Latest Independent Agencies Headlines

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

McKinsey Report Gets It Wrong on Independent Agents

Jan 27 2014 // For decades the experts have been betting against independent insurance agents, yet they keep winning. Why? The consultants, finance guys, and others who populate the skyscrapers on Wall Street discount the power of the...

Agency Models: What Defines Today’s True Independent Agency

Jan 27 2014 // The conventional definition of an independent agent is an entrepreneur who owns his or her book of business and offers multiple carriers to service their clients. That is the simplified version, and it falls short of...

Big ‘I’ Independent Agents’ InsurPAC Topped $1M in 2013

Jan 7 2014 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) said its political action committee, InsurPac, raised a total of $1,007,668 during the 2013 calendar year.“Surpassing the...

How Insurance Industry Associations Help Those in Need

Dec 16 2013 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”) conducts numerous charitable activities throughout the year. At the national association level, one of the primary charitable initiatives has...

Big Brains at Big ‘I’, Insurance Information Institute Give Their Take on 2014

Dec 11 2013 // Most economists are upbeat about next year, but just what does that mean for insurance agents in 2014?For independent agents 2013 was a year in which one entity forecasted their eventual demise, and for the rest of the...

Texas Independent Insurance Agents, Wholesalers Team Up for Community Service

Dec 6 2013 // The Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and the Texas Surplus Lines Association Inc. joined efforts in December to collect food and money for the Capital Area Food Bank located in Austin, Texas.Food and money were...

Kittell Named Director of Agency Real Time/Download Campaign

Dec 2 2013 // The insurance industry’s Real Time/Download Campaign, which aims to improve workflows for independent agencies, has named Elizabeth Kittell as campaign director. Liz Kittell Kittell has independent agency and...

Independent Agents, Regional Carriers, Innovation and Excellence

Dec 2 2013 // Insurance organizations that are local or regional are a part of the largest segment of employers in the American economy. Why should they exist and succeed in a world where bigger is associated with better?Their success...

Best Agencies

Dec 2 2013 // The independent agency system is strong and getting stronger. Thanks to a focus on specialization, investments in technology and staff, as well as strong growth strategies throughout the economic recession, agencies of all...

IIAT: Independent Agents Guide Consumers Through Affordable Care Act

Nov 21 2013 // In a Nov. 14 address on the troublesome roll out of healthcare.gov and the public outcry over the cancellation of less expensive individual insurance policies, President Obama said, “Buying health insurance is never...

Independent Insurance Agents of Indiana Installs Officers for 2014

Nov 20 2013 // The Independent Insurance Agents of Indiana Inc. (Indiana Big “I”) has installed its slate of officers for 2014.The executive committee leadership team for the Indiana Big “I” for 2014 is: President...

Illinois Independent Agency, Williams-Manny, Joins Keystone Insurers Group

Nov 20 2013 // Keystone Insurers Group announced that Williams-Manny Inc. of Rockford, Ill., has become its second franchise partner in Illinois.Keystone, with partner agencies in nine states, is pursuing a strategy of rapid expansion...

Big ‘I’ 2013 Best Practices Study Finds Increases in Specializations, Profitability

Nov 15 2013 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) released its 2013 Best Practices Study which found an increase in agencies with specializations, expansion of technology...

Confie Head on McKinsey: M&As Indy Agents’ Salvation

Nov 4 2013 // It may not be quite as dire as a “merge or die” mindset, but the message from the head of Confie Seguros is that independent agents should take a hard look at the McKinsey report that claims local independent...

Rusbuldt on McKinsey 5: Where Will Agents Really Be in 5 to 10 Years?

Nov 1 2013 // Bob Rusbuldt, president and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America – the Big “I”- takes issue with a McKinsey report that claims local independent agents will soon be extinct. In this...

Rusbuldt on McKinsey 4: Trusted Choice, CAP as Part of Agents’ Internet Strategy

Oct 31 2013 // Bob Rusbuldt, president and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America – the Big “I”- takes issue with a McKinsey report that claims local independent agents will soon be extinct. In this...

Rusbuldt on McKinsey 3: Don’t Ignore Trends Favoring Independent Agents

Oct 30 2013 // Bob Rusbuldt, president and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America – the Big “I”- takes issue with a McKinsey report that claims local independent agents will soon be extinct. In this...

Rusbuldt on McKinsey 2: Agent-Carrier Relationships Make a Difference

Oct 29 2013 // Bob Rusbuldt, president and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America – the Big “I”- takes issue with a McKinsey report that claims local independent agents will soon be extinct. In this...

Why McKinsey’s Prediction of Demise of Independent Agents Is ‘Dead Wrong’

Oct 28 2013 // A recent report from McKinsey & Co. had some bad news for local property/casualty insurance agents— many of them will be out of business within the next five to 10 years.McKinsey contends that “the economics of...

8 Ways to Organically Grow Your Independent Agency

Oct 21 2013 // Organic produce is popular. Free-range chicken is chic. So, why not get trendy and organically grow your agency?Naturally, inorganic growth is faster because it involves the buying of agencies, hiring producers with books...