BEING ASSUMPTIVE WITH REFERRALS CAN HELP OR HURT! by Bill Cates There are times when being assumptive in the sales and referral process can help you help your clients. there are also tim...

BENCHMARKING LOSS EXPERIENCE IN A WORKERS COMPENSATION LOSS-CONTROL PROGRAM Analyzing losses against payroll is an effective method to measure the effects of a loss-control program. The desired stati...

Although death will happen to all of us, it is rarely a conversation we humans like to have. If it does happen unexpectedly, the last thing most of us would want is to put our family members in serious debt. Although most people assume that having a life insurance package will help take care of a person's family when they are gone, however there are many more benefits.

Construction firms managing multi-million dollar projects across state lines face insurance challenges that standard commercial policies can't solve. The U.S. construction sector generates over $2 trillion annually, and large-scale contractors deal with simultaneous workers' comp claims at dozens of sites, fleet auto liability, and property exposures that span months or years. These aren't risks a typical small-business policy can cover. General contractors now mandate AM Best A-rated carriers in subcontractor agreements, state licensing bodies enforce minimum coverage thresholds, and labor costs plus litigation rates are both climbing. Inadequate coverage costs more than ever.

BEST MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS PRACTICES by Tom Doran Two in three transactions erode shareholder value rather than increase it. Given these odds, how can you succeed with an agency acqui...

BEST PARTNERSHIP Dear (Customer Name): When a business partner suffers a fatal accident, it's a devastating time for all those concerned. The remaining partners feel a great loss after spending yea...

BEST PRACTICES AGENCIES: THE BEST OF THE BEST by Tom Doran As a management consultant and one of the authors of The Best Practices Study, it's sometimes a temptation to become...

BEST PRACTICES FOR AGENCY MANAGERS: LOOK BEYOND THE NUMBERS by Robert C. Smith Taking the financial and operational performance results of the Best Practices Study and building manag...

BEST PRACTICES OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT by Angela Bemiss In today's insurance environment, a successful insurance agent or broker must have good sales management, good operatio...

BETTER CONTINGENCIES EQUAL MORE PROFITS by Chris Burand Many insurance companies try to boost profits by reducing contingency payments - not a smart move. A go...