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Here are some featured markets we thought you might be interested in taking advantage of: Contractors General Liability, Property and Casualty Insurance Agents Errors and Omissions (E&O), Garage Service & Repair Insurance, Wind Deductible Buy Back Insurance, Maritime Workers Compensation, Restaurant Insurance, Hard-to-Place Property Insurance, Builders Risk Insured by Zurich

There comes a time when you know you are a Professional Salesperson, no one has to tell you, you just know. When that day comes, you look around, and say to yourself, what is the next step? The vast majority of Professional Salespersons decide to open their own shop, which is a good decision for some, but not all.

...of one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and Tra...’s office, then contact each credit reporting company. Contact creditors. Co...

...th agents and brokers and provide custom underwriting expertise and offer inno..., creative underwriting and superior customer service combined with our many m...

...nd phone numbers or emails of the customer service and fraud departments. If y...es. The U.S. Government Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers the right to...

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Pricing for workers compensation insurance continued to harden in California during the first half of 2013, according to a report published Wednesday by SNL Financial L.C. California's 10 largest workers compensation insurers by premium volume, which account for roughly 60% of the state's marketplace, increased their rates an average of 4.3% during the first half of the year, based on filings for new business effective between Jan. 1 and July 1, according to SNL Financial's report. Excluding a 7% decrease filed in March by the State Compensation Insurance Fund, which is the state's largest workers comp insurer, the average rate increase among California's market leaders through July 1 was 5.9%. Within that group, the largest rate increases belonged to American International Group Inc. and Liberty Mutual Holding Co. Inc., which submitted rate hikes of 10.0% and 10.9%, respectively. Statewide, rates for new workers compensation accounts were at their highest in February, when insurers in California filed average rate increases of 9.8% on $1.1 billion in premiums written, according to SNL Financial's report. At least 20 insurers in California included in SNL Financial's analysis filed rate increases of 15% or more for new business in the first half of the year. Seven firms — including units of Liberty Mutual, CNA Financial Corp. and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. — filed rate increases of 20% or more, while units of Hanover Insurance Group Inc. and American Financial Group Inc. filed rate increases in excess of 30%. Few decreased rates Only a handful of companies included in SNL Financial's analysis reported rate decreases in the first half of 2013. Among them was Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, Church Mutual Insurance Co. and units of Nationwide and Utica National Insurance Group. California's workers comp market has been particularly bothersome for Tower Group International Ltd., SNL Financial said in the report. Tower Group cited market conditions in California, where roughly 44% of the company's workers compensation premiums are written, as one key driver behind the $326.7 million reserve charge it reported in its second-quarter earnings statement. Several of the company's operating units in March were granted rate hikes of 6.2% for new business in California, and one unit — Preserver Insurance Co. — filed a rate increase of 17.1%. Read the entire article here. Contact Scurich Insurance Services today at 831-722-3541 to find out how we can assist you with all of your business insurance needs including workers compensation. Content provided by http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20131218/NEWS08/131219828?tags=%7C338%7C309%7C305%7C87%7C304%7C92

Strawberry Commission looks at positive impact of Santa Cruz County's No. 1 crop. Watsonville >> California strawberries employ 70,000 people and contribute $3.4 billion to the state's economy each year. That's according to "Sustaining California Communities," an economic report released Tuesday by the California Strawberry Commission. The report comes as the harvest of Santa Cruz County's premier crop begins. More than 240,000 pounds were picked in the Watsonville-Salinas region during the week that ended March 15. "We want people to understand it's not just the farmers and their crews out there," said commission spokeswoman Carolyn O'Donnell. "The community is important to farmers, and farmers also realize it's important how they integrate with the community." Nearly 90 percent of U.S.-grown strawberries come from California. Watsonville-Salinas is the top producer among the state's four strawberry regions, accounting for 47 percent of the total harvest of nearly 1.8 billion pounds in 2013, according to commission statistics. The industry spends about $2 billion on wages, equipment and supplies, land and taxes, the report says. It generates another $1.4 billion indirectly through, for example, the restaurants and grocery stores that cater to agricultural workers and the police and teachers funded by the estimated $108 million the industry pays in taxes. And it's not just the berry-producing counties on the Central Coast and Southern California. Nurseries in the northern part of the state produce 2 billion plants for transplant in the strawberry fields. The industry is labor-intensive, requiring a large pool of workers to handpick berries. But mechanics, researchers, educators and forklift drivers are among the thousands who work in berry-related jobs. The report doesn't assess costs associated with the industry, such as subsidized housing for low-wage workers. O'Donnell said that would require a more comprehensive and expensive report. But she pointed to the industry's charitable giving. The report notes as an example, the $2 million in scholarships awarded by the commission to the children of farmworkers since 1994. Read the entire article here. Content provided by http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/watsonville/ci_25370176/study-strawberries-boost-ca-economy-by-3-4

As you go about your daily business, insurance fraud is probably one of the furthest things from your mind. However these all-too-common scams, everything from homeowners who report a non-existent burglary to collect on their policies to drivers who stage auto accidents and file injury claims – are criminal acts that you have a legal obligation to report. If you’re aware of, or suspect, a fraudulent act that involves insurance follow these steps: Inform the insurance fraud bureau in your state either through its telephone “hot line” or online. Contact the fraud department of the insurance company involved. Most companies have hotlines for this purpose. If a fraud hotline isn’t available, or if you’re uncomfortable using it, write the fraud department instead. If the alleged fraud involves a medical issue – such as a claim for a non-existent condition – contact your state medical board or chiropractic board immediately in order to protect the complainant, as well as other possible victims. If appropriate, notify other authorities, such as the police (if someone’s life might be in danger) or your local Social Security office (in case of suspected Social Security fraud). Remember that, as a witness, you must report all the details involved: full names, dates, organization, company name, the amount of money involved, etc. Provide any documentation or other information you think might help with the investigation. Be patient. Investigating complaints takes time; it might be months before the investigators have gathered enough evidence to bring the perpetrators into court. A word to the wise. insurance scams costs billions of dollars a year, driving up premiums for everyone – including you.