P/C agents often have reviewed contracts and leases in conjunction with writing Contractual Liability coverages. In many cases, agents will advise clients to reject hold-harmless clauses which place undue hardship on them. Yet insurance agents themselves may be in the grip of hold-harmless clauses, which could lay immense financial burdens on them, even if they are totally innocent of any wrongdoing. We refer to the producer or general agent (GA) contracts of some-not all! -- Life carriers. Unfortunately, some of these carriers are among the best-known career or brokerage companies and, even worse, agents often aren't aware of the poisonous clauses until it's too late and they're sued.

THE IMPACT OF CLUSTERS ON AGENCY VALUE by Chris Burand In this document, Chris Burand addresses the question of how an agencys value is affected when it doesnt own...

THE IMPACT OF CUSTOMER CARE ON E&O by Jack Fries Does your customer service provide effective protection from current and future E&O losses? In October of 1991, an upscale ...

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESOURCES: HOW CONSULTATIVE BROKERS DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES by C.R. Ekern Consultative brokerages develop spheres of resources to provide their clients a higher level of expe...

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING CAPITAL by Chris Burand Working capital is vital to survival especially in this hard market. In this document, Chris Burand explains the importance of worki...

THE INFLUENCE OF A HORSES DERRIERE by Pegi Flahault 'Dont rock the boat.' 'Weve always done it that way!' 'If it isnt broken, dont fix it.' Do these ...

Are independent insurance agents on the verge of extinction? On the MisFortune 500 list of endangered occupations? You might think so after reading some of the press. For a different perspective, Kevin Stipe offers his observations of current and past trends and market conditions to prove that we’re not necessarily going the way of the dinosaur and the door-to-door encyclopedia salesman.

THE INTERNAL CYBERTHREAT by Lorelie Masters Cyberthreats from employee actions, whether accidental or intentional, can cripple a business just as surely as a fire...

THE KEEP/SELL DECISION by Brian Burke Agency owners who are faced with the decision of keeping or selling their agencies can't really explore one of these routes without investi...

THE KEY TO PROFITABILITY by Mary Beth Bolen To be successful in business, carrier marketing managers must thoroughly understand what business they are in, why they are in it, and ho...