BEYOND THE 'ALPHA SPLIT': NEW WAYS TO DISTRIBUTE WORK LOADS by Raymond Keating Check out these alternatives to the traditional alpha split of Commercial Lines service. A cus...

CEMENT RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD RETENTION Service today should center on building lasting relationships-with the customer and with the companies the agency represents. Two fundamental types of CSR con...

COMMERCIAL LINES DEREGULATION: E&O FRIENDLY? by Curtis Pearsall It's evident that many state legislatures are taking up the issue of Commercial Lines deregulation. There are many benefits to d...

E&O EXPOSURES IN INSURING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN by Curtis Pearsall Although many towns might not have a hardware store or a dry cleaner, chances are theres a tavern in your nei...

EIGHT STEPS TO HIRING A PRODUCER by John Jaques Use this proven system to recruit, screen, and monitor star producers. Adding a new producer often results in failure for both the ag...

EVALUATING PRODUCERS by Catherine Oak The more effectively your agency evaluates and manages producers, the better for them and you. Whos responsible for sales managem...

HOW IS YOUR COMPENSATION PLAN LINKED TO PERFORMANCE? by Sharon Cunningham Now well into the new year, agencies throughout the country are taking a close look at their year...

HOW TO BE A HIGH-PERFORMING FIRM by Catherine Oak, CIC, AAI The more effectively you sell, market, and service, the more valuable your agency. ...

Personal Lines competition continues to intensify, as more and more players enter the marketplace. However, independent agents can fight back — if they're willing to make some fundamental changes in the way they do business. In this two-part document, Peter van Aartrijk presents 17 ways to help you build your Personal Lines book. If implementing all of them seems impossible, try three or four. But make a commitment, and go for it.

Complacency or self-deceit can undo much good, and it can kill potential.
Too often I speak to P/C agency principals who say that they're doing just fine, thank you, in Life production. They have no complaints, there's production, so why look any further or make changes?