Latest Agencies Headlines

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

People

Sep 1 2008 // Swiss Re appointed Walter A. Bell chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corp.Bell, whose appointment with Swiss Re is effective Sept. 2, is currently insurance commissioner of the Alabama Department of Insurance, a position...

Ballinger Keeps the Beat at the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas

Sep 1 2008 // Phil Ballinger, executive director of the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas, knows a lot about rhythm. He was a drummer with the Van Wilks Band long before he joined SLOT, and while he put down his drumsticks years...

People

Sep 1 2008 // Community Financial Insurance Center, Monroe, La., hired Jeanette F. Credo as senior vice president for its new Financial Institutions Division for the states of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.Credo will establish and...

Declarations

Sep 1 2008 // Agent-Broker Duties“It’s important to understand this bill doesn’t change anything for brokers that want to continue doing business as usual. Yet it really creates an opportunity for producers to have a...

People

Sep 1 2008 // General Star Management Co. appointed Gregory J. Diorio chief operating officer and Joseph L. Majsak chief marketing officer. Diorio will oversee all underwriting divisions while Majsak will oversee the new marketing...

Little Big Stuff

Sep 1 2008 // In a disaster, people often lose access to things they weren’t thinking about losing.Like much else in life, when it comes to catastrophes, it’s the little things that count. Thousands of homeowners and...

Broker Liability

Sep 1 2008 // Author’s note: This is part II in a series on broker liability. Part I appeared in the Aug. 4, 2008, issue.Absent any express representations of coverage by the agent or broker, when the insured accepts a policy...

California Legislature Passes Agent-Broker Bill

Sep 1 2008 // California Assembly Bill 2956, which will clarify the duties of an agent versus those of a broker, has passed both the state Assembly and Senate. The bill will now be held at the Assembly desk until the state budget is...

Lloyd’s in the 21st Century

Sep 1 2008 // Any institution — and there aren’t many — that survives and thrives for 320 years must find ways to adapt to changing conditions. Lloyd’s of London’s transformation offers some insights as to how such...

Lessons in Globalizing an Insurance Brand

Sep 1 2008 // Chubb Insurance, founded in 1882 in New York, today sells in 28 countries and has about 120 offices throughout North America, Europe, South America and the Pacific Rim, serving its property and casualty customers.While...

Brokers’ Stocks Up Slightly for the Year; Banks Active in Brokerage M&As

Sep 1 2008 // Stock Prices: The brokerage sector as a whole is up 2 percent for the year. Arthur J. Gallagher’s (NYSE:AJG) stock has faired well compared to peer Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO). Gallagher’s stock is up 6.5...

A Winning Culture

Sep 1 2008 // Insurance Journal Top 100 Agency ProfileRANKING: No. 12 Headquarters: Denver, Colo. and Wichita, Kan. Year Founded: 1973 Additional Locations: Topeka, Kan., Dallas, Texas, Kansas City, Kan. 2007 Total Property/Casualty...

Surplus Lines Results Remain Strong, Despite Heightened Competition

Sep 1 2008 // Surplus lines insurers continued to outperform the property/casualty industry in underwriting and operating performance in 2007 despite the softening market and more aggressive competition. Heightened competition along...

The Complete Condo Package, Part 2

Sep 1 2008 // Piecing condominium association and unit-owner insurance programs together necessitate determination and complete information. A lot of pieces must be snapped together to assure a complete picture of protection. Any...

Wholesaler Value is a Story That Needs to Be Told

Sep 1 2008 // There is an old saying in the insurance industry that goes something like this: “Please, God, give me one more hard market and I won’t let it slip away.”Of course, in today’s soft market, few of us...

AmWINS Insurance Brokerage Names Manassero VP in California

Aug 29 2008 // Brian Manassero has joined AmWINS Insurance Brokerage of California’s Chatsworth office as a vice president. He will specialize in property and product liability placements, and has 12 years of insurance industry...

Untrustworthy Insurance Agents Will Lose Licenses in Washington

Aug 29 2008 // Insurance agents in Washington state can lose their licenses if they are deemed “untrustworthy.”In an important decision, the Washington State Court of Appeals ruled that Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler...

No Absolutes in Agency Training and Recruitment

Aug 29 2008 // Recruiting and staffing in the insurance industry has never been as “hot” as it is right now, said Susan Henry, senior vice president, The Jacobson Group, an executive search, professional recruiting and...

Heartland Analyst Likes Insurance Broker Brown & Brown

Aug 28 2008 // There’s value to be found in this rangebound market in areas like insurance brokerages, North American natural gas as well as some industrials, a fund manager said.Brad Evans, who helps manage more than $2 billion in...

Soft Market Exposes Value of Risk Control for Golf Insurers

Aug 28 2008 // For the golf industry, 2008 business is at best a bogey — probably worse. And for the agents, carriers and program managers who cater to the golf and country club world, that’s made for a rough market,...