Latest Agencies Headlines

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

Allstate Agents Petition IRS for Review of Independent Contractor Status

Oct 8 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...

States, Industry Worried Federal Insurance Office Would Regulate

Oct 7 2009 // State insurance regulators, insurance carriers and independent insurance agents are concerned that redrafted legislation to create a federal insurance office makes the new agency too much like a regulator.Testifying before...

Louisiana Agency Named Trusted Choice Agency of the Month

Oct 7 2009 // Dupre Carrier Godchaux Agency Inc., located in Louisiana’s Acadiana region, has been named the Trusted Choice Agency of the Month by Trusted Choice, the consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and...

Emerson Joins Colemont’s Dallas Office as Vice President and Broker

Oct 6 2009 // Colemont Insurance Brokers announced that David Emerson has joined the company’s Dallas office as vice president and broker specializing in transportation business. Prior to joining Colemont, Emerson was assistant...

How to Reinvigorate Producers and Other Employees Who Have Lost Their Spark or Become Too Comfortable

Oct 5 2009 // Al Diamond is one of the country’s best known agency management consultants. His firm, the Agency Consulting Group, is based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He deals with agencies across the country on issues ranging...

People

Oct 5 2009 // W. R. Berkley Corp. has appointed Carol J. LaPunzina as senior vice president of human resources. In her newly established position, she will oversee human resource operations and personnel development for the company....

People

Oct 5 2009 // David Daniel was named chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”). He will lead the organization as chairman for the 2009-2010 term. Daniel is president of Daniel &...

States Give a ‘Thumbs Up’ to Fingerprinting Insurance Producers

Oct 5 2009 // Don’t be alarmed, but there are convicted criminals roaming around the country acting as insurance producers. They could be robbers, forgers, possibly even rapists.They got their producer licenses in states that did...

People

Oct 5 2009 // Kirby Dibb has joined independent insurance brokerage TriSure in Raleigh, N.C., as client services manager for safety and risk management. In her new capacity, Dibb is responsible for the design, training and monitoring of...

People

Oct 5 2009 // David Daniel was named chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”). He will lead the organization as chairman for the 2009-2010 term.Daniel is president of Daniel &...

States Give a ‘Thumbs Up’ to Fingerprinting Insurance Producers

Oct 5 2009 // Don’t be alarmed, but there are convicted criminals roaming around the country acting as insurance producers. They could be robbers, forgers, possibly even rapists.They got their producer licenses in states that did...

People

Oct 5 2009 // Jim Newberry, assistant vice president and risk control manager of Island Insurance in Honolulu, has received the Risk Management/Insurance Practice Specialty Safety Professional of the Year Award. The award is from the...

How to Cure 8 Common ‘Small’ Insurance Agency Ailments

Oct 5 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...

Now Is Time to Re-Evaluate Agency Systems to Do More With Less

Oct 5 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. And if the focus in the first half of...

Surplus Lines Has Answer for Increasing Data Breach Exposure

Oct 5 2009 // Cell phones, smart phones, MP3 players, computers, e-mail, the list goes on and on of technological inventions that are part of our everyday lives.The observation that electronic data density doubles every 18 months —...

London: International Insurance Center

Oct 5 2009 // London’s insurance market comprises general carriers, specialty carriers, reinsurers, brokers, underwriters, claims handlers, lawyers, accountants and their adjuncts, who work together to sell “The...

Ironman Kevin Kelley: Strength Through Multiple Platforms

Oct 5 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...

London: International Insurance Center

Oct 5 2009 // London’s insurance market comprises general carriers, specialty carriers, reinsurers, brokers, underwriters, claims handlers, lawyers, accountants and their adjuncts, who work together to sell “The...

Independent Agencies’ Overall Growth Down But Personal Lines Up

Oct 1 2009 // The bad news is that overall organic growth for independent insurance agencies is down.The good news is that there continues to be growth in two areas: personal lines and group product sales. The Independent Insurance...

California Agent Pleads to Investment Scam

Oct 1 2009 // A Southern California insurance salesman accused of blowing investors’ money on sports cars, a mistress and real estate has pleaded guilty to federal fraud and money-laundering charges.James R. Halstead entered the...