Ten years ago it took $5 million in total agency revenues and about $30 million in Property/Casualty premiums to land on the top 100 agency list. Now an agency needs to have in excess of $10 million in revenues and $60 million in premiums to make the cut. Ten years ago the average independent agency in the country had $250,000 in total revenues with six to seven people. Today the average is close to $600,000 in revenues, also with six to seven people. To use a phrase from Bob Dylan, "the times, they are a changing."

CSRs WHO SELL: SHOULD THEY BE TREATED LIKE PRODUCERS? by Virginia Bates Put your money where your mouth is. Whether principals and managers assume that employees unders...

DIRECTING AGENCY SALES EFFORTS by Carol Hammes Follow this four-step process and watch your sales and earnings grow. Sales management doesnt have to be complicated. I...

DISSOLVING SHAREHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS by Paul Di Stefano, CPA Issues involving the breakup of partners or shareholders can be more complex than one might consider at first blush. A break...

DOES A BANKING RELATIONSHIP MAKE SENSE FOR YOU? by Chris Burand Banks are buying agencies, agencies are developing relationships with banks, insurance companies are opening banks, and a dozen...

EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES by Carol Hammes One of the key elements in creating a team of employees dedicated to achieving agency objectives is to provide meaningful incentives...

FRAMEWORK FOR AGENCY SUCCESS by Patty Vaughn Planning agency success is a learning experience. Sharing ideas, taking advantage of opportunities, and tapping untapped resources, with the help of ...

Ever since independent agencies were invented, their owners have wondered how to find, motivate, and keep good producers. But according to one consultant, most principals still aren't getting a good deal.

'Across the United States, more employee producers are overpaid yet underproduce,' says Jeffrey Wodicka. Wodicka is president of a consulting firm called Directions Agency Management Resources Limited of Rockville, New York, as well as principal of The Greystone Agency, also of Rockville.

IF I WERE MARKETING MANAGER FOR A DAY by Janis Williamson, CPCU, CPIW The role of the marketing manager is quite different than it has ever been before because the marketplace is li...

INCENTIVE COMPENSATION FOR NON-PRODUCERS by Al Diamond During the soft market, while most agents granted salary increases and let their profits and personal incomes erode, prudent ag...