Latest Agencies Headlines

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

Online Platform Allows Agents, Buyers to Compare, Buy Flood Insurance

Oct 8 2020 // Florida-based flood insurance agency National Flood Insurance (NFI) has backed a new online platform for consumers and agents to quote, compare, and purchase flood insurance policies from multiple flood insurance...

Howden’s Acquisition of A-Plan Group to Create One of UK’s Largest Brokers

Oct 7 2020 // The international insurance broking group Howden recently announced that it has agreed to acquire A-Plan Group, one of the UK’s largest personal and commercial lines insurance brokers.The deal promises to create one...

Hub International Limited Acquires Assets of Maryland’s Bernstein Insurance

Oct 7 2020 // Global insurance brokerage Hub International Limited has acquired the assets of Bernstein Insurance LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Bernstein Insurance’s principal owner, Jennifer Bernstein, was...

Newfront Adds California-Based Brokers in Ag, Service and Manufacturing

Oct 7 2020 // Newfront Insurance has added a team of insurance brokers who were formerly part of Paramount Insurance in Fresno, Calif.The move reflects Newfront’s growing investment in agriculture, service and manufacturing. The...

First Mainstreet Insurance Acquires Two Iowa Agencies

Oct 6 2020 // First MainStreet Insurance L.C. (FMSI), an affiliate of TrueNorth Companies L.C., has acquired two Iowa agencies: Brummel Madsen Insurance in Cedar Falls and The Engel Agency in Maquoketa.Brummel Madsen Insurance has been...

Wholesale Trading Insurance Services Acquires Landmark E&S in California

Oct 5 2020 // Wholesale Trading Insurance Services LLC and its parent company, Jencap, LLC, have agreed to acquire privately held Landmark E&S Insurance Brokers LLC, an Anaheim, Calif. based specialty wholesale brokerage firm.Terms...

Westland Insurance Acquires 2 Brokerage Firms in Alberta, Canada

Oct 5 2020 // Westland Insurance Group Ltd. announced it has acquired two brokers, based in Alberta, Canada, effective October 1, 2020.Ironside Insurance Brokers is a family-owned brokerage located in Carstairs, Alberta. Its...

To Improve Profitability and Sales, ‘Fire’ Your Small Commercial Accounts

Oct 5 2020 // We all know about the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 rule. It also applies when analyzing the profitability and the work required for an agency’s book of business. Roughly 20% of the accounts generate 80% of the...

Hotel Sector Sees Tough Times, High Rates in Insurance Market

Oct 5 2020 // The hotel industry was one of the first industries affected when COVID-19 forced the travel industry into standstill, and many predict it will also be one of the last industries to recover. Even as travel has ticked up...

America’s Best Agencies To Work For

Oct 5 2020 // The votes are in for the 2020 Best Independent Insurance Agencies to Work For. While 2020 has been an unusual year for agency employees – many of whom have worked remotely for months – the pressures that have...

UK Insurtech Zego Partners with 2 Independent Broker Networks to Expand Fleet Offering

Oct 2 2020 // London-based insurtech Zego has partnered with two of the UK’s biggest networks of independent brokers that sit within Bravo Group.Zego will benefit from access to a community of over 700 brokers, more than 60% of...

Boston Insurance Brokerage Promotes Treen to VP of Finance and Administration

Oct 2 2020 // Boston Insurance Brokerage LLC (BIB) has promoted Casie Treen to vice president of Finance and Administration.Treen has been a member of the BIB team since 2011. She joined BIB as an intern while pursuing a degree in...

Argument in London Pub Between U.S., British Agents Is Focus of UK Employment Suit

Oct 2 2020 // An insult-laden spat at a London pub that strained relations between U.S. and British law-enforcement agencies is at the center of a employment tribunal lawsuit against the UK Serious Fraud Office.Tom Martin, an...

Appalachian Underwriters Makes 3 Promotions in Tennessee

Oct 2 2020 // Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. (AUI) has promoted three in-house Marketing team members Marketing representatives in its Oak Ridge, Tenn. Headquarters. The three members will service agents in their specific...

Cannabis Broker Spotlight: Sawyer of Cross Insurance Says Work Building Cannabis Business Worth it

Oct 1 2020 // Editor’s note: This part of a series of profiles on cannabis brokers, in which Insurance Journal explores why and how these folks got into the business, the ups and downs of insuring cannabis, as well as a few tips...

Distinguished Programs Hires Guerrero as Regional Sales Executive in New York

Oct 1 2020 // Distinguished Programs, a national insurance program manager, has hired Brando Guerrero as a regional sales executive in New York.In this role, Guerrero will oversee growth/broker partners in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley...

Allstate to Cut 3,800 Jobs as Latest Step in Multi-Year Growth Plan

Oct 1 2020 // The Allstate Corp. said it will cut approximately 3,800 jobs in claims, sales, service and support functions as part of its continuing plan to grow its property/casualty market share. The layoffs will affect about eight...

Cease and Desist Order Issued for Louisiana Agent for Alleged Premium Theft

Oct 1 2020 // The Louisiana Department of Insurance has issued a cease and desist order and summary suspension of producers license to a Lake Charles, La., agent for alleged misappropriation of premium funds. Valerie M. Muse reportedly...

Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Revokes Agent’s License

Sep 30 2020 // The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Mark Afable has charged former insurance agent, Timothy S. Bratley, with a number of violations of insurance law all targeting elderly consumers.Bratley, also a...

Agents Warned of ‘Creative’ Attorneys, Virus Lawsuits

Sep 30 2020 // Agents and brokers should be on alert that plaintiffs’ attorneys in COVID-19 related business interruption claims lawsuits may be eyeing them as more cases against insurance companies begin to fail and claimants...