Latest Independent Agencies Headlines

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

Independent Agencies Showing Signs of Recovery, Says Big ‘I’ Study

Oct 13 2011 // Things are looking better for the nation’s property/casualty independent insurance agencies.Organic growth for these agencies improved somewhat last year and their profitability held constant across most of the six...

Oklahoma’s Bramlett Installed as Chairman-elect of Big ‘I’ Executive Team

Oct 12 2011 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) announced that Robert “Bobby” Bramlett has been installed as chairman-elect of the IIABA’s executive...

Nationwide, Harleysville CEOs Reassure Agents: Merger All About Growth

Sep 30 2011 // The merger of insurer Nationwide Mutual with regional carrier Harleysville Mutual is all about growth, not only for the companies but also for their independent agents, according to the CEOs of the two...

Nationwide and Harleysville Insurance Agree to Merger; Analysts Respond

Sep 29 2011 // Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and Harleysville Insurance announced on Thursday, Sept. 29, that they have agreed to a merger.Nationwide Mutual will acquire Harleysville Group for $760 million. Nationwide Mutual will pay...

Independent Agents Worried About Nationwide/Harleysville Deal

Sep 28 2011 // Northeastern independent agents with Harleysville appointments said they are leery about the reported Nationwide/Harleysville deal and have lots of questions.According to a report by Bloomberg last Friday, giant Nationwide...

Michigan Earns Outstanding Big ‘I’ Young Agents Award

Sep 27 2011 // The National Young Agents Committee of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big ‘I’) has named its state counterpart in Michigan as the 2011 Outstanding Young Agents Committee...

Central Insurance Honored With Big ‘I’ Best Practices Award

Sep 21 2011 // The Central Insurance Companies, headquartered in Van Wert, Ohio, was recently awarded the 2010 Best Practices Award of Excellence from the National Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big...

The Votes Are In… America’s Best Independent Agencies to Work For

Sep 19 2011 // The results are in from the 2011 Best Independent Insurance Agency to Work For survey by Insurance Journal. Ammerman Insurance Agency, Leesburg, Fla. The Graham Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Mesirow Financial, Chicago,...

The Truth About Why Independent Agents Love Regional Companies

Aug 17 2011 // The multitudes of fine regional insurance companies have been a source of salvation for independent agents. In the last 15 years, their share of the overall personal lines market grew from 18 percent to 23 percent. They...

How One Independent Agent Tried to Off the Gecko

Aug 15 2011 // Obsession is more than some Calvin Klein perfume; it’s the root cause of one independent agent’s tragic attempts to terminate the marketing influence of what he calls the “little green monster” (no...

Hannigan, Farmers’ Longtime Leader of Independent Agency Unit, to Retire

Aug 4 2011 // After more than 42 years as a leader in the insurance industry, John J. “Jack” Hannigan, executive vice president of independent agency operations for Farmers Insurance Group has decided to retire at the end of...

Agents Question GM Free Car Insurance Deal With MetLife Auto

Aug 1 2011 // Independent insurance agents are raising concerns over a General Motors promotion that offers car buyers in the Pacific Northwest a year of free liability and damage insurance from MetLife Auto & Home.Hoping to put...

Top 100 2011 Privately Held Independent Agencies

Aug 1 2011 // About This Report: Despite lingering economic challenges and the ongoing soft insurance market, the nation’s leading independent insurance agencies fared much better in 2010 than in 2009.Property/casualty premiums...

New York Agents Enjoy Above Average Share of P&C Market

Jul 13 2011 // The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York (IIABNY) said agents in the state fare better than peers in other states when it comes to keeping a share of the P&C market, according to a study.IIABNY analyzed...

Agents Question GM Free Car Insurance Deal With MetLife Auto

Jul 12 2011 // Independent insurance agents are raising concerns over a General Motors promotion that offers car buyers in the Pacific Northwest a year of free liability and damage insurance from MetLife Auto & Home.Hoping to put...

Texas Independent Agents Name Tower ACSR of the Year

Jul 12 2011 // Carol Tower of the Malakoff Insurance Agency was named the ACSR of the Year. Tower, an ACSR specializing in personal lines, has been licensed for 19 years and has served as the president of the Federation of Insurance...

Frierson Named Young Agent of the Year by Texas Independent Agents

Jul 11 2011 // Matt Frierson, a partner at Pierson and Fendley Insurance Agency in Paris, Texas, was named the André P. Juneau Young Agent of the Year by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas. Frierson has served on both the young...

Texas Independent Agents Honor Brady with Top Award

Jul 7 2011 // Tim Brady, chairman and former CEO of Brady, Chapman, Holland and Associates in Houston, was named the 2011 Drex Foreman Award winner at the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas’ 114th Annual Conference & Trade...

Shepard Installed as President of Independent Insurance Agents of Texas

Jul 6 2011 // Bob Shepard, board chairman of Shepard Walton King Insurance Group in Harlingen, was installed as IIAT president for 2011-2012 during the association’s annual business meeting in Houston on June 24. Patrick Watkins,...

Last Chance: Submit Today to be a Top 100 Independent Agency

Jun 10 2011 // Don’t miss your chance to participate in the 2011 Top 100 Property/Casualty Independent Insurance Agencies report.The extended deadline is now Friday, June 17! Insurance Journal’s Top 100 identifies the...