INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR PRODUCERS: DO THEY POSE HIGHER RISKS FOR AGENCIES TODAY? by Paul Whiting Across the country there are independent insurance agents and brokers whose producer...

INSURANCE POLICIES DEMAND CAREFUL REVIEW! Because insurance policies are legal documents, some agents and brokers mistakenly assume that they have been subject to meticulous examination by the insure...

The international insurance market offers a variety of benefits to independent agents and brokers. It provides a perfect tool for solidifying your Commercial Lines accounts and insulating them from inroads being made by alphabet house brokers. International insurance operations also offer an entree to new product lines and markets that will expand your facilities abroad. For example, U.S. agents can introduce their expertise in such lines as Auto, Medical, Surety, and Workers' Compensation to third-world countries that are privatizing these coverages. Canadian brokers can expand their expertise in out-of-country private Medical insurance and, potentially, Workers' Compensation.

LIABILITY RISK RETENTION ACT OF 1986 The following is the text of the Products Liability Risk Retention Act of 1981 as amended by the Risk Retention Amendments of 1986, creating the Liability Risk Re...

LIFE INSURANCE FOR P/C CUSTOMERS One agent had this question: 'One of our P/C insureds is carrying a $1 million Life policy, and he is paying about $50,000 a year in premium. Unfortunately, we didn'...

LIFE GUIDE FOR P/C AGENCIES: MODULE I LIFE OPERATION OPTIONS INTRODUCTION When you decide to establish a Life operation in your P/C agency, you have different fi...

LIFE SALES IN A P/C AGENCY QUESTIONNAIRE Enough agencies have had enough experience with Life to have created some guidelines in what will work, what won't work, and how much leeway there is in the ...

MAKE A SMARTER DEAL: BASE AGENCY VALUE ON PROFITABILITY, NOT A MULTIPLE OF COMMISSIONS! by Roger E. Thomas What multiple does an agency sell for these days? 1.25 times commission? 1...

OWNERSHIP, PERPETUATION, AND MANAGEMENT by John Jaques The succession of ownership and management for your organization for the mid and long term is as important to your firm as ...

RETAINING LIFETIME CUSTOMERS by Brenda French At renewal time, customers have one question that they expect their broker to answer: 'What have you done for me lately?' If that question is...