A lsquo;FAILED PLAN AND THE SOLUTION By Al Diamond This letter from an Agency Consulting Group client, together with my reply, speak for themselves: Dear Al, I...

A NEW LOOK AT INSURANCE AGENCY VALUATION by Carol Hammes Its becoming increasingly important for agents to recognize that having a complete, professionally prepared appraisal won&...

ACQUIRING AN INSURANCE AGENCY by Carol Hammes The buying and merging of insurance agencies continues to be a hot trend. Traditional buyers, such as larger local agencies, regional f...

ADA CLAIMS BEING BROUGHT FOR 'HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT' by Donald Phin Courts across the country are now starting to grant 'hostile work environment' claims under the ADA, even under circu...

AGENCY-COMPANY RELATIONS: COMPANY CONTRACTS by Carol Hammes How to get - and keep - the best company contracts. INTRODUCTION The relationship between insurance agents a...

APPROACHING FRIENDS FOR REFERRALS: II by Bill Cates How do you approach friends, and others, about the work you do to get referrals? How can you go back to clients who have given ...

ARE CSRS lsquo;EXEMPT EMPLOYEES? by Judi Newman and the IIABA Virtual Faculty Is the customer service representative (CSR) position in an insurance agency considered ...

ASK AN EXPERT: PRODUCER lsquo;NON-COMPETE AGREEMENTS by the IIABA Virtual University Faculty The terms 'Non-Compete,' 'Non-Solicitation,' and 'Non-Piracy' are often used in...

BE PREPARED WHEN CHANGING BANKING PARTNERS by Ron Overson Business banking relationships tend to be personal and long-term; they rarely change. However, as your agency grows, its needs change, a...

Agents who’ve experienced a hard market know that claims are often scrutinized much more closely than they are in a soft market. Unfortunately, circumstances sometimes lead to the denial of claims that are covered regardless of market conditions. This document by the Virtual University faculty provides an example of what you might see more of in the months to come.