Remember E&O When Buying or Selling an Agency

Curtis M. Pearsall - Apr 25, 2013

While the industry seemed to see a spike in mergers and acquisitions activity in 2012 due to some tax implications, many are projecting that 2013 will see some healthy buying and selling, too. While there are many issues to address involving staffing, systems, etc., something that does not seem to get the attention it deserves involves the applicable errors and omissions (E&O) issues.

New Study Finds the Independent Agency Generation Gap is a Chasm

Laura Mazzuca Toops, PropertyCasualty360.com - Mar 27, 2013

While nearly 3 of out 4 Americans are concerned about generational differences in work cultures, a new study finds that figure is much higher in the independent agency system.

Health Insurers Warn on Premiums

Anna Wilde Mathews and Louise Radnofsky - Wall Street Journal - Mar 22, 2013

Health insurers are privately warning brokers that premiums for many individuals and small businesses could increase sharply next year because of the health-care overhaul law, with the nation's biggest firm projecting that rates could more than double for some consumers buying their own plans.

Top 10 Agency Buyers in 2012

PropertyCasualty360 - Feb 28, 2013

Insurance agency mergers and acquisitions hit an all-time high in 2012—with 291 total transactions in the U.S. and Canada—according to a recent study.

Former Brooke Corp. Execs Again Indicted on Financial Fraud Charges

Insurance Journal - Dec 07, 2012

Two former executives of the now defunct insurance agency franchising firm, Brooke Corp., have been indicted on federal financial fraud charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas.

Top 10 Commercial Carriers (by Vote)

PropertyCasualty360 - Nov 28, 2012

PC360, in partnership with Flaspöhler Research Group, surveyed 407 independent producers about insurer utilization, performance, perceptions of insurers and related topics. Of the 74 insurers that were evaluated, here are the top 10 commercial carriers as voted by the producers.

Man in the Mirror

LAURA MAZZUCA TOOPS, PROPERTYCASUALTY360.COM - Nov 16, 2012

Think insurance fraud is the exclusive domain of crooked policyholders or the Russian mob? Take a look in the mirror. Producer perpetrated fraud is on the rise, especially in these lingering tough times—and insurers are watching.

“Obamacare … Bring it on!”

Dave Petno - Nov 13, 2012

The sounds you hear are brokers retiring and insurance companies planning to leave the health insurance market now that Obamacare is here to stay.  With that, a large percentage of employers will begin to evaluate eliminating the health plan that covers their employees. Many will pull the trigger in 2014, opting to steer employees to Obama exchanges, while cancelling their plans.

Private exchanges: A win or a wash?

Employee Benefit Adviser - Oct 25, 2012

On the surface, private exchanges seem right in line with American consumerism: Provide an open platform and let each employee pick the exact plan that meets their needs. And for employers, a defined contribution approach to health care coverage seems like a great way to wash their hands of all the compliance headaches.

IVANS Enhances Exchange to Enable Management of Agency-Carrier Communications

PropertyCasualty360 - Oct 23, 2012

IVANS, Inc. announces it has launched an enhanced Insurance Carrier Exchange (ICE) website to provide an easier way for carriers to manage the process of doing business electronically with their independent agents.  IVANS ICE is the platform that carriers use to register agents and manage the distribution of policy and claims information electronically in batch format to the agents’ agency management systems.