All the headlines from our Agencies Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Mar 23 2009 // The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, or the Stimulus Package, is the largest infusion of government funds into the private sector in history. Although it does not include direct benefits to the insurance...
Mar 23 2009 // Snoopy is moving to California and is bringing with him opportunities for independent insurance agents. MetLife Inc., which uses the famous beagle in its advertising, said it plans to expand its MetLife Auto & Home...
Mar 23 2009 // The $787 billion stimulus package passed by Congress looms as the largest mountain on the country’s newly changed economic landscape. But despite hope that the stimulus bill will jump-start spending, some insurance...
Mar 23 2009 // Planning for the “upside” must begin now. The soft insurance market will end, and the rebound from the financial bottom will happen. But don’t try to predict when, just get out in front and plan for...
Mar 23 2009 // Richard G. “Dick” Clarke, senior vice president of J. Smith Lanier & Co. in West Point, Ga., has been elected 2009 president of RiskProNet International, a network of 25 independent insurance brokers in...
Mar 23 2009 // Most of the calls from prospective insurance agency sellers start with, “What are agencies selling for these days?” or “What kind of multiple can I expect if I sell my agency?”Insurance agencies are...
Mar 23 2009 // Kate Westover, vice president of Alternative Risk Financing at Innovative Captive Strategies, has received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award from the Captive Insurance Companies Association (CICA). Based in Colchester,...
Mar 23 2009 // If one were to poll every insurance agent in New York about the most important topic facing their profession, “compensation” would probably top the list of answers.Between bailouts, Wall Street’s collapse...
Mar 23 2009 // With consumers’ credit scores dropping as lenders tighten credit terms, insurance consumer advocates are stepping up their criticism of the use of credit scores by insurance companies.They are also warning insurers...
Mar 23 2009 // No one will argue that operating an insurance business today is challenging. The recession has put pressure on consumers’ wallets, causing them to consider reducing coverages; credit is difficult to come by, meaning...
Mar 23 2009 // $568 MillionAmount spent by New York City to settle damage claims in fiscal year 2008 – an amount that was about $10 million higher than the previous year. Property damage from two major storms helped drive the total...
Mar 23 2009 // The Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West (IBA West) installed the association’s new officers and directors. The following will serve in 2009: President Richard E. Dinger of Crescenta Valley Insurance, who is the...
Mar 23 2009 // A “hot” risk from an agent’s view is the one sitting on his or her desk demanding immediate attention. Sometimes those hot prospects aren’t business owner policy or even standard-carrier-eligible;...
Mar 23 2009 // Among the issues that plague coverage lawyers is that of a misnamed, unnamed or mischaracterized insured. All too often in insurance policies, corporations are designated as assumed names, partnerships as individuals in...
Mar 23 2009 // Hybrid boats are hitting the market and the growing popularity of hybrid and electric boats have directly impacted what boaters expect from their insurance. According to the NMMA boater registration report (Feb. 4, 2008)...
Mar 23 2009 // Jim Henson’s famous Kermit the Frog said it the best, “it’s not easy being green.” Today’s property owners and insurers understand that while it’s not easy, being green can be...
Mar 23 2009 // Insurance agents, brokers and regulators should be aware that when it comes to insurance, consumers are concerned with such issues as the use of credit scores in determining rates, purchasing policies over the Internet,...
Mar 23 2009 // Insurance Journal spoke with some of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) consumer liaisons and found that in addition to credit scoring, their issue lists include Internet sales of insurance; the...
Mar 23 2009 // Most calls from prospective insurance agency sellers start with, “What are agencies selling for these days?” or “What kind of multiple can I expect if I sell my agency?”Insurance agencies are like...
Mar 23 2009 // Data security represents both a new market opportunity to sell insurance coverage and a new risk — especially for independent insurance agencies unable to comply with data security laws or have plans in place to...