Latest Independent Agencies Headlines

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

During a Recession, Agents Tend to Fare Better Than Their Customers

Apr 7 2008 // Main Street independent insurance agents could take a bigger hit than their larger counterparts as an economic recession lands on top of the soft market.The soft market coinciding with a bad economy is a real challenge for...

What America’s Young Insurance Agents Like Most About Being Agents

Apr 4 2008 // According to a new Insurance Journal survey, among the many things America’s young independent insurance agents like about their jobs is the money. Forty-three percent pull in between $51,000 and $100,000 a year,...

Long Island Agent Wins Award from National Trade Group

Apr 4 2008 // Vincent A. Alba, vice president of MRW Group Inc. in Huntington, New York, has been given the Barney Burns Award by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.The award recognizes the insurance agent or...

Agents and Brokers: Deadline to Submit for IJ’s Top 100, April 4

Mar 25 2008 // Insurance Journal is on the search for the nation’s leading privately-held property casualty independent agencies and brokerages for its annual Top 100 Property/Casualty Independent Insurance Agencies report.Now,...

Who’s Worth What in the Independent Agency System?

Mar 25 2008 // Fewer independent agencies gave salary increases to managers, sales producers and support personnel in 2007 compared to 2006, while half of all agencies reported that salaries stayed the same in 2007 compared to 2006. Of...

50 Things Independent Agents Like LEAST

Mar 24 2008 // The exclusive 2008 Insurance Journal Survey of Young Agents asked independent agents under 40 years old what they like least about being an independent agent. Here’s what some of the 360 agents who took the survey...

101 Things Independent Agents Like MOST

Mar 24 2008 // The exclusive 2008 Insurance Journal Survey of Young Agents asked independent agents under 40 years old: What do you like most about being an independent agent? Here’s what some of the 360 agents who took the survey...

America’s Young Insurance Agents: Love and Optimism in the Workplace

Mar 24 2008 // “I wanted a job I could love,” says 29-year-old Meghan McGarry.She found it when she first went to work in an independent insurance agency in New York. Four and one-half years later, and now handling small...

Mass. Agents Find Out What Their Auto Customers are Thinking

Mar 24 2008 // As Massachusetts independent agents enter a new era in auto insurance, they can’t help but be a bit anxious. After all, they have for years had a lock on more than 85 percent of the auto market under the previous...

Who’s Worth What?

Mar 10 2008 // Fewer independent agencies gave salary increases to managers, sales producers and support personnel in 2007 compared to 2006, while half of all agencies reported that salaries stayed the same in 2007 compared to 2006. Of...

GlobalGreen Insurance Offers Independent Agents Franchise

Mar 7 2008 // St. Louis-based Equity One Franchisors, LLC recently announced it is offering independent insurance agents an opportunity to franchise GlobalGreen Insurance Agencies. The first three established franchises are located in...

South Central Agencies Recognized by Big ‘I’ for ‘Best Practices’

Feb 24 2008 // Two independent agencies from South Central states were among the six insurance firms from across the country recognized in January 2008 as “Top Performing Agencies” by the Independent Insurance Agents &...

Strength in Numbers and Cooperation

Feb 24 2008 // Top 100 Agency Profile RANKING: No. 4 Keystone Insurers Group Headquarters: Northumberland, Pa. Year Founded: 1983 Additional Locations: 204 locations 2006 Premium Volume: Total: $912.5 million % Commercial: 60 percent %...

Final Call to Participate: Who’s Worth What in the Independent Agency System?

Feb 22 2008 // Insurance Journal is polling insurance agents and brokers nationwide in its quest to find out who’s worth what in the independent agency system. More than 1,600 agencies nationwide have already responded to Insurance...

Who’s Worth What in the Independent Agency System?

Feb 19 2008 // Insurance Journal is polling insurance agents and brokers nationwide in its annual quest to find out who’s worth what in the independent agency system. Nearly 1,000 agencies nationwide have already responded to...

South Central Agencies Recognized by Big ‘I’ for ‘Best Practices’

Feb 8 2008 // Two independent agencies from South Central states were among the six insurance firms from across the country recognized as “Top Performing Agencies” by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of...

10 Tips for Mass. Insurance Agents Moving into Competitive Market

Jan 29 2008 // Massachusetts independent agents are facing a challenge to hang onto their whopping 86 percent market share in personal lines as the state embarks upon a new competitive auto insurance system that will bring some of the...

Web Site, Ads to Help Agents Keep Mass. Auto Market Share

Jan 9 2008 // Massachusetts independent insurance agents, who now write more than 80 percent of the auto insurance market in the state, are getting some marketing help to protect that market share as they enter a new competitive rating...

People

Dec 23 2007 // Robert P. Page of Houma, La., was installed as president of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA National).Page, co-owner of Charles A. Page and Sons Insurance Agency in Houma, has served on the...

Agents Wish for More Stability, But Predict Soft Market Will Continue in 2008

Dec 23 2007 // In 2007, buyers of insurance reaped in the rewards of a soft insurance market. But for agents and brokers the soft market meant lower premiums, lower commissions and a battle to retain renewal business. Will 2008 bring...