges Agent Who Dumped Records

Oct 26 2009 // The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has issued a cease-and-desist order against insurance agent Robert Warren Spruill for violating the Oregon Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act and the Oregon...

California Commissioner Warns Seniors About Agents

Oct 23 2009 // California’s Insurance Commissioner is worried that crooked health insurance agents may target seniors during open enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Program.Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner...

2010 Looks to Be Painful Year for P/C Insurers, Brokers: Advisen

Oct 22 2009 // Economists have declared the Great Recession over, but its lingering effects will continue to chip away at commercial property/ casualty premiums through 2010, according to insurance experts.A new Advisen Ltd. briefing...

House Panel Reshaping Credit Rating Agency Liability Bill

Oct 21 2009 // A U.S. congressional committee has dropped a key provision from a financial reform bill aimed at reducing investor reliance on credit ratings, according to draft legislation released on Tuesday.The provision, first...

California’s Edgewood Partners Names New Principal

Oct 20 2009 // Edgewood Partners Insurance Center, a retail property, casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage, has appointed Joe Vineis as principal in its San Francisco Office.Vineis brings more than 20 years of experience in...

Last Call for Participation: Insurance Agents’ E&O Survey

Oct 20 2009 // It’s time again for Insurance Journal to find out what’s been going on with Insurance Agents’ Errors & Omissions Insurance. IJ’s annual survey solicits the experiences and opinions of...

Hartford Steam Boiler Enables Quicker Quotes from Agencies

Oct 20 2009 // The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co. says it’s the first carrier to enable independent agents and brokers to quote monoline equipment breakdown policies directly from their Vertafore agency...

Combined Agents of America Adds New Texas, Oklahoma Members

Oct 20 2009 // Combined Agents of America LLC (CAA), based in Austin, Texas, has expanded with the addition of two new members, First Texas Insurance Services LC of Arlington, Texas, and Lake Insurance Agency Inc. of Laverne, Okla.CAA...

Q&A with Ironshore’s Kelley: Why He Left AIG and His Plans for Ironshore

Oct 19 2009 // In December, 2008, Kevin Kelley left Lexington Insurance Co., the largest excess and surplus lines insurance company, after more than 30 years during which he helped the company become one of parent American International...

People

Oct 19 2009 // The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New Jersey (IIABNJ) has elected new leadership. Terry M. Ryan of Hanson & Ryan in Totowa will serve as the new chairman of the association. Ronald Gansfuss of Gansfuss...

Declarations

Oct 19 2009 // Bigger, Hungrier“Large brokers enjoy certain advantages of scope and scale. At least in theory, their costs are lower, and they are able to provide a broader array of services. But small brokers are the engines of...

How to Cure 8 Common ‘Small’ Insurance Agency Ailments

Oct 19 2009 // Being Small Has Its Advantages But It’s No Excuse for Being Unprofessional Ask most people what they like about working with small insurance firms and they’ll answer “their personal approach” or...

Allstate Agents Petition IRS for Review of Independent Contractor Status

Oct 19 2009 // The National Association of Professional Allstate Agents (NAPAA) has published and is distributing a petition to the Internal Revenue Service, written by an unidentified Allstate agent, questioning whether Allstate has...

People

Oct 19 2009 // Michael “Mike” R. Donohoe of Mankato, Minn., was installed as vice chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America at the association’s recent Leadership Conference in New Orleans,...