BANKS: IF WE CAN'T BEAT 'EM, SHOULD WE JOIN 'EM? by Patty Vaughn The Supreme Court decision, Barnett Bank v. Florida Insurance Commissioner, has created a plethora of new partnerships. T...

CHECK FRAUD AND COUNTERFEITING by L. Burke Files As computer and duplicating technologies have advanced and become cheaper and more widely available, check fraud and counterfeiting have grown. T...

There’s no time better than the beginning of the year to set some fiscal goals and create a plan for improving your financial situation. You are probably ready for a brand new beginning and the thought of sticking to a budget after the holiday spending spree might sound a little more appealing than it would at any other time of year. Here is a step-by-step guide to create some annual goals as well as a financial plan that will help usher in a whole new financial foundation for you and your family.

PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT: BE AWARE, BE PROACTIVE, BE ASSERTIVE by Chris Wright An incorrect billing statement could be a simple error...

Although the technology is in place to sell insurance via the Net, consumers aren’t giving up the one night a year when they sit in their living rooms and listen to their agent pontificate about the advantages of "Plan A" versus "Plan B."

This dynamic might be changing. Insurers have cleared a huge hurdle for online sales — the need for a customer signature — either by using credit cards to bind coverage until the policy can be issued or by legalizing electronic signatures. Despite this advance, a very low percentage of insurance transactions are being handled online.

It's a world in which insurance is converging with financial services, virtual companies are challenging traditional suppliers for market space, and agencies and brokerages are feeling the competition from new distribution channels.

THE FRAUD EQUATION: FIGHTING CREDIT CARD MAIL FRAUD by Leslie Kim The crime of fraud is an equation. It consists of pieces: this criminal, plus that method, plus an element of opportunity. The ...