Historically, a hard market is part of the cyclical nature of the insurance industry. At one time, these cycles occurred fairly consistently at about seven year intervals. However, the last significant hard market came in the mid-80s.

A hard market is characterized by increasing rates and/or reduced industry capacity, which leads to affordability and/or availability problems. In addition, both underwriting and claims adjusting usually become more stringent. In the current marketplace, these conditions are exacerbated by increased uncertainty about such loss exposures as terrorism, mold, etc., and by a reinsurance market significantly strained by the events of September 11.

Before you buy an agency, check out these tips. If you're planning to purchase an agency, these guidelines are essential...

Just when we think we've grasped what's happening in business, something changes to disrupt the precarious balance. It may occur in the economy, an industry, a region, a particular market, or technology that alters even the most flexible business plan.

Establishing a strategy, then staying with it, was possible for most businesses until the last decade. Planning a year or more in advance was relatively easy. Ups and downs would occur but with a high degree of predictability. Hitting sales and revenue targets was almost a natural outcome.

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Suppose a local bedroom community just finished an Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification inspection and was...

No matter what their size, many businesses use most of their available energy just keeping things running on a day-to-day basis.
Unfortunately, there seldom seems to be much time for those tasks that can have a profound effect on a company's future, such as communicating the company's message and projecting its image.

A FINAL REASON TO lsquo;GUIDE FOR COMMERCIAL LINES REFERRALS by Gil Simonds In the previous article, I promised to provide one last reason to guide for referrals...

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A HIT LIST OF INSURANCE WORDS by David Chartrand Comic George Carlin is famous for a routine he did many years ago about the 'Seven Words you Can't Say On Te...