10 TIPS FOR RENEWAL RETENTION by Ken Buehler Follow these guidelines and watch your retention rate (and bottom line) grow. Much has been said and written about the costs ...

Historically, a hard market is part of the cyclical nature of the insurance industry. At one time, these cycles occurred fairly consistently at about seven year intervals. However, the last significant hard market came in the mid-80s.

A hard market is characterized by increasing rates and/or reduced industry capacity, which leads to affordability and/or availability problems. In addition, both underwriting and claims adjusting usually become more stringent. In the current marketplace, these conditions are exacerbated by increased uncertainty about such loss exposures as terrorism, mold, etc., and by a reinsurance market significantly strained by the events of September 11.

ACCOUNT ROUNDING BY CSRs by Ralph Manfredi In this article, Ralph Manfredi focuses on a proven system for turning service into sales and profits. Learn how to turn every service...

In decades past, specialty insurance programs were often fraught with folly. Today, underwriters know that a combination of inexperienced underwriting with an ineffective national sales organization can kill almost any program. How do you create or participate in one with a significant life span? Thomas Gillingham’s document should answer all of your questions.

CUSTOMER SERVICE TESTS by Bill Wilson Customer service is critical to agency profitability and growth. Outstanding customer service leads to customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction lead...

FRONT-LINE EMPLOYEES: CRITICAL TO SUCCESS by Emily Huling CSRs can make or break your retention rate. In this document, Emily Huling discusses the proper methods for hiring, tra...

LIFE GUIDE FOR P/C AGENCIES INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW This Guide has been created to help you, the P/C agent, establish a systematic, profitable marketing program fo...

MARKETING WITH NEWSLETTERS by Jack Burke Newsletters. We see them every day. We subscribe to them, get them for free, market with them. We learn from them. But how much do we reall...

MARKETING: OPENING NEW TERRITORIES by Al Diamond Al Diamond focuses on planning methods that will help you move your business forward. Agents who havent yet formalized their p...

REFERRALS: THE SECRET TO CONSISTENTLY HIGH PROFITS AND RETENTION RATES by Lynn Thomas, JD Frankly, Im puzzled. Recently, I spoke at a conference where members who have known each o...